Articles for April 22nd, 2009

Certainly Not Another Post About Shutting Down Comments

Yeah, so, just wanted to point you to Gordon Keith’s take on our no-comments policy (for now). And notice what happened in HIS comments section. Some good stuff, absolutely. And some trash. His signal-to-noise ratio is actually pretty good. But all it takes — when your comments aren’t moderated — is a handful of bad actors to ruin the fun.

posted by Tim Rogers | April 22nd, 2009 8:03pm | filed under www. |

GM To Furlough Plants For Up To Nine Weeks

Does that include Arlington? Looks like it.

posted by Wick Allison | April 22nd, 2009 5:33pm | filed under Automotive, Business, Hold On To Your Effin Hat |

Martellus Bennett Sails the Seas of Racial Tension

On his DMN blog, Martellus Bennett decided to tackle the topic of why black people like fried chicken. I’ll tell you this: yesterday, before we turned off comments, I wouldn’t have linked to that Bennett post for fear of the comments that would be generated hereon. (Also, after several internal discussions today, I have high hopes about how soon we’ll have a workable comments-moderation system up and working here.)

posted by Tim Rogers | April 22nd, 2009 4:40pm | filed under Sports, www. |

Green Couriers In Free Delivery Service

Zac wrote last year about Go Green Couriers, an environmentally friendly outfit that uses only hybrid Toyota Prius sedans. To celebrate Earth Day today, Go Green founder Tony Hormillosa offered free, end-of-day delivery service in Dallas County, so long as the order was placed by 2 p.m. Tony says a total of eight customers took him up on the special offer. Which wasn’t exactly overwhelming, but better than zero.

posted by Glenn Hunter | April 22nd, 2009 3:35pm | filed under Business, Local News |

John Cornyn Has Reason To Worry About Kay Bailey’s Seat

A FB-reading Republican insider gives us the scoop:

The primary reason he should be concerned right now is the low fundraising numbers from the three primary candidates.  Williams, Williams, and Shapiro did not have high numbers in the last reporting.  Elizabeth Ames Jones hasn’t really tried to raise money yet.  The state candidates, who are used raising money in large chunks, are going to find it is hard to raise federal dollars.  When Dewhurst enters the race, as everyone expects, he will be able to self-fund with his millions of personal dough.

Bill White is also trying to get creative w/ fundraising.  He is seeking a FEC advisory opinion asking if he can aggregate the $2,400/person limit for the five potential races the next senate candidate will run.  (Primary, run-off, special election, special run-off, general).  This would allow him to go to fewer donors who have large pockets (see, trial lawyers).

posted by Wick Allison | April 22nd, 2009 3:31pm | filed under Politics |

Why Dr Pepper Is So Popular in Dallas

Of course, Dr Pepper advertises on InsideCorner, and we love them for that. But they seem to have something else going for them.  According to a new study in the Journal of Political Economy [sub. req.], brands enjoy a higher market share in cities closest to their place of origin. Economist Tyler Cowan quotes from the study:

Across 49 current leading national CPG brands, dating back to the late 1800s and early 1900s, we find that the current share in markets close to the city of origin, is, on average, 12 share (i.e., percentage) points higher than the national average of 22 percent.

Cowan goes on to note:

What’s amazing is how long these effects — however they are motivated — last.  Miller Beer was introduced to Chicago in 1856 (a very early launch though technically not its first city) and it still has an advantage there, relative to other cities.  Heinz Ketchup originated in Pittsburgh in 1876 and it still has an market share advantage there, again relative to other cities.

What is the mechanism?  Is it that durable relationships with retailers persist for a very long time?  Do area consumers develop the brand habit and pass it down across the generations?  Or is the brand from a particular area better suited for people of that area in the first place, perhaps for reasons which are demographic or ethnic in nature and somewhat persistent through time?

posted by Wick Allison | April 22nd, 2009 3:18pm | filed under Business |

Trees Planted at the Wyly

A PR-practicing FrontBurnervian sends along a pic taken today of the trees being planted downtown at the Wyly Theatre. Eventually there will be 45 trees surrounding the Koolhaas-designed building (red oaks and live oaks). Go, flora! Go, Earth Day! wylytree

posted by Tim Rogers | April 22nd, 2009 3:16pm | filed under Architecture, Arts, Real Estate |

News Online Readership Way, Way Up

The DMN’s web growth continued in March year-over-year, despite the fact that last March Texas was engaged in a heated Democratic presidential primary. Overall, it was up 30%.  Even bigger gains were made by the Raleigh News & Observer (+106%), the Miami Herald (+85%), the NY Daily News (+71%), and the Seattle Times (+70%). [Thanks to the FrontBurnervians who quickly corrected my now-deleted earlier post, which was exactly wrong.]

UPDATE:  A People Newspapers-publishing FB’er points out to me that their web numbers are up 65.6% for the same period.

posted by Wick Allison | April 22nd, 2009 3:02pm | filed under Media |

Could A Democrat Pick Up Kay Bailey’s Seat?

John Cornyn is apparently worried. He brought it up on his own in an interview with The Hill yesterday:

Aside from all the developments so far, the one race Cornyn brought up unprompted in a lengthy interview with The Hill was Texas, where Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) is aiming for the governor’s mansion and could vacate her seat at any time, paving the way for an open, no-primary free-for-all in the Lone Star State.

Indications lately have been that she will remain in her seat, which isn’t up until 2012. But her Texas colleague made it clear Monday that he’s not counting his blessings just yet.

“What I am concerned about is that it will be a special election that will be held perhaps as early as May 2010,” Cornyn said. “I don’t want this to turn into a situation where we elect a Democrat in Texas and further erode our possibilities.”

posted by Wick Allison | April 22nd, 2009 1:40pm | filed under Politics |

Partner Shakedown At Tre Amici

Too many partners, not enough cash.

posted by Nancy Nichols | April 22nd, 2009 12:12pm | filed under Dining, Hold On To Your Effin Hat |

Is The Commercial Real Estate Shoe About To Drop?

Knowledgeable investors in the commercial real estate business have been telling me for the last two months that the recession’s full effects have not yet been felt. Yesterday’s news about Victory’s refinancing — and loss of ownership control — of its developed high-rise properties is, according to them, only an early indicator. Many Dallas properties are being “artificially bucked up” by their owners, including insurance companies and pension funds, so that they do not have to report a loss of value. The time for buying, I’m told, will be in the late fall, when those artificial values are no longer sustainable and there will come a rush to unload.

posted by Wick Allison | April 22nd, 2009 8:45am | filed under Hold On To Your Effin Hat, Real Estate |

Leading Off (4/22/09): Now With Even Fewer Comments!

1. A new study finds the graduation rate at Dallas ISD is improving faster than in many other large urban districts across the country. I think Dallas ISD will soon catch Highland Park ISD.

2. Police are looking into whether a shootout in Oak Cliff, in which a Hummer was hit with 35 shots and people inside the car returned fire, was actually an ambush set up by a Mexican hit man. I think our Wild West image is something the CVB should promote. That’ll fill up the convention center hotel!

3. Speaking of, John Scovell and his Enough Is Enough pro-hotel group say that Harlan Crow and his Citizens Against the Taxpayer-Owned Hotel anti-hotel group are winning the PR battle — a battle that Trey Garrison joins with an allusion to Gilligan’s Island and a joke about Hitler’s wife. I think I’m scared to think anything about that.

posted by Tim Rogers | April 22nd, 2009 8:32am | filed under Local News |