Thinking About Doing Some Uncling With Mountain Lupine After My Mom Called About Getting Gas

With today being the last day of the month, with the month being April, I did what I always do on the last day of the month when the month is April, I went to Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area to walk with the Indian Ghosts who haunt this naturally historic area.

In the picture you are looking at one of the Village Creek Natural Historical Area's Wildflower Areas.

This particular Wildflower Area is predominately colored by Pink Evening Primroses. You do see some other wildflowers when you are up close to this Wildflower Area, as in there are some Mountain Lupine (aka Bluebonnets) wildflowers trying to be noticed.

I heard on the radio this morning that an Arctic Blast is heading to North Texas, arriving on Friday, with record breaking low temperatures predicted, as in way closer to freezing than is the norm for early May at this location on the planet.

Speaking of the temperature, my mom called me this morning because, apparently, I have not called in awhile to tell my mom I got gas, how much the gas cost and what the temperature is. The Phoenix zone is already having 100 degree plus temperatures.

My mom asked me when I'm heading up to Washington. Why are so many people thinking I am heading up to Washington? Did I have a sleep walking episode and do some erroneous communicating?

I actually would like to head up to Washington and do some uncling.

Apparently uncling is not a word, because it just got red-flagged as a misspelling.

The lunch gong just went off. I must go have a feeding now.

Complaint Filed With The Texas Ethics Commission Over TRWD's Misuse Of Public Funds

On Friday I blogged about what I thought to be an ethically corrupt use of taxpayer funds by the Tarrant Regional Water District Board in a post titled Taking A Corrupt Shot From Tarrant Regional Water District Board Incumbents.

The following day the corrupt use of taxpayer funds showed up in my mailbox and in a blog post titled I Found 10 Pages Of Tarrant Regional Water District Propaganda In My Mailbox This Morning.

A lot of voters in the Tarrant Regional Water District zone are in extreme umbrage mode over the TRWD Board's unethical antics.

Including Fort Worth's Adrian Murray.

Today Adrian Murray announced, on Facebook that he....

Filed complaint with the Texas Ethics Commission this morning over TRWD's misuse of public funds in printing and mailing a 10 page 4 color glossy brochure promoting the Board of Directors just days before early voting begins in the board election.  Three fifths of the board is up for reelection and this was clearly a campaign mailer and should be paid for by the incumbents, not the taxpayer.

Addendum: The complaint filed with the Texas Ethics Commission is against each TRWD Board Member, individually, as in a separate complaint against each of the 5 Board Members, Victor W. Henderson, Hal S. Sparks, Jack Stevens, Marty Leonard and Jim Lane.

Texas Ethics Commission? Is this some sort of oxymoron? Or is this a rare legit Texas commission that has not been co-opted by the foxes that the commission is supposed to keep out of the henhouse?

Wikipedia has a short article about the Texas Ethics Commission, consisting of the following 4 paragraphs...

The Texas Ethics Commission was established in 1991 to "provide guidance on various public ethics laws" within the state of Texas. The agency is headquartered on the 10th Floor of the Sam Houston State Office Building at 201 East 14th Street in Downtown Austin.

It was created by a state constitutional amendment voted on by the voters on November 5, 1991, Article III, Section 24a.

It consists of 8 members and legislators are excluded from serving. By the constitution, the ethics commission recommends the salaries of members of the Texas Legislature, the Lieutenant Governor and the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives.

The legislature has also given the commission various other duties, including the filing of financial disclosure statements for government officials.

I can not help but wonder if the Fort Worth Star-Telegram is going to share with its dwindling number of readers the information that a complaint has been filed with the Texas Ethics Commission regarding alleged misuse of public funds by the TRWD Board.

Such an allegation seems totally newsworthy to me...

My Niece Ruby's Skagit Valley Texas Bluebonnets

A couple days ago I blogged Blue & Max Take David, Theo & Ruby For A Muddy Romp In A Tulip-less Skagit Valley Field regarding Blue & Max taking two of my nephews and my only niece to the Skagit Valley to tiptoe through the tulips.

In that particular blogging I complained that I had politely asked my poodle nephews to get a good photo of David, Theo & Ruby surrounded by tulips.

All I got was the trio in a field of mud.

But, today Blue & Max were looking through the pictures they took of their trip to the tulips and found the above beauty with Ruby standing in front of a lot of colorful flowers, some of which are tulips.

I found the blue flowers behind the first row of purple tulips to be interesting. These blue flowers appear to be Texas Bluebonnets.

The last time I was on Mount Rainier, August 11, 2008, I made the mistake of opining that a particular wildflower looked to be a Texas Bluebonnet. If I remember right I was told what I was looking at was a Mountain Lupine.

Well, color me shocked. I was right. The Mountain Lupine is a Bluebonnet. The state flower of Texas grows on Mount Rainier. And on the Flats of the Skagit Valley.

Taking A Sunday Walk With The Roses In Arlington's Veterans Park

The last time I visited the soldier who stands guard at the memorial in Arlington's Veterans Park was way back in July of last year.

I don't know why 10 months have gone by without me returning to one of my favorite parks in the Dallas/Fort Worth/Arlington Metroplex zone.

It'd also been 10 months since I'd been to Arlington's International District to get Asian goodies at my favorite Asian grocery store, that being Saigon Cho Market on Pioneer Parkway.

The best Asian goodie I got at Saigon Cho today was 5 pounds of very lean ground beef. Asian ground beef is coarsely ground, which will make it excellent for a big pot of chili.

Nothing much had changed at Veterans Park since my last visit.

The view you see below I always find enjoyable. One would never think one was in the center of a metropolitan area with a population over 6 million when one looks at this view with nary an element of civilization as far as one can see.

Veterans Park was blooming a lot of wildflowers today. Flowers that weren't wildflowers were also blooming a lot of color, in the Xeriscape area.

Including a lot of red roses. Red roses smell good.

The above patch of pink Evening Primroses is the biggest Primrose patch I have seen this wildflower season.

I had myself a might fine time swimming this morning. At that point in time I did not need sunglasses. I think I may go for another swim this afternoon, along with some lounging under the now fully exposed sun. I am trying to reduce my pastiness level so I can lounge on a sunny beach without getting sunburned

Why Is Captain Clean So Mad At The TRWD Board One Can Not Help But Wonder?

With this morning's check of my mailbox I found the score is now 3 to 1 in the Mailer War between the TRWD Incumbents and the BNK Candidates to replace the TRWD Incumbents, with the BNK Candidates having the 3 to 1 advantage in election mailer output.

