Protesters Do Their Thing at ExxonMobil Meeting

ExxonMobil is holding its annual shareholders meeting at the Meyerson this morning. About a dozen protesters have assembled across the street. They have magaphones and are doing a call and response.

“What do we want?!”

“Cows!”

At least that’s how it sounded to this passerby. The cops have set up a barricade all along Flora street as if to hold back an invading army. I said to one bemused bike cop, “Looks like you really have your hands full today.”

“We’re pretty overwhelmed,” he joked, “but we’ll try to make it.”

Leading Off (5/26/10)

1. I can’t wait to vote hard on the wet/dry referendum. It’s a no-brainer that this patchwork of dry areas in Dallas has to go. The liquor industry, though? They want to keep beer out of grocery stores (and in liquor stores), so they’re predicting all hell will break loose if we change the status quo. The DMN runs an editorial today taking a look at three North Texas cities that have recently gone down this road. The verdict? I’ll drink to it.

2. You’ve been following the dustup over at the District Attorney’s office? The county auditor says it told Craig Watkins back in 2008 that it had found evidence that Constable Jaime Cortes was getting kickbacks from a crooked tower. Craig Watkins’ office says, “Nope. Never got that memo. We didn’t hear about this till late 2009. Are we working a case against Cortes? Maybe. Maybe not.” Now you’re up to date. Me, I’m just waiting for the sweet, sweet, on-message quote from our good friend Eric Celeste, the communications director for Watkins’ reelection campaign. Eric is going to have to earn his retainer this month.

3. I love it when Dallas defies its stereotype. Yes, we’re right here in the Bible Belt. Those East Coast liberals (damn you, East Coast liberals!) think we’re all conservative and creationist down here. Well, let’s ignore the latter for now. But along comes progressive Royal Lane Baptist, which got booted from the Baptist General Convention of Texas for having gay deacons. Royal Lane Baptist, established 1952, was also one of the first to have women as deacons. Now, about that fossil record …

4. Did you know that in Dallas there’s nothing to stop you from picking up a stray dog and, even if it has tags IDing the owner, selling it? The Council is expected to pass an ordinance today that will change that. Kudos to citizen Brad Kirby, who, after having his microchipped huskies stolen, is behind the change.

Burton Gilliam Does Woodrow

Is Blazing Saddles the funniest movie of all time? I’m not sure. It’s up there, though. And for that reason, I shall forever love Burton Gilliam (aka the black-kerchief-wearing Lyle). So when a Woodrow graduate sent me the below photo, I gave it a home. Says our photographer: “Actor Burton Gilliam, Woodrow class of 1956, points to one of the ladies of the Lakewood Theater prior to his keynote speech at the WWW 2010 Senior Dinner last night. A lot of us have grown up with those ladies, who, at times, were much more interesting than the movies on the screen. I remember when the Frisco Art teacher got in trouble with her district for taking her students ‘to see nekkid statues’ at the Dallas Museum of Art. Woodrow is different, as you all know!”

Update: Oh, hell. Four hours after Big Bob.

Grapevine Store Owner Answers Age Old Question By Dropping Pants

So Robert Paul Raincsuk has a store in downtown Grapevine, called The Edge. During Grapevine’s Main Street Days, he reportedly got a little verklempt, at the noise complaints about his store, and then the fact that the police wouldn’t let him put dancers outside the store.

So he allegedly threatened to open fire on the folks at the festival, and the police. So the police, being police, came to question him about the alleged threats.

To answer their question (and the age-old one, “Is that a gun in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?”) Raincsuk allegedly dropped his pants – and underwear.

It got him arrested, so in the future, I recommend answering the question verbally, and not with a demonstration.

One Frontburnervian’s Take On Our Hamster Problem

Many longtime Frontburnervians will recognize Amanda Cobra, who writes the excellent You Go Live in Utah blog. She is also the Amanda Cobra of the “Pontiac of Justice” fame.

She has a little something to say about In-n-Out Burger, and the traffic yesterday’s post generated.

Kwame Kilpatrick Won’t Be a Southlake Resident For About 5 Years

It looks like the judge threw the book at former Detroit mayor, now Southlake resident, Kwame Kilpatrick. He could’ve gotten as little as 18 months, but a Detroit judge gave him the maximum.