Five stories that have North Texas talking: The invasion of the spider webs, Ted Cruz's talkathon vs. Wendy Davis filibuster, Big Tex as a work of art, and more.
The ultimate TED talk: While Sen. Ted Cruz may have ended his 21-hour speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate Tuesday, analysis of his talkathon continues. Was the Texas Republican鈥檚 speech a waste of time or an act of political courage? Cruz鈥檚 so-called faux filibuster continues to keep him in the national spotlight, . And how does Cruz鈥檚 speech compare to Texas Sen. Wendy Davis鈥� filibuster from over the summer? Wayne Slater of The Dallas Morning News 鈥淏oth were long. Both energized elements of their party's political base. And both were fated to end in failure,鈥� Slater writes. But he adds: 鈥淭he big difference bet鈥搘een the twin talkathons is that while Davis energized her party, Cruz divided his.鈥�
- North Texas has spider fever: Lacey, silky spider webs covered Dallas-Fort Worth Tuesday morning 鈥� and more may be coming today. Is Charlotte coordinating the world鈥檚 biggest spider web? Actually, spiders are attempting to make their annual move for the fall 鈥� baby spiders in particular, The strands were filled with tiny spiders 鈥� and they ended up floating in the air because it was so still, Patrick Dickinson of the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center
- More on the Washington Navy Yard killer: Aaron Alexis, the government contractor who once lived in Fort Worth and last week, was driven by delusions that he was being controlled by low-frequency radio waves, . Alexis scratched the words 鈥淓nd the torment!鈥� on the barrel of the shotgun he used, the FBI said Wednesday. Other etchings on his gun included 鈥淣ot what y鈥檃ll say!鈥� and 鈥淏etter off this way!鈥� In Fort Worth, Alexis had wanted to become a monk, Buddhist temple .
- Hire Calatrava? It鈥檒l cost you: in Tuesday鈥檚 New York Times reports that architect Santiago Calatrava 鈥� he of the 鈥榮ignature bridges鈥� that Dallas is building across the Trinity River 鈥� has earned a reputation for cost overruns, Art&Seek鈥檚 Jerome Weeks reports. In Spain, one politician runs a Web site called , which loosely translates as, 鈥淐alatrava bleeds you dry.鈥� Calatrava鈥檚 design for the train station at Ground Zero has gone from a budget of $2 billion to $4 billion. And it鈥檚 six years behind schedule. The story notes that some cities are pleased with his work 鈥� including Dallas. But the Dallas City Council voted earlier this year to increase the budget for the city鈥檚 second Calatrava bridge from $74 million to $103 million.
- Big Tex fever continues: The big guy will be unveiled at 2 p.m. Friday at Fair Park. And now he鈥檚 a true piece of art, thanks to Brian K. Jones, part of the Dallas art duo of Chuck & George. On Friday, Jones opens a show featuring the folksy cowboy. It鈥檚 called 鈥淢eanwhile 鈥� back in Dallas!鈥� and features animations made from paintings of Big Tex. Jones is presenting a film, at 24 frames per second, made from 50 paintings. 鈥淭he exhibition, part homage, part freak show, will offer many unexpected visual and sensory delights,鈥� says the website of R02Art, which is hosting Jones鈥� first solo show. The gallery promises that it鈥檚 a 鈥渕ust-see for anyone who delights in the campy tradition of the State Fair of Texas.鈥� Art&Seek鈥檚 Jerome Weeks has . Can鈥檛 get enough about Big Tex? Brush up on his history and learn cool facts .
