Articles for August, 2010
Leading Off? (8/10/10)
1. Virgin America is launching service to DFW. So now we can gripe about another airline.
2. Speaking of DFW, the Orange Line is still on track to provide service out there. At some point.
3. While President Obama was in Texas, Governor Perry warned him of a “dire threat” along the border. The threat? Chupacabras.
What to Do in Dallas Tonight: Aug. 10
Getting a little stir-crazy with the kids at home this summer? Are you tired of hearing them whine, “I’m boooored?” You could cure their ennui by putting them to work in the yard, but if you’re feeling merciful, haul them out to Fort Worth for The Modern Kids movie series. Beatless Nick sounds utterly delightful.
Moving on. You wouldn’t know it to listen to local sports radio, but the Cowboys are not the only major franchise in town. We also happen to have a baseball team. And that baseball team is doing us proud this year. Head out to Arlington to see the Rangers play the Yankees. I know it’s hot, and I know the traffic might provoke you to gouge out your eyes with a dull implement, but it will be worth it–particularly if the Rangers win. If you’ve ever seen a Yankees fan in the agony of defeat, you know what I mean.
Obviously you’ll eat half your weight in hotdogs and nachos at the game, but you might also want some real food. If you’re rooting for the home team, eat something you can’t readily find in New York: great tacos (I can personally attest to this). Try Fuzzy’s Taco Shop on Abram Street in Arlington. If you’re in the other camp (heretic), then clearly you’ll have to eat pizza. I suggest you check out Nizza Pizza, just south of the university on Cooper Street. The calzones are as big as your head, the prices are reasonable, and as an added bonus, the food is delicious.
If baseball isn’t your bag, check out other things to do in Dallas.
Bachelor Pad Starts Tonight
Prepare yourself for the most dramatic hour(s) of television ever in the history of the world. Bachelor Pad starts tonight at 7 p.m. on ABC. Watch it with me, won’t you? I know. It’s a lot to ask. I’m going to give it a try tonight. I’ll blog about it tomorrow, and then we can decide if we should never speak of it again.
Parade of Playhouses Takes Over NorthPark
In addition to Zac, many were at NorthPark Saturday to see the Parade of Playhouses that benefits Dallas CASA. The 17 little abodes like this Fire Truck Playhouse (pictured) are there until Aug. 22 when they are handed over to raffle winners.
Russ Martin Scores Early
Thanks to portable people meters, a technology borrowed from Star Trek, Arbitron can now measure radio audiences in ever smaller time segments. Martin returned to the North Texas airwaves on July 12, and in the first three days, he brought in some big numbers for KEGL 97.1. In the 18-to-34 demo, during the 6 to 10 a.m. slot, he took the station from No. 15 to No. 3. And in the 25-to-54 demo, he took the station from No. 14 to No. 1. Those are big jumps. But as one radio executive tells me (and I use the term “executive” loosely):
Looking at ratings over the short term (one week or three days of one week) is kind of like watching the stock market for an hour or a day or a week, rather than over a month or a quarter. It’s a very, very small snapshot that may or may not be indicative of what really is happening big picture-wise.
I tuned in for short periods during my drive to work for the first couple of weeks Martin was on the air. To my ear, he came out of the gate haltingly (which was to be expected, given how long he’d been farting around his house and auto repair shop, away from a broadcast studio). The show just didn’t feel like it had the same pace and momentum I remembered. On-air stumbles (looking for the right sounders in the computer, trying to figure out when to go to commercial or traffic or whatever) that once sounded organic and welcome, if not planned, sounded on the new show like they were simply on-air stumbles. But even in the short time he’s been on the air, I’ve noticed improvement.
We’ll see whether that “very, very small snapshot” is indicative or not. There could have been a lot of people like me, just straying from their usual radio appointments out of curiosity to see what the show sounds like. Or, as the billboards say, maybe the king is back.
Eric Celeste: “That’s on me. I screwed up.”
Hang on. I’m trying to catch my breath. Something has happened.
Everyone remembers our good friend Eric Celeste, yes? He worked here for a number of years. Now he’s the communications director for DA Craig Watkins’ reelection campaign. We’ve all gotten over the shock of that promotion. (I guess it was a promotion.) But now comes this.
Eric drafted a letter for his boss in which he claimed Watkins was responsible for 20 exonerations. Not so. And Sam Merten over at Unfair Park called him on it. To his credit, Eric took full responsibility for the boner. “That’s on me,” he told Merten. “I screwed up.”
I can’t be certain, but I don’t think Eric has ever uttered those words before. This new job has clearly been a growing experience for him.