The BNK Candidates' Mailers are clearly election campaign literature, while the TRWD Candidates' one and only election mailer was a deceptive piece of election propaganda disguised as a 2012 Tarrant Regional Water District Board Report.

I never thought to wonder, til now, why this was a 2012 Board Report when the year is 2013.

In the latest BNK election message we learn more about why Captain Clean is so mad at the TRWD Board.

For instance, Captain Clean is mad "Because they used our money to buy themselves a private deer hunting lease and a luxurious private helicopter."

You can read Captain Clean shouting above, in the front page of the mailer that "While water shortages and pollution threaten our quality of life the Tarrant Regional Water District is busy spending our money on selfish perks for themselves!"

As you can see below, Captain Clean continues his mad tirade on the other side of the mailer, insisting "It's time to clean out the pipes at the Tarrant Regional Water District."

And that "The Tarrant Regional Water District's selfish perks must come to an end!"

What is Captain Clean's solution to ending the TRWD madness???

Apparently Captain Clean thinks "We must stop the lavish lifestyle of the TRWD Board and focus on what really matters - WATER!"

To accomplish this Captain Clean suggests we "Vote for THREE new Board Members to the TRWD, Basham,  Nold and Kelleher.

You can learn more at the BNK Flush the TRWD website.

Early voting starts April 29, til May 7, with the election taking place Saturday, May 11.

Biking The Gateway Park Jungle Because Elsie Hotpepper Won't Go To The Prairie Fest With Me

This final Saturday of April was the first time I've pedaled the Gateway Park mountain bike trail since late last winter.

On that particular late last winter Gateway Park bike ride the predominant color was brown. As you can see, via the photo, the Gateway Park jungle has returned, with the predominant color now being green.

Today, with it being Saturday, April 27, the 2013 Prairie Fest is taking place.

I could not find anyone to go to the Prairie Fest with me this year. It is well known that I rarely go solo to anything.

I called Elsie Hotpepper, thrice, thinking she might go Prairie Festing with me. I thought Elsie Hotpepper might go Prairie Festing with me because the last time I had myself any fun at the Prairie Fest it was with Elsie Hotpepper and her supply of adult libations of the sort I rarely consume.

Elsie Hotpepper did call me back, a couple times. One of those times I was in the pool, unable to hear my phone make its incoming call noise. I think it was that missed call that brought about my third call to Elsie Hotpepper attempt.

Another reason I was not feeling strongly motivated to help bring Power to the Prairie was on Friday I had myself an exhausting day with way too much human interaction and bruising bus rides that left me feeling in need of peace and quiet.

Hence the bike ride through a jungle.

However, I did subject myself to way too much human interaction, of short duration, with my regular Saturday visit to Town Talk. Today I saw, upon arrival, that the Town Talk reader board read "PRODUCE SALE."

For me, "PRODUCE SALE" meant two bags of red spuds, 8 yellow peppers, 8 green peppers, 2 bags of spinach, 5 pounds of broccoli crowns, 3 pounds of onions, dozens of Anaheim peppers and a lot of other stuff I am not remembering right now.

Currently the outer world, at my location, is supposedly heated to only 70 degrees, at a minute or two past 6. However, even though the temperature is supposedly only 70, I am way too hot inside this abode. I had the windows open all afternoon. This may have been a mistake that I think I am about to rectify by firing up the air conditioner.

Surprised By A Gateway Park Memorial To Trinity River Drowning Victim Malik Cisse

Today was my first time back in Gateway Park since a teenage boy drowned in the Trinity River, at that location, a couple weeks ago.

When I read about the drowning I was perplexed by the line in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram article that said, "Students told officials that they had been jumping off a dock into the water."

A "dock" in Gateway Park, from whence someone could jump into water 25 feet deep?

The only thing I could think of that someone might characterize as a "dock" is the remnants of the abandoned, boarded up, boardwalk eyesores that the City of Fort Worth has let fester for years.

When I came upon the memorial, you see above, it was clear to me that it was the boarded up boardwalk that was being referred to as a "dock".

In addition to flowers at its base, the memorial cross has the name of the drowning victim, Malik Cisse, 5-11-95, 4-13-13.

Below is another photo I took today. What I saw in this photo bothered me.

A plywood barrier to the "dock" access has now been installed. The other entries to this "dock" were blocked prior to the drowning. I have used the now blocked, previous to the drowning, un-blocked, access to access the "dock" a couple times for photo taking purposes.

I have opined several times, on this very blog, that I thought it was irresponsible of the City of Fort Worth to let this eyesore fester.

And now a teenage boy, attracted to this attractive nuisance, has drowned. What had been a picnic to celebrate the end of Carter-Riverside High School's soccer season took a preventable tragic turn.

Now, why did the Star-Telegram not describe the site of the drowning accurately I can not help but wonder?

Calling an abandoned, damaged, partially boarded up boardwalk eyesore a "dock" seems to me to be a bit of a misrepresentation.

I Found 10 Pages Of Tarrant Regional Water District Propaganda In My Mailbox This Morning

The Tarrant Regional Water District mailer I blogged about yesterday in a blogging titled Taking A Corrupt Shot From Tarrant Regional Water District Board Incumbents showed up in my mailbox this morning in all its 10 page full color glory.

On the left you are looking at the back page of the mailer.

In the upper right corner you see the word PAID. As in Presorted Standard U.S. Postage was PAID to mail this mailer.

Who PAID?

You PAID.

Yes, you the taxpayer who lives in the Tarrant Regional Water District PAID to mail this propaganda mailer. You also PAID to produce this rather slick production.

Was this slick production mailed to all the voters residing in the Tarrant Regional Water District? Or was this slick production only mailed to those, like me, who live in the select areas of the Tarrant Regional Water District that are allowed to vote?

And how is it that taxpayer money can be spent to produce and mail this slick production that amounts to being campaign propaganda for those on the TRWD Board who are running for another term on the board?

Page 1 of this mailer I showed you yesterday. Page 2 is a full page photo of a water falling over ledges. Page 3 is some propaganda spewed from TRWD Board President, Victor W. Henderson, Page 3 I also showed you yesterday, that being a list of the TRWD Board of Directors, including those up for re-election. Page 4 describes the Water District, along with a map and a wetlands photo. Page 5 is about Flood Control, including a photo of the infamous 1949 downtown Fort Worth flood, along with text mentioning the miles of Trinity River levees. Page 6 is all about the Recreation benefits the TRWD is bringing the people. Page 7 is about TRWD's Water Conservation efforts. Page 8 has a big photo of the Lawn Whisperer, along with "Water Saving Superheroes" propaganda. Page 8 is about Water Quality, along with two photos showing litter. Page 9 is all about the TRWD In the Community, consisting of 5 photos and more propaganda. Page 10 you see above.

