Articles for June, 2010
Leading Off (4/14/10)
1. “Hard, hard” days are ahead for the city of Dallas, Mary Suhm told a gathering of city employees. The city is still figuring out how to bridge a $130 million budget gap, a year after the city already sliced and diced its budget. I think it is safe to say there will be some nasty layoffs on Marilla in coming months. Of course, the city could always try not picking up trash, like in Naples. Could even call ourselves the “Naples of Texas.” Or, wait, Steve Blow has some ideas.
2. Hey, Vince Young, Dallas is not Las Vegas. What happens in Dallas doesn’t stay in Dallas. It gets reported around the country. Don’t get into an “altercation” at a Dallas strip club. I mean, this is the city that invented Cheaters. You’re just making your life harder.
3. A picture is worth a thousand words, right? So I’m not going to say anything about this AP photo of Rick Perry speaking at the Republican Party of Texas’ convention in Dallas this past weekend, because it is all about the image the GOP is trying to convey anyway.
Tim McGraw to Perform at XLV Countdown: Live From Cowboys Stadium
After months of waiting for the naming of the performer for the XLV Countdown: Live From Cowboys Stadium, the announcement was just made. It’s going to be Tim McGraw (pictured).
It had been a secret with little hints given at the Sting concert that the final performer would be a multi-Grammy winner who had sold more than 40 million units. McGraw made the announcement today to a sold-out audience at Dallas’ Superpages.com Center, formerly known as Smirnoff Music Centre.
The Sept. 10 concert will also feature Fort Worth’s Van Cliburn with a historic tribute to the Dallas Cowboys’ 50th anniversary and a celebration of the career of newly-minted Pro Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith.
Interestingly, McGraw’s wife, Faith Hill, kicked off the three-concert series at Bass Hall back in the spring.
Conference Talk: Potential New Homes For Texas, Other Big 12 Schools
Since the Big 12 is on the verge of crumbling (or completely crumbled), and since no one is here and I’m sort of bored, let’s talk new homes for Texas, Texas A&M, and everyone else. I’ve decided to not look at reasonable choices (SEC, Pac-10, Big 10, etc.) and do what I normally do. Which is come up with a ridiculous, mostly self-centered list. It’s fun! Come up with your own.
Zac Crain and His Immediate Seatmates Conference: University of Texas (ZC), Baylor (Laura Kostelny), Texas A&M (Rhonda Reinhart), Notre Dame (Tim Rogers), University of Oklahoma (Krista Nightengale). Notes: Pretty pedestrian, but I had to start somewhere.
Schools I or a Family Member Has Attended (Even If They Flunked Out) Conference: UT, A&M, Texas Tech, McLennan Community College, Baylor, Texas A&M-Commerce, Midwestern State University, Baylor, Georgia Tech, Georgia State University. Notes: Already set up for some great rivalries. Obviously. And don’t sleep on Midwestern State!
I-35 Conference: UT, OU, North Texas, Baylor, Mary Hardin Baylor, Texas State. Notes: What it lacks in competitiveness, it makes up in saving on maps. THAT’S EFFICIENT.
People Currently in the Office Conference: UT. Notes: That’s right.
Gag Gift Skewers Health Reform
Charles King, a corporate cartoonist from Dallas, has come up with a gag gift based on the new health care reform law: a giant capsule that says “Health Care” on one side and “Suppository” on the other. The pill’s ingredients are “pork” of all kinds–sliced, chopped, etc.–and it’s supposed to make the new law go down easier.
What To Do in Dallas This Weekend: June 11-13
The annual fundraiser Top Hat and Tails is on Saturday night, and if you’re not familiar with it, it’s a party with a fun twist. Local celebs are paired up with Arthur Murray dancers for a Dancing With the Stars-type competition. Proceeds benefit Paws in the City. I’m rooting for former NBC 5 morning show host Brendan Higgins, who will be dancing to a song by Justin Timberlake. Yes, that is worth the price of admission. Also worth the price: the costumes some of the dancers will be wearing. Organizers tell us some of them will come from actual celebs who danced on Dancing with the Stars. Contestant Kim Fischer (a reporter for NBC-5) will be wearing something Jennie Garth wore on the show, for example. Pretty cool.
It’s World Cup Time. Get excited! And get to a bar to watch the game. The U.S. plays England on Saturday at 1:30 pm. But please arrive early. Those soccer fans are intense, and they like to stake out their spots as soon as the bar opens. Or, if you’d care to watch it on the big big screen, the Angelika is showing the game. And yes, they are setting up bars inside so fans can get their drink on properly.
