Articles for February 20th, 2013
Bush Asks to Be Removed From Gay Marriage Ad
Well, that didn’t last long. According to the Morning News:
But Bush spokeswoman Anne MacDonald said in a statement Wednesday that the former first lady “did not approve of her inclusion in this advertisement nor is she associated with the group that made the ad in any way.”
“When she became aware of the advertisement last night, we requested that the group remove her from it,” MacDonald said.
If you have time, look at the response our first post received this afternoon on Twitter.
Museum Tower Finds Its Way to China
Museum Tower is now an international controversy as well. Or it’s just a nice picture. I don’t know, I can’t read the caption. Photo: Beth Henry
The photo you see above is from Mineral Lover, a Chinese trade publication. It was passed on to me by FrontRowing machine Christopher Mosley, who also works for The Arkenstone, a Richardson company that specializes in gems and minerals. Anyway, the piece is about a Chinese gem dealer’s trip to Dallas. Does anyone know what “Museum Tower Death Ray” is in Cantonese?
When Fact-checking Goes Wrong: An Intern’s Tale
Seems pretty racy for 1966. Image: Nesster, via Flickr
One of the necessary evils of journalism is fact-checking. It’s dry, tedious, and, thus, inescapable for those of us lowest on the editorial totem pole (i.e., interns). I was never warned, though, that fact-checking could be fraught with peril.
I arrived at the office today, café mocha in hand, resigned to the task of verifying the minutia of our next issue’s event listings. Dull, indeed, but — as a consolation — ostensibly riskless. I tore through Sedaris at Winspear and Bernini at the Kimbell when I arrived at the listing for a Bunny Yeager exhibition at Photographs Do Not Bend Gallery. Bunny Yeager was a ’50s pin-up model and pin-up photographer. This fact was of little import to me, though: her listing was merely another hurdle to clear before I could get back to doing anything but fact-checking.
In responsible intern form, I dutifully opened several links in my browser, each discussing the exhibition and featuring a sampling of Yeager’s works—namely, black-and-white photographs of busty women (e.g., Bettie Page) seductively sprawled/spread-eagled/bent in all (or, at least, most of) their glory.
Nasher Center in ‘Historic’ Public Art Project
At today’s announcement were, left to right, David Haemisegger, Nancy Nasher Haemisegger, Mike Rawlings and Jeremy Strick. Photo by Jeanne Prejean.
As Peter hinted this morning on FrontRow, the Nasher Sculpture Center announced today a “historic public art project” called Nasher XChange, to commemorate the museum’s 10th anniversary. Under the program, the Nasher will commission 10 new public sculptures by contemporary artists at to-be-announced sites throughout the city. Nasher director Jeremy Strick said the project, which will cost “several million dollars” and run from Oct. 19, 2013, to next Feb. 16, will be the first citywide, museum-organized public art exhibition in the U.S. More than $1 million’s already been raised for it.
At a splashy announcement event attended by Dallas city council members and Mayor Mike Rawlings—who said the city would be “supporting” the project but not putting up any cash—the names of the 10 artists were revealed, with most hailing from places like L.A., New York, and the Netherlands. The fact that only three are from Texas (from Dallas, Denton, and Houston) should not be a concern, Strick said afterward. “It’s not a show of local artists, but a show highlighting some of the best work being done in public art today,” he said. Some of the “outside” artists will also be working with locals, he added, “so the tentacles will be spread throughout the community.”
Go to FrontRow for more about the artists and project.
All Clichés Are Bigger in Texas Award: NBA Basketball Edition
In a piece about the upcoming NBA trade deadline, ESPN’s Tom Haberstroh:
Houston. I’d love to see what [Paul] Millsap could do in a Mike D’Antoni-type system, and the Rockets have a Texas-sized hole at power forward. With sneaky good range in the corners and a knack for poking the ball away defensively, there’s a mini Shawn Marion just waiting to break out.
The first in a rambling, occasional, rootin’, tootin’, calf-ropin’ series about writers who use Texas and Dallas clichés in their pieces.
FC Dallas CEO Doug Quinn Steps Down
Photo: FCDallas.com
From a statement released by the club:
Doug Quinn has stepped down as president and CEO of FC Dallas, the club announced today.
