A Freezing Fort Worth Slippery Rain Walk On The Last Day Of February

Sometime after noon on this last Saturday of February I left my abode not knowing if I would be able to successfully traverse the field of ice that carpets the ground between my exit and my mailbox.

I soon found that my intended route to the mailbox was not a good idea, slick as it was with a thick coating of ice.

I then found a more circuitous route, over the snow covered lawn, that eventually got me to what turned out to be an empty mailbox.

I then decided to amp up my adventure level and slide my way up the hill to Albertsons.

En route to Albertsons I watched multiple instances of vehicles unable to get sufficient traction to move.

I forgot to mention, upon entering the outer world I quickly discovered that which was not seen by me via looking out my windows, that being that the predicted freezing rain was falling on top of the snow, thus greatly adding to the slipperiness.

Due to that falling freezing rain, when  I decided to try and capture on video some of the vehicular sliding action I had to find cover from the freezing rain first, under a tree. You can see the resulting video below, of the aforementioned wheels slipping, along with sleepy sounding commentary.

In addition to wheels slipping and sleepy commentary, in the video you will also see my boots crunching through the snow on my way back from Albertsons, with a panoramic view of my neighborhood Winter Wonderland...

Record Texas Snowfall Keeping Me From Town Talk This Last Day Of February

That which you see here was the big headline this morning in the online version of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on this last day of the second month of 2015.

Prior to moving to Texas from the moderate climate of the Western Washington zone of the Pacific Northwest this was not the type headline I thought possible in the Dallas/Fort Worth part of Texas.

I was to learn my pre-conception about D/FW's weather was erroneous soon upon arrival in the little hamlet of Haslet, at the far north end of Fort Worth.

I had left Washington six days prior, with rain falling heavily til I crossed the Cascades into Eastern Washington.

When I arrived at my new location in Haslet I was appalled to find rain falling harder than I had ever experienced in Washington, with flooding seeming to be inundating the landscape everywhere I looked.

About a week later I was in the Fort Worth Stockyards, at the now defunct Riscky Rita's all you can eat Mexican food lunch buffet. When I arrived at the Stockyards, and entered Riscky Rita's, the temperature was pleasantly in the 70s.

When I had had my fill of Riscky Rita's Tex-Mex I was shocked upon exiting to the outer world to discover the temperature had dropped a lot of degrees, with a strong wind blowing making it feel even colder.

This was my introduction to the concept of the Wind Chill Factor.

I remember running to get to my vehicle to escape the cold.

That night the temperature dropped to 15 degrees. We did not know how to turn off the water to the barn and the pool. We did not know what we needed to do, other than keep faucets dripping.

By morning my introduction to the Ice Storm concept had arrived, coating everything, including the two cows in the pasture, with a layer of ice.

I was mortified that I'd somehow gone from the Banana Belt climate of the Skagit Valley to what now seemed to me to be what living in Alaska must be like.

And then a few short days later the temperature returned to being in the 70s, which was my introduction to the Texas weather concept of extreme weather changes within short time frames.

Which brings me to the present, February 28, 2015. Once again rendered immobile by a coating of slippery ice covering much of North Texas.

I won't be going to Town Talk today....

Just Say No To The Torture Of Tarrant Regional Water Boarding

Oh my.

A YouTube video all about putting a stop to Tarrant Regional Water Boarding, also known as TRWD Corruption.

The Iceman Hath Cometh To North Texas With A Slippery Vengeance

The predicted snow arrived right at its predicted time, starting flaking around 9 this morning at my location.

The forecast I heard on the radio seemed to indicate that there would be no serious slippery issues, due to the fact the snow was falling on frozen dry ground, with only bridge crossings being possibly slippery.

So, I decided to stick with my plan to go to ALDI this morning.

On the way to ALDI I stopped at Miss Puerto Rico's to visit Bella and Stella.  And to take a picture of the snowy view from Miss Puerto Rico's balcony.

Leaving Miss Puerto Rico's, heading to ALDI, the road may have looked slippery, which you can see below, but I experienced no slippage.

Crossing I-820 on the John T. White Overpass I was slightly non-plussed to experience a little bit of slipperiness, but that was what the predictors predicted I might find.

As I crossed over I-820 I saw traffic was moving very slow, as was the traffic on John T. White Road.

