Articles for September 20th, 2011

TSA Finds Dallas Woman’s Hairstyle To Be Dynamite

Or well, they were pretty sure, anyway.

Is DART the Failure It Appears To Be?

Austin and Houston are now engaging in the same light-rail transit battle we enjoyed 20 years ago, and opponents are getting plenty of ammunition from the low performance of the Dallas system. Their most piercing criticisms come from data reported by the News’s Michael Lindenberger in June (liberated from the paywall, scroll down at the link):

A Dallas Morning News review of passenger data from the past 15 years shows that despite massive promotion and billions in tax dollars spent, most of DART’s rail stations serve fewer people now than when they opened.

DART’s ridership projections have time and again proven wrong — massively wrong.

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Calling All Engaged Couples: Win Two Round-Trip Tickets on Virgin America

virgin-for-blog

Virgin America's coach cabin. Pretty sweet.

Do you know an engaged couple that needs a break from wedding planning? If so, be sure to tell them about our “Stylish Ride for a Stylish Bride” contest and they could win two round-trip coach-class tickets on Virgin America to anywhere they fly in the Continental U.S. and Mexico. All they need to do is send a video of the two of them telling us how they met. There’s no need for fancy camera work or to hire a videographer. What we are looking for is the most interesting or heartwarming story, not the best videography. Here are all the deets:

  • Couples must be currently engaged.
  • Couples must submit a video link (from YouTube), no longer than two minutes, of them telling the story of how they met. They then need to submit the link to us via this form and fill out all required information.
  • Editors will narrow it down to five finalists whose videos we will post on BridalBuzz and they will be voted on for one week by the public. The one with the most votes wins.
  • Submissions will be accepted from September 5 until 11:59pm on September 23.
  • Voting will begin October 10 and last until 11:59pm on October 14.
  • We will announce the winner on BridalBuzz on Monday, October 17.
  • Travelers must depart on Virgin America from DFW airport.
  • Travelers must have the exact same flight schedule.
  • Travel must be completed by June 8, 2012.
  • Read detailed rules here.

Why the Cotton Bowl Could Become the Next BCS Game Pretty Soon

Tonight’s episode of HBO’s Real Sports will reportedly have a segment about the corruption behind the scenes at the Sugar Bowl. We already knew BCS officials were investigating whether the Fiesta Bowl should keep its elevated status. And we knew the Cotton Bowl was already in a good position and more than willing to step up. With this new bit, it looks even more likely. That is, unless all parties involved somehow become rational and institute a playoff.

Dallas Business Journal Dismisses Editor

When Juan B. Elizondo Jr. was hired as the editor of the Dallas Business Journal in April 2010, publisher Lisa Bormaster said, “I’m very excited that Juan is joining our team. He brings a depth of reporting and editing experience to the Dallas Business Journal, along with outstanding newsroom leadership. He will help our team of seasoned journalists continue to bring readers the breaking business news and in-depth reports they’ve come to expect from the DBJ.”

But Bormaster is no longer the publisher of the DBJ. That job belongs to Tracy Merzi, who sent the following note to the staff this morning: “Hi all, I want to communicate to all of you that Juan Elizondo has left the Business Journal as of today. He has been with us for the last year and a half and we certainly wish him well.”

I called Elizondo to see if he had a comment. Understandably, he didn’t. “Tracy’s note speaks for itself,” he said.

Things To Do In Dallas Tonight: Sep. 20

Are you originally from Staten Island? Do you know someone from Staten Island, where in the face of Hurricane Irene, everyone stocked up on deli meat? Do you read or pretend to read The New Yorker? Here’s a just-because-it’s-Tuesday gift from me to you. The Staten Islander, which is now beating Fiddy’s Biddies in my Best Tumblr contest, which is akin to my Sexiest Cyclist contest in that it is not really a contest at all.

I’ve been told that it is football season. I even half-watched the New York Giants game last night, and by that I mean it happened to be on at Lakewood Landing, which is where I was, and it’s hard not to look at the big TV every once in awhile. Anyway, I’m going to go out on a limb here and assume that some people still host watch parties (gatherings?) at their humble/not so humble abodes. Duo has a series of classes, the first of which is tonight, specifically for this sort of entertaining.

T.J. Lengnick, chef de cuisine of Whiskey Cake, hosts. He probably will not give up that cake recipe, but he’ll share some others plus tips for tailgating. Common sense tells me that maintaining a solid beer to human ratio is paramount. But then again, I know nothing. NYU hasn’t had a football team since the 1960s and our mascot is alternately the Violet (flower power), the Bobcat (named for our library system, thanks), or the Flaming Torch, depending on who you ask.

Speaking of the ’60s, you may have noticed that all the trees and little poles around the Winspear Opera House are wearing cozy knitted sweaters to combat the cold weather we’re having. The AT&T PAC sent out a press release about this “yarn bomb,” to which I say, it’s not a yarn bomb if it’s sanctioned. Regardless, Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical opens tonight, and you can still find a seat on all levels. The Age of Aquarius barrels on.

For more to do with your evening, go here.

North Texas Needs 12 to 15 Inches of Rain Now

So we’re told that the last 11 months in Texas have been the driest since at least 1895. It’s so bad that ranchers are going to slaughter about 500,000 more beef cows this year than they normally would because they can’t afford to keep feeding them. That’s going to drive up beef prices to a record next year.

The Climate Prediction Center at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration put together this map showing just how much rain we need to alleviate the drought conditions. Much of Texas needs more than 15 inches.

drought-map-2

And the next 6-8 months don’t look promising.

I need a drink.

Leading Off (9/20/11)

Irving ISD Has Race Issues. The district paid a consultant $100,450 to figure out why it was sending a disproportionate number of black students to alternative schools. He came back with a report saying that black and Hispanic elementary students are in the midst of a “race war” (sub. req.). That wasn’t what school board members wanted to hear, so they’ve halted the consultant’s work. The Inuit students claimed victory.

DA’s Office Wants to Keep Porsche. The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office has asked County Commissioners if it can keep a seized 2001 Porsche Boxter to use for drug busts. Is there any question that car will wind up in John Wiley Price’s garage?

Mark Cuban’s Financial Advice. Yesterday on his blog, Cubes dropped some financial advice, encouraging people to “get out there and make a boatload of money” and “enjoy the shit out your money.” The post did not escape the notice of the Huffington Post.

North Texas Foreclosures Down. October foreclosures are down in North Texas 17 from the same month last year and 13 percent from last month. Way to pay your bills, people.