A Phone Call From Baltimore

Every once in awhile something will happen which will cause me to think something like if you had told me in 1989 that in 2009 this that or the other thing would happen, with my 1989 imagination being unable to conjure a scenario where this that or the other thing would make sense.

Like if in 1989 you would have told me I would be living within walking distance of the gravesite of Lee Harvey Oswald I would not have been able to imagine how that scenario could come to pass.

Like about an hour ago. My cell phone rang. I saw it was Chris. Chris is one of my all time favorite people. We've known each other since grade school. We've lived together, we've traveled together, we've done all sorts of things together. Chris and her family moved to Ada, Oklahoma about a month before I moved to Texas. Last July Chris moved back to Washington, leaving me stranded, almost alone, in Texas.

Chris was calling me from the airport in Baltimore. She was flying alone. To go to an army base in North Carolina where her son's wife is getting ready to have their 4th baby.

Now, in 1989 if you had told me that in 2009 I would be in Texas getting a call from Chris in Baltimore en route to help with her 4th grandkid, well, I would not have been able to make sense of that scenario. Just Chris flying solo is not the Chris I have always known.

That picture at the top is of Chris and Nancy (Chris on left, making that Nancy on the right), up in Oklahoma, sitting under Chris's big oak, I think it was an oak, tree. That was in October of 2001, a bit over a month after 9/11. Nancy had flown in the day before and I drove her up to Oklahoma so she could spend a week. Then they all came down here for a couple days, where we did the tourist things. Except Six Flags. Six Flags had been done on a previous visit. No need to repeat.

2001 does not seem all that long ago. But it has been long enough that the little girl you see in the picture, Megan, under the Fort Worth Stockyards sign, has now graduated at the top of her Oklahoma High School class and is now a freshman at the University of Washington. While her big brother, during that same time frame, has graduated from, I think, Oklahoma State University, got married, joined the Army, served a tour in Iraq and is now back home about to have his 4th kid, with his mom flying across the country to help, and calling me from Baltimore.

I remember my first visit up to Ada to see Chris. She was being totally overly worried about tornadoes. There had been one of the worst ever touch down near Oklahoma City, a huge one. I think Chris and family went up to see the damage. I remember driving around Ada and asking Chris if she saw any tornado damage. So, not all that much time later, Chris had totally adjusted to living with tornadoes, to the extent that when she experienced her first one, up close and personal, she stayed outside and took pictures. But yelled at Megan to get into a closet.

Anyway, it was nice hearing from Chris today. I miss talking to her. One of the nicest people I've ever known. Smart with a sense of humor. And a good cook.

Getting Tweeted, Facebooked & Super Poked In Texas

I got Super Poked, again, from Facebook this morning. I don't get the point of Poking, let alone Super Poking. And to make it seem even more pointless, when you get Poked or Super Poked Faceback seems to insist that you return the Poke or comment on the Poke.

So, a minute or two after the Super Poking idiocy I went to Gar the Texan's Random Ramblings Blog for some of Gar the Texan's own highly evolved type of idiocy and there I saw the image you see here, that I stole from Gar the Texan's Blog, which he stole from his friend Ed's Blog.

Or maybe it was Gar the Texan's friend Ed's Facebook from which Gar got the above. Wherever it came from it was pertinent to what I was thinking about getting Super Poked from Facebook.

Apparently Gar the Texan's friend Ed is out of the country and mentioned, or Tweeted, that he'd had a small banana for breakfast. To which someone Tweeted that they'd like Ed to Tweet a picture of his banana breakfast, which is what prompted the above and Gar the Texan's Blogging about the subject.

If I remember right, Gar the Texan's friend Ed is from the same small West Texas town as Gar, but he now lives up in Seattle and works for Microsoft as a psychologist. I don't know why Microsoft needs a psychologist. Maybe it is to help make sure that Microsoft's products keep driving us all nuts.

In addition to Super Poking me this morning, Facebook also got its Scrabble game back working. Washington's Reigning Queen of Scrabble, Karen, has gained what seems to me to be an insurmountable lead, again, having something like 146 points to my 22. It is sort of embarrassing. I used to think of myself as being good with words. Well, the delusion is now shattered!

It was 33 and very windy when I went down to the pool at 8 this morning. I managed to stay in it for about 10 minutes before I retreated to the hot tub. The next 2 nights it is supposed to freeze here. I thought we were done with this type nonsense for the year.

I think I'll go Super Poke someone now.

Wild Boars, Copperheads, River Legacy Biking, Zorro's Buffet & Whataburger

I think I mentioned I was in Arlington this morning, having something that needed to be tended to at 11:30, so, before that, I went mountain biking at River Legacy Park again.

The bike riding was uneventful except for running into a guy named Robert who was working on the trails. Robert told me disturbing new River Legacy news, that being that there are Wild Boars in the park. I did not know this. Robert also mentioned numerous Copperhead sightings. I have had Copperheads mentioned to me before at River Legacy, as in someone shouting something like "watch out, there's a pair of Copperheads on the trail ahead." But I've never seen one. Not at River Legacy. I did get chased by a Copperhead once at Village Creek Natural Historical Area.

Eventually I ended up at Fry's and got a new keyboard and a music playing device. It was time for a feeding. My favorite restaurant, that being Sweet Tomatoes, was virtually walking distance away, but I was out-voted on going to Sweet Tomatoes.

Then I suggested the new Wolfgang Puck restaurant that recently opened in Reunion Tower in Dallas. It is called Five Sixty, due to that being how high off the ground Reunion Tower's rotating restaurant is. The Seattle Space Needle, built in 1962, is a bit higher and also has a restaurant that rotates once an hour. I've never been to the Space Needle's rotating restaurant. Rotating above Dallas sounded fun.

But again I was out-voted. I hate living in a democracy.

So, where did I end up going? Zorro's Buffet in Fort Worth. Friday is Seafood Day. When I left Zorro's I saw a stack of FW Weekly's. I'd not seen FW Weekly's at Zorro's before. When I got back here I saw that this week's FW Weekly restaurant review was all about Zorro's Buffet.

Apparently a high energy Israeli immigrant named Ricki Epstein, who arrived in America sometime in the last decade of the previous century, built a very successful catering business in the Fort Worth zone. But, she wanted to do a high quality buffet. And so Zorro's Buffet was born.

Today Zorro's was packed with a very eclectic blend of buffet aficionados, many of whom I thought maybe they should steer clear of anything or place where they can eat all they want. But, like I said before, I may not like it, but we live in a democracy where people can eat and say anything they want.

Like what I'm going to say right now. In Arlington I saw an un-tacky looking Whataburger. I opined, to my captive throng of ardent, buffet slut, listeners, that I did not understand how there can be a non-tacky looking Whataburger, like this one in Arlington, while the majority of Whataburgers are very dated looking eyesores, one of which my eyes were greeted with upon leaving Zorro's, sitting right across the street from Fort Worth's best buffet.

I think it's Whataburger's A-Frame with the orange and white striped metal roof that bugs me. I have never been in a Whataburger, but I've had more than one person tell me that Whataburger makes good burgers.

Anyway, that's been my exciting day. It started off in the 70s with a half hour swim. Those balmy temperatures with the windows open all night have not lasted. It has gotten colder all day long. We are heading towards possibly freezing again. I doubt I will last a half hour in the pool tomorrow morning.

Scrabbling in Texas

I continue to be vexed by Facebook's Scrabble. It won't let me take my turn due to, I guess, technical difficulties. When I try to take my turn Facebook says they are working on fixing what's vexing me.

It is particularly vexing due to the fact that ever since Wednesday I've been trying to play my biggest word ever for a whopping 15 points. That word is "faunae." I have no idea what it means.

So, currently Washington's Queen of Scrabble has 65 points to my pathetic 10.

Windows remained open all night (Alma, that refers to both types of windows). This morning, due to being way too warm all night long, getting into the pool felt refreshing, not bracing.

I have to go to Arlington again this morning. I think I'll add a bike ride to the schedule, again. Then it's to Fry's Electronics, again, to get a new keyboard. I don't know if I'm in the mood for Sweet Tomatoes again. Though their Friday Clam Chowder is pretty good. Not as good as my Mom's Clam Chowder, none is, but Sweet Tomatoe's is better than most.

Reading back the above paragraph I see I used the word "again" 4 times. That seems excessive.

Army Invasion Of River Legacy Park & The New Dallas Cowboy Stadium

Okay, I have overdone it today. I swam for a half hour, early this morning. I hiked for an hour at the Tandy Hills at 11am. Then I had to be in Arlington at 4. Since River Legacy Park is in Arlington, why not bike the mountain bike trail on the way to my 4 o'clock destination, I foolishly thought.

I think the motivation to be outside excessively today is due to it being the first HOT day of the year. As in 87. I now have a slight sunburn.

I biked for well over an hour. On my second time around I came upon the sort of scene I don't expect to see when I'm riding my bike. As in army troops crouching about. As you can see they were well camouflaged. Upon realizing I'd entered some sort of firefight, my instinct was to quickly shout "Don't shoot. I'm a friendly."

Then I stopped and asked if I could take a picture. After a brief interrogation I was given permission. I took my pictures and asked no more questions.

As I biked on I came to another group. I told them they were being sitting ducks, sitting on the trail, not hiding like the other group. The commander of that group told me her group was going to capture the other group. I offered to give up their position. She said there was no need, they'd already acquired their position.

After that I saw a lot more soldiers as I biked on. It was odd seeing all those soldiers all decked out in combat gear. I am currently reading The Complete Idiots Guide to World War I. Just this morning I'd read a chapter about how ridiculous some of the combatant nation's uniforms were, particularly the French. Bright blue coats, bright red pants and instead of a helmet a brightly colored cap. When the French figured out that those bright red pants helped the Germans by presenting a bright target, the French finally lost the red pants. Well into the war, though. Which they did not lose.

After I was done engaging American Troops it was on to my other Arlington destination, which happened to be very close to the new Dallas Cowboy Stadium. The property is at the landscaping stage now. In a couple months the giant stadium will open with a George Strait/Reba McEntire concert. I'm sure Jerry Jones will make sure that all the people who lost their homes so he could have a new stadium will get free tickets to the first event to take place on the land they used to call home.

The view you see of the stadium, in the picture, is looking east on Randoll Mill Road at the intersection with Collins Street.

Stimulus Watch Looking At The Trinity River Vision

This just in from my one longtime reader, the President of my (imaginary) Fan Club....

Please go to this website and tell them the Trinity Uptown (Boondoggle) is not critical...please forward to anyone you know and ask them to do same. If you could leave a comment that would help as well because the ones with the most comments are actually getting reported on. (Be sure and read the other comments listed!)

For those of you who aren't aware the Trinity River Vision is a plan for economic development in Fort Worth that got cut due to funding, so the powers that be went back, joined this project with some others and then called it Flood Control. With the help of some important wealthy powerful political people and their family members it got pushed through. Now the levees that have protected Fort Worth for 60 years will be removed, the river will be rerouted and a city will be built right in the center of it and only a small portion will be protected from erosion. The land around this project is being taken by eminent domain. The taxpayers of Fort Worth are paying for part of this $600 million dollar project (while their water bills increase because they have a billion dollars of flooding issues currently) though they did not get a vote. The Tarrant Water board is footing the bill for some of it too, isn't their job to ensure we have water?

All of this is moving forward rapidly while the tributaries of the Trinity continue to flood and damage people's property and lives. There is no money for that, even though all of those important wealthy powerful political people are fully aware of the issues and have been doing something(?) about it for a minimum of nine years. When TRV is complete, those that have flooding issues now, will still have flooding issues...And in the middle of a recession, do we really need high end office space and another hotel in downtown Fort Worth? The city just paid to build the Omni Hotel, citizens did not get to vote on that either. The waterways in Tarrant county do not stop at the city limit lines, Fort Worth and the surrounding city residents should all get a vote on what happens to our waterways and we should get truthful, competent information from those capable of doing the jobs before making that decision. Please help as local media will not speak against our current leadership or projects even while knowing it puts thousands of lives at risk.

Thank you!!!!!

Some interesting comments----(go to the Stimulus Spending Watch Website to read all the comments)

Concerned Citizen says....

No, No, No... this is pork. The flooding problem is with the arterial waterways that feed the Trinity. This is "Decorative" flood control and has been an under the radar earmark for years! This is "Elective River Surgery" and insurance or Fed Money should not cover it. The foundation of this project is land acquisition and eminent domain abuse enabled by a local, state and federal group of politicians who have manipulated the legal process in order to expand the Central City area by taking land at at bargain in the name of Flood Control. This is a land and development scheme that is full of cronyism, nepotism, and half truths. The project claims that the river is at risk to flooding and shows pictures of te 1949 flood as a fear tactic. The River levee system was put in place following that flood event and has works like a charm even in the heaviest rain to fall here in 100 years. The Corp of Engineers estimated within the last decade or so, that all the river levee system needed was 9 million dollars to repair in areas that needed from 2 to 4 feet of levee surface to protect from the Standard Project Flood, as required. From 9 million to 383.5 million is a lot of added cash and it is centered around Special Interest! This is exactly what needs to be eliminated from this bill. The Tarrant County area is tragically behind to the tune of 1 billion dollars in street drainage repairs. It is precisely this arterial drainage that presents a threat to life, property and downstream flooding into Arlington... not the Trinity River and it's effective levee system that needs the 9 million dollar repair!!!!

Deep Throat Who Knows says...

The Trinity Vision Project is as good of an example of local systemic corruption involving wealthy favored city , county ,state and federal officials as has ever come to full flower. Investigative staffs of the Congress know this, watchdog national journalist who follow ethical transgressions know this, the authority of the Tarrant regional water district to engage in this activity with the help of local legislators was done in unethical ways with the only witness for the State House proceeding being the Director of the Tarrant Regional Water District. It is a land grab to enrich everyone from the Mayors son to the Congressman's son who is the Director of the Trinity Vision project. The only people who don't understand the scam are those who choose not too. This is a project that would make Rod Blagoveich proud, every one cashes in who isn't part of the "click"

And Sick of Wasteful Spending says...

TRV is better know as Trinity Up Yours in some Fort Worth circles. People aren't going to be driving in from the suburbs to sit at "riverside" cafe that has stinky and polluted water that's so bad that you cannot even eat the fish out of the Trinity. Granger is on the outs with the Congresswoman in Dallas who has a legitimate flooding issue. If anyone gets flood control money, it should be Dallas. The only people making money off TRV in Fort Worth are local politicians, developers, Grangers' deadbeat son and the Gideon Toal group. Where are Chuck Silcox and Clyde Picht when you need them?

Haven't you heard? Clyde Picht is running for mayor. His campaign slogan is something like "Impicht Moncrief." I think it is very clever.

Lord Voldemort's Minions & Warm Water

The morning is half gone. Usually by this point in the day I've been on the computer for hours. When I finally got around to waking up this beast, after it had a long sleep, I was greeted with several very demented comments to this very blog.

But, before I get to the dementia, I must mention it's already in the 70s, the overnight low was 67, the high today is supposed to get to 85. So, with three 80 degree days in a row the water in my swimming pool had warmed up a lot from yesterday's morning attempt to swim, which only lasted 2 minutes, at the most. Today the water seemed warmer than the air. I swam for over a half an hour!

And now on to the dementia. When someone comments on this blog I get sent an email with the comment and the option to publish or reject the comment. Usually it is spam comments I reject. Or if someone is spewing tacky profanity.

This morning I got comments from what I believe to be one of Lord Voldemort's Minions in Tacoma. Like I've mentioned before, there are some very Toxic People in Tacoma. This particular Toxic Tacoma Minion sent 4 comments. The first 3 were pretty much repeating the same thing, but with the tone being like the Minion was working itself up into an ever greater state of agitation, as if the Minion kept accidentally hitting the delete button and was getting frustrated at having to write the comment again.

And then I got the 4th comment and figured out what caused the previous three. Lord Voldemort's Minions are not the brightest lights, pretty much bottom feeders. What happened was this Minion typed the comment, hit the publish button and then got frustrated when the comment did not instantly appear. And so the Minion would try again.

And then the Minion figured it out, and wrote the below comment. (I've covered up the profanity with *)

"Oh you rotten little, cowardice ****-bag. How dare you hide behind a "Comment moderation has been enabled. All comments must be approved by the blog author." you ridiculous little half-****, best you hide your true, moronic self from the public view, maybe try doing that with all that you write."

Now that is funny. I'm a coward(ice) hiding behind comment moderation. While this Minion hides behind "Anonymous." With moderating comments allowing me to hide my true, moronic self from public view.

Now, on to the Minion's moderated comments.

Each began with "After my Scrabble defeat I needed to do something where there was some likelihood that I might not fall down......", copied and pasted from the blogging to which the Minion was commenting.

The quote was followed by the following choice excerpts....

Wow. I didn't think you had it in you. Are you kidding me? It is with the best of intentions that I STRONGLY advise you to avoid any further attempt at communicating with what I shall hereto refer to as,"THE REAL WORLD."

Holy smokes, you rotten, ridiculous bore. It is with great sadness and regret, well, not really, that I intend to inform you...that nobody really gives one half of a **** what it is that you are trying to convey.

Wow, no wonder they want to turn you into a canoe, back in Tacoma. People DO love a canoe, but Jesus, I can't see spending a day on the water, even afloat on your sun-cured hide, and being able to catch a fish surrounded by the stink of your insipid gibberish. To you sir, I say,..."Good Day."

Holy smokes, I didn't think you had it in you. That you still believe, after all this time, that there is some lonely, half-witted soul out there waiting to hear more of the insipid gibberish that runs forth from you.

Like a land-locked turtle, that survives solely upon the filthy, waste filled runoff of it's retched, ghetto surroundings, your audience cries," More! More! Without YOU we have NOTHING!" Do not sir, go about in pity for yourself, go about in pity for these lost, and ignorant souls that still, for God only knows what reason, frequent your ridiculous, one-sided ramblings.

Okay, I have to admit, some of the above is almost poetic. Turn my hide into a canoe? A land-locked turtle? Ghetto surroundings? Apparently this Minion reads my blog. Does this make the Minion one of the lost ignorant souls who read this ridiculous, one-sided, rambling gibberish?

Tandy Hills Trout Lily Invitation

This just in from Don Young....

This Sunday, March 1, 2009 at 1 pm, Master Naturalist, Jim Varnum of Farmers Branch, Texas will hold a Trout Lily Walk & Talk at the Tandy Hills Natural Area in beautiful Fort Worth, Texas.

Bring good walking/hiking shoes, water, hat, sunscreen, camera, a notebook and something to eat.

