Articles for July, 2008

The Umbrella Academy Comes to Dallas

Quick comic book columnist Dan Koller has word that, fresh off an Eisner Award for Best Limited Series, writer Gerard Way (lead singer of slight guilty pleasure My Chemical Romance–shhh!) and artist Gabriel Ba are re-teaming for The Umbrella Academy: Dallas. Koller notes:

Dallas‘ first issue is scheduled to be released Nov. 26. That’ll be four days after the 45th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination. Coincidence?

UPDATE: Here’s the full release from Dark Horse Comics, courtesy of Big Bob.

Trizila Leaves Chamber For … One Guess

After five years as a spokeswoman for the Dallas Regional Chamber, Jo Trizila (left) has resigned her position to, guess what, get into public relations. In her spare time, Trizila also is something of an expert on Dallas dating, having fought the dating wars for years herself. Jump for a Q&A with the Indiana-born, Dallas-reared blonde. (more…)

Mark Cuban is 50

A vehicular-named FBvian pointed out that Mark Cuban turned 50 today and wondered if it deserved it’s own thread. Can’t see why not, as long as we can do it roast-style. I’ll go ahead and turn the comments on.

UPDATE: It’s also noted regional comedian Dave Little’s birthday. So feel free to roast him as well.

Local Dentist, Busted for Tax Evasion, Gives Me New Band Name

Wesley David Bowden, a 64-year-old dentist, stopped paying taxes in 1992 after being audited. Apparently, that’s frowned upon. So he’s going to the joint at some point in the near future. Whatever. The real takeaway from this is, during Bowden’s protestations, he hit on the perfect name for my new Dirty South polka band: Inland Pirates.

Harry Hunsicker Scores TV Deal With Lee Henry Oswald Series

Mystery writer Harry Hunsicker — who, I’m proud to say, has written for D — passes along great news: the bedeviling Cold Case star Kathryn Morris, via her Hotplate Productions, has sold her first series pilot, and it’s based on Harry’s Crosshairs novel (a good read, by the way).

Good stuff, Harry. Don’t forget us little people when you hit the big time.

Why, I’M an Experienced Editor. $100K Sounds Fine.

Have had lots of questions by FOEs (Friends of Eric) about this job posting, which says there’s yet another luxury magazine coming to town. It says the publisher is “well-funded” and that it should be ready to launch by “late 2008.” Here’s everything else I know about it:

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If you have more to add, any inside info, comments are on.

Hensarling: Don’t Let Airlines Play The Victim Card

Speaking of Jeb Hensarling, he has an article up on National Review blasting the “Coaltion To Stop Oil Speculators,” a lobbying effort in Congress which is the brainchild of 12 major airlines. Here’s the key paragraph, delivering a dose of economic common sense:

The reality is that commodities investments are not based on finger-in-the-wind guessing; but on analyses of trends in supply and demand. If investors see trends pointing toward increasing world demand (skyrocketing demand from India and China) and constrained supply (restricting exploration for American energy, limiting government procurement of unconventional fuels from North America, and constraining American refinery capacity), they are likely to bet on price escalation. Conversely, an actual increase in supply would cause prices to fall. 

UPDATE: NR link fixed. Sorry about that.

Why Earmarks Matter

In the past when I’ve complained about GOP earmarks and praised Dallas’ Jeb Hensarling’s fight against them), readers (mostly Republicans, defending Republican excesses) tell me to stop fretting, earmarks are only a tiny component of the federal deficit. That may be true . But Conn Carroll of the Heritage Foundation now has a chart up which argues for a correlation between increased earmarks and out-of-control government spending. And that doesn’t even include the attendant corruption (hello there, Sen. Ted Stevens).

Anne Armstrong, R.I.P.

I missed this sad news yesterday (thank you, Quorum Report, for catching me up). Anne was a great lady of Texas, one of the most charming, accessible, interesting, and politically deft women Texas produced in the last century. She was a grande dame of the Texas ranching dynasties.  I loved it that in the old days she had no telephone number. To call her, one would dial “0″ and ask the operator to connect to Anne Armstrong at Armstrong Ranch in Armstrong, Texas.

Jessica Simpson Should Maybe Sit the Next Few Plays Out

Just received a tip from a sweet female FBvian—who is REALLY unhappy with my previous headline (c’mon, I’m just tryin’ to rile you up, people!)—that everyone in FB Nation needs to read the September Elle cover story, in which Tony Romo’s girlfriend dishes on all things boy-toy. My favorite quote, about her ex, John Mayer:

“John believed in the Jessica Simpson that’s within.”

She then goes on to talk about Romo, and how wonderfully in love they are. That prompted this IM analysis from said FBvian, which may give away who it was:

Seriously, people don’t like people who always talk about how happy they are. And she oughta know by now that the happier you make yourself out to be, the harder you fall when it all comes crashing down, a la Kathy Lee Gifford. The whole thing was annoying. If Tony wants to trade up, I know another Jessica he can date. So if he got a tattoo of her name, he wouldn’t even have to change it.

Two words: Me. Ow.

Mo on Modano and Hull’s New Restaurant

Over here, puck bunnies.

Home Cookin’: A Cause of Bennigan’s Demise?

Bennigan\'sA study by Chicago-based restaurant-consulting firm Technomic shows that we’re apparently getting our fill of eating out. Check out this Powerpoint presentation, especially pages 11 and 12 (if your computer doesn’t have a Powerpoint program, you won’t be able to see it). Looks like we’re eating at home now as much as we did in 1996. What kind of flair will it take to get you back into one of these joints, anyway?

Chef Casey Thompson Leaves Shinsei

Oh, yes she did. She is posing for centerfold in October issue of D. Oh, no she’s not.

Hot Former Dallas Anchorwoman About Four, Maybe Four and a Half Months Away From Being Much Less Hot

Remember former Channel 11 morning wakeup person Shannon Hori? She left the station last year for the CBS affiliate in Miami, to be closer to her husband. Well, I know that seems like a good idea, getting closer to your husband and the like, but guess what happens: you get too close, then you get preggers. And, if you’re in Miami, apparently that’s news. Read here about how Hori plans to find out the sex of her twins soon, and who the third man in the ring was during the conception.

Tire Thief Terrorizes Park Cities, Preston Hollow!

Okay, okay. That headline was a bit alarmist of me. We’re only talking about two incidents. But in the past couple of days, a tire thief has hit two SUVs: a Tahoe on Wentwood in University Park and a Suburban on Lakehurst in Preston Hollow. In both cases, the owners of the cars woke up to find their rides on cinder blocks, with the tires and wheels gone. In the big city, this sort of stuff happens all the time, I know. But the visual got me. Are moms in UP and Preston Hollow now putting spinners on their SUVs or what?