It was not until I got to Cooks Lane that I experienced some traction impairment. This unsettled me a bit because this was where I first experienced a slipping problem during last winter's ALDI ice debacle.

By the time I got to ALDI the road had become noticeably icier. I was getting a bit nervous, so I did ALDI at hyperspeed.

Leaving ALDI I decided I would take the freeway route home, figuring that would likely present the least aggravation.  I figured wrong.

When I-30 came into view I could see traffic was at a frozen standstill in both directions. This left returning home via John T. White Road as my most viable option.

The John T. White Road option meant I would have to make a quick decision when the road reached I-820,  because at that point there is a slight hill, which during last year's debacle became total ice wreck mayhem.

As I approached the dreaded hill I could see some vehicles ahead have some sliding problems. I slowed way up and slid around the problem vehicles, and continued slowly up the hill, hoping the light would turn green before I was forced to stop.

My green luck held out, I made it up the hill and over the overpass.

When the right turn into the Albertsons parking lot became visible I could see it was all jammed up. So, I continued on and took the next turn to the right, which had me driving behind Albertsons, with no slipping issues.

Last year it was going from the Albertsons parking lot on to Boca Raton when the worst of the nightmare began,  with me losing control as soon as I slid onto Boca Raton.

This year, no problem. I gingerly made it back to my parking location, with no serious issues.

A half hour later Boca Raton was an icy mess with multiple vehicles in trouble.

The road which fronts my abode, Bridgewood, was also a mess, with vehicles stalled as far as I could see. Bridgewood goes up a hill as it intersects with Boca Raton.

This icy mess is predicted to get worse before it gets better, the snow is expected to melt a bit, then re-freeze, creating a worse traffic nightmare on Saturday.

I will not be going to Town Talk tomorrow....

February Comes Towards Its End With Snow On The Menu Again For North Texas

What you are looking at here is what my new computer based weather monitoring device generates when I click on it to get me some weather info.

Yesterday I replaced my previous computer based weather monitoring device, called WeatherFox, because the Fox had become erratic, days out of sync, and thus worthless.

Even better computer based weather monitoring comes to me via Facebook and my favorite Texas Weatherman, John Basham.

This morning's Facebook John Basham Storm Spotter report is indicating we are in for some winter fun today in North Texas.....

WINTER WEATHER UPDATE 640 AM CST FRI FEB 27 2015 - NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS - INCLUDING: THE DALLAS FORT WORTH METROPLEX. A large area of light to moderate SNOW is rapidly approaching Western North Texas at this time. Doppler Radar and surface reports indicate the leading edge of snow is in Jack, Parker, & Hood Counties at this time. This areas of snow will continue to move East-Northeast across the Dallas/Fort Worth metro through the morning. With temperatures below freezing and evaporative cooling from the snowfall, widespread totals of 1" to 4" of snowfall can be expected in the metroplex. Areas of greatest risk for accumulation are along and North of the Interstate 30 corridor. Temperatures will have to fight to climb to the freezing mark today allowing for any snow that falls to accumulate readily and then re-freeze Friday night when more snow and freezing drizzle is expected. Road conditions are fine this morning across the metroplex, but will likely be deteriorating by noon. This will be especially true North of Interstate 30 and West of Interstate 35 where temperatures will struggle to get out of the upper 20's. Please be careful on area roadways and if conditions begin to worsen adjustments to your schedule may be necessary, especially if you have children who may wind up in an early release from school today. THIS IS NOT A NWS PRODUCT. Meteorologist John Austin Basham Storm Spotter METOPS,

Tarrant Regional Water District Corruption: The Website

Yesterday, on Facebook, I was told, more than once, that I needed to like someone named Michele Von Luckner.

It was via one of the like messages that I could tell why I was being told to like Michele Von Luckner...

"Newly announced anti-establishment TRWD candidate! Please like her page. You'll want to meet this lady! Put her next to Mary Kelleher!"

I do not know Michele Von Luckner, but, since I always do what I am told to do, I hit the "like" button.

After I liked Michele Von Luckner I checked out her Facebook page where I found a link to a Tarrant Regional Water District Corruption website, part of which you see screencapped above.

