MY CONSERVATISM IS BIGGER AND BETTER THAN YOURS

The 2012 Republican primary in Texas is a dream come true for writers and those objective folks in our society – constantly providing food for thought and material for posts such as this. They, however, are also a nightmare for folks of goodwill with the desire to engage a collaborative approach to any issue. Here in Texas, the Republican rant is- My way or the highway. It has been difficult at times but for the public good and for its entertainment value we have made the ultimate sacrifice – watched some of their political ads. Yikes!

Taking a page from the recent visceral Republican Presidential Primaries, Texas Republican candidates across the board took the opportunity early on raising themselves up the Conservative flagpole predictably attacking not their opponents rather President Obama for a myriad of sins - some deserved, mostly not. Their initial main thrusts were not to address real, substantive issues but to proclaim just how conservative they really are. We think that term relative but in a state that is seemingly dominated by an ultra-right wing, fundamentalist, tea party philosophy and agenda, it came as no surprise.

We have even seen one incumbent candidate for Texas Judge hawking his wares as a conservative who would continue to stand up for those issues embraced by a conservative, mostly fundamentalist citizenry. He has even cited cases where he has rendered judgments that cater to that demographic. Mind you, I embrace some of the same issues and while common practice I do not think that judicial activists with an agenda should be seated on the bench. Our judges, whatever their persuasion, should not allow their personal feelings on issues to cloud their judgment and ability to impartially interpret the law – not rewrite or attempt to overturn it. Hopefully, that is not the case here.

Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee, Gov. Rick Perry and Rick Santorum (losers all) are even involved in the races endorsing candidates by attesting to their conservatism. Laughingly, one candidate has lashed out at his opponent accusing him of really being, gads, a Moderate! I guess that’s the kiss of death in this group though most folks of goodwill I know are conservative, moderate, progressive and even liberal – depending on the issue. While I agree with some of their platform, it’s now conservatism for the sake of conservatism – no matter the issue. They have backed themselves into a corner without an exit strategy.

Anticipating that some of these ultra conservatives will be elected not only statewide but to the federal level, please accept the apologies of some of us in Texas who feel that the best interests of The Country or Texas may not be well served. The impasse will continue in Washington and the status quo will be assured.

We do see a bright side to all of this. At least it will be easier to keep track of these folks given that so many reside in Texas. We do keep an even keener eye on Governor Perry now given his recent gaffes on the campaign trail.

Mark Twain opined, “I am quite sure now that often, very often, in matters concerning religion and politics a man's reasoning powers are not above the monkey's.” Now Samuel Clemens would have had a ball with this year’s political shenanigans.

Aye,

Ned Buxton

LEST WE TAKE OURSELVES TOO SERIOUSLY - THE HÄGAR UMLAUT IS OK

Today we ponder the age old question: what the heck are those two dots that appear over that first “ä” in Hägar? An abbreviated answer along with some history of that name as relates to this writer - follows. First, the history.

Once upon a time, not long ago, there was a first generation American named Robert Alexander Swanson (1925-1993). Bob’s parents, Alex and Margaret were native Scots who immigrated from Wick in Caithness to New York then to Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada and ultimately back to the United States and Fort Dodge, Iowa. Bob was essentially raised in a Scottish household forming the basis for his Friendships in later life, a keen appreciation of his origins and no doubt the impetus for his long lasting legacy in the American-Scottish Community.

Following World War II Bob set out to make his way in life and ended up in Birmingham, Alabama and soon discovered a few folks that shared his Scottish pedigree along with Jeanette who became his Queen. Bob was a motivator and natural leader and as we say now, a real people person. Bob was a co-founder of the Alabama Caledonian Society and soon gathered a sizeable group of folks of the same ilk – an organization that continues to this day. This was just the first chapter in his way too short though thoroughly distinguished life.

In the 1970’s Scottish Highland Games and Festivals were sprouting up all around the United States and Canada fed by the enthusiasm generated by the olde established, venerable Highland Games at Braemar, Scotland (1832), the Cowal Highland Gathering in Dunoon, Scotland (1894), Grandfather Mountain, North Carolina (1955), Santa Rosa/Pleasanton, California (1865), Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada (1861) and many, many others. People were searching for their Scottish roots and looking to have a good time with those with the same soul and spirit. Then, as now, they have many opportunities to, “Find that Inner Scot” – probably more so than any other culture or ethnic group on the face of our planet.

