Why Do So Few Voters Vote In Dallas & Fort Worth?

I saw that which you see here a couple days ago, on Facebook. I do not remember via whom on Facebook I saw this. I think it may have been via one of Elsie Hotpepper's ex-boyfriends.

That which you see here is a chart showing voter turnout in multiple major American cities.

I was not too shocked to see Texas towns dominating the low end of the chart.

Austin had the biggest voter turnout of the Texas towns, but was still near the bottom of the list.

So, what town is at the bottom of the list?

You are probably guessing it is Fort Worth. Well, that guess would be wrong.

At the bottom of the list, with the lowest voter turnout, is Dallas. Coming in second worst, barely above Dallas, is the aforementioned Fort Worth.

Why do so few voters turn out to vote in Dallas and Fort Worth? While other towns at the top end of the list, such as Portland and Seattle, turn out a lot of voters.

Well, having voted both in Texas and Washington I think I may have a clue as to one of the reasons for the low Texas voter turnout, in addition to the obvious usual reasons, such as collectively fewer high school and college graduates in Texas locations like Dallas and Fort Worth.

But, I don't think having way fewer well educated citizens is the reason for the low voter turnout in Dallas and Fort Worth.

I think it has to do with what is on the ballots. As in what voters are being asked to vote on.

I remember my first exposure to a Fort Worth ballot thinking it to be a bit odd. My only previous voting experiences had been in the Skagit Valley zone of Washington, where the ballots had a plethora of issues to vote on. Local races, local bond issues, state wide issues, as in multiple statewide initiatives, referendums, propositions and similar such things to vote on.

You know, issues on the ballot which impact the voter's lives in multiple ways, thus giving the voter a motivation to vote.

While in Fort Worth something like a massive public works project, originally called the Trinity River Vision, gets foisted on the public with no public vote.

But the Fort Worth voters do get asked to vote on something like a new multi-purpose arena, but not via a simple yes or no type approval.

Instead, in Fort Worth, something as mundane as voting for or against an arena is on the ballot as three separate resolutions. One resolution approving a fee to rent a horse stall, one resolution to approve a tax on parking, one resolution to approve a tax on tickets. The approval or disapproval of these three resolutions supposedly determined whether or not the arena would get built.

Even though this seemed a goofy way to vote for or against a new arena, voting for these three arena resolutions is the only time I can remember the approval of such a thing being on a Fort Worth ballot.

Usually BORING is the word I would use to describe what is on a Fort Worth ballot.

I assume, what with Dallas having a lower voter turnout than Fort Worth, the Dallas ballots also have a high level of nothing significant to vote on.

However, Dallas voters were allowed to vote on their version of the Trinity River Vision, way back late in the last century. Early in the next century Fort Worth pretty much carbon copied the Dallas Trinity River Vision, except for the part about allowing Fort Worth voters to vote on the issue.

The Dallas Trinity River Vision saw three signature bridges. So did the copycat Fort Worth Vision.

Dallas has completed two of it signature bridges, built over the Trinity River.

Meanwhile Fort Worth's Vision's bridges, being built over dry land, ceased being signature bridges years ago, and now have seen their construction stalled for over a year.

I wonder if what has become America's Biggest Boondoggle would have seen same pitiful fate if this Fort Worth public works project had actually been voted for by the public?

Will E.Coli Levels Be Low Enough For Six Saturday Fort Worth River Rockin's?

Big announcement in this morning's Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

The Trinity River Vision Authority is moving its hugely popular Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats from Thursday to Saturday, with six floating events, with Saturday allowing for extended floating  hours.

From the Rockin’ the River series moves to Saturdays article...

Rockin’ the River is changing course this year. The weekly summer concert-and-tubing series, thrown by the Trinity River Vision Authority at Fort Worth’s Panther Island Pavilion, is moving from a Thursday happy-hour event to an all-afternoon Saturday festival to be held over the course of six Saturdays.

"Thrown by the Trinity River Vision Authority at Fort Worth's Panther Island Pavilion" where the island is imaginary, and I think that spot where the guitar player is strumming is what America's Biggest Boondoggle misnomers as a pavilion.

The article's illustrative photo shows a lot of floaters.

I have long been puzzled as to why the fact that so many Fort Worthers are willing to get themselves wet in the Trinity River, what with occasionally cancelled river floats due to E.Coli pollution levels being too high, that, and the occasional visiting alligator, is not seen as being a real pitiful indicator that Fort Worth is sadly, badly lacking in water venues in which to cool off when Summer gets HOT.

Just a couple days ago I was similarly puzzled when I read that downtown Fort Worth's only venue that even faintly resembled a grocery store, Oliver's Fine Foods, had closed. I would think that the failure of downtown Fort Worth's only grocery store-like venue would prompt some sort of realization that there must be something not quite right with downtown Fort Worth.

Other big cities, smaller in population than Fort Worth, about which I am familiar, have multiple large full functioning grocery stores in their downtown zone. Along with multiple department stores.

Downtown Fort Worth has not a single department store. Not a Neiman-Marcus, not a Nordstrom. Not even a Sears or a Dillards. One would think the lack of a department store, and grocery store, would  prompt some serious thinking about such a downtown's vitality. But, I guess it is easier just to continue to trumpet the imaginary wonders of Sundance Square, where there is no square, but there finally is a plaza, called Sundance Square Plaza, after confusing Fort Worth's few tourists for decades with signage pointing to Sundance Square, where there is no square.

As for Fort Worth's lack of a place for the locals to cool off and get wet in mass. All of Fort Worth's ponds and lakes, like Fosdick Lake in Oakland Lake Park, forbid swimming due to pollution problems.

Fort Worth does have one pristine water venue. Burgers'  Lake.

From the Burger's Lake website...

Located in Fort Worth, Texas, Burger's Lake offers summer fun for everyone. Burger's Lake is a 30-acre park featuring a one-acre spring-fed lake for swimming. Our facility includes two sandy beaches for sunning with wonderful big trees for shade.

Burger's Lake is run as a private business, charging a semi-hefty admission fee.

The "government" in its various forms, which runs Fort Worth like an oligarchy fiefdom, has no qualms about abusing eminent domain to take private property, even when it is not for eminent domain's intended use of taking private property for the public good.

Instead, in Fort Worth, eminent domain is abused for the private gain of those whose property value stands to increase due to the theft.

How about a correct use of eminent domain, for once in Fort Worth's sordid eminent domain abuse history? Why not take Burger's Lake for the public good and turn this pristine spring-fed lake into a public park? With Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats in an E.Coli, alligator free environment.

Or build a HUGE water venue. This has been done in other locales in America. In towns much smaller than Fort Worth. Take Garden City, Kansas, for instance. Population less than 30,000.

