Saturday, November 6, 2010

Keep them honest

I'm not shy about the types of politicians I support. I'm also not shy about speaking out against certain politicians who I think put themselves and their professional aspirations ahead of the good of the people. There is plenty of talk from these folks about the job they have done in Oak Cliff or the job they want to do. More often than not, they don't follow through on their rhetoric, which is why Oak Cliff is a mixed bag of progress and decline.

I didn't like the fact that Elba Garcia sent out a hit piece in the mail the week before the election telling Latino voters - in Spanish - that Ken Mayfield supported their detention and harassment simply because of their race. It was more of the same race baiting we've seen in the Arizona debate, and it was ugly, and most of all, wrong. I've known Ken Mayfield for several years, and he is certainly not the person some would have you believe. I initially met him when he appointed me to serve on the board of the Sixth Floor Museum. I wanted to volunteer for something worthwhile and a friend told me Ken was looking for locals to serve on civic boards. I found him to be fair, honest, and to the point. He wanted to be sure things were being done correctly, and we weren't just rubber-stamping the actions of those we were meant to oversee.

The contention that Ken was not a good steward of the county's money is a shameful lie. I have never met anyone who made sure tax dollars were spent on worthy projects. He was good for Oak Cliff, and I hope Elba Garcia will do as good a job when she takes over. The fact that she is willing to look the other way on the constable investigation - especially when her husband represented one of the constables - concerns me.  Dallas politicians have a poor history of back door deals and favors for friends and allies. This needs to change. Putting the usual suspects back in power is not the way to do it.

Regardless, she and every other elected official deserves our support, and more importantly, our vigilance. We need to ensure they are doing their job. If not, we need to return them to the private sector.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Say hello to The Movie Pool!

I've recently signed on as a contributor to TheMoviePool.com, a great movie website for film fans and young filmmakers. I'll cover movie news of all types, and among my recent offerings are a review and reflections on the latest rumors from Lucasfilm, both of which are linked here:
Review: Monsters (2010)
Why rumors of a new Star Wars trilogy are probably true

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

It's the end of the world as we know it.....

This past weekend, the movie "Jackass 3D" made $50 million at the box office. In a recession. Doing things they do for free on MTV. All this while far superior films like "Red," starring actual talented people, was showing at most of the same theaters. What is wrong with us, America?

Even more troubling is this photo, which shows a dog that has apparent Bieber Fever. This spawn of Satan will break the seven seals and unleash the Four Horsemen, signaling the end of the world. Take me now, Lord.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Ghostbusters at the Turner House

It's almost Halloween, and you want to get in the mood for some thrills. Who you gonna call? The Turner House, located at 401 N. Rosemont in beautiful north Oak Cliff, of course. They will present the original "Ghostbusters" as part of their Movies on the Lawn series this Friday, October 15 at 7:30 p.m. Get there early to pick out a good spot on the lawn (bring a blanket). Concessions will be available on site. For more info or directions, visit the Turner House website here.

Friday, October 8, 2010

Take your toddler to a vampire movie

The Angelika Theater in Dallas offers a "crybaby matinee" each week to moms who need to get out without the worry of the noise their little ones make. The Angelika's "crybaby matinee" plays movies with the lights halfway down and the sound turned down, and there are no complaints if a baby gets upset. Parents and kids under five get in free. It's a cool idea.

This week's "crybaby matinee," however, has me wondering. The movie is "Let Me In," a movie about a child vampire. It's rated R for language and vampire violence. I haven't seen the film (although I did like the original Swedish version) it just makes one wonder, who in their right mind takes their baby or toddler to a vampire movie? I know a baby may not be affected by it, but a three, four, or five year old might be emotionally scarred. If they really want a baby to keep quiet, show them the new "Wall Street." Everyone will be asleep in ten minutes.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Politicians with no shame

My latest article concerns a Dallas politician who is being accused by a voter of improper help in filling out a mail-in ballot. The incident shines a light into the whole issue of "vote harvesting," in which susceptible voters, usually the elderly, are targeted for their votes. Voters are then "encouraged" or "helped" into voting for a certain candidate, and in some cases, ballots are outright stolen, filled out, and submitted by someone else. It has been a problem in southern Dallas for years, and every election, new accusations surface.