Soon many were celebrating their Scottish origins to include Bob with his primary family connection – The Clan Gunn. Bob also celebrated his MacKay (Norse-Pictish) and MacFarlane (Gaelic) roots but his Daddy’s clan with its even more diverse Celtic heritage and strong Norse connections seemed to inspire him to his greatest heights. Mind you, a smart man he mostly wore his Mother’s MacFarlane tartan kilt to church…

That Gunn Norse connection would have a long lasting effect on Bob and ultimately, the Scottish Community worldwide.

Right about this time (1973) cartoonist Dik Browne created the very popular Hägar the Horrible comic strip which, then as now, is distributed by the King Features Syndicate. Hägar the Horrible proved to be a dead ringer for a stout, courageous and moustached/bearded Bob. While some folks relate that Bob adopted the persona of Hägar, his resemblance and uncannily similar mannerisms were noted by many others who encouraged Bob to embrace that role. When Hägar creator Dik Browne offered his support in that endeavor, it was a fait accompli.

Truth be known, the comic strip was all about creator Dik Browne. The character was born in the minds of sons Chris and Chance who early on called their Dad, Hägar the Terrible. After years of illustrating and writing for Hi and Lois, Dik resurrected Hägar who became… the Horrible. We note that son Chris now writes and illustrates Hägar the Horrible while son Chance draws Hi and Lois. Lots of creative genes there…

This writer met Bob and wife Jeanette Swanson at the Savannah Highland Games in 1978 and from that point we were great, if not, Best Friends. But that’s another story that’s been written and will soon be published (Himself & Friends). That meeting and others of our ilk ultimately set up the Gathering at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games and the ultimate birthing of the Kingdome of Räknar in 1979. Again, another story…

Hägar and Räknar for us always insinuated strong Norse/Viking origins though the Danes did ultimately play a part in the evolution of Scotland. Many have wondered and asked me about that pesky umlaut - those pair of dots above the ä in Hägar. We also see the ö and ü umlauts used over those vowels in languages to include German, Swedish, Finnish and others.

School Is In: Some have attempted to educate this writer stating that those two dots over the first ä in Hägar are called a diacritical mark. Indeed, all marks including accent graves, the circumflex, breve and the umlaut are, among others, diacritical marks. In German the two dots are called an umlaut and refer to the mark itself and its function. In other languages the two dots are called a dieresis only when it serves the function of indicating that two consecutive vowels are to be voiced and inflected differently. For our purposes we will assume a Germanic perspective and call the two dots an umlaut, that being expedient since we are not dealing with two consecutive vowels.

Simply put, the umlaut tells us how to pronounce that word. The umlaut literally denotes a change of sound moving the syllable sound to the front or back of the mouth. For example, in German “ooo” becomes “oh” from the long to the short. Yes, we also understand that the Danish and Norwegian “æ” is equivalent to the umlaut ä we now see in the Swedish and Finnish alphabets and languages. It becomes obvious that this is a far more complicated issue than this simplistic explanation and we plead guilty to ignorance and apologize especially to our grammarian/linguist Friends. The science of language is a credible and impressive pursuit. We cannot carry your bags…

Given our lack of scholarship though understanding the Norse “ae” rule, we really can’t figure out how the ä umlaut was pronounced in Old Norse. The conundrum is that the umlaut denotes different sounds in different languages and has changed over the last millennia. Our table is now set in 21st century America so what’s the rule now? My futile research has been inconclusive though I look at the revered Häagen Daz (yes, its a diaresis) and note the pronunciation of that first “ä” is as in “hog” a long way from our accepted “ä” in Hägar as “hay”. Not surprisingly, then, we find that Häagen Daz is a totally fictitious name created by some incredibly talented Jewish-Polish immigrants in the Bronx, New York. The fabricated name was meant to look Scandinavian – like Hägar.

This has prompted us to finally, thankfully, realize that our attempt at scholarship and explanation probably has no real bearing or significance on the evolution of Hägar the Horrible as presented in the comic strip by Dik and Chris Browne or the persona adopted by the late Bob Swanson. We will agree that the umlaut makes Hägar a little more “quirky and oddly quaint” and, yes, Scandanavian.

