Articles for July, 2009
Texas Tribune Buys Texas Weekly
From now on, Texas Tribune — the internet startup headed by Evan Smith and financed by John Thornton and friends — goes in italics. That’s because the online venture just became a print venture, buying the venerable Austin-based political newsletter owned by Ross Ramsey, who will become managing editor of the new venture.
OOPS: Forget that cute little thing about online becoming print. Ross reminds me that Texas Weekly has been online only since 2004. What’s embarrassing about that is I already knew it.
Chief Kunkle’s Tat, Ctd.
The news of the Chief’s Road Runner tattoo got me thinking: what other local notables have semi-secret tattoos, and what are they of? Since I’m me, I’m going to throw out some wildly inaccurate guesses:
• Mayor Leppert has the exact same tat, in the same location, as Golden State Warriors forward Stephen Jackson
• Mark Cuban has a Ziggy cartoon on his right shoulder blade
• Jerry Jones has “Mayhem” in Gothic script across his stomach
• Angela Hunt has a Grateful Dead “dancing bear” at the base of her neck
Let’s hear your guesses/tips in the comm–
Just go ahead and e-mail me.
Chief David Kunkle’s Tat
Yesterday I said that I thought Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle’s tattoo was of Woody the Woodpecker. Not so. Mrs. Kunkle corrects me: the tat is of Road Runner, on account of Kunkle’s having run 35 marathons. Which to me just sounds like showing off. Be that as it may, I apologize for getting my fowl confused.
John Cornyn Really, Really Loves Lockheed
The company’s $37,500 in campaign contributions to our junior Texas senator since January is money well spent. Now John Cornyn wants the U.S. to allow Lockheed to sell the F-22 to allies. I am agnostic on that question. What I enjoyed was the first paragraph of his statement:
Texas’ Two GOP Senators Vote For More Government Waste
The next time John Cornyn or Kay Bailey Hutchison sends you a mailer or runs a campaign ad decrying waste in government, remind yourself of the F-22. Neither Cornyn nor Hutchison could muster the courage to cut a measly $1.75 billion in Congressional spending for a bunch of planes Defense Secretary Robert Gates derided as unneccessary.
“Irrespective of whether the number of aircraft at issue is 12 planes or 200, if we cannot bring ourselves to make this tough decision, where do we draw the line?” Gates said. “If we can’t get this right, what on earth can we get right?”
Yes, the good senators were voting to keep jobs in Texas. But let’s look at it another way. They were voting to take money out of your pocket to put it in someone else’s pocket (the workers and executives of Lockheed Martin). For no good reason whatsoever. And Republicans call Barack Obama a socialist?
Here’s Fred Kaplan on the runaway defense budget and why the F-22 vote was important. To think, there used to be this thing called fiscal conservatism.
Leading Off (7/23/09)
1. In a move that surprised only people who are really easily surprised, Mayor Leppert didn’t pick council member (and chief thorn in his paw) Angela Hunt to chair (or even vice chair) any of the council’s seven main committees. In possibly related news, Leppert also decided not to kick himself in the crotch yesterday.
2. Cleburne okayed beer and wine sales in May, for the first time in a decade. Its first beers were sold a few weeks ago. Now a Cleburne beer store is adverstising with girls in bikini tops and “Daisy Duke” shorts. I think I speak for the city of Cleburne when I say: OH MY GOD, WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?
3. I’m just going to present this one without comment: “Elvis Impersonator Wins Custody of Abandoned Baby.”
Martellus Bennett Raps Up Observer Music Awards
As is tradition at the Dallas Observer Music Awards, local celebrities took to the stage last night to present trophies, pimp new projects, and create awkward moments. Cheaters’ Joey Greco encouraged the crowd to follow him on Twitter (not likely), Willa Ford—alongside hubby Mike Modano—greeted the audience with a “What up, bitches” (clever), and my favorite, Robert Wilonsky, reminded us that he’s been around for all 21 of these annual shindigs (that’s a long time, Big Bob—looking good).
