A Taxing Situation

Four years ago, in the story “Sweetheart Deal” by Rose Farley and Thomas Korosec (April 25, 2002), the Dallas Observer reported that Virginia McGuire, daughter of former Speaker of the U.S. House Jim Wright, bought an apartment complex near White Rock Lake with the intention of turning it into affordable…

Own Goal | Skin-Deep

Own Goal No score, what a bore: Man, I must say you take the prize as idiot writer of the year. First of all, it’s very apparent you have no understanding of soccer (“Nil Appeal,” by Richie Whitt, July 6) or must not like any sports at all, for that…

The Fab Fifty

After sitting on a runway for an hour in Atlanta and finally arriving at DFW Airport three hours late on a July 5 flight, Terrell Owens pulled down his plaid Gilligan hat and pulled out his cell phone when a beleaguered co-passenger timidly approached near the luggage carousel. “Hate to…

Sully in the White House

This guy used to work for the Dallas Mavericks. Now he works for President Bush. Hunh. File this under Holy Crap, You Cannot Be Serious: Yesterday, President Bush appointed Kevin Sullivan as White House communications director, after Sullivan spent a year as an assistant secretary of communications for the Department…

Ever Heard of Lenny’s Subs? You Will. Trust Me.

At this very moment, there are five Lenny’s Sub Shops in the state of Texas, including a location on Jackson Street downtown. How are they? Dunno. Never been. Not the point. The point is, in a market crowded with the likes of Which Wich (the homegrown joint operated by Genghis…

Rock Star 101: Know Thy Cr?e, GNR and Metallica

Zayra, you have pretty much voted yerself off this island. Every time Rock Star: Supernova host Brook Burke says “the world’s best unsigned rockers,” I throw up in my mouth just a little bit. The last two weeks have been a horrible showing for what the world has to offer…

Wright Argument, Wrong People

Have you been checking out the Wright Amendment hearings taking place at this very moment in Washington, D.C., in front of the House Committee on Transporation & Infrastructure’s aviation subcommittee? The Dallas Morning News is providing a video link to what has to be the most rambling, frustrating and ill-informed…

The Sorta Six

Add one more to this Sorta photo: Chris Holt From the Some Guy Joined And/Or Left A Band Today Department: The winners of 2006 Dallas Observer Music Awards for Musician of the Year and Best Act in Town announced their long-rumored fusion today, as Chris Holt (the former winner) has…

And The Truth Shall Get Ye Out Of A Ticket

Our Belo-bound (and other downtown day-dwelling) readers are probably familiar with the Women in Black, the group of ladies (wearing guess what color) protesting war, evil and other crappy stuff outside the Federal Building at 207 Houston Street. They’re not exactly formidable by numbers–sometimes just two or three show up–but…

Is GuideLive Dying? Mong Responds.

Dallas Morning News editor Bob Mong Jr. says there has been no “definitive” decision made concerning impending layoffs buyouts at Dallas’ Only Daily. Over the last two days, I’ve heard from a number of sources, none of whom are mentioned in this post, that Belo Corp. management has decided to…

No Grammy, But an Emmy?

Clark Vogeler, the Toadie closest to camera, is up for an Emmy. Unfair Park says, “Mazel tov.” We were looking over the complete list of Emmy nominees this morning and were pleased–nay, delighted–to find an old Friend of Unfair Park’s among those in contention. He’s not competing against the likes…

Dispatch from the Lost Indian Baby Affairs Desk

Many of our readers were as surprised as I was to find out about the Indian Child Welfare Act, a federal law that dictates unwanted or orphaned Native American babies be placed in other Native American families, foster homes or orphanages before they’re placed with a non-Indian family. I became…

Butt for the Grace of God

Ron Price will probably run for mayor. But doesn’t he wanna be, like, powerful and stuff? Add Ron Price to the long list of elected officials considering a bid for mayor. As recently as last week, the nine-year South Dallas school board member wasn’t even sure he wanted to run…

D Does Dilla

J Dilla died earlier this year at the age of 32. On Saturday, Dallas’ hip-hop community turned out to pay its last respects. The career of J Dilla (born James Yancey) was illustrious, if tragically abbreviated. A solid and soulful Detroit beat wizard who produced seminal work with an impressive…

Re: Dallas is Anti-Pro Bono

Bill Holston, a law-practicing Friend of Unfair Park, has this to say regarding The American Lawyer’s pro bono survey indicating Dallas lawyers need to play some serious catch-up: “The Dallas Bar donates millions of dollars of free legal services to the poor each year. I and many others are members…

Mean Guys Finish First

He may be the starting AL pitcher tonight, but this is how we’ll always remember Kenny Rogers. Most of us–fine, I–watch baseball about three times a year: Opening Day (Oh, the excitement!), the World Series (Oh, I wonder where the Texas Rangers are) and the All-Star Game (Oh say can…

Putting the Playboy in PETA

Robin Arcuri will be making a point, or a few, downtown at noon as does bares all (well, most) for PETA. I don’t know what your lunch plans are, but you may wanna change ’em–if, that is, you wanna see a naked Playboy model gallivanting about Pegasus Plaza, at the…

Meetcha at the Blue Ramp

If you are in this picture or know somebody who is, then this Summer of ’86 shindig is all about you. Scary to think that anybody could be all that nostalgic about 1986 (Challenger, Iran-Contra, Dennis Miller), but for the guys behind the upcoming Summer of ’86 Dallas Punk Reunion,…

Dallas is Anti-Pro Bono

Dallas attorneys don’t like people who like the U2 frontman. Wait. That’s not what pro bono means? Dallas attorneys don’t like poor people–at least, they don’t like ’em as much as their colleagues in New York and Washington, D.C. That’s just one way we’re irresponsibly overselling this report released late…

Rather Detailed

Dan Rather will be working for Mark Cuban. Happens to all of us sooner or later. The local paper says details about Dan Rather’s move to Mark Cuban’s HDNet are forthcoming; we say, why wait? No, seriously. Today’s Philadelphia Inquirer has a lengthy story on the subject, including interviews with…

Whistleblower: For Love or Money?

Two weeks ago, we previewed the federal case Susan Heath v. Dallas/Fort Worth International, in which the former environmental affairs analyst at D/FW alleges that airport officials covered up information that the airport’s industrial waste water and storm water system “grossly violated the Clean Water Act and Texas Water Code”…

Write on Time, Local Authors Return

Harry Hunsicker’s new book is among the small stack of new tomes with substantial local connections. Just a reminder: Our old pal Will Clarke will be signing his new (to you, anyway) book The Worthy tonight at 7:30 at the Barnes & Noble Booksellers across the street from NorthPark Center,…