Garden City has a pool, bigger than a football field, originally called "The Big Dipper", now simply called "The Big Pool". The Big Pool is big enough for water skiing to take place. On a HOT summer day as many as around 2,000 people can be found cooling off in The Big Pool.

What stops a city like Fort Worth, obviously in dire need of such a venue, from digging itself a Big Pool? I know the usual excuses. Lack of vision.  Horrible city leadership. Corruption. The same type thinking which has the majority of Fort Worth city parks lacking running water or modern restrooms.

And much of the city's streets lacking sidewalks....

The End Of The American Empire Walking Along Muddy Wichita River

My time with the American Empire ran out today, so I returned it to the Wichita Falls Public Library in beautiful downtown Wichita Falls.

Since I was in the neighborhood and feeling in dire need of a scenic communing with nature, and what with the weather being absolutely perfect for a stroll along a river, after ending my time with the American Empire I headed to Lucy Park.

The Wichita River is running high today. I don't recollect all that much rain of late to account for such an increase in water flow, and the resulting red mud which colors the Wichita River like flowing  rust.

One would think that after so many eons of water flowing over red dirt that the supply would about be exhausted, and thus no longer available for turning the Wichita River and its partner a short distance north, the Red River, into such colorful Mother Nature in action displays.

I walked along the Wichita River til I reached the location of Wichita Falls, currently being Wichita Dry Falls, with the falls not falling water, due to the pumps which enable the falls not liking it when the Wichita River goes into muddy mode, and thus are turned off for the duration of the excess muddy high water.

I think Wichita Dry Falls is still scenic, even without the water falling.

Months ago I read that work was to be done on the bridge across the falls and the section of the Circle Trail which leads from the falls to head under the nearby freeway.

The article where I learned about the  planned Wichita Falls remodeling indicated the project was to begin shortly, and would not take long  to complete. Now, many many months later nothing seems to have been  done to the bridge or the Circle Trail.

Did Wichita Falls make the mistake of hiring the same inept contractor Fort Worth hired to build three simple bridges over dry land to connect the Fort Worth mainland to an imaginary island?  I hope not.  But what is the explanation for this stalled project?

My Hospitalized Dad Has The Family Jungle Drums Beating

The Jones Family jungle drums, along with the Slotemaker Family jungle drums, have been busy beating across America today, starting early this morning.

My dad, Spencer Jack's namesake and great-grandpa, Jack, had a bad fall a couple days ago.

This was not the first bad fall in recent months.

Dad has been in the hospital since the fall, under observation, getting tested. Apparently dehydration is an issue. And now, whilst on my way to ALDI, my sister, Jackie, texted me with the good news that dad is being admitted for further care which apparently is a relief  because being admitted for further care was not a done deal, until it was a done deal.

This morning, my little sister, Michele, mother of my Favorite Nephews David and Theo and my one and only Favorite Niece, Ruby, flew to Arizona to help.

My Favorite Cousin Scott mentioned seeing a not too happy photo on Facebook this morning. I then mentioned I'd not seen this not too happy photo. My Favorite Cousin Scott then sent me the photo, which is what you see above.

This type thing is what I mean by jungle drums. High tech jungle drums.

Meanwhile, I am feeling worthless and un-helpful a thousand miles away, in Texas....

Not Gone Fishing In Arlington's River Legacy Park With No Elsie Hotpepper

Early this morning I headed east to the left heart of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, a little town named Euless.

When I was finished with Euless I headed slightly northwest to a town named Hurst to make an attempt to remove Elsie Hotpepper from her weekday incarceration location so that Elsie Hotpepper could take me out to the Vietnamese Pho lunch she had promised she would take me to.

However, Elsie Hotpepper could not be located. No one knew to where Elsie Hotpepper had escaped her incarceration.

So, I aborted the search for Elsie Hotpepper and headed back southeast, to Arlington, to River Legacy Park for some nature communing.

Above you are looking at the River Legacy Park bridge which connects the south half of River Legacy Park to the north part.

This signature feat of bridge engineering was built in far less than four years. And built over the sometimes raging, temperamental waters of the Trinity River.

I walked out on the bridge and looked east to see the bucolic scene you see below.  A pair of fisher people fishing in the pristine fish laden waters of the Trinity River.

A short distance upstream I saw another couple of anglers, and I somehow managed to snap a photo right when it appears the anglers had angled a big fish.

After I had enough with the fish watching I continued on to the scenic overlook which looks over Mirror Pond to Mount Arlington.

I assume Mount Arlington is the tallest man made mountain currently being made in the D/FW metro zone.

Mount Arlington is way taller than my neighborhood mountain, Mount Wichita.

I saw multiple pieces of heavy equipment working to add more height to the ever growing Mount Arlington.

I have no idea what the end game is with Mount Arlington. Artificial snow with chair lifts taking skiers to the summit? Mountain bike trails on a semi-real mountain? A resort hotel atop the mountain with a commanding view of the entire D/FW Metroplex?

Only time will tell. But whatever Mount Arlington turns out to be I suspect it will be finished well before Fort Worth's Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island District Vision, more commonly known  as America's Biggest Boondoggle is anything anyone can see...

When In Fort Worth Do Not Cast Your Pearls Before The Swine

The last day or two, a time or two, whilst finding myself making a comment or two, to a person or two or three, on Facebook, that Biblical admonition about being careful about where one throws ones pearls came to mind.

I do not know why a Biblical admonition would come to mind, what with it being a long long time since I looked at a Bible of any denomination or religion.

Exchanges of opinions are a wonderful thing when one is exchanging opinions with ones in possession of these things called facts and who have open minds and a basic understanding of things like history, civics, science and politics.

Indulging the opinions of those with no basic understanding of things like history, civics, science and politics is like getting recipes from someone who does not know how to boil water or directions from a blind person.

Apparently I am in a bad mood at a low ebb of my usual high tolerance level of swine.

I actually like pigs. If I lived out in the country I would like to have a pet pig. And a couple fainting goats.

Tomorrow I am venturing to one of America's Hearts of Darkness. I hope to make it back out of there without too much aggravation. I will avoid Fort Worth except for a brief stop at two locations in far east Fort Worth...

A Warm Sunday Sidewalk Walking Tour Of My Texas Caribbean Neighborhood

At long last, on this next to last Sunday of April, blue sky and warm temperatures, well, semi-warm temperatures, have returned to my previously slightly cool location on the planet.

Last night the low here got into the upper 40s.

I have just returned from a tour of my Caribbean neighborhood where the air was warmed to a pleasant 65. All temperatures spoken  here are in Fahrenheit mode, not Celsius, just to be clear.

Upper 40s would be HOT in Celsius mode, and super sizzling in the 60s, what with 65 degrees Celsius being 149 degrees Fahrenheit.

