Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

The new 12-city nationwide tour of Cycle World’s International Motorycle Show begins today at the Dallas Convention Center and will run through Sunday, November 15.

Whether you are experienced or a novice, this is the show to attend to see the latest and greatest from all of the major manufacturers as there will be several hot new debuts including the 2010 Ducati Hypermotard 796. The unveiling of this highly anticipated bike will take place today on the show floor at 5:30p.

Other new models to check out include:

* 2010 Kawasaki Z1000 Street Supersport
* 2010 Star Raider, 2010 Yamaha YZF-R1
* 2010 BRP Can-Am Spyder RT

Famed custom builder, Dave Perewitz, will meet and greet fans in the Allstate display on Saturday, November 14, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, December 15, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Additional great activities include:

* Ducati Freestyle Team – Motorcycle fans are sure to be thrilled by performances from 2008 XDL Freestyle National Champion Nick Brocha and Hollywood Stuntman Ernie Vigil. This action-packed stunt show will feature dazzling stunts on Ducati Monster motorcycles including synchronized wheelies, endos, headstands and more.
* All-New Women’s Center – Both new and experienced women riders will enjoy the Women’s Center with gear from Cortech, Icon, Joe Rocket, Shift, Thor and Tourmaster to try on; motorcycles to sit on; and experts from the Women’s Motorcycling Foundation and local riding clubs available to answer questions and introduce new riders to the world of motorcycling.
* Demo Rides – Licensed motorcyclists who bring their own riding gear (including a helmet) can test drive the hottest new street bikes from several manufacturers on Saturday and Sunday, during daylight hours. These manufacturer-sponsored demo rides will offer showgoers the chance to hop on the latest models from Kawasaki, Star and Yamaha. Additionally, licensed and non-licensed riders will have the opportunity to test drive the 2010 BRP Can-Am Spyder RT, the first three-wheeled roadster designed for touring.
* Bikes and Beats – This lifestyle entertainment zone will buzz with energy and activity including fashion shows featuring the hottest motorcycle fashions from Cortech, Icon, Joe Rocket, Shift, Thor and Tourmaster; DJ spinning music; custom sportbikes and V-twins showcase; 2Wheel Tuner Model Search; bikini contests and more.
* 2Wheel Tuner Model Search Presented by LeoVince – Models will compete live, on-stage in a bikini contest and photo shoot for the chance to win a personal feature in 2Wheel Tuner Magazine. Winner will be announced on Sunday.
* Explore Motorcycling Welcome Center – The Welcome Center is the inviting home to a surplus of information for new riders, as well as a place to ask questions and learn about motorcycle safety, women’s programs and local riding clubs – the perfect place for those interested in or new to two wheels. This feature area will also house floor plans, exhibitor lists, product giveaways, seminar schedules and serve as an ideal introduction to the world of motorcycling.
* All-New Moto Photo Presented by Campagna Motors – Attendees can get their photo taken while sitting on the head-turning Campagna T-Rex three-wheeled vehicle. Don’t miss the opportunity to sit on this one-of-a-kind vehicle!
* The Hub Brought to you by Allstate Motorcycle Insurance – A high-energy stage will be jam-packed with great speakers presenting a variety of motorcycling topics for both new and experienced riders including advanced riding techniques, dual sport riding, helmet fit, riding schools, long distance touring and more. Seminars will be led by industry experts including Lee Parks, Lee Parks Design; Bruce Porter, Arai Helmet Company; Sue Slate, Women’s Motorcyclist Foundation; and more.
* History of Motorcycles – This retro showcase returns with an expanded collection of rare vintage motorcycles including classic dirt bikes, cruisers and more from various vintage groups throughout the country.
* Free Motorcycle Parking and Gear Check – Free motorcycle parking will be available for all riders who bring their bikes to the show. In addition, riders will be invited to check helmets, jackets and other gear at the show’s main entrance, courtesy of Allstate Motorcycle Insurance.

Admittance and special offers:

The show will be open to the public beginning TODAY, Friday, November 13 through Sunday, November 15, at the Dallas Convention Center, located at 650 South Griffin Street, in Dallas.

Show hours are:

* Friday, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
* Saturday, from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
* Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Box office admission to the event is $15 adults, $12 for seniors 62+ with ID and $6 for children 6-11. Children 5 and under are admitted free.

Ladies Night takes place tonight (Friday) and ladies can enter at half-price. Discount tickets and a half-off coupon for Ladies Night on Friday, November 13 are available on the Web at www.motorcycleshows.com.

Family Day takes place on Sunday and all children 12 and under are free when accompanied by a paying adult.

Special Offer: Showgoers can trade their Cycle World International Motorcycle Shows ticket stub for $10 off a purchase of $50 or more at participating Harley-Davidson® dealerships. For more information, call 800/331-5706 or visit www.motorcycleshows.com.

My heavens but this is GORGEOUS weather Dallas is having after about 10 days of non stop drizzle and heavy fog.

The State Fair of Texas is entering into its final weekend and you know it’s going to be lively as people take advantage of this great weather.

If that weren’t enough incentive, the Red River Rivalry takes place tomorrow at the legendary Cotton Bowl between the University of Texas Longhorns and those Yankees from north of the border, Oklahoma University Sooners.

The game begins at 11a tomorrow and remember, this year you can take the DART Green Line right to the main entrance of Fair Park — but get on it early so you have time to grab some Fletcher’s Corny Dogs and cold beer before heading into the promised land that is the Cotton Bowl.

Hook’em Horns!

Last year that was quite the hooplah about several dozen cars being improperly towed from private lots near the Cotton Bowl at Fair Park during the State Fair of Texas.

