News/Politics

Texas Stadium – Gone With the Wind

by Kelly Spore in ,

This weekend an era came to an end in Irving, Texas. The Texas Stadium (35 Mil to build), home of the Dallas Cowboys from 1971 until 2008 was brought down in spectacular fashion. I’ve driven by the stadium countless times on my way to Irving. It’s actually hard to imagine what it will be like driving down Loop 12 into Irving and not seeing the stadium.  I was only in the stadium once and that was for a big country concert. That was actually my first time ever in a professional football stadium (Skelly Stadium didn’t count – Professional Soccer).

For some interesting facts and the story on Texas Stadium check the Texas Stadium’s wikipedia page, lots of really cool information on the former stadium.

Below check out this YouTube video of the implosion. Be sure to play this video right, click on play and then choose to go to Full Screen (assuming your hardware can handle it). You can choose up to 1080p HD. Now, it may bring a tear to your eye as Texas Stadium truly is gone with the wind.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydZCjwQRuQk

Impact On Jupiter – Photos by Hubble

by Kelly Spore in
Jupiter Comet Strike

Jupiter Comet Strike

Space.com recently reported that the Hubble Telescope took some very interesting photos of new found spot on Jupiter. It’s believed this spot was created by a recent comet strike on the big gas planet. The size of the spot is immense by Earth standards, the size of our Pacific Ocean. However, on the planet Jupiter it was by shear luck an amateur  astronomer, Anthony Wesley, discovered the spot on July 19th.

Due to the special nature of the 19 year old telescope it is able to get visible light photos of the event in a way no Earth bound telescope can. Apparently the plan is for Hubble to take more photos of this rare event in the coming days and who knows what scientists will learn.

It never ceases to amaze me what Hubble can tell us, and everytime I hear about one of these amazing finds I think what will it be like when Hubble is retired and replaced with smaller telescopes that reside in a lower orbit than Hubble. That’s an unfortunate side effect of the end of the U.S. Shuttle program next year.

You can find the link to the Space.com article HERE.

Winter Weather Hits Dallas – HARD

by Kelly Spore in
Winter 09 Dallas Accident

Weather hit Dallas hard last night, bringing the entire metroplex to a halt. Weather was so bad that many residents didn’t bother to even try and get on the roads. Those that did found travel to be extremely treacherous. Highways were rivers of ice, even after the roads were treated. Most drove carefully, but even the safest of drivers ran into problems. The photo attached could be one of the safe drivers, or one of the reckless; but never-the-less they found their SUV on top of the barrier. How that happened, is just beyond me. It is only one of many weird accidents due to the ice.

Pet Lovers Beware: This May Make You Cry

by Kelly Spore in

I came across this link from Don McAlister who posted it on Twitter. His note was “I know there are worse things going on in the world, but this made me sad.” It made me sad too. I can’t easily explain it, so you will have to read it. If you have a pet, especially a pet of many years though, I promise you will have a lump in your throat by the time you are done. I should be so lucky to have an Obiturary written about me that sounds so wonderful.

Mr. Murray Is Dead

CNN Article – Dallas Takes Big-City Fun Downtown

by Kelly Spore in

I was reading CNN.com this morning, and came across this front page story about Dallas. Below is a link to the story, as well as the story itself.