Supporting our gob smacked marketing-driven epiphany we find that Hägar the Horrible in America is known as Hagbard in Denmark, Harald the Terrible in Finland, Olaf the Bitter in Mexico, Hagbard the Strong-Handed in Sweden and Hårek the Hardy in of all places – Norway. No umlaut but a strong long a…

Chris Browne recently shed some light on our topic, thusly, “I pronounce it Hay-gar. My brother, Chance, who draws Hi and Lois and I came up with it as a nickname for Dad when we were kids. It's a made-up word, so anyway you pronounce it is correct!” So, in effect, Chris is admitting that the umlaut is there for visual effect and we feel that’s OK.

So, there you have it. Let’s just continue to have fun with Hägar the Horrible and agree that the Hägar “ä” looks good with or without an umlaut. We concur with one participant on a 2008 thread who while reflecting his understanding of the situation suggested, “Just call him Bob.”

Aye,

Nëd Büxtōn

PS. This post is dedicated to Jeanette “Queen Helga” Swanson of Birmingham, Alabama, always our Queen and Inspiration, Aye, NB

BREASTFEEDING & EXPLOITATION

So now comes Time Magazine with their May 21, 2012 cover showing California Mom and model Jamie Lynne Grumet with her three (almost four) year old son Aram suckling at her left breast – while standing on a chair? As provocative, and I guess for some folks, arousing as you can get in our mostly still puritanical society, it was no doubt meant to shock, stir controversy and bring attention to something called, attachment parenting - a nice way of saying “on-demand, extended breastfeeding.” The national debate has started and from our perch it looks like Time Magazine and Grumet are the big losers. We also unfortunately think that son Aram could be harmed by this whole episode.

 

The photo wasn’t a private on a chair or bed, intimate, nurturing and special moment between Mother and Son, rather a staged and posed photo with both looking directly into the camera. Aram had that, OK this is cool but what am I doing here look while Grumet was staring back with a defiant and matter of fact, Sooooooooo! We think that Grumet is motivated by and embraces the spotlight, publicity and glorifies in all this attention. We have even seen some critics speculate that narcissism is playing a major part in her decision to go public on this issue.

 

The headline for the story inappropriately challenges, "Are You Mom Enough?" insinuating that this is the perfect or proper order of things. I couldn’t disagree more with the sensationalist approach to this issue. We better understand Grumet’s attitude after learning that she had also breastfed her five year old stepson (Yikes?) and admitted that her Mother breastfed her until age six. Having said that the informed decision to breastfeed should be made by the Mother and her decision is always the right one.

 

We do believe that a parent’s relationship with each of their children is unique - different from child to child depending on their own individual needs and level of caring. So, I don’t take offense with differing parenting styles and the decision to breast feed for as long as feasible. My choice, were I a woman, though, would probably be to cut it off at that point when a child is capable of regularly eating and drinking for themselves – but that’s me. Then comes that pesky argument when at an age when they start to interact with other children, will extended breastfeeding hinder their ability to effectively socialize with their peer groups? I would, at least, with an older child like Aram keep the practice private and behind closed doors and that is all about respect and consideration for the child.

So, I will concede that so long as no laws are broken, then I guess, all’s well in Smallville. I have always felt that breastfeeding is a critical and important part of child rearing and nutrition. We all know the health and emotional benefits and the vital bond it creates between Mother and Child.

 

We took offense only because Grumet chose this forum and that Time Magazine offered and choreographed the story. So, you have an almost four year old boy with little or no say or understanding about the story (let alone the photograph) in front of the camera standing on a chair engaging what had heretofore been an intimate moment with his Mother (a little to the left please). That’s the whole issue for me. While there may be no foul here, we feel that the potential for harm is real.

 

When the story first broke we noted that all the local TV stations had “blurred out” son Aram’s face and Grumet’s left breast. Later that same day I was watching one of the ESPN channels and there was the Time Magazine cover in all its unretouched glory. I thought it no big deal but then noted on the news that night – the blurring was gone from local TV. Someone or, something else had broken the barrier so Katy bar the door… now the whole world knows.

 

My attitude about breastfeeding was shaped by one event. I remember that day in August 1962 well. I was riding the Greyhound bus from Memphis to Oxford and contemplating the start of a new life as a freshman football player at Ole Miss. I had flown in from Dallas Love Field (I think via Braniff) to a then smallish Memphis Airport. While the trip was relatively short, the hassles of the flight and hauling all the gear that would see me through the first month or two had its effect. I wasn’t fatigued, rather wired and mostly apprehensive about this new and mostly foreign chapter in my life. I had attended private schools for all of my nineteen years and would describe my surroundings as cloistered and my life experiences as substantially limited… Athletics had given me my only real and meaningful outlet to the outside world.

