I've never been a fan of people getting kicked out of their houses for commercial expansion. A home is where the heart is and sometimes no amount of money can relocate someone's heart.I recently took the kids to watch the new movie from Disney's PIXAR called "UP". I'll try really hard not to spoil anything for you. In fact, I'll stick with the first couple of scenes.
This man and his wife build a house and live there for their entire marriage. When the "Jerry Jones" comes to build his new commercial empire, the guy refuse to sell his house. It has too many memories of his wife. In fact, his house has become his wife after she died.
The "Jerry Jones" in the movie is younger and wears sunglasses a lot and doesn't say much. I think Durango said something about Jerry's speaking ability just recently.
At one point they are building their empire all around the guy's house. He's politely ignoring the noise when a guy working for "Jerry" comes and offers him 3 times the previous price. But the old man can't seem to put a price on the memory of his wife. He finally tells the negotiator that "Jerry" can have his house... when he's dead.
I was living in Bedford when the Northeast Mall of Hurst decided to kick people out of their houses to expand the mall. I thought that was a travesty. I remember one old man going through his house showing all the murals his children had painted on the walls over the years. That was before they destroyed it for the new Northeast Mall parking garage.
But I hate football stadiums. We have over 100 football stadiums in the DFW zone. I think football has played a role in messing up the school systems. Even the higher education school systems whore themselves out for the commercial profits of football. It's definitely not worth destroying someone's heart and memories for a bigger stadium. Especially when there's open farm land within an hour.
If you're willing to pay $100 for a ticket and $14 for a hot dog, I think you can afford to drive an an extra hour for the game.
But, in all honesty, is this a Texas thing? Or is it just a Tarrant County thing?
I think it is a Texas thing made worse by being a Tarrant County thing that the rest of America will think totally insane, when, of if, they ever learn what was done in Arlington to get Jerry Jones his stadium. My best case scenario is this stadium fiasco is about to make the Dallas Cowboys even more laughing stock material, for the rest of the country, than they already are. A GIANT spaceship plopped down on a rundown American neighborhood. I've tried to do my part in pointing out how wrong this all has been, maybe after tonight's first event's traffic jams and noise complaints, the reality of this Arlington Idiocy will start to become clear. I fear that I'm likely being totally deluded, thinking that at some point what's right is what happens. Cuz that really never is how it seems to work out. Idiocy prevails.
ReplyDeleteGar I agree with you about football ruining Texas academia...I'll go even further and say all sports. Although I believe that school kids should be physically active, I think that unrealistic expectations are being placed on children.
ReplyDeleteMy brother and I have discussed the implementation of different educational schools after elementary. Such as, the math and science school...geared for kids who'd like to continue higher education in engineering, medical...of course each school will have the recommended 4 credits of English and History, but your electives would be geared towards math and science. National sports franchises can open schools that focus primarily on sports with minimum academic requirements. I could go on and on about the different types of schools. Allow these younger kids at 14 and 15 to start internships and make a bit of money to support their extravagant lifestyles...you know cell phones, video games, designer clothes... Maybe you'd see an decrease in the school drop out rate, a decrease in gang activity, a decrease in juvenile crime...I'm not sure how I strayed so far off topic.
Hey Durango, Joely just explained why "idiocy prevails".
ReplyDeleteSee how that works. Her straying knows no bounds.
I've blogged about our education system before. I might have to do so again.
Our "public" education system is geared toward the lowest common denominator.
"think football has played a role in messing up the school systems. Even the higher education school systems whore themselves out for the commercial profits of football."
ReplyDeleteOkay, so I keyed in on two sentences and went with it. I'll be sure to stay on subject next time I'm commenting...:)
I agree, it's horrible when people get kicked out of their homes for commercial expansion. That's the problem with an oligarchy...just a few people ruling for their own best interests.