But none entertained like Martellus Bennett. The Dallas Cowboys tight end took up residence on the stage for what had to be longer than planned. Generally, presenters say hello, congratulate the winners, and move on. Not Marty B.
Why Not Sell Naming Rights To Dallas City Parks?
Why do we name parks after dead people? Dead people by definition do not have money. Instead, we should name parks after live corporations that do have money. At least, that’s Rodger Jones’ idea over at the Dallas Morning News, and in a time of near-permanent cutbacks in government budgets it sounds like a good idea to me.
The Bachelorette’s Tanner P.: Not A Fan of TV With Laura
Local game show contestant Tanner P. felt compelled to e-mail me at 1:18 am about my analysis of Monday’s episode. And he wasn’t happy. Here’s what he said:
Hey Laura, This is Tanner P. and someone forwarded your blog to me. All I have to say, is do you have anything good to say about anyone? I mean, you can’t find one good thing to say about anyone from the show? All you do is dog everyone for whatever you seem [sic] fit! Seriously, you must have no flaws have [sic] Laura, you are just too perfect.
Two minutes later, Tanner P. apparently got worried. Perhaps he was a little unsettled by the notion that I might actually think that I’m “too perfect.” Maybe he thought I was unfamiliar with sarcasm. I don’t know. But he chose to write again. Jump for the P.S. and the picture of me that he attached in the body of the e-mail (pilfered from Facebook).
Who Is Buying A.H. Belo Stock?
A FrontBurnervian notes that its price has gone up over 25 percent since Friday:
Why We Crave Urban Centers
In a review of architecture critic Deyan Sudjic’s new book, The Language of Things: Understanding The World Of Desirable Objects, John King of the San Francisco Chronicle applies Sudjic’s thesis about the timelessness of good design to the question of why in a time of electronic communication and ecommerce, cities continue to attract.
Leading Off (7/22/09)
1. The Dallas Police Department is working on a new tattoo policy. In short, if you got em, keep em covered. At least one cop with a forearm tat says wearing long sleeves in the summer will make it hard to stay hydrated. Chief David Kunkle has at least one tattoo that I’m aware of. If memory serves, he has a Woody the Woodpecker on his shoulder (if I’m wrong, give me a holler, Mrs. Kunkle). Anyway, I’d think he’d be sympathetic to his troops on this one.
2. New info suggests that the economic recovery in Texas might be less tough than elsewhere. And a Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas forecaster says our 2009 job losses might not be as bad as expected, and that 2010 could actually bring job growth. Do you hear that, everyone? Time again to start buying display ads! Call 214-939-3636!
3. For his birthday, Chace Crawford flew 15 of his closest friends from Dallas to the Hamptons. They celebrated by “playing games, kayaking, swimming, and enjoying meals prepared by a private chef.” So there’s that.
Correction: Kunkle’s tat is of the Road Runner.
TV With Laura: The Bachelorette Recap X
Last night, we took a break from questions about Kiptyn’s weird kissing, Ed’s possible medical maladies, international travels, and Jillian’s bad grammar. Ok, Jillian’s bad grammar is always present–even in studio. And that’s where we were, fine friends. It’s the “Men Tell All” episode–a complete waste of two hours wherein the men complain, get indignant about something called the “man code,” and talk about what a wonder Jillian is (without irony). But most of all, it is two hours of trashing Wes, a man who isn’t even there to defend himself. Weirdly enough, I think Chris Harrison is far angrier about Wes’ alleged deception than even Jillian. So, here’s the deal: I’m not going to document this thing hardcore. Let’s save the over-analysis (which causes paralysis, by the way) for next week. Instead, let’s jump to talk about certain people.
National Association of Realtors Screws Up North Texas Data
It’s a little unclear what, exactly, went down. But Josh Hixson over on DallasDirt has the story about the National Association of Realtors goofing up when it said how many homes had been sold in the first quarter compared to the same period last year. Hey, mistakes happen.
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