While Page 5 says "One of TRWD's primary functions is to manage a 27 mile flood control system that spans Fort Worth. Working together with the United States Army Corps of Engineers, we maintain the levees and related structures that provide vital protection to residents along the Clear and West Forks of the Trinity" no mention is made of the plan to take down many of those levees that have protected Fort Worth for so long, with that plan brought courtesy of the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle.

Speaking of the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle, there is no mention made of this TRWD pet project any where in their 10 page propaganda piece. The words "Trinity River Vision" appear no where.

Why is that?

Are the TRWD Board Members up for re-election concerned that being associated with the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle might cost them some votes?

Taking A Corrupt Shot From Tarrant Regional Water District Board Incumbents

I find the ethically questionable antics of various Texas government agencies and much of the Texas public's who cares attitude (for the most part) both perplexing and amusing.

A good example of this ethically questionable antics syndrome showed up in my email today, with the email showing me the example having the subject line: A Corrupt Shot from the Incumbents.

What incumbents you wonder?

Well, the incumbents you are wondering about are the incumbents currently on the Tarrant Regional Water District Board who are up for election this coming May 11.

And what have these incumbents done that is so corrupt?

Well.

The Tarrant Regional Water District has mailed out a very slick, full color, 10 page campaign advertisement, I mean, informational brochure.

The "informational" brochure tells the voters, I mean, people they serve, all that the Tarrant Regional Water District Board members have done to put an end to flooding, conserve water, provide an everlasting supply of fresh drinking water, make the Trinity River as pure as a mountain stream and others things which should make voters, I mean the people they serve, want to keep these people serving them.

Well.

No where in this "informational" brochure is there any mention made of an upcoming election.

No where in this "informational" brochure is there any mention made of who paid for this brochure.

If the Tarrant Regional Water District did not pay for this brochure, who did?

If the Tarrant Regional Water District did pay for this brochure how is this not some sort of a violation of election campaign laws?

Like I said previously, I find the ethically questionable antics of various Texas governmental agencies and the Texas public's who cares attitude (for the most part) both perplexing and amusing.

And might I add, to those Texans with a "who cares?" attitude, well, you get what you vote for. If you like ethical bankruptcy, just keep voting the ethically bankrupt rascals in office, over and over again....

Riding A Fort Worth Bus To Sundance Square While Not Enjoying In-N-Out Double Double Burgers

What you are looking at in the picture is the interior of a Fort Worth bus. Today I got myself a Fort Worth bus day pass and hopped on board the #21 to make  my way to the transfer station where I hopped on board the #2  bus which took me to downtown Fort Worth's Intermodal Transit Center.

Near as I can tell, by Intermodal Transit Center, Fort Worth means you can take a bus to get on an Amtrak train. And vice versa.

Today I learned that riding a Fort Worth bus is great exercise, particularly the articulated bus ride from the transfer station to downtown. This is one very bumpy ride that I think must do wonders for the abdominal muscles.

By articulated bus I mean a bus that can bend in the middle like an accordion. The only other articulated buses I have been on are the ones that run through the Seattle bus tunnel. The Seattle articulated buses are like well suspended Cadillacs, while Fort Worth's are like not so well suspended oversized VW buses.

In other words, the Fort Worth articulated buses, and the un-articulated Fort Worth buses give riders a much more adventurous ride than the sedate, smooth riding Seattle buses.

When I exited the #2 I had myself a fine time wandering the streets of downtown Fort Worth for the first time in a long time. One of the things I was wanting to see is Sundance Square. Ever since I moved to Fort Worth Sundance Square has perplexed me. Because there is no Sundance Square in downtown Fort Worth. There are signs pointing visitors to Sundance Square, but there is no square. Eventually, I and others concluded that by "Square" downtown Fort Worth means "parking lots".

So, last year it was announced that, after all these years of there being no Square in Sundance Square, Fort Worth was finally going to build one.

On one of the parking lots.

And call it Sundance Plaza. I assume to continue the tradition of confusing tourists.

I was a bit surprised to find that Sundance Plaza is a long ways from becoming a square. The parking lot in front of the Chisholm Trail mural, where the plaza is being built,  is a construction mess, with two new buildings being built on the west and east ends of the former parking lots, with the new plaza currently pretty much a hole in the ground. However, there are multiple signs, all around the construction site, such as the one you see above, where the guy in the cowboy hat is telling the Butch Cassidy lookalike in the derby, that "THERE'LL ALSO BE A NEW OUTDOOR PLAZA. A REALLY GREAT SPACE  THE WHOLE CITY CAN BE PROUD OF."

Below you see some of the signage around the Sundance Plaza construction site, with one of the new buildings, butted up against the old Flying Saucer Emporium building, with the Angels on the Bass Performance Hall blowing their horns on the right.

Isn't this Sundance Plaza project well past its projected completion date?

Regarding downtown Fort Worth, other than the construction zones, I have never seen downtown Fort Worth looking so good. Lots of street activity, new restaurants, many open to the street, well manicured landscaping.

I must repeat, because I was surprised to find myself thinking this, downtown Fort Worth is looking really good.

I also thought I'd never find myself saying that downtown Fort Worth is a much more lively, people oriented downtown that what one finds in Dallas. Then again, it has been a few years since I've wandered around downtown Dallas. Maybe downtown Dallas has improved just as much as downtown Fort Worth has.

After an hour or two of wandering around downtown Fort Worth my group of wanderers grew hungry. So, it was back to the Intermodal Transit Center to hop back on the #2 bus to head west to 7th Street.

The feeding choices were Sweet Tomatoes or In-N-Out.

All the wanderers had been to Sweet Tomatoes, but only I had been to an In-N-Out. So, it was to In-N-Out we went.

Today was my 4th In-N-Out Double Double Burger. The first two were consumed in Phoenix in 2004. Number 3 was consumed in Tempe, (or was it Scottsdale?) in 2012. I don't know what it was, for sure, but the Fort Worth In-N-Out Double Double Burger did not match the Double Double Burger of my memory. It seemed smaller, messier, not as tasty. And the french fries, something was way off with the fries. Almost as if they were powdery. As in flavorless starchiness. Very disappointing. I think I will be waiting til next I am in Arizona or California to have an In-N-Out Double Double Burger.

