Today we bring you the second installment of our discussion of Javier Calvo’s Wonderful World. If you haven’t picked up the book yet (available at Legacy Books), there’s still time to catch up to us. Every week we talk about a few chapters. See what Christine Allison, Laura Kostelny, and Peggy Levinson have to say about chapters 7-14.
Here’s something else you didn’t learn, Zac: how much you will hate that park during its construction. While the official move date has not yet been nailed down, D Magazine will be in its new offices no later than October 1. You noticed the groundbreaking date for the park, right? (And how, exactly, do you “break ground” for a roof-deck park, anyway?) Methinks just as we’re acclimating ourselves to our new downtown HQ, we’ll be dealing with street closures aplenty.
Things I learned from this City Hall Blog post:
- Atlanta’s Archer Western won the $44.5 million contract to build the Woodall Rodgers Deck Park.
- Henceforth, and until someone steps up with sponsorship money, it will unofficially be known simply as “the Park.”
Things I didn’t:
- When I should expect to be able take a picnic basket to said “Park,” even though I probably never will actually do that, and am really referring to a stereotypical park activity that will theoretically be undertaken by someone who is not me. (Actually, I’m kidding. That is exactly what I plan to do. Along with Frisbee® and/or Frisbee® golf.)
Be glad you’re literate, because you can read this great story today from Sam Hodges in the Dallas Morning News about Arnie Clark, a retired welder in Collin County who has finally learned to read.
1. Dallas County is enacting a scofflaw program in September that basically works like this: if you have an unpaid ticket, you don’t get to register your car. In other news, I might be the only person in Dallas County who currently feels compelled to pay ticket fines. According to a council member, “Right now, people get a ticket and nobody bothers them. So they get another ticket and still nobody bothers them. So they start to say, getting a ticket in Dallas is no big deal.” Seriously. How come no one told me this?
2. Because Dallas County jails have failed seven inspections involving guard to prisoner ratios, the Sheriff’s Department has been forced to make guards all but move in to the facilities. They can’t leave the the building for lunch. Heck, they can’t even leave their assigned floor for any non-emergency reason. And a guard’s duties don’t end until the guy from the next shift actually shows up. So, if Joe decides not to show up, someone inherits a double shift. Oh. And no overtime pay. Yes. A lawsuit has been filed.
3. Lonely women who have been hurt and disappointed by mortal men gathered at the Sheraton Dallas for TwiCon, a conference celebrating all things Twilight. Participants paid $255 to dress up in ball gowns and masks and gush over the character Edward, a vampire who is apparently the dreamiest being on earth. And they said funny things about the love story like, “It’s commitment beyond commitment, because it’s forever.” Puh-lease. As if Bella and Edward have anything on Leia and Han.