 

As I was settling into the trip contemplating the Mississippi countryside I heard a baby cry. I was sitting midway down the aisle in a window seat, looked back and saw a lady breast feeding her baby right there in front of God and Country. The Mother looked back at me and smiled. I smiled back and watched for a few more seconds before turning around to give her some privacy. I had surveyed most of the other passengers on the half-filled bus noting that folks were just minding their own business, taking no real note of Mother and baby. It just was no big deal. I thought it was beautiful; an expression of the perfect love between Mother and Child and all of a sudden, everything was OK.

 

Now comes a very public and self-serving Grumet who may be indifferent/oblivious to or ignorant of the ultimate needs of son Aram. For me, it sensationalizes and turns something sacred into yet another prurient video bite.

 

Psychiatrist Dr. Keith Ablow with whom I have little in common save our mutual love of Brown University and the spirit of his opinion on this issue states, “This is self-centeredness at its worst, sold as good parenting. And this is an act of media violence against a child, committed by adult journalists who also commandeered his will (as did his mother), for sensation and profit. Rarely do we get such evidence of how wrong parenting can go, how poorly journalists can behave and how slow we can be to recognize ugliness when it is disguised as something beautiful.”

 

Now what would Dr. Benjamin Spock say today? Probably, “Don't take too seriously all that the neighbors say. Don't be overawed by what the experts say. Don't be afraid to trust your own common sense.” Common sense, ah…

 

Aye,

 

Ned Buxton

CINCO DE MAYO

An advertisement blared on Dallas, Texas TV this morning, Come celebrate Cinco de Mayo this Sunday, the sixth of May! Authentic food, bands… and so it went on and on ad nauseam.  One of my valued and very distinguished historian Friends of Mexican origins is somewhat amused at the type of attention paid to the celebration of Cinco de Mayo.  Mind you, he embraces it as a critical and revered part of the history of Mexico, but concerned since so many have no clue what the date represents or are under the false impression that Cinco de Mayo celebrates the independence of Mexico much like our Fourth of July.  Alas – no es verdad.

  

Now while we understand that folks like to party hearty at the drop of a hat and for whatever reason, (I do like a good margarita) let’s set the record straight.  We have no excuse but to embrace the truth of that date since most local TV, the Internet, social media and that final bastion of print journalism, the newspaper, are all finally trying to properly educate us. Correctly informed we will still have yet another occasion to celebrate – aye, the victory of liberty over tyranny. That date represents an event and the lynchpin experience that helped establish and foment in Mexico a crucial sense of national unity and patriotism, which despite all odds, allowed for their ultimate victory. Now, that’s powerful karma.

   

Truth: Cinco de Mayo commemorates the first Battle of Puebla in 1862 when a much smaller, though highly inspired and heavily fortified Mexican army defeated well-equipped and better trained French troops – perhaps part of one of the best armies in the world at the time.  What most will not tell you is that the Mexican army lost the critical Second Battle of Puebla on May 17, 1863.  The French eventually marched on to Mexico City sending the mostly progressive regime of Benito Juarez into exile.  The French installed Austria’s Maximilian as Emperor in 1964.  The war continued, though, and Maximilian’s run would only be until 1867 when he was executed for his indiscretions. Truth be known the fiasco known as the Second Mexican Empire really wasn’t his fault as much of the Mexican aristocracy supported the French invasion and the establishment of a monarchy.

Critical to this Mexican victory was the intervention of the United States. Once they resolved their regional unpleasantness (aka The Civil War) the US turned their attention to Mexico supporting the exiled regime of Benito Juarez.  The US sent 50,000 troops to the Rio Grande, demanded that the French withdraw their forces from Mexico, threatened to invade Mexico if they didn’t, supported the Republican Army of Benito Juarez and set up a naval blockade to prevent French reinforcements from landing.  Bottom line: While The French may have won early on the hostilities continued to 1867 when they were ultimately driven from Mexico and Maximilian was executed.

And what was the French aggression all about?  Money, of course. The Mexican government had defaulted on debts owed the French government (and other nations) with Napoleon III using that as a ruse to invade Mexico in an attempt to set a wedge against the Americans who were occupied with their own Civil War, to increase trade in the Americas and to dig for Mexican silver.

