Articles for March 23rd, 2010
Dallas Grows, Texas Could Pick Up Three More House Seats
In the past 10 years, the Dallas area has grown by almost 1.3 million people, according to the Census Bureau’s recently released annual metropolitan area population estimates. In 2009, both Houston and Dallas gained more than 140,000 new residents each.
Since the 2000 census, Dallas moved up to the fourth most populated U.S. metro area, behind New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.
This growth puts Dallas at the very top of the country’s growth chart — which means more federal funds. As a whole, Texas grew enough (with Austin and San Antonio also on the top 20) to likely gain another three more seats (at least) in Congress, according to Election Data Services.
Town & Country’s Pamela Fiori, Ctd.
Ms. Fiori was sort of my first boss out of college, when American Express ran D Magazine in 1990. I suckled at the AmEx teat of inspiration when she headed up a few editorial meetings with suggestions like “I just want to know where I can get a good pizza in this town.” So I feel like I’m qualified to respond to some of the things she said about the current state of media, according to SweetCharity:
Fiori on print vs. online: “So many women tell me how they like holding paper in their hands when they read.” Chatroulette.com has attracted 1.5 million users in four months, triple the circulation of Town & Country. What people like to hold in their hands doesn’t have much to do with how today’s multimedia consumer prefers to receive information.
On advertising: “Advertisers are so eager to think they can cut costs by advertising on the web. But a little ad online just cannot compare to a wonderfully produced ad in a magazine.” No, advertisers are tired of having no metrics by which they can measure the success of an ad campaign. Web, mobile, and social media campaigns enable them to do this, if only to help set strategy for larger, more expensive communication efforts (like magazine advertisements).
On social media trends: “We’re going through a period when people are flirting with things like Facebook.” Yes, 500 million people are “flirting with Facebook.”
On blogging: “Someone just recently told me about blogging and that it can be fun.” I really don’t have a response to that statement.
Slovakia Opens Up Shop in Dallas
The Slovak Republic (Slovakia to you and me) is opening a Slovak Consulate in Dallas in May. Slovakia’s Honorary Consul to Dallas, Martin Valko, sends word that there will be a reception to mark the occasion of the opening of the consulate on May 3 at Scottish Rite Hospital. You’re not invited, but you might be interested in the following details:
The consulate opening will also include an internationally renowned art exhibit showcasing children’s book illustrations from award-winning Slovak illustrators. … The internationally renowned art exhibit, which is being flown in directly from Slovakia, will showcase Slovak illustrators awarded at The Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB) from 1967 to 2009, giving you the opportunity to view the best children book illustrations published in Slovakia during the last four decades.
Finally, an investment seminar is planned for Tuesday, May 4, for 8-11 a.m. in partnership with the Dallas Regional Chamber, the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO), and American Chamber of Commerce in Slovakia. We are expecting attendance from numerous Texas businesses so they could have the ability to interact with representatives of renowned U.S. companies such as US Steel, Dell Corporation and Ernst & Young which have been doing business in Slovakia. You can register for this seminar by clicking here.
Martin Valko’s name might sound familiar to people in natatorial circles. That’s because he’s married to Slovak hero Martina Moravcova, a five-time Olympian on whom I’ve had a crush since 2004. You want pictures of her? Of course you do. And while we’re thinking of it, congrats to the new mom and dad, who are expecting their first child in June.
Town & Country’s Pamela Fiori’s Class Showed Despite New York Post Rumors
With rumors swirling in NYC about her 28-year tenure as Town & Country’s editor-in-chief, class-act Pamela Fiori was in town yesterday and discussed her boss, future plans for the publishing industry, and herself with SweetCharity.
Chef John Tesar Leaves His Namesake Restaurant in The Woodlands and Heads Back to Dallas
Former Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek chef John Tesar is coming back to Dallas. He speaks.
Rick Perry To Decide on Reprieve for Hank Skinner
Hank Skinner, accused of the 1993 bludgeoning deaths of his girlfriend and her two sons, might be guilty. I don’t know. A jury convicted him in 1994, and apparently the evidence at the time was damning.
But Skinner has insisted he couldn’t have done it, because he was passed out, sick on the couch, from codeine and alcohol. He’s due to be executed tomorrow, and the parole board has denied clemency. It’s now up to Rick Perry to give Hank Skinner a 30-day reprieve, at least, so that previously untested biological evidence can be compared to Skinner’s DNA.
As we all know, Perry took heat for shenanigans surrounding an inquiry into Cameron Todd Willingham’s case – something continually brought up as both a black eye for Texas and for the death penalty in general. As governor of a state that leads the nation in DNA exonerations, you’d think that a 30-day reprieve to be sure that the right guy is being executed would be something Perry would want to do. After all, if the state’s case was right, then he’s done the right thing. If DNA exonerates Skinner, then he’s still done the right thing.
Reason.com spells out some of the other reasons Skinner’s case deserves another look-see.
Joel Kotkin is Hot on Dallas Real Estate
The author of The Next Hundred Million: America in 2050 is en route to Dallas to tell us what we will look like at the mid-point of this century and how we will benefit as the U.S. population grows. Hint — his forecast is not the conservative’s dream nor the liberal’s demand for order and security, but something in-between. Though the city core will have a vital role, suburbs and exurbs will dominate.
Leading Off (3/23/10)
1. A look inside the high-stakes world of textbook sales. While we’re on the subject: when I was a kid and my dad was a middle school principal, one of my summer jobs was checking in all the new textbooks, stamping them, and then distributing them to the various rooms. You know what wasn’t much fun? That.
2. A Flower Mound homeowner’s association is suing one of its residents for installing solar panels on his roof. “If he wants to do something like that, I think he should move into a field,” said his neighbor, Shelly Leih. She then went inside her home, turned on every light and appliance, set the thermostat to 63 degrees, and opened all the windows and doors.
3. The Texas Rangers are looking for help at catcher, in case Jarrod Saltalamacchia isn’t ready by opening day. Currently in the running: Frank Antidisestablishmentarianism. (Did I link to that story just to make that joke? Did Mario Tarradell spend most of his CD review column “writing” about a Scorpions record?)
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