Author Archive

If the rolling blackout ERCOT, the manager of our energy grid, is talking about hits your neighborhood, please let us know. When it’s this cold outside, it won’t take long to start wishing you had a bigger family to huddle with, and it will be good to know where the … more

It would be nice to solely blame our politicians for this behavior, but when you look around, there are still plenty of regular folk who show, by their actions, that their time and their opinions are more valuable and important than anyone else’s.

With the Dallas Morning News closing in on its paywall strategy in the next few weeks, perhaps it’s time to think about the cost/value of information these days.

Given the ability we all have now to photograph anything we want anywhere we go, there’s a potential problem here — where … more

I borrowed that headline from the New York Times, which directed readers to a summary of the 130th edition of the Statistical Abstract of the United States, an annual snapshot of America and Americans released by the Census Bureau each year. The accompanying link to the Abstract lists all … more

It’s not just true in Dallas, either: Nationwide, even as unemployment has crept up during the past few years, major crimes in large urban cities have declined virtually across the board. Dallas police report that crime fell 10 percent here last year, with overall robberies off 18 percent, business robberies … more

I know 148 murders sounds like quite a few, but according to statistics released by the city, that’s the lowest number of murders in Dallas since 1967 (our high was 500 in 1991).

Mayor Tom Leppert praised himself and the council for continuing to fund more beat cops even as … more

There are quite a few things about life that still mystify me, even after all these years.

It’s not exactly the shot heard round the world, but neighborhood resident Allen Gwinn is in the news again, this time as he attempts to put together a city ballot referendum to permanently lower city property taxes and require voters to approve future increases.

WFAA reports that Gwinn has put … more

What legitimate delicacy is soaked in lye, gives off a stench reminiscent of rancid meat, jiggles on the plate in the manner of a glob of greasy gelatin, and tastes like something I would never eat except under threat of death?

I’m not usually a big fan of high-dollar studies commissioned by the City Council, but one currently being considered could be an exception. A study of city employee pay and pensions, analyzing what’s being paid now and how it compares with the private sector and other public employers, is needed … more

Why is it that most of us slog through each day doing our jobs and living our lives without handing out or receiving meaningful recognition?

Do you know what the penalty is for parents hosting a party and serving alcohol to underage teens? Here’s a hint: it’s not much.

The DMN published a lengthy story about a couple of adults (the guy was an intramural hockey coach for many of the teens) who hosted an 18th … more