Swimming Pool Cool Skinny Dipping

Fall seems to have fallen early here in Texas. It's only 71 outside right now. I've got the windows open. No A/C running.

Ever since I got back from the frigid Pacific Northwest I've been enjoying swimming at a new time. As in early. Before any eyes arrive to ogle me. I hate being ogled.

I figure I've got maybe 3 to 4 weeks to go before the pool becomes too cool. I hate it when that happens. Then it's clear til next March or early April that it warms up enough to be swim-worthy.

Last night, late, someone with good powers of persuasion convinced me to go swimming. It was a scenario similar to that in the video below. But without the beer drinkers. I enjoy living in Texas.

Six Killed in Skagit County Shootings

I check my old local papers online each morning. One being the Seattle P-I, the other being the Skagit Valley Herald. This morning I was startled to see a headline in the P-I saying "Deputy, 5 others die in shooting rampage, Suspect in custody; victims at multiple locations north of Mount Vernon."

Mount Vernon was the town I moved from when my exile in Texas began. I was back in Mount Vernon last month and blogged about it. I don't recollect there being a murder spree like this in the Mount Vernon/Skagit Valley zone before.

The only victim's identified by this morning are the Skagit County Deputy Sheriff, Anne Jackson. Another policeman, a state trooper, Troy Giddings, was shot in the arm and drove himself to the hospital.

The shooter's name is Issac Zamora. He began shooting people near Alger in northern Skagit County. One body was found near the dead Deputy Sheriff. Two construction workers were killed.

Zamora drove down Interstate 5 towards Mount Vernon, shooting at people as he drove. One of those driving on I-5 was among the 6 killed.

Interstate 5 was shut down as police chased Zamora. Zamora exited I-5 at Kincaid Street and drove to the Skagit County Sheriff's Office building where he turned himself in.

Zamora was on a police watch list and was known to have mental stability issues.

Read the Seattle P-I article here.

American Airlines Jet Lands Safely at LAX During Lunch

I turned on the TV during my lunch break. I thought I might get some Republican National Convention or Gustav news.

But instead all the cable news stations were excitedly waiting for an American Airlines Boeing 737 to land. The jet had blown a tire on take off.

It then circled around the LA area for hours dumping jet fuel while LAX emergency crews prepared for the emergency landing.

Those unlucky people on board had been expecting a direct flight to Toronto. Instead they got a long tour of the Los Angeles area. I don't know if the people on board got food and drinks during the ordeal.

Fox News had a copter in the air shooting video of planes landing. We got to watch a couple land while the news people pondered if this was the injured jet or not.

Very suspenseful.

And then the jet with the bad tire finally came into view. We watched live as it made a perfectly smooth landing.

And then the injured jet became non-news.

I've watched this type thing before where they'll break away right at the key moment so as to spare us viewers the horror of watching something horrible.

This time the camera did not blink. I don't know why.

I also don't know why they cover this type thing. Though it does make for some dramatic TV viewing, I guess. Somehow it seems sort of irresponsible to me.

Gustav Misses Fort Worth

It has been very windy and cloudy all day here in Fort Worth. I thought it might be Gustav related. But I heard on the radio, during a commercial break from listening to Rush Limbaugh ranting about something, that Gustav is dumping a lot of water in east Texas, southeast Oklahoma and southwest Arkansas.

But not here. That's my current balcony view, looking east, this afternoon. Even though that's looking east I don't think those are Gustav clouds.

I thought I'd finally get to experience at least the terminal part of a hurricane. The fully alive part of a hurricane, that I don't think I ever want to experience.

Kay Bailey Hutchison Irks Another Fort Worth Native

Last month Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison breezed into town and said some remarkable things about Fort Worth. So, I remarked about her remarks in a blogging.

Judging by a letter to the editor in this morning's Fort Worth Star-Telegram at least one other Fort Worther shares my concern and wonderment regarding this hopefully not gonna be, but likely will be, boondoggle known as the Trinity River Vision. Or sometimes as the Trinity Uptown Project.

Anyway, below is the letter from a sensible Fort Worth citizen....