If you want more info you can get call Don Young at 817.731.2787.

Jim Varnum writes a newsletter called "Jim's This and That" devoted to Naturalist information. The latest "This and That" is devoted to Trout Lilies.

Below is an excerpt from the latest "This and That" about Trout Lilies.

What is a Trout Lily?

Spring comes early in North Central Texas. Dandelions and henbit aside, we spot one or two wildflowers by the end of January and a dozen or so by the end of February. But one February bloomer – the trout lily (Erythronium albidum) -- stands out to both the botanist and casual wildflower watcher as a true harbinger of spring. What an odd name -- “trout lily” -- it doesn’t look like a trout! It's also called a dog-tooth violet or fawn lily, but it doesn’t resemble those creatures either. Let's explore this interesting and amazing plant.

About 20 or so years ago I became interested in trout lilies (also called white dog-tooth violet and fawn lily) from Dr. Geoffrey Stanford founder of Greenhills Environmental Center (now Cedar Ridge Preserve). Since then I have scoured and scouted Texas near and far for this interesting plant.

When do Trout Lilies Bloom?

Trout lilies bloom from the middle of February until the end of March. Wow -- that is it for the year. Look in shady spots on chalky or blackland soil for one or two mottled green leaves rising from the leaf litter. (Someone once thought the leaves resembled the speckled trout, thus this plant’s common name). The flower sits atop a short stem or 'scape' about 4-5 inches above the ground. The stem bends over so the flower actually points toward the ground. The flower has 6 floral parts (3 petals and 3 sepals) that are white on the front and lavender on the back. These parts are ''recurved'' -- they curl backwards to resemble a small Easter lily. To get a good view you almost have to lie on the ground. Photographers, gently lift the flower with a pencil or twig, snap your photo and put it back.

How do Trout Lilies Grow?

How trout lilies propagate is an amazing story in itself. Remember the downward-pointing flower? After blooming, the plant produces a few seeds almost at ground level. The seed sends down a root, or bulblet, 3-5 inches underground. Some people believe this bulblet resembles a dog’s tooth, thus another common name for this plant, ''dog-tooth violet.'' For 6 years, the trout lily produces only one leaf and no flowers. In the 7th year, it produces 2 leaves and a flower, which will produce seeds and start this amazing cycle all over again.

In addition to spreading by seed, trout lilies, like many other species in the lily family, can reproduce by sending off underground rhizomes from the bulblet. New bulblets will be produced at the end of each rhizome, and those bulblets can produce their own flower, so many times when we see a patch of trout lilies, they are a colony of plants that all came from the spreading of one parent flower. Imagine trying to propagate trout lilies yourself. Dr. Geoffrey Stanford once transplanted some it took many years to see any results. They exist to today.

---

There, if you made it this far you know than you ever thought you possibly could about a flower you've likely never heard of before. See you at Tandy Hills on Sunday!

Getting A Good Poking In Texas, Polly The Parrot & A Heat Wave

That's my pet bird, Polly the Parrot, outside my computer room window, this morning. She'd been walking back and forth on the brick ledge outside the window, looking at me. That was cute, but by the time I got my camera turned on, Polly had hopped to a post on the patio. And wasn't looking at me.

No need to worry, Polly the Parrot and Shirley the Squirrel get along fine.

We've hit 80 again today. Same predicted for tomorrow. The pool was a bit warmer this morning due to the warmer temperatures. I lasted about 3 minutes before I started to worry about my extremities being too traumatized. By tomorrow the water should be quite a bit warmer. I've got the windows in this place open and am contemplating closing them and turning on the A/C for the first time in 2009. Texas weather is so schizophrenic. We'll probably have another ice storm in 3 days.

At noon I went up to Sprouts Farmers Market for my regular Wednesday stock up of good stuff. When I got back here, around 3, and checked my email, I had the answer to a question that had vexed me ever since I started doing Facebook.

That question was, "What does a Facebook poke mean?" Now, I was not long into my Texas exile when I learned what a Texas poke means. Basically a Texas poke can be both a verb and a noun, just like an other often used word that has a "k" in it that describes the same thing. So, with that in mind I was a bit surprised when the first of my large group of 4 Facebook friends "poked" me.

So, I guess it was on this Facebook thing called "The Wall" that I asked Gar the Texan if he knew what a Facebook Poke meant. Gar said he did not know, but the idea of it made him nervous and embarrassed him. I knew what he meant.

Then, this morning I got a Facebook message from someone named Joely Ann, telling me that if I Facebook Friended her that she'd tell me what a Facebook Poke was. And so I Friended her.

Then I got back here and there was a Facebook message from Joely telling me, "Garland is a bit conservative when it comes to poking...he hasn't had the pleasure of experiencing the full FB poke. It's an application that you allow into your world...or you can choose not to (as Garland has). There are the average pokes without animation and there are the PREMIUM pokes with full animation. You can choose to be mean or nice...depending upon your mood. Basically, it's a virtual hug, pinch, slap or kiss...whatever you feel like doing."

She referenced Gar the Texan, so I figured Joely must be one of Gar the Texan's hundreds of Facebook Friends. So, I clicked on Joely's Facebook Profile, which I can now look at because I Facebook Friended her. And sure enough, Joely graduated from the same little high school Gar the Texan graduated from, that being Wink High School. I guess WHS must be in the town of Wink, but I thought Gar the Texan was from Kermit. I do know that Gar the Texan was the top student in his high school class. He had 7 classmates, if I remember right. That is one small school. I probably could have even managed to be the top student, in my class, if the class was that small.

After reading what Joely told me about Facebook Poking I tried to Super Poke her, but it got confusing and so I gave up, so now my Facebook Profile is saying "Durango is trying to Poke someone." That'd be embarrassing if I had 100s of Facebook Friends reading it, but I've actually met only 50% of my 4 Facebook Friends, so I'm pretty much impervious to Facebook embarrassment, unlike poor overexposed Gar the Texan.

When I got to the Super Poke part of my Poking Attempt I saw that today's top Super Poke is "Wishing a Happy Hump Day to..." with a charming animation of a dog doing something unnatural to a fire hydrant. That was the Super Poke I tried to send to Joely that has Facebook saying I'm in the midst of trying to poke someone.

I begin to worry that Facebook may be too complicated for me.

Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup Comments

Like I mentioned a couple days ago, this year's Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup starts in about 2 weeks, on Thursday, March 12, through the weekend.

I have about 3 dozen videos on YouTube. Of those one gets more comments than any other, that being the Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup video. People are so opinionated about Sweetwater and those snakes.

Below is a sampling of those comments, and below the comments I'll stick in the YouTube video, again, that they are all commenting on...

chip131313 commented:
out of all the venues to hit,why cant terrorists blow one of these events sky high so we can see a bunch of inbreds losing their skins.good goin morons.lets keep sucking our natural resources,just,like the dirty mexicans.we are no better when we see representations like this.

azyaninvasion commented:
They have Rattlesnake roundups in Sacramento, California too. I just never really been bothered with them getting killed in these events. Rattlesnake meat does taste good and their skins makes for great wallet, boots, and whatever you could make out of them.

muquesko commented:
hay don't kill us rattlesnakes humans kill just as much as we do.

hatchlingcopperhead commented:
just a bunch of toothless hicks getting some kicks out of killing beautiful animals.

gnigged68 commented:
I bet there's going to be some 'an heroes' in the milk pit, lol.

lukeinarizona commented:
lol@3:03...woulda been more entertaining to see it bite the dancing dude to waltz music.

acetharula28 commented:
thats sad i love rattlers. mine arnt a threat to me. just dont mess with them.

thatcaliguy311 commented:
If you have ever had fresh ranch chicken it's close. It depends on how it's prepared. Either way it tastes a little gamey. The meat is firm and flakey. Great tasting lean meat.

jonmarc1980 commented:
Rattlesnake is just another white meat which most people associate with chicken. It has a different flavor. If ever going through Amarillo Tx the Big Texan Steak Ranch (tourist trap) has it on the menu.

HANKEYMAN45 commented:
i bet this would be seen as cruel if they did it with puppy or kitterns or any thing fluffy,,, so why not rattlers!?!?! >:(

I HOPE THAT GUY THATS DOING THE TAUNTING GETS BITEN... (NOT A DRY ONE)

AND GETS KILLED

*may seem harsh... but i am.

jbmorr03 commented:
When a baby gets aborted you Liberal Wackos do flips - are snakes more important that unborn humans?

CroDalm commented:
What a bunch of rednecks.

leotheroach commented:
Rattlesnakes are relatively slow to mature, have only modest litters, and are already adversely affected by habitat destruction and persecution. These events remove thousands of animals, including large numbers of reproductively mature animals. Since rattlesnakes are an apex predator, a sudden decline in their population could have ecological consequences, particularly for the rodents they typically feed on.

dumdeedum2 commented:
I hate hate hate snakes. But this annual event - especially the snake taunting - seems very cruel and unnecessary.

FuzzyLogic0101 commented:
Animal abuse. . .period! These people have no idea what impact on the environment this causes. For that matter the thought never crossed their mind about the environment.

DNR001 commented:
It amazes me how people can spend one day torturing and making a mockery out of some of God's most fascinating animals and wake up and go to church the next day. Not only are rattlesnake round-ups cruel and inhumane, they are also very destructive to the environment. Habitats are thoughtlessly destroyed. Gasoline is sprayed into dens and burrows, driving snakes out, but this also kills many other animals that use them as shelter. Humans use and abuse this snake for their entertainment.

yikeroo3 commented:
Okay, I do not like snakes. This event is very creepy to me.

idn commented:
Pathetic display. Get bitten please.

tjensensandiego commented:
what is wrong with these perverts?

garter10895 commented:
this rattlesnake roundup is a sick sick ****ing thing you all know what causes sickness in food right, its mice and rats, which they eat, and of your worried about them remember that hawks eat them, and this is inhumane, and soon they will shut it down!!!

To which FuzzyLogic0101 commented:
I definitely understand and feel garter10895 anger on this, It's disturbing. I unfortunately live in Alabama where they hold one of these horrid events. It's in Opp, Alabama. The name is about the same size of the town. Morons...

And finally avbiker commented:
jus to say first no they cant use the venom for anti venom its 3 different snakes in one jar and its not steril and its crule lets see how many snakes we can slaughter heres a cool show they could try bring out there inbred hick kids and see how frickin deformed they are thats a good show.

Texas Ups & Downs, Icy Water & Steroid Use Accusations

I've had me a day. By 3 in the afternoon it caused something that rarely, very very rarely happens, in that I passed out for a few minutes in the form of a nap. Very unsettling.

A bit before that, the President of my Fan Club (I think there are now 2 members), emailed me with the shocking accusation that she believes my bloggings have grown more long-winded due to my performance enhancing steroid use in the form of Dragon Speak 10. I deny this shocking accusation. I am naturally long-winded and I've not yet even got the Dragon Speak Voice to Text program totally up and running.

I proudly admit I never win at anything. This was once more true, this morning, when my first game of Facebook Scrabble ended with me thoroughly trounced, something like 566 to 133, beaten by Karen, the Washington Queen of Scrabble. I don't think Facebook liked me playing Scrabble, because now Facebook is saying that due to supposed technical problems Scrabble is not working.

After my Scrabble defeat I needed to do something where there was some likelihood that I might not fall down. I so enjoyed yesterday's mountain biking at River Legacy, after not having been there in so long, I decided to go back and stay longer.

Well, I did not have a wreck. But there were problems. I decided I'd try one of the new sections, a section on which the warning sign simply said "Steep Climbs." How steep could they be, I thought. There are just gullys here, no hills.

Just like with Scrabble and turning letters into words, my topography observations are equally faulty. When I turned on to the "Steep Climbs" trails, I sort of easily made it up the first steep climb. The steep drop off was a bit daunting, then the next steep climb equally so. And then I did the 3rd up and down and barely up again. And then I saw the next drop-off.

No way was I going down that. It was not just steep. It was vertical. And then the next climb was also steep and at an angle. So, I took the wimp's way out and walked my bike back up and down the steep things I'd already biked. It was not easy it was so steep, with the dirt loose in places.

That is a short section of the "Steep Climbs" trail in the picture above. The picture does not give even the slightest idea of how treacherous this was for an elderly biker.

No wonder I later passed out and had a short nap.

I forgot to mention, I went swimming this morning around 8am. I lasted at least a minute. I swam from the shallow end to the deep end and back and decided, if I did not get out, extremities were going to go into frostbite mode. I got in the hot tub and could not feel if it was hot or not. It felt good though.

I'll try again in the morning. I didn't think it felt all that cold. I think it's just that I've not been in the frigid water for over 2 months and I've got to get back re-acclimated and must keep telling myself that it's not as cold as Tacoma last summer, it's not as cold as Tacoma last summer, it's not as cold as Tacoma last summer.

Speaking of Tacoma, I keep hearing from people up there who feel/felt my pain, due to their own pains, to varying degrees, dealing with the one who Gar the Texan has labeled "Lord Voldemort." I have absolutely no idea who Lord Voldemort is. I think Jabba the Hut is more appropriate, but then again, like I said, I've no idea who Lord Voldemort is.

According to one of my sources, anonymous, of course, so take it with the credence an anonymous source deserves, but one of my anonymous sources has told me that law enforcement is once more dealing with Lord Voldemort of the Hut of Jabba, due to theft accusations somehow associated with Fremont. The message was very cryptic, with no details. I believe one of the original probation terms was a prohibition against being where money was exchanged. Which made no sense to me. How is one supposed to go shopping if one can't go where money is exchanged? Or do much of anything for that matter?

The Curious Case of the JFK Assassination Window

It is looking as if today's blogging is all about odd things people are trying to sell in Dallas, first large sums of money to buy a seat in a football stadium and now fighting over a Dallas window.

Okay, I'll admit the window does have some notoriety and fame. I've even looked out this window. Well, looked out where the window(s) in question used to be located.

See, way back in November of 1963 it is believed that a man, buried near where I live, named Lee Harvey Oswald, shot a rifle from a window in a building known as the Texas School Book Depository. It is believed, by many, that Lee Harvey Oswald was the sole assassin of John F. Kennedy.

When you visit the museum that now occupies the 6th Floor of the Texas School Book Depository building you can see the window from which it is alleged Oswald shot. You are blocked from directly looking out that window.

When I visited the 6th Floor Museum I assumed I was looking at the actual window that was there at the time of the assassination. I was wrong.

Two Texans, Caruth Byrd and Aubrey Mayhew (are those great Texas names, or what?) both claim to have the original sniper's window from the 6th floor.

A couple years ago Byrd sued Mayhew, claiming that Mayhew's claim to have the real window reduced the value of Byrd's window.

Byrd claims he inherited the window from his dad, Colonel D. Harold Byrd, a former owner of the Book Depository. The son claims his dad, the colonel, had the window removed 6 weeks after the assassination.

Aubrey Mayhew (actually from Tennessee, not Texas) bought the Book Depository from the colonel in 1970, thinking he was going to open a museum. The colonel financed Mayhew's purchase, Mayhew defaulted and the colonel re-took possession in 1973.

Mayhew claims that while he held the building he had the assassin's window removed.. The men Mayhew hired to remove the window have signed affidavits attesting to the fact they believed it to be the sniper's window.

Previously a judge has ruled that Mayhew does not own the window, but that judge also did not rule that Byrd did own it.

What a lot of confusion over a window. Byrd has tried a couple times to sell his window on E-Bay, with no success. Currently he is saying he wants to maximize the value of his window so he can sell it and build a wildlife refuge.

Mayhew says he does not want to sell his window, that his goal is just to muck things up and confound potential buyers, thus discouraging any sale.

Mayhew has finally gotten around to hiring a lawyer, previously he had refused. The trial was supposed to start on Monday, without Mayhew having a lawyer, but now that he has hired representation, the trial has been postponed til March 16 to give Mayhew's lawyer time to figure out the case.

I love a good brouhaha over a window.

Dallas Cowboys Season Tickets Are Affordable (For Whom?)

The Dallas Cowboys put a full page ad in today's Dallas Morning News letting readers know that the Dallas Cowboys are making it easy for Cowboys fans to buy season tickets.

Under the top of the ad, where it says, "A seat in the new Dallas Cowboys stadium costs less than you think," below the picture of one of those affordable seats the ad says...

Dallas Cowboys season tickets are affordable. Who says you can't afford Dallas Cowboys season tickets? You can purchase a season ticket in the most advanced stadium in the NFL, including the seat option, for less than $1,300 a year.

Financing options to fit your budget. We're making it easy for Cowboys fans to purchase season tickets with financing options that let you pay in easy installments. Right now, you can get an upper level sideline seat (seat option and tickets) for a one-time down payment of $1,558 and then $1,298 a year.

A seat you own. Keep it, sell it, will it. Owning a Dallas Cowboys seat option comes with exclusive rights and privileges. You can keep your seat, sell it to the highest bidder, even put it in your will. It's part of history and you own it.

See what happened when we told people they could have a Dallas Cowboys season ticket for less than $1,300 a year. Exclusive video at dallascowboys.com/seat.

---

Where do I start? A seat you own? You keep? You can sell? You can will? Built on land taken from people by using the worst case of eminent domain abuse in American history? Sitting in a seat where such an abuse took place, how can you be certain that when the eminent collapse of professional sport arrives, that some even greater eminent domain abuser isn't going to come along and condemn your seat, to build, I don't know, maybe a Six Flags expansion.

How did the Cowboys determine that this seat price was affordable? Affordable to whom? I'm guessing affordable to those who can afford them, the number of which is likely dwindling.

Also in the morning paper Dallas Cowboy owner Jerry Jones was quoted as saying he hoped to break the attendance record for a Super Bowl when the new stadium hosts that event in 2011. To break the record Jerry Jones is going to remove the arm rests from those affordable seats you are buying and squeeze your seats closer together so more seats can be crammed in.

So, it would seem that Jerry Jones is retaining ongoing eminent domain rights to those seats you people are buying and are thinking you own. Like property. Maybe the contracts stipulate that the armrests are not included in the seat.

Endorphin Addiction Worsens At Tandy Hills & River Legacy

I need to get this monkey off my back. This addiction to endorphins is wearing me out. By tomorrow morning it will get worse. My pool is back open. I was last in it 6 days before the Winter Solstice. We are now about a month from the Spring Equinox. It would seem this should mean the water is warmer than when I was last in it.

Before noon, after sitting too many hours in front of this computer, I went to the Tandy Hills again and ran up steep hills. That quickly gets the endorphin fix happening.

