Lordy me, it looks like Angela Hunt engaged in a battle of wits with an unarmed man here. As one of her constituents who did not write to her about Jenny, I'm still glad she took the time to check out the two options for herself.

Note to Steve Blow (and one of my neighbors who can't stand Angela): This is what we like about her. She's smart, she takes time to do her job, and she likes to get actual facts instead of a smokescreen when there is a decision to be made. I wish we had a few more of her on our city council.

Steve Blows.

didn't realize that Ms. Hunt was an expert on zoos and elephant care

I don't think Angela considered herself an expert but she did her homework here and I appreciate it. I was backing the zoo on their decision but now, with this unbiased info, I have to say I vote for the elephant sanctuary.

I hate it when those idiots at PETA are right about something.

And that boys and girls is why Steve Blow sucks and Angela Hunt kicks ass. Any questions?

Yes, knottygirl, I could not agree more. Angela Hunt is a shining example of what all of our city council members should be about.

As for Mr. Blow, well, he's a shining example of the mediocrity that plagues the creepy slime he works for. He speaks for no one other than the slimeballs who sign his paychecks.

The other City Council members, when asked to calculate the area of an irregular polygon, called for the creation of a commission to look into funding polygon-related economic development in the southern sector.

This is why the Dallas Zoo listed a bogus website for the Mexican ZOO that they were trying to portray as something else. I was told by Zoo officials that no politician or no taxpayers would have any say whatsoever in this decision.

I think time will show the real reason this animal was being sent to a shithole.

I swear, they should kick that Lepperts ass out of office and put in Angela Hunt. She is the only one that can ever get things done.

Can we all just agree that the Dallas Zoo is crap and needs to be shutdown until people who like animals can run it?

Geez, DMN's getting an early start on hating Our Next Mayor. It must suck to be the lackey tasked with writing hit pieces for a living. I guess it beats working. Come to think of it, this is probably the most controversial thing Blow's written in his nineteen years of boring us stiff-till-I-want-to-throw-up.

I use to like Steve Blow and always thought he was getting the short end of the stick.

It turns out he is the short end of the stick.

I have done a shitload of research on this and while I am not an expert, it doesn't take one to look at the medical records of Jenny and the elephant that died in their possesion to know that the Dallas Zoo is clueless.

The entire Zoo should be shut down and Steve Blow should be placed in the cage that was previously used for baboons.

Blow is a dickhead. No doubt about it.

I hate to say anything about Blow, because you know the old saying. If you rassle with a pig, the pig likes it, and then the pig starts stalking you. But I can't resist this observation: old school reporting rules are that you have to call the person you're writing about before your deadline, and if that person calls back before your deadline you have to reflect what she says in what you write. You don't have to call a a week ahead of deadline, but you can't call 30 seconds ahead. The person must be given a fair shot at response. Then you can write, "Further proving what a dumb-ass she is, Hunt told me ...blah blah." But you can't just blank the person out deliberately, if she's willing to take the time to contact you and express her views. I have a good idea how my own employers would react to a situation like this one -- not well. So I'm curious how Mong will react. And Mong, by the way, is old school. Man, he's really old. He's almost as old as I am.

This ZOO allows cars to drive around the animals in night. So they are on view 24/7

This is a quote translated from the real site that they are sending her too.
---------------------------------------
Dare to live yourself through an adventure in the darkness of the night, as in the enigmatic African Continent.

It prepares your capacity of astonishment, it is the only experience to observe the behavior of the night animals in full activity; lions eating, wolves howling, rhinos it is alert, groups of antelopes and giraffes observing you.

I cannot believe that our esteemed members of the Dallas City Council are pooh-poohing the micromanagement of decisions made by Zoo staff?

My god, has the earth shifted off its axis and we missed the memo???

Nothing - absolutely nothing - gets done at City Hall by Staff unless a Council Member (or their admin) pick up the phone and bitch like hell to get things done (obviously in favor of the council member's constituent).