Serving pork and earmark to KBH

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison blew into town Aug. 19 and was hoodwinked by the Trinity Uptown people.

After a brief stop at Trinity River Vision Authority’s office in downtown Fort Worth, she effused, “I think this is just amazing.” (See: “Sen. Hutchison praises Trinity Uptown,” Aug. 20)

What is amazing is that the senator rushed to judgment after hearing from only the program’s gung-ho nepotistic drumbeaters.

Was the wannabe governor told that there is substantial vocal opposition to this earmark boondoggle?

Does the senator not know that President Bush has taken a strong stand against such earmarks and that might-be President John McCain has never voted for an earmark?

Did she ask whether any protesting property owners whose land is caught in the crosshairs of the Vision would be hauled off their land kicking and screaming, a la eminent domain?

Did she ask if environmental consequences could arise like a monster from the waters of this controversial project?

Was the senator not told that the authority, knowing that money has charms to soothe a savage breast, is shelling out taxpayer money for land in the project at the rate of two and three times the Tarrant Appraisal District’s valuation?

It is amazing, senator, what can be done when hands are in the taxpayers’ till and nobody is paying attention.

Authority officials were eager to point out to her that River Oaks, Crestwood, Brookside, Burton Hill and North Crest would receive better flood protection if the Trinity River levee were raised six to 12 inches in some places.

Right on!

None of the opponents to the boondoggle object to raising levees for flood protection.

That’s what ought to be done — not the antithesis of leveling levees for an economic development boondoggle.

Inanity of inanities; all is inanity! Truly amazing!

— Don Woodard, Fort Worth

2008 Big Tex Choice Awards Winners

On Labor Day the 8 finalists for this year's Big Tex Choice Awards fried up their goodies for a group of judges.

This is a State Fair of Texas event. You can get yourself some of these weight gainers at the fair from September 26 through October 19.

After extensive sampling, that you can view here in video form, it was decided that Glen Kusak's Chicken Fried Bacon won the Best Taste Award. Kusak said "Everything in Texas is chicken fried and bacon makes everything better so we thought we'd put the two together."

Shirley Weiss' Fried Banana Split won the Most Creative Award with banana and honey peanut butter balls covered with chunky fried dough, topped with caramel, chocolate and powdered sugar.

The other Finalists...

• Fernie's All-American Fried Grilled Cheese Sandwich

• Texas Fried Jelly Bellys

• Deep Fried S'mores

• Fire & Ice (fried pineapple concoction)

• Fried Chocolate Truffles

• Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Waffle Balls

Sarah Palin's Record

Alma, aka The Songbird of the South, sent me an email about Sarah Palin this morning. Little tidbits about Ms. Palin, that were supposedly vetted by whoever vetted her for John McCain, keep surfacing. Like a couple decades ago her husband Todd was arrested for driving while intoxicated. And her 17 year old unmarried daughter is 5 months pregnant. And will be marrying the father.

Below is the incoming from Alma....

Yesterday was John McCain's 72nd birthday. If elected, he'd be the oldest president ever inaugurated. And after months of slamming Barack Obama for "inexperience," here's who John McCain has chosen to be one heartbeat away from the presidency: a right-wing religious conservative with no foreign policy experience, who until recently was mayor of a town of 9,000 people.

Huh?

Who is Sarah Palin? Here's some basic background:

• She was elected Alaska's governor a little over a year and a half ago. Her previous office was mayor of Wasilla, a small town outside Anchorage. She has no foreign policy experience.
• Palin is strongly anti-choice, opposing abortion even in the case of rape or incest.
• She supported right-wing extremist Pat Buchanan for president in 2000.
• Palin thinks creationism should be taught in public schools.
• She's doesn't think humans are the cause of climate change.
• She's solidly in line with John McCain's "Big Oil first" energy policy. She's pushed hard for more oil drilling and says renewables won't be ready for years. She also sued the Bush administration for listing polar bears as an endangered species—she was worried it would interfere with more oil drilling in Alaska.
• How closely did John McCain vet this choice? He met Sarah Palin once at a meeting. They spoke a second time, last Sunday, when he called her about being vice-president. Then he offered her the position.