DALLAS TAKE BIG-CITY FUN DOWNTOWN

(CNN)
– Dallas has long been a sociological curiosity. With its mix of sweeping ranches and high-end shopping, it’s sort of a “country meets culture” destination. And you don’t have to drive all over the metroplex (as the locals call the Dallas-Fort Worth area) to have a good time. All the food, fun and fanciness can be found in the 1.5-mile radius of downtown.
art.dallas
Dinner and a museum
Take restaurants, for example. Drive down any downtown street and it’s clear that food is definitely a big part of Big D.
“Dallas has more restaurants per capita than New York City,” says John Crawford, president and CEO of DowntownDallas, a private organization that serves as downtown Dallas’ leading advocate. He says that in the downtown area alone, there are 250 places to dine, ranging from the elegant
(1321 Commerce St.) in the grand Adolphus hotel to family-friendly pizza joint
(1520 Elm St., Suite. 111).
The fare is versatile, too: Sure, Dallas does Tex-Mex well, but the town also boasts plenty of places that offer twists on the basic burrito.
(1512 Commerce St., Suite 100), a hip eatery that opened in 2006, serves up dishes like brisket pot stickers in a style they refer to as “TexAsian.”
The only thing that rivals the restaurant scene in downtown
is the arts scene. It’s true. “We’ve got the largest urban arts district in the country,” says Crawford. “It stretches across 17 continuous square blocks.”
This includes the renowned
(1717 N. Harwood) and the
(2001 Flora St.). Visitors often overlook the
(2010 Flora St.), and it’s free. For music there’s the
(2301 Flora St.), and theater buffs can see plays, musicals and big-name comedy acts like Jay Leno at the
(1925 Elm St.).
Downtown’s revival
While the core of downtown Dallas has always been a thriving business district, it only recently began to attract visitors after 5 p.m. Like most cities, Dallas felt the effects of suburban sprawl in the early ’90s. In fact, as recently as 1996, only 200 people called the central business district home, according to Crawford.
Now he estimates that in the next 18 months, there will be more than 7,000 residents just in the core of downtown. Crawford and his colleagues believe people are migrating downtown partly because of revitalization efforts and partly because of environmental concerns related to long commutes.
Whatever the reason, visitors to downtown Dallas are certainly benefiting from all of this migration.
“As you get more residential, you get a number of supporting services, and that’s probably the reason for the number of restaurants that we have and the level of activity that’s occurring,” Crawford says.
Shopping and bar hopping
Included in that hustle and bustle is Dallas’ favorite pastime — shopping. First, there’s downtown’s flagship store,
(1618 Main St.), which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. The Dallas-born department store paved the way for other retailers to set up shop downtown, including national chains like high-end men’s clothing store
(1508 Commerce St.) and smaller, stylish boutiques like edgy and sophisticated
(1514 Commerce St.).
After a day of downtown shopping, you’ll probably be inclined to check out the Dallas nightlife. (Where else are you going to show off your purchases?) Again, there’s no need to leave the downtown area: You could hit the historic
, where the preserved 19th-century buildings now house 21st-century attractions like restaurants and bars. It’s got its share of obvious places like TGI Friday’s, but also unusual eateries like Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse, which features an extensive wild game menu.
For the opposite take on the city, go to the opposite side of downtown. On the east end, you’ll find funky
, where the vibe is young, artsy and eclectic. The area is known for its live music scene with bars like
(2720 Elm St.) featuring up-and-coming and even well-known acts. Even dinner can be offbeat if you check out
(2914 Main St.). Folks come for the unique Mexican dishes as well as to sneak a peek at Monica, the restaurant’s transgender owner.
Uptown holds the newest side of downtown –
. The highlight of this area is the posh W Hotel (2440 Victory Park Lane) which boasts the trendy
on its 33rd floor. Discriminating tastes will also appreciate N9NE Steakhouse. And just when Victory Park starts to feel like a mini-Vegas, you’ll spot the colossal
(2500 Victory Ave.), home to the Dallas Mavericks and the Dallas Stars (just another reminder that even among all of this Victory Park privilege, you’re still in sports-loving Texas).
Family favorites
Don’t forget the kids; there’s plenty for them downtown, too. The
(1801 N. Griffin St.) offers marine life from around the globe in its 85,000 gallons of water. Plus, the rainforest section of the venue has non-sea creatures from South America like monkeys and toucans.
For some history, families can visit
(411 Elm St.) in the West End. The National Historic Landmark District is the site of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The permanent exhibit focuses on the days leading up to the tragedy as well as the impact it had on the world.
Mild Texas temperatures allow visitors to be outdoors throughout all four seasons. And since there are more than 200 events every year, there’s sure to be some sort of festival or parade going on, no matter when you visit. So pack your shopping shoes, your love of art and your appetite and head to Big D (cowboy hat optional)

CNN Article – Dallas Takes Big-City Fun Downtown

by Kelly Spore in

I was reading CNN.com this morning, and came across this front page story about Dallas. Below is a link to the story, as well as the story itself.