This is simply a case of other council members still feeling the sting of Angela's Trinity Vote campaign efforts.

Why would anyone still read Blow's crap? He doesn't even live in Dallas.

I love how Peter thinks it is his job to disagree with everyone about everything and without any reason. I doubt Peter knows anything about Angela or Jenny but because it seems to be a semi liberal cause, it is his need to go against it. He never answers questions posed to him when he throws his shit out there. He can't stand to have the same shit thrown back in his face.

Peter....How did you come to the conclusion that Jenny would be better off in Mexico?

She is an elephant. Not a gay man/woman or anyone of color. Just an elephant. Why wouldn't you want the best for this animal.
Does it take any hair off your ass? You can be a right wing evangelical neocon and still like animals. No one is going to think you are a sissy for liking an elephant.

Once again , Angela Hunt proves why she is a champion for the entire city. She is addressing her constituents' concerns while being an effective steward of one of the city's most prized resources.

Anything that comes from the DMN needs to be taken with a grain of salt. The Blow Worm is off base on this one, and shows a complete lack of appreciation for the type of investigative intervention and constituent based representation that many of us in District 14 have grown accustomed to from Ms. Hunt.

Steve Blow is King of the Choad People -- if I wanted to find out what someone thinks about something, I sure wouldn't base my reporting on second-hand information; I'd go to the source. Angela Hunt has a right to be sour about that experience.

I am trying to figure out how Steve Blow can justify this one. It was as if he knew Angela Hunt would have a rational, intelligent answer for his questions, and knew it would ruin his column, so he just didn't bother to call.

Just to clarify something.

The link that is posted here to the Africam Safari is NOT the Africam Safari that Jenny is scheduled to go to. The real link which is http://www.africamsafari.com.mx/zonaaventuras.html

When the Dallas Zoo released this erroneous link, I phoned them to let them know. It is misleading because the link they suggest is far superior thant he one that is linked in the above article. As far as I know all websites in Mexico end with a com.mx

So check out the two and you will find that the zoo is open 24/7 and allows vehicles to drive through at night. It looks like an overgrown petting zoo. If you simply look at the actual site they are suggesting and compare IT to the sanctuary in TN, you will see the difference is pretty clear. Mr. Blow could have figured it out had he not had his head so far up his fucking ass.

He could have also viewed the medical records of Jenny and the previous elephant that lived for only 4 months at the Dallas Zoo if I am correct. He would have seen Jenny is not a well elephant. It doesn't require that Angela Hunt be a elephant expert, it just requires her to have common sense and be compassionate.

If researced, Mr Blow would have found out that many think that that being a member of the AZA is akin to being a member of AARP.

If he would have bothered to phone the sanctuary in TN, he would have found that the land in Mexico has far fewer acres.
Common sense would tell most journalist or for that matter human beings that more land is better....it means more space to move around..it mean more food. This obvious fact seems to floated right over the Blow head.

Now before the lectures and preaching to me begin, let me explain. I have been fascinated with elephants my entire life. I watch and read everything I can on them. So YES, I am overly aggresive and concerned about this situation. I was sad when this issue came up before and so many seemed to sort of laugh it off. So there, I care about elephants, fucking sue me.

The story of Jenny is wrong on so many levels. It just seem so obvious and rational to me where she should go.

So do I think I know more about elephants than Mr. Blow? Yes, I think my right nut probably knows more about elephants than Mr. Blow.

I don't know Anglela Hunt or her background with elephants, but I know she got on a plane and had the gumption to pursue the information, while Mr. Blow doesn't seem to understand the the telephone is a two way instrument. The same with the two gentlemen at the Dallas Zoo who never returned my phone calls.

If Mr. Blow had a better understand of the law, he would know that no AZA standing is going to ensure a return to the USA if Jenny ends up in a mess in Mexico. I don't know who has who bamboozled over that one. I mean just look at what it takes to get them to send back a murderer.