Today I walked the Circle Trail til I reached Haiti, headed west on Haiti, til I reached Barbados, instead of Cuba, which is the island nation west of Haiti. I'm not sure where in the Caribbean Barbados is located, but when I reached Barbados I headed south and eventually took the picture you see above.

As you can see my shady Caribbean neighborhood, and Wichita Falls, has something which was quite rare at my former Texas location, that being sidewalks on both sides of the street, with a grass median between the sidewalks and the road.

What a concept.

Well, it really not not all that rare a concept in modern  locations in America and much of the world.

Sidewalks rendering being a pedestrian safe and easy.

While at my former location, Fort Worth, more often than not if a sidewalk did exist it was a pitiful dirt path worn into existence by hapless walkers plodding along a lumpy trail....

More Local Control Over Fort Worth Star-Telegram Hit Pieces

Yesterday I opined that in my opinion the Fort Worth Way was in dire need of a RICO racketeering investigation. The day before yesterday I blogged about an aspect of that racketeering problem in a blog post about America's Biggest Boondoggle's new marketing manager.

The blog post about the new marketing manager generated an example of the racketeering mindset from someone whose name is Unknown...

Unknown has left a new comment on your post "What Will America's Biggest Boondoggle's New Marketing Manager Manage":

Really dude? Honestly WTF is your problem really? Get over yourself. Or how about you move on back to good ole DC and leave Ft Worth alone? We like it just fine! 

Aunt Kay won't let me  move back to DC. Aunt Kay insists I stay in the Fort Worth area to keep a watchful eye on cousin J.D.

It must be a comfort to Unknown to be able to speak for all the people of Fort Worth, people who Unknown thinks like Fort Worth just fine. Yet somehow over the years I have come into contact with many lifelong natives of Fort Worth who are totally disgusted with their town and the corrupt Fort Worth Way's inept shenanigans, such as that which has become America's Biggest Boondoggle, or little  things, like being unable to "fix" the park in downtown Fort Worth dedicated to Fort Worth's heritage, Or a big thing, like becoming the world's biggest experiment in urban fracking.

And then, last night the most recent example I have seen of the Fort Worth Way's racketeering. A guest editorial opinion piece from the soon to be ex-board president of the Tarrant Regional Water District, Vic Henderson, with this opinion editorial being an irresponsible slanderous hit piece attacking fellow board member, the up for re-election, Mary Kelleher.

You can read this embarrassing propaganda hit piece by going to Our local water board should have local control.

I am not going to detail all the bits of misinformation, out right lies and slander. See how many you can find yourself if you can tolerate making it through the entire editorial.

The reason behind this hit piece is the fact that the TRWD board must be kept under the control of the existing cadre of TRWD conspirators. Any means possible are used to keep control.

The fraudulent  results of the most recent  TRWD board election is what set off the biggest  election fraud investigation in Texas history, due to wanton vote harvesting using bogus absentee ballots. In the previous TRWD board  election  Marty Leonard and Jim Lane were re-elected with a record breaking vote count, around 10,000 more votes than any previous TRWD board election.

And around 10,000 of those votes were absentee ballots. That is approximately half the votes. Hence the obvious fraud and the followup ongoing investigation.

Marty Leonard and Jim Lane have retained their position on the TRWD Board, despite the obvious fraud. Mary Leonard and Jim Lane are solidly in the Gang which runs Fort Worth in what is known as the Fort Worth Way.  As is incumbent  Jack Stevens.

Jack Stevens and Marty Leonard are basically puppets, voting the way they are told to vote. Jim Lane is less of a puppet, but plays along because it is useful for him to do so, what with being on the TRWD Board has allowed Jim Lane to be helpful to his friends, like the guy who was having some money woes with La Grave Field, so Jim Lane finagled to have the TRWD buy property from the beleagured ballpark owner and helped turn that property into the world's first drive-in movie theater of the 21st century.

Have I mentioned the dire need for a federal RICO investigation into all the shady corruption in Fort Worth?

The possible election of non-puppets to the TRWD Board, joining non-puppet, Mary Kelleher, presents such a threat to so many that pretty much all levels of corruption are resorted to.

As in election fraud, slander, editorials full of lies and disinformation, propaganda filled mailers.

Because, the bottom line here is the racketeering likely is at the criminal conspiracy level, You know the type thing people go to jail for with huge fines.

Now do you get the motivation behind the bad behavior of the TRWD Board's majority members? And the higher up employees of the TRWD?

Basically they know if they lose control of the TRWD Board, the jig is up....

The Fort Worth Way With RICO Racketeering

In a comment from Kat, commenting about a recent blogging about Fort Worth's soon to be memorable landmark, Dickies Arena, Kat mentioned the Fort Worth Way.

The Fort Worth Way was already on my mind due to a variety of reasons two of which were also comments, but from last month, which I noticed, again, yesterday,

We'll get to those comments, but first the Kat comment...

Kat has left a new comment on your post "Dickies Arena Defines What Fort Worth Is":

"The Fort Worth Way." First heard this term from former Mayor Mike Moncrief in council meetings. The tradition continues. Parking lots for the desired arena were underway before the public voted. Asked before the vote if there was a traffic plan for an already overloaded area...."No" said the ruling class. Neighborhood residents knew The Fort Worth Way had its plan in the works and the vote was irrelevant.

Yes, the little town of Fort Worth is run by a ruling class which controls most of what happens in, or to, the town. Control of the town, in this manner, by a ruling class of those who are known as the Good Ol' Boys and Girls Network, or the 7th Street Gang, is what is meant by the Fort Worth Way.

I Googled for a suitable "Fort Worth Way" image to illustrate this blogging to no suitable avail. Too many of my own images came up. And then there was what you see above, a map showing the Fort Worth Way running parallel to an American River, not the Trinity River. This particular Fort Worth Way then is not in Fort Worth, but is in Sacremento, which is not a town in Texas.

And now those two other comments which brought the Fort Worth Way to mind. The comments are from Matthew Clemons and Melodious Skywalker. I do not remember to which blog post these comments were made, but it was either Stormy Look At Zero Panther Island Bridge Motion Progress or Fort Worth Star-Telegram Opines Boondoggle's Stalled Bridges Can't Be A Good Thing.

Matthew Clemons said...
Sometimes I think this whole fiasco is really hilarious. How a relatively late modern city can have something this ridiculous going on is phenomenal. But, then I remember what a blight these idiots have put on the city. The area they have ruined was nothing special. But, it was an honest area of urban industrial Fort Worth. There were real businesses with real people working and using that area. These morons just came in there with their "visions" and destroyed that piece of our heritage. What a sham.

While...

