The SAGA Pod

SAGA Pod 12.16.15

eric.celeste@gmail.com (Eric Celeste) — Wed, 16 Dec 2015 18:04:13 +0000

Miguel Solis drops by the new SAGA Pod World Headquarters in beautiful Oak Lawn to break some news about the latest developments in his efforts to establish a pre-K board policy for DISD. We also talk smack about his soon-to-be-former colleague on the school board, new Texas education commissioner Mike Morath. We wonder what changes a Morath-led TEA might undergo, and what his absence means to kids, parents, and citizens of Dallas. He also makes fun of my previous world headquarters and demands I try to play some intro and outro music, which does not go swimmingly. As always, please listen with your ears.

SAGA Pod

eric.celeste@gmail.com (Eric Celeste) — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 17:01:56 +0000

We go deep on education on this one, as Jim Schutze and I talk about DISD, merit pay for teachers, and how politics and race figured into the bond election. We also discuss the city attorney deciding to leave his job in the wake of the failed attempt to get councilman Scott Griggs indicted. Also, Jim likes the fact a house got destroyed. Never forget he is evil. As always, please listen with your ears.

SAGA Pod 10.14.15

eric.celeste@gmail.com (Eric Celeste) — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 16:29:37 +0000

Jim Schutze breaks a little news -- or at least rumor that is news-y -- about DA Susan Hawk at the beginning of the SAGA Pod this week. We discuss whether the district attorney's actions are raising any red flags. Then we talk education -- why the state of Texas is making it harder to teach poor kids, and why Joyce Foreman is doing the same. We wonder why the politics of urban education make for strange bedfellows -- Clinton Democrats and business leaders on one side, far left-wingers and far right-winger on the other. And we wonder why Houston is kicking our ass when it comes to urban planning. I also reveal how I, on a reporter's salary, am able to buy a townhouse in central Dallas. (Hint: my looks have something to do with it.) As always, please listen with your ears.

SAGA Pod 10.7.15

eric.celeste@gmail.com (Eric Celeste) — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 14:06:14 +0000

We're back! Jim Schutze promises to make this at least a bi-weekly exercise. We'll see. This week we talk about the D Magazine story on Susan Hawk's return, why Democrats are wrong to call for her resignation (at least over this), the real story behind the end of Michael Hinojosa's honeymoon, and whether Highland Park has some racists located within. Oh, and we ask Jim why he's such a baseless speculator. Fun for the whole family. As always, please listen with your ears.

SAGA Pod / Learning Curve 06.29.15

eric.celeste@gmail.com (Eric Celeste) — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 19:19:37 +0000

On his way out of town, former DISD superintendent Mike Miles stopped by the SAGA pod world headquarters to discuss all things education: teacher evaluations, pre-K, bonds -- you know, the sexy stuff. Also, I tell him he's "stubborn as hell" -- so that was fun. As always, please listen with your ears.

SAGA Pod with Jim Schutze

eric.celeste@gmail.com (Eric Celeste) — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 15:20:12 +0000

It's SAGA Pod After Dark! We stop by Schutze Manor to discuss the Trinity Toll Road, the Mayor, the people who really run this city, the group trying to get the Toll Road done at any cost, the Dream Team plan and more traffic noise. Then we go over the latest non-scandal scandals in DISD and wonder if the Bad Guys have finally won. As always, please listen with your ears.

SAGA Pod / Learning Curve 02.23.15

eric.celeste@gmail.com (Eric Celeste) — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 16:06:50 +0000

Shy, quiet District 14 Dallas City Councilman Philip Kingston stops by world SAGA pod headquarters to discuss his ongoing opposition to the Trinity Toll Road -- including, but not limited to, bashing the mayor and his "dream team" of architects and urban planners. We also discuss the new PAC co-founded by D Magazine Group leader and D Magazine editor-in-chief Wick Allison, and its efforts to back politicians for city council who support restoration of urban neighborhoods by replacing and rerouting I-345 and I-30. We then touch on what the city could learn from DISD and its comphrensive plan. And, oh yeah -- we talk about Kingston getting kicked out of a breakfast, on camera, by skittish rich folk. As always, please listen with your ears.

SAGA Pod / Learning Curve 02.05.15

eric.celeste@gmail.com (Eric Celeste) — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 21:08:14 +0000

Jim Schutze stops by the World Saga Pod Headquarters to discuss all things DISD: the current HR scandal, a huge DISD effort not covered by the local media (warning: I say bad words), and how Mike Miles has survived every attempt to run him out of town. Then we seque to talk about the squishy accounting system used by Mayor Mike Rawlings and endorsed by City Hall: where sitting officeholders can take as much money as they want from rich people, but the folks running against him are limited on how much they can take. Nice gig if you can get it! As always, please listen with your ears.

