Dallas Morning News item - January 28, 2006
Dallas Mayor Laura Miller said that she will press the Legislature to allowcasino gambling and that she'd like to see a casino built in downtown Dallas. Others have said casino gambling could be a major part of funding schools without relying too much on new or higher taxes. What do you think? Should Texas allow casino gambling?
Does it strike anyone as odd that initiatives to fund our children’s education revolves around gambling? First the state lottery and now Ms. Miller wants gambling in Dallas. I suppose we can always legalize prostitution to help support the gambling industry. There is no shortage of vacant space in downtown Dallas. After all we are doing it for our children!!!
Dallas Morning News item - January 14, 2006
In his 1963 "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," Martin Luther King Jr. said,"We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful wordsand actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the goodpeople." Reflecting this weekend on the legacy of Dr. King and how he mightview modern society, what are "the good people" still appallingly silent on? (edited in print)Our national conversations are no longer about ideas but about people. Issues are polarized along party lines in lieu of being aligned with national interests. People have to be courageous and speak their minds but in a politically correct environment honesty becomes a casualty and good people protect their privacy and family by keeping silent on issues. Witness the debates on child abuse, immigration, evolution, abortion, terrorism, separation of church and state, school reform et al. Power, religion, politics, money, and special interests all come together in a maelstrom and wipe out intelligent debate.
But history has shown that silence is not the answer. Dr. King’s legacy should remind us that it is not about being right or wrong or being on one side or the other. It is about being engaged on issues and advancing the national debate.
Dallas Morning News item - January 21, 2006
This week, Texas officially recognized two holidays -- Martin Luther KingJr. Day on Monday and Confederate Heroes Day on Thursday. Should Texas still officially recognize Confederate Heroes Day?Slavery was one of the defining causes that led to the Civil War. The Confederacy was trying to preserve a way of life that was inhumane and unconscionable. Honoring their sacrifice, in an indirect way, also lends legitimacy to their cause. If we agree that the Civil War is the price we paid for national maturity then Memorial Day should be the day to remember their sacrifice.
Dallas Morning News item - November 9, 2005
What can Terrell Owens teach us about being a team player? Does the story ofthe NFL star suspended indefinitely for criticizing and fighting with histeammates hold a greater lesson for us in our homes, in our workplaces or inour communities?Terrell Owens petulance is indicative of the "me first" mentality that is often praised and very rarely condemned in our society. His misguided rantings allowed him to become an easy target for criticism. But we praise that behavior in corporate executives, Hollywood and athletes. The attitude of instant gratification is premised on accelerating monetary rewards for an individual ahead of any tangible accomplishment or sacrifice.
Dallas Morning News item - December 3, 2005
Bricks-and-Mortar vs. The Internet (edited in print)Part One: What would make you do more of your holiday shopping online instead of in stores?
I already prefer to shop online. Avoids the rigmarole associated with shopping rituals - the dressing, the driving, the parking, rude employees, stale food courts, the checkout lines, and then the inevitable fatigue of your friends telling you that they bought the same item cheaper somewhere else!! Oh the pleasure of being a couch potato shopper. Malls are great places to people watch but pretty soon we will have Mall TV channels that we can watch at home while we shop online - the best of both worlds.Part Two: What would make you do more of your shopping in local stores instead of online or in other communities? Do you think about where your sales tax dollars are going before you shop?
Price triumphs over local loyalties. The emergence of Walmart shows how transient our loyalties were to the local family owned grocery or pharmacy. I think the recent proposals for a National Sales Tax will render these debates moot. All taxes should be allocated on a pro rata basis based on sales generated by residents of each county independent of the store they are derived from.