Leading Off (6/11/10): The Bethany’s On Vacation But She’s Still a Trooper Edition
1. So perhaps you’ve heard about the breakup. And by breakup, I mean the one where we give Nebraska away to someone and then a bunch of other places like Colorado want to leave the United States, too, or something. I haven’t picked up a newspaper in six days, so you may need to just read this link. And maybe this one. Or hell, just Google it.
2. Yesterday City Manager Mary Suhm met with city employees, and was all, “Oh, it’s really bad, y’all, and pay cuts, furlows and BEARS.” And then the employees were all like, “Hey, sure, but how much are you making? And by the way, do we need a signature bridge if we can’t get paid?” I hear you, city employees. I hear you.
3. This lady was allegedly shoplifting at a Dallas Home Depot. The security guard approached her about her pilfered goods, and this is a dramatic reenactment of how I see it going down:
Security Guard: Hey ma’am, can I see what’s in your bag?
Lady: You want to know what’s in my bag?
Security Guard: Yes, I would like to know what’s in your bag.
Lady: JUNK! (reaches forward, and twists guard’s testicles)
(End Scene)
4. Copy editors are an awesome thing. Journalists love them because they catch stupid little mistakes we make before the story goes to print, so we don’t look like giant ignorami. If you’re playing the home version of “Writing for the Public,” I recommend just finding a friend to kind of give whatever you’re about to send out a good once over. This crime watch volunteer in Arlington did not do that, otherwise I’m sure someone would’ve pointed out that advising people to call 911 ““any time you see Afro teens walking on our street,” is probably not the wisest choice of words.
5. Your earworm: Here. Mine? The Atlantic Ocean.
Final Recap of Chris Cree’s D Magazine Words With Friends Tournament Victory Over Trennis Jones, Rich Goff, and Rhett Miller
To the left there is the final board of the final match of the D Magazine Words With Friends Tournament. Chris Cree defeated Trennis Jones by a score of 423 to 283 to take the title.
My favorite moment of the evening came after all the action was over and the crowd had thinned out. A small group continued to gather around Cree and his wife Carla (who, I’m told, was intensely watching the video streams we had projected on screens as both the semifinals and finals were played). A group of Newtoy Inc. employees peppered Cree to get his thoughts about Words With Friends. He said it was an intriguing variation of the game that he knows so well. Bingos, worth fewer points than they are in Scrabble, aren’t as important. And the different point values and configuration of the bonus squares are “a real equalizer,” he said, meaning that coming up with those seven- or eight-letter words isn’t as important. I love hearing an expert —an expert in nearly any field— expound upon his area of expertise. The excitement and joy in his eyes as he recounts key points in a particular match is infectious.
I asked Cree for some final thoughts about the contest. Here’s what he had to say, followed by the final boards from each of our two semifinals.
Carla and I truly enjoyed the experience. What better way to spend an anniversary! We capped off the evening with a celebratory chicken fried steak and onion rings at D Magazine’s #1 choice – Ozona’s.
As far as game notes – Against Rich I pretty well drew the bag. I was able to bingo twice with the blanks – AEERRR? – REARERs and AENOPR? – PERsONA. I had four other “non-goes” in that game (bingos that did not play). TIDINGS, DENGUES, CINEAST/ACETINS and HIGHEST.
Jim Schutze Denies Laying Huge Steamer in Center Arch of Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge
Dallas Observer columnist Jim Schutze denies that he defecated on the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge. I mean, I think it’s pretty obvious what’s going on here. I think he doth protest too much.
Main Street Garden’s Lily Pad STILL Not Open
I thought this joint was supposed to open last week. There is some recent paperwork taped inside the window suggesting that one day, maybe drinks might be available for drinking at the Pad. But at this point, I’m just not sure I’ll be alive to see it happen.
Update: I put up this post while walking back to the office and have now discovered that the busted men’s room door is to blame. Really? The women’s bathroom looked fine. Problem solved. Unisex bathroom. Go!
North Texas Commission Gets First Female CEO
The North Texas Commission has named its first female president and CEO. She is Mabrie Jackson, the former Plano City Council member who lost a raucous GOP primary for state House District 66 in April to Van Taylor. Jackson (pictured) succeeds Dan Petty, who’s moving into a “consultant’s role” in connection with the 2011 Super Bowl. Petty served 17 years as head man at the commission, which is a nonprofit consortium of North Texas businesses, cities, counties, chambers of commerce, economic development entities and higher education institutions.
What To Do in Dallas Tonight: June 10, 2010
Richard Marx is performing tonight with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Remember when he looked like this? These days he’s a bit more mature (short haircut, a family, etc.), and he’ll be performing songs like “Endless Summer Nights” on his acoustic guitar. This actually makes them sound very pretty (we heard him play this morning on Good Day Dallas so we can vouch). Here’s an interesting fact: Marx’s father was an “arranger,” and he adapted several of Marx’s hits to be played with an orchestra many years ago. Tonight he’ll be performing several of these songs with the DSO as a tribute. Another fun fact: Marx’s son Lucas will be on a new Fox television show in the fall called Ride-Along, playing the son of the main character, Jason Clarke. Now you know.