Til yesterday I was unaware of the existence of a website dedicated to the blatant corruption of the TRWD.

The TRWD board election is fast upon us, this coming May. This time it is Jim Lane and Marty Leonard being the TRWD incumbents up for re-election.

The main corruption accusation, that I am aware of, regarding Jim Lane has to do with #4, that you see above, that being "Friends with Benefits".

Jim Lane engineered funneling millions of dollars to a bankrupt friend, with the TRWD paying top dollar for a chunk of land on which the world's first drive-in movie theater of the 21st century was built.

I don't know anything corrupt about Marty Leonard. She seems to me to be a nice lady who is on the TRWD board as some sort of hobby.

So, currently, as far as I know, we have two candidates hoping to replace Jim Lane and Marty Leonard, the aforementioned Michele Von Luckner and the not aforementioned Craig Bickley.

If the Luckner/Bickley tickets wins, joining Mary Kelleher, that would give the good guys a majority on the TRWD board.

A majority of good guys on the TRWD  board would likely have all sorts of interesting ramifications.

It will also be interesting to see what lengths the existing TRWD board will go to, this time, propaganda-wise, slick mailed campaign advertisements-wise, what with the existing TRWD board having a lot to lose should the good guys take over.

I can think of a TRWD associated person or two who would likely feel a bit uncertain about their job security should the Kelleher/Von Luckner/Bickley triumvirate triumph in May......

Army Corps Of Engineers Gives Trinity River Vision Boondoggle Millions To Keep Project On Imaginary Schedule

A few minutes ago Elsie Hotpepper forwarded me an email from the entity known to some as The Buzz.

That email contained the following memorable phrase, bolded end enlarged, I assume for emphasis...

A politician can steal more with a briefcase than a 100 men with guns!

The above memorable phrase was followed by a website link to the City of Fort Worth website, which had me wondering what fresh hell is this.

I clicked the link to see that which you see above, that being a headline saying Corps of Engineers awards $17.45 million for Trinity River Vision project.

The article which followed the headline (and the bizarre artist's imaginary rendering of what The Boondoggle may look like) was short, so I will copy it in its entirety followed by what I have to say about that...

The Army Corps of Engineers has awarded $17.4 million to the Panther Island/Central City Project.

The funds will go toward “valley storage” projects, better known as flood control basins, along the river, said Clay Church, a spokesman for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. These funds allow the project to remain on schedule.

“We are honored that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recognizes this project as being worthy of funding and that we are capable of executing,” said TRVA Executive Director J.D. Granger. “We will work closely with USACE to put the money into construction projects immediately.

The Trinity River Vision Authority is responsible for implementing a public infrastructure project that provides needed flood protection and fosters the development of an exciting, pedestrian-oriented, urban waterfront neighborhood in Fort Worth. TRVA aims to attract business and entertainment to the district and is in charge of programming public spaces, including the Panther Island Pavilion, a waterfront music venue and festival space directly adjacent to downtown Fort Worth.

___________________________________________

I really do not know where to start.

Okay, first off, these federal funds are intended to go toward something called "valley storage" projects, better known as flood control basins?

Where is this valley? Where are these flood control basins?

In the second paragraph Kay Granger's boy, J.D., informs us that the money will be put into construction projects immediately.

Really?

And what would those construction projects be? Oh, that's right, those flood control basins, which are not currently under construction. So, how is it that this money will be put into construction projects immediately?

These funds will allow the project to remain on schedule?

Again. Really?

And what would that schedule be? There is no project timeline schedule for the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle. Unless we count the four year construction schedule of The Boondoggle's Three Bridges Over Nothing.

Without these 17.45 million federal dollars The Boondoggle would not have been able to remain on its non-existent schedule?

J.D. is honored the Army Corps of Engineers recognizes this project as being worthy of funding? And that they are capable of executing the project?

If this project was worthy of being funded, why has funding not been found for this project in the way normal functioning towns fund public works projects? If this project is so worthy why has it not been put to any sort of public vote by which the public might indicate the public also feels the project is worthy and worthy of public funding funded by the public via their approval of a bond issue election?

The Boondoggle provides needed flood protection?

Once again. Really?

There has been no flooding in the area of The Boondoggle for well over a half a century. Not since the apparently now easily hoodwinked Army Corps of Engineers built flood control levees to control a flooding Trinity River as it passes by downtown Fort Worth.

