I guess grassroots just aren’t what they used to be. Today an announced “grassroots” outpouring of support for embattled 30th District Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson amounted to a dozen preachers speaking to 20 human beings and 40 empty folding chairs in the Flag Room at City Hall. “We have come…
*If you’re Miles Austin are you more giddy about a six-year, $57 million contract or the fact that you get to look/touch/hit this on a regular basis? *Look, I’m as Muslim-skeptical as legally allowed, but I do see this as double-standardy: A couple dudes build a Mosque near Ground Zero…
Dear Readers: ¡VIVA MÉXICO, CABRONES! Happy 200th cumpleaños to America’s favorite country, to the land of pretty señoritas and eternal economic crises, to the world’s greatest, drunkest bola de hijos de la chingada! Celebrate this 16th, drive safe, and guys: Remember to wear a helmet before going into battle with…
In the last few weeks everyone has been talking about taking on a tax increase so we can give City Hall more money. I promise you this much: This story will make you wonder why on earth we would even consider giving the people at City Hall more money. Josh…
In the wake of Congressional candidate Stephen Broden’s latest bombshell about incumbent Eddie Bernice Johnson’s scholar-gyp scandal, we have to wonder about the whole Congress. Is Johnson’s fiddling of some scholarship funds from the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation merely symptomatic of a much broader and deeper running syndrome? Over the…
A fellow citizen sent me this picture today after visiting the city of Dallas Department of Building Inspection at 320 East Jefferson Avenue in Oak Cliff. She reported that the sign had exactly the opposite of the intended effect on her…
*I took one thing and one thing only out of Cowboys 27, Dolphins 25 Thursday night in Arlington: I trust David Buehler. In the preseason a lot of things sputtered offensively for Dallas, but 10 of 11 field goals – including 4 of 4 against Miami – is enough for…
I could tell you that the Dallas Desire kick off their Lingerie Football League season this Friday against the San Diego Seduction. I could enlighten you that the Desire are growing up, playing in the Cotton Bowl this season after spending last year on a quasi-field in the outfield of…
Dear Mexican: I’m a naturalized citizen born in Ciudad Juarez but I work for la migra. I get a lot of shit from some of my family members because they feel I shouldn’t be doing this job. I always tell them that it’s better I got the job rather than…
We need to put political correctness aside at least for the moment and have a frank discussion about killing the homeless. Can a case be made for it? For the last couple weeks I have been talking to people about the homeless in Dallas, inspired first by the controversy over…
This item is a dilation of a comment I posted to yesterday’s item about 30th District Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and the scandal about scholarships and nepotism. It struck me after I posted the comment that maybe I owed the topic a better effort. In the mid-1980s I interviewed both…
Lot of interesting murmurs going around Southern Dallas the last few days concerning Christy Hoppe and Todd J. Gillman’s stories in the The Dallas Morning News about Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, Democrat of Dallas, dishing scholarships to her own relatives and the children of her top aide, Rod Givens, from…
*By no means am I an alarmist, but we need to see something positive from the Cowboys’ first-team offense Saturday night in Houston. One long drive that ends in a touchdown. That’s all. Give me that and I’ll pronounce the team ready for September 12. With only one season-ending injury…
Apparently my column in this week’s print edition has sparked some controversy (I just hate that, shy fellow that I am), especially a quote from developer David Spence to the effect that he thinks a recent wild and woolly town hall meeting over housing for the homeless in North Oak…
Homelessness is a horrible issue—painful, endlessly complex, almost impossible to contain in any useful summary way. The worst of it is that all of the passionate voices arrayed on each side of the issue bring their own urgency and legitimacy to the table. Couldn’t we just have good guys and…
Dear Mexican: Oye, I’m a Mexican con un pie aquí y un pie allá, and I have to admit that it is difficult to be a Mexican these days. I’d like to make the argument that it is one of the worst times ever to be a Mexican. I even…
So much would you pay to hear a speech by Emmitt Smith? Troy Aikman? Terry Bradshaw? How about Zig Ziglar? Colin Powell? Laura Bush? Dr. Robert Schuller? Steve Forbes? Rudy Giuliani? $50? $100 $1,000? Never been to hear/see a motivational speaker, but listening to any of those would be interesting. But how…
Fine print alert! When Mayor Tom Leppert tells you that yesterday’s agenda item vote on the city tax rate didn’t mean anything, he’s got his hand deep in your pocket. It may be fine print, but ask Leppert why the vote was required by state law if it didn’t mean…
Big sturm und drang going on in New York and Europe amongst book dealers dealing with the Green family in Oklahoma City regarding the collection I wrote about in March that was supposed to become a national bible museum here in Dallas. So: Is it on, or is it off?…
Whether you’re at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt’s End: *If Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback Tony Romo gets hurt behind a patch-work offensive line Saturday night don’t come crying to me. I don’t think he should even suit up. There is exaggerated…
Dear Readers: As you read this, my trusty burro, pigtailed chica and I are crisscrossing Aztlán researching Mexican food. So now is as bueno as any time to do some housecleaning for the columna. Hay que start with a letter from the Mexican’s longtime amigo, William Lobdell. For years one…
The North Texas Tollway Authority board of directors is meeting as you read to take yet another whack at its “legacy contractors” problem. Item No. 11 on this morning’s agenda, dealing with “future procurements,” will provide the sparks:Discussion and possible direction to staff regarding the Board of Director’s role in…