Planning to go to Cool Thursdays tonight at the Arboretum? Yep, me too. The weather looks kinda nasty, though. I just called them and they said the concert is still on, but to check the website after 3 pm for an update. Seems they will move the concert inside, to Rosine Hall, if it’s rainy. The view might not be quite the same, but hey, at least the sweating would be considerably less. I’ll let you know if I hear anything.
All kinds of fun things are happening here, rain or shine.
Morning News Employees Get Bonuses, Though Pay Cuts Permanent
A.H. Belo will hold its annual shareholders meeting today at 1:30. Watch at home, if you like. In advance of the meeting, yesterday Robert Decherd, the chairman, president, and CEO, issued a good-news-bad-news memo. The good: the company will give bonuses ranging from 1.5 to 3 percent of employees’ base salaries. The bad: the wage cuts made last year are now permanent. Jump for the full text of the memo:
Scrabble Champ Chris Cree Claims D Magazine Words With Friends Tournament Title
That was a lot of fun. Last night a crowd of enthusiastic Words With Friends fanatics — mostly players who participated in our tournament, along with some of their friends and family — packed the kitchen/lobby of our offices to watch live as Chris Cree, Trennis Jones, Rich Goff, and Rhett Miller fought for the title of WWF champion.
As you can see from the one-of-a-kind mockup of a D Magazine cover that we presented to him framed as his trophy, Chris Cree came out on top. While this was hardly a surprise to those of us who watched him tear through the tournament with unmatched high scores (the only player to break 500 points, he did it three times), what was a surprise was just what an entertaining fellow he is and how amazingly gracious he was in victory, careful to compliment the skills of his opponents. It was a pleasure for us to have him in our tournament and to crown him the winner.
We also want to thank the others in our Finally Four. Sports agent Trennis Jones put up an impressive run to finish second before struggling with a bad rack for much of the championship match against Cree. Musician Rhett Miller of the Old 97s has even more fans after last night, when he showed just what a great sport he is by driving up to Dallas from Austin specifically to participate in our festivities. And promotions manager Rich Goff, despite his unfortunate tendency to root for the St. Louis Cardinals, was a lot of fun even as Cree whipped him soundly in their semifinal pairing. While all the players were sequestered in a (slightly) quieter conference room away from the party, Goff sent a text message to his friend asking him to bring him a beer for comfort. His friend soon obliged.
I’ll have a few more game notes, and the final boards, in one last post to come. But first I again want to thank the 400 applicants who had hoped to be part of our tournament field, the 64 who played, the city of McKinney for sponsoring the tournament, and the 1,400 people who checked in on our live video stream at various points last night. It was a great event, and a lot of people made it happen.
And if you’re dying for more detail immediately, you’re welcome to sort through my attempt at live blogging through difficult circumstances.
Leading Off (6/10/10)
1. Lewisville schools are taking on that whole free speech thing. The schools are trying to limit what teachers can say on their social network pages. Basically, they’re prohibiting them from saying anything bad about the schools. “Non-instructional social networking sites should not contain references by the staff member to any affiliation with LISD,” the schools say. “A staff member’s web presence must reflect positively upon the district, department, and/or school.” That seems fair. I mean when you don’t trust your employees to have common sense, then encroach on their free speech.
2. I feel like this story about motorcycle gangs buzzing and zooming around drivers is a wee bit dramatic. The source in the story is quoted as saying things such as, “They’d pass and then the next one and then the next cluster and the next cluster and the next cluster.” And, “I wonder how many of those motorcyclists have family on the road at that time and how they would feel about it if somebody they knew was made quadriplegic from this action?” In the source’s defense, driving is scary.
3. There are many creepy things going on in this story. A man was found in his ex-wife’s boyfriend’s house. He was installing cameras in the bedroom and had installed one in the living room. That’s all fine and dandy. But the part that really scares me about this story are these lines, “He was taken to a hospital and later released without police knowing. He was arrested again when an officer spotted him walking along a street, police said.”
LIVE D Magazine Words With Friends Championship Match — Watch it Here
UPDATE: It’s over. Chris Cree has been crowned our champion. More tomorrow.
It’s all come down to this: the championship of the D Magazine Words With Friends Tournament will be decided in a match between Chris Cree and Trennis Jones tonight at our company offices.
Watch the live video stream of the finals below. Or take a look at what happened in the semifinals. And follow our live-blogging of all of the evening’s activities here.
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