Why Texas Stands Out And Is The Envy Of The Nation

In the picture you are looking at the gun toting Texas governor, Rick Perry, in downtown Fort Worth, where he had a shoot out with Fort Worth's soon to be ex-Ruling Despot, Mike Moncrief.

I did not know, til this morning, when reading the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's letters to the editor, that Rick Perry said that Texas is "still the envy of the nation."

I Googled "Texas envy of nation" to learn Perry said this in his most recent  State of the State Address to the joint session of the Texas State Legislature.

I thought the Star-Telegram had a patent on the "Envy of the Nation" verbiage. Maybe the Star-Telegram licensed Perry's use of their patented verbiage.

Below is the above mentioned letter to the editor....

Why Texas stands out

Gov. Rick Perry recently said that Texas is "still the envy of our nation" on a multitude of fronts despite a withering budget crunch that is threatening deep cuts in state services.

Yep, Texas is first in the number of uninsured, in the number of executions, in the number of teen pregnancies, in the amount of carbon dioxide emissions, in the amount of toxic chemicals released into our water and in the percentage of high school dropouts.

Texas sure is the envy of the nation all right; that is, the rest of the nation is extremely glad they are not like Texas.

-- Edward Lindsay, Fort Worth

Edward left out Texas being the nation's #1 litterers. And being the state with the largest number of obese people.

Thursday Morning in Texas Going Swimming & Thinking About Jesse James

Starting off the 3rd Thursday of the 2nd month of 2011 31 degrees above freezing in formerly frigid Fort Worth, 30 degrees warmer than Seattle is right now, which is the reverse of a week ago.

The sky is bluer than what is indicated by the picture taken from my viewing portal.

I got a strange email this morning. I'm assuming it was generated in response to a webpage I long ago made about Jesse James, titled "The Truth About Jesse James," which I made when someone in Granbury was trying to prove that Jesse James was buried there.

This is what the emailer had to say...

If you did your research, you would know that Stella James, Jesse's son's wife disproved J. Frank Dalton claim, Jesse James wore a size 6 1/2 boot J. frank Dal tons foot was a lot larger! Also a forensics expert compared Jesse's known photo to J. Frank Dalton, there a somethings that change with age and somethings that don't, example Jesse's receding hair line, the spacing between his eyes, width of his forehead compared to J. Frank Dalton did not match! Jesse's mother was not a Dalton, her 2nd husband was related to the Dalton's not Zerelda!

All I got out of the above is Zerelda is an interesting name I'd not heard before.

And now it is time to go swimming.

A Mysterious Bamboo Teepee Grows In The Heart Of The Tandy Hills & Denise The Indian Needs To Check Her Gmail

I've happened upon a strange thing.

Or two.

Over the years of hiking on the Tandy Hills.

But, today was the strangest yet.

I was rather enjoying the late afternoon hiking. Perfect temperature. Wind blowing.

I went down one of the steeper hills, crossed a creek, took the option to the right that required going under some low hanging branches.

Popped out from under the low hanging branches to a small clearing to find myself startled by the structure you see above.

A teepee framework made of bamboo.

There is no bamboo growing on the Tandy Hills that I have ever seen.

This location was about as close to the center of the Tandy Hills Natural Area as you can be. Meaning, as long a distance from a road as you could find.

Yet, someone hauled in multiple bamboo poles, with the leaves still attached. There is a pile of bamboo leaves laying on the ground around the perimeter of the teepee frame.

I'm guessing I am going to be asked exactly where this bamboo teepee frame is located.

Take the main View Street trail to the Tandy Hills. Take the first right from that trail. Continue east on that trail, down the steep hill, across the creek. When you get across the creek take the trail to the right. The bamboo teepee frame is just on the other side of the line of trees.

Is this teepee the first of many? An Indian Village in the making? A new Fort Worth Homeless People Shanty Town?

