Articles for April, 2011
T. Boone Pickens YMCA Throws Balloon Litter Into the Sky
Yesterday the downtown T. Boone Pickens YMCA celebrated its new branding (they’ve got a fancy new “Y” logo) by doing a balloon release from atop their building as onlookers in the CitySquare parking lot cheered. I caught a glimpse of the proceedings (and a couple photos) from our 21st-floor offices a block away.
My understanding is that balloon releases are a no-no. Sure, the balloons are pretty as they float away, but what goes up must come down. Critters can eat the latex, producing bad results. Accordingly, some states have outlawed balloon releases. Balloon advocates will say this concern is overblown, that a latex balloon will biograde just as quickly as an oak leaf. Well, sure. But it takes two years for an oak leaf to biodegrade, and you don’t have to worry about animals eating an oak leaf and choking on it. Seems that marine animals are the most likely to mistake balloons for food (because they look like jellyfish), and Dallas isn’t exactly a breeding ground for sea turtles. But still.
Seems to me the YMCA could have saved some money on the balloons and helium and instead celebrated by — I don’t know — slaughtering a fattened goat and burning the thigh pieces so that the black smoke rose to the heavens and pleased the gods. I’m not an event organizer. I’ll leave the details to someone else.
Dallas Must-Do List: Trinity River Audubon Center
TRAC keeps the tours kid-friendly.
After dining at Jimmy’s recently, I’ve done seven out of the Things Every Dallasite Must Do. This past weekend, I took on the task of completing my eighth: Explore the Trinity River Audubon Center.
Because I was babysitting Sunday afternoon, I thought that bringing the kids to TRAC would be the perfect activity for us to do. And I was right. After some initial confusion about where exactly the place is located, we finally drove down a dirt road into the 120-acre reserve and hopped out of the car. (more…)
Bonnie Pitman Resigns From DMA
Bonnie Pitman, the Dallas Museum of Art’s Eugene McDermott Director, announced today that she is stepping down for health reasons. The full release is after the jump. Her interim replacement will be Olivier Meslay, whom Willard Spiegelman profiled in January of last year.
And now a question for your consideration: how lofty must one’s position be to require the disclosure of the nature of a health issue that forces a resignation? If you’re the president of the United States, and you step down, you have to disclose your ailment. Yes? If you’re the CEO of Apple, you disclose it. At some point, though, you get to the bottom of the ladder. Say you’re the editor of a city magazine. No one cares what’s wrong with you. Right? So where’s the cutoff?
(And, please, understand that I’m not implying anything here about Pitman. My thoughts and prayers are with her. I wish her a speedy recovery from whatever has afflicted her.)
Highland Park ISD Waves Goodbye to High Salaries
High-salaried employees are dropping like flies in the Highland Park Independent School District. Three retirements have been announced in as many weeks.
The Most Boring Mayoral Race of All Time?
I just received an email from Ron Natinsky’s campaign listing his five priorities as mayor.
(1) continue to build the Dallas economy; (2) continue crime rate drop (3) continue to bolster the arts (4) continue to improve public education, and (5) continue to improve downtown
Anybody want to get in a fistfight over any of that? Do Mssrs. Kunkle and Rawlings disagree? Even a teensy, little bit?
A soporific mayoral race is a sign of good times. Politics only gets passionate when things go wrong. A city that is happy, that is doing business, going to church, drinking at clubs, taking the kids to parks, is a city that is utterly unconcerned with politics.
The day after the election, I expect an editorial in the News bemoaning the low turnout as a sign of citizen apathy. Wrong. It will be a sign of citizen contentment. Such times are rare. Enjoy them.
