Articles for September, 2010
What to Do in Dallas Tonight: Sept. 23
Two big announcements today: A) Adam Richman, host of the Travel Channel’s Man v Food, became one of my followers on Twitter last night. And guess what I learned? We’re both following Shaq and Neil Diamond! I love technology. B) I have unleashed onto the public my guide to the State Fair of Texas, which you’re going to need for the next few weeks beginning tomorrow.
But whatever should you do to amuse yourself tonight? I’m so glad you asked.
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Eric Celeste Rolls Up Sleeves, Does Some Work
Yesterday I chided our former colleague Eric Celeste, spokesman for the Craig Watkins reelection campaign, for giving a lackluster quote to the Morning News in defense of his boss’s expensive tuxedo. Late yesterday, Celeste, apparently having read my post, gave it the college try in an interview with Gromer Jeffers. He called Danny Clancy, Watkins’ challenger, “a sleazy defense lawyer.”
Eh, still pretty tame, Celeste. Now, if you’d called him a “d-bag defense lawyer,” I would have been impressed.
Pat and Emmitt Smith Welcome Elijah Alexander James Smith
On top of being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and being all-around-man-of-the-hour, Emmitt Smith has become a father again. Gorgeous wife Pat (pictured right with Emmitt) gave birth last night to Elijah Alexander James Smith. The newest Smith weighed in at 6 pounds, 6 ounces.
Congratulations to Pat, Emmitt, Elijah and the entire Smith family.
Stephen Sondheim Appearances Postponed Due to Illness
Award-winning Stephen Sondheim was to appear at Booker T. Washington and the Nasher Sculpture Center today as part of the Nasher Salon Series, but has had to “postpone due to illness.”
According to Nasher spokesperson Kristen Gibbins,
“Ticket holders may choose to hold on to their tickets for guaranteed seating at a future Salon date with Mr. Sondheim yet to be determined or have the option to receive an immediate refund by calling Click N’ Print tickets at 888.695.0888. We are sorry for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding.”
An Open Letter to Jody Dean and His Morning Team
Dear Mr. Dean and Team:
I confess I missed your discussion this morning wherein you guys bemoaned the fact that you haven’t been mentioned on FrontBurner in a while. I tuned in just moments later, when you were talking about a new study out of Scotland that found that women prefer men who are relaxed as opposed to men who are uptight. But a friend called to inform me of your chitchat.
Here’s the thing: much like Scottish women, I, too, prefer men who are relaxed as opposed to uptight. Please don’t read anything homoerotic into that statement. I’m just saying that if I were working on a project — a business proposal, building a cedar fence — and I could choose a male collaborator who was either a) laid-back or b) wound up tight like a cheap watch, I’d go with option a) nine times out of 10. I’m leaving some wiggle room in there just in case the laid-back guy was ugly and the uptight guy was smoking hot.
Anyway, Jody Dean and Team, you’re on FrontBurner today.
Sincerely,
Leading Off (9/23/10)
1. Did anyone else plan to get up at 2:17 this morning to see the super harvest moon, which won’t come again until 2029, but instead of getting up, they turned off the alarm and justified it with saying, “Oh, well, it’ll be back again in 19 years”? At least I thought about trying.
2. There are about 3,500 really happy electric car drivers today. Why? Because Half Price Books has unveiled its charging station, which customers can use for free through September of next year. There are two other such charging stations in Dallas. I think this is pretty cool. Since I’m now a downtown dweller who yells often at car drivers for various, sometimes unjustified reasons, I applaud all the efforts for a greener world. And, if you must know, I do this applauding while walking to work. (Unless it’s hot outside, then I’m driving. Or humid. Or raining. I think I’ll walk in snow. We’ll see. Probably not, though. Wouldn’t want to ruin my shoes.)
3. And here’s a story with a happy ending. Christal’s, an adult novelty shop, went up in Haltom City. Within the first week, moms were on the phone complaining about the posters being used at the store. (No use in watching the video in hopes of catching a glimpse of any of the posters. They blurred them out). So, the store, in an effort to be a good neighbor, has changed the signs. And everyone’s happy. Count that as a win for the helicopter moms.
Dallas PD Warns of Impersonator
The Dallas Police Department is warning of a man impersonating a police officer and performing a traffic stop at Lemmon Avenue and Wycliff Avenue, and included some blurry pictures in the warning. The press release is after the jump. (more…)
Getting Up Close With Glenn Close, Ctd.
As previously mentioned, I really would’ve liked to have been at my alma mater today for Glenn Close’s visit. But the pressure of deadlines (which are still looming) made that impossible. So we dispatched intern Taylor Walker (pictured), whose report with photos from Christina Barany was far better than anything I could have pulled off.
Garland Won’t Put Up Any Stinking Cell Phone Signs, So There
I really don’t understand Garland. They gas their kittens and puppies, and it’s probably the only place left in the state where you can still talk on your cell phone in a school zone.
Why? Because they refuse to put up the signs that would make it possible to enforce the state law prohibiting the use of cell phones. Why? Because they just don’t want to. So there.
Vincente Fox to Keynote for Dallas Man’s Launch of Evolv in Mexico
That headline is a bit much to digest, isn’t it? Let’s start with the Dallas man. His name is Trey White. Or, if you prefer the name his momma gave him: Roscoe F. White III. Public records show that he pleaded guilty to felony possession of a controlled substance in 1985 (though the charges were subsequently dismissed). Then, in 1997, he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor assault charge. These things happen, though, right?
