The Dallas Institute Festival of Ideas: Focus Forum on American Cities & Suburbs
November 8, 2008
In four separate Arts District venues, each guest speaker will join his or her Festival team – Dallas’ best panelists and moderator listed on the previous page – for a “Focus Forum.” The guest speaker will first make a brief presentation on the future of his or her area and then will engage with panelists for discussion, moderated by an expert facilitator. In the latter third of the session, the facilitator will open up the exchange to include the audience.
“American Cities & Suburbs”: David Brooks, with Dr. Gail Thomas and Hon. Ron Kirk, moderated by Rod Dreher.
David Brooks is a regular op-ed columnist for The New York Times and commentator on “The Newshour with Jim Lehrer.” Former op-ed editor of The Wall Street Journal. Author of "Bobos in Paradise: the New Upper Class and How They Got There" and "On Paradise Drive: How We Live Now (And Always Have) in the Future Tense."
Dr. Gail Thomas is founding Director and a Fellow of the Dallas Institute and creator of its Center for the City. Currently, she serves as Executive Director of the Trinity Trust Foundation.
Hon. Ron Kirk is a partner with Vinson and Elkins law firm. During his public career, he served as Mayor of the City of Dallas from 1995 to 2001 and as Texas Secretary of State in 1994.
Pricing -
Tier A seating - $100
Tier B seating - $85
Seating capacity for Focus Forum is 175 - 200
Here are some nearby...
Drink Specials:
- Adair's Saloon: 4 pm - 8 pm: $6 pitchers, $1.75 singles, $2.25 cans
- Morton's, The Steakhouse: 5 pm - 6 pm: Power Hour - $5 select wines by glass, $4 select beers, special cocktail of the day
- Greenz: 5 pm - 7 pm: $2 beer, $2 wine / $3 appetizers
- Dragonfly: 11 am - 2:30 pm: $15 bottomless mimosas
- T.G.I. Friday's: 4 pm - 7 pm: $4 Long Island Iced Tea & signature margaritas, $3 premium pint features, $2 domestic pint features, $1 premiums / 11 am - 12 am: $2 Red Stripes
- »Blackstone Winery visits Dallas to spread word of Reserve
- »Gallery review: States of Exception at Centraltrak
- »Dallas-based company donates tools after supplies were stolen from Habitat home in Collin County
- »Kinesiology professor at University of Texas at Arlington studies potential for living on the moon
- »Barefoot Brigade shares inspiration for NOTcracker performance
-
»North Lake College to host race relations panel
-
»Alleged North Texas racist attacks addressed at civil rights press conference
-
»Bedford pastor finds racist graffiti painted on the windows of his church van
-
»Dallas Dinner Table 2009 set for March 19
-
»Dallas attorney Angel Reyes wins DiversityFIRST award
an event
|
a restaurant
|
a garage sale
|
a drink special
|
a movie showtime
|
local music
|
a job
|
a house
|
a deal
|
a pet
|

Scott Doyle, says:
Methinks this one's a bit vague to post a comment about, but here goes:
Dallas is a city...with suburbs. Too many, one could argue. I say we burn the outermost in a ring of fire to force people in or entirely out, saving millions in transportation costs and cutting toxic greenhouse emissions by [insert significant sounding %].
Do I win tEh prize?
Verified
1 year, 1 month agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Scott Doyle, says:
In all seriousness, I literally have no idea what's topical to "American Cities and Suburbs" without a bit more elaboration on what's to be discussed.
Verified
1 year, 1 month agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Jason Rice, says:
Earth = Rural + Urban
Urban = City + 'Burbs
So couldn't this conference just be called "Screw the Farmers, Bears and Moose"?
Verified
1 year, 1 month agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Pavel Lishin, says:
Good luck with that. Bears are angry, vicious creatures. You gotta at least buy 'em dinner first.
Verified
1 year, 1 month agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
alexander troup, says:
Scott, that is what the Dallas Institute should be all about..I am for the one topic you say which is, the Suburbs....Now one program I did love was," Whats Makes a City" by Dr Sardelolo in the 1980's... I later went to another lecture by another group on, "What Makes A Drunk"..Dallas has become a center for the scientific developer, while...do we need to know or ignore...this whole human in the city phemenon...A.T, Confused City Person.
Verified
1 year, 1 month agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
klue, says:
"I say we burn the outermost in a ring of fire to force people in or entirely out, saving millions in transportation costs and cutting toxic greenhouse emissions by [insert significant sounding %]."
I think that a blazing inferno of beige painted houses and McDonnalds restaurants = a significant sounding % of greenhouse gas emissions
Anonymous
1 year, 1 month agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Travis Bush, says:
Nothing like the smell of burning Tyvek in the morning..
Verified
1 year, 1 month agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
alexander troup, says:
Or napalm.....A.T,
Verified
1 year, 1 month agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Scott Doyle, says:
klue, arson ain't easy.
Y'all never let me burn anything! hmph
Verified
1 year, 1 month agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Travis Bush, says:
Doyle...just be satisfied with that burning sensation you got from the Cherry Pit..
Verified
1 year, 1 month agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
ch0, says:
Did someone say Arson??
Anonymous
1 year, 1 month agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
alexander troup, says:
No not arson, just one of those Industrial Avenue accidents, they call accidents,Look at what happend to Caluglia's, some years back and soon the Cherry Pit, yea,...burn all of the sin strip and unfold joints.. bring in a zombie...Jolly Green.... lifestyle and pray, your bottle of water is filled after a good rain.....A.T, ..cant wishman, but will do.
Verified
1 year, 1 month agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Travis Bush, says:
You know I was thinking there might be some better topics one could ideate upon while sipping wine..
Urban Swingers: Proper Neighborhood Etiquette or How Not to Piss Off Your Hood.
The Homeless: Free Workforce of Civic Worry?
Dallas County Commissioners: Idiocy or Incompetence?
Hot Weather Chicks and Why We Need More of Them.
Verified
1 year, 1 month agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
alexander troup, says:
I go for the last 2, especially the women thing, only no cornfed chick from the Cherry Pit...A.T., Water Addict,
Verified
1 year, 1 month agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Scott Doyle, says:
Doyle...just be satisfied with that burning sensation you got from the Cherry Pit..
Why you do this? =(
Hot Weather, Hot Chicks: Why We Need More of Them.
Fixed. I feel this is an important distinction.
Verified
1 year, 1 month agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
jtmbls, says:
Ahhh, so this is why our city council has been spending taxpayer money on trips to Belize. Now it all makes sense.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedconte...
Anonymous
1 year agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
alexander troup, says:
They found a naked man from the Cherry Pit climbing on some towers, I was told over by the other rag, it may be a true story, I said, no the guy was not from the Cherry Pit, he was some doctor who was off his medication and read Spanish Spy Novels, now what does that have to do with the Dallas Instuite, they are suppost to help people who find themselves in some unsual transformation, from homeless to millionare I was told, oh well I am going to this event... and I will stick to the story..A.T, P.H.D in reading Psychology books.
Verified
1 year agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal