It was almost midnight when the banged-up Dodge Neon began weaving from one lane to another along North Central Expressway, traveling so slowly that it was impeding the normal flow of traffic. As the car approached the Lovers Lane exit, it barely escaped a collision with a fast-moving 18-wheeler, then…
Bruce Coslet is a quick learner. Really, he is. But not for the reasons you might think. The lot of you are probably still high from Sunday–a meaningless two-point win over a Jacksonville team that’s been nothing but average this season in record (one game below .500) and defensive ranking…
The good news, according to the Texas Freedom Network, is that more people than ever paid attention to the debate over school social studies textbooks that recently concluded before the State Board of Education, thus dampening the influence of small numbers of religious zealots. That means that the book of…
Who he said he was: I am writing to congratulate you for publishing Thomas Korosec’s excellent piece “Crusaders” in the November 14 issue. I have no idea what I was expecting to find in this article when I picked up the Dallas Observer. As a “fifty-something” grandfather, I am not…
In a second-floor room of the Hotel Lawrence, which stands in the shadow of Dealey Plaza and the former Texas School Book Depository, they gathered last weekend to buy their books and espouse their theories. Poring over a table of books laid out by Andy Winiarczyk–whose Last Hurrah Bookshop in…
Cube Attitude O’Shea Jackson, better known as rapper/actor Ice Cube, is at it again. His latest movie, Friday After Next, is set to come out this Friday (God, that’s confusing). The movie wasn’t so good, but it gave me an excuse to interview Cube, so it could have been worse…
It began as a bright, promising September morning on the sixth floor of the Dallas-based American Airlines headquarters. Staff members were sipping coffee and mingling as they anticipated the morning’s operational meeting. Soon they would be discussing routine items such as flight schedules, maintenance updates and weather conditions at airports…
A crisp and dusty breeze sweeps off McCommas Bluff and into Dallas’ new “Citizen’s Convenience and Recycling Center” where about two dozen city workers and officials sit at cafeteria tables covered with red and white checkered cloths. At a podium set up in the open-air structure, officials proudly announce the…
Staff writer Mark Donald scored a Dallas Observer first in the recent Press Club of Dallas Foundation Katie Awards, winning three individual honors and earning finalist status in two other categories. The Katies recognize outstanding journalistic work in a five-state area. Donald’s performance capped a successful showing for the Observer,…
For those of you not from these parts, the preceding phrase–yippie etc.–is cowboy talk for “Hooray!” At least we think it is. It could very well mean something else, like, “Hey, honey, show me them there panties you’re wearin’.” Or it could be the sound a plaintiff’s lawyer makes when…
It was the day after Nick Van Exel went down with a knee injury. Avery Johnson–who became the team’s pro tem backup point guard when Van Exel bit it–stood by a set of black metal stairs that lead to the American Airlines Center practice-facility lockers. He talked about how his…
Vicious Circle of Crap Local-music black hole: I must admit–for once in my life, Zac–I agree with you. Your article “Mechanic Needed” (October 24) about the state of the Dallas music scene was right on the money. In my opinion, there are two things majorly wrong with the Dallas music…
It took a two-week trip to Lebanon last spring for Sarah Logan to understand what she was getting into. Among the bullet-ridden buildings in the northern city of Tripoli, the 46-year-old Dallas accountant heard her Baptist missionary hosts describe armed attacks on Christian churches by a faction of Islamic fundamentalists…
Digging through somebody’s trash is one of those reporting tactics that we at the Dallas Observer try to avoid, but this time the temptation was too great. The Tony Sanchez gubernatorial campaign brought its trash to us. The Observer’s offices are located in downtown Dallas, across the street from a…
Being Ray Liotta Ray Liotta’s list of characters has run the gamut, from tarnished baseball immortal Shoeless Joe Jackson to mobster-in-hiding Henry Hill to, well, whoever he was in Operation Dumbo Drop (didn’t see it, sorry). He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance in Jonathan Demme’s Something…
So is David Spence, who resigned this month from his seat on Dallas’ plan and zoning commission after being reprimanded by the city’s ethics panel, a bad guy or a good guy done wrong? Seeing how Dallas Observer staffer Rose Farley broke the story of his alleged ethical lapse, which…
The RapistWithering under denial: What an interesting contrast that Carlton Stowers painted between Gina Cotroneo and her rapist, Gary Faison (“Likely Suspect,” October 31). It seems a classic case study in how one’s actions exhibit one’s character, and how people choose the lives they lead based upon the circumstances they’ve…
The season hasn’t yet started, but I think Don Nelson is drunk. Donnie Nelson might be, too; who can tell? Half the Mavs fans in this room are loaded and twisted, and the other half are well on their way. It’s early, but I have no idea what time it…
The husband called first, in a tizzy. While cleaning out a waste bin full of dirty Q-Tips, his wife had come across a used condom. She freaked. Confronted with the desiccated, slightly bloody evidence, he told her he was certain it wasn’t his. And keep the condom, he said. I’m…
Inspired by a randomly received instructional package from the Women’s Institute of Learning (based in Fort Worth), two “random” staffers (we’ll call them Bella and Kittie) decided to embark on a striptease adventure. Bella and Kittie began by contacting Paulette Belmore, president of the Women’s Institute of Learning, who explained…
What are the Dallas Mavericks’ chances of making it to the NBA Finals this year? The following is the opinion of a Western Conference scout: On the Mavs: “I think [the Mavs] will be in the mix this year. They’ll be in that 3-to-5 category [for playoff position] if they…
Your regular Buzz correspondent is back from a week’s vacation, rested and ready to tackle weighty issues, provide pithy commen…OH, DEAR GOD, WILL SOMEONE PLEASE SHUT THAT KID UP! So sorry. It’s Election Day, four days after deadline–when Buzz usually starts writing–and half a block down the street, outside Ron…