As you can see in the above photo of the In-N-Out Burger joint, traffic on 7th Street is a congested mess. Methinks something needs to be done to ameliorate this, but what that amelioration might be, I have no idea.

But, I am almost 100% certain the traffic congestion is not going to be solved by the 300 bikes, newly operational, that I saw at several kiosks in the downtown zone today. I saw no one riding one of the bikes.

Even though I saw no one riding one of the 300 bikes, several seem to be missing from this 7th Street kiosk. Or maybe those are just empty spaces awaiting incoming bikes.

Like I said, 7th Street is terribly congested. But one block to the south, on Crockett Street, one finds a totally more sedate, better designed street experience. I think Crockett Street benefited from being developed long after long established 7th Street.

Crockett Street has wide sidewalks, well designed landscaping, with an overall more pleasant street walking experience than 7th Street.

Finishing exploring the 7th Street zone it was back on the #2 bus to head back to the Intermodal Transit Center. This bus had no seating available, standing room only, which made the ride a very rock and roll, standing on a subway train-like experience. I was enjoying the carnival ride aspect, but was sort of relieved to finally get off the ride at the Transit Center.

From the Transit Center we had to switch to an eastbound #2 bus to the transfer station, then back on the #21 to return to the starting location.

Today the buses were well timed. Very little waiting to make a switch.

It only cost $3.50 for an all day pass on the Fort Worth bus system. I really don't understand why more of the locals don't have themselves a really fine time trying out out this mode of transport. I saw more than one family group, today, with little kids, with the kids having a lot of fun on the Fort Worth bus carnival ride.

Playing With Transmission Fluid & A Lime Green Village Creek Blue Bayou Alligator

Today, when I went walking with the Indian Ghosts who haunt Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area I was a little surprised to arrive at the Village Creek Blue Bayou to find what looked like a lime green alligator climbing out of the bayou on to a perch on the Blue Bayou overlook.

Visiting with what looked to be a lime green alligator was just one event in what is being an eventful day.

The first eventful event of the day was finding that the fact that the temperature in the outer world at my location, which had remained above 50 degrees for over 24 hours, had rendered the cool pool not too cool to swim in.

So I had a real fine time in the pool this morning, unlike yestermorning, which required 3 escapes from the cool pool into the not cool hot tub.

Vehicle maintenance is another event that has made today an eventful day.

When it comes to vehicle maintenance I am not a very responsible person. Until a warning light or beep alerts me that something may need attention I forgot to check things like the oil, transmission fluid or tire pressure.

The last couple days I thought my transmission was acting unusual. I looked in my vehicle manual for directions as to how to check the transmission fluid. That eventually led me on a 15 mile drive and a two person operation.

I think maybe the 15 mile drive is required to heat up the transmission fluid enough to get an accurate reading. That accurate reading indicated the transmission fluid was low. This accurate reading took place in the Village Creek Natural Historical Area parking lot, which is about a mile from Walmart.

Before I drove the 15  miles for the scheduled fluid check, I drove to my neighborhood Fort Worth Credit Union to make a deposit. Two Fort Worth cops were guarding the Credit Union. This particular Fort Worth Credit Union branch is on Brentwood Stair Road, across the street from the Whataburger that was in the news yesterday due to a shootout between a Whataburger robber and a Fort Worth policeman, who was injured in the shootout, which was fatal for the Whataburger robber.

So, after walking with the Indian Ghosts and after avoiding being gator bait, it was off to Walmart to find some transmission fluid and a funnel.

In the process of checking fluid levels I also discovered I was down a quart of oil. Whilst still in the Walmart parking lot I funneled transmission oil where it needed to go and poured oil in to the hole where it needed to go.

After all this fluid injecting my motorized mechanical conveyance seemed to respond in a positive fashion.

Even so I am leaving my motorized mechanical conveyance in its home parking spot tomorrow while I ride the Fort Worth Adventure Buses to downtown Fort Worth and beyond and back. I expect to find some prime blogging fodder....

Blue & Max Take David, Theo & Ruby For A Muddy Romp In A Tulip-less Skagit Valley Field

Yesterday morning Blue & Max told me they were taking my nephews, David & Theo and niece, Ruby, to the Skagit Valley to tiptoe through the tulips.

I asked Blue & Max to please take me a picture of the trio tiptoeing through the tulips, but the above is all I got. Nary a tulip in view.

For those unfamiliar with such things, those mounds in the background are known as foothills, not mountains. These are foothills of the Cascade Mountain Range. Over time the Skagit River carved a valley through the Cascade Mountains, eventually leaving the mountains to create an enormous alluvial plain, rendered extremely fertile due to the eons of being flooded, prior to mostly being tamed by the intervention of man.

The alluvial flood plain part of the Skagit Valley is known, locally, as the Skagit Flats. Looking at the photo you likely can guess why this is called The Flats.

The Skagit Flats is where most of the Skagit agriculture takes place. I do know of a big Cascadian Farms strawberry field up the valley, well out of The Flats zone.

Actually I don't know if the big Cascadian Farms strawberry field still exists, upriver. It has been a lot of years, as in 14, since I have driven past that strawberry field on my way over the North Cascades to Eastern Washington.

Over 90 different crops are grown in the Skagit Valley. In addition to the aforementioned strawberries, you will also find fields of corn, peas, raspberries, blueberries,  cucumber, potatoes, broccoli, apples and tulip, daffodil and iris bulbs.

The Skagit Valley produces more flower bulbs than any other county in America.

All that flower bulb production makes the Skagit Flats very colorful this Skagit Tulip Festival time of the year.  So, I really don't know why Blue & Max could only find a field of mud, with no tulips, for the kids to play in.

Les Miserables In Fort Worth With Way Too Much Litter

There is a thing or two or three about Texas which bothers me at times.

When verbalizing something about Texas which bothers me I often find  myself mentioning "Rick Perry" in some context regarding that about which I am bothered.

Another word that shows up, often, when I'm verbalizing about something in Texas which bothers me is the word "litter".

Sometimes "litter" and "Rick Perry" show up in the same verbalization about something that bothers me about Texas.

The astonishing amount of litter one sees in Texas is the #1 thing I hear mentioned when I communicate with someone early on in their Texas Culture Shock. Like Marie the (Now Missing) Herb Tracker. Early on in my communicating with the newly transplanted from Seattle, Marie the Herb Tracker, Marie verbalized her disdain for all the litter, saying "it makes my forehead wrinkle."