So, thank you to Angela Hunt for doing this. Standing up for something that many feel strongly about. I am sorry you had to be at the receiving end of rant for our very own Lou Dobbs.

Final note. Steve Blow. Look on your desk.
There is a phone. Please use it.

"King of the Choad People..."

Literally made me laugh out loud.

Brava, Angela Hunt.

Steve Blow isn't a real journalist, Jim. He doesn't pretend to be. He is a "columnist," which in Belo parlance means he is a guy who gets to spout off ill-informed opinions without any forethought or apparent editing.

We all know that. That's why nobody really cares what he writes. Seriously, when was the last time you heard of somebody jumping out of bed thinking "I wonder what Steve Blow wrote this morning"?

For that matter, when was the last time anybody thought "I wonder what the Dallas Morning News wrote this morning"?

But I digress.

I don't agree with Angela Hunt on every issue. But at least I know that when I do disagree with her, it's not because she is ignorant of the facts, as is often the case with the other 14 sitting around the Horseshoe. It is nice to know that at least there is one elected official in this berg who cares enough about the public's business to go out and learn the facts for herself.

Too bad there aren't more.

Jack Jett, if you did the research as you say, then you saw that the elephant's history of problem behavior existed with this animal from the day she was brought in. You certainly saw from the on-line FOIA records in Jenny's medical profile that several veterinarians reviewed Jenny's case and in particular, one said the zoo "should be commended" and "has been very thoughtful and thorough" with the management of this animal. The vet who said that is Dr. Susan Mikota, who also happens to be the consulting vet at the Elephant Sanctuary. How is that for irony? Let's make sure we have the correct information other than some conspiracy theory that because the ".mx" was left off of Africam's website, that the zoo might be pulling a fast one on us. Elephants in the wild move around in search of food because they eat everything in their path and must find more, not because they have to travel great distances. That's a big reason why they are culling them in South Africa. Most elephants in the wild will stay in one place if there is abundant food and water. Why would an elephant go anywhere unless it had to feed or avoid the crosshairs from poachers who are slaughtering them for ivory? It is nice that Angela Hunt cares about animals, but why aren't we going after the people in this world that really don't like animals? As for PETA, whether it's admitted or not, PETA is pulling the strings on this one with the local groups and with the Elephant Sanctuary. That research was easy to find how they have been backing local groups during elephant debates at zoos around the country, and how they champion the sanctuary because it pits them against zoos. People beat their dogs, shoot cats, they are slaughtering animals in Africa to the point of extinction, and the best we can do is fight with zoo people that are caring for animals? Maybe pet abuse is not as hot of a topic as elephants, but let's take a reality check on the real animal problems of this city and the world.

I am dismayed at all of you for your thoughtless opposition to this wonderfully creative initiative in Dallas-Mexico business development diplomacy by our El Gato Grande, as well as your heartless cruelty in depriving so many, many, many deserving children of their taste of delicious elephant fajita from a forthcoming ¡Señor Steve! retirement franchise.

Emilio

All this over an elephant? I say put her in the care of the Dallas PD.

"I hate it when those idiots at PETA are right about something."

do check out the following information about PETA
http://petakillsanimals.com/petasdirtysecret.cfm

TD "he never answers questions posed to him when he throws his shit out there. " If you are a referring to the liberal think tank question that was answered. now onto this question.
"How did you come to the conclusion that Jenny would be better off in Mexico?"
I based my view on the differences in accrediting organization's requirements. If you (that is ThomasDelayed) would go and review what the process is for accreditation from the AZA and versus that for the sanctuary in Tn, you would see a vast difference. The Dallas Zoo for better or worse is a member of the AZA. as someone else pointed as a member of the AZA the Dallas Zoo must follow the AZA's rules or lose their accreditation.
go back and review this posting
http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2008/07/sean_greene_the_dallas_zoos.php

'Does it take any hair off your ass?" I just love ad hominem attacks. I look forward to your next one

While I have to admire Ms. Hunt's desire to take on the big boys and travel long distances for an elephant, I really would prefer her to deal with issues in her own (my) District.

