Dear friends in the marketing community,
Have seen a goodly number of Web headlines in the last couple days about how Plano-based Frito-Lay set the “world record” for most Facebook “likes” accumulated in a single day thanks to a Times Square promotion last month. They added 1.5 million in 24 hours.
Can we take this as a sign, and now all agree that Facebook “likes” have been rendered as meaningless as Facebook “friends?” I’d say that they’ve both “jumped the shark,” but since that phraseology has itself jumped the shark, I’m left to sit silently and shake my head.
Yours,
There’s something very inappropriate about this Will Ferrell video. And about seven things that are extremely funny.
A FrontBurnervian pointed me to this Bud Kennedy column from the weekend, which I don’t know how I missed because I don’t miss many Bud Kennedy columns (note to columnists working for the paper of record in Dallas: This is how you write a metro column).
It seems that there is this giant push in Arlington to ban – ban – bicycles. The voters of Arlington have already opted to turn down mass transit, but now bicycles? Perhaps next, we can ban walking outdoors, and force people to purchase Jazzy scooters, eventually rendering the whole of Arlington something like this.
So someone who is in Arlington, tell me: What is up with all this?
The internet is talking about the Romo-Crawford nuptials, the date and location of which are now known. TMZ told us that the happy event will take place at Arlington Hall on May 28. Richie Whitt has a picture of the wedding announcement itself.
No word yet whether Brendan Higgins got an invite and will be in attendance to turn up the volume on life.
Apparently, Dallas drivers are bringing back hand gestures in lieu of turn signals. I’ve been cut off twice in the past two days by people who think waving their arm in front of their rearview mirror (and/or honking, if said cutting-off is going to be done at a stoplight) is appropriate warning.
Moving on to more serious matters. In the wake of Bin Laden’s death and the distasteful reaction of some of our fellow Americans, I think tonight’s offering might afford us all some much needed perspective. The Dallas Holocaust Museum is co-sponsoring a free screening of Ingelore tonight at the Angelika, a new HBO 2 documentary set for television premiere on May 8. I say HBO, but all they did was find this little gem in the festival circuit and snap it up. First time director Frank Stiefel did all the work – the subject is, after all, his mother.
Ingelore Herz Honigstein was born deaf and Jewish in Germany in 1924, an inconvenience and embarrassment to her parents from the start, and at thirteen, a clear threat to Hitler’s agenda. Using a mix of interview (Honigstein’s dialogue alternates between speech and American Sign Language), period recreation, and archival footage, Stiefel tells the rather incredible story of her survival. But the best part is that both he and Honigstein will be in attendance tonight. A cocktail reception kicks off at 6pm, and talk back will follow the screening. Why go? “I’ve seen the film,” Nanette at the Holocaust Museum told me. “It’s so moving. She [Honigstein] is just a wonderful spirit, as many Holocaust survivors are. It’s a life changing experience to have a conversation with someone who survived what she survived.”
Couldn’t have said it better myself. And yes, people, if all goes swimmingly, you can still probably make it home in time to tune in to the Mavs game. Priorities. For more things to do tonight, go here.
If you follow DMN baseball writer Evan Grant (Evan_P_Grant) on Twitter, you already know about his hashtag-gate. After the Rangers’ bullpen blew last night”s game in Seattle, Grant innocently wrote:
Now Rangers’ going to 40-year-old interim closer in tie game with 0 outs in eighth and go-ahead runner on third. #bullpenisamess
He told me he didn’t do it on purpose. He didn’t realize the “brilliance” of the tweet until the tweet was posted. Needless to say, it’s rocketing through the Internet.
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According to TMZ, that’s when and where the Dallas Cowboys quarterback and one of the 10 Most Beautiful Women in Dallas will get hitched.
Check out the “exclusive” photo gallery of the venue on TMZ’s site, featuring pictures that they exclusively pulled right off of the Arlington Hall website.
Can that really be the venue? Â What with those massive open lawns around the place, and adjacent to a heavily trafficked street and a public park, seems like a security challenge, no?
I’ve been away for a few days so I’m coming late to this story that several alert FrontBurnervians sent me. The Dallas Observer‘s parent company, Phoenix-based Village Voice Media, has copped to spamming Reddit in an effort to drive traffic to its websites. VVM apologized profusely, but the Reddit community doesn’t seem to be accepting those apologies. Sample:
In your initial post there was no apology. Just links to your website pretty much. Then, people criticized you for not actually apologizing, so you edited and added an apology. Sounds pretty sincere to me.
It’s important for Dallas readers to know that Robert Wilonsky is almost solely to blame.
Update (9:54): Kidding about Robert. Hi, buddy!
The Dougie, as you probably know, originates from here, and came to the world via Lil Wil’s “My Dougie.”
Last night, WFAA’s lead story was about billboards that have been sighted all over the country, including one in this area, which warns that the end of the world will be here on May 21. This leaves me with three questions:
1. How is this the lead story?
2. No, seriously. How is this the lead story?
3. Party on May 20th?
Bush Declines Invite to Ground Zero Event. I think that’s a solid move. No matter your feelings about the man, you have to say that he has done a good job of staying out of the spotlight and above the fray in his post-presidency.
If New Bill Passes, Dog Owners Face Life in Prison. If their dog kills an infant or an elderly person. Not sure why anyone between those ages is exempt but I guess — OH MY GOD LOOK AT THAT DOG.
Former Police Convicted of Sam’s Club Heist. Alph Coleman wasn’t able to use the “I was so scared I wet my pants” defense to his benefit. So now we have precedence.