The Boondoggle is "in charge of programming public spaces, including the Panther Island Pavilion, a waterfront music venue and festival space directly adjacent to downtown Fort Worth."

And one more time. Really?

The idea that the so called Panther Island Pavilion, and it being a waterfront music venue, is tout-worthy, is beyond embarrassingly absurd. If anything the shoddy tackiness of that which is called Panther Island Pavilion and its surrounding eyesores should be enough to send Panther Island to join Atlantis. It would be if this were happening in one of the more progressive, democratic parts of America, you know places which would not tolerate the nepotism of a local congresswoman's son being put in charge of a public works project so as to motivate her to help secure federal pork barrel earmark money.

I blogged about the embarrassing Panther Island Pavilion area a couple weeks ago after Taking A Look At The Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's Products.

Does the Army Corps of Engineers actually approve of outhouses being installed on the banks of a river?

That is the quality level of this project.

Concrete enclosed outhouses serving the Panther Island Pavilion waterfront music venue.

The Panther Island Pavilion outhouses are actual evidence of the quality level that J.D. Granger and The Boondoggle are capable of executing, which, apparently, the Army Corps of Engineers is endorsing.

To the tune of $17.4 million.

I tell you, the level of bald faced hubris of these people  is astounding.

Falling Texas Flakes Of Snow On The Last Wednesday Of February

When will this wintry madness end?

A few minutes ago I put my camera in snow mode for the first time that I remember doing such.

I then stepped outside to take a photo through the bars of my patio prison cell.

Those white spots you see in the picture are what are known as snowflakes.

My limited photographic skills prohibited me from accurately documenting the fact that those aforementioned snowflakes were falling in copious amounts.  Maybe not to a blizzard level, what with there being no wind blowing, but still, a lot of snowflakes dropping to the ground.

It is now about 10 minutes past the point in time where I snapped a snowflake picture. The snow has now ceased falling and melting has resumed.

I may be needed in a couple hours to drive a semi-blind man to a doctor's appointment in Euless. I would prefer not doing so, fearing a repeat of last winter's ALDI nightmare where the roads turned to ice making for a long, slow, scary drive from ALDI back to the relatively safety of my abode.

Apparently today's snow is not the end of this wintry madness. More snow is on the weather menu for Friday.

I think I will search for my cross country skis today and get them waxed and ready to slide. It is always a good thing to be prepared....

It Is So Cold In Texas My Neighborhood Cactus Has Sprouted Ice Thorns

How many more days of this sub-freezing slippery madness must we and our neighborhood ice cactus endure before this frigid nightmare is over?

I am running low on vittles. I had hoped a Tuesday thaw might allow vehicular transport to Walmart and ALDI.

But, I do not want any type of repeat of last winter's sliding back and forth to ALDI debacle, so I am being extremely conservative with any attempted wheel rolling.

And with the temperature well below freezing at less than three hours til noon, I am not optimistic about a possible thaw of any significance melting today.

I was more than slightly mortified to hear on the radio a few minutes ago that a possible additional wave of freezing wetness may arrive on Wednesday.

Yesterday I did manage to walk up the hill to Albertsons. I usually do not buy groceies at Albertsons, that being a longtime aversion that dates back to not liking Albertsons back when that store was considered, by me, and others, to be the worst grocery store in Mount Vernon.

I remember soon upon moving to Texas, asking a local about the local grocery store situation and being appalled to be told that Alberstons was among the local area's best. Many years later the local grocery store situation more matches what I was used to in Washington, what with the addition of Central Market, Sprouts and others.

Like Whole Foods.

I am not a Whole Foods fan.

Though, I must say the Whole Foods that opened in Seattle around the turn in the century, is nice. I assume Whole Foods had to amp up their game to compete in that much more competitive market with grocery store shoppers having much higher expectations of what to expect in a grocery store.

Checking my inventory I find I have four eggs, two slices of bread, about a quart of milk, a chunk of cabbage, some carrots, a  half an onion, a lot of yogurt, about two pounds of Italian sausage, one can of tuna, a half a bag of rice, a few celery stalks, a couple cups of oatmeal and some spinach tortillas.

I likely will be able to survive until the thaw....