Like for instance, the mess that is to become re-naming Ross Avenue after Cesar Chavez. Or putting more pressure on her fellow Council members and City Staff to protect more of our historic resources. Or even working with TXDOT so they don't completely pull out every bit of greenery on Central.

Steven R - No way Ms. Hunt becomes the next Mayor. She doesn't have the money, regardless of how many $60,000 July 4th fundraisers she has, and she succeeded in pissing off every single person or organization that could back her campaign with substantial amounts of cash.

I think the deal should be that we'll only send Jenny to Mexico if they'll take Russ Martin too.

And who paid for these elephant site excursions?

Jay... read the DMN article:

"At least she used money from her campaign fund, not taxpayer money, to get there."

And did Blow really add in something about that not being the best use of a carbon footprint? Ugh.

jay says:
And who paid for these elephant site excursions?

**********

Her campaign fund did. Which means that Mr. Knottygirl and I did, among others. I'm not a huge Jenny-lover myself. It's nothing personal and I like elephants fine. I just agree with Ellum08 that there are other issues in our district to worry about. However, I appreciate the fact that Angela took time to visit the facilities and check the facts for herself when the issue is this controversial and so important to so many people rather than simply taking the zoo staff's word for it. If these trips ate too far into her campaign fund, I'll be happy to give her more money. Maybe if other city council members realize that getting off their backsides and doing some hands-on research may lead to more campaign contributions, they'll start doing the same high-quality job that Angela is doing.

I would think that with all of the financial woes in journalism in general and at the DMN in particular that Blow would take care in researching his topic. DMN seems fine with laying off long-term staffers and I bet they could hire four or five people for what they pay Blow, and find some people that would at least feign equitable and correct representation of facts.
Having an opinion column doesn't mean you get to say whatever you want, you can be as biased as you want but you still must be fair.

"Having an opinion column doesn't mean you get to say whatever you want, you can be as biased as you want but you still must be fair."

gee tell that to Frank Rich of the NYT or some of the other liberal opinion columnists around this country. didn't realize that fairness was part of opinion writing

The tone of the column, beginning with the headline, is just so freakin' condescending.

"Angela Hunt Meddles..." Well, I do believe another council member made the jaunt to Mexico as well, prior to Angela's visit. Is it because he came to a different conclusion than Angela Hunt that his trip was not considered meddling?

But ashvega is right. Steve Blow is one big giant flag of what is wrong with the columns at the DMN.

When I think about Steve Blow (which is not very often, thank God), I just shake my head and wonder. There are so many talented individuals that would love to have access to that space occupied by his column--- it's just really sad.

Thank you Angela Hunt, for doing your job. Your care for and commitment to Jenny's future is a breath of fresh air. It is the sign of a great city when it can admit it made a mistake, and correct that mistake. I hope that the City will do the best for OUR elephant, and send her where she can roam with other African Elephants.

Through his second rate columns that cater to low-intellect readers, Blow has shown his complete lack of compassion for animals time and time again. This has gone on for years - from his support for the man that threw live kittens in a box off of a bridge to the column he wrote that got him sued by a local animal rescue group. Of course, a tiny non-profit that has no money and spends what few donations it gets to help hungry, injured animals, was no match for the big boys at Belo. At least they tried. Maybe Blow was drunk and missed journalism class the day they suggested a "writer" (ha) "be as informed as possible" when writing about a subject.

What's this? Angela Hunt demagogues an easy issue while her worshippers shit their panties with adoration? No way! Next up, Angela Hunt uses campaign contributions to travel to Jamaica for a controversial investigation into why kittens are so gosh darn cute. Let's get a response from Angela's cult -

"You go girl!!1!1!!1"

"We know you can do it!!111!!"