This is information the American people need to see. Please take a moment to forward this email to your friends and family.

We also asked Alaska MoveOn members what the rest of us should know about their governor. The response was striking. Here's a sample:

She is really just a mayor from a small town outside Anchorage who has been a governor for only 1.5 years, and has ZERO national and international experience. I shudder to think that she could be the person taking that 3AM call on the White House hotline, and the one who could potentially be charged with leading the US in the volatile international scene that exists today. —Rose M., Fairbanks, AK

She is VERY, VERY conservative, and far from perfect. She's a hunter and fisherwoman, but votes against the environment again and again. She ran on ethics reform, but is currently under investigation for several charges involving hiring and firing of state officials. She has NO experience beyond Alaska. —Christine B., Denali Park, AK

As an Alaskan and a feminist, I am beyond words at this announcement. Palin is not a feminist, and she is not the reformer she claims to be. —Karen L., Anchorage, AK

Alaskans, collectively, are just as stunned as the rest of the nation. She is doing well running our State, but is totally inexperienced on the national level, and very much unequipped to run the nation, if it came to that. She is as far right as one can get, which has already been communicated on the news. In our office of thirty employees (dems, republicans, and nonpartisans), not one person feels she is ready for the V.P. position.—Sherry C., Anchorage, AK

She's vehemently anti-choice and doesn't care about protecting our natural resources, even though she has worked as a fisherman. McCain chose her to pick up the Hillary voters, but Palin is no Hillary. —Marina L., Juneau, AK

I think she's far too inexperienced to be in this position. I'm all for a woman in the White House, but not one who hasn't done anything to deserve it. There are far many other women who have worked their way up and have much more experience that would have been better choices. This is a patronizing decision on John McCain's part- and insulting to females everywhere that he would assume he'll get our vote by putting "A Woman" in that position.—Jennifer M., Anchorage, AK

So Governor Palin is a staunch anti-choice religious conservative. She's a global warming denier who shares John McCain's commitment to Big Oil. And she's dramatically inexperienced.

In picking Sarah Palin, John McCain has made the religious right very happy. And he's made a very dangerous decision for our country.

In the next few days, many Americans will be wondering what McCain's vice-presidential choice means.

Sources:
1. "Sarah Palin," Wikipedia, Accessed August 29, 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Palin

2. "McCain Selects Anti-Choice Sarah Palin as Running Mate," NARAL Pro-Choice America, August 29, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17515&id=13661-8181667-uCmM31x&t=1

3. "Sarah Palin, Buchananite," The Nation, August 29, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17736&id=13661-8181667-uCmM31x&t=2

4. "'Creation science' enters the race," Anchorage Daily News, October 27, 2006 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17737&id=13661-8181667-uCmM31x&t=3

5. "Palin buys climate denial PR spin—ignores science," Huffington Post, August 29, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17517&id=13661-8181667-uCmM31x&t=4

6. "McCain VP Pick Completes Shift to Bush Energy Policy," Sierra Club, August 29, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17518&id=13661-8181667-uCmM31x&t=5

"Choice of Palin Promises Failed Energy Policies of the Past," League of Conservation Voters, August 29, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17519&id=13661-8181667-uCmM31x&t=6

"Protecting polar bears gets in way of drilling for oil, says governor," The Times of London, May 23, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17520&id=13661-8181667-uCmM31x&t=7

7. "McCain met Palin once before yesterday," MSNBC, August 29, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=21119&id=13661-8181667-uCmM31x&t=8

Joy Fit Club Former Fat Woman

Prison Break's Break Is Over

My TV viewing has diminished greatly of late. By late, I mean the past couple years. Tonight Prison Break is back on Fox. I find this show very entertaining. Due mostly to its plot being so over the top ridiculous with a non-stop need to suspend disbelief at a level I've never seen on any other TV show. Then again, there is LOST.

I don't know if Prison Break is still being filmed here in the Dallas/Fort Worth zone. In one of its more amusing lapses, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, with its ridiculous need to mention any connection to Fort Worth by anything on TV, didn't know that Prison Break's prison for season 2 was filmed near the Fort Worth Stockyards.