SAGA Pod / Learning Curve 01.29.15

eric.celeste@gmail.com (Eric Celeste) — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 19:30:19 +0000

Dallas Home Rule Commissioner Kevin Malonson stops by to discuss the pros and cons of Home Rule: Why he voted against writing a charter, why he isn't against reform, and what critics on both sides of the debate can learn from parents and educators. He also declines my offer to take a swing at me. As always, please listen with your ears.

SAGA Pod / Learning Curve 01.27.15

eric.celeste@gmail.com (Eric Celeste) — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 14:10:06 +0000

I stop by the palacial offices of State Rep. Rafael Anchia to discuss the Trinity Toll Road, the Home Rule Commission, and his broad legislative agenda (LGBT issues, smart meter fonts, etc.). We also talk about how much Arsenal sucks and the concept of horizontal Jesus. As always, please listen with your ears.

SAGA Pod / Learning Curve 01.09.15

eric.celeste@gmail.com (Eric Celeste) — Fri, 09 Jan 2015 15:15:32 +0000

DISD School Board President Miguel Solis stops by to chat about all things education. We talk about the current testing controversy, the controversial teacher evalution system, the controversial battles between Mike Miles and certain school board members -- it's a controversy-heavy discussion is what I'm saying here, people. Also, it's very clear I need to do more of SAGA podcasts in 2015, because, man, are my hosting skills rusty. I think I break a personal record for most "uhhhhhh"s in the first three minutes alone. But don't let my terribleness distract you from Solis, who will actually make you feel hopeful that the board can make substantive progress this semester.

SAGA Pod / Learning Curve 12.03.14

eric.celeste@gmail.com (Eric Celeste) — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 19:31:35 +0000

Jim Schutze of the Dallas Observer (and his dogs) join Eric Celeste of D Magazine to discuss Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings' announcement that he will run for re-election. Do his opponents have a chance? What has the mayor accomplished? How can he help DISD reform? When will Eric pay Rudy Busy of the DMN the $20 he now owes him? Will the tollway be built? Why is DISD so important to this election? And why does everyone hate Eric so much? We answer-ish all these questions and more in the latest SAGA Pod. As always, listen with your ears.

SAGApod/Learning Curve 10.17.14

eric.celeste@gmail.com (Eric Celeste) — Fri, 17 Oct 2014 16:03:19 +0000

I travel to Jim Schutze's evil lair so we can discuss how city leaders have reacted to the Ebola crisis in Dallas. Then we talk about the squabble between DISD's Mike Miles and trustee Bernadette Nutall.

SAGA Pod / Learning Curve 9.16.14

eric.celeste@gmail.com (Eric Celeste) — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 18:43:05 +0000

Jim Schutze stops by to discuss his column from this week, which basically covers all the important things in Dallas: How we're going to get middle-class parents to send their kids to DISD schools (or if we even should want to do that); how that affect the ability of young couples to stay in the city, as they increasingly want to do; and how the Trinity River toll road (and the thinking behind it) makes all of this harder than it has to be. Also, I play a song on my phone. Because Tim convinced me to. The lesson: Never listen to Tim.

SAGA Pod / Learning Curve 7.31.14

eric.celeste@gmail.com (Eric Celeste) — Thu, 31 Jul 2014 17:53:40 +0000

We talk to Jim Schutze about the biggest news story in Dallas in 2014: the indictment of County Commissioner John Wiley Price. Jim, who has covered JWP for three decades, talks about how JWP went from being a “ray of sunshine,” and “a very brave guy” -- someone who “taught courage” to southern Dallas — to someone under indictment. Jim tells great stories from covering Price in the ‘80s (the one about how Price would intentionally sweat on editors at the Dallas Times Herald is gold). He discusses about how the money for votes has always traveled form North to South, and how Price wanted his cut from the minster networks. He tells about the time Price told Jim the reason "Our Man Downtown" always aligned with downtown interests vs. progressive, East Dallas interests. (“Becuase you’re a bunch of hippies.”)

We also talk DISD and I scream the eff word, because Jim wound me up and I’m easily enraged. We look at just how stupid the effort to fire Mike Miles was, and look with hope toward the reform efforts targeted for this year. As always, thanks for downloading, and listen with your ears.

SAGA Pod / Learning Curve 6.23.14

eric.celeste@gmail.com (Eric Celeste) — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 15:17:37 +0000

It's another edition of the SAGA Pod, Learning-Curve-syle (ish!). Jim Schutze from the Dallas Observer is back, ready to talk DISD board and car washes. For the first half half of the show, we talk about the naming of the 15-member home rule commission, analyzing just how long it will take for Shirley Ison-Newsome to make the teachers on the board rethink their life choices. We talk about the donkey punch Bernadette Nutall delivered to the rest of the board, and how she may still be standing behind the DISD horseshoe with two middle fingers in the air. Then we talk about Jim's car wash -- not Jim Schutze's car wash, btw -- and why the city and the Dallas Morning News have decided that this place needs to be shut down. Jim says it's a legitimate business, unfairly targeted, and that the city is ignoring real drug houses nearby because they don't understand the cultural importance of car washes in poor black communities. We do all this while drinking beer. Well, I do, anyway. As always, please listen with your ears.

SAGA Pod / Learning Curve 6.19.14

eric.celeste@gmail.com (Eric Celeste) — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 12:28:20 +0000

DISD trustee Miguel Solis stops by the SAGA Pod's Design District studios to talk about why he became a teacher, how his father's death gave him a renewed sense of purpose, why he's forgainst the home-rule initiative, how he thinks the board should govern, and why he's picking kale at noon on a weekday. As always, listen with your ears.

SAGA Pod / Learning Curve 5.5.14

eric.celeste@gmail.com (Eric Celeste) — Thu, 05 Jun 2014 17:44:13 +0000

It's the return of the SAGA Pod -- Learning Curve edition. Jim Schutze (Dallas Observer) and Eric Celeste (D Magazine/Learning Curve) talk about DISD's new merit-pay system for teachers; look at the controversial home-rule efforts; discuss racial politics and how that plays out in board decisions; examine Joyce Foreman vs Bertha Whatley in the Place 6 race; and explain what DISD can learn from the Dallas Housing Authority. Also, lots of nudity, violence, Buzzfeed-style quizzes -- just an amazing amount of sexy content. As always, listen with your ears.

The SAGA Pod 1.7

eric.celeste@gmail.com (Eric Celeste) — Wed, 08 Jan 2014 18:49:41 +0000

Dallas City Councilman Philip Kingston joins this week to talk about the most important decision the Council will make this year: which candidate to hire as City Manager. He talks about what he hopes comes out of today's closed-door City Council meeting, why he wasn't allowed to ask a question during the first round of questions (seriously!), and why he's not sure my logic is tight when I say Mayor Rawlings will run again in the next election.

The SAGA Pod 1.6

eric.celeste@gmail.com (Eric Celeste) — Thu, 05 Dec 2013 06:00:32 +0000

This week on the SAGA Pod, Jim Schutze helps me figure out what I'm going to write in my column about how Dallas has been racist and evil in its low-income housing policy downtown. Jim explains why I (and you) should care, why this means taxpayers are going to be upset, and why Mary Suhm once again gets away without any blame. Also: we debut a new, exciting guest on the show, my good friend Zach Ballenger. He has so much to say! Finally, we discuss the best naked celebrities in Dallas, and where you can go to see them.

The SAGA Pod 1.5

eric.celeste@gmail.com (Eric Celeste) — Wed, 20 Nov 2013 14:38:00 +0000

Season 1, Episode 5 of the SAGA Pod features all things "50th." We discuss the 50th anniversary of the JFK assassination with the Dallas Observer's Jim Schutze, who says he's trying to get behind the city's ceremony planned for Friday, even though he admits there is something odd about it. Afterwards, we call Dallas Morning News columnist Gordon Keith, who has no problems with the ceremony but is still confouned by the conspiracy theorists.

The SAGA Pod 4.1

eric.celeste@gmail.com (Eric Celeste) — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 22:31:14 +0000

Episdoe 4, Season 1 of the SAGA Pod. First we talk to Jim Schutze, city columnist for the Dallas Observer, about DISD teachers angry over the possibility of merit pay, of school board race intrigue, and whether Brett Shipp hates me. Then we talk to Mark Lamster, architecture critic of the Dallas Morning News, about tearing out highways downtown, crazy commenters, whether city hall is upside down, and what he love-hates about Dallas.

The SAGA Pod 3.1

eric.celeste@gmail.com (Eric Celeste) — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 18:22:49 +0000

Episode 3, Season 1 -- This week, we talk to Dallas City Councilman Philip Kingston, who minces no words in calling out how upset he was when Mayor Mike Rawlings wasn't up front with him about the Uber debacle; why he thinks the city manager's office is too often "sneaky"; and what the city needs in its next city manager. Also, D Magazine's Tim Rogers interviews me about why the hell I'm doing a podcast.

The SAGA Pod 2.1

eric.celeste@gmail.com (Eric Celeste) — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 01:43:00 +0000

This week we talk to Matt Zoller Seitz, TV critic for New York magazine and Vulture.com, and the editor-in-chief of RogerEbert.com. We discuss his new book, The Wes Anderson Collection. Then we call up Jim Schutze, city columnist for the Dallas Observer, and discuss the trials and tribulations of DISD Superintendent Mike Miles, as well as the search to find a new city manager for Dallas.

The SAGA Pod 1.1

eric.celeste@gmail.com (Eric Celeste) — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 20:26:05 +0000

Ep 1, Season 1 of the SAGA pod -- where we talk all things Dallas -- begins with two interviews: the first, Tim Rogers, editor at large of D Magazine, discusses his story on Ladar Levinson, the guy who shut down his email service rather than let the feds spy on his users. Then we talk to voice of the Dallas Mavericks Mark Followill about the upcoming season, and why he loves the name SAGA.