Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Open Letter to Greg Sowell

Greg Sowell

Dear Mr. Sowell,

Congratulations on your hire as the City of Richardson's first director of communications. Richardson is a fine place to live, work, and play. Improved community outreach by the city government can help ensure it remains that way.

After the jump, some unsolicited advice. (You'll get a lot of that.)

Monday, January 25, 2010

Highway "enhancements." Who needs 'em?

Texas Travel Information Center at Denison Denison Travel Information Center

Texans are fit to be tied over highway construction in Texas -- or rather, lack of construction. As usual, no one wants to pay for it. Texans don't want taxes to go up. Texans don't want to pay tolls. Texans are looking for the proverbial free lunch. And the Fort Worth Star-Telegram holds out hope that they just might have found it.

After the jump, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Or not.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Talking Taxes in the Texas GOP

Geoff Bailey / Stefani Carter
Geoff Bailey / Stefani Carter

The Dallas Morning News has made a recommendation in the GOP primary for Texas House District 102. The primary winner will face incumbent Carol Kent in November. Primary early voting begins February 16. Primary election day is March 2.

After the jump, what the DMN is looking for in a state legislator.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Light at End of Tunnel for Newspapers

New York Times

The New York Times made an announcement that, years from now, will be seen as the turning point in newspapers' near death experience. The NYT plans to begin charging readers for full access to the newspaper's Web site, beginning in 2011. Back to the future, you say? Didn't the NYT try this before, more than once? Yes, but earlier implementations were fatally flawed by locking out casual readers. The new implementation promises to allow free access to the first few articles for each reader. Heavy users will find access cut off at a certain point unless they become paid subscribers. The doors remain open, so to speak, for window shoppers and samplers, but if you come through the door often enough, you'll be expected to buy something.

After the jump, why this will work.

Everybody* Hates Avatar

Avatar yourself

* Well, not everybody. After all, a hundred million moviegoers have pushed Avatar's box office over $1.5 billion. But for a movie that is putting so many people in theater seats Avatar is sure upsetting a lot of people.

After the jump, who doesn't like Avatar.