That's the Tandy Hills tower known as the Fort Worth Needle, in the picture at the top. It's really tall. It makes me dizzy to stand under it and look up. Part of that dizziness may have been due to having run up the hill to get under the Needle.

There's a library a short distance from my abode. I went there about 3 this afternoon to get some books. Reading too many books is the other monkey on my back addiction that is taxing me.

When I left the library I decided, why I do not know, craving more endorphins, maybe. For whatever reason, I went to River Legacy Park. I had not biked the mountain bike trails there in a long long time. I don't know why.

It has been so long that several new trails have been added. I've never seen the River Legacy Trails in such good shape. New bridges have been added. Bypasses and shortcuts have been added. Real good signage has been added.

One section is called "Fun Town," for Experts. There is a red skull and crossbones on the sign. Fun Town had some really steep drops and some really steeply banked turns. I should wear my helmet. The River Legacy Trail used to be so tame. Not anymore.

And there were a lot of bikers there this afternoon. Word must be getting around, River Legacy has some really good mountain bike trails in really good shape.

I only went one time around, that's about 5 miles. My bike was making a weird squeaky noise. I knew it'd been too long since I'd greased all the moving parts. So, I cut it short and went to Wal-Mart and got some grease and some new bike shorts.

I see a return to biking and swimming in my immediate future. Weather permitting.

The Coldest War: A Memoir of Korea

Usually, if I blog about something in this venue, in some way it is some how some thing to do with Texas. But in this particular blogging the only connection to Texas is it's a book I read in Texas.

By James Brady. Not the James Brady of Reagan Press Secretary Assassination attempt infamy. No, this book was written by the James Brady of Parade Magazine interview fame. Among other things.

I've read more books about wars than I can remember. The Civil War, World War II, the Vietnam War, the Iraq Wars I & II, the Cold War, the War of 1812, the Revolutionary War. I'm likely forgetting a war or two.

I've read war related memoirs before, like Albert Speer's Inside the Third Reich and Spandau: The Secret Diaries. But something about this book by James Brady was striking a chord with me that I didn't quite figure out til the end.

The thing that made this book especially interesting was that unlike other books about wars, that I've read, this one was written by a guy describing the war as he experienced it. And James Brady writes very well and spares no detail, some of which was a bit eyepopping. Details of the likes you don't see in movies.

I don't know why the Korean War is now referred to as the "Forgotten War." I hadn't forgotten about it. I was led to reading the James Brady book after watching a very well done documentary about the Korean War on The Military Channel.

After reading a lot of books about wars, and particularly after reading books about the current Iraq War I've decided all wars have a lot of very stupid things happen, bad decisions, bad leaders, some worse than others.

After watching The Military Channel and after reading articles online about the Korean War I've decided General Douglas MacArthur was a terribly irresponsible general who's good reputation, at the time, was pretty much a function of the way the press covered him, and a whole lot of ignorance. MacArthur was an Only Child with classic Only Child Syndrome symptoms. He should never been put in command over the lives of men.

Anyway, it's off to the library in a bit to find something to read. I think maybe a biography of Douglas MacArthur might be interesting.

The 2009 Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup

It is only 18 days until the Annual Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup. Plenty of time to make plans to head west if you are in the Dallas/Fort Worth zone, or whatever direction you need to head from your location to reach the eastern fringes of West Texas where the town of Sweetwater is located.

The weekend will officially kick off on Thursday, March 12, 2009 with the Rattlesnake Review Parade through downtown Sweetwater. That evening, you can attend the Miss Snake Charmer Pageant held in the Sweetwater Municipal Auditorium at 7:00pm.

The doors will open at 8:00am Friday March 13, 2009 for the 51st Annual Sweetwater Jaycees World's Largest Rattlesnake Round-Up, with snakes being weighed in at 7:00am that morning at the Nolan County Coliseum. Catch one of the snake handling demonstrations and be sure to try some deep-fried Western Diamondback Rattlesnake meat.

Now, I have not, myself, sampled deep-fried Western Diamondback Rattlesnake meat, or any snake meat, for that matter. The idea sort of disgusts me. When I saw the deep-fried Rattlesnake, the big sharp bones really sealed the deal in making it unappetizing. I don't care how much it supposedly tastes like chicken.

There are a lot of people who think rounding up rattlesnakes is a wrong thing to do. What amazes me is that there are so many of the slithery reptiles that each year there seems to be a fresh supply waiting to be rounded up.

Attention All Dallas Cowboy Fans

I get some really goofy comments to this blog and to my YouTube videos. Or to my Eyes on Texas website. Sometimes I can not quite tell where the comment or feedback is coming from.

On this blog, somewhere, it says "I am not a Cowboy or a Cowboy Fan."

Yet, this morning I got a comment from a very ardent, albeit it slightly grammatically challenged Super Dallas Cowboy fan, posting the comment to a YouTube video I'd made which rather pointedly shared my disgust over what had been done in Arlington to get Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys a new stadium.

Since the ardent Dallas Cowboy fan is asking any and all to copy and paste his message on every Cowboy's video, I'm going to paste it below. And below that the YouTube video from which he commented.

"ATTENTION all DALLAS fans!!!**!!! WITH THIS NEW STADIUM NEEDS TO COME NEW FANS!!!!! WE HAVE TO BE LOUDER, ALL WEAR THE SAME COLOR AND START CHANTS LIKE NO NFL STADIUMS HAVE EVER DONE... WE NEED A CRAZY FIGHT SONG THAT WE ALL SING AT THE TOP OF OUR LUNGS, WE NEED TO HAVE TOWELS AND FLAGS AND BANNERS..... WE NEED TO BE MORE LIKE COLLEGE FOOTBALL FANS AND HARDCORE EURO SOCCER FANS......if you are truly a fan of the ALMIGHTY COWBOYS OF DALLAS copypaste this on every COWBOYS video spread the word."

What's Fort Worth Smokin'?: Part 2: Dr. Aremendariz Speaks

Interesting incoming from that tireless Dynamo Don Young regarding the air that we breathe here in Fort Worth, air with added goodies, thanks to all the Barnett Shale Natural Gas Drillers. When the Carter Avenue fracking took place and I blogged and YouTubed it, I got a dismissive comment from a Chesapeake shill telling me it was perfectly harmless and I was an alarmist.

We are all Guinea Pigs.

Below is Sunday's Don Young message....

Remember this?

Frack-job near Carter Ave. in east Fort Worth, TX, Jan. 2009.

Back on January 11, I posed the question, "What's that you're smokin'?", in reference to the plume of smoke/vapor/fumes/??? that escapes from a drill-site during the fracking phase. What is in that, "cloud of stuff", that we all breathe every day?

I put the question to SMU Professor, Dr. Al Aremendariz, whose research of air quality in the Barnett Shale has, in my view, cast a dark shadow over the "clean burning" myth.

His response and "final revised" report follows:

Sorry for the long delay in reply. I’d been working furiously to try and get the final revised version of the emissions inventory I was working on completing for EDF. In case you haven’t yet received a copy, I’ve attached one to this email.

After drilling the main well bore, engines, water, sand, chemicals, and pumps are brought to the site to frac the well. Towards the end of the frac process and for a small number of days afterwards, the gas companies will let the well go through a “completion” process. During this time, the well is often let to vent to the atmosphere. During the venting, large amounts of natural gas, water, sand, oils, etc., will rise to the surface.

If you are seeing a “smoke” or some other cloud during the venting process, its possible that in the visible cloud droplets and in the invisible gases around the droplets are mixtures of any of the following: water droplets, water vapor, hydrocarbon liquids, hydrocarbon gases, chemicals used during the fracturing process, small bits of sand, and ?.

I would be surprised if anyone has actually gone out and sampled the cloud of stuff. So, until there is a better understanding of what might be in it, it’s probably best to avoid getting directly downwind of a well venting process.

In a follow-up email to me, Dr. Armendariz pointed out that, whatever is in the plume "will dilute over space and time." He continued, "With these relatively unstudied emissions, its pretty hard to know exactly what the potential dangers are, and how the emissions compare to any nearby roads, highways, etc."

Good luck,
Al

There you have it. Without legitimate studies of "frack fumes", north Texans will continue to be guinea pigs while Fort Worth fat cats and a dirty industry rake in billions of dollars a year. Remember that next time you see a frack-job on your planet.

New question: Whose going to do the studies and when?

DY

A Mountain View From Fort Worth?

I really don't get enough aerobic exercise, so I went running around the Tandy Hills again today. When I was done with that I headed east on Meadowbrook, towards my favorite Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market. You may not have one of these in your neighborhood yet. They are small versions of a Wal-Mart, sort of like a regular grocery store.

Looking east on Meadowbrook, at the stop light for the exit off I-820, there seems to be what looks like a mountain in the distance. In the northwest that is sort of what Mount Rainier can look like on the horizon.

But, it isn't a mountain. What it is is the nearly completed new Dallas Cowboy Stadium, clearly visible, as you can see in the picture, from Fort Worth.

I've wondered before, in this very venue, if the new Dallas Cowboy Stadium is visible from any vantage point in Dallas. Maybe from the lookout at the top of Reunion Tower. Or one of the other downtown Dallas skyscrapers.

I know the new stadium is not visible from the highest of the Tandy Hills. I was there today and there was no stadium to be seen.

I did see a lot less litter. I've been slowly removing the deluge of litter that clogged up one of the creek beds during our last heavy rain. It's a daunting task. I think the litter in that location has been reduced by half.

Today Is Sunday In Texas

Another blue sky Sunday here in North Texas. Things green seem to be springing to life. Soon Texas will turn colorful for a month or two with the sprouting of wildflowers. And then it'll turn brown, for the most part.

Tonight is Academy Awards night. Last year I think I lasted less than a half hour before turning off the TV. I've not gone to a movie in a theater in this century.

The Academy Awards used to seem sort of like living history with all sorts of famous movie stars from as far back as the 1920s, alive and on display in their elderly form.

Only a few of the Hollywood Stars of Old are still alive. Mickey Rooney, Elizabeth Taylor, Debbie Reynolds, I can think of no others. I'm sure there must be some.

You know you're getting old when Warren Beatty and Clint Eastwood get Lifetime Achievement Awards.

And tonight they are giving the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to Jerry Lewis. I read this morning that those humorless, clueless French still think Jerry Lewis is a comedic genius. That's troubling.

Speaking of Humanitarian Awards, this morning I got an interesting, empathetic email from someone in Tacoma who, apparently, has been reading my blog ever since I was up in Tacoma and who has been, and is, appalled by the childish rantings of a fellow Tacomaite and amused by my ongoing attempts to make sense of what I've come to understand was/is very difficult to understand behavior. I had no idea, til this person told me, that the party in question, previously, had me up on a pedestal and referred to me as her second husband. Just typing that sent a chilling shudder down my spine.

I've not read any of the ranting in awhile, the last instance was pretty funny and so embarrassingly self-revealing, making clear, for any and all to see, what I meant by toxic madness.

The funniest part of that particular ranting was a line, something like, the party in question "had been warned that it would end badly if she allowed me back into her life." Now, I long ago understood that this particular person creates her own alternative reality, that bears little relationship to truth. I love the idea that she lets people into or out of "her life," as if it is some sort of Theme Park one gains admission to.

The reality is, it has always been her behavior that causes things to "end badly." The time previous to the final instance was way back in the 1990s, at Sunriver, when I'd had enough of her lack of impulse control causing multiple temper tantrums. By the time I moved to Texas we were on friendly terms again. I remember returning in 2000 and being confused as to why there had been a move to Tacoma, but I didn't ask and didn't learn why til a couple years later.

By 2003, or so, this person had pretty much faded from my consciousness. Then I got a call from my brother. A friend of his, who knew I knew the party in question, had been unable to reach her. I called the number, I had, to find it'd been disconnected. I contacted a mutual friend, in Bellingham, who told me there had been some trouble, that I'd have to find out the details elsewhere. But, she gave me a phone number.

So, I called and told the person, who was warned "not to let me back in her life because it would end badly," that Miss X was trying to get in contact with her. The person who runs her life like a Theme Park and I exchanged pleasantries. And then I got off the phone. I did not realize, at the time, that my calling had given her my cell phone number.

So, with that cell number, the calls began. Soon the calls came daily. I have no idea at what point in time I was granted admission to this person's Fabulous Life. I do know I flew up there in February of 2004 and this was the first time in years I'd physically been in this person's Fabulous Life. I was back again, for a month, in August of 2004. That time I really was deep into that Fabulous Life, staying the month in her apartment building. That was actually fun.

I returned again in November of 2004, 3 flights up to Seattle in one year. I did not like that. I was up there again in, I think, October of 2005 and then again in April of 2006. On that visit I house sat for the person who now villifies me, while she and her first husband went to Mexico.

My next return was July 20 this past summer, for an entire hellish month that ended August 20. The person who now says she has divorced me (again, shudder) had convinced herself that I was moving back to Washington, at least part time, to do flea markets with her. The concept had been discussed, but not seriously, by me. The person who now villifies me, in stereotypical Only Child Syndrome fashion, did not take it well when I said I was returning to Texas and that no, I did not think I was interested in a flea market career. Though it had been sort of fun helping out with several of those, 3 times at the Fremont Sunday Market, once at Art in the Park and one really boring one in Lacey, called the Saturday Market.

Of course, me good-naturedly doing these flea markets, drivng all over, making magnets and even washing dishes and cleaning a filthy kitchen floor is totally forgotten when some minor thing upsets the Only Child, causing a fit to be pitched with a temper tantrum. Which, with the perspective of time and space, makes it all seem pretty funny, with such a high level of groundless acrimony on display. It was I who had valid reason to be righteously offended and upset.

The biggest irony is it was actually I who let this person back into my life. And I actually did have someone remind me of how difficult she was. But, I've always found her very amusing and I figured she was older, maybe the hormonal rages no longer happened. I knew she'd been in therapy and was taking mood altering medications, all of which made me think the temper tantrums were a thing of the past.

I was wrong.

Everything had gotten worse. I don't think I was ever able to get my balance back from the shock of my second day in Tacoma last summer, when seeing the party in question, for the first time in over 2 years, to see that she'd at least doubled in size. I don't know if I was able to keep an unshocked looking expression on my face. I do remember that upon seeing me she told me I looked sickly and gaunt! I probably did. I felt like throwing up.

The New Dallas Cowboy Stadium Opening Soon

I have not been shy about verbalizing my disgust regarding how the City of Arlington and Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys committed the most outrageous abuse in American history of the perfectly legal practice of using eminent domain to seize private property for the public good.

To build a sports stadium.

But, now that the stadium is almost finished, I have to admit, it is one cool-looking structure.

That looks totally out of place in its location. It would have been such a good thing to have built this at Fair Park in Dallas, particularly now with the DART train having a new line going to Fair Park.

Arlington has no mass transit of any type.

It's pretty easy to predict what the reaction will be when the stadium opens for football, particularly the Super Bowl. For the Super Bowl, one team will be staying in Fort Worth. About 20 miles from the stadium. People will come to the stadium and marvel at the neighborhood of, well, let's call them "older" houses. And a rather, well, eclectic blend of businesses. People will arrive at D/FW airport, take a taxi to their motel, and then be appalled at how far they are from the stadium, and that they have to take another taxi to get to it.

Now, when Arlington was conned into voting to build this stadium they were told it would spur all sorts of development, new hotels, restaurants, retail. For awhile a big development called Glory Park was dangled before the locals as an enticement to approve being taxed for the stadium.

Sadly, the voters of Arlington have very short memory retentions. Way back in the early 1990s, a similar con was run on them to get approval for the Ballpark in Arlington. That's where the Texas Rangers play baseball. Voters were told the Ballpark would spur all sorts of development, including a San Antonio-like Riverwalk. Well, there is a little lake and you can walk around it. But nothing else.

And now, today, there is surprise that nothing new is being built around the new Dallas Cowboy Stadium. All the people of Arlington had to do was visit the current Dallas Cowboy stadium in Irving and make note of the vast wasteland that surrounds the stadium. It's been there for decades without spawning anything of the sort Arlington voter's thought was going to happen around their new Dallas Cowboy Stadium.

Now that the stadium is almost finished, does anyone in Dallas have any regrets that it is not in Dallas? Dallas has over a million people, the tax burden would have been far less than that which Arlington's 332,000 have burdened themselves with.

And what an incredible addition to Fair Park that stadium would have been. Instead it is now sitting in an industrial wasteland. And I think it is too big to move.

Tandy Hills Brush Bash: Day One

I had the best of intentions, today, to help move brush and stuff alien to the natural nature of the Tandy Hills Natural Area.

But, a sprained thumb rendered me worthless for such an endeavor. However, feeling guilty for not doing my part, I did send in a proxy to help and report back to me.

As it turned out, a small army, complete with heavy equipment was on duty today. And a lot more than invasive vegetation was dispatched.

Dozens of abandoned tires were removed. Dozens of bags of litter were collected. I've never seen a tire at the Tandy Hills. I have seen litter, a lot of it in the creek beds, but I don't think that was where today's litter was collected.

I believe it is going to take many more Saturdays to get this job done. I'm thinking dragging a solar-powered wood chipper deep into the park would be a much more efficient means to remove wood debris, than hauling it all the way to where trucks can reach it.

Sweet Tomatoes & A New Computer

I've had me a day of diving deeper into Computer World than I usually like to go. The day started off with me thinking I liked the idea of having the World's Lightest Laptop, a little itty bitty Sony thing that seemed way too little when I saw it in the flesh, so to speak.

Then my eyes fell upon another one, it was also slim, but had a much bigger screen, 3 gigs of memory, a huge hard drive and one of those duo core processors that I know nothing about, except that they must be fast.

The new laptop is a Toshiba. Don't they make cars?

On the way back here a feeding was needed. Fry's Electronics is on the south side of I-20 at Matlock. Sweet Tomatoes is on the north side of I-20 at Matlock. So, it was to Sweet Tomatoes I went after computer shopping made me hungry.

I forgot to mention, I also got that Dragon Speak program that converts the spoken word, via a microphone, to text. This should help me finally be more prolific with this typing words thing I do.

When I got back here, the getting a new computer working thing went way easier than the last time, which was about 5 years ago. I may be remembering wrong, but I think there was some user error involved that time.

I've got this place being a hardwired network connecting a few computers together. Ever since I got rid of Charter Communications and replaced that bankrupt, poorly run company with AT & T U-Verse, I've suspected that that huge modem/router thing they installed was a wireless modem.

I've long noticed when I turn on the wireless connection, on my other laptop, I see several possible connections, with one being at full strength. I suspected that was my own wireless connection. But I did not have a WEP key.