I'm guessing the phrase "forehead wrinkle" is a poetic way of saying "frown".

Today my forehead wrinkled when I took a walk around my neighborhood and saw that which you see above, behind Albertsons. In addition to what looked to be discarded produce there was a discarded mattress, among a diverse collection of litter, with the lighter litter being dispersed by the wind.

Why would Albertsons, or whoever is responsible for this strip mall, not quickly get this mess cleaned up?

From the location of this litter mess I can see Miss Puerto Rico's balcony. A couple years ago, from that balcony, Miss PR and I watched an amazing display of Fort Worth police in action. At least a dozen police cars showed up within minutes. A young man had shoplifted a box of disposable diapers from the neighborhood Dollar Store. We watched as the young man was caught, handcuffed and laid, facedown, on the trunk of a police car.

I certainly think one should not be shoplifting, but one must be desperate to shoplift a box of diapers. This was a bit  more of a crime than Jean Valjean stealing a loaf of bread, due to being hungry. But, the police response seemed to be just about equally out of whack.

So, where are the police when a wanton act of littering takes place? Does Albertsons get a citation for its litter mess? If not, why not?

One would think if one can get a ticket for not wearing ones seatbelt one should get ticketed and fined for a really bad act of littering.

And why is Texas such a littered mess? Why do so many people here have trouble properly disposing of litter?

If you ever have the opportunity to take a road trip out of Texas, heading west, or northwest, you will notice, soon after leaving Texas, that the roadside litter is greatly diminished. By the time you get to Colorado the outer world starts to look remarkably more tidy than the outer world in Texas looks. This phenomenon continues all the way to the West Coast.

Texas has an anti-littering campaign that uses the slogan "Don't Mess With Texas". There is a lot of litter evidence on the ground that this anti-littering campaign is not very effective.

Methinks it might behoove Texas to come up with a new anti-littering campaign to more effectively convince people to stop messing with Texas....

Apparently Fixing The Tarrant Regional Water District Mess Is A Job For Captain Clean

This morning I opened my mailbox and learned that Captain Clean is cleaning out the pipes at the Tarrant Regional Water District.

Captain Clean thinks the Tarrant Regional Water District is a mess and only one man knows how to clean it up.

By day Captain Clean is just an ordinary mild-mannered plumber.

But, when water shortages lurk, with water pollution abounding, with the pipes of government becoming clogged from corruption and cronyism, Captain Clean goes into action and becomes Tarrant County's Greatest Super Hero.

Apparently Captain Clean has determined that the current Tarrant Regional Water District Board has failed us all miserably by jeopardizing our health and the quality of life of Tarrant County families.

Captain Clean has found himself some pipe cleaning allies to help him in his fight to protect our water and quality of life. Captain Clean wants you to elect John Basham, Timothy Nold and Mary Kelleher to the Tarrant Regional Water District Board. Voting to elect these three makes you one more Captain Clean ally.

You can learn all about the corruption on the TRWD Board by going to the Flush TRWD website where you'll find out about some of what the TRWD Board members have been doing with your money, such as...

Rather than taking our tax dollars and using them to improve water quality and seek long-term solutions to our water needs, they have instead spent our tax dollars on wasteful and luxurious perks for themselves and their friends.  For example, the board purchased a deer lease in Jack County for the exclusive recreational use of TRWD board members and employees. They also get around in a custom six-person helicopter, complete with leather interior.  Wouldn’t it be nice if they cared as much about our water as they do about the seats in their taxpayer-funded helicopter?

Before I forget, I must mention that Flush TRWD Vote for BNK is also on Facebook.

Back to Captain Clean and the Flush TRWD website, I found the following two paragraphs to be interesting...

One of our main water resources, the Trinity River, has become so polluted with toxins and dangerous bacteria that the Texas Department of State Health Services has declared all species of fish in it a “hazard to human health.”

But forget about eating the fish, it’s not even safe to swim in the Trinity River.  WFAA News recently reported that four out of five testing sites along the river in Fort Worth had dangerously high levels of E.Coli bacteria (from fecal matter) present; well above what the E.P.A. recommends as acceptable.  Water with such high levels of E.Coli can cause sickness just from swimming in it; including diarrhea and vomiting.

I am guessing that one of Captain Clean's goals is to put an end to the Trinity River Vision's Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats, until he can make the Trinity River safe for fish and human habitation.

Walking With Village Creek Indian Ghosts In Fields Of Wildflowers With Big Green Snakes

When I go hiking in the wild in Texas I am almost always armed with my snake stick. Even on cold days when snakes are rendered immobile due to their cold bloodedness.

My year round arming of myself with a snake stick could be taken as being an indication of my fear level when it comes to slithering reptiles.

Today, whilst walking with the Indian Ghosts who haunt Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area I was peacefully enjoying being lost in my thoughts when I was suddenly startled by the green slithery monster you see above.

The slithery green monster did not act in an unfriendly manner towards me, so my snake stick stayed in its holster.

Speaking of snakes, just this morning I heard from Leo, he being the snake killer killer who wants to put a stop to rattlesnake roundups, like the one in Sweetwater. Leo has been apologizing lately for mistaking me for being a snake killer apologist.

The Village Creek Natural Historical Area's Wildflower Area seems to be tripling its amount of color every three days.

Well, I guess that is a bit of a stretch to say that the amount of color is tripling every three days. More accurately today it appeared there were about three times the number of blooms blooming three days ago.

I see via incoming email that Elsie Hotpepper has tasked me with an URGENT task. Since this is URGENT I really should go attend to it, lest the Hotpepper overheat.

Today Marks The Launch Of The Fort Worth Bike Sharing Boondoggle

On the left you are looking at part of an email I received this morning from Downtown Fort Worth, Inc., announcing "Fort Worth Bike Sharing Launch - Today!"

This was the first I've heard about Fort Worth instituting a bike sharing program.

My instant reaction to this news was sure-fire BOONDOGGLE.

Apparently there are 300 bikes available at  B-cycle Kiosks where one purchases a membership so you can ride one of the 300 bikes to your destination, if your destination happens to be at one of the available B-cycle stations.

I learned all this, and more, at the Fort Worth Bike Sharing website.

Among the things I learned from the Fort Worth Bike Sharing website is what it costs to ride one of these bikes...

It costs nothing to ride for 30 minutes? The second 30 minutes costs $1.50? Each additional 30 minutes costs $3.00? 24 hours for $8.00? A week for $20.00? A month for $30.00? A year for $80.00? With the Annual Pass being the Best Value?