No doubt, the French defeat at First Puebla was the ultimate straw that broke the camel’s back as relates to the French intent and capacity to provision, resupply and ultimately support the Confederate States of America.  Historians now agree that First Puebla put the French off schedule for at least at year dooming the Confederate Cause. Yes, the Mexicans not only took their nation back, but influenced (aye, choreographed) the outcome of the U.S. Civil War and who we are as a nation today.  

And Mexican Independence? Unlike Cinco de Mayo this is a national holiday celebrated on September 16 and commemorates the declaration of independence (El Grito de Dolores) marking the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence from Spain in 1810.  Mexico ultimately threw off the shackles of Spain on September 27, 1821 and took their place among the community of nations.

Cinco de Mayo has become yet another economic opportunity, a highly commercialized event that ranks with other cultural celebrations like Oktoberfest.  Despite that, the day and event have seemingly transcended its original meaning and become a celebration of heritage and culture and that’s OK.  Let’s have a good time, aye, party hearty and use Cinco de Mayo as the catalyst to appreciate the cause of freedom and stimulate an appreciation and tolerance for all the diverse cultures in our midst.  That’s who we are and if you haven’t noticed lately, we are just one among the many.

Aye,

Ned Buxton

PUPPY SET ON FIRE DIES AND NOW THE REACTION

While many are trying to educate and sensitize our youth that cruelty to animals is a crime against Humanity and All Life, others would trivialize any such acts. Those who would minimize or dismiss these heinous acts just don’t get it and become a major part of the problem. To them life is cheap or just offers the opportunity for a political sound bite. Such is the case here in Dallas, Texas. If you figure that the Michael Vick case got everybody’s attention then you would be wrong…

On April 4, 2012 a gang of what has been characterized as “laughing” teenage boys abused (including strangulation) and ultimately set a puppy on fire in the Pleasant Grove neighborhood here in Dallas. Their efforts to kill would have been successful then had it not been for the brave intercession of a woman who put out the fire. Appropriately, the puppy was named Justice, though alarmingly so, as he was named in honor of another Pleasant Grove dog that was set on fire three years ago. Despite a gallant battle and the heroic ministrations of the animal hospital at Texas A&M, Justice died as a result of burns over 70% of his body.

According to the police report, witnesses identified Darius Ewing as the perpetrator who poured lighter fluid on the dog then threw a lit cigarette on the animal igniting the lighter fluid setting the puppy on fire. An arrest warrant was issued for Ewing even as the investigation continued with the intent to identify and bring to justice all involved in the abuse. Ewing turned himself in and reflecting the seriousness of the charge, bond was set at $100,000.00. Ewing remains behind bars. Police state they have identified other suspects but will not comment further until they are in custody.

Now comes Ewing’s family standing behind the “Reverend” Ronald Wright a self-proclaimed civil rights leader and Executive Director of the newly minted (2010) Justice Seekers Texas. While apparently a fixture in South Dallas no one seems to know much about him but here he is and for $60.00 a year you can join his crusade. His latest demand is that Ewing’s bond be reduced since, “The bond set at $100,000 for killing a stray dog is an insult to the African-American community. It says that dogs are more important when it comes to African-American men." Yes, he really said that – and on television! Family members proclaimed Ewing’s innocence with one commenting that, after all, it was only a stray dog. Hmmmmm.

We say if they want the bond reduced, pursue established legal channels and petition the court instead of publicly playing what is an absurd race card. Forums and threads on the Internet have been overwhelmingly supportive of police apprehending all the perpetrators and the legal system punishing them to the fullest extent of the law for this heinous act. Reputable sources indicate that cruelty to animals has long been an indicator and marker of those who would ultimately do violence against those weak and disadvantaged – the vulnerable in our society - to include the homeless, handicapped, elderly, etc. And let us pose the question - why would a young man be carrying lighter fluid with him…..? I used to smoke and know many others as well and we never carried lighter fluid with us. And that was in the age of the Zippo…

Legal experts have speculated that if convicted, Ewing could face up to a $10,000 fine and/or 10 years in prison since animal cruelty is now a felony. The fact that an accelerant like lighter fluid was used could be interpreted as use of a deadly weapon in animal cruelty cases in Dallas County appropriately adding – further fuel to the fire.