One of the available networks was 2WIRE063. I Googled for info about a U-verse wireless connection. I found out I could use a browser to connect to and control my modem. Doing that I found all sorts of info, including the fact that my broadband connection's wireless connection is named 2WIRE063, thus confirming I have a wireless system here.

But, what is the Network Key? Well, clicking "I forgot my Pass Code" brought up "Hint: Look on the Label." Label? I thought, maybe on the modem? Sure enough. There was a label on the modem and on that label was a number. And that number turned out to be the Network Key!

I feel like a detective who solved a very complicated problem. That should give you some indication of how low the level of technical proficiency operating here is, if I could have a wireless system, unbeknownst to me, that has to be figured out via Googling for help. Pathetic.

The next technical hurdle was getting the network to recognize the new computer. That turned out to be not too baffling. Files are being transferred even as I type.

I am going to try and watch last night's Survivor tonight. I hope I don't pass out again, like last night, but it's been a long day, and my poor little brain has really been overtaxed today. I may pass out at any time.

See you all tomorrow at the Tandy Hills, hauling brush to the street! I can't wait!

Friday's Fry's Day Sony Vaio Laptop

Who wants to go laptop shopping at Fry's Electronics with me today?

Today Fry's has the world's lightest laptop on sale, that being a Sony Vaio P Series that only weighs 1.4 pounds. Its battery lasts up to 4 hours. 2GB of Ram. With a built in camera and GPS navigation system, which I can not imagine using because I never get lost. Maybe it could be used on a plane to make sure the pilot is heading in the right direction.

I think I overdid the running around Tandy Hills yesterday. Sometime after 8 last night I started to watch yesterday's DVRed latest episode of Survivor, but I passed out on the couch before we got to the first challenge. This never happens to me, well, hasn't happened to me in a long long time. Of recent times my problem has been insomnia, not passing out in front of the TV.

Apparently I go from one extreme to another.

Like I can go from saying I'm not returning to the Northwest for another 10 years, after last summer's miserable month of, well, misery, to seeing a picture of tulips on a laptop screen and thinking it'd be fun to be in the Northwest this spring to see the Skagit Valley tulips for the first time in a decade.

This year's Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is a month long, as in the entire month of April. When I lived in the Skagit Valley I don't recollect the Tulip Festival lasting an entire month. If I remember right, last year's late Spring made everything bloom late, everything from tulips to blackberries, the blackberries being something I'd looked forward to last summer, but who's late ripening disappointed me, just like pretty much everything else had.

Maybe the Tulip Festival is being stretched longer to make sure there are some blooming flowers when the hordes, and I do mean hordes, of tourists arrive.

The same month as the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, the Tandy Hills Prairie Fest happens. The Prairie Fest will get about 3000 visitors. The Tulip Festival will get somewhere around a million visitors. This creates epic traffic jams on country roads, requiring a lot of traffic cop direction and surveillance by helicopters. It's a spectacle.

Decapitated Cactus & Brush Bash Prep At Tandy Hills

I decided this morning that I really do not get enough exercise, so I decided to go run up and down the hills at Tandy Hills Natural Area.

I figured I'd also check on the progress of the City of Fort Worth arborist's brush cutting project preparing for Saturday's onslaught of Tandy Hills Aficionados ready and eager to haul tons of brush to the road.

I ran and ran and ran over mile after mile of the Tandy Hills trails, looking for some cut brush. Finally, after what seemed hours, I came upon several clumps of Prickly Pear Cactus that had been sliced.

Surely this is not part of the City of Fort Worth brush cutting, I hoped. I continued on with my search. I looked on the west side of the main trail that leads from the main park entry. No cut brush.

I backtracked to the main entry part, that's where there is regular, planted and mowed lawn and a playground. Just a short distance after the planted lawn ends there is a seldom used trail that heads to the east and connects to more frequently used trails.

On that infrequently used trail I did find a small section where brush had been cut. If that is all the brush that needs to be bashed on Saturday, it doesn't appear it will take too long to clean it all up.

In the meantime I'm trying to find out if there is anything that can be done to save those decapitated cactus. In Arizona you can do jail time for decapitating a cactus, if it's a Saguaro. I don't know how they feel about Prickly Pear Cactus in Arizona.

Amon G. Carter Foundation Fort Worth Heritage Park Fix

Yesterday on my Fort Worth To-Do List of Problems that I think would behoove Fort Worth to address and fix was the downtown eyesore that should never have been allowed to have become an eyesore, that being Fort Worth's Heritage Park.

Now that the destruction of Heritage Park has become a national issue, with it being put on a list of National Modern Marvels of Architecture in Danger, plus the State of Texas putting Heritage Park on a list of Texas Landmarks in Danger, the City of Fort Worth is finally, sort of, addressing the problem.

My suggestion yesterday was to immediately remove the cyclone fencing and the "Park Closed" sign, clean up the park and re-open it. And worry about fixing the water features later. I believe the claim that shifting ground has affected the structures to be a bogus concern. I've walked all over the "closed" park and saw no signs of cracking concrete.

It seems that currently the City of Fort Worth is earnestly attempting to counter the bad publicity regarding what most outsiders would view as an act of civic negligence, by contacting those who are critical, and concerned, regarding the current sad state of Heritage Park.

Yesterday I was contacted by a City of Fort Worth representative, Veronica Villegas, who wanted to share with me new information about Heritage Park. I then asked if the "new information" was what had been reported in the press, that being that Fort Worth was looking for a way to re-open the park, needing over $7 million to do so.

The City of Fort Worth representative replied with the following, regarding the "new information" about Heritage Park....

The city would like to bring residents up to speed on where we are and how we got here.

As you know, the park was closed in 2007 without much information as to why. We think it is important that residents know those reasons. Also, since then, Streams and Valleys commissioned a study that addresses some of the very issues for the park’s closure.

Last week the city announced that it will be partnering with the Amon G. Carter Foundation to bring landscape architect Laurie Olin, a close associate of the park’s designer Lawrence Halprin, to help the city explore ways to restore and improve Heritage Park. He will lead a two or three day study workshop sometime in April.

The city has forgotten about Heritage Park, but the issues are very complex and it has taken some time to determine our next steps. Certainly, the upcoming workshops will not provide all of answers or even a definitive solution. Instead, it is the first step in a what will undoubtedly be a thorough process that will involve interested stakeholders and our residents.

I would be happy to discuss additional details with you over the phone.

Veronica

I think the part where Veronica says "The city has forgotten about Heritage Park." was a Freudian Slip. I'm sure what she meant to say was "The city has not forgotten about Heritage Park." At least, I hope that is what she meant.

Prairie Power: The Tandy Hills Cleanup Has Begun

City crews have been cutting brush all day today and will continue Thursday and Friday.

We need all the "Friends" we can get to finish the job.

The first ever Tandy Hills Brush Bash is this Saturday, Feb. 21. 9 am - 3 pm.

Come join this motley band of brush-bashers and get in touch with your inner, grass-hugger.

WHO:
Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area. That means YOU!

WHAT:
Tandy Hills Brush Bash. Phase 1.

WHEN:
Saturday, February 21
9 am - Noon
1 pm - 3 pm
Work one or both shifts.
(Rain Date, and possible second date, March 7)

WHERE:
Tandy Hills Natural Area
3400 View Street
Fort Worth, TX 76103

BRING:
Gloves, work clothes, sturdy shoes, hat, sunscreen, picnic lunch.

CONTACT - RSVP:
Don Young
817-731-2787

See you on the prairie!

This week's FW Weekly has an excellent article about the Tandy Hills cleanup and other Tandy Hills events like the upcoming Prairie Fest.

Below is an excerpt from the FW Weekly article....click the above link to read the entire article.

The city’s best example of native grassland prairie isn’t all that great anymore. Trees have been taking over Tandy Hills Natural Area for years, choking out the wild grasses and flowers that have made the park unique in North Texas.

Now, after years of neglect, the city of Fort Worth is showing a renewed commitment to restoring the park to the way it looked back when wildfires periodically cleared the land of trees and promoted the growth of grasses that sustained huge herds of buffalo.

A crew of chainsaw-wielding tree-slayers will begin laying waste to the unwanted canopy this week, and volunteers will converge on the park on Saturday to drag the cuttings to the curb for removal. What’s more, the city is pledging to make the tree-clearing an annual effort, ensuring the grasslands remain intact for ensuing generations.

“This is a huge step forward,” said Don Young, one of numerous Eastside activists who have pleaded with the city to better maintain the park in recent years.

The informal group began calling themselves the Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area about four years ago, and created the Prairie Fest. The annual outdoor festival uses music, art, dance, environmental displays, and wildlife tours to bring attention to the park. That first year the festival attracted only a handful of vendors, visitors, and entertainers. Since then, however, the celebration has exploded. About 2,500 visitors attended in 2008, along with 100 vendors.

My Neighborhood Monster Has Returned

I was up in Southlake today. When I got back here I saw that an old neighbor had returned. An unwelcome neighbor who was real messy and made a lot of noise, that being a Chesapeake Energy Barnett Shale gas drilling operation.

I don't know why they are back. The tower is slamming something into the ground. A guy was halfway up the tower. I'd not seen that before. Whatever they were doing it was making that annoying high pitched squealing noise.

And in one of those fortuitous type coincidences that happen with regularity, just when I took the drilling rig picture off my camera, I saw an incoming email from Don Young pointing to fresh information and research about the environmental and health impacts of all this ground poking going on in this highly populated urban zone.

---

Who do you trust to tell you the truth about gas drilling impacts on human health?

The Big Gas & Oil propaganda machine or a well respected doctor who did her homework?

Dr. Theo Colborn's research into fracking chemicals and their impact on human health are in direct conflict with the gas drilling industry lies. Her updated website is a must-read.

Be sure and check out the, "What's New" section. If you are an expectant parent or the parent of young children, this info is very important, especially, if you live in the Barnett Shale or other oil/gas production areas:

Another must-read on the site is the Fossil Fuel Connection.

Fort Worth's To Do List

I'm in about my 3rd month of the Dallas Morning News being my newspaper, switching from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. It's been a huge improvement.

The Dallas Morning News seems to be a much more community minded newspaper. A good example of this is each month, on the editorial page, the editors list 10 items they feel need fixing as part of their campaign to bridge the gap between North and South Dallas.

On the list are things like a the run down Dallas Inn, near the zoo. The editorial notes that progress has been made, bulldozers will soon roll. Other items on the list, along with the prognosis for solving the problem are things like burned out houses, a grocery store that has turned into an eyesore, cracked asphalt on a playground. Well, you get the idea.

Meanwhile, in all my years of reading the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, I do not recollect reading a similar editorial. And how could there be, what with the Star-Telegram's editorial position that everything in Fort Worth is perfect, so much so that Fort Worth is the Envy of Cities and Towns Far and Wide, causing serious outbreaks of Green With Envy Syndrome.

So, with the Fort Worth newspaper of record opting out of its civic duties, I will try and fill the gap with my own Fort Worth To Do List.

Problem #1: The Fort Worth Stockyards are arguably Fort Worth's top attraction. Yet it is rundown. Eyesores like the New Isis Theater (pictured above) blight the National Historic District. How hard would it be to put some cosmetic camouflage on some of the more rundown parts of the Stockyards? And get rid of the Wells Fargo Bank building. It totally does not fit.

Problem #2: The I-35W Freeway exits to the Fort Worth Stockyards. They are both littered, weed-covered eyesores. Most town and cities in the states west of Texas, landscape their freeway exits, particularly freeway exits to a tourist attraction. At least keep the exits mowed and litter-free.

Problem #3: I have never seen a major American city with so many streets lacking sidewalks. There are so many areas where pedestrians have worn a path into the grass. In some locations the lack of a sidewalk is dangerous. A few weeks ago I saw an elderly lady, gingerly trying to push her cart load of groceries down a rough trail where a sidewalk should be. No town that has pretensions of being the envy of any other place should be so lacking in sidewalks. How about losing the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle and replace it with the Fort Worth Sidewalks Vision? It'd probably be cheaper and way more useful.

Problem #4: East Lancaster, East Berry, East Rosedale. I take visitors from the northwest down these roads. Their jaws drop. They can't believe they are still in America or that a part of America looks so much like they've entered a Third World Country.

Problem #5: Camp Bowie Boulevard. I was told by a lifelong Fort Worth native that Camp Bowie Boulevard is unique, no other place has a brick paved road. Well, I hate to disabuse people of erroneously held notions, but a brick covered road is not unique. There are brick covered roads in other towns in Texas. What makes Camp Bowie unique is, for the most part, despite some renovation, the road is a bone-jarring mess. Either fix it or pave it. Trust me, it is not unique.

Problem #6: All the long dead businesses you see when you drive around town, turned into eyesores. Fort Worth needs to act like other cities, that are actually envied, and clean up these messes instead of letting them fester.

Problem #7: Heritage Park. What other city in America would arbitrarily close a park, and leave standing, signs that say things like "The visitor to Heritage Park walks on the paths of one man's vision, all those who follow and give life to that vision continue the legacy of courage and purpose." What other city, that is the envy of towns and cities far and wide, would let such an eyesore fester at the heart of their downtown, with a view overlooking what may become their Trinity River Vision? It just seems bizarre to me.

This week the City of Fort Worth says it is looking at the possibility of reopening Heritage Park. The reasons it was closed, supposedly, was ground shifting had affected the structures, the water features were no longer working, no lighting at night, people found it scary and too many homeless people.

The supposed price tag to fix Heritage Park is over $7 million. Here is my solution. Take down the cyclone fencing and the "Park Closed" signs. Clean up the debris. Put in some lighting. Patrol the park regularly. There is a police station/jail right next door. How hard could it be to patrol that park? I saw no sign of any structural damage when I walked all over the park. I think structural damage is a bogus reason to keep it closed. Leave the water features off til Fort Worth can afford to turn them back on.

Fort Worth's Heritage Park is the first thing I found in Fort Worth that actually impressed me as being very well done. When I saw, over a year ago, what had been done to it, I was shocked and appalled and disgusted. Send the same task force Fort Worth sent to Seattle to check out Seattle's new trolley and how Seattle handled the homeless problem, only this time focus on how Seattle solved their Freeway Park problems, that being a park very similar, though bigger, to Fort Worth's Heritage Park.

The cyclone fencing and park closed signs need to come down today. It's ridiculous.

The Dogs Of Tandy Hills, A Restored Shrine & Purple Wildflowers

I saw my first wildflower of the year, this morning while jogging on the Tandy Hills. I don't know what the name of the purple wildflower is. I've not yet seen one of the shy Trout Lilies that are also currently blooming.

It's another gray day in North Texas, but not a cold, gray day.

I had some good wild excitement while communing with nature this morning. I came over the crest of a hill to see 3 big dogs. When they saw me they started barking and running towards me. I took off at high speed in the opposite direction. I think I moved faster than when I thought a water moccasin was chasing me in Lake Grapevine.

I hope the dog incident does not cause a scary nightmare like what happened when I was chased by dogs at Oakland Lake Park. That night the dogs reappeared in dream form, which quickly turned nightmarish when the 6 dogs morphed into 6 hugely obese, extremely ugly, hideous fat women trying to bite me with their big mouths. I still shudder when I think of it.

I thought today seemed like a good day to rebuild the Tandy Hills Shrine. It'd been destroyed by Shrine Vandals a couple months ago. I did not rebuild the Shrine as artfully as the original. I was in a hurry. So, pretty much all I did was take the Shrine Materials out of the grass and put them back on the trail.

I saw a very odd sign by the Tandy Hills Shrine. I'm sure it has always been there, but I never noticed it before. Why? I do not know. I've been at this location dozens of times. I must not be very observant.

The sign warned "NO DRIVING OFF ROADWAY." The problem with that is there is no roadway to drive off. The sign didn't look all that old, so it's not like a long time ago there actually was a road requiring this now pointless sign. It's perplexing. There are a lot of mysteries in the Tandy Hills.

None of which I solved today. Maybe tomorrow.

Squirrely Shirley & The Nuts

After day after day of leaving me voice mails my mom finally got me on the phone this afternoon about 5.

Mom wanted my favorite ex-sister-in-law's email address so she could thank her for a real nice DVD the ex-sister-in-law had sent me and them. The DVD had videos of my grand-nephew, mom and dad's great grand-kid, Spencer Jack. Spencer Jack may be the cutest kid on the planet.

When I got off the phone I walked out to the living room zone and looked out the patio doors to see my pet squirrel, ironically named Shirley, nibbling on the fresh growth popping out on the trees.

Ironically named Shirley, I say, because I'd just gotten off the phone with my mom who also is a Shirley. Squirrely Shirley is still out there doing her balancing act on the thin limbs. She is quite an acrobat. I leave Shirley nuts out on the patio. Shirley likes nuts.

My mom reminded me today that I'm coming to Phoenix to load up on citrus, and that I better hurry because the lemon season is nearing its end.

My aerobic therapy was the Tandy Hills again today. Signs of spring are starting to sprout. In about a month or so Texas becomes very colorful, with wildflowers sprouting out all over the place. It's my favorite time of the year here, wildflowers, wild weather, warmer temperatures.

And then summer hits. But, actually, I've learned to like summer too. I don't let 100 degree or more days stop me from having fun outside. For the most part. It can get vexing when too many 100 degree days in a row make the swimming pool's water feel like a bath tub. That I don't like.

One thing I know for 100% certain, this summer I am staying in Texas. I will not be spending a frigid month in the cold north, like I did last summer. I've still not totally recovered from that. Although I always have to remind myself, even though it was traumatic, it did fix a long-standing problem that had me vexed. But, I actually could have fixed that without leaving Texas. All I had to do was not answer my phone....

Vitamixing Peanut Butter

A long long time ago in a land far away, that being Washington and the town of Seattle, I went to the annual Home Show that took place in the now deceased Kingdome.

At the Home Show I watched a demonstration of a Vita-Mix. The demonstrator made it seem so easy to make tasty soup, ice cream, all sorts of things.

So, I bought a Vita-Mix. It's been so long since I bought it that my Vita-Mix is now an antique. I saw the new version at last year's Texas State Fair in Dallas. The modern Vita-Mix is quiet and looks very high-tech. Mine looks low-tech and is so noisy it probably does ear drum damage.

When I got my Vita-Mix home I tried to make soup. The demonstrator made it look so easy, just throw in a bunch of vegetables and turn it on. I did so, but it did not make soup. Instead it was a thick green slurry that was inedible.

Eventually I figured out how to make bread, grinding wheat berries to make flour, then making the dough that ended up being very very dense bread that many also said was inedible.