John McCain Blasts F-35, But Won’t Try to Stop It
The F-35 jet fighter being built by Fort Worth’s Lockheed is the most egregious example of wasteful government spending on record today. (Read why here.) Yesterday in Houston, McCain denounced it vehemently (but then McCain is usually vehement). But when asked if he would try to cut it, suddently he turned pussycat. Uh…well…you see…need to study…form a commission…uh
And right there, ladies and gentlemen, on display is the Republican Box. The Army alone “wastes an average of $3.4 billion a year on projects that come to nothing,” McCain told his audience. But there’s nothing we can do about it, because, dontcha see, it’s the military budget and we’re for a strong military and well, uh…
Leading Off (4/8/11)
Homeowners Fretful Over Katy Trail Extension. So says WFAA. Only there’s only one homeowner quoted in the story as saying she’s worried the extension will intrude in her backyard, and that people will throw stuff over her fence to hurt her dogs. So that’s homeowner, right? I’m just checking because I majored in journalism, not math.
Dallas Police Chief David Brown Tweets. After starting a Twitter account at the end of February, Chief Brown began tweeting in earnest Wednesday. Only, the flurry of tweets from that day apparently exhausted him (or a staffer), because he hasn’t been heard from since.
Yes! I mean, really, yes. So move out my way, and stay in the right hand lane.
Times Are Tough, Even For Football. Keller ISD is facing a ginormous budget shortfall. How ginormous? Enough to propose almost $1 million in cuts to its football program. That’s how you know it’s bad, folks – when a Texas school district in Texas decides to make cuts to its football program in Texas.
Perfect Patio Weather This Weekend. So find yourself one. Drink some Zima. Kick back.
The Dallas Must-Do List: The Potter’s House
The Bishop delivers his message.
After greeting the troops last week, I’d done seven of the Things Every Dallasite Must Do. In tackling my eighth — attending a service at the Potter’s House — I was forced to do something I’d rarely done before.
I actually showed up early for church. I’m not talking crazy early — I could count the spare minutes on one hand — but seriously, arriving at church early might be a first in my long-standing family tradition of religious tardiness. So I was patting myself on the back for punctuality on Sunday as I turned onto Kiest Boulevard, the road that leads to the Potter’s House.
Then, I had a revelation: a few minutes early isn’t enough minutes early.
The massive parking lot that surrounded T.D. Jakes’ megachurch was completely full. Fortunately, traffic cops were redirecting cars to an even bigger lot across the street, where there were still some open spots. We pulled in, parked, and then worked our way across a pedestrian bridge along with an eclectically clad group of worshippers. Some were wearing their Sunday best, though plenty had on jeans and t-shirts.
After we walked in, we settled into seats near the back of the lower floor. The choir was singing something ultra energetic. I can’t recall exactly what it was about — about Jesus, I’d guess — but I do distinctly remember one thing: It. Was. Awesome.
“Sound of Silence” Over High Gas Prices
Gasoline prices at more than $3.50, and rising! Hand-wringing and outrage over the ironclad grip of Big Oil and the energy companies! Fear and loathing that “out of control” prices are crippling the little people, who are spending too much of their day earning back the cost of just one commute!
Today’s media stories, at a time when gas is averaging around $3.70 near Texas Christian University, for example? Nope. All that was the sound of Democratic critics back in 2008, after Dallas’ George W. and the evil Dick Cheney had supposedly conspired in a backroom with the energy industry to drive prices through the roof.
And the sound you’re hearing today, with President Obama in the White House? Muted, at best. Ain’t it funny how these things work.
Things to Do in Dallas Tonight: April 7
Good morning, fellow nerds. There’s at least one other person in my office who watched Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and there’s definitely one or two Firefly fans floating around, which is why I begin my post with an insanely important public service announcement. Summer Glau is here, in Dallas, for the DIFF screening of Legend of Hell’s Gate: An American Conspiracy. Clearly, the big important screening tonight is Beautiful Boy. I know. It’s a very serious film, and Legend might just be beyond ridiculous (and FrontRow’s review here seems to suggest it is). But Summer. Glau. No self-respecting fanboy (or girl) would miss this.
