Articles for January 22nd, 2009
Maybe Losing That Stadium Wasn’t A Bad Thing…
A FrontBurnervian recently forwarded me a Wall Street Journal column which, I think, effectively questions the notion of taxpayer-funded stadiums becoming money makers for cities. I know that many of you think not having the Cowboys playing in downtown Dallas might have driven the stake through the heart of our city, but maybe the WSJ piece can offer you some consolation. Then again, it might inspire you to burn an effigy of me, and that’s all right, too.
Dessert Good, Outlook Bad At Economics Talk
Today at the Belo Mansion, one of the smartest economic experts in the world talked about the worldwide financial crisis. He didn’t make you very hopeful about things. Martin Wolf, an associate editor with the Financial Times, called the current meltdown “truly terrifying,” “a monstrous crisis” and “a great shock.” Then he really got bleak, saying “the dangers of a breakdown in the global financial system are enormous.” President Obama may be “able to stop the rot,” Wolf said, but not without a long and painful recession. Oh yeah: we should get used to big government deficits for awhile, too. Wolf’s luncheon talk was presented by Dallas’ National Center for Policy Analysis. At least the cheesecake was good.
Michael Irvin To Host Cowboys-Related Reality Show
This spring SpikeTV will air an Irvin-hosted, still unnamed show wherein 12 “football neophytes” get training and inspiration from #88. That dozen gets voted off week by week, by judges including former Cowboys players and Jerry Jones. The “winner” gets a spot on the Cowboys roster. Watchable?
How to Lose a Basketball Game When the Scoreboard Reads 100-to-0 in Your Favor
The story of the Covenant School’s 100-to-0 over Dallas Academy in a January 13 girls basketball game has been making the rounds today. Now, there’s a twist: Covenant officials say they have made a formal request to the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools to forfeit the “victory without honor.” It’ll be a rare appearance in the win column for Dallas Academy, which is near White Rock Lake and is known for its work with kids with learning disabilities; the school pulled out of TAPPS league play for the rest of the season following the game against Covenant.
FrontBurner For Your Ears Goes Live in 30 Minutes
Got your ears on, good buddy? You can listen live at 3. Special guest Charity Beaver (pictured) suffers an interview by Eric Celeste. After that, the show becomes a podcast so you can listen at your leisure.
Psst. Wanna Go To Cairo … For Free?
(I shill, because I care.) A reminder: King Tut is still in town at the DMA. A reminder that you might not have known about in the first place: D and People Newspapers are giving away free, round-trip airfare from Dallas to Cairo and a four-night stay there. Deadline for entry isn’t until March 31, but you should enter now so you don’t forget. Details and signup are here.
The Push For A Tier 1 University Gets Pushier
Despite Rick Perry’s “defeatism” or lack of interest, David Dewhurst and Jon Straus are putting the Tier 1 idea at the top of their agendas. Paul Burka today reports that Joe Straus has just named Dan Branch as chair of the House’s Higher Education Committee. This is very good news for North Texas.
Watch Your Back, Insured Dallas Drivers…
Read an Associated Press account of this report by the Insurance Research Council, which shows a strong correlation between economic downturns and people dropping insurance coverage. Knowing that drivers lacking insurance is already an enormous problem in Dallas, it gives me chills to think what a recession would do. Props to Ed Wallace’s Inside Automotive web site, where I first found the link to the AP story.
That Gordon Keith Blames the Global Economic Crisis For Everything
As Uncle Barky noted yesterday, Gordon Keith’s show was canceled by WFAA Channel 8, bringing to 9 the number of media entities my presence has sunk. Below, Gordon issues an exclusive statement to FB Nation:
Bottom line is that these are tough economic times and we are losing our budget. I know that we are not everyone’s cup of tea, especially to those who like to leave comments on blogs, and people who participate in Nielsen surveys, but I am glad we did the show. We have won some awards and met some really neat people and had much fun. I changed the format of the show in October and really like the new direction. What a great and wonderful opportunity Channel 8 gave me to get my feet wet in a new medium. I have nothing but happiness and gratefulness for my years with Channel 8. More importantly, I hope to continue my relationship with WFAA in new ways in the near future. Thanks to Tim Rogers, Eric Celeste, and Adam McGill. All of you were fabulous guests.
Programming Note: FrontBurner For Your Ears Episode 6
Tim isn’t here now. Will he be here in time for the show? That’s one reason to tune in today at 3 p.m. to Episode 6 of FrontBurner For Your Ears. Another reason is to hear a snippet of Eric’s interview with DCC fitness director Charity Beaver. Also, This Day in Dallas History. (Yes, I did research.) Also, we might talk about a topic you—yes, you—suggest in the comments. So suggest and listen.
George Steel, We Hardly Knew Ye (Or Maybe We Did)
Former DMN drama critic Jeremy Gerard does a takedown on ephemeral opera impresario George Steel for Bloomberg. Key quote:
Steel seems to have found Dallas a struggle. No sooner had he arrived in October than reports began circulating that he hadn’t bothered to show his face at rehearsals, wasn’t out there fundraising and was “aloof,” out of town more often than not. By early December, his own board members were actively badmouthing him. Worst of all, Steel, an early-music specialist, didn’t seem to know or care much about the standard repertoire beloved of subscribers and donors.
The Strange Case Of Eye-Plucker Andre Thomas
Grits for Breakfast posts a thought-provoking discussion on the Texas death-row inmate who plucked out his eye and ate it (it was his second plucking). The question is not only what we do with such deranged people, but more importantly, what can we do to prevent their derangement from hurting other people. Texas under Rick Perry has elected to save money by letting them out on the streets.
Street Signs of the Times
Dallas street signs are getting larger because people are getting older, reports WFAA. The aging population means motorists can’t see so good, which means Dallas is replacing 300,000 signs. Lettering on the new ones is one inch taller, the signs themselves are more reflective, and stop signs are six-inches bigger.
Font nerds will no doubt recall the U.S. Federal initiative to make a more readable sign. It’s called Clearview, and it debuted in Texas (among a few other states). Why didn’t Dallas just use it? You can download it here, after all.
Gates $3.77 Million Grant A Major Endorsement of DISD
The continuing turnaround of the Dallas public schools is one of the major stories of this decade. When the Dell Foundation last year came to the table with a $5 million grant to back the reform movement, one of whose goals is to give parents , administrators, and principals tools for measuring schools and students, it was a mark of confidence. The Gates Foundation today will second the motion, putting DISD squarely in the national spotlight. To see what this private money is buying for the public benefit, go here. To catch up on the full story, buy our special edition here.
Leading Off (1/22/09)
1. Crowd/traffic control around the Bushes’ new crib is going to cost the city $1 million. If they post two officers in a car in the neighborhood 24/7 for one year. Which they may or may not do. At any rate, city manager Mary Suhm says she won’t ask for reimbursement no matter how much it costs. Which is probably good, since the Secret Service says she can’t. Or she can. Not sure. Also, the DPD also doesn’t plan to provide motorcades for the former president. Except on the occasions when they do. In other words: ????
2. Hey, SMU Mustangs basketball made a rare appearance on SportsCenter last night! On the Top 10 Plays segment, even. Unfortunately, it was because Marshall’s Markel Humphrey hit a 75-foot bank shot for the win, 53-50. (UPDATE: Video here.)
3. And finally, I could tell you about the $519 million makeover of Love Field. But I don’t care — or at least, not as much as I will in 2014. Instead, since Elizabeth Mitchell is from here, anyone else want to talk about the season premiere of Lost? Get all caught up here and here. (And even nerdier here and here. UPDATE: Or here, courtesy of some local folks.)
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