As time went by I did find some uses for the Vita-Mix, but it's been a long time since I've made anything with it. Til this morning.

What with peanut butter turning deadly and with me having an over supply of very good Virginia peanuts that I got at Sprouts Farmers Market and with my jar of Smuckers Natural Peanut Butter empty, I decided to use the Vita-Mix to make peanut butter.

I recollect having made peanut butter before in the Vita-Mix, I think. This morning it took a long time of running that noisy thing, my ears are still ringing, but eventually the peanuts turned into butter. A real course, crunchy butter. That tastes real good.

So, that's been my day so far. Being a very productive peanut butter maker.

Sunday In The Park (Tandy Hills)

For 2 days my mom has been calling and leaving voice mail messages. When I call back I get their answering machine. It's vexing. Modern communication is so unreliable.

One of my ex-sisters-in-law sent me and mom and dad a DVD with a lot of video of my grand nephew, Spencer Jack. I don't know if mom and dad will figure out how to watch the movie.

I don't know if they've ever recovered from buying a Beta VCR, rather than the VHS version. For some reason all my relatives blame me for them all buying Betas. While I got rid of my Beta and got a VHS. It seems like decades ago and I still hear complaints. As recently as last week. I guess on some things there are no statutes of limitations.

Are you planning on being at the Tandy Hills next Saturday to help with the first phase of Operation "Make it Natural"? I went hiking there today, with an eye to looking at what is going to be removed. It would appear to be quite a daunting task. Rather than haul out all that mesquite, why not have a huge bonfire? It'd smell real good. I'll bring meat products to BBQ.

That is downtown Fort Worth, in the photo above, looking through a haze of smog. Even the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, which usually operates as some sort of industry shill, is reporting that the Barnett Shale natural gas drilling operations are adding more pollution to the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex air than all the vehicles on all the roads in this large metropolitan area.

I was startled by a large cat-like creature while hiking today. Moments later I was startled by a large mammal in human form with a big cock-a-poo type dog. The human was an older gentleman who walked with a cane. I thought he was being quite adventurous, negotiating the steep Tandy Hills with a cane.

I don't know if it true or not, but he told me that Mesquite is not native to Texas. It came from Mexico, brought north by the cattle drives that ran through Fort Worth. He told me that since there were no cattle drives through Dallas, there is no mesquite there.

The Man with the Cane has lived near the Tandy Hills since 1979. Back then, the long gone restaurant that used to sit on the western end of the Tandy Hills, was still in operation. He couldn't remember the name for sure, thought it might be something like Calamity Jane's. He said it had a great view and an outdoor patio. It was still standing when I first moved here. Then it was torn down. After that you could make out the layout by looking at the foundation. There was a water feature that you crossed over via a bridge to enter the restaurant.

I've long thought it may have been a Prohibition era Speakeasy type joint, due to its isolated location on a bluff affording a good view of possible incoming police. The Man with a Cane said the building looked like it could have been built back in the 1920s. I am now on a mission to find out the history of that place.

Prairie Notes: Winter Notebook

Don Young's latest Tandy Hills Prairie Notes.........

Prairie Notes: Winter Notebook February 14, 2009

The 4th annual Fort Worth Prairie Fest is coming April 25. On that day, music, arts, dance, green business, environmental stewardship and floral fantasia will come together in joyful celebration. Until then, winter at Tandy Hills Natural Area holds many surprises for those who look closely. Come on in.
The lovely, lilliputian Trout Lily (Erythronium albidum) resides stealthily in the deep shadows of Tandy Hills, nestled by thick blankets of fallen leaves. Also (mis)known as, Dog's-tooth Violet (it's a lily, not a violet), they are a cheerful reminder that Spring is near. For me, they are also a symbol of the amazing endurance of THNA.

This is the earliest date I have seen them blooming at THNA. They have been arriving about a week earlier each of the past few years. The nodding flowers, framed by a pair of specked trout-colored leaves, vary in shade from pure white to pale violet with mustard yellow centers. When you go "fishing" for Trout Lilies, please tread carefully. They are considered rare in Texas.
Winter landscapes on the prairie have a special beauty. Powerful north winds created interesting cloud patterns in January. A hard freeze in late January combined with a dead-still, sunlit morning made the prairie feel like a distant planet.

I have observed more avian activity than usual at Tandy Hills this Winter. The hawks are back after a brief absence. An owl was spotted last week. The sky and trees are filled with a variety of migratory birds. Dozens of Robin-like birds, only smaller, has been swarming back and forth from my yard to the security of the park. On more than one occasion, after climbing a steep hill and turning to face the setting sun, I have seen large flocks of ducks passing overhead, close enough to feel their wake. There is nothing more breathtaking.

A frosty, January morning on the prairie. Olive the Prairie Dog searches for signs of life.

"A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."

-Aldo Leopold

(from, The Land Ethic in, A Sand County Almanac)

Come to the meadow and re-connect yourself with the natural world.

DY

Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area
P.O. Box 470041
Fort Worth, TX 76147
817-731-2787
http://www.tandyhills.org

"God bless Fort Worth, Texas. Help us save some of it."

Valentine's Day Fight & Sweet Tomatoes.

What a Valentine's Day it has been. A cold Valentine's Day. With little sun.

On my way to Sweet Tomatoes for my annual Valentine's Day lunch I went to Veterans Park in Arlington to walk in the cold, dank air for awhile. I like the backwoods part of Veterans Park. That's what you're looking at in the picture on the left.

I'd not been this way in awhile. There is a log bridge across a gully that I've crossed many a time. But a chunk had decayed away, leaving the bridge crossing a bit adventurous for my acrophobic tendencies. But not too adventurous. I made it across.

There was way too much going on in Veterans Park today. A small army of disc golfers was preparing for a disc golf tournament. Once that started, hiking would be treacherous with way too many discs flying in the air. The disc throwers have the right of way over walkers in Veterans Park.

I've read of problems with gangs fighting in parks. And other places. But, I've never seen such a thing.

But, today at Veterans Park there was a raging battle, the likes of which I've only seen once before. At Scarborough Faire. It was brutal. I watched from a distance, then got closer. I was afraid my picture taking might cause the fighting gangs to turn their battling on me.

After exhausting Veterans Park it was on to Sweet Tomatoes. The traffic was appalling. Long long long lines behind each stop light. I had not listened to the radio or tv all day. I wondered if there'd been an announcement that the Great Depression 2.0 was over and we were back in boom times, so the masses were out in a shopping frenzy.

I still have not had a radio or tv on, so I don't know, yet, if the Great Depression 2.0 is still in motion, or not.

I did get great news from Don Young upon my return home. The City of Fort Worth is finally doing the right thing and beginning the process of restoring the Tandy Hills Natural Area to its, well, natural state, thus finally making it true to its name. I hope.

Tandy Hills Brush Bash: Phase I---Volunteer Please

Big News from Don Young.

Big Steps are being taken to bring the Tandy Hills back to full health....

Tandy Hills Natural Area is getting a makeover. The City of Fort Worth is initiating the first phase of an ongoing effort to enact the recently published Master Plan.

Beginning next week, City of FW Parks and Community Services Department crews will begin cutting unwanted and invasive woody species from selected portions of the 160 acre park. They need our help dragging the cuttings to the curb. Without natural fire to control them "woody" species are shading out the native grasses and wildflowers that make THNA such a remarkable place. With your help, we can start reversing this trend. (see below)

My sombrero is off to the City of Fort Worth Parks Dept. staff for making this happen.

DY

PS: Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area is now a 501 (c)(3) non-profit corporation.

VOLUNTEERS needed. >>> RSVP
Help us celebrate this historic day on the prairie.
Morning tea/coffee/pastries and water provided by FOTHNA.
Bring a sack lunch if you can work all day.

WHO:
Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area. That means YOU!

WHAT:
Tandy Hills Brush Bash. Phase 1.

WHEN: Saturday, February 21 9 am - Noon 1 pm - 3 pm Work one or both shifts.

(Rain Date, and possible second date, March 7)

WHERE:
Tandy Hills Natural Area
3400 View Street
Fort Worth, TX 76103

BRING:
Gloves, work clothes, sturdy shoes, hat, sunscreen, picnic lunch.

CONTACT - RSVP:
Don Young
817-731-2787

Most of the grays and greens in the below picture
will be removed under the Master Plan,
allowing the grasses and wildflowers to flourish.

Happy Valentine's Day From Fort Worth

It's a cold, dreary, gray Valentine's Day here in the far eastern environs of Fort Worth, Texas. This latest cold snap is currently chilling me in the 30s at 10am. Heading to a high in the high 50s. Brrrr.

My exciting Valentine's Day's highlight should, I hope, be lunch at Sweet Tomatoes. No, I will not be dining with the Valentine's Sweetheart in the photo. She looks like she'd be more of a Zorro's All You Can Eat Buffet type of gal, the sort who rarely lets salad, or any vegetable, for that matter, pass her sweet lips en route to her ample thighs.

Speaking of Big Gals, Tootsie Tonasket reports that she has lost over 40 pounds on what she is calling the "Divorce Diet." She is now down under 140, which makes her one of only three adult females, of my acquaintance, with a confirmed weight less than mine.

Speaking of eating healthy stuff. Right now I'm eating a Texas Ruby Red Grapefruit. This may be the best Texas thing I've come across. The Ruby Reds are so sweet, they need no sugar or honey. And there are very few seeds. Best grapefruit ever. And being red makes them perfect for Valentine's Day.

As Seen In Dirty Ol' Town (Fort Worth)

Oh, joy, there is a Barnett Shale Expo we can look forward to on March 11. I wondered what I was going to do that day.

And, in addition to the billboard info, more incoming info from Don Young about the latest billboard and more.....

The Barnett Shale Mafia have a new billboard on University Drive in Fort Worth. The gas drilling industry is aggressively ramping up their advertising and cheerleading, despite the down economy and news that - surprise - gas drilling is a MAJOR air pollutant. SEE HERE ...... AND HERE

Increased scrutiny is drawing back the veils on a dirty industry that wants you to believe their "clean burning" myth. They dare not say that natural gas is just another dirty fossil fuel that threatens public health and safety and the environment. The message on this billboard continues their belief in a gullible public who cares only about money.

It's up to you to see through the BS (Barnett Shale).

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Fort Worth's Connection To America's First Serial Killer: Part II

On Tuesday I mentioned a book I'm reading, that being "Depraved: The Shocking True Story of America's First Serial Killer," by Harold Schechter, and my surprise at the turn in the story that ended up in Fort Worth, where the bad guy did some heavy duty swindling, including some horse thieving.

This had the Texas law after the bad guy, Mudgett/Holmes, most commonly known as Dr. H. H. Holmes.

Well, I've almost finished this book. I'm at the part where the bad guy is now on trial. When he was arrested it was for being caught in an insurance fraud perpetrated in Philadelphia, not Fort Worth.

But, when Dr. H. H. Holmes was caught, Fort Worth was on his mind. Below is the pertinent, somewhat amusing excerpt, in that, who knew, even a century ago, the Texas legal system scared the rest of the country?

Holmes knew the law, in the form of Pinkerton agents and insurance agents, was hot on his trail.

"When he recognized the representative of the insurance company he had swindled, Holmes half-rose from his chair and, extending his right hand, greeted the insurance man cordially, "I guess I know what I'm really wanted for," he said in a tone of almost palpable relief. Infinitely preferring the hospitality of the Pennsylvania prison system to a stint in a Texas penitentiary ("I dislike fearfully to go to Fort Worth to serve a term," he confided to an acquaintance. I would rather be here in Philadelphia five years than one in Fort Worth"), Holmes was not just ready, but positively eager to admit to the insurance fraud and hopefully avoid going to Texas to face horse thief and fraud charges."

Dr. H. H. Holmes never did face Texas justice. The Philadelphia insurance fraud investigation quickly turned into a murder investigation that quickly spread to several states and to Canada. Holmes faced a noose soon after he was convicted of being a murderer. It would seem a more fitting punishment would have been life imprisonment.

In Texas.

I Got Poked Today, Among Other Things

It's an hour to go before I go to Brazil and watch some Survivors. To get in a semi-Tropical mood I'm in my own personal Kava Bar right now. Google it. I can't be expected to explain everything.

It's been a day. Turns out a tornado did touch down in the neighborhood Tuesday night, well almost my neighborhood. A few miles north, in Colleyville, a F1 touched down for a half mile or so, ripping off roofs and doing other damage. The killer tornado up in Oklahoma turned out to be an F4. That's a powerful tornado.

This morning, after I blogged about Only Child Syndrome, Gar the Texan pointed out that our new President is sort of an Only Child, in that he was one for 8 years til a step-sister came along. Gar wondered if 8 years solo was enough time to cause the syndrome.

I don't know, but it concerns me. I really can't picture Barack Obama having an Only Child type temper tantrum. He is likely one of those rare souls who managed to escape succumbing to Only Child Syndrome. But, how can we know for sure?

That Facebook thing, that I accidentally signed up for a few weeks back, continues to vex me. Today I got poked again, several times, in Facebook. I have no idea what that means. I am also being strained in my brainpan by a Facebook Scrabble game. I seem to be absolutely no good at this game.

I went walking at Oakland Lake Park today, talking via cell phone to Tootsie Tonasket while doing so. Tootsie's domestic situation continues to make Peyton Place sound like Sunday School.

Alma, the Songbird of the South Texas Gulf Coast, is making Port Aransas sound better and better. I like the idea of it being a pirate enclave, where descendants of people like Jean Lafitte roam about. That and saltwater with big waves, sandy beaches and blue sky all sound good. Plus Alma has made it clear that most people run around half nekkid all the time. That is my preferred dress mode.

I had intended to blog about the latest iteration of the Fort Worth Heritage Park debacle. Maybe I'll get around to that tomorrow. That and an amusing thing I read about Texas in that book I'm reading about America's first serial killer. If you've never heard of this fascinatingly bizarre true crime story, go here, and read the Wikipedia version.

People who think our current economic woes are unique, need to familiarize themselves with the Panic of 1893, which occured during the time frame I'm currently reading about. That Panic also involved shady financial dealings. Go here to read the Wikipedia article about the Panic of 1893.

The relaxing benefits of visiting my tropical Kava Bar are starting to kick in. I don't know why people consume dangerous drugs, like alcohol, or prescription meds, when there are pleasant safe herbs like Kava and coffee available. It perplexes me.

Only Child Syndrome: Part IV

Like I've said before, every day dozens of people come to this blog looking for information about how to deal with Only Child Syndrome (OCS). The info seekers seem to come in clusters. Why? I do not know.

Just in the past few hours there have been people from Lexington KY, Albany NY, Houston, Littleton CO, Lock Haven PA, Brick NJ, Ft. Lauderdale, Cincinnati, Worth IL, Springfield OH, Memphis, Rochester NY, Washington, D.C., Portland OR, Wayne NJ and Kalamazoo MI.

I have yet to see a single info seeker come from China. China has the world's largest number of Only Children. A percentage higher than that which would normally occur, in any given culture, due to China having that have only one child policy. Maybe there is something about how the Chinese raise their kids that prevents Only Child Syndrome from developing. Or maybe the Chinese OCS is a ticking time bomb that will eventually destroy the planet in one apocalyptic temper tantrum.

There are some who say that OCS does not exist. I have known 6 Only Children. All 6 had the syndrome to varying degrees. I do believe if one knew 100 Only Children that it is likely that a few among the 100 might not have OCS. The majority of emails and comments I've received, on the subject, agree that OCS definitely exists. I've even heard from a large number of Only Children who know OCS exists. Including one I received yesterday, that I will copy below.

I do know of one OC, who may be the worst case of OCS I've encountered, who thinks I made up OCS, just to somehow make fun of her. This is a typical OCS response. It is always all about them. It certainly can not be about the victim of an OC and the OCS victim trying to figure out what it was that caused such bizarrely dysfunctional behavior.

A couple of well regarded American shrinks are onboard regarding OCS. One being G. Stanley Hall, who refers to OCS as a disease. And another, a protege of Freud, Alfred Adler, who believed "only children" were deficient, having been pampered and spoiled by their parents to the point that it later caused interpersonal difficulties whenever the OC perceived that he/she was not universally liked and admired. (I have certainly experienced that OCS trait up close and personal)

My own worst personal OCS case hits bingo on all the OCS stereotypes. Prime among them is an epic cluelessness as to how transparent the aberrant behavior is to observers. My worst case can verbalize, via written word, a spiteful diatribe that is so full of ironic hypocrisies and self-revealing thought processes, that it leaves the reader both appalled and very amused.

The reason this occurs is that in worse case OCS sufferers a very deviant form of psychological transference and projection occurs that is called malignant narcissism. In order to maintain the mindset that the only child is all good and their imagined enemies all bad, malignant narcissists project all the unacceptable parts of themselves onto those enemies. Thus, they will consistently accuse them of doing bad things, that they are in fact doing themselves (even as they deny doing them).

If an only child feels threatened by a supposedly evil enemy, aggressive behavior toward the imaginary malevolent adversary is morally justified as mere self defense in the mind of the only child. When antisocial traits are added to the mix, the malignant narcissus is willing to lie and violate both rules and the rights of others without compunction or interference of a conscience in the service of the Only Child's deluded righteousness. The malignant narcissistic Only Child feels heroic for lying, cheating, stealing and wreaking havoc with people's lives in their twisted battle against imaginary evil.

The above 2 paragraphs are taken from a psych textbook. They are so on target that all I can say is "Bulls Eye." And "Bingo."

I would go into a detailed analysis of the sadly revelatory nature of my worst case OCS's latest twisted diatribe, but I've already used up too many words on this particular musing about this subject. I've heard from several victims of OCS who want to read more on this subject. I'll continue to do my part to help shed some light, despite getting rather sad, threatening, missives, stereotypically Only Child Syndrome, in nature, from a very sad OC.

I'll end with copying yesterday's missive from an Only Child calling her/himself "Spoiled Brat...

"I have to admit that I also suffer from this syndrome! I am the only-child and I find it quite difficult to express my feelings. This could be because I was over protected as a child and wasn't allowed to express my feelings much. Most people who are only children have the tendency to regress to children when they don't get their way or think they are not being heard.

"Waaaaaahhhhh...Look at ME!" LOL

Even as a 24 year old, I still have problems communicating with others. While most people tend to like me, its hard for me to form a real bond. I agree with the excerpt you had from another blog, I have also cut groups of people out of my life without any remorse or afterthought. it could be defensive mechanism because as an only child, you are forced to take care of yourself.