Did Fort Worth do any sort of market study before it came up with this Bike Sharing Boondoggle? Did the same people do this market study as those who did the market study which resulted in Fort Worth's Santa Fe Rail Market Boondoggle?

From the email from Downtown Fort Worth, Inc.....

THE BIG EVENT! 

The launch of the first bike share system in North Texas. The inaugural ride for Fort Worth B-Cycle will include 300 volunteer riders, including Mayor Betsy Price, Council Member Joel Burns and T President Dick Ruddell. The riders will pedal the fleet of 300 red bike sharing bicycles from Burnett Park to one of 27 docking stations located throughout Downtown, Near Southside, Cultural District and TCU. The ride will commence with Mayor Price ringing a ceremonial bike bell with all riders following suit, after which Fort Worth B-Cycle will be available to the public 24 hours a day.

I really can not imagine riding my bike in the downtown Fort Worth zone. Or, have bike lanes been added since the last time I was in downtown Fort Worth?

It will be interesting to watch how this latest Fort Worth Boondoggle plays out.

As usual, I really hope I am wrong about this being a Boondoggle.....

The Imperial Hubris Of All The Anonymous People

A couple days ago I finished reading Imperial Hubris, authored by my most ubiquitous blog commenter, Anonymous.

Wikipedia has a good article that gives you a good idea of why Americans who can read should read Imperial Hubris by Anonymous.

In the Wikipedia article I learned that Anonymous is no longer Anonymous.

Anonymous is Michael Scheuer, a 22 year CIA veteran who ran the Counterterrorist Center's Osama bin Laden operation from 1996 til 1999.

If you were among the millions who winced in astonishment every time our former dunce president said things like bin Laden hates America and attacked us because he hated freedom and western modern ways, well, in a video from back in September of 2007, after the Imperial Hubris author was no longer Anonymous, Osama bin Laden said, "if you would like to get to know some of the reasons for your losing of your war against us, then read the book of Michael Scheuer in this regard."

Changing the subject from one Anonymous to another Anonymous.

My initial intention in bringing up this Anonymous subject was to mention my personal problem with Anonymous, as it pertains to blog comments.

I have 5 blogs. Combined, the 5 blogs have had well over 6,000 posts. Any one of those posts can generate a comment. I let anyone comment. The comment can be Anonymous, or make up a name, Or OpenID or log in to your Google account.

Well over half of all the blog comments are from Anonymous.

Google emails me all the comments. This amounts to a lot of comment emails every day. Some of the Anonymous comments are legit. Most are spam. Google does a good job of putting the legit Anonymous comments in the Awaiting Moderation folder.

However, if you comment as Anonymous and do not see your comment appear, that is likely not due to me reading it and rejecting it, but instead due to the fact that I do not open and read the comment emails from Anonymous. There are just too many of them.

So, if you want to make sure your comment is published, make up a name, instead of being Anonymous, if you don't want to use an identifier that identifies the commenter as you.

More than once I have had someone Anonymous get bent out of shape due to me not being able to keep track of various Anonymous people commenting on the same blog post. This can be annoying.

Quit Giving Money To Fort Worth Vagrants Including Panhandlers & Beggars

Today I did not feel like driving anywhere for my daily walkabout.

So, I walked about my neighborhood.

Walking about my neighborhood took  me by Albertsons. In the the Albertsons strip mall there is an Italian restaurant appropriately named Italy Pasta & Pizza.

I have never had pasta or pizza at Italy Pasta & Pizza. Italy Pasta & Pizza is closed on Sunday. This gave me the opportunity to look at the menu that is posted in the window next to the entry door, without being gawked at by the diners inside the restaurant, sitting right by the menu in the window.

Near the menu in the window I saw a sign I'd not noticed before, that being the sign you see above.

The sign says....

PLEASE DO NOT GIVE MONEY 

TO THE VAGRANTS

(panhandlers and beggars  included)

MOST OF THEM ARE PROFESSIONAL CON ARTISTS, THE OTHERS ARE ADDICTS THAT WILL USE YOUR MONEY TO BUY DRUGS AND LIQUOR.

IF YOU WISH TO DONATE MONEY FOR THOSE THAT
ARE TRULY NEEDY, WE RECOMMEND:

The "WE RECOMMEND" is followed by a list of 4 locations in Fort Worth where one can donate money to the truly needy.

Now, I either drive by, or walk  by, Italy Pasta & Pizza at least once a day. I have never seen anyone looking like a vagrant or a panhandler or a beggar. I have never had anyone ask me for money at this location.

How does this restaurant know that most of these vagrants, panhandlers and beggars, which I have never seen, are professional con artists, with those who are not vagrant, panhandling or begging being addicts finagling for money to buy booze and drugs?

I often see Fort Worth police cars parked at Italy Pasta & Pizza. More than once I've seen officers leaving this restaurant, looking well fed. This does not strike me as a prime location for someone wanting to swindle innocents out of their money.

So, why does this restaurant have this tacky sign in their window?

Very perplexing.

A Saturday Walk Around Fosdick Lake Before Pulling Pepperoni Pizza From The Oven

The long and winding road you are looking at in the photo is the paved trail that winds its way around Fosdick Lake in Fort Worth's Oakland Lake Park.

The Fosdick Lake trail was this Saturday's location I chose to get my daily dose of endorphins acquired via aerobic stimulation.

Soon after the sun came up this morning I got some aerobic stimulation via swimming in a pool that was a bit cooler than it was yesterday.

North Texas is looking rather green, in the photo, is it not? Most of North Texas looks green this time of year.

I remember awhile back Washingtonian, Betty Jo Bouvier, after seeing one of my green North Texas photos, expressed surprise that any part of Texas is green.

My first time in North Texas was way back in 1980, so I've known, since then, that not all of Texas is a brown desert.

But that 1980 visit was in August, so, at that point in time, North Texas was not green to the jungle-like level it currently is.

After having myself a mighty fine time walking around Fosdick  Lake it was off to Town Talk for my regularly scheduled Saturday treasure hunt. Today I got myself a lot of green peppers, a big bag of pears, a bag of grapefruit, roasted turkey breast and a big pepperoni pizza that I just pulled out of the oven.

Since I just pulled the pepperoni pizza out of the oven one might guess that it is time for lunch. One would be making a correct guess...

The Village Creek Natural Historical Area's Wildflower Area Is Now Blooming Bluebonnets

On Tuesday I was walking with the Indian Ghosts who haunt Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area, pleased to discover that the Village Creek Natural Historical Area's Wildflower Area was blooming a lot of color.