The Star-Telegram actually described the set of the prison as being in an abandoned warehouse in a town near Dallas! Fort Worth doesn't like being described as a town near Dallas.

The plot on Prison Break is so bizarrely convoluted I'm not sure I remember where we left off. Season 1 ended up with the prison break and the boys on the run. Season 2 ended up with some of the boys back in prison. Season 3 ended with most back out of prison with 1 or 2 back in.

Last season the doctor, Sara, who helped the main character, Michael Scoffield, escape along with his brother Lincoln Burrows, who was scheduled to be executed for a framed up murder, by the Vice-President, or was she the President? Anyway, Sara was held a hostage by the people behind all the bad deeds, along with Michael's brother's son, in order to force Michael to help another guy break out of the Panamanian prison.

See what I mean by convoluted? Anyway, back to Sara. By season 3 Michael and Sara's romance had bloomed, into what I don't remember. So, when Michael was not cooperating fast enough, to get his cooperation, Sara's head was delivered to Lincoln.

When Michael found out Sara had been killed he, of course, vowed revenge. Which leads us to tonight, with Michael out of prison, with some part of the U.S. government now on his side, with him pointing a gun at the person he believes killed Sara.

But, what Michael doesn't know and which will be one of Prison Break's more convoluted plot twists, is that Sara is alive. But we saw her killed. Didn't we? Pretty much Prison Break combines all the worst soap opera cliches with all the best prison movies with all the best conspiracy movies with some of the best comedy movies. I'm guessing this season at some point some of the characters are going to break into song and Prison Break will become a musical for a bit.

It's a 2 hour Prison Break season premiere tonight. I've not managed 2 hours of TV in a long time. I suspect tonight will be no exception.

Chesapeake Energy's Trinity Trees Tarnishing Remembered

Fresh incoming this morning from Don Young regarding damage being done in Fort Worth by gas drillers. And a protest rally scheduled for tomorrow.....

"A patriot must be always ready to defend his country (or city) against her/his government."-Edward Abbey

The beautiful and tranquil grove known as, Trinity Trees on the Trinity Trails along the Trinity River in Fort Worth, Texas were forever changed by the the decision to drill a High Impact gas well inside that grove. This grove is not about a single tree, though it contains many giants, but the magnificent canopy that shelters and comforts thousands of trail users each week.

Despite assurances that the quality of the area would not be altered, there is not much to be said for a partnership between industry and parkland. The two simply aren't in the same league, don't co-exist with the same goals and don't have the same voice. The parkland that we knew as Trinity Trees will never be the same

On Labor Day, 2007, hundreds of people gathered together under the old growth canopy to demonstrate in favor of preserving one of the most pleasant, wondrously pristine and most frequently visited site on Fort Worth's landmark Hike and Bike Trail. We failed to keep out the drilling but we found comradeship.

http://startelegram.typepad.com/barnett_shale/trinity_trees/index.html

This time, the Greenwood Grove is threatened with a High Impact gas well. This grove contains what are, undoubtedly, some of the largest trees in Fort Worth. Towering cottonwoods, oaks and pecans create a sheltering escape from a city gone mad.

The scenario this time is the same as before. A partnership between a private landowner and a big business want to drill another High Impact gas well that, ultimately will affect the entire city and the citizens who invest in it.

http://www.star-telegram.com/metro_news/story/873669.html

There are few places left in Fort Worth to escape gas drilling. The Trinity Trails should be one of them, but the industry, some landowners and the city have conspired to NOT protect the Trinity Trails. What can be done?

Please join supporters of Trinity Trees at City hall Tuesday evening, September 2nd at 6:30 pm to speak in favor of protecting the Greenwood Grove.

Also, please check out the Protect Trinity Trails website:

http://protectthetrinitytrails.com/

Don Young
FWCanDo
P.O. Box 470041Fort Worth, TX 76147
http://www.fwcando.org
"God bless Fort Worth, Texas. Help us save some of it."