Also, when I was younger, I got picked on a lot because I had glasses and bushy hair. I had to fight for myself on a daily basis!!! This could be another reason why I don't easily form bonds with people.

What makes it worse is, I have a half sister, but I still consider myself the only child because I wasn't raised in the same household as her. I remember when I was 19 and I told my Dad, "I wish it was just me.." before I could even stop myself. His eyes got big like I threatened kill my little sister or something!LOL so yeah, I believe that most children who don't have siblings have problems forming an emotional bond with anyone, but it is something I am working on."

Catfish, Kava Tea & Only Child Syndrome

That is a nondescript catfish joint called Tuckers in the picture. It is in North Richland Hills on Davis Boulevard. Its billboard says its catfish is famous. I have no independent verification of that, nor do I care to personally sample their famous inland "seafood."

I was at this location due to me agreeing to pick someone up here on my way back from Southlake. I won't go into the details of why I was in Southlake, except to say while I was in Southlake I also went to Sprouts Farmers Market, and among other things I got Kava Tea. I've not had that medicinal herb since I got a supply direct from the island of Kuaui. That's part of Hawaii. Hawaii is a state way out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

I do not wait well. You can see how impatient I was being by looking at the picture, on the right, of me looking impatient, getting all rumpled and bored. When I agree to meet someone I expect them to be at the appointed location at the appointed time. The party in question was supposed to be on a precise spot at precisely 1:15pm. However, at that point in time, that spot was occupied by an urchin selling some sort of Valentine bauble. I declined the Valentine bauble offer. I do not participate in Hallmark type occasions, which pretty much makes me immune to just about any holiday.

At 1:17 pm the person in question finally arrived, unforgivably tardy. I'll probably get over it. I may even forgive it. After awhile.

When I got back here and checked my computer messages I saw one of them was a very good comment from a person suffering from Only Child Syndrome. I keep intending to blog again about OCS, what with there being so many sufferers out there, both those who are OC's and those who are victims of OCS.

But, it just so painful to write about, dredges up all sorts of troubling memories. And it is complex to detail my personal experiences with Only Child Syndrome, what with the behaviors being so oddly convoluted, yet sort of amusing when viewed from the perspective of distance and time. In other words, when written about when the memory of the pain of dealing with one of those monsters is not quite so fresh.

I did not see any sign of damage from last night's storm when I drove north.

Yankee Go Home You Carpet Bagger

It has amused me, almost since the first day of my exile in Texas, how some Texans stereotypically react to what they perceive as criticism of anything to do with Texas. In some Texan's mind, Texas is impervious to criticism, Texas is a work of Godly perfection upon which only a heathenistic Yankee would dare to cast aspersions.

So, last night I got an amusing comment, from a Texan, he being Sean Wilson of Huntsville, Texas. Huntsville is where we execute people in Texas, with one due to get the lethal needle tonight, increasing Texas' lead in this year's National Execution Derby.

Now, in a very ironic twist, Sean's comment was to a posting that I did not write. It was forwarded to me by a lifelong Texan! Who is trying to clean up some dirty Texas dealings by forming an accountability organization to try and bring local, state and federal reforms to protect water and landowner rights, primarily regarding natural gas drilling in the Barnett Shale.

I'll copy Sean's comment below. See how many spelling errors you can find. I found 3....

Hey man ease up a little. Oil and natural gas is the backbone of this great land. You are a little fresh off the boat in this state to start raising cane about how we do things down here in Texas. Oil is what we do and we are the damn best at it and we will continue to do it untill its gone. If you don't like it then head on back north. We won't miss you or the other carpet baggers...seriously im not jokeing.

Sean Wilson
Huntsville, Texas

First Tornado Storm Of The Year Kills 8 In Oklahoma

Last night's first T-Storm of 2009 produced a killer Tornado, about 100 miles north of my location, in the town of Lone Grove, Oklahoma. That's a bit west of Ardmore, about 20 miles south of Turner Falls Park.

Here in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, the Thunderstorm and its accompanying high wind and heavy hail, ripped off roofs in Colleyville. Colleyville is a town about 10 miles north of my location, which I will be driving through in about 2 hours, on my way to Southlake.

My location was on the southern fringe of the storm. The lightning stayed north of me, no overhead strikes. I could hear the booming and see flashes in the distance. I experienced one short outbreak of heavy rain and hail. My bedroom window was open, due to me forgetting to close it. This resulted in a very slight flood. I doubt I will report it to FEMA.

There were reports of Tornado sightings in the Metroplex, but no reports of a Tornado touching down in the Dallas/Fort Worth zone. Daylight may change that, as the damage is assessed, in the bright light of day. And it is a bright light today with the return of blue sky here in North Texas.

First Texas Tornado Storm Warning of 2009

Just this morning in response to a question from a Pacific Northwesterner I said today's predicted storm was not a tornado storm, as far as I knew, just a Thunderstorm. With a lot of rain and wind.

But, those often turn into Tornado storms, so I should have known better than to say today we weren't in tornado danger.

Because at 4:04PM, Central Time, the National Weather Service issued a Tornado Watch until midnight.

It is already looking a bit unsettled out there, a little rain has hit the windows. But, so far, it's not looking like anything major. But, I've learned, in Texas, that can change very very quickly.

Here's the NWS Urgent Warning....

THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 12:00AM CST

Urgent - Immediate Broadcast Requested Tornado Watch Number 10 Nws Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 340 PM CST Tue Feb 10 2009

The Nws Storm Prediction Center Has Issued A Tornado Watch For Portions Of Far Southwest Arkansas Mccurtain County Oklahoma Central Into Northeast Texas Effective This Tuesday Afternoon From 340 PM Until Midnight CST.

Tornadoes... Hail To 2.5 Inches In Diameter... Thunderstorm Wind Gusts To 80 Mph... And Dangerous Lightning Are Possible In These Areas.

The Tornado Watch Area Is Approximately Along And 75 Statute Miles North And South Of A Line From 20 Miles West Of Stephenville Texas To 20 Miles South Of Texarkana Arkansas.

Remember... A Tornado Watch Means Conditions Are Favorable For Tornadoes And Severe Thunderstorms In And Close To The Watch Area. Persons In These Areas Should Be On The Lookout For Threatening Weather Conditions And Listen For Later Statements And Possible Warnings.

Fort Worth's Connection To America's First Serial Killer

If I remember right, I think I've mentioned before that one of my favorite genres is the true crime book, with Ann Rule being my favorite author.

Yesterday I started reading a new true crime book, that being Depraved: The Shocking True Story of America's First Serial Killer, by Harold Schechter.

It truly is shocking. I'm only 100 pages in and it's truly shocking. And little did I know, when I started reading this book, that the story would come to Fort Worth.

Even though I'm from the Northwest, the land that breeds serial killers, I've never actually met one, that I know of. I did go to a company picnic with Green River Killer, Gary Ridgway. I went to the same college as Spokane serial killer, Robert Lee Yates. Ted Bundy took one of his victims from the university I attended my last 2 years of college.

So, I've come close to serial killers, may even have laid my eyes on one, for all I know. But, for personal true crime contact, my only actual personal contact has been getting someone out of the D/FW jail a few weeks ago and my long ago acquaintance with a Northwest criminal who had done time for crime.

So, in this Depraved book, this guy named Herman Webster Mudgett, who goes by a lot of aliases, the main one being Dr. H. H. Holmes, was a very prolific serial killer in the 1880-90s. It is believed he killed between 20-230.

Where this story goes totally macabre is the means by which this guy did his deeds. He was a highly evolved con man, committing all sorts of frauds. In Chicago he managed to build a huge building that the locals dubbed "The Castle." The Castle was 3 stories tall. He lived on the top floor. The second floor was a confusing labyrinth of rooms that he would rent out. The top floor had a coffin sized safe, sound proof rooms and a chute that went to the basement. In the basement he had a kiln, acid baths, an operating table and assorted other tools to help him do his bad deeds.

Mudgett/Holmes did his crimes during the same time as Jack the Ripper in London. He likely would have been more infamous with his crimes existing in the popular imagination, had Jack the Ripper not garnered so much attention worldwide.

If Mudgett/Holmes had not been a serial killer, his serial bigamy would likely have made him famous. He was married many times, never got a divorce. His preferred means of separation was murder. The first of his wives that he killed in The Castle, he turned into a skeleton and sold to a local teaching university. Same with the next wife. Who was pregnant. Mudgett/Holmes had quite a sideline of selling skeletons.

On it went. The hugely popular 1883 Chicago World's Columbian Exposition brought people from all over America and the world to Chicago. It is estimated about 45 people came to Chicago and never returned home. Likely temporary dwellers of the Mudgett/Holmes Castle.

Eventually things in Chicago got dicey. So, Mudgett/Holmes loaded up his latest bride and his confederate (later victim) Benjamin Pitezel and headed to Fort Worth, where earlier Mudgett/Holmes had conned a former mistress, Minnie Williams, out of valuable land she had inherited from her uncle. He'd already used up the cash Minnie had inherited.

The property consisted of a large, vacant lot on the corner of Second and Russell Streets, close to the Tarrant County Courthouse. Mudgett/Holmes proceeded to scam locals out of money and services, sort of a precursor of a century later when entities, like Cabelas, would succeed at similar fleecings in Fort Worth.

But, in Fort Worth, it all caught up with Mudgett/Holmes faster than it had in Chicago. Just when his situation in Fort Worth was getting dicey, Mudgett/Holmes somehow magaged to steal a boxcar full of horses, which he shipped off to Chicago. The theft was discovered and he was charged with horse theft. In Texas, horse theft is taken quite seriously.

With the law nipping at his heels, Mudgett/Holmes and Benjamin and wife, Georgiana, fled Fort Worth in the middle of the night. From then on he was on the lam, city to city, running his cons and keeping one step ahead of the law. Til he was caught, tried. And hanged.

I'm going to west Fort Worth today. Maybe I'll pop into downtown Fort Worth and see what stands nowadays at the corner of Second and Russell Streets. A historical monument? I doubt it.

Village Creek & Kitchen Injury

That's a leafless oak tree at Village Creek Natural Historical Area, today, about noon. It rained last night, but not hard, so Village Creek was just a little higher than usual. When we have downpours, Village Creek often floods, causing the park to be closed til the water goes down.

I thought due to the rain and the warm temperatures that there would be an army of armadilloes out busy trying to root out something to eat. But I did not see a single one of the cute little beasts.

When Village Creek floods it goes over the dam/bridge you see in the photo. The rapids can get quite wild. Sometimes after a good flood a lot of garfish and water moccasins are flushed out of Lake Arlington and you'll see them by the dam/bridge. I saw none today.

Snow is in the forecast in the Northwest, or so I have been told. Here in the South, in North Texas, I've got my windows open and it's in the sultry low 70s.

I made Lemon/Orange Peanut Pork with Green Peppers, Onion, Garlic, Ginger, Carrot, Celery, Broccoli & Cilantro over Sesame Brown Rice for lunch. It was tasty. But somehow during the cutting up vegetables process I suddenly saw a lot of blood on the counter top. I didn't know where it was coming from. And then I saw it gushing from one of my fingers. I have no idea how I poked a hole in my finger, it didn't hurt, I felt nothing. I had to go find a bandage to get the bleeding to stop.

I'm outta here, heading to the library to do some research. I'll be back soon. If I'm seeming a bit scatter-brained, please keep in mind I've had some serious blood loss.

What Is The Point Of Lake Worth?

Yesterday, that being Sunday, the weather was not conducive to my hoped for bike ride. Overnight we had a lot of wind and rain, with the wind knocking out power for thousands, here in the D/FW Metroplex.

Yesterday, some time between 3 and 4, against my better judgment, I was convinced that it would be fun to go to Happy Hour at The Point on Lake Worth for burgers, and, well, Happy Hour.

Happy Hour lasts all day, Sunday, at The Point. I am not used to libations in the middle of the afternoon on a Sunday. This morning I have a headache.

I had not been to The Point in a long time. I used to go there quite frequently. I like the outdoor patio and the view.

The burgers are good. So are the catfish, fries and onion rings. The Point is a bit tricky to find, if you are wanting to go there. It is in Fort Worth, at the south end of Lake Worth, near the Lockheed plant's west side, at 1349 Bomber Plant Road. Actually, The Point is at the end of Bomber Plant Road.

It Ain't Over Til The Fat Lady Sings (in Texas)

I was looking for images of a Fat Woman having a temper tantrum for a blogging I was going to write about Only Child Syndrome, due to me being amazed at how many people came to my blog yesterday looking for help in dealing with OCS (Only Child Syndrome).

I think it'll wait for another day to write some more about the particularly disturbing OCS problem which seems to be plaguing the earth. People seem to be looking for help from all over the world.

Except China. There are more Only Children in China than anywhere else on the planet, due to China's "One Child" policy. One would think China would be having some sort of national nervous breakdown due to dealing with all those Only Children. Instead China has what may be the world's strongest economy. It's a conundrum.

So, when I was looking for images of a Fat Woman having a temper tantrum I came upon a book about classic Texas sports quotes, with the title being "...Til the Fat Lady Sings..."

I had no idea, and still don't, that the famous, "It ain't over til the fat lady sings" cliche was of Texas origin.

The book is by Alan Burton, the illustrations, including the cover, are by Kent Gamble.

A short synopses of the book follows...

Everybody knows that Texans take their sports seriously. Whether it's a high school football clash on Friday night, a college baseball game on Saturday afternoon, or a pro basketball matchup on Sunday morning, sports is serious business in the Lone Star State.

How serious? Ask Don Meredith to comment on former Dallas Cowboy Coach Tom Landry: "He's a perfectionist. If he was married to Racquel Welch, he'd expect her to cook." Or talk to golf pro Lee Treviño about the tour: "You can make a lot of money in this game. Just ask my ex-wives. Both of them are so rich that neither of their husbands work." And if you're still not convinced, read what former Texas Rangers manager Whitey Herzog had to say in 1973: "We need just two players to be a contender. Just Babe Ruth and Sandy Koufax."

These quotes and hundreds more are included in this collection of classic Texas sports quotes. More than ten years in the making, "'Til the Fat Lady Sings" features approximately 400 quotes from more than a hundred different sources. Coaches, sports writers, athletes, broadcasters, fans, politicians, actors, and team owners all speak out with wit and wisdom about the games and the names of Texas sports. This book is a must have for everyone who plays and enjoys the game of life.

The Chapters...

Shut the Door and Amen
Sex, Blackmail, and Payoffs
The Phantom of the Opera and the Fat Lady
Ho-Hum, the Eyes of Texas Are Upon You
Pickup Trucks, Cold Beer, Barbecued Ribs, Gumbo, and Chewing Tobacco
The Eighth Wonder of the World
The Big Shootouts
Baseball and Pets

Texas Sunday In The Dark, Not The Park

That's the view looking down on my pool, about an hour til noon, Sunday, February 8. The forecast had me hoping for something better, as in nice clear blue sky along with warm temperatures. And no rain.

Instead, when I went to Krogers about 9am, to get milk, I was greeted by falling wet stuff.

This has wreaked havoc with my plans to BBQ pork and ride my bike from Gateway Park to the Fort Worth Stockyards, a ride I have not pedaled in months.

I am on Day 6 of Detox and Night 5 of no insomnia. Blood Pressure 118/49, Pulse 52. I am being one healthy specimen. We won't talk about what my BP was a couple months ago. Suffice to say, a stroke was eminent.

A lot of doctors either don't know, or don't tell you, so I will. Removing all Toxic People from your existence will knock between 10 to 30 points off your BP readings. With the side benefit of enjoying a much more peaceful, healthy present moment, with no threat of incoming toxicity.

I must resign myself to the fact that this does not appear to be a bike riding day. I must now search for a Plan B.

February Texas Heat Wave & Grapefruits

I think I'm on LOST and I've been Flashed ahead to summer. I'm sweltering here. Windows open. Verge of turning on the A/C. That just ain't right. It's barely February. Let's see if the ceiling fan brings some relief from this humid hothouse.

As predicted earlier, I went to Grapevine today, did me some hiking on the Horseshoe Trails. That's some kids, in the first picture, debating whether or not they want to go down a steep dropoff on the BMX bike part of the trails. They opted out.

Gar the Texan had the most spectacular bike wreck I ever personally witnessed on these trails. He flew right over his handlebars and then did a head tuck rollover, like some Olympic gymnast doing some sort of fancy dismount. Afterwords he did get a case of the vapors, but the wreck was spectacular, I think of it whenever I go past the spot where Gar the Texan flew.

In the middle of winter the Horseshoe Trails looks barren of greenery. Give it a couple months and it will be back looking like a jungle. Had my biggest Cottonmouth encounter, ever, on these trails. I don't freak out over poisonous snake encounters anymore, not like I did when I was first in Texas. Back then I'd warily walk the long driveway to get my morning paper, snake stick in hand, nervously keeping an eye out for anything that slithered.

Before going to the Horseshoe Trails I ended up going to Costco, despite earlier saying I wasn't going to. Best free sample lunch ever.

After Horseshoe Trails it was on to Sprouts Farmers Market. Found way more good stuff than usual today. Sprouts, and other grocery stores here, have these sanitized towel things that people rub all over their grocery cart's handlebar. I've never done this. A lady blocked my way while she sanitized her grocery cart. I told her I've never done that. I asked her if I'm in any sort of danger. She laughed, but did not answer my important question.

I got some pork products at Sprouts today. I see BBQ in my future for tomorrow. They had Texas Ruby Red Grapefruits, again. Last weeks were so sweet I got a lot more. I've run out of my mom & dad supplied citrus except for a couple dozen oranges.

Enough of my grocery shopping report. I must figure out something to try and make it quit being so sweltering in here. The spinning ceiling fan only offered a little relief.

75 Degrees, Lake Grapevine, Sprouts, Spring Creek Barbeque & Cockroach Invasion

It is early and I've already been having me a day. I am on Day 5 of Detox. I am on Night 4 of no insomnia. I am on Day 199 of TPF (Toxic People Free).

All is good. Except for the new, unfortunate, COCKROACH invasion that happened last night about 7. I turned on the lights in the kitchen to see that a Cockroach D-Day had occurred. Fortunately for me, unlike the Germans, I was well-prepared for the invasion, having myself a full arsenal of counter-attack weapons.

The Cockroaches quickly retreated, suffering major casualties. A couple stragglers made it into my bedroom. And one into my bathtub. They were all quickly dispatched. This morning there were no new signs of Cockroach occupation. I have defensive measures in place, in the form of several Cockroach Hotels.

