The Bushes took turns speaking at a single lectern on a very presidential-looking stage, with a backdrop including an American flag and these words in giant letters: Freedom. Opportunity. Responsibility. Compassion. W said his new institute would focus on four areas–education, health, human freedom, and economic growth–and added that he’s hiring some top people to do some groundbreaking work in those fields. The new hires include Sandy Kress, a former local chairman of the Democratic Party, and Mark Dybul, an openly gay man who served as the former president’s global AIDS coordinator.

Laura’s portion of the presentation, meantime, stressed that a “women’s initiative” would be a big part of the institute, with a major conference for Afghan women on the schedule for next March. That focus on women’s issues seemed smart–as did most elements of the Bushes’ plan for the presidential center, a $300 million project that will even be green: LEED Platinum-certified. Thus a “new” W was revealed at SMU today: serious, inclusive, bipartisan, a lofty thinker–much different from the beaten-down prez whose party lost everything last fall. And, the 1,500 or so people in the McFarlin audience seemed to like it. They gave the Bushes four standing O’s.

“The heart of the eagle has just been moved to Dallas,” Burroughs said. “After 120 years, it’s not a positive step, and I have grave concerns with it.”

I grew up in Denton, but I did not attend UNT. This is a strange move, and it signals that the board of regents expects Dallas to become more important to the university system’s operations than the “main” campus in Denton. They’re calling it a “neutral” site for the governing offices, but they’re going to be much closer to the new law school and the south Dallas campus.

Why should those offices need to be in a neutral location? They’re hoping to supplant SMU as the favored institution of the Dallas business community? Chancellor Lee Jackson doesn’t like driving to Denton?

I don’t know. You tell me if I’m crazy, based on the most recent head shot I could find. It’s after the jump.

The topic: "blond" vs. "blonde." The book: Garner's Modern American Usage, a copy of which was recently purchased for the office for just such an occasion. The pedantic person reading from it, and thus extending the conversation for far too long: Tim Rogers.

Turk Pipkin at TEDxSMU from tedxsmu on Vimeo.

2. Mayor Leppert is trying to rush through a complicated package of ethics reforms, in the wake of former Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill’s corruption conviction. Some council members want to take more time, some don’t think the reforms are needed, and none have answered my e-mails about how they think Erick Dampier will react to his new role occasionally coming off the bench. Where is your fancy talk of transparency now, city hall?

3. Southlake Carroll ISD is ditching its perfect attendance award so sick kids stay home. I, however, am still planning on maintaining perfect attendance at the games on my Dallas Mavericks ticket plan, starting with tonight against the Washington Wizards.

I’m of two minds on this: on the one hand, if you’re going to have your kid in a mainstream school, you have to expect there will be bumps along the way. On the other: I think if you’re going to allow autistic kids in your mainstream school, you have to expect there will be bumps along the way. I predict the media attention will get the ticket dismissed, and I don’t think that’s the worst thing in the world.