Quinn has been on administrative leave from the club since November. He said the decision to resign will allow him to spend more time with his family.
“After much consideration, I have decided to resign from FC Dallas to spend more time with my two beautiful daughters,” Quinn said. “I will be forever grateful to Clark and the Hunt family for giving me an opportunity to lead this great franchise, and I sincerely appreciate the hard work and dedication shown every day by the FC Dallas family.”
Since joining FC Dallas in 2010, Quinn helped grow the Club’s supporters’ base. In 2012, FC Dallas set a single-season record with more than 1.7 million patrons at FC Dallas Stadium and Complex.
“Doug has significantly improved the operations of FC Dallas, and the club is well-positioned for future success,” said Clark Hunt, chairman of Hunt Sports Group. “We greatly appreciate his many contributions to the club and support his decision to step down to focus on his family and pursue other opportunities.”
Quinn took a leave of absence in November after being arrested for allegedly hitting and attempting to choke his wife in New York City. The statement goes on to say that the search for a new president and CEO will begin immediately, headed by Hunt Sports Group VP Dan Hunt.
Rep. Marc Veasey to Join LGBT Caucus
U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Fort Worth) will join the LGBT Caucus this session, making him only the third current member of the Texas delegation to do so.
“I promise you I will represent LGBT issues very strongly,” he told Dallas’ Stonewall Democrats last night at Ojeda’s. “It’s something I will continue to talk about because it’s the right thing to do. Attitudes are changing in our country.”
Veasey will join Houston’s Sheila Jackson Lee and Dallas’ Eddie Bernice Johnson on the caucus. Former San Antonio Rep. Charlie Gonzalez was also a part of the group.
“I think the people who are against equality in this country, they’re in the minority now. They are people who are holding onto something in the past and stopping the rest of the country from moving forward.”
Watch the rest of Veasey’s remarks in the above video.
Things To Do In Dallas Tonight: Feb. 20
Dzine’s designs. B. Hilson and Kevin Todora.
Have you read Peter’s dispatch on the possibility of affordable artist housing in the Arts District yet? You should. It’d be right next to Museum Tower. To quote How To Lose a Guy in Ten Days, drama, drama, drama.
Speaking of the Arts District, we have the ghost of John Denver at Dallas City Performance Hall tonight. The “Rocky Mountain High” crooner, though deceased, will be here in spirit during this massive tribute. Not as a hologram, fortunately. His estate put the concert together to honor the man’s legacy of music and activism, and the show features a combination of vintage video and performance from members of Denver’s original band and a live string section. I’m listening to “Take Me Home, Country Roads” right now in tribute. You can still snag balcony seats if you consider yourself a number one fan.
Also this evening, there’s the Dzine artist talk at the Dallas Contemporary. The Chicago artist’s work was the centerpiece of the museum’s Phenomenon fundraiser a couple weeks ago, and now he’ll talk about the world of “kustom kulture” car customization, which he translates to glittery, culturally relevant displays of vintage vehicles and abstract paintings. Afterward, drop by the Moth for zuccini chips and a beer, or Ascension Coffee for a nice glass of wine to wind down your Wednesday. It’ll open until 9 p.m.
For more to do tonight, go here.
Supporters Hope to Return Wendy Davis to State Senate Education Committee
Sen Wendy Davis supporters say 3,500+ signed petitions demanding LG Dewhurst return her to Sen Ed Committee.2 b delivered Fri.
— Dave Montgomery (@daveymontgomery) February 20, 2013
Back in January, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst removed Fort Worth State Sen. Wendy Davis from the senate’s education committee, after she led a filibuster last session against $5 billion in school cuts. Dewhurst told the Observer the move “took into account Senators’ requests and geographic diversity, as well as the strengths and talents of each Senator in determining committee assignments.” Right.
Since her removal, Davis supporters have been gathering signatures asking for her reinstatement. We’ll see if those end up meaning anything.
Everyone Should Just Calm Down About the Olympics Coming to Dallas
Athens’ abandoned, tagged Spiros Louis Stadium. Photo: Metro Centric, via Flickr
Yesterday, the United States Olympic Committee sent letters out to 35 American cities, to gauge their interest in bidding for the 2024 Summer Olympics. Some locals thought the letter said “ZOMG DALLAS HERE’S THE OLYMPICS.”
