As Seen In Dirty Ol' Town (Fort Worth)

Oh, joy, there is a Barnett Shale Expo we can look forward to on March 11. I wondered what I was going to do that day.

And, in addition to the billboard info, more incoming info from Don Young about the latest billboard and more.....

The Barnett Shale Mafia have a new billboard on University Drive in Fort Worth. The gas drilling industry is aggressively ramping up their advertising and cheerleading, despite the down economy and news that - surprise - gas drilling is a MAJOR air pollutant. SEE HERE ...... AND HERE

Increased scrutiny is drawing back the veils on a dirty industry that wants you to believe their "clean burning" myth. They dare not say that natural gas is just another dirty fossil fuel that threatens public health and safety and the environment. The message on this billboard continues their belief in a gullible public who cares only about money.

It's up to you to see through the BS (Barnett Shale).

>>>Here's an easy way to help<<<

Fort Worth's Connection To America's First Serial Killer: Part II

On Tuesday I mentioned a book I'm reading, that being "Depraved: The Shocking True Story of America's First Serial Killer," by Harold Schechter, and my surprise at the turn in the story that ended up in Fort Worth, where the bad guy did some heavy duty swindling, including some horse thieving.

This had the Texas law after the bad guy, Mudgett/Holmes, most commonly known as Dr. H. H. Holmes.

Well, I've almost finished this book. I'm at the part where the bad guy is now on trial. When he was arrested it was for being caught in an insurance fraud perpetrated in Philadelphia, not Fort Worth.

But, when Dr. H. H. Holmes was caught, Fort Worth was on his mind. Below is the pertinent, somewhat amusing excerpt, in that, who knew, even a century ago, the Texas legal system scared the rest of the country?

Holmes knew the law, in the form of Pinkerton agents and insurance agents, was hot on his trail.

"When he recognized the representative of the insurance company he had swindled, Holmes half-rose from his chair and, extending his right hand, greeted the insurance man cordially, "I guess I know what I'm really wanted for," he said in a tone of almost palpable relief. Infinitely preferring the hospitality of the Pennsylvania prison system to a stint in a Texas penitentiary ("I dislike fearfully to go to Fort Worth to serve a term," he confided to an acquaintance. I would rather be here in Philadelphia five years than one in Fort Worth"), Holmes was not just ready, but positively eager to admit to the insurance fraud and hopefully avoid going to Texas to face horse thief and fraud charges."

Dr. H. H. Holmes never did face Texas justice. The Philadelphia insurance fraud investigation quickly turned into a murder investigation that quickly spread to several states and to Canada. Holmes faced a noose soon after he was convicted of being a murderer. It would seem a more fitting punishment would have been life imprisonment.

In Texas.

I Got Poked Today, Among Other Things

It's an hour to go before I go to Brazil and watch some Survivors. To get in a semi-Tropical mood I'm in my own personal Kava Bar right now. Google it. I can't be expected to explain everything.

It's been a day. Turns out a tornado did touch down in the neighborhood Tuesday night, well almost my neighborhood. A few miles north, in Colleyville, a F1 touched down for a half mile or so, ripping off roofs and doing other damage. The killer tornado up in Oklahoma turned out to be an F4. That's a powerful tornado.

This morning, after I blogged about Only Child Syndrome, Gar the Texan pointed out that our new President is sort of an Only Child, in that he was one for 8 years til a step-sister came along. Gar wondered if 8 years solo was enough time to cause the syndrome.

I don't know, but it concerns me. I really can't picture Barack Obama having an Only Child type temper tantrum. He is likely one of those rare souls who managed to escape succumbing to Only Child Syndrome. But, how can we know for sure?

That Facebook thing, that I accidentally signed up for a few weeks back, continues to vex me. Today I got poked again, several times, in Facebook. I have no idea what that means. I am also being strained in my brainpan by a Facebook Scrabble game. I seem to be absolutely no good at this game.

I went walking at Oakland Lake Park today, talking via cell phone to Tootsie Tonasket while doing so. Tootsie's domestic situation continues to make Peyton Place sound like Sunday School.

Alma, the Songbird of the South Texas Gulf Coast, is making Port Aransas sound better and better. I like the idea of it being a pirate enclave, where descendants of people like Jean Lafitte roam about. That and saltwater with big waves, sandy beaches and blue sky all sound good. Plus Alma has made it clear that most people run around half nekkid all the time. That is my preferred dress mode.

I had intended to blog about the latest iteration of the Fort Worth Heritage Park debacle. Maybe I'll get around to that tomorrow. That and an amusing thing I read about Texas in that book I'm reading about America's first serial killer. If you've never heard of this fascinatingly bizarre true crime story, go here, and read the Wikipedia version.

