Catte_Nappe

• 1 year, 2 months ago
  Catte_Nappe's comment on:

  Volunteer Center of North Texas needs help with Hurricane Ike Disaster Relief Operations

  Update - best link for Slavation Army and other volunteers is http://www.volunteernorthtexas.org

• 1 year, 2 months ago
  Catte_Nappe's comment on:

  Volunteer Center of North Texas needs help with Hurricane Ike Disaster Relief Operations

  Additional volunteer info:

  The Salvation Army needs hundreds of volunteers to assist in preparing and serving meals at the shelters. Volunteers can register directly at http://www.uss.salvationarmy.org

  As of yesterday, while they need help in all locations, they were especially short handed in Tarrant and Denton counties.

• 1 year, 2 months ago
  Catte_Nappe's comment on:

  Ultimate Hurricane Ike event cancellation thread

  Well, if your event got cancelled you'll have time on your hands. The Salvation Army has put out a call for volunteer help.

  Under a partnership agreement Red Cross runs the shelters but the "Sally" is responsible for preparing and serving 3 meals a day to all the evacuees in all the local shelters (Dallas, Ft. Worth, Denton County, Ellis County, and Collin County) Volunteer groups or individuals can sign up for a meal shift at http://www.volunteernorthtexas.org/Vo... or http://form-now.com/dfw/volunteer.htm

  They need hundreds of volunteers daily - possibly 700+ if all potential shelter sites are activated.

• 1 year, 5 months ago
  Catte_Nappe's comment on:

  Ali Baba Cafe (Closed)

  Didn't know Ali Baba's was planning a move, but they will definitely regain a customer when they do. Parking and space at the Greenville location finally made it "not worth it" to go there.

• 1 year, 6 months ago
  Catte_Nappe's comment on:

  Breeders oppose Dallas' proposed animal control ordinance

  Re the "eternal puppy" process - learn something new every day. That is a dreadful approach I'd never heard of or thought of! At what age is it appropriate to turn your children in for a "cuter" model? Around kindergarten? Maybe in the pre-teens?

  Of course, as Ogden Nash said "The trouble with a kitten is that Eventually it becomes a cat".

  Over a lot of years of being owned by one or more cats, I think more than half of them were adopted as young adults. We are considering a new kitten in the near future and given that I hope it will live 15 to 20 years I've been thinking this could be my last kitten ever. The age I will be at that point it probably won't be wise (or maybe possible) to take on a kitten.

• 1 year, 6 months ago
  Catte_Nappe's comment on:

  Rain: The Beatles Experience makes its Dallas debut this week

  I'm of the early Beatle's era, and was a fan then, so I am interested in seeing RAIN - fortunately. Fortunate because when I bought my tickets I was expecting to see Webber's "Whistle Down the Wind". If I had a choice, I'd have preferred that.

  It is not encouraging that your report references 200 favorites. If my math is right that amounts to a different tune every 1.5 minutes - with no verbal introduction or transition. A couple of hours of incomplete snippets and bits? Yikes! (and potentially Yeeeech)

• 1 year, 6 months ago
  Catte_Nappe's comment on:

  Breeders oppose Dallas' proposed animal control ordinance

  DC - I can't agree it's "stupid" to buy from a breeder. I've had pound kittens, kittens from neighbors' litters, and pure bred kittens. Although my sample size is not that large; the pure-breds generally had fewer health problems and longer life spans. You know what you are getting in terms of temperament, behavior, and overall health.

  These benefits do depend on going through a reputable breeder. Apparently you are not aware that there are such, since you refer to them killing animals where you can't see it. Maybe you are thinking of puppy and kitten mills? Those are not reputable breeders, of course. Reputable breeders get very little (if any) profit from their efforts. They do what they do out of appreciation for the features of the breed. The proposed license fee would actually discourage them. It could add as much as $100 to the cost of a given pup/kitten. The fee actually encourages the mills, who have excessive number of breeding animals and produce excessive numbers of litters each year, thus "rewarding" high volume production to reduce the burden of the license fee.

• 1 year, 8 months ago
  Catte_Nappe's comment on:

  Unruly baby heckles Governor Rick Perry at Dallas book-signing

  New York Times re unphased/unfazed debate. It used the "unfazed" spelling http://www.nytimes.com/cq/2007/01/23/... The incorrect spelling in your link is from the copy someone posted at FreeRepublic.

• 1 year, 9 months ago
  Catte_Nappe's comment on:

  Dallas police seek suspiciously-missing man

  Found....unfortunately

  "A 69-year-old Oak Lawn man missing since Tuesday morning was found dead in Gainesville this afternoon and police believe he was the victim of foul play.

  George Stephenson was found at his second home, where he was apparently killed, police said. Dallas homicide detectives are questioning a "person of interest" this afternoon, officials said. " http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedconte...

• 1 year, 9 months ago
  Catte_Nappe's comment on:

  AMC Theaters to host orgy of Best Picture nominees and popcorn

  Just how specific do you want the times to be?

  "Michael Clayton" 11:00 a.m. "There Will Be Blood" 1:20 p.m. "Atonement" 4:20 p.m. "Juno" 7:00 p.m. "No Country For Old Men" 9:00 p.m.