To read what one voter accused Dallas county commissioner candidate Elba Garcia of doing, click right here to read my article.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Interview with City Council Member Carolyn Davis

Carolyn Davis has certainly made headlines lately, especially when she and several council members walked out on a council meeting to prevent a vote on the tax rate. Ms. Davis was gracious enough to talk with me for an exclusive story about the walkout, which she says could have been prevented if the Mayor had told them his intentions in a closed door session beforehand. To read the story, click right here.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

The best linemen in north Texas

My latest article for Rivals.com highlights some of the best offensive linemen in north Texas. You can read the entire article by clicking right here.

Monday, July 26, 2010

My latest article for Yahoo's Rivals.com

My latest article for Yahoo's Rivals.com covers the rise of the Frisco Liberty varsity football team, who have become one of the area's 4A powers after just two seasons in existence. The article is featured on the front page for now, but you can go directly to it by clicking right here.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

My article for Sports Illustrated

My article for Sports Illustrated Online has been published. It's a fan's guide to DFW pro sports, one of several guides SI is featuring from major cities. It was an honor to finally have the chance to write for one of the top sports websites in the world. To read the guide, click the link below:

Dallas - 2010 Fan Guide - SI.com

Friday, May 21, 2010

Kroger Stores behind Dallas alcohol sales petition

Many people are unaware that the recent petition to put alcohol sales on the ballot in November has been spearheaded by Kroger Food Stores, who stand to make millions off of the possibility of alcohol sales in their stores. Progress Dallas, the committee formed to organize the petition drive, is headed by a Kroger executive, and they hired a local political firm that specializes in legalizing alcohol sales to put out publicity and collect signatures.

My latest article for Examiner.com gives you a peek behind the curtain of Progress Dallas, and proves how big money is behind this petition drive, not public sentiment. Click here to read the article.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

A word of thanks....

I wanted to say thank you to everyone who sent their condolences after the death of my mother last week. She fought a brief but brave fight against ovarian cancer, and your continued prayers are most appreciated. The Dallas Morning News was gracious enough to allow me to write a tribute to her this past Mother's Day which was published in the May 8 (Saturday) edition of the News. You can read the online version here.

Thank you again for your support, and if you are still blessed enough to have your mother around, give her a hug or give her a call.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

George W Bush Library will kill kittens!

No wonder newspapers are going out of business. The Dallas Morning News posted an embarrassing story today that reported on the plight of stray kittens that are going to be displaced by the new George W. Bush library beign built next to SMU in Dallas. Seriously. It sounds like someone at the very liberal SMU is reaching for any reason to hate on the W library. Liberals have been protesting to SMU regents for years trying to keep it from being built, and they failed. So bring on the kitties. 

Monday, April 5, 2010

Erykah Badu is no artist

Here in Dallas there is a lot of discussion about singer Erykah Badu's music video filmed here in which she stripped in public (in front of a number of children) on the site of JFK's assassination. She pretended to be shot and collapsed in the street in Dealey Plaza; blue blood then spilled from her head spelled out GROUPTHINK. She claimed she was trying to make an artistic statement, overcoming her fears in public. Or whatever.

I felt compelled to respond to an article by a Dallas Morning News music critic who tried to justify her actions. I hope folks got to see the story on WFAA which covered her CD signing here in Dallas on Saturday. In it she refused to sign a TIME Magazine for a fan because it has JFK on it. My question is, why wouldn't she? Couldn't she have made an artistic statement with it? She can find artistic justification to strip in public in front of children and was brave enough to mock the JFK assassination, but couldn't sign a magazine? We all know why - she knew it was going to go on eBay and fetch a small fortune, and since she couldn't make the money, no one else will. If it doesn't benefit her, she's not interested in doing it. That's not an artist. That's a media whore.

My new gig on Examiner.com

I'm proud to announce that I am the new National Examiner for the Republican party on Examiner.com. As a national correspondent for the GOP, my articles will now be featured on the nationwide version of the site. I will continue to cover the Republican party for the Dallas edition of Examiner.com, but stories with a national focus, including my "When Liberals Attack" columns, will appear on the national site. My stories for the local and national editions are listed separately, so there are two different links to click to read my stuff.

To see my articles for the national site, click right here. You can click on the "SUBSCRIBE" button there to be notified when I have a new national story posted.

To see my articles for the Dallas edition, click right here. Again, you can click on the "SUBSCRIBE" button there to be notified  when I have a new local story posted.  

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Who's behind the move to turn Oak Cliff wet?

If you think the push to turn Oak Cliff wet is a groundswell of public opinion, think again. True, many Oak Cliff restaurants support the move, but you might be surprised to learn that the group behind the push appears to be a front for Kroger Food Stores, and there are two petitions to sign, with two very different objectives.

Progress Dallas, the group behind the petition drive, lists their address as 5665 Mockingbird Lane, which is the address for a Kroger store. Their treasurer is Gary Huddleston, an executive for Kroger. Of the two petitions, one would allow for alcohol sales in restaurants, and the other would allow selling alcohol in stores. Progress Dallas' website has not released the text of the language used on the petition, but I'm working on getting it. The exact language is important, because while many support the sale of alcohol in restaurants, they don't support a move that could result in a rash of bars and liquor stores opening. Kroger would love the chance to sell alcohol in stores, but many worry it would only contribute to decline in areas of Oak Cliff.

I wonder why petition drives are being pushed so heavily in north Dallas areas, and not in Oak Cliff, who will be directly affected. Anyone who thinks going wet helps a community (besides tax receipts), I have two words: Cockrell Hill. It's turned into Pottersville when it used to be Bedford Falls. Residents say crime and conditions in the area have declined since alcohol came in. More on this as I work on it.   

Thursday, February 18, 2010

VisitOakCliff.com

I've been working on a new website recently, which you can preview now online. I've talked with many people over the state of Oak Cliff and the reputation it has. In all those conversations, one thing kept coming up over and over: there was no one source of information on all of the good, positive things in our community. Organizations like the Morning News have to report the good with the bad, so we can't expect them to be a partisan cheerleader. In response, I decided to create such a source myself.

VisitOakCliff.com will promote all of the great things about Oak Cliff, list upcoming events, and point outside visitors (as well as inside residents) to the best businesses, restaurants, churches, and attractions in Oak Cliff. Too often, the best parts of our neighborhood go unnoticed. I hope to change that.  

Please note that the website is not officially "live" yet, and is being updated constantly. Once we have it where we like it, it will officially open and we will announce it to the public. Until then, if you are interested, take a look at it and email me your thoughts and ideas. We have a lot of things, especially pictures, that have not yet been posted, but your input is most appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help!

Monday, January 25, 2010

Get email alerts on my Examiner.com articles

My articles for Examiner.com cover the Dallas Republican party as well as my ongoing series "When Liberals Attack!" Now, if you'd like to get email alerts whenever one of my articles is posted, you can now do so by CLICKING RIGHT HERE.

Among my recent articles are "When Liberals Attack" columns about Danny Glover and Diane Sawyer, which I think you'll enjoy reading.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Dallas Morning News gives MLK parade a positive spin; a pro-life march, not so much

If I spent all of my time pointing out examples of liberal bias in the press, I wouldn't have time for much else. I do enough of that already over at When Liberals Attack. However, if you want to see a contrast in coverage of similar events, the Dallas Morning News provided that today. A story by Michael Young put a positive spin on Saturday's Martin Luther King Day parade, highlighting how the weather didn't affect the spirits of the small crowd that turned out. A story by Sam Hodges covering the pro-life march downtown, which was held at about the same time, made no mention of the weather, instead mentioning in the headline and body that the crowd was well below a goal of 10,000 (the exact size was never mentioned). Now, I was told the pro-life crowd was bigger than the MLK crowd, but it really doesn't matter. Both are noble causes that deserve support. So where's the love for the pro-life crowd? Is the crowd size the best angle? I don't know Sam Hodges and we shouldn't question his partiality based on one article, but it is an interesting comparison nevertheless.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Wasting money on the census

I saw this the other day on Fox 4 News and it made me wonder. With the census upon us again, the government is trying hard to make sure Latinos are accurately counted. I'm sure their ideas are well meaning, but the idea being shown in this news report is just a waste of time. The Census Bureau here in Dallas sent out a couple of young mariachis - I guess they were "pop mariachis," as they weren't singing the traditional music, to encourage folks to answer the Census outside of a south Dallas grocery store. Really? Things like this make for good TV but at best, they maybe convinced a few dozen folks walking out of the store to take the census. This is all window dressing so we can later say we tried to count all Latinos. The only thing that works, that solves a lot of problems, is EDUCATION. Of course, that's way too much work. Mariachis are more fun. The bottom line is, we need to change the way the Latino culture thinks. It takes an outreach in the schools, where kids can learn the truth without the fear of government inherent in our culture. If Telemundo and other Spanish-language stations made a commitment to airing less trash and more programming of substance, we could make some progress on this problem.