Audio By Carbonatix
Stand and deliver: On behalf of Dallas, Buzz would like to
make the following statement: Listen, world, we’re sorry about that
whole Kennedy assassination thing. Real sorry. Now, can we just move
on?
Apparently not.
A new Web site—a sort of photo sharing, socializing spot
called www.stoodthere.com,
based in the U.K.—is putting together lists of the greatest
places to stand in Europe and the United States. Users vote on the
photos of the top 100 places to decide which is the best place to
stand. Coming in at 76th on the list of 100 U.S. spots so far is, you
guessed it, the Texas School Book Depository. We’re trailing the Alamo,
at 54th, but ahead of Galveston’s Moody Gardens. (Buzz hasn’t been to
Moody Gardens, but we understand why the Alamo, that shrine to brave
Texans too dumb to run from a horde of armed, pissed-off Mexicans,
would rate higher. You can find great snow cones on Alamo Plaza and
plenty of places to buy T-shirts. They know how to honor their dead in
South Texas.)
But really, is Dallas’ reputation forever to be marked by one li’l
ol’ shooting 45 years ago? Doesn’t the rest of the world know that
there are many, many interesting places to stand in Dallas? None of
them are occurring to us right this moment, except perhaps the bar at
The Lodge.
Ciaran Bradley, one of StoodThere’s creators, says the site was
thought up by a group of friends and co-workers who had logged a few
nights working late. The site doesn’t have any sponsors—at least
not so far—and at three weeks old is still in the beta stage. He
points out, reasonably, that to the rest of the Internet-cruising
world, the depository and Kennedy are justifiably famous.
That means, of course, there’s only one thing Dallasites who wish to
boost the city’s reputation can do. We can game the
voting—election fraud being another fine Texas tradition.
So, here’s what Buzz suggests: Pick another Dallas spot to nominate
and send in a photo. We suggest the gate outside the cul-de-sac leading
to 10141 Daria Place, another location linked to presidential history.
Visitors from all over the world—particularly the Middle
East—no doubt would love to see some snaps of the area.
So, bring the kids, a bucket of chicken, some 40-ouncers, maybe some
drums and police whistles to blow. Keep that up long enough, and who
knows, maybe Dallas’ reputation will take a giant leap forward.
