Rick Perry today “strenuously defended” the execution of Cameron Todd Willingham against the “supposed experts” who have concluded that Willlingham was innocent of the arson murder of his children. Those “supposed experts” include the Texas Forensic Science Commission. Considering the governor’s stance toward science in general, it is not surprising that he chooses to ignore it in this case in particular. After all, what could forensic science possibly have to tell us about murder?
Perry says he read the court record before refusing to postpone Willingham’s execution, and that was good enough for him. He obviously has not read David Grann’s excellent New Yorker article that shows how Willingham was railroaded, how poorly his court-appointed attorney defended him, and how arson investigators relied on ‘old wives’ tales’ to mount the case against him. The court record has been demolished, Governor. Got anything else to make you feel better?
Laura Bush showed up with a surprise guest today at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center luncheon in Dallas: her husband George W. in tow. SweetCharity has the details.
I, too, went to the symphony last night. Glenn, you neglected to mention the performance itself, which was fantastic. I am proof that you don’t need to know anything about classical music to be amazed and entertained by a performance. From Scott Cantrell’s review:
Not from the Berlin Philharmonic, not from the Chicago Symphony will you hear a more electrifying Tchaikovsky Fourth Symphony than that delivered Thursday night by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra’s sheer virtuosity in the finale was breathtaking …
Literally, it was breathtaking. The first full, loud crash — I’m sure there’s a more elegant word — during the finale made me gasp. I was moved to tears by the time the final notes were played, and seeing the musicians turn to each other with wide smiles as they accepted applause, as if they’d surprised themselves with their performance, was so cool to see.
Pre-intermission (during the first half?) things didn’t go as well. Cantrell also wrote: “Alas, Barber’s Violin Concerto got a grotesque performance from violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg [who is not part of the home team]. Rocking back and forth, fidgeting, flailing and grimacing, Salerno-Sonnenberg immediately set about defacing musical lines with arbitrary jerks, bulges and exaggerated slowings. … I felt dirty for having witnessed the dismantling of a beautiful piece.” Again, I know nothing about classical music, but even I could tell that Salerno-Sonnenberg was a freak show.
Let’s end on a high note, though, shall we? One of my favorite moments from last night came before the first note was played. Van Zweden took the podium, and the audience erupted in applause, just thrilled that the new season was set to begin. Concertmaster Emanuel Borok stood when it was appropriate to acknowledge the audience’s warm reception — but he was the only musician to stand. At which point he half-turned to his fellow musicians and with a wry smile motioned for them to stand up. Like: “Come on, guys. This is for you. Yes, they like you!” A small thing. But it was charming.
Donnie Nelson and Evan Wyly are looking for a name for their new NBA Development League team that will play in Frisco next year. This blog, which seems to have done some Wikipedia-based research on Frisco, has a few helpful suggestions.
Let’s go, Frisco Motherboys!
Funny thing about preconceptions. Take mine, for instance, about Jaap van Zweden, the acclaimed music director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and perhaps the most sought-after U.S. conductor these days. After reading about his larger-than-life prowess with a baton–and seeing all those banners emblazoned with his mug around town–I figured him for a hulking, towering presence, the biggest guy in the room. So what a surprise to see before last night’s concert at the Meyerson that Jaap (pronounced like yap) is diminutive in physical stature, maybe 5-feet-6 tops. But he’s a giant in charm and tact, especially dealing with a nosy reporter. Isn’t it a grind commuting between here and Europe, where he’s also chief conductor of the Royal Flemish Philharmoic in Antwerp, Belgium? “Going back and forth is not so bad, but it’s the cities in between–like London–that can be tiring,” he answered. And, what’s it like being “the” musical conductor of the moment? “I’m flattered and honored,” Jaap replied. “And it inspires me to do better.” No surprise that the guy who makes beautiful music makes beautiful words, too.
There’s a headliner coming to town to perform at Saturday night’s gala preceding the home opener at the new Cowboys Stadium. No one is talking, but our society sleuth and SweetCharity editor Jeanne Prejean thinks whoever entertains the chichi crowd at Gene and Jerry Jones’ party will also sing the national anthem at the big game against the New York Giants.
Six months to go, and Kay Bailey’s on-the-ground campaigning in August brought her back from an early deficit. She may be an awkward speaker and seem a reluctant back-slapper, but she’s running against a man who was re-elected by only 39% of the voters. Now we can expect a new barrage of negative ads from Perry. If Hutchison gains more ground by December and actually takes the lead by 10 points or so, Perry may start considering his options. After all, his sights are set elsewhere, and both Woodrow Wilson and Dwight Eisenhower were college presidents when they were elected president. Perry is not smart, but he is clever — and he appointed the board of Texas A&M.
1. It’s that time of year again. The Plano Balloon Festival launches/lifts off/takes to the skies/flies to the heavens/reaches new heights/heads off into the wild blue yonder/fills community newspaper stories with canned Chamber of Commerce quotes beginning today through Sunday. And the executive director of the festival wants you to get excited about how many toilets they’ve got this year: “From children’s activities to [number of] port-a-potties, everything we’ve done for the festival has gotten larger.”
2. Dallas teachers are finding work a less miserable place to be. Absolutely there are signs of progress. But I want to know what I’m betting every reader of that story wants to know: Which Dallas ISD elementary school scored a 1 (on the scale of 1 to 99)? How can they not disclose that even to school board members? Don’t they need to dispatch a team of emergency psychiatrists to that campus? Or maybe just bring in Dr. Phil? (Raise your hand if you already see how I’m setting up the third item.)
3. OPRAH! IS COMING! TO THE STATE FAIR! Maybe she can even bring Dr. Oz along. Together they could heal our hearts. Which will be under attack, figuratively and literally.