The Cockroaches may be re-grouping. So, I've gone on a counter-offensive, sort of a Bush-like pre-emptive strike, by spraying all possible hiding places. If my measures meet failure, the earliest I can call in a professional strike team is Monday.

In the meantime, today I am going up to Lake Grapevine to go hiking. The temps may near 80 today. I think I'll skip the weekly free sample lunch at Costco. But I will be doing the weekly stop at Sprouts Farmers Market. Tonight I get to go listen to speeches at Spring Creek Barbeque. That should be interesting, and likely Cockroach-free. I hope.

I Have A Fan Club

Last night I was shocked, shocked I tell you, to learn I have a fan club. Hundreds of subscribers I was aware of, but a fan club?

Apparently, one of my few longtime readers, LC, likes it when I complain about the Fort Worth Star-Telegram or the way things are done here in Fort Worth. Or both. Then she shared that with others, I guess. And the next thing I know there is a fan club.

I asked LC, who, apparently is the President of my fan club, if there are meetings and if refreshments are served. LC confirmed that there are meetings and that refreshments are served.

That was info I wanted to know about, due to the past few days I've learned of group events, with names like Sip and Stitch and Knit and Guzzle, where a group gets together, ostensibly for a noble purpose, but instead it turns into a wine sampling party. I thought that sounded sort of fun.

And, just when I'm thinking that sounds fun, I learn I have a fan club that has meetings and serves refreshments. I don't know if they have some sort of drinking game, like every time I mention that the Star-Telegram sucks, you take a drink of wine. Or every time I mention Chesapeake Energy, same thing. Or complain about Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys Stadium Scandal.

Anyway, I'll let you know when LC let's me know when and where the next meeting of my fan club takes place. I can hardly wait.

Transportation Protesting in Portland & Fort Worth

Now this is a good example of how different things are in the Northwest, as in Seattle and Portland, as compared to Dallas and Fort Worth.

First off, you have a local Portland TV news show with a mountain in the background. You do not have mountains in the background of Dallas/Fort Worth local TV news shows.

Second off, you don't have stories in the local D/FW market showing a local transportation device such as that being used in Portland, because these type elevated transportation devices do not exist in the Dallas/Fort Worth zone. Well, there is a sort of facsimile of this type transportation device, in a very limited way, at the State Fair of Texas, in Dallas.

Third off, and this is the biggest difference, you would never see, I do not think, a Dallas/Fort Worth Texan type protesting something, like the Portland transportation device, in the rather direct manner, that this Portland man chose.

Port Aransas Sunrises, Alma & the Puget Sound

That is sunrise at Port Aransas, this morning, sent by Alma, the Songbird of the South Texas Gulf Coast.

I have not seen the sun rise or set on saltwater in a long time. I do not remember the last time. I did see saltwater last summer, that being Puget Sound, but you do not see the sun rise or set on Puget Sound.

In Western Washington, the sun rises over the Cascade Mountains, not Puget Sound. And when the sun sets, it sets over the Olympic Mountains, not Puget Sound.

It is still spectacularly scenic, though. I remember being in a bar/restaurant in Pike Place Market in Seattle, while the sun was setting over the Olympics, with the barkeeper leading the bar patrons in a series of ooooohs, awwwhs and the sunset becoming ever more spectacular.

My best sunset ever was not a sunset. It was a moonset. On Lake Powell. The night is very dark on Lake Powell, the stars very bright. My first night on Lake Powell the moon slowly set, dropping behind the canyon wall. The instant it totally disappeared an eerie purple glow lit up the top of the canyon. It lasted for at least a minute. I had never seen anything like it.

I am hoping to go down to Port Aransas this spring, to see Alma and a sunrise or two. And to have some real seafood. I have never been further down the Texas Gulf Coast than Galveston. I loved Galveston, pre-Hurricane Ike.

I'm Loving Flock

I've never ever before jumped on the abandon Internet Explorer bandwagon for some upcoming browser. I'd try Firefox or Chrome or others and find a lot of things I do not like.

And then, for whatever reason, YouTube stopped working reliably in Internet Explorer. I wasted a lot of time looking for a solution.

And then I found Flock. Initially I was pleased that in Flock, YouTube worked. But Flock seemed alien, with way too much going on. And when I answered yes to the question if I wanted to add Flock's Blogger enhancements, I did not think I liked the enhancements.

At first.

And then, this morning, the light bulb in my dim brain turned on. I have now made Flock my default browser.

Long ago Internet Explorer quit remembering my logins and passwords. Flock remembers them all, automatically.

Flock integrates with all sorts of things, like Facebook, YouTube, Blogger, MySpace, DIGG.

Flock checks my spelling as I type. I don't run the spell checker after I'm done writing. Flock has already taken care of it.

The only thing I've found that I don't like is Flock is unable to use some of the Internet Explorer type enhancements to a webpage. Many of those a website maker uses, knowing they may be only viewable in IE. The only one I've noticed not working is I sometimes use a stationary watermark background. In Flock, the background scrolls, rather than stay put. No big deal, but it does sort of make my Eyes on Texas website look not like what I intended.

I'm wondering if Flock is going to be absorbed into the Google Empire, what with that nice integration with Google's Blogger seeming like an indication that the two are in cahoots.

Getting Rid of Toxic Waste

It has been over 6 months since I rid myself of direct contact with a TTP (Terminally Toxic Person), who had acted out with extreme toxicity, for no apparent reason, berating sweet lovable me, like a proverbial Shakespearean untameable shrew.

While there have been, and will be no, in person contacts with that particular Human Nuclear Waste dump, there have been some incidents of written toxicity, both in blog form and in very nasty, perverse blog comments to this very blog. It's really sad how delusionally warped the human brain can twist.

It pleases me that I have others who follow the plot line and have made note of noticing the toxicity on display and its revelatory nature.

I mentioned a few days back that I was going through an intense Chinese Herbalist prescribed anti-toxin regimen. This doesn't have to do with human toxins, rather it's those toxins we eat, drink or breathe in, that wreak havoc with our internal organs.

In addition to the Detox Tea I mentioned before, I'm also drinking down salubrious volumes of Horny Goat Weed Tea.

I do not know, precisely, what is causing the salubrious effect, be it the Detox Tea, the Horny Goat Weed Tea, or what. But I had my 3rd night in a row of no insomnia. Disturbing dreams, yes, but no insomnia.

Veterans Park, Sweet Tomatoes & Horny Goat Weed

The early gray, sort of foggy morning, turned, by noon, to a typical blue sky Texas winter day. In the 70s. The windows are open again.

That leafless tree in the picture is in Veterans Park. Veterans Park is in Arlington in the heart of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, in which about 6 million people live, give or take a few.

Does the view, where this tree sits, look as if it is in an urban zone? This is only a few miles from where I live. This is not the only location like this, just a few miles from where I live.

Where I lived in the Washington town of Mount Vernon, population about 30,000, I could easily get to wild, natural areas. Almost as easily as I can in Texas. See why I like it here? For the most part.

After I was done hiking around Veterans Park I went to Sweet Tomatoes. If you live near a Sweet Tomatoes and you've not checked it out, do so. It is good. Real good. You'll be on a health food diet and loving every bit and bite of it. I leave there feeling so nutrified.

After Sweet Tomatoes I went to Fry's Electronics. They did not have the version of Dragon Speak that I wanted. They did not have any sort of Walkman that I wanted. But I did get a camera tripod that I wanted.

After that I went to Arlington's Hong Kong Marketplace on Pioneer Parkway & New York Avenue. I got a lot of good stuff and a box of "Horny Goat Weed Tea Male Vitality-Yang Herbal Tonic."

I'm drinking a pot of Horny Goat Weed right now. So far I'm not feeling any more vital than before I started drinking. It promises to promote vitality, stamina and healthy natural energy levels.

If I get any more energetic I'll have a heart attack.

The Detox Tea I've been taking has had me so relaxed I've slept well two nights in a row. I'm so relaxed I feel like I've been dosed with natural Prozac. I really don't think there is anything that could possibly annoy me right now. My cell phone just rang, a call from Washington. I let it go to voice mail. I don't want to test exactly how un-annoyable I am right now.

It's the dead of winter and there are more flowers in north Texas than in the dead of summer. Heat is hard on flowers. Winter is hard on palm trees. Last week I saw the biggest outdoor tent I've ever seen, on the grounds of a Vietnamese temple place in Arlington. Today the tent was down and I saw what it was covering. A forest of palm trees being protected from last week's freeze. The pansies you see above were in Veterans Park today. They didn't need any tent protection from the freeze.

Barnett Shale Victims Wanted for MIT Study in Fort Worth

URGENT FROM DON YOUNG:

ATTENTION Barnett Shale Victims:

You are needed for a test-run of a new MIT internet-based program.

This is a great - and easy - way to help yourself and others.

Meeting Date: Saturday, February 14, 10:00 a.m. until noon.

Location: Fort Worth Public Library – “Central Library” 500 W. Third St. (downtown Fort Worth at the intersection of 3rd and Taylor, 2 blocks west and 2 blocks south of the Tarrant County Courthouse).

DETAILS BELOW---

Dear Don,

I am writing to invite you to a meeting with the Oil and Gas Accountability Project (OGAP) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). MIT is in the process of developing some tools to help people affected by oil and gas drilling.

We’re coming to Texas to test-run the "Landman Report Card," (LRC) which is an internet-based site that allows people to document their interactions with landmen/companies during the leasing stage. For the test-run, we’d like to meet with people who have had first-hand experience with landmen or company representatives.

The hope for LRC is that by getting people to share their stories, others will be able to read these stories and gain a better understanding of what sort of tactics these companies use. The stories can help people know what to expect when a landman comes knocking; help connect people with the same issues; and perhaps attract attention (media) to these issues.

If there’s time and interest, MIT will demonstrate a second tool, DrillWell, which is targeted more at folks already living with oil and gas facilities. The idea behind DrillWell is to document industry practices and impact (using citizen reports, links to news reports, government data, etc). The reports or events will be mapped, and searchable.

* Please feel free to forward this email to people whom you think might be interested in attending our meeting. And please have folks send an RSVP email to me (lisasumi@gmail.com), so that I can put folks on the list of attendees (the room can only handle a maximum of 25 people).

All the best,
Lisa Sumi

Information on the MIT project can be found here.

and, also here...

... and here, at the Oil and Gas Accountability Project Website

Lisa Sumi
Consultant, Oil and Gas Accountability Project and M.I.T.
Tel: 970-799-2589
Email

Sweet Tomatoes,..Etcetera...

My one longtime reader, Layla, a real sweet tomato, may remember that ever so once in awhile my imagination runs dry, or I'm just not in the mood to spew out voluminous words at rapid pace.

This morning I've got a lot of things that have crossed my mind to blog about. But at the forefront of my mind right now is I'm thinking of going out into this overcast, warming day and head to Veteran's Park in Arlington to go on a long walk. Followed by lunch at Sweet Tomatoes, my new favorite restaurant.

After Sweet Tomatoes, I'm going to Fry's Electronics, again, to see if I can find Dragon Speak, which is a program where you can talk into a headset and it converts your words to editable type, with a supposed 99.7% success rate, at 300 words per minute. Which is way faster than I can type. And about half as fast as I can talk. I estimate, if this works, it will amp up my blog spewing a minimum of three times. Oh, the horror.

I also want to see if Fry's has any sort of Walkman type thing. You know, those old-fashioned headset things where you can listen to the radio. Wal-Mart and Target no longer have such things.

I'm going from Fry's to Chinatown in Arlington to get stuff I forgot 2 days ago. I need to remember to make a list. After Chinatown I'm going to go by the new Dallas Cowboy's Stadium, which is almost completed, and maybe get a good picture or two. Maybe not. Last time I was there it was so congested with construction obstructions all I wanted to do was escape.

On my mind to blog about, today, likely this afternoon, is something I learned about this morning, that being that Dallas also is in some sort of deal to have Omni Hotels build them a convention center hotel. The deal has hit snags. I'm not getting why Dallas would have to go to any extreme measures, unlike Fort Worth, to get a convention center hotel, because Dallas actually has a lot of conventions and already has a lot of downtown hotels.

I have also been amazed at how many people come to my blog after searching for help about how to deal with "Only Child Syndrome." That's always fun to write about. Also, I am perplexed as to why, all over the world, people are looking for info about the "world's biggest butt." Yes, I did blog about that after I saw what I thought had to be the world's biggest butt at my local Wal-Mart Supercenter. But what causes people all over the world to keep searching for this? And they usually do the searching in packs. Look at my FeedJit stats and you'll likely see what I'm talking about.

Alma, my favorite Songbird of the South, sent me an email, this morning, with "Tips For A Better Life in 2009" that I thought was pretty good blog material, though it is one of those things that has likely spanned the globe a million times via being forwarded.

Also, I had it in mind to blog about how well my Chinese Herb Detox program is going. Last night I had another insomnia free sleep. What a difference that makes. This morning I took my blood pressure for the first time in awhile. I could tell it would be low. 123/68. I recently learned my little brother is on BP medications. He drives down to Mexico to get his pills. My little brother is actually my big brother. He's about twice as big as me and a little shorter.

Anyway, it's time to get ready to get out of here. Sorry to disappoint my one longtime reader, Layla, my one, self-described, adoring fan, that I wasn't in the mood to blog this morning. Maybe I'll feel more word-worthy this afternoon. After I have my daily Chinese Herb Detox Tea.

Clucking the Ducks at Oakland Lake Park

I'm on Day 2 of my self-supervised Detox program. I am already seeing benefits. As in last night I did not suffer a bout of insomnia. The Chinese Herbal Cure I mentioned yesterday seems to be working. For now.

Like my one time longtime reader, someone, somewhere, out there, can tolerate reading what I write, enough to ask me to write for their new enterprise. I shall keep you posted as to the details of that, if it comes to any sort of fruition.

I was stuck in here, staring at my computer screen, for the most part, til a bit before 3 when I escaped to walk around Oakland Lake Park. In a few months I'll be seeing a lot of turtles there, I thought I might see some today out sunning themselves. But I didn't.

But, I did see a lot of ducks. Usually they are in the water, where ducks belong. Or in the air. But instead, a whole big flock of ducks was out of the water, across the paved trail and halfway up the hill to the parking lot. I don't know what they were thinking. They appeared to be busy getting stuff off the ground. Someone must have thrown out a lot of duck food.

The ducks let me get pretty close. Somehow, I've got my new camera set to make a dog bark noise when the shutter snaps. I find that annoying, but like that orchestra that plays when my cell phone rings, I don't know how to make the barking or the symphony stop.

When I got too close and my camera dog barked, the flock of ducks took off, all at once, right over head. I was afraid the same falling projectile problem that occurs if you are under a flock of seagulls, early after take off, would occur. I shielded myself as best I could, but no duck poop was spotted.

The flock of ducks didn't fly too far, just out to the lake. I walked towards them and took more pictures, using the zoom, so as not to startle them with a barking dog.

I talked to my sister in Phoenix while I walked around Oakland Lake. Ginger and Mark are visiting from Marysville. That is a town north of Seattle. Seattle is in Washington. Ginger and my sister were out by the pool. Ginger was getting a sunburn. It's in the 80s in Phoenix. It's almost 60 here. I am not out at the pool. I do have the windows open though. It felt warm in here.

I see Fry's Electronics and Sweet Tomatoes restaurant in my future for tomorrow.

Texas Survivor

Like I've said before, Alma, the Songbird of the South, performing now on the Texas Gulf Coast at Port Aransas, regularly sends me funny stuff.

One of this morning's crop of funny stuff was one I think I've seen before, I think, but it freshly amused me.

And so I'm sharing....

Due to the popularity of the "Survivor" shows, Texas is planning to do one entitled---

"Survivor, Texas Style."

The contestants will all start in Dallas, then drive to Waco, Austin, San Antonio, over to Houston and down to Brownsville.

They will then proceed up to Del Rio, El Paso, Midland, Odessa, Lubbock and Amarillo.

From there they will go on to Abilene, Fort Worth and finally back to Dallas.

Each will be driving a pink Volvo with bumper stickers that read: "I'm Gay," "I Love the Dixie Chicks," "Boycott Beef," "I Voted for Obama," " George Strait Sucks," "Hillary in 2012" and "I'm here to confiscate your guns."

The first one who makes it back to Dallas alive wins.

Don't Let Oil & Gas Drillers Mess With Texas

Fight back: help us start the
Texas Oil & Gas Accountability Project

Dear FWCanDo supporters --

I know you love Texas. And we are writing today because the oil & gas industry is "Messing with Texas" and we need your support to reform oil and gas practices in the Lone Star State, before it is too late.

A destructive new drilling boom threatens communities

In Fort Worth, amid the lush prairie hills and the Trinity River corridor, more than 1,100 oil and gas wells have been drilled within the city limits! 100 new wells are being permitted every month. Some experts predict as many as 7,000 wells could be drilled within city limits. And more than 9,000 wells have been drilled in surrounding counties -- with 5,000 more already approved.

This drilling boom is due to the discovery of the Barnett Shale formation, a prolific source of natural gas, roughly 8,000 feet below the surface. The pace of drilling to date has outstripped the ability of landowners and local governments to address the environmental and public health impacts that haunt other oil and gas producing regions like Alabama, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming.

We urgently need you to join our cause and help level the playing field in favor of Texans like you.

What does this mean for your community?

Drilling for gas means a spider web of gas wells, disposal wells, compressor stations, pipelines, processing facilities and traffic. With this development comes toxic emissions, water contamination, water disposal issues, safety concerns, and noise issues. The impacts to people's health from living downwind or downstream from drilling and processing is significant, and homeowners are already wrestling with declining property values as neighborhoods and rural communities are turned into industrial drilling zones.

---In Fort Worth, pipelines and wells are being located and drilled just feet from residences. Open spaces, such as the Tandy Hills, Greenbelt and other endangered, native prairie lands are turning into industrialized landscapes and drilling is encroaching upon drinking water supplies such as Lake Worth.
---In Parker County and across the Barnett Shale drilling region, massive amounts of precious water are being used to drill the wells and residents worry about the quality, quantity and future of their water resources.
---In Wise County, toxic and unfenced oil and gas waste pits dot the landscape, engines from drill rigs, trucks and compressors spoil our air quality, and massive pipeline projects create industrial noise in once quiet communities.

A solution: the Texas Oil & Gas Accountability Project

We are writing to invite you to join an exciting new project aimed at preventing and reducing the negative impacts of this unchecked drilling - the Texas Oil & Gas Accountability Project!