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is absolutely determined to find whoever/whomever set the puppy on fire prompting the group to offer a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the dog's abusers, well up from its original $5,000 offer. Bottom Line: 99.9999% of our citizenry is absolutely outraged by this act in direct contrast to Ronald Wright. We are aligned with the SPCA and the greater majority of those who demand that we draw a line and demand justice. All that would be in contrast to those few who, as in the case of Michael Vick, would prefer to just give the kid the key to the city…

While this writer happens to be Christian, we do appreciate the fundamental wisdom of all great religions including Islam. The following quote attributed to the Prophet Muhammad should remind us all of an essential, undeniable truth, “A good deed done to an animal is as meritorious as a good deed done to a human being, while an act of cruelty to an animal is as bad as an act of cruelty to a human being.”

Aye,

Ned Buxton

MARGARET HUNT HILL CALATRAVA BRIDGE GOES NOWHERE?

That’s the opinion of some in our city and while I see their point, I don’t buy into their “gentrification” or some of the liberal race-baiting theories that have West Dallas and north Oak Cliff being sold to the highest bidder at the expense of its low income residents. Having said that, these areas will need the accelerated support and participation of all the residents of Dallas and we do need a mixed-income strategy. Note that we live in far north Dallas but like to go to Oak Cliff through West Dallas on forays to their great post office, the wonderful Bishop Arts District and, of course, Tejano’s, Gloria’s and BEE (Best Enchiladas Ever). While we may not be residents, nothing could keep us from visiting and supporting areas that remain viscerally and historically important to our city. Maybe at some future point we’ll be stopping in West Dallas. More on this later…

We initially perceived the new bridge as leading edge architecture and art, not as something intended to lighten or ease our traffic burdens in the area – maybe a new, outsized offering of the Nasher Sculpture Center. Depending on your destination, maneuvering in that area can be easy or difficult though if the bridge can get us to Woodall Rogers and onto Central Expressway, it's doing its job. Access to and from the bridge and the overall traffic plan remains a work in progress. As for its ultimate influence, we believe it has incredible potential.

The bridge has already achieved landmark status and will probably become the signature of 21st century Dallas perhaps even outstripping the now resurrected Magnolia/Mobil red Pegasus that once dominated the 1950’s Dallas skyline. So, like some of the other great cities of the world we now have a Santiago Calatrava bridge.

Some Canadians we know treat the Dallas bridge with great disdain, “We have one of those already, so why the big fuss?” in a seemingly mine is bigger and/or better than yours diss (I can’t duplicate the sincere sneer). We took great offense/offence, did some research and found that Canada, indeed, has a Calatrava bridge - the Calgary, Alberta Peace Bridge which doesn’t look a thing like the Dallas bridge. It’s a helical steel, glass roofed pedestrian bridge (one of four spans that cross the Bow River) though the only one with access for cyclists (Yippee!). It’s much smaller: 428 feet long to the Dallas 1,870-foot, expansive six lane roadway which is supported by “string-like” cables (functional?) attached to a 400-foot central transverse arch. There is night and there is day and these two bridges have absolutely nothing in common save their architect and that they both cross water. So much for Canadian disdain…but maybe that’s the joke.

Now let’s get technical about gleeful copy cats. In our research we noted, as many Dallasites have already done, that there is almost a dead ringer for our bridge in Reggio Emillia, Italy where one of three spans of that complex of bridges emulates ours? Apparently, the plans for the Dallas Bridge were already drawn, but the Reggio Emillia bridges were finished in 2007, five years before ours. So, who are the copy cats? We apparently both borrowed from each other though there are some differences in the two. For me, though, the overall visual effect is the same.

As Scott Cantrell of the Dallas Morning News pointed out last February, “Plagiarism — or borrowing or homage — is a time-honored artistic phenomenon.” Scott points out that another Dallas landmark, the Infomart is a knockoff of London and Hyde Park’s 1851 Crystal Palace (long gone because of fire) and continues that, “At least our new Calatrava Bridge is self-plagiarism of a fairly high order.” There is something in the water here…

So, about characterizing our bridge as going nowhere? If we do not take offense then the residents of West Dallas surely will. We will admit that, like the Reggio Emilia bridge which has been the hallmark for the redevelopment of the area north of their city, the Dallas bridge should do the same for West Dallas - an area that is now mostly downscale commercial / industrial and low income residential. A recent tour of several West Dallas neighborhoods reinforced our realization of the poverty in the area and reminded us that the new bridge, thankfully, goes in both directions. No doubt some folks may be displaced though hopefully with solid partners and advocacy groups including the City of Dallas and the conscientious application of the West Dallas Urban Structure and Guidelines Plan, their fortune, potential and neighborhoods will be protected and enhanced.

