Progressive Portland Shocked By Toxic Moss With Fort Worth Not Shocked

This blogging falls in the category of something I read in a west coast online news source that I would likely not be reading in any of my local Dallas/Fort Worth online news sources about some issue in North Texas.

This particular screen cap is from this morning's Seattle Times.

Can you picture an article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram with a headline of "Proud of its progressive image, Fort Worth shocked by toxic moss."

Til typing the headline I thought Portland was shocked by a toxic mess, not moss. After realizing it was moss, not mess, I went back and read the article.

Well, a sample paragraph from the article is also something I would not expect to read in the Star-Telegram about a Fort Worth issue....

In a city that prides itself on being an environmental example to the world — from its throngs of bike commuters to its anti-sprawl development rules — the moss study results roared, producing an upheaval of surprise, anger and fear. Residents shouted or wept in public meetings last month, raging at state officials, who released the results and then found themselves blamed for not knowing what the factories were putting up their smokestacks.

Toxic cancer causing heavy metals were found in moss samples, is what has Portlandians upset.

So, there are two items in that headline that are not something you'd likely see in the Star-Telegram. Even the hyperbolic Star-Telegram would not exaggerate to the extent of claiming Fort Worth is proud of its progressive image, or that the locals were shocked by a toxic mess or moss.

For instance, so far I have been shocked that there have been no reports of America's Biggest Boondoggle uncovering a toxic mess as it digs around in an old industrial area that The Boondoggle calls Panther Island. It  would not shock me if The Boondoggle's digging turned up a toxic mess.

I did not know Portland was proud of being an environmental example to the world. I don't know how a town provides an environmental example to the world. But I can see how it would be a real good thing if a town like Fort Worth became an environmental example to the world, with throngs of bike commuters and anti-sprawl development rules.