• 1 year, 11 months ago
  Catte_Nappe's comment on:

  Pei Wei co-founder to launch Bengal Coast, new Indian fusion concept, in Centrum Building in Dallas

  There are quite a few Indian places around for it to have not been embraced by some public by now.

  Quick, decent price, and reasonable authenticity can be had via the very nice, if smallish, lunch buffet at Taj Express on Lemmon near the Tollway. For evening we prefer the good 'ol India Palace or the Tandoor in Arlington. And I lose count of the places that pop up (and disappear, and/or move) in Richardson. There's supposed to be a Nepalese place opening, or just opened, in Irving that I'll be interested in trying one of these days.

  Years ago there was a very good Indian restaurant in a strip across from the then Dr. Pepper plant, now the Kroger on Mockingbird near Mbird Station. If there was a taste for Indian food back then (circa 1975) surely there is an appetite for the real deal now, instead of some quasi-fusion-sorta-kinda-Indianish cuisine.

• 2 years ago
  Catte_Nappe's comment on:

  DMN Viewpoints column on homelessness

  Thanks for helping to keep a spotlight on the issue.

  In honor of todays date:

  " More than 25 percent of the homeless population in the United States are military veterans, although they represent 11 percent of the civilian adult population, according to a new report. " "About 44,000 to 64,000 veterans are classified as "chronically homeless" -- homeless for long periods or repeatedly." http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/11/08/home...

• 2 years ago
  Catte_Nappe's comment on:

  UPDATED: Dallas police ask public to help find missing woman

  She's home

  "Dallas police said Ms. Hendrickson was found about 3 a.m. Wednesday in the Greenville area of Dallas. Police said she was in good condition. " http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedconte...

• 2 years ago
  Catte_Nappe's comment on:

  National Homelessness Awareness Month prompts action in Dallas

  Scott

  More than you apparently think "Of course they seek help, but how many of them make meaningful attempts to turn their lives around while they're receiving it? "

  The 90% Catherine references are not visible to you. They are working as hard as they can to survive, to get help where it is available, and to turn their lives around. You see the 10% and draw conclusions about all 100% of them.

  It's pretty hard to make a meaningful attempt at life-changing if you are spending almost all day, every day trying to figure out where you (and your belongings, and your kids if any) will spend the night tomorrow or next week. Job opportunities for people without a phone or permanent address are limited. They are really limited for someone with few marketable job skills; but how does one get into and complete any educational or training program without housing stability that can be relied on for many months - and without some extended duration of ancillary support for food, clothing, medical care and etc. - and child care for those with children?

  Picture yourself at the curb with three trash bags containing your clothes, documents and other significant possessions. You have $5.32 in your pocket. You have no cell phone. You have no computer. I don't know your background, but you stand there with whatever education and work experience you currently have. What do you do and where do you go?

• 2 years ago
  Catte_Nappe's comment on:

  Sommelier abruptly departs Hibiscus restaurant in Dallas

  I suspect chips aren't in the steak tartare. A traditional side for the dish is pommes frites.

• 2 years ago
  Catte_Nappe's comment on:

  Trinity referendum: Who funded the campaigns?

  Chris - I do understand why you have to present it as you get it. And I doubt most of those donating are deliberately confusing the issue. Still, when it looks like 10 people gave $100 to $500 each it sure looks like a lot of Davids up against a few Goliaths. Truth may be that two people gave a total of $1500 each. Still smallish potatoes compared to some $10,000 corporate donors, but...

• 2 years ago
  Catte_Nappe's comment on:

  New feature: Improving event search

  Cool tool! It's pretty good. Tried all events with "Halloween"; and events in Arts with key word "theater".

  Only problem I had was looking for "business" events. It wasn't clear whether I could look at all business related events, or had to choose one of those on the second menu that popped up.

  No matter what I did I got a lot of arts related events - galleries and such. Who decides what category an event falls in? I'm sure to a gallery owner the current show is definitely "business" for him; but it isn't "business" if I'm looking for seminars to help me in my business.

• 2 years ago
  Catte_Nappe's comment on:

  Trinity referendum: Who funded the campaigns?

  I doubt that it seriously alters Erin's view of the type of donors and the typical size of donations, but....

  On the Vote Yes list there are lots of multiple donations from single donors that add up to larger amounts if they were to be combined. Also a lot of slight alterations in names (with or without middle initial; slightly varied spelling, etc.) It would be interesting to see the two lists properly consolidated to show who gave a total of what amount.

• 2 years, 1 month ago
  Catte_Nappe's comment on:

  UD's School of Ministry panel discussion to offer theological perspective on immigration

  Taking you at your word, Rick, (that you aren't being a wise guy) there are some interesting things to ponder about religion in Mexico.

  First, "separation of church and state" is a given. Way, way more so than here in the US. There is a long history of the "state" being actively inimical to the "church".