We need remember that West Dallas was isolated because of the Trinity River and her propensity to flood. These floods (last major one in 1990) prompted the building of levees in 1932 and their ongoing controversial refurbishment to a required 100-year flood level of protection. The old mundane and unremarkable bridges while functional, were near the end of their lives and couldn’t inspire or capture the interest of investors dedicated to revitalization of the area.

Just to put the whole Trinity River Corridor Project in perspective we need note that it includes reconstruction and rehabilitation of the existing Sylvan Avenue Bridge and construction of roadways approaching the bridge. The Sylvan Avenue Bridge will be re-built as one bridge that spans the Trinity River and flood plain from levee to levee raising it approximately 50 feet and bringing the roadway up high enough to clear a 100 year flood event as well as to accommodate ongoing levee improvements. I have seen the Sylvan engulfed beneath the Trinity's brown flood waters – ah nostalgia… With no more flooding (Sylvan and Hill), West Dallas will become even more accessible.

Hopefully, West Dallas has been forever cleansed of the lead contamination via the RSR Lead Smelter (and others) which belched its toxic byproducts into the air and soil from 1936 until 1984 when the plant was finally closed. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated this area a Superfund site in 1993 and completed cleanup activities in 2005.

And now we have a brand new challenge. Much of the westbound Hill Bridge traffic spilling onto Singleton Boulevard is traveling at breakneck speeds despite five, 30 miles per hour speed-limit signs between Beckley and Sylvan. WFAA-TV caught some of these speeders on tape yesterday (I saw the piece) including a DART bus that appeared to be traveling well in excess of the posted speed limit. They interviewed one local merchant who pointed out that, “There isn't anything to force drivers to slow down.” While he was probably referring to stop lights and crosswalks, others point out that now the area is nothing but a, “run down industrial arm pit.” and this was the kindest of the negative observations we found. TXDOT and the City of Dallas say they are working on the problem. Bottom line: Except for local residents and the aforementioned businesses, there is nothing to go to…for now.

So, how do we move forward? If the residents of West Dallas and Oak Cliff do not provide enough inspiration, the Hill Bridge gives us direction and the momentum to finish the job. We need a real mover and shaker – a dynamic leader - someone of the ilk of old Friend and now departed visionary Pete Hodkinson III who took a literal over-the-hill Southern mountain town built on the timber industry and turned it into vibrant historic, alpine Helen, Georgia – one of the top tourist attractions in Georgia and The South. Like Pete did, involve the citizenry - don’t wall them off. Open them up and involve them in responsibly determining their own destiny (Maslow and self-actualization – YES). Given their proclaimed interest, if either or both want it, give it to Ross Perot and/or Mark Cuban and let them run with it….

“Bob”, a seemingly knowledgeable blogger on this same subject summed it up for me, “The consequences of the Bridge, the consequences of the exploitation of properties by homeowners, investors, landlords and tenants, the consequences of the building or rebuilding of infrastructure by the City, along with all the other market forces at work in the area will determine what West Dallas will become and how it will get there. Like every other major shift in municipal development, some will profit and some will lose. That's life in the big city.”

Let’s get it right…..and quickly. If we fail to, Live Large and Think Big, it will, at least, certainly turn out to be the bridge to where most folks don’t want to go.

Aye,

Ned Buxton

SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN - AN OK FISH STORY

I shared Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (SFITY) with several good Friends last night and that was the real highlight of the evening, aside from the absolutely stunning panoramas of the magnificent Scottish Highlands and the extraordinary Ardverikie House, the Invernesshire castle that overlooks Loch Laggan. Ardverikie House is aka ‘Glenbogle' as featured in the long running BBC drama, Monarch of the Glen. Another surprise was in store for us when Brother John and wife Barbara showed up independent of our quest for entertainment to this theatre many miles from our respective abodes… We were all on the same wave length. The intent of this post is not to dissect this movie and its plot, rather provide my first impressions. No, I haven’t read the book.