Melodious Skywalker said...
That area was special enough to me. Owning property there was a decision made to have a productive place to work, in a central city location, with a view toward the future. How could the decision to work hard to buy property adjacent to a growing and thriving downtown area, become a bad idea. This was an investment in the future. This was a solid calculation that free enterprise might one day, need this area to continue what was started downtown and along west 7th street. Nearly a decade of anxiety and 3 1/2 years of constant stress and concern over trying to eventually get a more fair compensation for the property, after it was taken, building demolished, giving the projects representatives no real incentive to offer a better payment, finally came to an end. However, no real victory. There is nothing fair about this process. Property owners were not made whole. Waging an expensive legal battle to seek just compensation, against a cadre of entities running this project, moving at a glacial pace, with trivial and frivolous activities and attractions, all occurring without the voter approval needed for a project this size, has left such a bad taste and repeated scars from the grinding down of our resolve over the years. Unless it happens to you, no one knows how nasty is the threat of eminent domain. The bank didn't understand. The insurance company didn't understand. The contractors and surveyors that swarmed the area did not seem to be working in consort. The county, a partner on the project, did not seem to have a list of taken properties. Tax bills were sent for full value for years after the Water District had the property in its name. Property owners were told that they might get a small refund. It took attorneys to inform the County that a "Whole Taking" situation, by law, means that no taxes should have assessed at all, once the properties had been signed over to the Water District. I want my property and my decade of strife back. I bet my friends an neighbors do too.

So, there you have it, an observer of the Fort Worth Way and a victim of the Fort Worth Way, sharing their observations of the Fort Worth  Way.

Melodious Skywalker had his land stolen, years ago, by what would be considered, in a lawful part of America, to be a criminal abuse of eminent domain.

When what has become America's Biggest Boondoggle was first schemed and revealed to the public it was touted as a combo flood control economic development plan.  Quickly it became clear the flood control aspect was a scam, with the flood control controlling an area which has not flooded for well over a half a century, due to flood control levees already being in place.

When this scam began it became obvious the economic development part of the scheme was the real motivation, with the economic development benefiting property owners who also happened to be part of Fort Worth's ruling class, the 7th Street Gang, the perpetrators of the Fort Worth Way.

Early on the Granger Gang was revealed to own multiple properties which stood to increase in value from the Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island District Vision. In an obvious act of collusion and nepotism a member of the Granger Gang was installed as Executive Director of the Trinity River Vision Authority.

The legitimate use of eminent  domain is considered to be abused, and thus illegal, when eminent domain is used for private, not public benefit. Eminent  domain is valid when used to take property when there is no other alternative, for things like public highways, schools, hospitals, that type thing.

In Fort Worth the Fort Worth Way Perpetrators abused eminent domain to take private property, such as the thriving business of Melodius Skywalker, which the FWWP bulldozed years ago, before Melodious Skywalker had his rightful hearing in court.

Can you imagine how wronged you would feel if the town you built your business in did this to you?

It has been years now since Melodious Skywalker's business was stolen, for what has become America's Biggest Boondoggle. You can take a look at the construction ghost town that now blights where Melodious Skywalker used to have his thriving business.

Why is there no federal investigation into what seems to be racketeering? With the local Fort Worth government, the Granger Gang and its 7th Street Gang cohorts being the racketeers? Why doesn't all the nepotism, the shady contracting, the conflicts of interest, the eminent domain abuse, the election tampering, all the obvious corruption trigger a RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) investigation?

I can think of only two ways the Fort Worth Way can be brought to full stop. Either federal intervention, or the Fort Worth locals cease being sheep and put an end to living in a town which allows crimes, such as that perpetrated against Melodious Skywalker and all the other victims of the Fort Worth  Way and its ridiculous Trinity River Vision Boondoggle...

What Will America's Biggest Boondoggle's New Marketing Manager Manage?

Used to be, years ago, the closest thing long suffering Fort Worth had to real newspapers were Fort Worth Weekly and the Fort Worth Business Press.

But, in recent years both have seemed to have somehow been compromised, journalistic quality-wise.

Example, this Trinity River Vision hires marketing manager propaganda puff piece in the Fort Worth Business Press, asking no questions, when the subject begs for questions to be asked.

Such as...

Wendy Stane has joined the Trinity River Vision Authority (TRVA) as marketing manager. She was previously community marketing manager at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The move was effective Jan. 17.

Isn 't this some sort of conflict of interest? The Trinity River Vision Authority (TRVA) headquarters is on the ground floor of the Star-Telegram building. The Star-Telegram has long treated the TRVA with kid gloves, doing no in depth looking at anything, be it looking at the TRVA's failed Cowtown Wakepark, the currently failing TRVA bridge construction, the TRVA's encouraging of people to get wet in a regularly e.coli contaminated river, or just the overall incredibly slow progress of what has become America's Biggest Boondoggle

And then there is this gem in this article, from that master of saying stupid stuff, J.D. Granger...

“Having secured our new $526 million federal authorization, we are ramping up our marketing team to keep up with the construction and development interests,” said J.D. Granger, executive director. “We are very excited to bring Wendy and her 23 years of creative, energetic and interactive marketing experience to the team.”

Has that half billion plus federal dollars already been transferred to the Boondoggle?

And now with this money the Boondoggle is able to ramp up its marketing team? Why? So as to produce even more ridiculously absurd propaganda to try and convince the public that what has become America's Biggest Boondoggle is not an inept incompetent ongoing failure?

Keep up with what construction and development interests?

Keep up by not explaining in the latest TRVA quarterly update why bridge construction has been halted for over a year? We talked about this particular bizarre omission in Spring 2017 Non Existent Trinity River Vision Bridge Debacle UPDATE

And then there is this from the former Star-Telegram employee...

“I am thrilled to join J.D. and the TRVA team. The growth of Panther Island, along with other projects planned along our Trinity River, bring renewed excitement to Fort Worth's future and I am honored to be part of it,” Stane said.

Join J.D. and the TRVA  team? Bring renewed excitement to Fort Worth's future? What? As in replacing sadness about Fort Worth's past? This marketing whiz thinks what has become America's Biggest Boondoggle has brought about a growing island with projects along the Trinity River? I can see where she will be useful in the continuing spewing of nonsensical propaganda.

And here we have another gem, this time from J.D.'s partner in "Going Nuts for Runner's Butts" the Boondoggle's Minister of Disinformation, Matt Oliver, he being one of the Boondoggle's many products of nepotism.

“We are really excited about the experience she brings to the team,” said Communication Manager Matt Oliver. “Wendy will oversee the TRVA production team, as well as spearhead our social and digital efforts.”

Oversee the production team? Production of what? Currently we know it not the constructive production of bridges being built over dry land which this former Star-Telegram employee will be overseeing. She will spearhead social and digital efforts? Has there ever been any major public works project in America which has spent so much time on various media productions, while accomplishing so little of the public works on which they are currently wasting the public's money?