  The majority of Mexicans identify themselves as Catholic, but that covers a wide territory in practice. Many will attend church only for Christmas, Easter and maybe some other special occasions. In many parts of Mexico native traditions are also heavily mixed in with Catholic teachings and practices. Church teachings, about birth control or anything else, don't carry a lot of weight with many professed Mexican Catholics.

  There is extremely rapid growth of Evangelical and Pentecostal Protestant church membership in Mexico; and the LDS/Mormon faith is increasing as well. These faiths are as much, or more, in favor of either "no birth control" and/or "large families".

  The relatively large size of first generation Mexican families has as much to do with cultural influences totally unrelated to Catholicism. As in our country when we were a more agrarian society, more kids means more hands to work. Also, in general, Mexican people seem to enjoy and treasure their children more than our society as a whole tends to.

  As a bonus, I'll point out that some churches here in the US got very involved in providing sanctuary to refugees from political turmoil in Central America. They'll find a lot to talk about, I'm sure, in how (or if) they have a similar scriptural imperative in dealing with economically driven migrants. I suspect there will also be a lot of discussion about how they can expand what they are already doing to improve life in Mexico so fewer people find it necessary to come to the US.

• 2 years, 1 month ago
  Catte_Nappe's comment on:

  Cycling tickets on the rise at White Rock Lake

  I don't have a strong position on the helmet issue, but some stepped up traffic enforcement on cyclists is most welcome.

  There are a lot of them in my neighborhood, and many are good "road neighbors". However, too many aren't. Ignoring stop signs. Ignoring even red lights. One this evening passed me in a back up on a two lane road. He'd decided his "lane" was the space between the stopped cars to his right and left. A little "message sending" from the police is probably overdue. Makes me feel safer (I really don't want to run into or over one of these guys); and makes them actually safer in the long run.

  PS - mhawk05 It's called health insurance because we each pay into a pool that any of us in the pool can use as needed. How much I have to pay eventually depends on how much is being paid out - including serious injuries or long term care. Consequently I end up paying more so your head injury gets covered. The way insurance works we are all responsible for each other. (Plus some extra thrown in for insurance company profits, but that's another story)

• 2 years, 1 month ago
  Catte_Nappe's comment on:

  UPDATED: Rise & Dine, new breakfast chain, comes to Dallas area

  Buzzbrews? Somehow, if I was patroling for a breakfast spot, a place called Buzzbrews wouldn't catch my eye as a likely candidate.

• 2 years, 1 month ago
  Catte_Nappe's comment on:

  Scared Irving immigrants removing children from school

  Hola, Native Texan Bemused! I too am technically a native Texan, but actually grew up and was educated in many other places before returning to this state. The other places I lived taught history and I learned some things that you apparently missed out on one way or another.

  You write "People should know English before they get here." This would have put quite a damper on past immigrants. Many arrived in your native state speaking only French, German or Czech. Other parts of the country similarly received vast numbers of people speaking only Polish, Italian, Greek, Russian or Chinese. Entire rural communities, and huge urban neighborhoods, formed around one or another of those languages. Shops catered to the ethnic preferences in food and goods, signs were written in those languages. A lot like the "little Mexico" enclaves in our region right now.

  In due course their children learned English at school. Some, but not all, of their parents learned at least some English in local community centers and night schools. By the third generation a great many knew none of the native language of their grandparents. This is already happening around here, let alone what we can expect over the next 40 or 50 years as today's immigrant children grow up.

  However, your feelings and reactions have historic parallels as well. There were pretty strong anti-immigration voices in those earlier waves. I'm glad your ancestry wasn't Irish or Welsh, because it would be very sad if you were acting out the same kind of intolerance that could have faced your grands or great-grands.

• 2 years, 1 month ago
  Catte_Nappe's comment on:

  Dallas neighborhood protesting onslaught of McMansions

  What of the McMansions within the current housing market?

  Much to my horror, my neighborhood experienced an infestation of this phenomenon. Buildings waaaay out of sync with the original neighborhood style and ambience. Now we have some newly empty 'castles' seeking buyers (Maybe creative financing buyers who couldn't keep up the payments? Or maybe aspiring "house flippers" who decided to get out before it got worse?). Some vacant lots are now being a bit slow to grow any kind of building on them.

  I am really torn. I'd consider it a fair outcome if some of the spec builders took a financial bath and went away - but we don't need long term empty lots and houses, either.

• 2 years, 1 month ago
  Catte_Nappe's comment on:

  UPDATED: Cedars district resident isn't fond of the noise at Lee Harvey's

  "I really don't want to close this thread, because every 8 posts or so, someone comes in with new information or a resident's point of view not yet heard. "

  Mike - I know you really don't want to. I understand and appreciate why. Just noting that from my perspective - I don't LIVE here. I pop in once or twice every day (or every other day or so). It seems this has become the only topic under regular discussion. It was interesting at first. It no longer is. It was long since described as a dead horse (in multiple languages even). Maybe it is time to hold the funeral?

• 2 years, 1 month ago
  Catte_Nappe's comment on:

  UPDATED: Dallas police look for woman missing after eviction

  She has been found

  "A 79-year-old woman missing since Monday was found "alive and well" Tuesday evening at an Irving bus stop near her grandson's home, " http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedconte...

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