Problem with that: Dallas is not even close to being able to handle the Olympics. There are a lot of metrics that Dallas fails at (reliable public transit being the massive, festering sore on any bid), but let’s just look at one: an Olympic stadium. NBC-DFW quotes the CEO of Dallas 2024, Matt Wood, as saying that Cowboys Stadium would be used in any bid. Read: Cowboys Stadium would be the Olympic stadium. Except the International Olympic Committee would never let that happen. Here are the past eight Summer Olympic stadiums (plus Rio 2016′s) and their approximate distances to downtown:
Zat Crane Eez in Trouble!
What I’m hoping is that the manufacturer of this crane is French. That way, my headline makes sense. Sorta. Anyway, my mind grapes were squeezed by the “Zac Crain” and “that crane” thing. Moving on.
Margaux Anbouba is an intern for D Home, D Weddings, and D Moms. Last night, she was driving down Turtle Creek when she espied the terrifying sight you see here. A crane had apparently tried to hoist a load too heavy and was tottering toward the creek at the intersection of Turtle Creek and Cedar Springs. Margaux says she passed the scene twice, once at 6:30 and then again at 9:30, by which time two other cranes had taken up positions on either side of the tipping crane (which makes me think of a tippling Crain), presumably to effect a rescue mission.
So um. Just thought you’d enjoy that.
Will the Arts District Finally Feature, Well, Artists?
Whenever I used to vent to former Arts District executive director Veletta Lill about all the things that frustrate me about the Arts District — its shortage of residences, its orientation towards the high end of the market, its one-dimensional character as a depot for imported art and performances — Lill would remind me that the Arts District as it stands today is only 25 years into a 50-year vision. The things that make a neighborhood a neighborhood (people of all walks of life, services, booze and coffee) will come, she promised optimistically.
Regarding that future vision, Lill always singled-out the parking lot adjacent to Museum Tower as key component in the overall Arts District build-out. Now it looks like the spot could be the location of the most significant development on Flora Street since Rem Koolhaus and Joshua Prince-Ramus decided to perpetually torture any Dallas theater lover with weak knees. Curious what’s going on? Jump.
Boy Scout Director’s Speech Shows Loosening of Gay Ban May Be Coming
Willie Iles Jr., the Irving-based Boy Scouts of America’s national director of government and community relations, spoke Friday at Fort Worth fundraiser, a banquet where the funds would go directly to three inner-city Boy Scout troops. The Star-Telegram attended as well:
Of the 1.4 million non-profit, non-religious groups today that directly affect young people, the Boy Scouts is the only one with a written policy to exclude, Iles said. Pointing out that there were 40 words in the Boy Scout Oath, Iles dramatically stopped after reciting only the first 14: “On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God. …”
He asked rhetorically, “What if I have four sons — Matthew, Mark, Luke and John? And Matthew is gay?”
Iles, again saying he had “no opinion” on the subject, said there are 16,000 public schools systems in America and there are gay teachers in many classrooms.
“And yet we don’t have people running to pull their kids out of school,” he said.
In an appeal to the faith-based community, he said Boy Scouts is the country’s largest outreach organization, adding, “We’re in the outreach industry, not a Bible study class.”
I applaud Iles for everything he said, except one thing. You clearly have an opinion, sir. You have an opinion that could affect the lives of millions of young men. If only you were in a position to use that opinion for the betterment of the Scouts…
Today on D Television (2/20/13)
D: The Broadcast, 9 a.m.
Hosted by Lisa Pineiro, Pat Smith, Suzie Humphreys and Courtney Kerr
• Social Media 101: Online essentials for getting your business ahead
• The stars of Discovery Channel’s Fast ‘N Loud on restoring classic cars
• D Moms’ Project Parent: Editor Joslyn Taylor talks about helicopter parenting
• Chef Connie Mullins saves the day for Hostess fans with homemade Chocodiles
D Living, 10 a.m.
Hosted by Hilary Kennedy and Kimberly Whitman
• Ron Shover going for the Guinness World Record … for the most balloon animals in 24 hours
• Meeting Oscar: Dallas film fans got to be winners for the day
• Richard McKay of the Dallas Chamber Symphony on bringing together an orchestra
D-TV is available on all local cable providers.
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