"Thank you Angela!!!! We love you!!!!1"

"Please spend more of our money Angela!1!!!1"

thanks fandango, i'm with you completely. i'm a constituent of angela hunt's, and i "care about animals", but i have a hard time stomaching the cult

In case of elephants, they are large herbivoers and as such must be able to roam the land, enjoy the freedom that fields in sanctuaries such as the one in Tennessee can offer them. They don't belong in traveling circuses or zoos, and most certainly not in Mexico, where there are no animal rights. Let Jenny go to Tennessess. Make the only right ethical choice.

Steve Blow is a bad writer. We all know that. They actually just linked this thread on the DMN metro blog. It kinda surprises me that they lazily dismiss the Observer as biased and then actually link their readers to this thread. Maybe someone at the DMN enjoys seeing Blow with egg on his face. She pretty much owned him in her response. Anyone can see it.

I guess the bias card is their only defense. You guys do love her around here. I bet if I walked into the Observer's offices right now, every employee would be walking around in a red dress. I hope Schutze's is at least knee-length.

OK, here’s the compromise: Forget about Mexico, and forget about Tennessee. How about dropping Jenny off in Africa to let her live her last days there? Why isn’t that being considered?

Angela actually cares about Dallas! That's why we love her.

Maybe The News could bring back John Anders. At least he was a native of Dallas and lived here -- until that siren lured him the Worst-Useless-Bedroom community and then splashed him on the rocks of Lake Travis.

"Forget about Mexico, and forget about Tennessee. How about dropping Jenny off in Africa to let her live her last days there?"

Cause she's been in a zoo for 22 years and would last about 3 seconds in the wild?

fandango says:
Next up, Angela Hunt uses campaign contributions to travel to Jamaica for a controversial investigation into why kittens are so gosh darn cute.

**********

Aw, man, I wish you hadn't put that idea out there. Now we're gonna have Steve Blow and the city staff coming up with a "Kittens--The Other Other White Meat" campaign promoting the "pure protein" alternative to animal shelters.

Like many reasonable conservatives who hew closely to the topics at hand -- in this case, the transgressions of Frank Rich and PETA, both of whom are universally and uncritically adored by every left-leaning American -- Peterk is misunderstood. He just happens to have a wide stance when using the bathroom.

Excuse me if I disent from this Angela lickfest but she's a classic micro-manager that always knows best. Has she done anything for District 14, not a damn thing. As far as I'm concerned she can take the elephant to Tennessee or Mexico as long as she goes with it and doesn't come back. Now ask me what I really think my District 14 councilwoman

I just finished reading the Steve Blow article--he certainly is letting his inner snark show. Did Angela Hunt refuse to go out with him in high school or something like that?

I think the point of sending the animal to Mexico is because it is equal to the quality of the Dallas Zoo. You wouldn't want to send the animal to a place of greater quality because when it returns to the Dallas Zoo it would die from quality shock.

Sam Merten says:

OK, here’s the compromise: Forget about Mexico, and forget about Tennessee. How about dropping Jenny off in Africa to let her live her last days there? Why isn’t that being considered?

***********************

And put her in the hands of Robert Mugabe?!?
Blasphemy!

I don't live in Texas, but have watched this story for weeks now, and keep waiting for someone with some sound judgment and compassion to step in and right this terrible wrong about to be placed on Jenny. Finally that voice has spoken .... backed up not by politics or ego, but by personal experience and true compassion for another living being. I only hope there are some receptive ears out there who will do right by this amazing animal and advocate her transfer to the Elephant Sanctuary in TN. I am a long-time supporter of the Sanctuary, and there is not a better place anywhere for captive elephants.