It Is So Cold In Texas The Dinosaur Valley Dinosaurs Are Not Moving

Yes, today's Ice Storm of freezing rain and sleet extends all the way to Dinosaur Valley and beyond,  to points further south, such as Austin and San Antonio.

No, I am not currently in Dinosaur Valley State Park visiting the frozen dinosaurs. I saw this photo via Twitter a few minutes ago when I went to Tweet about Spencer Jack being in training for the 2028 Panther Island Olympics in Fort Worth.

What with the temperature being below freezing and what with dinosaurs being cold blooded reptiles, the Dinosaur Valley State Park dinosaurs are pretty much not able to move today, frozen solidly in one spot.

Today's winter storm is the first of this winter storm season which has pretty much precisely matched the dire predictions of the weather predictors.

Except I do not remember reading a prediction that last night's thunder booming, which I have seen referenced as Thundersleet, was on the menu.

I currently do not hear much vehicular action going on outside, except the occasional sound of tires loudly slipping on ice.

After the last Ice Storm, last year, Miss Puerto gave me ice cleats which I have yet to use. Maybe I will attach myself to them and go do some icy exploring, later. Maybe not.

I am sort of enjoying not being cold, after yesterday's incident where I got soaking wet via an unexpectedly heavy downpour....

Spencer Jack In Training For 2028 Panther Island Olympics In Fort Worth Texas

Incoming email this morning in my email inbox from Spencer Jack's dad, he being my favorite nephew named Jason.

Actually it was multiple emails, only two of which had text in their subject lines, with one being, "Spencer Jack's new treadmill."

And the other being. "Jones Family Fitness Week".

Regarding it being Jones Family Fitness Week, the only email with a text message explanation of what I was seeing informed me, "Spencer is training hard in hopes of maintaining his family's emphasis on athleticism and self discipline."

Spencer Jack's dad shares with his favorite uncle a penchant for being sarcastically ironic. I shall not elaborate on what it is about that which Spencer Jack's dad wrote which is sarcastically ironic.

Anyway, among this morning's emails were three which contained videos of Spencer Jack preparing for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Fort Worth, Texas, located on Fort Worth's imaginary Panther Island.

In the first video Spencer Jack tells us what he likes about his new treadmill....



As you can see at the end of the above video Spencer Jack starts running in hyper mode. After doing so, in the second video, Spencer Jack is instructed by his trainer to check his heart beat rate....



So, there you go. A look at the Mount Vernon Jones Family in the midst of their week of heightened fitness training in preparation for the 2028 Panther Island Olympics in Fort Worth, Texas....

Only A Boondoggle Would Build Bridges Over Nothing Claiming To Save Money

No, that is not a photo one of the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's bridges under construction you are looking at here.

The fact that this bridge is being built over water should probably have been a good clue this was not one of The Boondoggle's Three Bridges Over Nothing.

Has there ever been another bridge construction project in the history of bridge building that has claimed bridges are being built over dry land so as to save money?

How many of the world's feats of bridge engineering have taken as long as The Boondoggle's four year bridge building timeline?

Last night something caused me to freshly ponder The Boondoggle's bizarre propaganda about the building of these three bridges over dry land.

I have previously wondered whether it would not make a lot more economic sense to be digging the ditch that goes under the bridges at the same time as the bridges are being built. Rather than wait til four years from now when the bridges may finally be finished.

Well, we all know the reason the ditch is not being dug at the present time has nothing to do with making it cheaper and easier to build the three bridges.

It has to do with funding.

J.D. Granger's mama, congresswoman Kay, has failed to secure the federal money The Boondoggle was counting on her securing when The Boondoggle gave J.D. the Executive Director job for which he has zero qualifications, except the party planner part of the job.

So, last night a fresh level of absurdity regarding the building of these three bridges occurred to me.

Let's imagine that four years from now those bridges actually connect the mainland to the imaginary island. Would not those three bridges present an engineering obstacle to the ditch digging equipment scooping out the dirt for the un-needed flood diversion channel?

How will the ditch digging equipment get around the bridges? Will the digging be difficult to engineer around the bridge piers?

Does anyone have an actual factual explanation as to the why of the four year construction timeline for The Boondoggle's very simple, small bridges?