But if you’re not a fan, you have no earthly idea what I’m talking about, or you’re just sick to death of movies, never fear. Ballroom dancing is here. The Music Hall at Fair Park’s limited engagement of Burn the Floor kicks off its opening weekend this evening. The show features 10 pairs of professional dancers (including Anya and Pasha from So You Think You Can Dance) who will blow your mind with just about every style of fancy dance you can imagine: salsa, tango, waltz, foxtrot, mambo, quickstep, jive, and more. I took cotillion classes back in the day, and even if I’d bothered to hone my old-fashioned boogie skills, there’s no way I could ever be this good. For those who need further motivation, watch one of my favorite short films of all time about a guy who learns how to tango. I promise, the twist is great. The dancing doesn’t start until 8pm, so grab a casual dinner and a beer at the Meridian Room beforehand.
For more things to do tonight, go here.
Lyda Hill Surprises Hockaday With $20 Million Donation
A memo went out to the Hockaday staff today about Lyda Hill’s surprise donation yesterday. You can read it after the jump. But it’s more fun to watch Hill make the shocking announcement onstage. I like the way that woman rolls.
(more…)
Leading Off (4/7/11)
No Root, Rooting for the Home Team at UTA. Three college students from the University of Texas at Arlington were banned for the softball season for, well, we’re not sure what for. But they were told, “We asked why, and he was just like, ‘Because I said so. I run it here, and whatever I say goes.’” So there’s that. Oh, and speaking of baseball, the Rangers are 6-0. Tim may be on to something.
What’s in a Name? According to those in the city council race in District 2, quite a bit. A polling place is located at the Esperanza “Hope” Medrano School. One of the candidates running is Pauline Medrano (the school was named after her mother). I feel like if you’re going in to vote, the name of the school is not going to sway your decision. But I could be wrong, I guess. It could be like when you’re watching The Bachelor and then you see a commercial for a McChicken, and suddenly you want a guy with a rose and a McChicken.
Well, It Could’ve been Worse. Numbers on tax revenue during the month of February are being released. And the Super Bowl wasn’t everything everybody hoped it would be. In fact, the numbers indicate a decrease in revenue in Fort Worth, Dallas, and Irving. However, for Arlington, things are looking pretty good. As Arlington Mayor Cluck said, at least the city didn’t lose money. Yay.
Allyn’s Network Funds Moviemaking Venture
Rob Allyn, whose Dallas-based Allyn & Co. helped mastermind many a winning campaign for
well-connected local pols and causes, has moved on to new endeavors these days, like making movies. But Allyn continues his moving and shaking among some of the heaviest hitters around. Consider, for example, the development of his film company Margate House Films Ltd., whose Indonesian revolutionary-war flick Blood of Eagles–co-directed by Allyn’s son Conor (pictured here with Rob in photo by Jeanne Prejean)–will show again Thursday at 4 at the Dallas Angelika, part of the Dallas International Film Festival.
The elder Allyn says he got into making these Indonesian war movies when Dallasites Ray Washburne (of Highland Park Village) and Al G. Hill Jr. introduced him to Hashim Djojohadikusumo, one of Indonesia’s wealthiest businessmen. Two of Hashim’s uncles had been killed in 1946 in Indonesia’s budding revolution against the Dutch, and the businesman told Allyn that more people should know about the war. Rob and Hashim talked about making flicks together to do that and, to help finance his part, Allyn proceeded to call upon a tony network of Texas A-listers. Among them: former W adviser Mark McKinnon; former Federal Judge Joe Kendall; Hill Jr.; Dallas mayoral candidate Mike Rawlings; oil magnate Albert Huddleston; Lee Roy Mitchell of Cinemark; Blockbuster CEO Jim Keyes; and state Sen. John Carona. So far the partners have coughed up $6 million in equity, Allyn says, which he’s leveraged up to a total of $20 million for Margate’s moviemaking.
Texas Is Having Some Drought-type Issues
So according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Texas is pretty droughty. Is that a word? It should be. Anywho, it’s probably not going to get better, so this is pretty much permission to let your lawn get nice and brown and for you to drink beer in a bid to save water. You should also probably just shower in your clothes, so everything gets clean at once. If you really want to help, time your shower for after you eat your morning cereal, and just pile up all the dishes in the bottom of the tub, too.
Various and assorted water people who are wringing your hands, you’re welcome. I’m here to help.
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