This year, for the first time, the Texas/OU game will be held on the last Saturday of the fair. Dallas has had an unusual amount of rain and fog the past 10 days which has decreased attendance; also, the procrastinators are notorious for hitting the fair on the last weekend of the event; plus, we are looking at having an absolutely gorgeous weekend with lots of sun and high’s in the 60’s so that is going to bring out massive amounts of people.

Your best option is to take the DART Green Line to Fair Park. However, if you must drive, please use only an authorized parking lot.

The city has made it mandatory that private lot owners secure permits that must be prominently displayed and they will be making frequent checks to ensure the lots are operating up to code. But you’re absolute best bet for ensuring your car’s safety (and making sure you don’t have a rude awakening upon returning to an empty space after the game) is to use ONLY authorized lots on the Fair Grounds or properly marked lots in the immediate vicinity.

If you decide to take the Green Line, trains will be departing/arriving every 10 minutes.

Dallas works to ensure a pleasant parking experience.

Since we receive so many requests for President George W. Bush’s current mailing address in our comments section, here is what we have on hand:

Office of George W. Bush
P.O. Box 259000
Dallas, TX 75225-9000

from WFAA.com:

The Dallas Center for Performing Arts is scheduled to open the second week of October, and that includes the unusual construction of The Wyly Theatre.

The new home of the Dallas Theatre Center is a one-of-a-kind structure.

The architectural landscape of Dallas is rapidly changing, and this box-like structure of the Dee And Charles Wyly Theatre, is one extraordinary reason for the change.

Inside, the new home of the Dallas Theatre Center is unlike any other theatre space in the world, according to project architect Vince Bandy.

“We are standing on a floor of lift mechanisms that allow us to adjust or change the elevation of the floor or the configuration of the floor,” he said.

The Wyly Theatre is a space that can morph into whatever shape necessary, and done so economically, a transformation limited only by the imagination.

“So [a] room could be eliminated of all the theatre equipment, it could just be a flat floor with glass walls, and that offers a lot of opportunity for theatre that maybe hasn’t been thought of,” said Brady.
Metropolitan Architecture.
The new theatre opens in October.

The Wyly Theatre, part of the Dallas Center For Performing Arts, is 132 feet high. It goes up 12 stories, but it feels like it goes on forever.

On the rooftop there is a natural skylight for pre- and post-theatre parties; just below, a rehearsal hall, with an outdoor deck and a view of the Dallas skyline.

In the middle, there is a future costume shop, filled with natural light.

“Ultimately, I think the magic of the architecture is not the architecture necessarily, it’s more that another art form, theatre, is going to have to up its game, and be challenged to engage this space,” said Brady.

It seems to be a space where basically you can let anything fly.

How would you like to make a $93 million boo-boo and get some other sucker to pick up the tab? Well, much like how the Feds are treating the American people, Oncor is doing the same damn thing and their mistake could cost us Texans $93 million.

The company wants residential customers to foot the bill for smart digital meters that will be cycled out of use and that aren’t up to state regulations. Nearly 900,000 smart meters were bought before the state issued operating standards — and officials said they are not in compliance.

A court ruling this week said the meters were bought prematurely and customers shouldn’t cover the entire cost. Oncor thinks their customers should pay for the meters since the equipment was designed to help reduce utility costs for consumers.

All of the smart meters are currently in use and will be replaced with new meters that are in compliance if the cost of those meters can be recovered, said Catharine Cuellar, Oncor spokesperson. Cuellar added that the first-generation smart meters will then be reallocated and used for other projects, such as city street lights, where meters do not require the same customer functionality.

Cueller added that the original meters were bought at the request of the state and that in order to fund the second-generation meters, the company needs to recover the cost of the first-generation meters as well. If that cost cannot be recovered, Cueller said the original first-generation smart meters will continue to be used by customers at their residences.

Oncor has packaged the cost of the meters with a rate hike that is currently before the Public Utility Commission. The PUC is expected to have a final decision on who pays what later this year.

Earlier this year, Oncor began charging customers $2.21 per month for meters that meet state requirements — regardless of whether or not they have received a new meter.

The Mesquite Championship Rodeo reopens this weekend with new owners, new features and a new mantra: It’s more than just a rodeo.

Part of that vision was a $2 million remodeling that included upgraded suites, a party suite that can accommodate up to 80 people and two scoreboard-size video boards. Camelot also replaced pens, chutes and stock pen dirt and is adding a club that will open next month.

Another goal was making entertainment more affordable, meaning cheaper ticket, parking and concession prices. A general admission ticket is now $11 for adults.

Organizers are hoping the new features can help reverse the fortunes of the Mesquite Championship Rodeo, which had fallen behind the standards of other venues. Attendance has been in decline 1992.

Last month, Hicks Sports Group sold the 50-year-old cowboy cathedral to a group of investors led by McCall, former Frisco RoughRiders president. McCall’s group then shut down the rodeo for a month while updates took place.

Camelot’s renovations will be paid back by with revenue from a city and school district tax-increment financing zone that includes the arena.

The revamped rodeo will still feature Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association competitors. But it also will feature music, lasers and “more of a Broadway stage” approach to opening ceremonies, said Rorey Lemmel, general manager of Smith Pro Rodeos, ownership partner and the stock provider for the rodeo.

“It’s going to be a little over two hours of man-vs.-beast with a little bit of rock ‘n’ roll,” he said.

The rodeo season will run into August. Then, for the first time, the Mesquite rodeo will reopen for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. When there’s no rodeo, the new crew plans a variety of mixed martial-arts events, concerts and trade shows.

Wednesday’s event featured a display of professional rodeo performers, horses big and small and demonstrations by bull riders and a bull named “Bubba.”

Dianne Petty and husband James of Frisco are among the rodeo’s new owners. Neither has ever participated in a rodeo before, though James Petty came close a few years ago when he was a rider for the Frisco RoughRiders.