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The High Five — See Big Tex (And Rest Of Dallas) From High Above


by Eric Aasen 30 Sep 2013 8:55 AM

Five stories that have North Texas talking: A filmmaker looks at Dallas from high above, how have artists responded to Oswald’s lone gunman legacy, it looks like Wendy Davis will run, and more.

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Five stories that have North Texas talking: A filmmaker looks at Dallas from high above, how have artists responded to Oswald’s lone gunman legacy, it looks like Wendy Davis will run, and more.

See Big Tex – and the State Fair of Texas – from above: Brian Aiken is at it again, soaring above Dallas to capture arresting scenes set to dramatic music. On Friday, the filmmaker released a video that shows the new Big Tex in place at Big Tex Circle. Aiken uses a drone to film overhead. On Thursday, the Dallas park board will screen Aiken’s other Dallas video – Dallas From Above, The Dallas Morning News reports.

Here’s his Big Tex video.

And here’s his video showing off Dallas.

How have artists responded to Oswald’s lone gunman legacy? Pop culture is saturated with the image of the lone gunman, the sniper assassin, that’s permeated Hollywood movies (Parallax View, Targets, Winter Kills, Dead Zone) and the atmosphere of paranoia the JFK assassination helped spawn. KERA’s Jerome Weeks talks with John Weidman, the writer of Assassins (the musical that’s opening at Theatre Three), and Peter Landesman, writer-director of the new movie Parkland.

Will she or won’t she?: While State Sen. Wendy Davis hasn’t announced that she’s running for Texas governor, she gave her clearest indication yet over the weekend. The Fort Worth Democrat spoke to a packed crowd at the 2013 Texas Tribune Festival in Austin. Davis, who is expected to announce her candidacy for governor on Thursday, began striking the tone she may need to attract some Republican and independent supporters and to rid herself of the “liberal” label often attached to Democrats, KERA’s Shelley Kofler reports. Attorney General Greg Abbott, a Houston Republican, also participated in the weekend event. State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, from San Antonio, says she may join Davis on the statewide Democratic ticket as a candidate for lieutenant governor. “This state needs better leadership, not just because of my kids but because of everybody’s grandkids and I don’t see it,” Van de Putte said.  “And that’s what’s going to compel me to throw my hat in,” she said.

Creationists on Texas biology textbook panel: As Texas selects biology textbooks for high school students, the panel responsible for reviewing submissions has stirred controversy because several members don’t accept evolution and climate change as scientific truth, The New York Times reports. “One is a nutritionist who believes ‘creation science’ based on biblical principles should be taught in the classroom,” The Times reports. “Another is a chemical engineer who is listed as a “Darwin Skeptic” on the Web site of the Creation Science Hall of Fame. A third is a trained biologist who also happens to be a fellow of the Discovery Institute, the Seattle-based center of the intelligent-design movement and a vice president at an evangelical ministry in Plano.”

The Rangers are still in it!: The Texas Rangers get to play another game tonight after beating the Angeles 6-2 Sunday – their seventh win in a row, ESPN reports. The Rangers have forced a one-game tiebreaker with the Tampa Bay Rays for the second American League wild-card spot. Meanwhile, in other sports news, the Dallas Cowboys lost to the San Diego Chargers Sunday afternoon, 30-21. The Dallas Morning News offers some analysis here.

 

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