DALLAS TAKE BIG-CITY FUN DOWNTOWN

(CNN)
– Dallas has long been a sociological curiosity. With its mix of sweeping ranches and high-end shopping, it’s sort of a “country meets culture” destination. And you don’t have to drive all over the metroplex (as the locals call the Dallas-Fort Worth area) to have a good time. All the food, fun and fanciness can be found in the 1.5-mile radius of downtown.
art.dallas
Dinner and a museum
Take restaurants, for example. Drive down any downtown street and it’s clear that food is definitely a big part of Big D.
“Dallas has more restaurants per capita than New York City,” says John Crawford, president and CEO of DowntownDallas, a private organization that serves as downtown Dallas’ leading advocate. He says that in the downtown area alone, there are 250 places to dine, ranging from the elegant
(1321 Commerce St.) in the grand Adolphus hotel to family-friendly pizza joint
(1520 Elm St., Suite. 111).
The fare is versatile, too: Sure, Dallas does Tex-Mex well, but the town also boasts plenty of places that offer twists on the basic burrito.
(1512 Commerce St., Suite 100), a hip eatery that opened in 2006, serves up dishes like brisket pot stickers in a style they refer to as “TexAsian.”
The only thing that rivals the restaurant scene in downtown
is the arts scene. It’s true. “We’ve got the largest urban arts district in the country,” says Crawford. “It stretches across 17 continuous square blocks.”
This includes the renowned
(1717 N. Harwood) and the
(2001 Flora St.). Visitors often overlook the
(2010 Flora St.), and it’s free. For music there’s the
(2301 Flora St.), and theater buffs can see plays, musicals and big-name comedy acts like Jay Leno at the
(1925 Elm St.).
Downtown’s revival
While the core of downtown Dallas has always been a thriving business district, it only recently began to attract visitors after 5 p.m. Like most cities, Dallas felt the effects of suburban sprawl in the early ’90s. In fact, as recently as 1996, only 200 people called the central business district home, according to Crawford.
Now he estimates that in the next 18 months, there will be more than 7,000 residents just in the core of downtown. Crawford and his colleagues believe people are migrating downtown partly because of revitalization efforts and partly because of environmental concerns related to long commutes.
Whatever the reason, visitors to downtown Dallas are certainly benefiting from all of this migration.
“As you get more residential, you get a number of supporting services, and that’s probably the reason for the number of restaurants that we have and the level of activity that’s occurring,” Crawford says.
Shopping and bar hopping
Included in that hustle and bustle is Dallas’ favorite pastime — shopping. First, there’s downtown’s flagship store,
(1618 Main St.), which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. The Dallas-born department store paved the way for other retailers to set up shop downtown, including national chains like high-end men’s clothing store
(1508 Commerce St.) and smaller, stylish boutiques like edgy and sophisticated
(1514 Commerce St.).
After a day of downtown shopping, you’ll probably be inclined to check out the Dallas nightlife. (Where else are you going to show off your purchases?) Again, there’s no need to leave the downtown area: You could hit the historic
, where the preserved 19th-century buildings now house 21st-century attractions like restaurants and bars. It’s got its share of obvious places like TGI Friday’s, but also unusual eateries like Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse, which features an extensive wild game menu.
For the opposite take on the city, go to the opposite side of downtown. On the east end, you’ll find funky
, where the vibe is young, artsy and eclectic. The area is known for its live music scene with bars like
(2720 Elm St.) featuring up-and-coming and even well-known acts. Even dinner can be offbeat if you check out
(2914 Main St.). Folks come for the unique Mexican dishes as well as to sneak a peek at Monica, the restaurant’s transgender owner.
Uptown holds the newest side of downtown –
. The highlight of this area is the posh W Hotel (2440 Victory Park Lane) which boasts the trendy
on its 33rd floor. Discriminating tastes will also appreciate N9NE Steakhouse. And just when Victory Park starts to feel like a mini-Vegas, you’ll spot the colossal
(2500 Victory Ave.), home to the Dallas Mavericks and the Dallas Stars (just another reminder that even among all of this Victory Park privilege, you’re still in sports-loving Texas).
Family favorites
Don’t forget the kids; there’s plenty for them downtown, too. The
(1801 N. Griffin St.) offers marine life from around the globe in its 85,000 gallons of water. Plus, the rainforest section of the venue has non-sea creatures from South America like monkeys and toucans.
For some history, families can visit
(411 Elm St.) in the West End. The National Historic Landmark District is the site of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The permanent exhibit focuses on the days leading up to the tragedy as well as the impact it had on the world.
Mild Texas temperatures allow visitors to be outdoors throughout all four seasons. And since there are more than 200 events every year, there’s sure to be some sort of festival or parade going on, no matter when you visit. So pack your shopping shoes, your love of art and your appetite and head to Big D (cowboy hat optional)
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