Is the building of the bridges being strung out in slow motion because the incoming funds to pay the bridge builders are coming in in slow motion?

If The Boondoggle had been funded in the way towns which wear their Big City pants fund public works projects, rather than hope begging for federal handouts bears fruit, would Fort Worth already be enjoying the benefits of this myopic vision, with Fort Worth being protected from floods it was already protected from for well over a half a century?

It's all very perplexing.

According To The Texas Society Of Architects The Boondoggle's Bridges Over Nothing Were Completed Five Years Ago

Yesterday I blogged a blogging about being Up a Creek again with the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle.

In that blogging mention was made of The Boondoggle's bizarre Three Bridges Over Nothing and those bridge's extraordinary four year project construction timeline.

The extremely erudite Mr. Steve A read that particular blogging, after which I was notified of the following Steve A comment...

Steve A has left a new comment on your post "Up A Creek Again With The Trinity River Vision Boondoggle":

What's all the fuss? After taking up the "Durango Challenge" and Googling "Trinity River Boondoggle" myself, I discovered at the Texas Society of Architects website that the bridges would cost only $53Mil and would be complete in 2010. Accordingly, I want to see Durango pictures of the wonderful bridges designed by the same architect that designed the never-completed TCC River Campus. The article is WELL worth a read if you've never seen it before. Seriously, I guess that makes the project AT LEAST nearly a decade behind schedule and over budget by more than anybody has claimed so far since the bridges cost a lot more even though they "cheapened" them up. 

How time flies. The Texas Society Of Architects' article about The Boondoggle's Three Bridges Over Nothing was published in 2007.

Eight years ago.

That article stated as fact, that which now seems to be painful irony, that being that construction on all three bridges was expected to begin in 2009, with completion set for June 2010.

Taking one year to build.

Not four.

And completed five years ago.

Are more and more people beginning to understand that this inept project is a Boondoggle? Those bridges which were to be completed in 2010 are now not scheduled  to be completed until 2018.

Why do the locals, as in those who are not part of the Good Ol' Boy and Girl Network who run Fort Worth as a corrupt oligarchy, not rise up, grab their pitchforks, some tar and feathers, and what ever else is needed to run the likes of J.D. Granger and his mama and others out of town before more damage is done?

So perplexing.

Yes, I know it is known as The Fort Worth Way. I also know I will never understand The Fort Worth Way, having spent most of my life in a democratic part of America where no one would dream of anything as nepotistically absurd as putting a local congresswoman's unqualified son in charge of a public works project so as to motivate his mama to try and secure federal pork barrel earmark money.

Is 60 Minutes working on a Boondoggle expose yet?

Up A Creek Again With The Trinity River Vision Boondoggle

A couple days ago I got an email from an emailer asking me why it was when he was looking for information about Fort Worth and subjects like the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle that my blog seemed to show up way too often.

I may be slightly re-phrasing the emailer's query.

Anyway, that question, for which I had no answer, had me, out of curiosity, Googling "Trinity River Vision Boondoggle" to find that my bloggings about that subject did show up, but not all that frequently and not nearly near the top of the ranking for that query.

In the #1 spot for a Google Trinity River Vision Boondoggle query is the webpage you see partially screencapped above, titled Up a Creek - Trinity River Boondoggle.

I am not 100% certain of the identity of the guy pictured in the article with the movie star type good looks, but he looks familiar and I assume he is the author of this particular article about The Boondoggle.

You can click the link to read the entire Up a Creek article, part of which I'll copy and paste below for your Boondoggle Enlightenment....

Up a Creek - Trinity River Boondoggle

The Trinity River Vision is a billion dollar boondoggle that has something for everyone to hate, regardless of where you reside on the political spectrum.  Under the guise of ‘flood control’, this program reroutes the Trinity River and creates urban channels and a ‘town lake’.  On the surface, this may sound like a worthwhile project until you look past the beautiful 3-D models and into the details.  Here’s what you’ll find:

•In 2003, when approved, the estimated costs was $360 Million;  Shortly, thereafter the costs rose to $450 Million; then $700 Million.  CURRENTLY, the cost estimates have skyrocketed to just under $1 BILLION.

•Although sold to us as having most of its funding through Federal sources, so far, the Feds have allocated only $60 million towards this $910 Million project.  Tarrant County residents will pick up almost all of the rest.