I have asked multiple times how much money is spent by the TRVA Boondoggle on all its various propaganda media productions. The plethora of absurd, often ironic signage (Panther Island Bridges Under Construction, Live Motion in Progress Cam). The slick multi-page full color mailers mailed quarterly. All the "events" which have nothing to do with flood control or actually building this project.

Events such as Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats when the e.coli level is low enough to permit it. Various beer garden type events. Panther Island Pavilion music events at a pitiful imaginary waterfront music venue at an imaginary pavilion.

An ice skating rink.

The list goes on and on of the various absurd "products" of what has become America's Biggest Boondoggle. That's right, the Boondoggle's propagandists refer to their various non-productive efforts such as inner tubing parties, as "products".

And now the TRVA Boondoggle has hired itself a new marketing director to help them spew out even more nonsense that has nothing to do with what the voters have never voted on which is doing visible damage to their town. best exemplified by a Stormy Look At Zero Panther Island Bridge Motion Progress...

Spencer Jack Gambles With Tulalip Orcas

Incoming this morning via email from Spencer Jack and his dad, my Favorite Nephew Jason.

Two photos along with this message...

FUD-

Spencer Jack took me on an after school adventure to Marysville.

We spotted 3 Orcas and countless tribal gaming machines.

Thought you'd enjoy the photos.

FUD-

Marysville is a town about 35 miles south of Spencer Jack's home abode of Mount Vernon. Prior to moving to Arizona, Marysville was the home zone of my Favorite Nephews Christopher and Jeremy, better known as CJ and JR.

The Tulalip Resort Casino is one of Washington's biggest casino complexes.

The Tulalip's are also host to one of the biggest fireworks selling complexes in Washington, and the world. This explosive Tulalip operation is called Boom City Fireworks.

There are a couple tribal casinos close to my current Texas abode, about 15 miles north, across the Red River, in Oklahoma.

The Kiowa Red River Casino, and the Comanche Red River Hotel Casino.

Since I have been at my current Wichita Falls location I have not ventured across the Red River into Oklahoma Indian Territory to visit the Kiowa and Comanche tribe's casinos.

Since I have not visited either of my nearby casinos I do not know if either have any Orca Pods frolicking for casino goers. But, I suspect not.

It is likely the closest Orcas to be found at this part of the planet are to the south a few hundred miles, in San Antonio, at Sea World.

In the short message about visiting the Tulalip Orcas and gaming machines no mention was made of whether or not there was any slot machine playing.

The summer prior to me moving to Texas Spencer Jack's dad and uncle, my Favorite Nephew Joey, took me to Las Vegas, where they made me their surrogate gambler, directing me at Keno and Video Poker.

I suspect Spencer Jack is continuing the family tradition of surreptitious gambling, using his dad as a surrogate...

Dickies Arena Defines What Fort Worth Is

What you are looking at here is a screen cap from a Fort Worth Star-Telegram article.

That confetti in the air is part of a celebration marking the start of construction of a Fort Worth Multi-Purpose Arena.

In Fort Worth not a lot happens, so when something does happen, or seems to happen, a big deal is made.

Such as years ago when a big TNT explosion's big boom marked the start of construction of three little bridges being built on dry land to connect the Fort Worth mainland to an imaginary island.

The construction of which has now been stalled for a year.

One can hope a similar stall does not hamper the construction of this simple arena destined to become a Fort Worth landmark, along with all those other well known Fort Worth landmarks.

This arena project came about as the result of a Fort Worth rarity. As in the public was allowed to, sort of, vote for it. Several years ago there was a ballot measure with three propositions relating to this arena, which if the voters approved these propositions this somehow obligated them to pay for half of the approximately half billion dollar arena, and approved the construction of the arena.

To approve the building of this arena voters voted yes on a fee on horse stalls, a tax on parking and a tax on ticket sales. Not an up or down vote on the arena, but instead voting on these three separate propositions.

You in democratic parts of America, and the world, I am not making this up, this is really how this arena came to be approved by the voters.

And now in this Dickies Arena will become Fort Worth landmark, CEO says article we learn that naming this arena after well known work pants is a great fit, according to the work pants maker...

Phillip Williamson, chairman and CEO, whose great-grandfather and grandfather helped found the company in 1922, said it was a natural fit to gain the naming rights. The workwear company is long time sponsors of the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, he said.

“We’re committed and passionate about continuing to ensure Fort Worth remains one of the fastest growing cities in the nation,” Williamson said. “We couldn’t be prouder to have the Dickies name on an arena that will become one of the most recognizable landmarks in the city.”

The article did not inform us as to how much Dickies paid to have the new Fort Worth arena have the Dickies name, or what other entities, if any, submitted naming bids.

I found the following paragraph to be interestingly confusing...

The city has already raised $25 million for the arena and in mid-July expects to issue special tax revenue bonds for the remainder. Voters approved the project in a special referendum in 2014. The city will pay the debt through hotel occupancy taxes, a car rental tax as well as revenues generated by taxes at the arena itself.

Okay, back in the 2014 referendum I do not remember mention made of these other revenue generating methods being part of what the voters approved. The Bass Gang was supposed to pay for the other half of the cost, with the public half raised by those aforementioned means, such as renting horse stalls.

And then there is this badly written paragraph which I assume the Star-Telegram editors, if they still have any, will fix...

The Stock Show moved from the Coliseum in the Stockyards in north Fort Worth to the Will Rogers in 1945. Bass called said it “was an historic move and defines what we are.”

Was that last sentence intended to be "Bass, when called on the phone, said it "was an historic move and defines what we are."

Yeah, I would agree with that, making a big deal out of this arena, and calling it Dickies, really does sort of define what Fort Worth is....

Not Picking Big Heads Of Wichita Falls Wild Cauli Flowers

Yesterday, I had a hot humid walk before an incoming Arctic chill where I discovered, a short distance south of my abode, a colorful field of wild looking flowers.

Today, I walked again on the Wichita Falls Circle Trail, where a short distance north I found what looked to be what you see here, a field of what, until an expert corrects me, I am calling Wild White Cauli Flowers.

I hope one of the two renowned horticulturists of my acquaintance, Miss Misty of Texoma or Miss Julie of Fort Worth, is able to correctly identify these big white bloomers if they are not actually known as Wild White Cauli Flowers.

As you can also see in the Cauli Flower picture, Spring has greened up this formerly drought stricken part of the planet, while water drips through Holliday Creek, slowly ambling through Holliday Gorge on its way to meet up with the muddy red Wichita River.

Hot Humid Wildflowers Before Arctic Chill

I have been having myself a day of computer aggravation. I shan't bore you or myself with the details.

Suffice to say the upper limits of my blood pressure have been tested.

Around noon, not realizing the outer world was HOT, extremely humid and almost totally wind-free, I decided to go on a walk south on the Circle Trail.

The walk south turned into a short walk south due to that aforementioned unexpected HOT humid thing.