And on a totally different subject, Denise, check your Gmail. I have a question for you.

The World's Largest Rattlesnake Roundup Starts March 10 In Sweetwater Texas

Next month, Thursday, March 10, to be precise, the 2011 Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup starts off with the Rattlesnake Review Parade through downtown Sweetwater and the Miss Snake Charmer Pageant.

I thought I'd already updated my webpage about The World's Largest Rattlesnake Roundup with this year's info, but I had not.

After I updated the info I went to my YouTube account to get the embed code for the video I made way back in 2002 of my one and only visit to the Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup.

I was a bit surprised to see there have been 343 comments about the Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup Video. I get an email whenever there is a comment. But I usually don't bother to read them. After awhile it became a bit repetitive. With a lot of name calling. "Redneck hicks" is one very popular phrase used frequently. The F-Word is also very popular.

Below I will stick in the aforementioned video that generates the comments. Below that I'll stick in a few of the comments. You can read all 343 comments by going here...



Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup Video Comments...

Oh good lord you are retarded. I sincerely hope to god that you get salmonella. You are a disgusting idiot who cannot think for himself, and that is truly pitiful. I will gladly link you to some studies made by herpetologist. Rather you consider them or accept them from me, is purely on yourself.

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Haha! You really are stupid, aren't you? The numbers haven't declined? Um, yeah. They have. How about you go look up some studies by herpetologist, rather than spew the BS that the Jaycees feed you at these events, hmm? They are taking them not only from Sweetwater, studies show that rattlesnakes are being gathered from neighboring states! Go educate yourself, you stupid hick.

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They have no numbers of predators to cull the amount of snakes, these snakes are taken from a VERY small region, the ACTUAL numbers of rattlers in texas are in the MILLIONS lol. Gotta love the childish name calling though, really solidifies you LACK of commion knowledge and sense lol.

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"No self respecting charity should take anything from this disgusting, redneck filthy act, and it will be ended. "

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When will it be ended ? Its 2011 now, been around since the 40/50s, good luck.....

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Wah wah wah, the numbers havent declined since the forties lol , no one cries when they roundup cockroaches. I wasnt preaching merely replying to all you whiners, we have homeless VETERAN soldiers here in the USA and you crying about rattlesnakes lol

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Not to mention all the meat is eaten, bought an paid for, and proceeds go to noteable charity's, all the skins are sold an used, and the venom is used for anti venom, which is used to SAVE HUMANS when accidentaly bitten. Some people i tell ya.

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i just wish something was out there to control this overly crowded human population.

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That is disgusting... let's drag them from their homes, throw(!) them onto hard concrete, step on, poke, and prod them, then behead and skin them. Oh yeah, the head stays alive for several minutes after being beheaded. This isn't about population control, it's about a witch hunt for snakes. These people are monsters. Why is the SPCA not doing something about this? And I don't even like rattlesnakes much.

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The venom taken at roundups are more than often not stored improperly and unusable. You stupid fuck how about you try and fucking educate yourself before preaching on youtube?

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Selling the snakes flesh also does not justify it. These are wild animals. Not livestock animals.

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Don't worry your little fat head about being killed by snakes, they have no interest in your fat ass. There are PLENTY of natural predators moron! Hawks, foxes, other snakes, road runners, snakes have countless predators.

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You are an idiot. There is NO way you can try and say this is proper wildlife management. This is a lot different than white tailed deer hunting. These dumb asses are taking snakes and are only counting them by weight of crate, NOT by individual animal. You idiots have NO idea how many snakes you are taking. Just because they aren't endangered does NOT mean they cannot become endangered, and it does NOT mean they are at stable numbers, you fucking idiot.

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I wonder how many kids watch this and come out thinking rattlesnakes are fun to play with? I was raised in Missouri as a kid & I was taught learn what different snakes look and stay away from them big time.

