Articles for September 29th, 2008
Local Media Acting as Josh Howard’s Finishing School Teachers?
Mike Fisher over on Dallas Basketball is reporting something that I find curious. It’s about Josh Howard, who today apologized for his many screw-ups, including, most recently, saying that he doesn’t cotton to The Star-Spangled Banner because he’s black. Here’s the part of Fish’s report that caught my eye:
Additionally, I have it on good authority that the Mavs PR-coaching efforts here not only included staff higher-ups (including Cuban, Donnie and Carlisle) but also some members of the media, who were asked by the club to hint at the sort of questions their erstwhile All-Star might face.
I read that right? Media types coached Josh Howard in preparation for his news conference today? If any of those media types were people who cover the team, they should be fired immediately. And, Fish, if you know their names, you should publish them. Because that just ain’t right.
On the other hand, if Cuban is hiring media coaches for the team, Eric is available.
Late Monday Afternoon Distraction
To keep your mind off the economy, DISD, and Sarah’s failure to get some face time with Marty Scorsese: on Saturday night, my wife and child slept over at my mother-in-law’s house, giving me a rare bit of freedom. I had the basic framework of a plan (get drunk and make some bad decisions) and a wide-open schedule. Anything and everything was possible. Instead, I stretched out for a moment to watch some pre-revelry TV–and ended up falling asleep at 10:30. And that was that.
Question: giant failure or biggest failure ever?
DISD Layoffs Begin
And … that happened.
Hope Someone at These Local-Based Companies Was in Charge of Holding Onto Hats
Here’s the bad news from the Dallas Business Journal following the market folding like a pair of pants today. The good news in the Crain household: we have no stock in any of those companies. The not-as-good news: we don’t have any stock because we don’t have any money. The maybe-not-relevant-but-not-necessarily-irrelevant news: I’m just as hilarious and handsome as I was yesterday, which is to say, extremely and very. Let that be the rock you cling to in these choppy economic seas.
Grand Opening of the Joule Hotel: AKA Chasing Martin Scorsese
This is legendary director Martin Scorsese. He was in town this weekend to host the grand opening of The Joule, a hip new hotel downtown. Along with Scorsese, N’Syncer Joey Fatone, Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, and the Jonas Brothers (eeeeee!!) were all at the party. Tim told me if I got a picture with Scorsese, he would buy me drinks at Al’s. So, that should have been incentive. Was it? Yes. Did I see any of them? Um, no. But the party still rocked anyway. Jump for details.
I Would Like To Officially Offer My Legal Services to the City of Farmers Branch
Since I said months ago the illegal immigrant rental ban would never pass legal muster. Looks like Tim O’Hare and company finally agree.
Public Art Is More Of The Former, Not Much Of The Latter
(I’ve been meaning to post something about this for more than a year. I can remain silent no longer.)
I don’t want to hurt the feelers of the artist who drew up the public art on display on downtown highway pillars ‘neath Woodall Rodgers (at Maple-Routh Conn.) and ‘neath I-45 (at Main St.). But I can’t imagine he or she looks at the project and says, “Yep. That’s some of my finest work.”
Why is the City of Dallas Broadcasting Fire And Brimstone?
Tuned into WRR-101.1 yesterday morning and heard a fiery sermon on city-owned airwaves. I’m not saying whether I agree with the content of what was said, but I think it’s interesting that the City of Dallas’ normally classical music station also transmits Christian programming. This definitely opens questions regarding the separation of Church and State. Does that mean WRR is open to broadcasting all types of religious content? If so, I’d love to hear what the druids have lined up for us…
Kelan Luker Back to Being Below Average On a Football Field Rather Than a Stage
Remember Kelan Luker? He was the SMU QB who quit the team to play bass for Submursed, a band that sounded so much like Creed that Creed’s drummer ended up playing with them. Anyway, in case you missed it, he’s back playing football, this time as a 27-year-old backup for Tarleton State. Personally, I would have preferred it if Luker had decided to be not great in another arena where everyone else is not great, keeping his streak alive. For instance, he could always drive a DART bus.
‘Best Ideas’ Guru And A $12 Billion Shortfall
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott says the Teacher Retirement System of Texas is running a deficit–$12.5 billion as of July. Yet the fund’s chief investment officer, Britt Harris, is scheduled to be one of the investment pooh-bahs speaking next week at a Dallas symposium organized by Shad Rowe and John Neill. Ticket price: $1,000 per head (though most of that is tax-deductible, since the Great Investors’ Best Ideas Foundation Investment Symposium benefits two charities). What makes the Oct. 7 deal even curiouser is the fact that organizer Rowe was given the boot as chairman of the Texas Pension Review Board by Gov. Rick Perry. Rowe–who nonetheless remains a member of the board–had been warning that many of the state’s pension funds are unhealthy. And, because all the alleged unhealthiness occurred before the current financial crisis, things could be even worse today.
Mrs. Mike Snyder’s Near-Death Experience
An alert FBvian points us to this post on Mike Snyder’s blog. If you’ve been wondering why the NBC 5 anchor hasn’t been on the air, now you know. Scary stuff.
Leading Off (9/29/08)
1. Several firsts yesterday: the Cowboys lost for the first time, T.O. threw his first mini-fit over his role in the offense, Felix Jones didn’t score for the first time in his pro career, and Jerry Jones was fined ($25K for criticizing ref Ed Hochuli) for the first time in his tenure as owner. There was also one 204th (Wade Phillips looking vaguely confused), a 501st (Tony Romo asking a ref to throw a pass interference flag after a missed throw), and a 32,542nd (Joe Buck sucking all enjoyment out of the broadcast).
2. The TRE is adding several new routes, including a late-night 11:45 p.m.-12:15 a.m. trip from Union Station to CentrePort. Or, as they’ve been calling it around the office, the Hey I Don’t Want Any Trouble Just Take My Wallet and Don’t Hurt Me I Have Kids Express.
3. And finally, KXAS/Channel 5 turns 60 years old. We now go back to Jane McGarry in the studio. Jane? “Tonight at 10, why a seemingly normal anniversary MIGHT KILL YOU.”
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