Just yesterday I mentioned the shortage of wildflowers coloring up the landscape at my location in North Texas, particularly the total absence of the State Wildflower of Texas, the Bluebonnet.

Well, today, just a short distance south of my abode I came upon the colorful spread of wildflowers you above.

But again, no Bluebonnets.

About an hour after my return to my abode the wind suddenly began howling from the north. The wind from the north brought a quick drop in temperature. It is no longer HOT and humid.

Today I was the closest yet this year to firing up the air-conditioning, but then that Arctic blast from the north arrived, putting off for another day the beginning of this year's cooling season...

Spencer Jack's Warm Sunny Easter Tulips With No Texas Bluebonnets

Moments  ago, incoming phone text from Spencer Jack's dad, my Favorite Nephew Jason, with the picture you see here and the text you read below...

Have yourself a Happy Easter. Spencer Jack's tulips are in full bloom. Today is slated to be sunny and warm here in the PNW.

A few days ago I saw a few tulips blooming in a big flower pot in the front yard of a house in my Caribbean neighborhood.

I do not see many tulips or daffodils blooming in Texas. So far, this Spring blooming season I have not seen many wildflowers at my current north Texas location near the Oklahoma border.

I have yet to see a single bloom of the State Wildflower of  Texas, the Bluebonnet.

I suspect Bluebonnets may be late bloomers at my North Texas location and soon the landscape will be showing fields of blue...

Happy Easter Bunny Bertha Inspired Questions

This is a combo Bertha and Happy Easter Bunny blogging due to the screen cap I capped from a Seattle Times article about Bertha included a chocolate Easter Bunny.

Happy Easter, one and all.

Just remembered, in addition to being a combo Bertha and Happy Easter Bunny blogging this is also yet one more of those popular bloggings about something I read in a west coast online news source, usually the Seattle Times, about something I would not be expecting to read in a Texas online news source, usually the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, about something going on in Texas, or Fort Worth.

I think I have mentioned previously that Fort Worth is currently host to America's Biggest Boondoggle, also known as the Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island District Vision. The vision is a bizarre pseudo public works project the public has never been allowed to vote on, which claims to be a much needed flood prevention plan,  preventing flooding where flooding has not happened for well over a half a century due to levees the rest of America helped pay for way back in the 1950s.

This bizarre public works project is also an economic development scheme designed to line the pockets of multiple players in the Fort Worth oligarchy, including Fort Worth's Congresswoman, Kay Granger, and her son, J.D., who, as America's Biggest Boondoggle's Executive Director is responsible for the non-progress of this project which has been limping along for most of this century.

The current symbol of just how bad this boondoggle has  become is a bridge building project which began way back in 2014,  with an astonishing four year bridge building project timeline, with bridge construction now stalled for over a year, with no explanation as to why the simple  little bridges being built  over dry land are no longer being built.

Recently the Trinity River Vision Authority released its Spring 2017 Trinity River Vision Update with no update as to what has stalled the bridge construction. We blogged about this in Spring 2017 Non Existent Trinity River Vision Bridge Debacle UPDATE.

Which brings us to what I read in the Seattle Times today about the Bertha Tunnel Project in an article titled Inside the Highway 99 tunnel: Bertha’s done digging, but the roadway work rolls on in.

Bertha began her tunnel boring about the same time the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle began trying to build bridges over dry land. Bertha ran into a snag which stopped boring for around two years. But, Bertha eventually got back boring and is now leaving the tunnel behind her, with road decks now being added and the tunnel expected to be open to traffic in early 2019.

Apparently the Highway 99 Alaskan Viaduct Replacement Project is well engineered by qualified adults who know what  they are doing. Part of the project design  took into account the possibility of a boring delay.

Three illustrative paragraphs...

Joe Hedges, state Highway 99 administrator, recently said the completion of the tunnel itself represents halftime for the project. Nonetheless, workers were busy installing roadways even during Bertha’s two-year breakdown, and some 600 people remain on the job.

That by itself prevented delays from getting worse, said Brian Russell, vice president for HNTB, which wrote the technical designs for the tunnel structures.

The tunnel’s relatively new “design-build” contract, which hands final engineering to the bidders, gave Seattle Tunnel Partners (STP) flexibility to juggle its work schedules so the upper deck and walls kept advancing north, behind the tunnel machine. Under conventional bidding, where the state writes the design, the decking might be done by other companies, and might not begin until after the underground tube is finished.

Okay, why do we not read anything similar to the above in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about the problems with the Trinity River Vision project? Who designed the project? Who are the contractors? Why is whoever is  the bridge building contractor not asked what the problem is which has stalled  construction?

Read the Seattle Times Inside the Highway 99 tunnel: Bertha’s done digging, but the roadway work rolls on in article and notice how detailed the information is. Including animated graphics showing each stage of the ongoing tunnel construction. Why do you not see anything even remotely similar in the Fort Wort Star-Telegram about any aspect of what has become America's Biggest Boondoggle?

Why do the Fort Worth locals whose town is being impacted by being the host to America's Biggest Boondoggle not demand answers as to what and who has caused this mess? What causes a population to be so passive? How can Americans in one part of America be so different from Americans in another part? Better education?

I have no idea what the explanation is. All I know for sure is the toleration for incompetent corruption in Fort Worth, in various forms, is extremely perplexing...

Spring 2017 Non Existent Trinity River Vision Bridge Debacle UPDATE

Earlier, when I blogged about the Trinity River Vision Authority Live Look At Bridges Not Being Built & Other Nonsense. I said my original intention had been to check out the latest TRVA UPDATE via the Trinity River Vision Authority website.

But, I  found so many pitifully bizarre items, such as live cams showing non-progress of America's Biggest Boondoggle, along with pitifully bizarre propaganda on a page titled PANTHER ISLAND BRIDGES - PROGRESS IN MOTION that I did not get around to the equally pitifully bizarre Trinity River Vision UPDATE til now.

That is the cover of the Spring 2017 Trinity River Vision UPDATE you see above. Below is the table of contents.

The contents in the Spring 2017 Trinity River Vision UPDATE include more than the insipidness listed in the above contents. Such as one page titled UPDATE OF PANTHER ISLAND BRIDGES which explains in detail why the construction of those bridges has been stalled for over a year, stalled since the Spring 2016 Trinity River Vision UPDATE.

Obviously I jest, there is not one word about the year of zero bridge construction progress.  All we get is idiotic propaganda,  apparently aimed at what the Boondoggle assumes are the easily duped Fort Worth masses.

All this important document tells us about the stalled bridges is "Contractor installs portions of the steel bars on one of the Henderson Street signature V-piers." And "Work continues on the bridge abutments on Henderson Street and White Settlement."

I assume a cartoon figure was used to illustrate a contractor moving dirt because no actual contractor has been working on the bridges for over a year.

