Great response from the management of Ozona

Recently over at Frontburner, they described a recent bad experience they had at Ozona when they went there to have lunch. That post spawned a deluge of e-mail messages from readers describing similar experiences. Apparently Ozona is not the place to go if you want good service.

Well, apparently a higher-up at the company that runs Ozona saw the post. He says he wants to hear all the complaints. He says he will rectify the problem. That is a quick and great response. Even though the Frontburner guys asked for the e-mail messages to stop, the Ozona Management guy wants all of them. He says he will read and reply to every single one.

Did you recently go to Ozona and have a bad experience with the service there? If so, send an e-mail to Skylar Bell, sbell@fordrestgrp.com.

Red light cameras in Dallas

Frontburner (the D magazine blog) has leaked released a list of the intersections where red light cameras may be placed.  Only 15 cameras will be placed initially, but the list is longer than 15.  There could be dummy cameras at the other locations.

Now, I don’t care for red light runners.  In fact, I dislike the behavior.  But I’m less in favor of computer monitored law enforcement.  This probably comes from my general distrust of the government.

And the argument that these are placed for safety?  Via this fine post at Frontburner I learn of a study by the Texas Traffic Institute at Texas A&M University that says “red-light cameras reduce collisions by just 7 percent overall, while lengthening yellow lights decreases violations and collisions by more than 40 percent.”

Testimony

Some of you may not be aware of The Dallas Observer’s blog called Unfair Park. Basically all the writers and editors at the Observer blog there. I follow it with my feedreader, and read maybe one post every couple of days.

A few weeks ago they started a new regular feature called Bible Girl: The Unfair Park Religion Column. Yesterday’s column was incredible. Typically when I read stuff on the web, especially long articles, I read a couple of paragraphs, do some work, go back and read a little, etc. But this one was different. Once I started reading it I couldn’t stop. By the time I got to the end, three comments had already been posted. I planned on blogging about it yesterday, but it didn’t work out. Now it’s gotten other publicity, like being mentioned in Frontburner (D Magazine’s blog) as well as an additional mention in Fair Park.

It’s about a personal experience in her life. I’d tell you about it, but anything I say about it will not do it justice, other than to say that the sheer guts it took to write and publish a column like that amazes me. Read it yourself. Now. Or as soon as you possibly can. It is definitely worth a few minutes of your time to stop whatever it is you are doing and read this column. Seriously. Do it now.

Just two short quotes from it (that won’t negate the need for you to read it):

The Apostle Paul said, “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ.” This is how I’ve come to understand his words: You don’t know who you really are, who you were really meant to be until you have a relationship with Jesus Christ. Until you’ve surrendered your all to him[...]. That’s the death Paul is talking about. You must allow Jesus to remake your life as he sees fit.

and

I ended up in a church of misfits, of people who once led busted lives. Former drunks and crack addicts and people who once suffered from documented mental illnesses. All manner of bad boys and girls. We were people who desperately needed intervention from above—go-for-broke kind of folks. General admonitions to be good and to be kind and to study our Bibles daily just weren’t gonna cut it. We needed God’s supernatural power. In that kind of atmosphere, people who want it bad enough get healed.

As you would expect, she is getting hammered in the comments. But as things are when you try to take Christ’s message to the world, it will not be well received.

Going to Six Flags?

Going to Six Flags this fall?  Well, here’s how you can move to the front of the line.  Found on Frontburner.

It finally pays off to live in the city of Dallas

My coworkers hate me. I live in the city of Dallas, in Lake Highlands – neighborhood was built in the late 1950s. We have very large trees everywhere. My house gets lots of shade. Even though our electric bill is much higher than years past, it isn’t nearly as high as some of my coworkers that live in the new suburbs without any trees. They hate me.

Also, I get to water every day outside of the hours of 10:00 am – 6:00 pm. They are all restricted on hours AND the day of the week. Their lawns are dead. Mine is green. They hate me.

Then they try to get back at me by pointing out the Dallas Independant School District.  I reply that I’m in the part of Dallas that’s in the Richardson Independent School District.  HA!

Then they point out the city council and the mayor.  Touche.

Final score: 3-1 in my favor.

Ray Wylie Hubbard

Last night I went with a friend to the Granada Theater and saw Ray Wylie Hubbard. It was part of a week-long premiere of a documentary about the radio station KHYI 95.3 The Range. The premier week started on Sunday, July 23 and will run through Thursday, July 27. Each night before the documentary is shown, one of the artists that is played on KHYI does a short concert. I found out about this while reading the Fine Line Live blog – a local D/FW blog about what is going on in the D/FW area music scene.

Though I’ve heard lots of good things about Ray Wylie Hubbard, and I know that friends of mine that appreciate really good music and really good musicans like his stuff, I wasn’t very familiar with it. I know – being a native Texan I should be ashamed of myself, but now the truth is out there and I feel much better about it.

As for the concert – let me just say that it is one of the best concerts I’ve been to in a long time. He played for around 50 minutes. He didn’t have his band with him for this. It was just RWH, a chair, a microphone, and 2 (amplified) acoustic guitars. I really enjoy performances like that anyway, but this one was just oustanding. And the venue added to that feeling. Since it is in the shell of an old, single screen movie theater, the Granada is on the small side for a concert venue. That made it even better. and it wasn’t even half full. Which for me made it better still (but not optimal for the Granada, I’m sure). The stories he told between songs were great. And with an admission price of 7.50, it was easily the best concert value that I think I’ve ever had. I’ve paid 2-3 times that for concerts that weren’t half as good, and enjoyed them. Everything about the concert was superb. (Have I used enough superlatives yet?)

Then came the documentary. It was 90 minutes, and that made it about 45 minutes too long. I expected more information on the history of the station and less of a commercial for the station and it’s annual Texas Music Revolution music festival. I didn’t really know much about the station before last night. I know a couple of my good friends who have varied musical taste both like it, but that’s about it. I didn’t even know it was a country & western station before I read about this event on the Fine Line blog. And after watching the documentary, I still don’t feel like I know much about the station other than it is an independent station and plays what it thinks is good music rather than what Nashville is pushing as C&W Top 40 stuff. I’ve added it to the presets in my car, and will be listening to it from time to time.

My main recommendation? If you ever get a chance to see RWH do a solo acoustic set, DO IT! If you appreciate musicanship as much as the music, you will be happy you did.

Live Music in Dallas

I really, really, really, really, really want to go here sometime. Sometime soon. Sounds like a great place to hear some live music.

Anyone else want to go? Email me.