Thanking Departing Despot Mike Moncrief For Making Fort Worth The Best Place To Live On The Planet

There was a letter to the editor in this morning's Fort Worth Star-Telegram that I could not tell if the letter writer was making some sort of sarcastic joke or not.

The letter writer was thanking Fort Worth's departing despot, Mayor Mike Moncrief, for the amazingly wonderful job he has done as mayor, overseeing the poking of thousands of holes in his town, from which the departing despot profited hugely due to his ability to skirt by the ethics violations in the form of the mayor's rather obvious conflicts of interest, that would likely have the mayor in jail by now if Fort Worth was a city in the United States.

Below is the perplexing letter...

Thanks, Mayor Mike

Thank you, Mayor Mike Moncrief, for making Fort Worth the best place to live on the planet. Maybe we could send a carload of TCU players to bring you back in time for the May 14 election. We're sure going to miss your positive leadership. I am proud to say you still have my vote.

-- Steve McCans, Fort Worth

Mayor Mike Moncrief made Fort Worth the best place to live on the planet? What planet is this person speaking of? This person is suggesting a carload of TCU players kidnap the mayor so that he can continue his reign? Positive leadership? Has this person not seen a Fort Worth City Council meeting presided by the departing despot?

A Warm Start To The 3rd Wednesday Of February In Texas

The sun is starting to arrive on this 3rd Wednesday of the 2nd month of 2011.

My AccuWeather temperature teller is telling me it is 73 at this point in time this morning.

Methinks my AccuWeather temperature teller is having a malfunction because it did not feel 73 when I stepped outside, in skinnydip mode, to take a picture of the shadow of the thin man.

It may be cooler than 73, but not that much cooler. So, I am going to make a swimming attempt. I got in the pool yesterday morning. And quickly learned it was no doable.

I do not believe there will be a noon time frame hiking incident today. If there is a hiking incident today it will be late in the afternoon. In the noon time frame I believe I will be heading north to the Southlake zone.

I may talk to you later....

Homesick For Washington, Spencer Jack & Vacuum Cleaners

Yesterday I mentioned I'd been being a bit melancholy.

Homesick for Washington.

Multiple reasons.

On Saturday my favorite sister-in-law called me. We had a nice long talk. My favorite sister-in-law is the grandma of my grand nephew (or is it great nephew?) Spencer Jack.

I have only met Spencer Jack once. In late July of 2008, at Bay View State Park in the Skagit Valley of Washington. If I remember right Spencer was a little over 2 years old at that point in time.

Spencer Jack is now between 4 and 5 years old. His grandma told me how much fun he is, and that he inherited the family smart gene. And is old beyond his years.

A couple days ago, on Facebook, I read one of my friends from high school telling Spencer Jack's dad that he was reminding her of his uncle who lives in Texas. Spencer Jack's dad said he's been told that many a time. Something to do with DNA.

When he was a kid, Spencer Jack's dad had a thing for ferry boats. As in the Washington State Ferries. He made models of the ferries. I think it was before Spencer Jack's dad was a teenager he'd already built a scale model version of the entire Washington State Ferry Fleet. That is a lot of boats.

Spencer Jack did not inherit his dad's penchant for ferry boats. Spencer Jack's thing is vacuum cleaners.

He collects them.

This also sort of tells me Spencer Jack inherited the family cleanliness nut gene.

I had not looked at Spencer Jack's blog for awhile. His grandma put it in my mind to do so. I used to be able to link to Spencer Jack's blog, but now you have to be invited to visit Spencer. I don't think I have ever seen so many cute pictures of such a cute kid!

I don't remember if I ever, on this blog, said the reason I terminated having anything to do with someone I dealt with the last time I was in Washington. She had remarked, to me, that a friend of hers new grandbaby was the ugliest baby she'd ever seen. I thought this was an awful thing to say. You might think it, but you just don't say it. Particularly when you happen to be, yourself, well, homely is putting it kindly.

So, I said something like all kids can't be a little cutey like Spencer Jack.