Personal Income Takes a Dive in North Texas
Check out this chart over on WSJ.com. Commerce Department stats show that from 2008 to 2009 the Dallas-Fort Worth area had the 13th-biggest drop in income, -5.2%. If that hadn’t happened, if someone walked up to you right now and gave you a check that amounted to 5.2% of your income, what would you do with it? No fair putting it in the bank; that’s boring.
Free Acting Lesson on FrontRow
See what Sally Nystuen Vahle taught our interns over at the Wyly Theater.
What to Do in Dallas Tonight: Aug. 9
Good morning, residents of Dallas and its surrounding cities. I hope you’re faring well this sweltering Monday. I’m fairly certain I just saw a pigeon burst into flames.
You may think that the best course of action today is to sit at home on your couch in your underwear with the lights out eating mint ice cream, and frankly I see the logic in that. However, I suggest you set aside at least a few hours for the following activities:
Go to Mockingbird Station and experience two of life’s greatest pleasures together: air conditioning and new clothes. As it so happens, the shops are having a giant sale, so you really can’t use the “sorry, gotta pay rent and buy cat food” excuse this time. Just be sure to set a little aside for tax-free weekend.
Next, we have two similar options that differ primarily in scale and production cost: Kids Karaoke and American Idol Live. Depending on where you live, you could technically do both! Life truly is a buffet, readers. A buffet of fun.
True fact: cooler temperatures are conducive to sleep, and poor sleep is linked to a number of serious health issues. Ergo, it is in your best interest to eat ice cream. You could go home and perform the actions outlined in paragraph 2 (above), but you could also make one last stop for the night: Paciugo. For your health.
In the mood for something else? Find out other things to do in Dallas.
Leading Off (8/9/10)
1. Dallas City Manager Mary Suhm has released her draft budget, and as expected, the cuts run deep. The good news: under Suhm’s proposal, the city tax rate will remain the same and no police or firefighters will be cut (though they will face furloughs and pay cuts). The bad news: 440 city employees will be let go, there’s no money for routine street repairs, trash pickup at parks will happen less frequently, recreation center hours will reduce their hours, and the library system will lose $10 million in funding.
2. In 2009, Parkland Hospital welcomed 11,071 new little American citizens, part of the 60,000 babies born statewide each year to undocumented immigrants. That number represents about 16 percent of the total births statewide, statistics that are sure to make Texas a center of the debate on the 14th Amendment that has been raised as we head towards the November elections.
3. Michael Joseph Paprskar has lived what he calls a “cursed life.” I think most readers of his dramatic life story will just be surprised that a scary dude like Paprkar is still walking the streets. The drama begins in in the 1950s when Paprskar slashed the face of sailor in the backseat of car during a dispute about a bottle of whisky, and it continues with a triple murder in the 1970s (including a four year boy) and three more recent attacks. In all of these incidents, Paprskar claims, he was merely acting in self defense. He was never looking for trouble; trouble found him.
From Rejected Cougar to Harassed Contractor, Jodie Fisher Has Been Busy
Dallas-born Jodie Fisher has been a busy gal. She was the first cougar to be voted off of “Age of Love,” and now she’s stepping forward as the “contractor” who was sexually harassed by HP’s former wunderkind Mark Hurd.
HP CEO Mark Hurd Resigns for “Inappropriate Behavior”
I figure it’s germane enough for us because of HP’s purchase of EDS. And because it involves inappropriate behavior. Check out the note from Cathie Lesjak, the CFO who will do honors while a search for a new CEO is underway:
Accessories of the Week: Lauren Ferguson Plus Shoes
It’s just been too dang hot for the Accessories of the Week to venture out. That is until last night. Amy Turner’s party for the Simply Summer Simply Shoes underwriters had a whole passel of adorable, well-tanned gals in silk sundresses and namedropping shoes. One of them was Lauren Ferguson (pictured), who is co-chair for the event’s underwriting as well as a banker at Amegy Bank.
Oh, and if you want to see some pretty great looking shoes, follow the jump. (more…)
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Wherein I, Zac Crain, Go to an Extremely Crowded NorthPark Center
On Saturday afternoon, my son and I ventured forth to NorthPark to take in Step Up 3D. He loves dance movies (as do I) and really loves 3D movies (as do — actually, I’m not a big fan). Plus, it was roughly the same temperature as lava outside, and I would have gone to see Steve Blow do a stand-up comedy set — of all-new material! — if it meant avoiding playing soccer outside with my kid. So it was the perfect storm. It could have gone better.
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