Live kittens off a bridge? I do not know much about Steve Blow, and from these posts that is apparently a good thing.

wow...all Angela's tree huggers really have their skivvies in a wad about this...when is the idiotic councilwoman term limited? hopefully soon, then she and knottygirl and the other leftover 60's hippies in east Dallas can sit around on their front porches they so love (in the 100 degree texas heat) and come up with their next big scheme to destroy the city's progress...much like her conservation districts, fight over the trinity, fighting to keep the wright amendment in place, etc. etc. has done (or tried to do.) I swear this woman has no clue about how to contribute to the growth of an urban city. Maybe the voters of dist 14 will finally wake up and realize what a beating she is...ah, I can only hope...come on term limits!

LOVE AND AFFECTION WILL DELIVER HER TO TENNESEE.

LOVE AND AFFECTION WILL DELIVER HER TO TENNESEE.

I am in disbelief why anyone hasn't suggested or offered to bring in another elephant so that our city will again have two elephants in our elephant exhibit. Not "zero" elephants at the Dallas Zoo.

angela_blows:

I hate to burst your bubble, but Hunt is only in her second term. Two more to go…unless she runs for mayor in 2011.

I am in disbelief why anyone hasn't suggested or offered to bring in another elephant so that our city will again have two elephants in our elephant exhibit. Not "zero" elephants at the Dallas Zoo.

"Most elephants in the wild will stay in one place if there is abundant food and water."

Wrong. In the wild, researchers have found that elephants travel MORE in the wet season when there is abundant food and water around. In the dry season, when food is scarce they move less.

They are designed to travel vast distances. If they weren't, than why are so many captive elephants being afflicted by a foot disease called osteomyelitis and arthritis?

"Most elephants in the wild will stay in one place if there is abundant food and water."

Wrong. In the wild, researchers have found that elephants travel MORE in the wet season when there is abundant food and water around. In the dry season, when food is scarce they move less.

They are designed to travel vast distances. If they weren't, than why are so many captive elephants being afflicted by a foot disease called osteomyelitis and arthritis?

@Daniel "He just happens to have a wide stance when using the bathroom."

aw gee ad hominem attacks are so much fun. seems the folks on the left can't ever avoid them

Let's cover a few quick questions:

Why has Jenny not been sent to Africa:

The cost, and logistics of transporting Jenny would be daunting at best, and arduous at worst.

Elephants are pack animals...so unless there was a place in Africa that could accommodate a lone elephant, this would not be a workable solution.

Then there is the matter of Elephant over-population in some areas of Africa, where they are culling out (a nice way of saying killing off) thousands of animals a year is currently taking place.

Why don't we just get another elephant to keep her company:

The conditions at the Dallas Zoo is pisspoor for elephants, and have contributed to many of the problems that Jenny has healthwise, and well as behavior-wise. Why bring in another elephant to suffer just so Dallas can say "We have elephants at our zoo".

The only way that the Zoo could, or should keep Jenny is if some HUGE pocketed benefactor was to pour the kind of cash needed to build a true, and decent enclosure for her, and possibly other elephants.

That won't happen in a timely manner, and it is beyond cruel to make the poor animal suffer any longer than necessary.

There needs to be a concerted effort to raise money to improve conditions at the zoo... but with the city's main focus being the Arts, and not the animals.... don't expect things to change any time soon.

Alfredo says:

"As far as I'm concerned she can take the elephant to Tennessee or Mexico as long as she goes with it and doesn't come back."

=================================

I would agree wholeheartedly, but after thinking it over, that's not really fair to the elephant.

"Angela Blows" - is that you, Velveeta? You don't have to snark from behind a pseudonym.

I think you haters are scared because she actually did her homework. Whodathunk that Zoo Politics would bring out the ODB?

I read Steve Blow's column and he, in fact, did include a snippet of his conversation with Ms. Hunt. He also makes a significant point although it's buried in the last four paragraphs of his column. Like it or not, the Dallas City Charter leaves the day-to-day operations of the city in the hands of the City Manager and the City Staff. The function of the City Council is to establish policy. Whether a certain pachyderm now living in a space provided it by the City of Dallas should be moved to Tennessee or Mexico is not a policy decision, it's an operational decision and completely beyond Ms. Hunt's job responsibilities as a member of the city council.