So, I had absolutely no expectations about this movie save that the title appeared metaphorical though turned out to be a literal, “right on”. While endearing and entertaining for naïve me it surprisingly turned out to be more of a satire than romantic comedy. Apparently in the UK it is considered biting political satire. In the US it might be a standard bill of fare especially when you consider bridges to nowhere and other highly imaginative pork barrel legislation. I am sure we have done something with the caddis fly.

The Sheikh’s seemingly unrealistic obsession for fly fishing in Yemen was actually an admirable ploy to turn his Middle Eastern desert into productive farmland. The British government’s support for the project, however absurd, turns out to be more of a PR attempt to help repair Arab-Anglo relations after their military forces accidentally bombed a mosque in Afghanistan. Needless to say the British Government wants to push this and other negative stories of the Middle East off the front page. This jab at the British Bureaucracy from Home Office to Environment (Fisheries) to Foreign Office needed some help with the romantic comedy partially rescuing the film.

SFITY starred one of my favorite actors Ewan McGregor (probably for no other reason than he is a Scot) who plays Dr. Alfred Jones, an uptight, obsessed, socially inept fisheries expert pressed into reluctant, involuntary servitude charged to literally bring off the impossible task of transplanting a cool weather northern hemisphere life form (Atlantic Salmon) to the heat of the high Yemeni desert. Ewan did not completely excel in this effort either in the movie or as an actor. Fred/Ewan was brooding and melancholy (after all he is Scottish) much of the time though I kept hoping that he would draw his light saber and slay the terrorists trying to derail his efforts. As it was, with one deft fly fishing casting technique he did foil an assassination attempt of the goodly and wise Yemeni Sheikh Muhammed who was conscientiously trying to enlighten and empower his people. For some fly fishing enthusiasts in the theater, this (while a stretch) may have been the highlight of the film. Having said that some of the fly fishing techniques and casts looked and felt awkward.

While it was good to hear a Scottish Burr I noted that Ewan (from Crieff) didn’t really use his own accent, rather spoke with what he proclaims was an Edinburgh Morningside accent [vs. a Glasgow Kelvinside or Glaswegian Patter (west central Scots) accent] – in order to capture what is perceived by some (?) as an “uptight and pretentious” demeanor. Aside from McGregor’s prodigious acting abilities, I suspect that for 99.9% of the non-Scottish viewing public (including this writer), it really didn’t matter. Know that there are so many different Scots accents; Ewan should have just used his own Scots Burr with an element of achievement and erudition maybe from the comfort of a librarian or museum curator’s cocoon. We concede that a Glasgow Patter would not have been appropriate…

I was nonplussed and almost upset at Ewan’s film wife Mary (Rachael Stirling), a dispassionate ("That should do you for a while.") workaholic who is always on the road who let us know from the start that the marriage was not going to work. I immediately took offense at Mary who among her outside activities appears to play the sackbut (primitive trombone) in a medieval music ensemble. The actress fails to even attempt to blow into the instrument or use proper lip placement on the mouthpiece when she is supposedly playing. OK, maybe this is minor, but I think it bad form and at least, bad acting.

Jones’ ultimate love interest is the staggeringly beautiful Emily Blunt (Ms. Harriet Chetwode-Talbot), the Sheikh's Sassenach business consultant and representative who along with the vulgar and ultra-efficient, opportunistic press secretary to the Prime Minister, Patricia Maxwell (Kristin Scott Thomas), drives most of the movie. Emily Blunt did a good job and was Jones’ counter balance for much of the movie though no Tracy-Hepburn they.

For me the sleeper in SFITY was the visionary Sheikh Muhammed (played so well by the accomplished Egyptian actor Amr Waked) who while trying to unite the Yemeni people was the savior of the film. He may have been the smartest, most intuitive character on the screen and gave us all a lesson in faith and introspection, “For fishermen, the only virtues are patience, tolerance and humility.” He perseveres and it is ultimately his faith, persistence and money coupled with Jones’ science that allows the victory – for the good guys.

Despite these few negatives the movie was good, a pleasant, endearing and entertaining respite that I would pay to see again. Mind you it probably won’t win a Golden Globe or Academy Award but it was very palatable and made you think. It certainly helps if you have a connection to Scotland. In one of the movie’s literal turning points Ewan McGregor as Dr. Jones has his epiphany, turns around and walks “upstream” against the crowd of people just like his salmon did on that Yemeni river.

This is a major life lesson to be learned and embraced. I’m going to read the book. You just gotta believe.

Aye,

Ned Buxton