Periodically during my isolation period I would have some contact with the world via Facebook.
It was via Facebook I first learned of the absurdity you see here. With that absurdity being that after years of propaganda spewing the Fort Worth Star-Telegram now wants some straight talk about Fort Worth's embarrassing imaginary island.
Well.
I think I can manage some straight talk on the subject of Panther Island, more commonly known as America's Biggest Boondoggle.
So, let's go through this ridiculous We need straight talk on Panther Island Star-Telegram editorial and do some straight talking.
First off, the Star-Telegram continues to do Fort Worth a disservice by continuing to persist in referring to the Trinity River Vision Central City Uptown Panther Island District as "Panther Island".
There is no island. There never will be an island. Even if a ditch is dug under the three bridges being built in slow motion to connect the Fort Worth mainland to that imaginary island, it will not be an island.
So, just knock off this Panther Island nonsense. It's almost as dumb as spending decades calling your downtown Sundance Square, where there was no square, til a small one was finally built, then called Sundance Square Plaza.
The first paragraph of the Star-Telegram editorial after suggesting we 'Start talking"...
Last week the Tarrant Regional Water District Board unanimously decided to ask voters in May to approve $250 million in bonds to pay for the $1.16 billion Panther Island project. The board said it needs the long-term loan to complete the project which will create new waterfront property by 2028.
Complete the project by 2028? The Star-Telegram drops that embarrassing bit without editorializing regarding the absurdity of what was originally touted as being a vitally needed flood control and economic development project, of such import that it warranted the abuse of eminent domain to steal property, but is so totally not vital that the project is now projected to possibly be completed almost three decades after it was foisted on the Fort Worth public, without the public having the opportunity to vote for the project.
Til now.
After years of burning through bucks wasted on things like failed wakeparks, exorbitant salaries, junkets, ridiculous signage and tons of expensive mailed propaganda, the TRWD is asking voters to approve a quarter billion bond bucks so that new waterfront property might be created by 2028.
And now for some straight talk about the following paragraph from this editorial...
Yes, the project will transform Fort Worth with an 800-acre island with canals, an urban lake and 10,000 new residences.
Really? What evidence does the Star-Telegram have that what has become America's Biggest Boondoggle will eventually transform Fort Worth? Other than for the first time in the town's history having the biggest of something in America.
Again the Star-Telegram is repeating the island nonsense. Have these people never seen an island? Do they not know what an island looks like?
10,000 residences.
That is just repeating the Trinity River Vision propaganda which has been repeated for years.
An urban lake?
Why do these people persist in calling what is nothing but a wide spot in the river an urban lake? Why use the word "urban" as a descriptor? Any lake inside any town's borders would be an urban lake. It just sounds stupid to refer to this "pond" as an urban lake.
And then this paragraph...
But voters need to demand an explanation for the increasing cost. And the five-members of the board need to hit the chicken-dinner circuit to provide iron-clad assurance the bond sale won’t result in a higher taxes or a water rate increase.
Yeah, that's all voters need to demand. An explanation, after all this time, for the inflating price tag for what has become America's Biggest Boondoggle. Methinks those voters should also demand to know why J.D. Granger continues to direct this project, with his pay now about $200,000 a year. The voters need to demand to know why a qualified project executive director was not hired to direct this project in a timely fashion. The voters need to demand to know why J.D. Granger has not been fired after so many failures.
The Star-Telegram thinks the TRWD board needs to hit something called the chicken-dinner circuit? Really? Where is this circuit and how does one get an invite or a reservation?
And then this doozy in this Star-Telegram editorial asking for straight talk...
The price jumped over the $1 billion mark after the water district discovered it needed another $66 million to put in utilities in Panther Island.
Oh my, what a shocking revelation it must have been for the Boondogglers to discover the imaginary island industrial wasteland needed utilities installed for those 10,000 residences and whatever else might get built if anything real ever does get built.
I can give the Boondogglers another upcoming shock. When, or if, bulldozers ever start bulldozing to build those residences, and other structures, it will be discovered that serious contamination of the ground will require extremely expensive mitigation to make it safe for human habitation.
And then another nonsensical idiotic doozy...
District officials say if they don’t get the money, the project will slow down and become more expensive. No one wants to see that, but voters also need to know Panther Island isn’t becoming the ultimate money pit.
Uh, the imaginary island has already become a money pit. If the voters don't approve of this bond the project will slow down? How can this inept project slow down even more than it already is?
Anyone driven over one of those three simple little non-signature bridges yet? You know, those bridges which began getting built four years ago with a TNT celebratory explosion, where now, four years later, all which can been seen is a small collection of what have become known as the Yeehaw Seesaws, one of which you see at the top.
More on those ridiculous Yeehaw Seesaws later in some followup straight talk about America's Biggest Boondoggle....
Also in the Star-Telegram Straight Talk Series...
Will Fort Worth's Yeehaw Seesaws Teeter Totter Into Oblivion?
Looking For Fort Worth Star-Telegram Straight Talk About The Boondoggle's Homage To A Trash
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