How much money does the Tarrant Regional Water District and its crippled step-child, the Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island District Vision spend on these ridiculous propaganda productions, both in print and in webpage form?

Are there no responsible, sensible adults anywhere in this operation? How is this type nonsense going to print and then into people's mailboxes without someone with common sense intervening?

This type propaganda touting imaginary accomplishments is what the old Soviet Union used to do, lying to the Soviet people about the wonderful accomplishments of their Soviet government, til it all came crashing down.

When will Fort Worth come to its senses and put an end to this nonsense?

You can check out the entire Spring 2017 Trinity River Vision Update yourself to read a pitiful self serving message from J.D. Granger's mama, and learn all about last winter's Panther Island Ice Rink Season, plus all the events at Panther Island Pavilion, where there is no island or pavilion, along with a look at the TRVA Construction Zone, but not the stalled bridge construction. There is an announcement about the important news of the newly-redesigned TRWD.com website, and the announcement of this year's date for the TRWD Flyfest, whatever that is (some sort of festival celebrating the flies attracted to the Trinity River?) and an important public service section with Trinity Trails Safety Tips to help you stay safe on those incredibly dangerous Trinity Trails.

Again, how much money is wasted on this nonsense?

David, Theo & Ruby With Grandma & Grandpa In Arizona

Last week my Favorite Nephews David and Theo and my one and only Favorite Niece, Ruby, took their parental units to Arizona to visit their Grandma and Grandpa and Aunt Jackie and Uncle Jack, along with their cousins, my Favorite Nephews Christopher and Jeremy.

Oh, they visited their Uncle Jake, too.

In the first photo you are in Aunt Jackie's backyard, with David, Ruby and Theo having a campfire powwow between dips in the pool.

I had the best of intentions to be in Arizona during the time frame of David, Theo and Ruby's visit, but my best intentions did not get me there.

Yesterday the twins and David's mother, my Favorite Sister Michele, emailed me seven or eight photos taken during last week's Arizona visit.

Four of those seven or eight photos are what you are looking at here.

I am guessing the following three photos were taken Sunday, at the brunch in Aunt Jackie's backyard, prior to flying back to Washington, hence the goodbye hugs with Grandpa and Grandma.

That would be David giving Grandpa a goodbye hug, with Grandma awaiting goodbye hugs in the foreground.

Next up it was Theo's turn to say goodbye to Grandpa.

And then Ruby giving a goodbye hug to Grandma, with Theo looking on and Aunt Jackie standing in the patio door behind Theo.

Are these not among the cutest kids you've ever seen?

David, Theo and Ruby are big Disneyland fans. When asked which was more fun, Disneyland or Arizona with Aunt Jackie and Grandma and Grandpa, the unanimous verdict was that both Disneyland and Aunt Jackie's were equally fun, but in different ways.

I think Ruby may be a politician in the making. I was hoping to do a video interview with Ruby regarding her opinions about Donald Trump....

Trinity River Vision Authority Live Look At Bridges Not Being Built & Other Nonsense

Last night I found myself blogging about the attempt to Stop Another Stolen TRWD Board Election after Elsie Hotpepper sent me a couple TRWD election mailers targeting senior citizens with ridiculous propaganda about an evil Dallas man supposedly trying to control Fort Worth's water.

Thinking about corrupt mailers had me thinking that the troublesome stepchild of the Tarrant Regional Water  District known as the Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island District Vision, or America's Biggest  Boondoggle and the quarterly updates which used to show up every three months when  I had a Fort  Worth mailbox.

These TRVA UPDATES were always slick full color pieces of incredibly shameless propaganda touting all the amazing imaginary wonders that had taken place, or would take place in the previous or upcoming quarter. Or at an imaginary time far in the future.

I figured the TRV Boondogglers were still wasting money with an online version of their quarterly update, along with wasting money with the printed version.

So, I went to the Trinity River Vision Authority website where I soon found myself amused and appalled by what I saw, just on the entry page. That is a screen cap of the TRVA website's entry page you see above. A big banner at the top touting the beginning of bridge construction. A live cam of bridge progress not in motion. A link to a page about the "Panther Island Signature Bridges", a screen cap of part of the bridge page is what you see below.

Construction on these simple little non-signature bridges has been stalled for over a year, yet the Boondoggle still has live cams showing the non-progress on two of the bridges.

The propaganda about the bridges on this page devoted to them is also appalling and amusing...

The Trinity River Vision is no longer a vision, it is a reality. For several years, work along the Trinity River has been on-going preparing for this project milestone. The signature bridges are a collaborative effort between the Trinity River Vision Authority, TxDOT, City of Fort Worth, Tarrant County and the US Army Corps of Engineers. The three signature bridges positioned along the realigned Trinity River will begin construction in late summer 2014. The estimated construction cost for all bridges is $66 million. Serving as the gateways to Panther Island, the bridges create the foundation for a unique, urban waterfront community. The project partners will make every effort to minimize the inconvenience of this major construction project and will utilize multiple methods to keep residents and business owners informed. 

No longer a vision? But a reality?

Another amusing, appalling, embarrassing tidbit on this page is...

Estimated Project Schedule

HENDERSON ST. BRIDGE
Late 2014 - Early 2018
WHITE SETTLEMENT ROAD
Late 2014 - Early 2018
NORTH MAIN STREET
Late 2014 - Early 2018

Eventually I found my way to the Trinity River Vision Authority online version of their quarterly update, the cover of which you see below.

But, this blogging has already gone long, well before I got to the UPDATE part, so I think the Trinity River Vision Authority Spring UPDATE will be the next thing I blog about, likely later today....

Vote Kelleher & Beatty To Stop Another Stolen TRWD Board Election

Well, I foolishly thought, what with the last Tarrant Regional Water District Board election resulting in the biggest election fraud investigation in Texas history, with that investigation ongoing, that the perpetrators of that election fraud would tread lightly with the upcoming TRWD Board election in which Mary Kelleher is seeking re-election, with Andra Beatty hoping to join her.

I thought wrong.

Today I was sent examples of mailers being sent to Senior Citizens. Propaganda pieces featuring current Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price, and disgraced former Fort Worth Mayor, Mike Moncrief, warning voters, just like the last election, to not let a Dallas businessman disrupt our water.

One of the mailers warns--- VOTERS BEWARE: Two of the candidates running for Water Board (Mary Kelleher and Andra Beatty) have been helping Dallas businessman Monty Bennett with his ongoing efforts to disrupt and take over control of our local water supply. Please BEWARE of FALSE information from them or Mr. Bennett.

Yes, that is actually good advice. BEWARE  of FALSE information (known as propaganda) from those same people who stole the last election, getting a record number of votes for  TRWD incumbents Jim Lane and Marty Leonard, with around 10,000 of those votes coming from absentee ballots, the absurdity of which is what sent up the red flags of obvious fraud.

