Articles for February 23rd, 2009
Mayor Leppert’s Theoretical Takeover of DISD
If Mayor Tom Leppert were appointed conservator of DISD, what would other cities that feed into DISD say? If I were the mayor of, say, Addison, I’d be peeved.
Despite Tough Times, United Way Exceeds Its Goal
Enough with all the bad news; how about a little good? Tuesday, the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas will announce that it’s exceeded its fundraising goal for the 2008 annual campaign, raking in more than $58.4 million from 1,200 companies/organizations and nearly 140,000 individuals. Not bad, considering UWMD’s $58.3 million goal was announced last September–two days before the stock market plunged big-time. Kudos for this feat go to Kent Eastman, the UWMD’s ‘08 campaign chairman and area president, Capital One Bank; and Gary Godsey, who serves as UWMD president and CEO. This spring, volunteers will decide exactly where in North Texas all that dough will be invested.
Zale Lays Off 175
Speaking of reductions in force, Zale last week laid off about 175 folks. Haven’t seen mention of this yet in the news. Our sympathies to those affected.
Neiman Marcus is Laying Off 450 People Today
That’s the word I’m hearing from folks close enough to know. And that should probably read “another 450 people,” as this follows on the heels of a similar-in-size reduction in force a month or so ago. Also, everyone who remains is taking a pay cut — a small percentage, but everything counts at this point.
Sorry to everyone affected.
When Content Sharing Goes Awry
We’ve talked in this space before about the DMN and Star-T sharing content. The Star-T sends a writer to Surprise, Arizona, and I read that paper’s baseball coverage in the DMN. It’s lamentable, but as Chris Rock would say, I understand.
What happens, though, when you start talking about dining criticism? What if one paper (the Star-T) doesn’t use the star system but the other one (DMN) does? As Nancy asks, just who exactly is handing out the stars?
My Hometown’s 15 Minutes of Semi-Fame Continues
On Friday, Eric linked to this story about meteorite hunters traipsing down to West in search of space rocks. And over the weekend, my wife received her latest issue of Gourmet magazine, in which West received prominent mention as purveyors of what Jan and Michael Stern refer to as “a breakfast treat that has gone to charm school” — the Czech kolache. I read the piece with mixed emotions, as the bakery highlighted therein was Village Bakery, which happens to be owned and operated by one of my parents’ archenemies. (Long story.) I would have preferred the spotlight instead shone on the old Nors Bakery (where my mom’s uncle held his morning coffee klatch for decades; I think it’s under different management now) or Kolacek’s. But what are you gonna do? At least it wasn’t the overrated Czech Stop. Yeah. I said it.
(Oh, and as long as I’m dispensing travel tips, go down Main, take a left after the railroad tracks, and stop by Nemecek’s Meat Market. If it’s still there, get the sausage.)
On Friday, Everything Changes
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West Village Starbucks Gets Its 15 Minutes
John McAlley is an NPR.org contributing editor who likes to do his work while drinking coffee tea, often at the West Village Starbucks. For the March issue of the “print product,” John wrote about the odd cast of international characters he has befriended there. In the podcast below, you can hear John talk about the guy who lives in the West Village yet always drives his Ferrari to the Starbucks. You can also hear John — who was the music editor at Entertainment Weekly — talk about how he got the Dixie Chicks naked.
Last Night’s Dallas-Related Oscar Winner
Online contributor and former People Newspaperman Peter Simek passes along this:
A big Dallas related Oscar winner last night: Megan Mylan for best documentary short. Her parents still live in Dallas and she grew up here (at least for part of her childhood). I can’t remember where she went to school, but I got to interview her a number of years back when her Lost Boys of Sudan movie came out and played at the Angelika. Some of those boys live here still. They go to a church in Richardson and work at Central Market.
The short was Smile Pinki. Congrats to Megan. And congrats to a different Megan for winning the Oscar pool last night. As she said of The Duchess, one of her many correct calls, “Never go against a period piece when it comes to Best Costume.”
Sex Pistols to Play Longhorn Ballroom Again, Kind Of
In their original incarnation, the Sex Pistols only toured the United States once, in 1978. One of those handful of shows — and probably the most notorious one, after the San Francisco swan song — happened at the House That Bob Wills Built, the Longhorn Ballroom. (The opening band was local should-be legends, the Nervebreakers.) The organizers for the Third Annual Rockers vs. Mods – City of Hate Motorcycle and Scooter Rally are bringing them back on March 20, or at least a decent facsimile, the Steve Jones-approved, not-creatively-named cover band the Sex Pistols Experience. Full press release is after the jump. If you’re around — I won’t be, unfortunately — I recommend plunking down $20 and hitting it up. The Longhorn Ballroom is still a great room.
UPDATE: A nerve-breaking FBvian points out that, in fact, the Nervebreakers will be playing in Austin March 20-21 “in parallel with SXSW” and April 11 at Club Dada. Make the time, folks.
Elizabeth Gilbert To Speak at Arts and Letters Live Tomorrow Night
I’m sure most of you aware of the Dallas Museum of Art’s Arts and Letters Live program. Each year, the DMA brings in great authors to come and speak about their works (this year Ian McEwan and David Sedaris are just two of the big names who will make appearances). Tomorrow night, you can hear Elizabeth Gilbert speak about her memoir, Eat, Pray, Love. Lots of people loved this book. It was #1 on the New York Times bestseller list for over a year. After a divorce, Gilbert travels to Italy (eat), India (pray), and Indonesia (love), and documents her experiences. She’s appearing at the Eisemann Center in Richardson at 7:30pm tomorrow night. Click here for tickets. To read an interview of Gilbert by Becky Winn, click here.
Grrr. Why I Hate the Star System and Content Sharing
What happened to you people? I step away for a few days and you let not one, but two new dining critics roam free? Leslie Brenner, I expected. Welcome to the party, Miss B. But June Naylor? Hello? She of Star-Telegram and Texas Monthly fame reviewing Fruia’s Tre Amici? Content sharing on dining reviews? It happened.
Rod Dreher Is Into Animal Husbandry
Crunchy con Rod Dreher wrote in Sunday’s paper about the agrarian movement at his house and elsewhere partly in response to the global economic s-storm. Which gives me an excuse to link to the cartoon about Dreher that David Hopkins and Paul Milligan did for us back in October. Check out “Clucks in the City.”
Megan Henderson Leaves Good Day
Friday is her last day on Fox 4’s morning show. She’s leaving for Los Angeles, apparently. First Maria Sotolongo, now this.
Leading Off (2/23/09)
1. Whom would you rather have running DISD: Mike Hinojosa or Tom Leppert? Trick question: the correct answer is Clone High’s Cinnamon J. Scudworth.
2. Whom would you rather have speaking for the Cowboys: Jerry Jones or Wade Phillips? Me? I choose Coach John McGuirk.
3. What disgraced former mayor would you rather have living in North Texas: Kwame Kilpatrick or Marion Barry? Would it change your decision if I included this guy?
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