To which Quasimoto said to me, and I'll never forget this, because I do not remember ever instantly going into revulsion mode with someone before, but when this homely excuse for a human told me that Spencer was an ugly baby, and that I only thought he was cute was because I was a member of his tribe, well, I knew we were done.

And that she was a deranged fat pig of a human being.

Though I did not terminate her til it was time to fly out of there. And then she was terminated with extreme prejudice.

Why would anyone in their right mind say such a thing?

I spent the next several months figuring that out, because it sort of fascinated me. I then blogged about exactly how this person was not in her right mind. And what caused it.

A year or so later this sad creature had one of her episodes, directed at me, on another blog. In my reply to that I referred to her as a Fat Ugly Beast. It felt good. If you were one of those who read that, you now know why I felt it was perfectly fair to say such a thing, to such a Fat Ugly Beast of a human being.

If this tribal method did exist as to how one perceives ugliness or beauty, well, hers would definitely be the Fat Ugly Tribe. And it ain't because I am not a member of the Fat Ugly Tribe that I think that. Why would anyone who can look in any random mirror and see she is a member of the Fat Ugly Tribe ever make any comment about any other human's relative ugliness? Particularly a relative relative of mine.

Very perplexing.

Now, does Spencer Jack look like a fun kid or what? I don't think Spencer Jack's dad ever went trick or treating costumed as a ferry boat. Spencer Jack was all over the Skagit Valley on Halloween as a Dirt Devil Vacuum Cleaner.

Enduring A Cacophony Of Noise At Arlington's Veterans Park Today Along With Mellow Turtles

I was in Arlington around noon, heading to Pantego. I decided to stop at Arlington's Veterans Park and take a walk through the Texas Wildscape.

A lot of people were having some fun today in Veterans Park, enjoying temperatures in the 70s.

Being in the 70s is a huge difference from a week ago when we were all busy preparing to plunge down to near zero.

Today in the Veterans Park Pond I saw a lot of very happy turtles, with their necks stretched out trying to get as much sun as possible.

The Fosdic Lake Turtles are very skittish. The Veterans Park Pond Turtles are not skittish. I got right to the water's edge and still no turtles got spooked, with none diving under water. Maybe the turtles are so happy to be out of that Deep Freeze that they are temporarily throwing caution to the wind.

Veterans Park Pond is a noisy location due to a fountain. And today due to the return of a Barnett Shale Natural Gas Drilling Rig that was making an awful lot of screechy, metallic racket. Maybe the Veterans Park Pond Turtles are traumatized by all that noise and that is why they paid no attention to the human intruder.

Above you can see the noisy gas drilling rig in the background. Today the Veterans Park Veteran, who guards the memorial, was hanging his head down a bit lower than I remembered. I think the gas drilling noise is getting on his nerves. Or reminding him too much of being in a combat situation.

Looking at the flags at the Veterans Park Memorial, you can see there is a good wind today, doing some heavy duty flag flapping.

Also adding to the Veterans Park noise today was a large number of screaming brats, I mean, school children. They were in purple uniforms. They looked too young to be going to TCU. An adult male was directing them in a stirring game of Red Rover. I heard him say, "Red Rover, come over," or something like that.

I don't know if I have ever played the Red Rover game. Judging by the squealing and screaming this is a very fun game to play. When you are pre-teenager.

Jerry Jones' Bad Karma Raising An Arlington Super Bowl Stench

7th Haven is a bar on 7th Avenue in Fort Worth, located near Montgomery Plaza. 7th Haven is known for putting clever messages on its sign.

The clever message currently is..

"HOW DID YOU NOT INSTALL

PRE SOLD SEATS ON TIME

BAD WEATHER     LAWSUITS

SMELL THE BAD KARMA JERRY"

I believe the BAD KARMA being referred to, regarding Jerry Jones, is the bad karma generated by the way Jerry Jones came to have his new stadium in Arlington where the Super Bowl was recently played.