Today I was pleased to discover, as you can see in the photo, that the precipitation that precipitated since my last walk with the Indian Ghosts, has coaxed the bluebonnets in the Village Creek Natural Historical Area's Wildflower Area to tardily, in large numbers, put on their annual display of an otherworldly shade of blue.

The unusually cold temperatures that blew in with the rain is likely slowing up the wildflower blooming, again. I suspect the return to warmth in the next day or two will have the wildflowers back on track to be in full show off mode by the time of Prairie Fest 2013, on the Tandy Hills, Saturday, April 27.

Speaking of being cold. This morning I switched my interior climate control device from cool back to heat. I do not remember ever resorting to artificial heat before, in April, in Texas.

Paradoxically, even though the temperature was only 37, this morning, when the sun arrived, I had myself a really fine time in the cool pool, with the cool pool feeling as if it was a heated pool, due to the water being so much warmer than the almost freezing air.

Well, I must cease this blogging now and move on to something else, as in, I see Elsie Hotpepper has tasked me with an important task that I must attend to at once,  lest I get heat from the Hotpepper....

A Stormy Texas Night With Fertilizer Exploding In West & Elsie Hotpepper No Longer Missing

The sun is not yet providing much illumination this stormy Thursday morning in Texas.

You can sort of see, via the view from my patio portal on the outer world, that an extremely strong wind is moving the foliage surrounding the swimming pool.

Currently the outer world is chilled to 46 degrees at my location. This means the water in the pool is a lot less cool than 46, due to yesterday's high being in the near 90 zone.

The power went out in my abode around 4 this morning. This woke me up, which is when I realized rain had arrived along with thunder booming.

I don't think I heard the explosion in West that killed more people and did more damage than the Boston bombings. Apparently the fertilizer plant that had erupted into a big fire, being fought by firefighters, when the explosion exploded, was known to have some operation issues.

In other news, the missing Elsie Hotpepper has now been located. Suffice to say, Elsie is yet one more victim of American Airlines.

I don't know if going swimming this morning is a good idea. I'll have the answer to that question in about a half hour.

A HOT Hunt For The Missing Elsie Hotpepper At Quanah Parker Park

No, that is not the paved trail in Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area you are looking at in the picture.

That fact is clearly obvious to an observant person, due to the well known fact that the Village Creek Natural Historical Area's paved trail does not have a center line.

However, the paved trail in Quanah Parker Park does have a center line.

Which might lead one to guess that today I parked at Quanah Parker Park to go on a borderline too HOT walk.

The one making that guess would be correct.

Elsie Hotpepper has gone missing for the first time in quite a while. I looked for the missing Hotpepper at Quanah Parker Park, but did not find her.

The last I heard from Elsie Hotpepper was on Monday, at which time Miss Hotpepper talked about islands. As in South Padre Island being a preferable island location to Galveston Island.

Changing the subject from Hotpepper back to the HOT weather.

Just like a week ago today, a BIG storm is predicted to arrive sometime after midnight at my location on the planet. Last week's BIG Storm piddled out at my location.

I am not liking the A/C running. Eventually I get used to this, if I am remembering correctly.

At 83 degrees my location is the HOTTEST of the temperatures I monitor hourly. My old home zone of Mount Vernon, in Washington, is a relatively chilly 55 degrees, while my mom and dad, nephews, sister and favorite brother-in-law, in Arizona, are only 14 degrees warmer than Mount Vernon, at 69 degrees.

Well, enough about temperatures, I must go continue my hunt for the missing Elsie Hotpepper now....

A Plethora Of Village Creek Wildflowers Thinking About Skagit Valley Tulips

Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area's Wildflower Area today was blooming a lot more wildflowers than what it was blooming just two days ago.

And so it seems, wildflower season has finally arrived in North Texas.

Yesterday, whilst walking in my neighborhood I came upon a flower growing wild that I thought was a wildflower, but I was later informed this particular flower is known as a very common Iris.

I don't know why a very common Iris can not also be a wildflower.

Currently my old home location, that being the Skagit Valley in the State of Washington, is in the midst of the annual Skagit Tulip Festival, running from April 1 through April 30.

Over a million visitors come to the Skagit Valley each year to look at the tulips and other flowers blooming on the valley floor.

Until 1985 I lived in West Mount Vernon, on the west side of the Skagit River. This meant every weekend during the Tulip Festival I had myself a really fine time dealing with the worst traffic jams I've ever experienced anywhere.

The traffic problems have improved over the years, with mass transit hauling some of the visitors in buses. And better control of the traffic flow.

Looking at the Skagit Tulip Festival website I see a mission statement...

The Mission of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is to coordinate and promote a countywide Spring celebration of the tulip bloom, in commemoration of the valley’s annual tulip harvest, and to be an advocate for Skagit Valley agriculture.

Reading the above had me wondering if Tarrant County has a countywide celebration advocating anything. Skagit County has countywide public transit. Tarrant County does not have countywide public transit.

Does Tarrant County have countywide anything? I'm drawing a blank.

Well, there is the Tarrant Regional Water District, that covers more than Tarrant County,  but I don't know of the Tarrant Regional Water District celebrating advocating anything other than conserving water, except for the water the Tarrant Regional Water District sells to gas drillers, who mix the water with chemicals and shoot it underground, turning it into water the Tarrant Regional Water District does not worry about conserving....

Everyone Knows 9 Out Of 10 Children Get Their Awesomeness From Their Uncle

A couple minutes ago I was making one of my rare visits to Facebook when I saw that Fort Worth's Connie D, not to be confused with Tacoma's Connie D, had posted a very disturbing distorted bit of propaganda. I took this propaganda and altered it to more accurately reflect reality....

Mailing A Letter To The IRS With The A/C Running And A Wildflower Blooming In North Texas

I was up early and in the no longer all that cool pool soon after the sun showed up this 3rd Monday of April, which also happens to be April 15.

April 15.

A Day of Infamy which arrives once a year which causes me to drive to the Post Office to mail a letter to a federal agency known as the IRS.

I returned from the Post Office and decided to take a short walk around my neighborhood.

About 10 minutes into walking I came upon the big, colorful, orchid-like wildflower you see above.

Yesterday I read somewhere someone opining that the North Texas wildflower display is going to be more wild than this year's Hill Country wildflower display.  I do not recollect upon what data this opining person was basing his thinking that the 2013 North Texas wildflower display was going to outdo Hill Country.