•A TIF (Tax Increment Finance) District was established to help pay for this.  TIFs are designed to help attract development by diverting property taxes from the new development into a special fund to help pay for improvements (like roads or fixing up an old building).  They typically are for 20 years.  This TIF has been extended to 40 years!

•Eminent Domain is being abused to create this project.  The Tarrant Regional Water District will exercise its eminent domain authority to take privately owned land, flood some of it and give the surrounding areas to politically connected real estate developers at low/no-cost.  Eminent domain for private use is simply theft.

•When the Trinity River Vision Authority was established, J.D. Granger, an assistant DA with no public works project management experience, was tapped to be the Executive Director at a six figure salary.  No executive search was done.  J.D. Granger is the son of Rep. Kay Granger, the primary cheerleader for this project.

•Although flood control is the ostensible reason for the project, by bottlenecking the confluence, it actually pushes water downstream faster causing even great flooding probabilities for Haltom City and Arlington.  Existing flooding has already proven deadly.  Original plans from the Army Corp of Engineers called for simply raising the levees slightly at a cost of less than $100 million.  That would have helped to alleviate these issues.

•When it’s not raining, the town lake and channels would actually reduce the flow of water around Fort Worth, creating a more stagnant, mosquito rich environment.

•Environmentally, this has proven to be a nightmare.  With one of their first land acquisitions, environmental cleanup  cost over $40 Million.  Originally, ALL environment cleanup for the entire TRV project was slated to be $22 Million.

•The Trinity River is polluted.  In parts surrounding this project, high fecal matter, e-coli and industrial waste contents threaten wildlife and human life. Ignoring these facts, the TRVA, in order to make the river appear to be a ‘fun destination’ promoted the river an ‘inner tube’ destination.  Because they ignored these risks, they put dozens of citizens at risk by encouraging them to float in this polluted water.

Texas Is The One Big State Where America Remains America According To Forbes

I saw that which you see here, this Saturday morning, on Facebook, via the Texas Hill Country Facebook page, quoting a quote from Forbes.

I assume we are talking about Forbes the magazine.

I sure do agree with the part of the quote which says Texans have a peculiar talent for a kind of braggadocio that drives other Americans a bit crazy.

The outrageously out of sync with reality Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's propaganda comes to mind as one example of peculiar braggadocio to which I have reacted.

Such as Ma Granger claiming her little boy, J.D.'s, malfunctioning, slow motion, no project timeline, unfunded, unneeded, poorly planned Trinity River Vision is currently the biggest urban water project underway in North America.

Currently the only thing noticeably going on, construction-wise with that imaginary biggest urban water project in North America is three bridges being built over nothing. Three very simple, ordinary, small bridges, being built over dry land, because no funds exist, yet, to dig the ditch under the bridges through which water might one day flow.

Those three bridges being built over nothing are being built with a four year project timeline, longer than it took to build the Golden Gate Bridge and other actual feats of engineering, many of which were built over water.

I do not know if it will work or not, but I will try and copy the comments made on Facebook regarding this Forbes quote, to give you not in Texas an idea of how delusional Texans can be,  along with a few who seemed to be a bit more reality based...

Texas Hill Country

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Oh look, Forbes figured it out and realized that America needs and is lucky to have Texas!http://www.forbes.com/sites/joelkotkin/2015/02/11/america-needs-the-texas-economy-to-keep-on-rolling/— with Amanda Cook Hesterley, Joan Cook, Walter Cook and Mary McClain.

Durango Jones

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  Texas Hill Country THE ONE BIG STATE WHERE AMERICA REMAINS AMERICA, ain't that the truth, being true Texans makes us better Americans!

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  Chris Lee Beathard Yessir!

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  Durdica Josic Pucl I love Texas...

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  Kathryn Gronle Damn straight! Love my great state of Texas... born & raised Texan!!

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  Wade Derby Amen!

  Like · Reply · 1 · 8 hrs
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  John Terri Mendoza Love it! Texas proud!

  Like · Reply · 1 · 8 hrs
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  Geri Grimes Awesome and proud to be a Texan!

  Like · Reply · 4 · 9 hrs
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  Tony Torres Damn straight!!!

