Ode to the Common Man, if He Would Only Stay out of View

Uh-Oh. Hippie Liberal Elitism Alert. If you are a hippie liberal like me, do not, repeat, DO NOT read the story in today’s New York Times about National Park Service plans for curbing visitation to Yosemite National Park. Reading of this story may cause serious damage to your democratic convictions…

Holder May Invade Texas? Hey, Man, Tell Us which Bridges To Blow Up.

Yesterday when he told the Urban League he was going after Texas on voting rights, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder quoted a federal court decision last year in which the court said Hispanic plaintiffs in Texas had “provided more evidence of discriminatory intent than we have space, or need, to…

Architects Propose Dynamiting Downtown Dallas, Thousands Flee!

All right. Maybe the headline was a little sensational. If the headline had been, “Interesting Charette Held,” you wouldn’t be here, would you? And there was some talk of dynamite last night at the “Connected City” seminar at the Nasher Sculpture Center. Different people, I’m sure, left last night’s deal…

The City of Dallas’ Anti-Conspiracy Conspiracy

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, talking last week about the worries some people harbor concerning the 50th anniversary of the JFK assassination in Dealey Plaza, recalled his own recent visit to President Obama’s second inaugural in Washington. When a pro-life person climbed a tree and attempted to disrupt the inaugural, Rawlings…

Museum Tower Doesn’t Look Like Something That’s Coming Down Soon

Took the tour yesterday at Museum Tower, the new 42-story condo tower accused by The Dallas Morning News of torching the Nasher Sculpture Center in the arts district downtown with its reflected light. I’m no architecture critic. But, wow. Pretty damn sweet. Oh, not the torching. Sorry. I meant the…

Charges Against DISD’s Mike Miles: More Bullying Bullshit?

Which event are we talking about here? Individual Dallas school board members — job-defenders who are sworn enemies of the ongoing school reform program — violate normal process to release an internal school district report highly critical of Dallas Superintendent Mike Miles. Before folks have time to read the thing,…

Bankrupt Detroit Will Survive the Wolves Howling at its Door

Ah, Detroit. This morning, saddened by the bleak news of bankruptcy and shame, I pulled from the shelf my worn copy of a book of Detroit legends and re-read my favorite of all, the story of the Loup Garou. French 17th century settlers on the shores of Lake St. Clair…

JFK 50th Anniversary Will Be Hell in a Handbasket. Goody.

JFK assassination 50th anniversary news: City of Dallas releases video showing Dealey Plaza was occupied by Indians long before JFK assassination. Suburban library presents speech by guy who gave Lee Harvey Oswald ride to work. Boston auction announces it will hawk Oswald’s wedding ring. Mind if I slip something else…

Knocked Out of Being Loaded

The good thing about growing up in the daily newspaper business back when I did: You were surrounded by a lot of really good drinkers. I don’t use that language facetiously. A good drinker is somebody who really does know how to drink, even drink a lot and still keep…

Zimmerman Verdict Shows the Shortcomings of a Trial by Media

The New York Times has a story on its front page today about the Trayvon Martin verdict reporting not only that Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law was not invoked by the defense but also quoting a legal expert who calls the law’s exclusion from defense arguments “a brilliant strategic move.”…

Dallas Has a Lesson to Learn About Segregation from Scary Detroit

Stories about my old hometown, Detroit, are no longer merely depressing. The word, depressing, just doesn’t get it. Detroit is beginning to be fascinating. Its plight is almost mesmerizing, in a science-fiction post-apocalyptic kind of way. Terrible awful unbelievable story in The New York Times today saying, among other things,…

Running from DISD

I’m like you. Since Mike Miles started as Dallas schools chief a year ago, seven people have resigned from his leadership team. I wonder what’s wrong. Why are these people leaving? Is it Miles? The school board? Me? My dogs? It’s not easy to get a good answer, because the…

Bernadette Nutall and Other Profiteers of Inferiority Must Go

Heed what just happened in the battle over next year’s school budget for Dallas. Black elected leaders on the school board voted for segregation and failure. It’s time for everybody — I mean everybody — to rethink the role of black elected leadership in this city. Of course the traditionally…