I have only seen the Hill Country wildflower display once. The year was 2002, with the hills covered with color to a level I've not seen in the North Texas Prairies & Lakes Region.

I am guessing the return to extremely warm temperatures in North Texas will get the wildflowers a lot more excited about blooming than the bout of almost freezing that had the wildflowers shivering last week.

The outer world has become so warm at my location that I have had to resort to using the in-house mechanical cooling device known as air-conditioning to make the air in my abode suitable for habitation.

I have a bad feeling, the source of which I am not certain, that we are going to be having a record breaking HOT summer in North Texas. I may need to escape to the relative frigidity of Washington...

Sunny Sunday Pedaling Arlington's Bob Findlay Linear Park

I took my handlebars to Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area this fine second Sunday of April to pedal with the Indian Ghosts, then exit the Natural Historical Area to continue pedaling on the crooked paved trail that is known as the Bob Findlay Linear Park.

We may be at a VCNHA number of visitors tipping point where adding additional parking space may be needed.

Today I saw what may have been a record number of people enjoying the outer world in the Natural Area.

One family of 11, all with fishing poles stuck in the creek, with one of the 11 claiming to have caught a fish. But I saw no evidence of the catch.

A guy and girl pair on skinny tire bikes had the guy with two big leashed dogs. I saw this was not going well. By the time I reached the guy with the two dogs I told him he was being very adventurous, when what I actually thought was he was being very foolish. About 20 feet after I passed the guy with the two dogs I heard the noise of a bike crash. I turned around to see the guy on the ground with the leashed dogs all tangled up.

Changing the subject to something else.

This morning's swim went well. The cool pool has lost a lot of its cool. Are we now at the point in time where the pool remains comfortably doable until next fall cools it down?

I think I will have myself an afternoon swim along with some lounge chair based sunbathing, preparing my pasty skin for excessive South Padre Island sun exposure.

Leo's Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup Update

I got an email early this morning from Leo, subject line: "Rattlesnake Update!"

I've received emails from Leo previously, regarding the Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup.

I think due to my Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup webpage coming in near the top, or at the top, when searchers search Google and other web searchers, that some people of limited comprehension ability assume I am some sort of official Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup person.

Leo's previous emails resulting in blog posts with the following titles...

Apparently I Have A Big Rattlesnake Surprise Waiting For Me

And....

The Sweetwater Rattlesnakes Will Have Their Day

And...

Apparently Killing Sweetwater Rattlesnakes Is Senseless & Makes You Look Like A Moron

And...

I Am A Tree Hugging Idiot Rounding Up Sweetwater Rattlesnakes

And...

Apparently Children Are Witnessing Rattlesnake Beheadings In Sweetwater Texas

Today's email from Leo said........

Dear Sir/Madam,

Please see the attached.

Yours sincerely.

Leo...

Leo's attachment consisted of a PDF file, which consisted, in its totality, that which you see above, that being a photo and text below the photo that said.....

Pictured here are some of the foulest people on the

planet; animal abusers and killers. Mindless, sick in the

head individuals, with principles rotten to the point of

putrefaction. Those whose only purpose in life seems

to be to inflict as much pain, misery and suffering as

possible.

Having just completed a day's rattlesnake hunt, where

the 'great State of Texas' is apparently overrun with

them, they managed to catch just the one snake.

Is it must me, or does Leo seem just a tad overwrought???

The Fosdick Lake Turtles Were In Carefree Party Mode Today

The Fosdick Lake turtles were the main attraction, this second Saturday of April, in Oakland Lake Park.

The turtles, and their duck lake partners, seemed very sedated and not their usual skittish selves today.

Did some element causing a narcotic effect wash into Fosdick Lake during Wednesday's rain?

Or were the turtles and ducks just being lethargic due to being happy about the return of warm temperatures after this week's bout of almost freezing?

In the picture at the top it appears that this particular duck/turtle pair are quite cozy with each other. I think inter species relationships like this are a bit rare? Aren't they?

Below is an example of turtles on a log not getting skittish whilst being visited by some humans. I saw these two kids playing with the turtles soon upon my arrival. When I completed my walk around Fosdick Lake these kids were still playing with the turtles, who were still log bound.

Below is another turtle pair who let me get way closer than the norm, happily posing for their close up.

I have often wondered why I never see any baby turtles, wondering if they hatch out of the egg full grown. Today the baby turtle mystery ended with my first ever sighting of a baby turtle. You can not tell, via the photo, how small this turtle is, as in about the size of a silver dollar. Where was mama turtle, I worried? No other turtles were any where near this possibly orphaned baby.

The perfect Saturday weather conditions, after a week of less than ideal weather conditions, brought a lot of people to Oakland Lake Park today. Including the BBQ Picnic Party seen below.

This BBQ Picnic Party has an inflated  bounce house, a big smoker BBQ, lots of folding chairs, a yellow Pinata hanging from the tree.

And a portable outhouse.

In a park in what is widely known as One of the Greatest Cities in the World, one needs to bring ones own portable outhouse to ones picnic.

Along with potable water. Because none is available.

Very perplexing....

Live Gun Fights Saturday Night In Fort Worth's Stockyards Station

Stockyards Station is in the Fort Worth Stockyards.

In Stockyards Station tourists find a collection of shops selling a variety of goods, mostly Western - Cowboy - Texas themed.

Along with several restaurants.

Plus the Tarantula Trail runs right through Stockyards Station.

This morning I learned, via the ad you see above, that, in Stockyards Station, tourists can also experience "Live Gun Fights."

The Fort Worth Stockyards is one of Fort Worth's few unique tourist attractions.

Actually the only other tourist attraction in Fort Worth I can think of that is remotely unique is the Water Gardens in downtown Forth Worth.

Soon, in Fort Worth, the world's first new drive-in movie theater of the 21st Century will open, giving Fort Worth one more unique tourist attraction, the likes of which exist in no big town any where else.

All these unique tourist attractions, plus having regularly scheduled Saturday night "Live Gun Fights" are likely just a few of the reasons Fort Worth is considered, by the citizens of planet Earth, to be One of the Greatest Cities in the World.

Seriously though.

Saturday night Gun Fights?

In your town's #1 Tourist Attraction?

Are tourists encouraged to bring their own guns and join in on the fight?

In an era where we are experiencing an awful lot of worried yammering about gun control, due to what almost seems to be an epidemic of tragic gun enabled mass murders, it really does not seem to me that having regularly scheduled "Live Gun Fights" is a good idea, even though this is the town which thinks it is Where the West Begins........