Over the last year, organizations and information outlets such as Bluedaze, CREDO, Fort Worth CANDO, the League of Women's Voters, PARCHED and the Sierra Club, have been getting information about gas development into the hands of residents, weighing in on our local gas drilling ordinance, and protecting the future of our neighborhoods by petitioning for gas drilling to be limited to industrial areas. In the course of this work, we have partnered with EARTHWORKS' Oil & Gas Accountability Project (OGAP), an organization with more than 20 years expertise and experience working with communities to prevent and reduce the impacts caused by mineral development.

As energy corporations have pushed to open up more areas across the country to oil and gas exploration and development, OGAP has worked to bring local, state and federal reforms to protect water and landowner rights. Their efforts helped pass the strongest surface owner protections in the United States last year in New Mexico and Colorado, and we want the same protections here for Texans.

If we are successful in forming a Texas chapter of OGAP, we will work to:

---establish strong local and state oil and gas regulations in Texas;
---ensure that where oil and gas resources are developed, companies utilize best practices to prevent and reduce their impact;
---protect key areas threatened by energy development such as the LBJ Grasslands and urban green space;
---end industry exemptions to our nation's environmental and public health laws such as the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act; and,
---advocate for an energy future that is based on clean, safe and renewable energy sources.

Will you please make a contribution to this important work and join our cause today?

Holding energy companies responsible and accountable for their impacts is a daunting task in this era of urban drilling and peak fossil fuels. I am confident that as we face the rampant development of the Barnett Shale, we need on-the-ground expertise and engaging OGAP is a critical and savvy step for North Texas.

Thank you so much for your time and concern about our great state. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Don Young, Fort Worth CANDO and
Gwen Lachelt, Director, EARTHWORKS' Oil & Gas Accountability Project

P.S. Please consider making a gift to OGAP of $35 or more to support this effort. If you'd like to review a provisional budget that provides details on expenses for Texas OGAP, or in discussing anything else relating to this initiative, don't hesitate to contact us -- Gwen (970) 259-3353 or Don (817) 731-2787.

I'm In Detox

I went to Chinatown in Arlington today, to my favorite Asian Market, to get some Detox Tea from the resident Chinese Herbalist. I'm in Detox in a desperate attempt to cure my sleep disorder. Getting up at 2am is getting a bit tiresome, though I do seem to get a lot done, well before the sun rises. And after.

My Chinese Detox Tea has over 20 potent Chinese purification herbs in it. I'm having my first pot of Detox Tea at this very moment and I'm already feeling some Detoxing going on.

On the way back from Arlington I went to Village Creek Natural Historic Area to practice taking pictures with my new camera. Indoor pictures vex me. Indoors, the new camera is not nearly as good as my dead, antique camera. I think it is obviously user error and I'll figure it out. Maybe.

There is just way too much going on with this new camera. It is way too easy for me to get lost in the menu. It does take good outdoor pictures though. The trees at Village Creek are now totally stripped of their leaves. Big Oak trees look cool without their leaves, well, they look cool with them, too, but I like the stripped down look.

Speaking of being in Detox. My one longtime reader may remember when I came back from Tacoma, last summer, I was so perplexed by what I dealt with there, for months I tried to figure it out. At one point I wrote a blog about dealing with Toxic People in Tacoma. It did not occur to me, at that time, to consult my local Chinese herbalist about a Detox remedy.

And now this morning I got an email from someone in Tacoma asking me if I'd seen Tacoma's #1 Toxic Person, due to TTP being in Texas. I had read TTP was supposedly going to be here, but how could anyone possibly think I would see TTP. I'm in Detox, for gawdsakes.

Huffine's Veridian at River Legacy Park

Yesterday I blogged about what's happening at, or to, River Legacy Park, in Arlington. I biked the trail as far as I could, til the trail was blocked by the construction of a pipeline.

Yesterday I told you what I'd learned about this project, from an Anonymous source.

Then, today, another Anonymous source made an information rich comment about the project at River Legacy.

It is called Veridian. Veridian, well, the Huffines, have a website. You can go there and see more artist renderings of what Veridian will look like, along with topographical maps. It is a way bigger project than I realized. It will totally alter River Legacy Park. In a good way, or bad way, I don't know. What I do know, almost for certain, is we'll be hearing a lot of construction noises for who knows how long, along the formerly quiet nature trail.

Below is an excerpt from the Veridian website describing the project. You can go to their website to read all about it.

"Viridian, a 2,000-acre+ mixed-use community located in Arlington, Texas, will offer the connection with nature that one yearns for in today's busy world, plus all the great advantages that come with small-town life. Its new urbanism design, sustainability and eco-friendly environment will make it exciting and vibrant.

Unique, unlike any ever developed, Viridian sets itself apart from others because of its prime urban location, its commitment to sustainability and its green living environment. It will be unlike any community ever built in the Southwest and is one of the largest infill developments in the U.S. It is the last large remaining urban tract in Arlington and the only remaining one - in the middle of five million people - where Huffines could create their vision of a true mixed-use, sustainable, green community, in which one could work, live and play in a urban environment. Huffines will make the development viable because of key local, public/private partnerships with the city, and when completed the community will boast a $1.5 billion dollar tax base."

Flock Fixed YouTube

My one longtime reader may remember a few days ago I started to be vexed by a problem with YouTube. I'd uploaded a video, which, when it finished processing and I tried to play the video I was told "We're sorry, this video is no longer available."

I Googled "We're sorry, this video is no longer available" and learned that this particular problem is epidemic, starting some time around June of 2008.

I found some people have quite a conspiratorial explanation as to what is causing the problem, speculating that some YouTube tech people were disgruntled when YouTube was absorbed into the Google empire. So, they began sabotaging YouTube.

Maybe that type explanation would explain why Feedburner has problems. Google also absorbed Feedburner. Feedburner has not been able to get the Google ads working, either within the Feedburner account via using the "monetize" tab, or after Feedburner passed off the monetizing thing to Google, with a message saying you can now control your AdSense Feedburner ads within your Adsense account. The ads do appear in Google's Newsreader, but Feedburner just displays a blank space. But you can see the ad code if you look at the HTML.

Very annoying.

Anyway, various people found various solutions to the YouTube problem. Delete your temporary Internet files, flush your DNS, use Firefox or Google Chrome, disable Google Web Accelerator. None of these fixed my YouTube problem.

Then I read several people saying something called Flock, that being a Web 2.0 browser, fixed the problem. I thought, I'd been down the try a different browser route twice already.

But, I downloaded and installed Flock anyway. And it fixed the problem. I have not seen the sorry "We're sorry" message since.

Dallas Cowboy Island at River Legacy Park

Yesterday someone named Jeff left a comment on a post called "River Legacy Park Destruction Surprise." Basically Jeff did a big "Amen" to what I'd said about what I'd seen.

So, today I decided to ride my bike on the River Legacy trail and see what the current state of destruction is. Before I go any further I will tell you I was not feeling righteously umbraged by what I learned. This surprised me.

I parked at the main part of the park at the south side of the Trinity River, near the mountain bike trailhead. Crossing the bridge to the other side of what they are now calling Snider Legacy Creek, I came upon the sign you see above. I figured this closure was likely where I'd earlier seen preparations being made for a pipeline. I decided I'd pedal all the way to the end, to check it out. Even though I'd already hiked an hour on the strenuous Tandy Hills.

There were a lot of pieces of heavy equipment moving a lot of dirt, diesel fumes and dust in the air. I was not pleased. A couple years ago I got an overly earnest email from a River Legacy Park employee demanding I make certain changes to the webpage I'd made about River Legacy. And inform her when the changes were made. I made no changes. You can read that email and more here.

The River Legacy Employee's main deal was that River Legacy offers a natural experience and is trying to restore damaged areas. I was aiding and abetting the destroyers. Soon after that I was nearly killed by a natural gas seismic tester going the wrong way on a motorized vehicle on the River Legacy mountain bike trail.

So, I was pretty fed up with the hypocrisy of some of those associated with River Legacy. It bugged me that they were keeping kids from having fun building stunt bike trails. Those kids worked hard doing that. They were doing no harm to any sort of pristine natural area.

Back to today. So I was pedalling along and I stopped to take a picture of what looked to be some sort of dam, near where the beaver dam used to be. I thought this was all flood control land in the flood plain. Then I saw a guy come into view on the other side of the temporary fence. He was walking along the fence. When he got near me I asked what he was doing. He told me.

Then I asked what's going on here? Is this the Bird's Fort Development I read about long ago? He told me it was. I said it seemed way bigger than what I'd read. He said it was.

The project has changed since its inception. Projects often do. It was always supposed to be an ecologically friendly, high end type development. Due to the flood plain issue, the Army Corps of Engineers has become involved.

The existing "lakes" will be dredged, way way deeper. A new "lake" has been created west of Collins Street, dug deep enough to tap into the Trinity River Aquifer. This new "lake" will feed a series of several "lakes" in the Bird's Fort development.

Bird's Fort has been destroyed. It was already in bad shape. A facsimile will be put in its place along with historical markers. Bird's Fort was the location of one of the first American forts in north Texas.

An island is being built, surrounded completely by the "lakes." That island will be called Cowboy Island. For the use of the Dallas Cowboys. Either for homes, or, it is rumored, the current Dallas Cowboy training camp will be moved to Cowboy Island from Valley Ranch.

The "lake" nearest Collins Street will have a white sand beach and aerating fountains to keep the water clear. And open to the public for swimming. Currently none of the water retention ponds are swimmable due to being infested with water moccasins.

The land is owned by the Huffines. According to my anonymous source, the Huffines are the second biggest property owners in Texas, after the Perots. I learned this when I asked why there seemed to be no public discussion about what is going on here? Basically I got told that in Texas people like the Huffines do what they want to do and don't worry about little things like seeing if the public is on board with such a drastic alteration of the landscape.

I was told that the area abutting River Legacy Park is going to be totally restored, planted with native Texas Prairie Grass. The "lakes" will be full year round. This will definitely be an aesthetic improvement.

What really struck me about this "lake" project and the scope of it, was both Dallas and Fort Worth have had Trinity River Vision Projects that have been going on for years, both involving lakes. But little progress can be seen. While in Arlington, somehow a Trinity River Vision Project came to be with no fanfare and is now well underway with dirt moving and lakes filling, soon with the Dallas Cowboys on an island.

It all seems almost poetic.

Surrender: Resistance is Futile

Over on FWCANDO Don Young wrote an interesting piece, advising Jim Ashford that resistance is futile, after Mr. Ashford objected to a few issues regarding the latest dirty dealings by Chesapeake Energy and Fort Worth's Ruling Junta. Go to FWCANDO to read what Jim Ashford said and the response to him.

---

Relax, Jim! Chill out, my friend.

We live in Age of Reason.

Ah, but I see you are skeptical? "Reason", like many other words, now have "new meanings" in Dirty Ol' Town. In this case, "Reason" means, whatever reason the gas drillers have is good enough for David, Susan and Sarah. Get it?

Call it, the "Pretend-Game"! It's fun for the whole family!

For example:

1) Protected Use, doesn't REALLY mean protection, it just means that gas drillers will have to pay for waivers or bribe city council to threaten public health and safety. No prob!

2) Free Money, REALLY means that hidden costs for health care, insurance, taxes, property marketability, etc. are shielded from you by the gas drillers and city. Until the bill comes due. It's kind of a, Don't ask. Don't tell, policy.

3) Clean Burning Natural Gas, isn't REALLY clean burning or natural when you factor in the production, processing and piping of it. Throw in disposal of the waste products and you begin to see more clearly.

4) Orderly Production of Minerals, is REALLY Sarah reminding you that "You are getting sleepy. VERRRY sleepy. Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain. Now close your eyes. This is not a zoning change. Repeat after me...

5) Barnett Shale Philanthropy, is REALLY extortion, bribery, graft and hush money dressed up for a night at the opera.

6) Parkland Conversion, REALLY means that gas drillers just have to call in an extra attorney to get what they want.

7) Green-space isn't REALLY a place to hike with your kids, get in touch with the natural world and see some wildlife, it's Prime Real Estate for a future pad-site, compressor station or pipeline.

8) City Attorney, Assistant City Attorney and City Planning Director, aren't REALLY working for the City (you and me). They work for "the current occupant" who works for Chesapeake, XTO, Devon, Quicksilver, Etc. Etc. ad nauseam.

9) The FW Star-Telegram isn't REALLY a Newspaper. It's a Barnett Shale drillers business partner. (Durango note: I've been saying the first sentence in #9 for years)

10) Texas Railroad Commission is REALLY an aptly named excuse for state regulation of oil/gas drilling. They "railroad" you until you're "out of commission." Their message is brought to you by Chesapeake, XTO, Devon, Quicksilver, et al.

Get with the program, man! Once you get the hang of it, it's FUN! Just like all the rapists say, "Relax and enjoy it!"

Click on this City of FW link for more "pretend" words. (See p.3):

Don Young
FWCanDo
P.O. Box 470041
Fort Worth, TX 76147

FWCANDO

"God bless Fort Worth, Texas. Help us save some of it."

Monday at Tandy Hills With a New Camera

That's downtown Fort Wort in the picture. Looking west from the Tandy Hills. As I was taking pictures a jogger zoomed by. You don't often see joggers in the Tandy Hills.

Today is the first day I've used my new camera outside. Yesterday (Sunday) hours were spent, by me, trying to figure it out. There is just way too much going on for this Senior Citizen's deteriorating thought powers to absorb.

Just deleting photos was confusing. My computer card reader recognized the media card, but wouldn't cooperate with it, so I had to leave the memory card on the camera. It was so easy to delete pictures with my old, now dead, camera.

And then I remembered my previous lesson learned regarding new electronic products that require a computer program to make them work. And that lesson is don't use the program that comes with the products. Use ones I already have or that are built into Windows. As in Windows Moviemaker works way better than the clunky program that came with my camcorder.

About 4 in the afternoon, yesterday, I found that Windows Camera/Scanner Wizard made taking the pictures off the camera and deleting them totally simple. After that I figured out the video part of the camera and I slowly quit thinking about taking it back and getting something less challenging, more geared toward the elderly.

The water was running very clear in the Tandy Hills Creek, but it was not running enough water to make much of a waterfall at the Tandy Hills Waterfall.

I guess I'm happy now with the new camera. These type things always take awhile to get used to.

I'm out of here in a bit, heading to River Legacy Park to ride my bike to check out the state of damage there. Yesterday, I got an email from a guy named Jeff, as appalled as I was at what is being done at River Legacy. More dirty dealings with no public input. I'll see if I can get some good pictures. I've not been there in maybe 2 months.

I'll likely return here full of righteous umbrage. Speaking of righteous umbrage, I just got email from Don Young with a good dose of righteousness. I'll hit the publish button and then blog about Don Young's latest.

Super Super Bowl 43

It was this morning in the Dallas Morning News that I learned that the Pittsburgh Steelers won Super Bowl XLIII. That is also when I learned I missed watching all of what is being called one of the Top 5 all time Super Bowl games.

I made it through the first quarter and well into the second, when boredom started to set in and I retreated to my computer.

The commercials were not living up to Super Bowl hype this year. Reading online and in the paper this morning I see I'm not the only one who was non-plussed. Apparently the second half had better commercials.

A few of the ads seemed borderline, well, wrong to me. Like a Bud Light ad that had some corporate workers brainstorming as to how to cut costs. All over the office there were bottles of beer. How many offices have you seen where beer is consumed during work? So, a young guy suggests they save money by cutting out the beer. The next thing you see is him being thrown out the window. The technical term for this is defenestration. Basically its murder. There were several things wrong with that commercial.

More than one ad had someone getting run over by a bus. Another had a guy able to magically remove a woman's clothes. You had to go to a website to see how that turned out. I didn't go there. The Clydesdale beer ads were okay.

I think maybe Super Bowl commercials have jumped the proverbial shark. I see TV Guide has taken over the Jump the Shark website. It's not the same.

Before the game, Jennifer Hudson sang the Star Spangled Banner. I believe it was the best national anthem singing I've ever heard. The Bruce Springsteen halftime show was about the best I remember, too.

And, apparently, if I'd made it to the 4th quarter, the football game ended up being as good as Jennifer and Bruce were. I just did not have the stamina to watch that much football.

Super Bowl XLIII All Day Today On NBC

Why do they use that pretentious Roman Numeral way of numbering Super Bowls? Wouldn't it be easier to just call it Super Bowl 43?

We don't even use Roman Numerals for something as important as President of the United States.

As in our dearly departed former leader, George W. was not known as XLIII. He was known as 43. As in the 43rd President of the United States.

What percentage of avid football fans can count in Roman Numerals? I can't help but wonder.

I knew that the Phoenix NFL team is in the Super Bowl. I knew this due to my Phoenix sister telling me they are all now Phoenix fans, meaning her husband and my nephews and, I guess, my sister. I generally don't pay much attention to the sports pages. But this morning I bothered to find out that Phoenix, well, Arizona, is playing Pittsburgh today. Apparently Arizona is the underdog with Pittsburgh expected to win.

I usually enjoy the commercials, and sometimes the halftime show. Last year I did not find the commercials amusing. I don't remember the halftime show. I blinked during Janet Jackson's infamous wardrobe malfunction, several Super Bowls ago, and had to download video of it to see what the fuss was all about. Much ado about nothing, it appeared to me.

When Seattle was in the Super Bowl, for the first and only time, a couple years ago, I actually watched both the game and the commercials and halftime show. I was appalled by the game. If a casual non-football fan can spot referee errors, well, that's pathetic. If all Super Bowls were like that one, I really don't get why people watch.

Even though I don't care for football and don't see what it is that people find so interesting, I have been known to have or go to a Super Bowl Party. On the West Coast the Super Bowl starts up about 3 in the afternoon. Here in the Central Time Zone it starts up at 5.

I was so used to West Coast start times for live events, I've never gotten used to the Central Time Zone and live events. Like the Academy Awards on the West Coast start at 6 and are over by about 10. Here it starts at 8 and goes til midnight. I've never made it to the end of an Academy Awards Show in Texas. That may be partially due to the fact that anymore I find the Academy Awards show even more boring than football.

It seems to my memory that usually the President's Annual State of the Union address is the first Tuesday after the Super Bowl. It is not scheduled this week, near as I can tell. I think on the West Coast the State of the Union came on at 7, making it 9 here.

Maybe the State of the Union is so bad this year our new President is choosing not to tell us about it. Someone needs to remind him that he is constitutionally obligated to inform the nation of the State of the Union, once a year. He can do it by written report if he isn't in the mood to give another big speech so soon after his last one.

Now, I must start to prepare for my Super Bowl Party. You are welcome to come. But I may kick you out when that game runs too deep into my bedtime.