Now let’s move on to this stuff called Evolv. Trey/Roscoe is claiming he’s a billionaire, and he’s peddling a special bottled water called Evolv. You can watch a Channel 8 Story about it. I haven’t tried to the stuff, so I can’t say whether it works or not. But let’s just say Trey/Roscoe White claims the stuff will not only help you heal from injury faster but it’ll get you better gas mileage, too. (I jest, but only slightly.) He also has said Evolv’s claims are backed by researched conducted by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. That led to a lawsuit that Big Bob wrote about on Unfair Park. And you can learn more than you ever wanted to about Trey/Roscoe White and Evolv right here.
But what about former Mexican President Vincente Fox? Well, on October 2, says here, he’ll keynote a ceremony that will mark the launch of Evolv in Mexico.
They send us Topo Chico. We send them Evolv. Advantage America.
Correction: The headline of this post originally called Trey White a felon. He is not. Though he did plead guilty to the charge, White explains that he was not convicted, telling me through his PR rep: “I am not, nor have I ever been, a felon. Twenty five years ago, during my high school prom, I made a mistake. The charge against me was dismissed in its entirety through deferred adjudication. Attached is my official Dallas County public record. It’s unfortunate that there has been an attempt to discredit me prior to the launch of Evolv Mexico. I have devoted my life to creating opportunities through leadership and entrepreneurship and will continue to do so.”
Dallas City Council Raises Taxes
From the DMN email news alert I just received (story’s not on their site yet): “After a lengthy debate centered on inequities between the city’s northern and southern sides, the Dallas City Council voted 8-7 to increase the property tax rate by 6.5 percent to fund millions of dollars in street maintenance, park upkeep, recreation center programs and a host of other services.” I think that should read 6.5 cents per $100 valuation of your property. But whatever. Thanks a lot, Obama.
Update: As was made clear in the comments, the hike tacks 4.91 cents onto the 74.79 cents per $100 valuation. Yup, that there is actually a little more than a 6.5 percent increase. I hate Joe Biden, too.
What to Do in Dallas Tonight: Sept. 22
Oh hi. I know where you’re having lunch today: Norma’s Café. Why? Because this may be the one time in your life you can stuff your face with biscuits and gravy and not hate yourself afterward.
Tonight is your first chance to take free dance lessons at Watters Creek in Allen. Ladies, if your husband balks at this, just cheerfully explain: “It’s OK, honey. They’ll just match me up with a stranger if you don’t go.” That should get him off the couch.
Who is that jerk with your wife?
You’ll have just enough time to grab a quick bite at Mexi-Go or Grimaldi’s before heading downtown, where you will party like it’s 1995 with Billy “Cue Ball” Corgan and friends at the Smashing Pumpkins concert.
For other options, including a Shakespeare play, fancy dinner, or artsy-fartsy movie, browse these things to do in Dallas.
Sessions Cancels Appearance with Log Cabin Republicans
From the Dallas Voice, word has it that Pete Sessions will not be in attendance at a Log Cabin Republicans fundraiser tonight, instead opting to attend a GOP caucus meeting.
The folks at the Voice question the reason, pointing out that both Sessions and Cornyn – both were to receive awards tonight – received a lot of criticism for even accepting the invitation. When the Voice called Sessions’ office to find out the timeline – was the caucus meeting announced before or after the invitation was extended – they didn’t get a response.
Join FrontRow and TITAS for a Screening of Carlos Saura’s Movie Tango at Dallas Hub Theater
It is time for the third installment of FrontRow’s film series. We asked six local arts leaders what film they believe people living in Dallas need to see. For September’s edition, TITAS’s Charles Santos picked the film Tango by Spanish director Carlos Saura. Nominated for an Academy Award, the movie features cinematography by the great Vittorio Storaro, whose other credits include such mind-bogglingly beautiful films as The Last Emperor, 1900, and Last Tango in Paris.
This month’s screening will take place at the Dallas Hub Theater, and, as usual, it is completely free. There may even be some actual tango-ing before the screening. So come out and join us on September 30 at 7:30 p.m. For your free tickets, RSVP here.
Will They Need To Demolish the Trinity Levees?
In Leading Off this morning, I pointed to Jim Schutze’s assertion over on Unfair Park that he has talked to unnamed people who have talked to people at City Hall who have told them (the unnamed people) that the Trinity levees might need to be demolished and rebuilt with concrete to get things square with the Army Corps of Engineers. Schutze wrote:
[B]ased upon their [the unnamed people's] talks with city officials, it’s their understanding that the corps will demand as a levee fix that concrete curtain wall that’ll bedrock pretty much the length of the levees. The question is whether the curtain wall can be dug and poured from the top of the existing levees — by digging a trench 20 to 100 feet deep — or whether the levees have to be demolished first.
This notion struck me as nuts, so I called Rebecca Dugger Rasor, the director of the Trinity River Corridor Project. She’s an engineer. She works at City Hall. If anyone at City Hall knows what’s going on, it’s Rasor. She says that the idea of lining the entire levees system with what’s called a “slurry cutoff wall” (what Schutze calls the concrete curtain) has been brought up. But neither side sees that as an option to be taken seriously. What they are discussing in earnest is building slurry cutoff walls at the toe of the levees, where the levees meet flat ground southeast of downtown.
But demolishing the levees to build these walls? That’s Schutze’s fantasy. First, you’d have to build levees outside the existing levees if you wanted to demolish them. Is that even possible? As Rasor said, you ask an engineer if something’s possible, they’re always going to say yes. But she called the idea of demolishing the levees to install slurry walls “so far afield that it’s not even funny.”
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