Of course, the argument could be made that council members make operational decisions all the time and a just a routine glance at any city council agenda would confirm it, although the argument could also be made that most of those agenda items are to confirm or deny operational decisions the city staff wants to make.

But I traced the problems with pre-Mary Suhm city government to the fact that city staff was afraid to make a decision out of fear that a single council member would find fault with that decision. Miss Hunt seems to want to return the city to that kind of non-action.

If she has a problem on where Jenny should be relocated, she should tell the city manager that perhaps another examination of the zoo's decision is on order and ask the manager to submit a more comprehensive report to the council listing the pros and cons of both destinations and have that report included in one of the council's Friday night packets.

But her trips to Mexico and Tennessee and personally trying to position herself as the Dian Fossey of the local elephant set comes across to me as grandstanding of the highest order.

byx, how is this homework? I seriously doubt there will be an agenda item at the next council meeting to vote on where to send an elephant. This is exactly why she is a worthless council person...she devotes way too much time on things that have nothing to do with setting good public policy. She's quite simply just a political hack using her platform on the council to further her anti-progress agenda and feed off the government teat.

Pete,
That snippet wasn't added until nearly 11 p.m. last night - after this was up for a while and Angela had called him out on it.

angela_blows says:
wow...all Angela's tree huggers really have their skivvies in a wad about this...when is the idiotic councilwoman term limited? hopefully soon, then she and knottygirl and the other leftover 60's hippies in east Dallas can sit around on their front porches they so love (in the 100 degree texas heat) and come up with their next big scheme to destroy the city's progress
***********

Sending Jenny the Elephant to Mexico is the key to our city's progress? Well, then, send her on, and vaya con Dios, Jenny. The Trinity will flow in gentle crystal blue waves as cars speed cheerily past on their pristine tollroad, my friend Emilio will have his grazing cabras to gaze at, and global warming will be a thing of the past.

Yeesh. How exactly is checking out the two alternatives for Jenny's future home in person blocking progress for this city? As I said before, Jenny's future is not one of my top priorities, but if people are getting this upset about a mere fact-finding trip, maybe it should be. Since when are our elected council representatives supposed to bow down before the almighty and non-elected city staff without asking questions? What would be the point of having a city council if they were at the mercy of bureaucrats who never answer to the voters? If you dislike Angela, you can vote against her, fund her opponent, run against her yourself, write a smarmy newspaper column, etc. If you dislike a city staff decision, the only way you, the voter, can get your issue heard is to let your city council representative know what the problem is. And in your worldview, that would be pointless, since the city council is never supposed to question city staff.

You are absolutely right about one thing, though: If only I had a front porch to sit on, I'd be out there now with a tie-dye t-shirt on and a cold beer in my hand. Mr. Knottygirl and I have seriously got to get us a front porch.

Geez, 70 comments and counting cuz Angela went to see an elephant in Mexico and ellum08 doesn't think she'll have enough backing to get elected mayor. She and the S-man nearly whipped the whole city's ass on the Trinity Project and still no respect?

We shall see what we shall see...

OK I disagreed with her on the Wright Amendment - but don't forget some of her district is in the flight path.

So how many would drive 10 hours to Tennessee to check out something which affects our city?

I think it is progress that East Dallas has stopped most of the McMansions. People are swarming over the Craftsman Bungalows in Junius Heights now...

Daniel

PeterK is the widest stancer and a major tapper. In addition he is a ad homianac.

When, OH WHEN, is the Village of Sunnyvale going to put its foot down and INSIST that its idiot stay at home and not venture forth to Dallas to place his feet in his big, fat, stupid mouth!

WHEN?!

If I were Sunnyvale, I'd move to evict that lame-ass moron. North Korea would be a perfect destination. Permanent, mind you.

Steve Blow is the reason newpapers are failing. Not television or the internet.