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  Rose Marie Slaten Whisenhunt I  Texas!!!!

  Like · Reply · 2 · 9 hrs
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  Ginger McMahon Texas is proud!

  Like · Reply · 2 · 9 hrs
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  Kris Dunn You know it!

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  Clayta Richards Yes, love Texas, and illegal aliens crossing the TX/MX border is nothing new. Very American, if you think about it.

  Like · Reply · 2 · 9 hrs · Edited
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  Kelli White Amen!

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  Jim Dotson Way to go Texas!

  Like · Reply · 2 · 9 hrs
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  Maryann Cole Hussein and his gaggle of drooling progs hate Texas because we PROVE beyond a shadow of doubt that their policies FAIL every time while American values and exceptionalism ALWAYS succeed!

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  Aimee Cowan I wasn't born in Texas, but at age 4 I announced that I would "go to Texas and stay there" when I grew up. It took me almost a quarter of a century, but I came and I stayed. One day after I had been in Texas a few years, I suddenly realized I now have bragging rights and can hold my own in the braggadocio department. After 50 years as a Short Texan, I am still happy to be here. Yeeehaw!

  Like · Reply · 3 · 4 hrs
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  Robbie Serpico Texas born & raised. Got 77 years behind me, working on the next 77! God Bless Texas & the USA!

  Like · Reply · 2 · 7 hrs
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  Kim Burns Hyatt There's nothing American about illegal aliens crossing any borders,.

  Like · Reply · 2 · 9 hrs
• 2 Replies · 7 hrs
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  Margaret VanDusen Smith So very proud to now be from TEXAS...!

  Like · Reply · 1 · 8 hrs
• 1 Reply
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  Adam Birch Keep on saying it and maybe it will come true. Yes Texas has a lot going for it, but so many people are blind to the Americans in other states just as American as you. And not everything is bigger in Texas. Be proud, but stop stupid untrue phrases. Texas does not hold a monopoly on nice things. And if you didn't notice if things don't change soon we will just be the biggest desert in America

  Like · Reply · 1 · 7 hrs
• 1 Reply
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  Rita McDonald Texas Proud!

  Like · Reply · 7 hrs
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  Gloria Smith Record

  

  Like · Reply · 1 hr
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  Linda Clayton Born and bred proud Texan.

  Like · Reply · 7 hrs
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  Marie Holloway You Betcha'

  Like · Reply · 4 hrs
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  James Edmunds When you live in TexS you never ask anyone if they were born in Texas because you Don't want to embarrass them if they weren't.

  Like · Reply · 1 hr
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  Tuco D'mott & shud be it's own country, but, we about yankee-nized now...

  Like · Reply · 8 hrs
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  Susan Garcia So True!

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  Scott Newsom Right on. The rush to the bottom pays at first. Keep believing.

  Like · Reply · 9 hrs
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  Dwight Tippie Amen

  Like · Reply · 30 mins
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  Brian Foster I wasn't born until I got to Texas early 70s best life I could ever have grew up south side San Antonio lots of friends that are now family god bless Texas!

  Like · Reply · 21 mins
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  Christopher T. Martin Too bad Texas is so backwards .

  Like · Reply · 53 mins
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  Mary Jo Baker Sounds like something my Dad would say.But then he's a TExan

  Like · Reply · 23 mins
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  Betty Bannister Aman God Bless Texas! Proud to be a born and raised Texan!

  Like · Reply · 23 mins
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  Doris A. Jarvis Right oooon! In my Isaac Hayes voice!

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  Conchi Lucena Alba Eso es reconocer la importancia de un estado.See Translation

  Like · Reply · 22 mins
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  Gene Duncan Never ask a man where he is from - if he's from Texas, he'll tell you! Otherwise, you'll just embarrass him.

  Like · Reply · 26 mins
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  Max Taylor This is the giant land I love.

  Like · Reply · 2 hrs
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  Stacey Snyder Barndt Brag on Texas!!!

  Like · Reply · 46 mins
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  June Cleaver We Texans have a reason to be arrogant about our state.

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  David Skinnell I feel more Texan, than American, and I would prefer that Texas was not part of America. I am sad to see Texas becoming more mainstream. It is slowly losing its character and values.

  Like · Reply · 7 hrs