To very bad reviews for a lot of reasons.

The Bad Karma arose when Jerry Jones, in collusion with the City of Arlington, colluded to bring about what many believe to be the Worst Case of Eminent Domain Abuse in American history. Dozens of homes and apartment complexes and businesses were taken, for a private business. Thousands of Americans were displaced, forced to move.

Back in 2007, when it was announced that the Dallas Cowboy Stadium had won Super Bowl XLV I opined that despite all the breathless local puffery about this supposed coup, that it was likely not going to turn out the way some of the locals dreamed it would. I said it would not be pretty when the national media gets a look at that giant futuristic spaceship of a stadium, plopped down in a rundown American neighborhood with industrial/urban blight on 2 sides.

As it turned out, the national media was even less pretty than I thought it would be.

Way back when I saw the level of destruction going on in Arlington, with giant piles of rubble, I started webpaging the ongoing Dallas Cowboy Stadium project. I think I started doing this in 2004. I recollect flying to Seattle in 2004 and the flight path taking me directly above the destruction zone, affording me a good picture of the moonscape where previously homes had been.

Over the years the webpage that I came to call The Dallas Cowboy Stadium Scandal, has generated a lot of comments.

Reading those comments is a good example of the Bad Karma Jerry Jones generated, with some who believe in such things, thinking that Bad Karma is what caused Super Bowl XLV to be so Blunderful, with Arlington about as likely to get another Super Bowl as Atlanta is likely to get another Olympics.

Below is a small sampling of the comments I've gotten about the Dallas Cowboy Stadium Scandal that give you an idea of the Smell of Jerry Jones' Bad Karma.

I am one of the victims of the Cowboy greed and insensitivity. Thank you so much for putting such a clear voice to the pain so many of us have suffered. Many of us felt so abandoned by the community, there seemed to be no one speaking up for us and what was being done to us. I am still not back to feeling settled and secure. I feel like I'm the victim of a crime, like I have been burglarized, vandalized and raped, with everyone ignoring the crime with the criminals using the corrupt Texas legal system to declare WAR on people's lives and homes. What if it were the homes of the football players and owners that were destroyed? How would they feel about that? The law is supposed to protect the weakest among us, that is what it is supposed to do, not allow the strongest and richest among us to bring destruction to those with no resources to fight back.

Anonymous out of Fear, Mansfield, Texas

So. I read in the NY Times this morning that Dallas is going to make a bid for the 2011 Super Bowl. To atone for this most despicable abuse of eminent domain I've ever read about will the Cowboys be giving free game tickets to the victims of this atrocity? Will former homeowners be able to park for free on the site of their former driveways? Will there be a historical marker on the spot where the home was located of the elderly lady who died of a broken heart in her condemned home?

Seth M., Jersey City, New Jersey

This destruction in Texas is the worst abuse of eminent domain I have ever read about. Such a thing could never happen in my state.

Del S., Portland, Oregon

It shocks me that this can happen in America. It reminds me of the type of disregard for human rights that my former nation of East Germany practiced.

Gunther H., Berlin, Germany

There you have it. The Smell of Jerry Jones' Bad Karma.

An Early Start To The Day After Valentines Day In Texas After A Night Of Nightmares

I woke up well before the sun on this 3rd Tuesday of the 2nd month of 2011.

I had myself a rough night of disturbing, as in real disturbing, nightmares.

The picture looking through the bars of my patio prison cell is a perfect metaphor for how I'm feeling.

Trapped.

And I don't know why.

Due to the return to reasonable weather I've sort of amped up my aerobicizing and yoga-ing. And have consequently got myself feeling a bit sore in way too many places.

I think the being sore in way too many places may have contributed to last night's insomnia and nightmare bout.

This morning I am going to go have myself a long soak in that hot tub you see in the picture. That may help what ails me.