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Be Very Afraid: In the Texas House, the Gun Lobby and the Boston Bombing, the Fear-Mongerers are Winning

So who exactly wants innocent people sent to prison for life? C'mon. You know this one. We all know the answer. It's the same people who think we should toss out the Constitution and put American citizens on trial in military courts. They're the arm-in-arm allies of terrorists everywhere, the same ... More >>

Six of the Best Mom and Pop Restaurants

I love small, family owned restaurants. You do too. The quaint dining rooms and original menus make for lasting memories while affordable prices make it possible to return again and again. Here are some of the best mom and pop restaurants in Dallas. Los Torres Taquería (pictured above) This small ... More >>

Bunny Wailer Uses the Power Vested in Him by Facebook and Wikipedia to Excommunicate Snoop Lion from Rastafarianism

Neville Livingston, a.k.a. Bunny Wailer, has officially excommunicated Snoop Lion from the "Rastafari Community." I say "officially": He made a Facebook post wherein he said, "SNOOP LION IS OFFICIALLY EXCOMMUNICATED FROM THE RASTAFARI COMMUNITY!" and then posted a definition of excommunication from ... More >>

The Eight Bands Most in Need of a Senior Citizen Ticket Discount

So the Rolling Stones have announced their first large tour in 6 years, and their "50 And Counting" jaunt will see them stop in nine cities across North America. This is borderline amazing considering that Keith Richards and Mick Jagger are 69 and CHARLIE WATTS IS 71 FREAKING YEARS OLD. Can you imag ... More >>

Remembering Rob Zildjain: A Drummer's Brief Encounter and Lifelong Allegiance

Rob Zildjian is eulogized thusly on that great modern document, Wikipedia: "Robert Zildjian (14 July 1923 - 28 March 2013) was the founder of Sabian Cymbals, the second largest manufacturer of cymbals in the world." There's a lot in that one sentence, if you know where to look. The largest manufac ... More >>

Rap Genius Wants to Expand Our Understanding of Southern Rap

Redneck Sushi -- A Guide to Triple-Fusion

Now, let's say you want to combine the heavy, meat-based joys of barbecue with the relatively light, raw fish-based delights of sushi. You're clearly having a boring day. Nothing's gone right for you so far. You tried combining Vietnamese and Mexican food. That fell down at the pho burrito. Korean a ... More >>

Southlake Legislator Wants Texas to Have its Own Fort Knox, Just in Case of a Global Collapse

The United States Bullion Depository was, according to Wikipedia, an unintended byproduct of a 1933 executive order banning the private ownership of large quantities of gold. Those who didn't move their gold to Switzerland sold it to the Federal Reserve, which found that it didn't really have any pl ... More >>

The 30 Essential Texas Restaurants: Plus Some That Nearly Made It

If you've read this week's feature -- The 30 Essential Texas Restaurants to Visit Before You Die -- by food critic Katharine Shilcutt at our sister paper the Houston Press, then you've no doubt already asked why X, Y or Z restaurant didn't make the list. Maybe you've asked this question angrily to ... More >>

Spending the Holidays Surrounded by America-Hating Asshats

This is the first holiday season I can remember in which people stood around the Yule log talking about the country going off a cliff. No, wait. That's not the big part. The big part is that some of the people standing around the Yule log want the country try to go off a cliff. One night a couple d ... More >>

Five European Things That Make for a Great Christmas

Here is a brief list of five European things that make a good Christmas, but that you might be afraid of. Embrace change, Texas! I have included pictures so you don't think I'm insane, and links to Amazon where you can still get these things (albeit with now very expensive shipping, because I didn' ... More >>

As Sandy's Tab Comes Due, It's Time to Rethink Flood Insurance Everywhere (Including Dallas)

Two experts from the Monterrey Institute of International Studies have an op-ed piece in The New York Times this morning advocating the abandonment of the National Flood Insurance Program, which is about to stick us taxpayers for $57 billion in rebuilding costs from Hurricane Sandy. If the experts w ... More >>

Whole Stuffed Camel-Turducken Actually Happens. Who's Hungry?

