The Guy Who Wrote the Book That About Schmidt Was Based On is Coming to Town

Louis Begley is the next writer to participate in The Writer’s Garrett’s “Inside the Writer’s Studio” series, on February 19 at Theatre Three. You may know him from such books as the one I mentioned in the headline of this post and not, as it turns out, from his work on St. Elsewhere and saving the environment. Full release after the jump.

(more…)

I Am Shocked, Shocked That The Hottie and the Nottie Had a Poor Opening Weekend

Paris Hilton’s movie, co-starring Dallas’ Christine Lakin, had an average of about 10 people per theater seeing the thing. That’s based on $76 in tickets per location. Or maybe, every showing sold-out and then all but 10 people per audience demanded their money back. That could happen.

Re: Perry and the Border Fence Nonsense

Then there’s the other issue Perry didn’t address: How many Texans will have their land seized by Homeland Security thugs to make this really bad idea happen?

Less Trash in Public Waters

On the flip side of Tim’s post, and on the other side of the lake, I want to commend the canoeists who cleaned up the stream just north of Northwest Highway, between Audelia and Lawther. As I set out to run some errands on Saturday, I saw them prepping their gear. When I drove by there later, they were gone, but there were about a dozen trash bags stacked up and the shoreline of overhanging trees looked far less junky. Thanks for giving a hoot.

Perry: Border Fence “Nonsensical”

Rick Perry again denounced the border fence today in a speech to the Dallas Hispanic Chamber. It is so nice finally to agree with the governor on something. On the subject of the fence, one state official I spoke with recently said that many people don’t realize that building a fence, which in some points will be as much as a mile from the Rio Grande, effectively cedes the river and parts of the U.S. between the river and the fence to Mexico. He not only considers the fence a bad idea from a policy standpoint, but also believes it sets a dangerous de facto precedent for future U.S.-Mexico relations. IJS.

Open Letter to the Guy Who Threw His Couch into White Rock Lake

Dear Sir:

My family and I went to the park yesterday at Tee Pee Hill. It was a gorgeous day. We brought some stale bread to feed the ducks over by the Boat House. That’s when we saw your couch from the bridge.

I just wanted to say that I hate you.

Sincerely,

Tim Rogers

My Admittedly Biased Analysis of the DMN Hunt Story

As Zac mentioned, the DMN version of the Hunt lawsuit story came out Sunday. Given that our take comes out in about two weeks (penned, by the way, by former DMN writer Gretel C. Kovach), I was eager to see how the paper handled it. Let’s jump.

(more…)

Me, in the New York Times

Well, actually my shoes. While attending New York Fashion Week, many photos were snapped of me in my red shoes when I was chatting with the girls from Passport Panties outside of the tents. One ended up in the New York Times Style section yesterday.

Ticketstock ‘08 on YouTube

If you missed The Ticket’s annual shindig out at the Plano Centre, you can catch the highlights(?) from the Ticket Timewasters’ performance on YouTube here, thanks to the intrepid Brian Darley. Or you can skip that and clog the comments with your thoughts on the departure of The Hammer and how the station has jumped the shark or whatever the kids are saying these days.

Texas Democratic Primary Rules Are Very Complicated

Marc Ambinder of The Atlantic tries his best to explain them and thinks they may favor Obama.

You Are What You Spend

Okay, both Adam and I are channeling Tall Paul. Score-keeping FBvians will remember that Glenn Hunter and I had a breakfast last week where Ross Perot Jr. and Dallas Fed economist Michael Cox were the speakers. In yesterday’s New York Times, I caught a piece Cox co-wrote about how the focus on “income inequality” (quotes used intentionally) is a poor measure, and how spending differences are a better metric. Good follow-up that explains what it all means and why income equality bites can be found here.

How Ashlee Simpson Will Spend Her Valentine’s Day

A friend of mine just passed along this info:

I was in the Walmart next to the office this morning buying baby formula. … Featured in handbills all over the store was the news that at 4.30pm on Valentine’s Day this year, at the Montfort Walmart, will be Ashlee Simpson, signing copies of her CD. More shocking, I can’t tell if that’s a step down. For either party.

My friend and I went on to wonder if she’ll actually be signing autographs. More likely, the cds will be pre-stamped with her signature and on the day of the event, she’ll just squiggle a pen about an inch above the cd.

Chace Crawford + Ron Kirk = NYT

Channeling Paul Kix, I hereby present two Dallas-related items from yesterday’s New York Times, in case you somehow spend your Sundays not reading said paper. One, Gossip Girl’s Chace Crawford was the subject of the Sunday Styles’ “A Night Out With” featurette. (He likes Audis, going to the mall with his parents when he’s home in Dallas, and Kate Hudson.) Two, Frank Rich mentioned Ron Kirk – and others — as an African-American elected official who win a large part of the Hispanic vote, controverting a claim made by a Hillary Clinton staffer. So there.

Leading Off

1. Local non-profit The Blue Shoe Project’s Last of the Great Mississippi Bluesmen won a Grammy last night for best traditional blues album. Which gives me an excuse for this: Herbie Hancock? Seriously?

2. T.O. Owens and Tony Romo helped the NFC come from behind to win the Pro Bowl, keeping their string of playing well when it doesn’t matter intact.

3. The Morning News‘ take on the big Hunt lawsuit hit yesterday. I’m sure Tim (or someone) will have more on this later.