Articles for April 20th, 2010

7-Eleven to Gamestop: “I Will Drink Your Milkshake!”

An alert FBvian points us to news that 7-Eleven is getting into the used video game bidness. Gamestop can’t be pleased.

posted by Tim Rogers | April 20th, 2010 1:42pm | filed under Business | 5 Comments »

Introducing Music Scribe Dick Sullivan

Over on FrontRow today you can enjoy the inagural piece by our newest music writer, Dick Sullivan. Die hard Renegade Bus fans may remember Sullivan from his brief cameo on that site. Others make have read his own blog, Deep Ellum Sullie. I just like a guy who describes country music as an “American art that Nashville drugged and violated and lobotomized until it danced voodoo-like in a designer tank-top.” Look for Sullivan regularly. For now, track down that The Beaten Sea album. It sounds like a keeper.

posted by Peter Simek | April 20th, 2010 12:34pm | filed under Arts, Music | 1 Comment »

What To Do in Dallas Tonight: April 20, 2010

Andrew Lloyd Webber fans already have plans tonight. They’ve had April 20 circled on their calendars for months in anticipation of hearing “The Music of the Night” and “Memory” live. I’m a Webber fan too, but I’ve got this date marked for a different reason. (No, not that.) If I have my way, I’ll be having dinner at the Urbano Cafe BYOB wine dinner tonight. A vino-loving coworker tells me this is where the big time wine drinkers congregate to empty out their cellars, and although I’ll drink whatever $5 swill is put in front of me, maybe I’d change my mind if I tried some of the good stuff. I intend to find out tonight while sampling some of Hawaiian-born chef Ke’o Velasquez’s dishes. I just spoke to them and they’ve got a few spots left, so make the call now if you’re interested (they sold out last night).

Need more ideas for tonight? Here you go.

posted by Sarah Eveans | April 20th, 2010 10:50am | filed under Events, Food, Local News | 2 Comments »

Jim Schutze Kicks Steve Blow in the Jeans

In case you missed it, Jim Schutze predicted the future a few weeks ago. He said Steve Blow would write an “Aw, shucks, the Trinity Project is still wonderful” column. Steve Blow did just that (though a week past Schutze’s predicted deadline). Imagine, then, Schutze’s delight as he put up this post yesterday, pointing out how Blow’s column could have been better.

Here’s what I don’t understand: did Blow not read Schutze’s prognostication? Your city columnist should be reading the Observer’s blog, right? Especially the posts that are about him. Because you can do that from Sunnyvale. Right? So how do you write that column about “doomers” and “gloaters” without mentioning by name the biggest gloater in the city, Jim Schutze — a guy who preemptively called you out for writing the very column you just turned in? I just don’t get it.

posted by Tim Rogers | April 20th, 2010 9:29am | filed under Media | 22 Comments »

Perry’s Border Program: $153,000 Per Arrest

So far the governor has spent $4 million on a camera program that has led to only 26 arrests.  According to Brandi Grissom (who wishes she could arrest her parents for giving her that name) of the Texas Tribune:

In 2008, the cameras were expected to generate 1,200 arrests, $25,000 in cash forfeitures, 50,000 incident reports and 4,500 immigration referrals. Under the grant objectives, the coalition was supposed to install 200 cameras. Instead, that year 13 cameras generated three arrests, zero cash forfeitures, eight incident reports, and six immigration referrals.

Meanwhile, in Cameron County alone, the sheriff’s department seizes 6 to 7 tons of narcotics every year — without the cameras. Could the money have been better spent? “I don’t need the cameras,” says Sheriff Omar Lucio. “I need the manpower.”

posted by Wick Allison | April 20th, 2010 9:09am | filed under Crime | 8 Comments »

Denny Hamlin Gets His Guns Up at Texas Motor Speedway

It tickles me that in this age of political correctness, when we can no longer call the TX-OU game the Red River Shootout, winners at the Texas Motor Speedway still get to do this.

posted by Tim Rogers | April 20th, 2010 9:03am | filed under Sports | 4 Comments »

Leading Off: Minor League Hockey Edition

The Allen Americans are fighting to stay alive in the CHL Southern Conference semi-finals. Last night they lost 4-3 to the Odessa Jackalopes in overtime. The best-of-seven series is tied 3-3 with the deciding game Wednesday in Odessa. In case you didn’t know, the Americans are the Dallas Stars’ CHL affiliate and they play in the new Allen Event Center. If the Americans pull through tomorrow, they’ll face the Northern Conference Champions, which will be either the Rapid City Rush or the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs. Go, Americans. (Dumb name. Wish we had Mudbugs. Or Gamecocks. Or Something Clever.) Recap of last night’s game below. (more…)

posted by Nancy Nichols | April 20th, 2010 8:32am | filed under Local News, Sports | 9 Comments »

Leading Off (4/20/10): Stealing Neighbors’ Extremely Weak WiFi Signal Edition

1. Dallas County has the highest HIV infection rate in the state. Still. But it’s getting better. Sort of.

2. If someone wants to loan me a roll of high-speed tape, I’ve got a few projects in mind. One may or may not be codenamed “SUPERCAR.”

3. “Pregnant Volleyball Player Loses Discrimination Complaint.” Or, as I would have written the headline: “Gigantic Waste of Time, Money, and Common Sense Finally Stops Being All of Those Things.”

posted by Zac Crain | April 20th, 2010 7:32am | filed under Local News | 8 Comments »