Pete Sessions Joins Tea Party Caucus

Pete Sessions indicated yesterday he’d be joining fellow legislator Michelle Bachman’s Tea Party caucus. So here’s the question I pose to Frontburnervians:

Is this good or bad for his constituents?

What to Do in Dallas Tonight: July 21

It’s Wednesday, and we know you would rather pluck out your leg hairs one at a time with tweezers than cook dinner tonight. Solution: Sushi Night at Dallas Fish Market. The price of one drink buys you four pieces of sushi, and with the wine discounted to $5 or so, that’s practically a free meal! Yay you. For added fun, listen to Kyle Andrews’ cheerful ditty “Sushi” en route.

After you’ve supped, make your way to the Palladium Ballroom to hear the Silversun Pickups, a band out of Los Angeles that reminds us an awful lot of the Smashing Pumpkins–and not in a bad way.

Fun facts about the Silversun Pickups:

• Nominated for Best New Artist Grammy in 2009, even though the band debuted in 2005 with the album Pikul.
• Toured with OK Go, Snow Patrol, Foo Fighters, and Kaiser Chiefs.
• Hits include “Lazy Eye,” “Panic Switch,” “Substitution,” and our favorite, based purely on the title, “The Royal We.”

In the mood for something else? Click here.

Leading Off (7/21/10)

1. Gromer Jeffers Jr. reports that in 2007, shortly after DA Craig Watkins was elected, Watkins used campaign funds to buy $3,000 worth of fine threads, including a tuxedo. It wasn’t illegal, just dumb. But here’s the thing: if you’ll recall all the hubbub about the various people Watkins was in arrears to back then, the shopping spree makes sense. The guy might not have been able to afford the sort of duds that a district attorney needs to wear. Meanwhile, Watkins and his GOP challenger, Danny Clancy, are going at it over the DA’s conviction rate — which isn’t nearly as much fun as talking about the DA’s clothes.

2. Jimmy Johnson is going to compete on Survivor. Given the frequency that Johnson is already photographed shirtless, I predict another Richard Hatch deal, except, you know, without the gay part.

3. You will find no more casual observer of the Rangers than I. And yet, even I’m thinking it might be time to start paying attention, because it kinda looks like something special might happen this year.

DMN Photo Editor Catches Doctored Golf Pic

Kudos to eagle-eyed DMN photo editor Guy Reynolds, who spotted something fishy about a Getty photographer’s snap

What to Do in Dallas Tonight: July 20

Not so long ago, it was difficult to hear the name Bret Michaels without being transported to our youth, a time when Spandex, large hair, and bands with nonsensical umlauts in their names dominated the popular music scene. Those were dark days, friends.

Somehow, Michaels has managed to move on. The former Poison front man has transformed himself into a sympathetic character on the comeback trail. Thank you, reality television. Tonight, you can see him play in Jack FM’s Bandanaroo along with Fuel, and Cowboy Mouth. Performing live just two months after his brain hemorrhage? That’s commitment. Of note: ticket proceeds benefit Texas Can!, and that’s definitely something to believe in.

We can’t think of a more suitable footnote to such an evening than a fully loaded hot dog at Angry Dog. Hot, greasy, and possibly not good for you, this is how you end on a high note, people. And yes, you want fries with that.

You have some time between now and then, so while you’re waiting, take a few moments—or several moments, depending on how eager you are to get back to work—and weigh in on our Dallas suburbs survey.

Find other great stuff to do here.

Last Chance for You to Judge the Suburbs

Did we accurately score the ambiance of the Dallas suburbs? Is Garland less attractive than Addison? Now’s your last chance to be heard. I’ll pull the report from our online survey and crunch the data later today.

Assignment for Frontburnervians: Find Me a Tiger

According to WFAA, several people saw one or two (I would think there’d be a difference) tigers roaming around downtown.

They were last seen going down Houston Street toward the West End, where, as Zac kinda noted, there’s not much going on these days. Perhaps they were just trying to find a habitat devoid of people but still inexplicably possessing a few chain restaurants and basement nightclubs.

So here’s your assignment, for which there is no reward (except maybe an open bottle of B12 vitamins, a stuffed penguin dressed as a bride, and a box of tea): Find us those tigers. Don’t actually bring the tigers to D, but send us pictures. Of the tigers. Bonus points if Hooters is in the background.