These shameless people have no scruples.

Preying on the fears of senior citizens, cynically figuring senior citizens can be easily duped.

The above mailer tells senior citizens to vote early by mail, you know, those absentee ballots which were so useful to the TRWD incumbents the last election.

What does the TRWD Board, and the oligarchy which runs Fort Worth, have to fear from having another "outsider" join Mary Kelleher on the TRWD Board?

If "outsiders" controlled the TRWD Board all sorts of uncomfortable questions might get asked with answers unable to be avoided.

Questions such as why does J.D. Granger still have his job as Executive Director of the Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island District Vision, with that project's vision having turned into a mismanaged muddy mess.

A muddy mess with the construction of three simple bridges being built over dry land, stalled for over a year.

Stalled with no explanation.

Questions about how much money has been spent on the TRWD's Trinity River Vision for items like various forms of propaganda, such as quarterly updates, websites, signage and other "image" enhancers intended to dupe the public?

A Dallas businessman is trying to get control of the local water supply? I guess this type nonsense worked the previous election, well, combined with absentee ballot fraud, but if I were a senior  citizen, with this type idiocy directed at me, well, I would feel insulted that Betsy and Mike, my fellow senior citizens, think I am this stupid and so easily duped....

Questionable Washington Driftwood From Spencer Jack

Incoming email from Spencer Jack and my Favorite Nephew Jason.

Subject line: Driftwood Photo Request

The email including four photos of driftwood on a Washington beach, one of which is that which you see here, with Spencer Jack looking at you through a hole in a chunk of driftwood.

Do Texas beaches on the Gulf Coast get littered with driftwood? I suspect not, what with there not being a lot of streams flowing in from forested mountains.

Reading the following text in the email I eventually figured out that these particular driftwood photos were taken on Guemes Island, one of the smaller San Juan Islands, accessed via ferry from Anacortes, that being the town where Spencer Jack has his Fidalgo Drive-In with its world famous hamburgers and blackberry milkshakes.

I do recollect that last summer, my dad made me stop the car so he could take a picture of a lone piece of driftwood that he believes was the one you two enjoyed playing on as children. Spencer and I were looking for a larger pile in Birch Bay, such as the pile Spencer and I found today after school when he took me over to Guemes Island to beach comb.

That is a lot of driftwood.

Regarding driftwood, the majority of this particular text message regarded the search for a specific chunk of driftwood at Birch Bay, up north in Whatcom County, a few miles south of the Canadian border.

You have asked me on multiple occasions to send you a photo of Spencer playing on the Birch Bay driftwood.   Spencer and I attempted to locate at Birch Bay what I thought would be a massive collection of driftwood that one could not miss on multiple occasions.  

I believe I reported back to you years ago that I could not find the driftwood that you spoke of playing on as a child, only a chunk here and there scattered around the shoreline of Birch Bay near the state park.

My Favorite Nephew Jason is much too young to be having age related memory loss. How did he forget that he and his dad and Spencer Jack did find that chunk of Birch Bay driftwood, the finding of which he mentioned in the same email he says he and Spencer Jack were unable to find that illusive chunk of driftwood?   I blogged about the finding of this chunk of driftwood multiple times.

Awakened By A Thud Before Finding Photo Of Birch Bay Driftwood

Birch Bay Driftwood Confirmation From Lynden Via Tacoma

Going Down A Birch Bay Water Slide With Spencer Jack Looking For A Big Chunk Of Driftwood
Going To Birch Bay In Washington With My Nephew Spencer Jack

I will end this blogging with a look at that chunk of Birch Bay driftwood which I thought was fun to climb on when I was a few years younger, way back in the previous century....

Ashamed Elmer Does Not Think Kay Granger Knows What Is Right About America

Yesterday, or was it the day before, Elsie Hotpepper emailed me with the email being a bad scan of the cover of a book along with text which only said "ha ha ha".

Upon closer perusal of the book cover I saw it was a book written by Fort Worth's notorious congresswoman, Kay Granger, mother of the even more notorious, J.D. Granger, he being the mastermind who has mucked up Fort Worth's Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island District Vision to the point it is now known as America's Biggest Boondoggle, with construction of three simple bridges being built over dry land to connect the Fort Worth mainland to an imaginary island, stuck for over a year.

And yet J.D. has not yet been fired and his mother was recently re-elected in the Trump mudslide.

The book Kay Granger wrote, which Elsie Hotpepper had a ha ha over, is titled What's Right About America: Celebrating Our Nation's Values. With a foreward by that well known expert on all things American, Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York.

I figured this must be a timely book, published recently. Turns out this book was published over a decade ago.

Googling Kay Granger's book soon brought me to Amazon, which as you can see via the screen cap above, currently has one copy for sale for $6.14.

Amazon had five or six Customer Reviews of Kay Granger's book. All but one of the reviews sounded alike, as if written by the same propaganda spewer. However, one of the customer reviews, from someone calling himself Ashamed Elmer, seemed real. That is the one real review you see screen capped below.

The above is a bit difficult to read, so I'll copy what Ashamed Elmer had to say about Kay Granger's book...

I live in Mrs. Granger's district, and I am ashamed that she has taken the time to produce this book, instead of spending her time doing good for those of us back here in Texas. There is not a single new idea in this book, which is entirely worthless. And I'm a veteran and a Republican.

I really think Ashamed Elmer is being totally unfair about what Kay Granger has done to, I mean, for those of us back in Texas. Kay Granger has been instrumental in funding that aforementioned un-needed flood control and economic development scheme which has become America's Biggest Boondoggle.

Being part of such is quite an accomplishment.

And one has to admire Kay Granger's  motherly attributes. Securing for her unqualified son a job which will give him financial security into his retirement. And all she had to do was secure a half billion dollars, give or take a buck or two, of federal pork barrel money...

Today Facebook Figured Out For Me What My Face Looks Like

I do not know how I managed to function before the invention of Facebook and its myriad ways of using complex scientific analysis to render all sorts of complex conclusions.

Before Facebook I had an inkling I was a High IQ Super Genius.

But, to have this High IQ Super Genius thing confirmed on Facebook, with multiple confirmations, via multiple extremely difficult examinations, really is super validating.

Before Facebook I really did not know that knowing things such as the sun is a star, that Lincoln was the American president during the American  Civil War or that Germany was not one of America's allies during World War II, was rare knowledge known only to High IQ Super Genius sorts such as myself.

And now today, after decades of living on this planet, over the span of parts of two centuries, thanks to Facebook, I have now finally learned what my face looks like.

Apparently I look like an Llama looking like Robert Downey Jr. looking like Tarzan in cartoon form.

I get the Llama and Tarzan similarity. But, Robert Downey Jr.? That just makes me lose some of my faith in the validity of these scientific Facebook analytical  examinations....