Steven,
Don't forget - thanks to some staff here at the Observer, and to Angela, a lot of the lies promoted by Leppert and his pack of lap-dogs (Veletta, as a Newfie, you can't sit on laps, so get back on the floor where you belong), along with Angela Wood, have been pretty well exposed.

That the dwindling neocons in Hunt's district, and the carping voices from the neighboring bubble get so riled up about her actions makes me continue to believe that she's doing something that is RIGHT, in a moral and character sense.

Steve, you and Murchison can COME OUT OF THE CLOSET any time now. Once you admit to something that you are, like a bigoted, sexist, stupid asshole, acceptance by one's self can be cathartic - like a fibered up dump.

Steven, sorry - I meant that last Steve to be he of the BLOW family.

Jenn-essee!

LakeWWWooder says:

"I think it is progress that East Dallas has stopped most of the McMansions."

********************************

Oxymoron indeed! This is what Angela and her minions want...keep the crappy old sears homes and bungalows even if they are falling down and have weeds 8 ft high! That is not progress...progress would be bulldozing them and putting in new homes that would attract more taxpayers to move in and add to the tax base, improve the schools, and make Dallas a world class city.

But Angela doesn't have a clue about anything like that...she'd rather spend her time fighting a parkway the city needs or where to put a pachyderm for it's final few years...geez what a moron.

Steven R says:
Geez, 70 comments and counting cuz Angela went to see an elephant in Mexico and ellum08 doesn't think she'll have enough backing to get elected mayor. She and the S-man nearly whipped the whole city's ass on the Trinity Project and still no respect?

We shall see what we shall see...

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

With a good many (maybe half) of these comments against Ms. Hunt, I think you're mistaken. ellum08 is right...she will never get elected mayor, and i don't think she will even run...she sees the handwriting on the wall...she blew it with the trinity project.

Steven R - don't forget the ENTIRE city votes for Mayor, not just East Dallas.

Comments on a blog where the majority of the writers are in love with Angela Hunt hardly equates a mayorial victory.

As evidenced by the Trinity Vote, the ENTIRE city obviously doesn't always agree with Ms. Hunt or the Observer.

But, you are right, we shall see what we shall see.

They also said that Laura Miller could not be elected....

We shall see what we shall see.... but in the long run, Angela will have a hard time running against a well monied lackey of the Dallas Citizens Council, and the Highland Park consortium that still run things in Dallas.

Keep on fighting the good fight, Angela.

In the end, you only have your conscience and your family to answer to.

initally the zoo announced Jenny is going to be sent 950 miles south. then they announced Jenny is on loan. we were told Africam has 4.9 acres dedicated to 3 elephants. now we discover they have a .8 acre habitat divided by 2. look @ how close the cars are to the 3 stressed elephants @ Africam ~ who are on display 24/7. Jenny can be transfered to The Elephant Sanctuary @ no cost to Dallas in a trailer that is custom made for elephants. Jenny is a citizen of Dallas & deserves our concern & advocacy. Thank you Angela Hunt!

"A.S" if you want to bulldoze history you should not be in East Dallas - go over to the bubble where they love that stuff.

* I challenge you to find a crack in my Craftsman Bungalow! It's worth $300-400 grand already. How much more do you want to add to the tax base? And my home is in an exemplary elementary school(4 years in a row) feeding into one of Newsweek's Top High Schools in America.

Eccentric,

I have no problem with your house (or any of my neighbors' houses for that matter) if it's maintained...I like the mix of old and new homes as long as they are kept up.

My argument is that Angela and her followers in East Dallas want to stop ALL the teardowns and new construction. Bulldozing a crack house is not bulldozing history...it's called neighborhood revitalization...they just don't get it.

Angela Hunt is awesome! Not only does she take the initiative to actually check the facts regarding the disposition of our lone elephant - but she kicks SB's derriere in a truly lucid response to his ridiculous column!

If she runs for mayor, she'll have my vote.