D-Rated.

Disreputable NBA Players and Buyouts Bring Dallas-Fort Worth Way Down This Week.

Welcome to D-Rated, in which we try to determine if the quality of life in Dallas and its surrounding areas is moving up or down by arbitrarily assigning point values to current events.

Last Night, A DJ Ruined My Life: Last week was such a happier time. The Mavs had finally landed their first big-time free agent in DeAndre Jordan. All was good in the world. Then that dishonorable S.O.B. went back on his word and back into the arms of the Los Angeles Clippers. On the plus side, I think we've all got a new least favorite NBA player now, huh? Minus 6.

Full Court Depressed: Well, here's another sad but not surprising story, in which nothing close to justice was carried out. In March 2014, Johnathan Tramaine Turner, fresh off his state championship with Madison High School, fatally beat rival basketball player Troy Causey, Jr. of Wilmer-Hutchins High School. Turner pleaded guilty to manslaughter, and the judge ruled he only has to serve seven years probation. Upon successful completion of this deferred adjudication, though, he won't even have the charge on his record. As Causey’s mother stated: “This is not justice.” The prosecutor said it would have been tough to convict Turner given some conflicting witness accounts, but, regardless, probation is hardly an appropriate sentence for killing another person. Minus 8.

FB Hits FW: Yet another big important company is setting up shop in North Texas. Facebook, the most popular site in the world besides Google, is breaking ground on a massive new data center in Fort Worth, which will bring with lots of new jobs. Real names only on your applications, everyone! Plus 2.

Grapevine Hops to It: Grapevine Craft Brewery, one of the fastest-growing and most delicious local breweries, finally makes it official on July 10th with a grand opening of its 11,000-square foot facility. The site has a permanent beer garden and regular tours, and the big to-do this weekend will have live music and food trucks. Just another reason it's good to be a craft beer drinker in DFW. Plus 1.

Cheeseburger with Bacon, Hold the Gun Nuts: Once again, the only thing you need to bring to Whataburger is your appetite. The Texas institution declared that even when open carry laws go into effect in January, they'd prefer you leave your piece at home. Those burgers and taquitos will taste just as delicious without an AR-15 strapped to your back. Plus 1.

Dallas Morning Blues: Well, it's happening again. The Dallas Morning News is offering buyouts to more than 150 of its employees as part of a way to cut costs in an increasingly cash-strapped industry. As usual, it will mostly be older employees that take the buyouts, saving the owners of the paper money and allowing for the company to eventually hire much cheaper, younger “digital journalists.” Buyouts are of course better than layoffs, but this whole thing sucks for numerous reasons, what with the long-time employees being out of a job and taking their experiences with them. This never-ending shrinking of local papers is no good for anyone, but it will keep happening, little by little, until there’s basically nothing left. Minus 4.

This Week's Count: Minus 14. It's not a good week to be a journalist, a Mavs fan or someone who just wants to see something good happen, it seems.
Last Week's Total: Plus 7.
Running Total: Minus 7.