Recently a link was posted on Reddit about the "largest item on any menu in the world" and it linked to a Wikipedia page that read like this: "a whole stuffed camel is a culinary delicacy composed of a medium-sized camel stuffed with a sheep or a lamb stuffed with other ingredients." Process that ... More >>

Nothing Changes at Municipal Courts Without Approval from the Ticketmasters

The secret story behind the story of the Dallas municipal judge fracas is that judges in the city courts don't run their own courts anyway. Ticket lawyers do. I have been talking about this to lawyers familiar with the municipal courts -- lawyers who work there sometimes, not all the time. They kno ... More >>

Drunklympics: The 2012 Summer Olympics Drinking Game

If there was one thing you were thinking during Olympic beach volleyball action yesterday, it was, "Sports bra over a sleeved shirt and pants? Dangit." If there were two things you were thinking, they were, 1) "Sports bra over a sleeved shirt and pants? Dangit." 2) "I need a drink." We're here to he ... More >>

This Weekend's Best Bets: Roky Erickson, Mark Farina, Quintron & Miss Pussycat and More

Roky Erickson, James Hall & The Futura BoldFriday, July 13, at The Kessler TheaterPsychedelic rock pioneer Roky Erickson will be at the Kessler tomorrow night with opening act James Hall, who is legendary in his own right, and one of the greatest front men I've ever seen. Easily the top bill of ... More >>

How Merle Haggard Turned Me On To Bedhead

I was fortunate enough to speak with legend Merle Haggard for this week's print edition of the Observer. Aside from being in awe each time he mentioned Willie Nelson, Lake Shasta (his home for many years, which he refers to in multiple songs) or Johnny Cash, I was particularly struck by our quick di ... More >>

10 of This Week's Top Show Announcements: Justice, Rufus Wainwright, Zammuto and More

JusticeWednesday, October 31, at Palladium Ballroom, $40Justice is sort of a gateway band for many younger electronic music fans. Their concise jams (I'm partial to their high-profile remix of Simian's "We Are Your Friends") make it easy to get on the dancefloor, which is essentially what is expecte ... More >>

At the New Dallas' Red Carpet Premier, Patrick Duffy Will Sign My Step By Step Box Set

I was 6 when Dallas went off the air, so I have been spared thus far, mercifully from everything I hear, from ever having to watch an episode. I haven't been able to maintain the level of ignorance that I would have liked, since on occasion when I've mention my hometown in places that aren't Texas, ... More >>

Battleship: Because Every Generation Needs an Armageddon

If Wikipedia Gets the Day Off, So Do We

​Juuust kidding. But, since we are all suffering a 24 hour dearth of truthiness -- and in case you would like to know how SOPA/PIPA could affect 31337 blog hounds and conscientious citizens like yourself - find resources you might need during the blackout, after the jump.

Candy Corn: The Worst Halloween Candy in the History of Ever

Candy corn is grosser than gross.​Candy corn, I hate you. Mainly because -- and I'm going to be blunt here -- you fucking suck. You taste like pre-digested marshmallows and Sweet Vanilla Shit Meadow Febreze had a flavor baby. You're punishment candy. People who give out candy corn on Halloween wou ... More >>

Football Jargon For Dummies Foodies

​For me, Sunday is just going to be, well, Sunday. I don't expect to ingest any more French onion dip than I usually do. I don't have an extraordinary amount of money riding on the Super Bowl. I'm not even completely sure who's playing. The Cowboys? Is that not right? Are you sure? It's in Dallas? ... More >>

Crime & Punishment & News & Notes

Bradley Eyo, who was killed last weekend​Some grim news with which to close out the year, almost ...The day after Christmas, Bradley Eyo was found shot to death on Barnes Bridge Road near Lake Ray Hubbard. But Dallas homicide detective and Garland police discovered during their investigation that ... More >>

Frightened Rabbit, Plants and Animals, Bad Veins

Tuesday, October 19, at The Loft

What, finally, will keep Mexicans out? Mines?

A (Foot) Baller Pub Brunch at Uptown's Londoner

Photos by Andrea GrimesThe "Full Monty" -- baked beans and all.​Would we go south of the border, or would we sail 'cross the pond? You probably read the headline to this blog entry, so I won't pretend toward some surprise ending. The Man O' The Hour and I labored for several long minutes over the ... More >>

Mmm, That Milk Tastes Like Coffee!

Dtrap via WikimediaAn Autocrat coffee milk.​When we were just knee-high to a grasshopper, Granny and Mamaw would make us special drinks that made us feel like grown-ups. As the 'dults drank from the ever-ready pot of hot coffee, we'd get a tiny cup containing milk, sugar and really, just a splash ... More >>

Remedy for a Jalapeno Overdose: Aguas Frescas

From Wikipedia​Walk into your favorite taqueria or torteria, and chances are good you'll notice a couple of large, beehive-shaped glass jars standing sentinel atop a shelf or counter. Stepping to the counter, you place your food order, then scanning the menu under bebidas (beverages), you notice ... More >>

Tibetan Jams

Our Deep-Fried Decade: Ten Years Of Gluttony And Progress At The State Fair

Photos by Patrick MichelsAfter 10 years, this is where we ended up: four deep-fried butter balls topped with garlic and grape sauce. How did we get to the point where we'd actually eat this?​In the early 2000s, we came to the State Fair of Texas with a doe-eyed, innocent kind of hunger. We'd get a ... More >>

Flozell Adams: Dirty, Mean or Just Plain Old?

Wikimedia​Dallas Cowboys' offensive lineman Flozell Adams has been fined four times for $75,000 this season for the transgressions of tripping, fighting and - last Sunday in New York - cheap-shotting the back of Justin Tuck. The Giants' lineman called Adams a "coward" and a "dirtb ... More >>

Weekend Roundup: Erykah Badu with Yo Gabba Gabba Live!, Selena Gomez

Erykah Badu with Yo Gabba Gabba Live! at Dr Pepper Arena on Saturday, November 28Erykah Badu, mother of three, did a dancey-dance with the Yo Gabba Gabba! gang at the Dr Pepper Arena over the weekend. I don't have kids, so I'm out of the loop. But Wikipedia tells me Andy Samberg appeared on the TV s ... More >>

Congratulations, City of Sherman: You're Having The Best Week Ever.

Bustling, ain't it.​A cursory Wikipedia search tells me that the City of Sherman has at least a little musical history--well more than I was a aware, at least--as the hometowns of Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame saxophone player Buddy Tate and country music icon Buck Owens.But, the Owens-hosted Hee ... More >>

Good Friday: Brent Best, Bridges & Blinking Lights, Days of the New, Babyface, Pitbull, Doug Burr, All That Remains, Binary Sunrise, Rhett Miller, RTB2, Saboteur, The Sounds, Shinedown

​The weekend's here, which is good news for anyone hoping to catch up on sleep and boost their immune systems so they don't catch that darn H1N1 virus going around. And good news for music fans, too, as there's enough rock going on to melt both your face and all potential germs it might be keeping ... More >>

Kids Eat The Darnedest Things: SodaStream Homemade Soda

Mikal Beth HugheyCarbonating water with the SodaStream machine.  We hear lots of things in this office, such as last week's notice of a "New and Fun Drink Idea:" the SodaStream home soda maker. Well, while the idea of making soda at home was new to me, it's not exactly a new idea to the world, ... More >>

Reduce, Reuse...

What It Was Like: Efterklang, Alela Diane, Camera Obscura, Dark Meat, Megafaun

Patrick MichelsEfterklang under a tent at the French Legation MuseumBand: EfterklangWhere: Other Music Party at the French Legation MuseumWhat It Was Like: Seven people from Copenhagen playing ornate pop combining violin, trumpet and flute with glitchy electronics. Closer "Cutting Ice to Snow" start ... More >>

Folksy Lady

Joan Baez plays the Lakewood

Dallas Fed Head Richard Fisher May Be the Best Economics Professor in the Country

Rube Goldberg's "Self-Operating Napkin"As noted here several times in the past, Richard Fisher, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, gives mighty good speech -- full of literary references, song lyrics and the assorted accumulated detritus collected in a bright mind. He was down ... More >>

Clearing Out the Mailroom: Wednesday, January 28, 2009

We've got quite a backlog of CDs we've never gotten around to, so we're going to try to chip away at the pile with this regular feature. The plan: to take four or five at a time and play each CD for as long as I can stand it. Wild Light (New Hampshire)Adult NightsWe received this one recently to ... More >>

Two First Names

Ryan Bradley lights up the Galleria

New York Post Columnist Cindy Adams Too Busy to Talk, Fact Check

Graphic Stuff

Illustrating a traumatic childhood

Astronautalis' New Disc Features Sea Chanteys and Patriotic Tunes

Death By Art

Oh, Say, Can You CW33? Hope Not.

LaughMason

Friends in Low Places

More Calatraversity