People who think our current economic woes are unique, need to familiarize themselves with the Panic of 1893, which occured during the time frame I'm currently reading about. That Panic also involved shady financial dealings. Go here to read the Wikipedia article about the Panic of 1893.

The relaxing benefits of visiting my tropical Kava Bar are starting to kick in. I don't know why people consume dangerous drugs, like alcohol, or prescription meds, when there are pleasant safe herbs like Kava and coffee available. It perplexes me.

Only Child Syndrome: Part IV

Like I've said before, every day dozens of people come to this blog looking for information about how to deal with Only Child Syndrome (OCS). The info seekers seem to come in clusters. Why? I do not know.

Just in the past few hours there have been people from Lexington KY, Albany NY, Houston, Littleton CO, Lock Haven PA, Brick NJ, Ft. Lauderdale, Cincinnati, Worth IL, Springfield OH, Memphis, Rochester NY, Washington, D.C., Portland OR, Wayne NJ and Kalamazoo MI.

I have yet to see a single info seeker come from China. China has the world's largest number of Only Children. A percentage higher than that which would normally occur, in any given culture, due to China having that have only one child policy. Maybe there is something about how the Chinese raise their kids that prevents Only Child Syndrome from developing. Or maybe the Chinese OCS is a ticking time bomb that will eventually destroy the planet in one apocalyptic temper tantrum.

There are some who say that OCS does not exist. I have known 6 Only Children. All 6 had the syndrome to varying degrees. I do believe if one knew 100 Only Children that it is likely that a few among the 100 might not have OCS. The majority of emails and comments I've received, on the subject, agree that OCS definitely exists. I've even heard from a large number of Only Children who know OCS exists. Including one I received yesterday, that I will copy below.

I do know of one OC, who may be the worst case of OCS I've encountered, who thinks I made up OCS, just to somehow make fun of her. This is a typical OCS response. It is always all about them. It certainly can not be about the victim of an OC and the OCS victim trying to figure out what it was that caused such bizarrely dysfunctional behavior.

A couple of well regarded American shrinks are onboard regarding OCS. One being G. Stanley Hall, who refers to OCS as a disease. And another, a protege of Freud, Alfred Adler, who believed "only children" were deficient, having been pampered and spoiled by their parents to the point that it later caused interpersonal difficulties whenever the OC perceived that he/she was not universally liked and admired. (I have certainly experienced that OCS trait up close and personal)

My own worst personal OCS case hits bingo on all the OCS stereotypes. Prime among them is an epic cluelessness as to how transparent the aberrant behavior is to observers. My worst case can verbalize, via written word, a spiteful diatribe that is so full of ironic hypocrisies and self-revealing thought processes, that it leaves the reader both appalled and very amused.

The reason this occurs is that in worse case OCS sufferers a very deviant form of psychological transference and projection occurs that is called malignant narcissism. In order to maintain the mindset that the only child is all good and their imagined enemies all bad, malignant narcissists project all the unacceptable parts of themselves onto those enemies. Thus, they will consistently accuse them of doing bad things, that they are in fact doing themselves (even as they deny doing them).

If an only child feels threatened by a supposedly evil enemy, aggressive behavior toward the imaginary malevolent adversary is morally justified as mere self defense in the mind of the only child. When antisocial traits are added to the mix, the malignant narcissus is willing to lie and violate both rules and the rights of others without compunction or interference of a conscience in the service of the Only Child's deluded righteousness. The malignant narcissistic Only Child feels heroic for lying, cheating, stealing and wreaking havoc with people's lives in their twisted battle against imaginary evil.

The above 2 paragraphs are taken from a psych textbook. They are so on target that all I can say is "Bulls Eye." And "Bingo."

I would go into a detailed analysis of the sadly revelatory nature of my worst case OCS's latest twisted diatribe, but I've already used up too many words on this particular musing about this subject. I've heard from several victims of OCS who want to read more on this subject. I'll continue to do my part to help shed some light, despite getting rather sad, threatening, missives, stereotypically Only Child Syndrome, in nature, from a very sad OC.

I'll end with copying yesterday's missive from an Only Child calling her/himself "Spoiled Brat...

"I have to admit that I also suffer from this syndrome! I am the only-child and I find it quite difficult to express my feelings. This could be because I was over protected as a child and wasn't allowed to express my feelings much. Most people who are only children have the tendency to regress to children when they don't get their way or think they are not being heard.

"Waaaaaahhhhh...Look at ME!" LOL

Even as a 24 year old, I still have problems communicating with others. While most people tend to like me, its hard for me to form a real bond. I agree with the excerpt you had from another blog, I have also cut groups of people out of my life without any remorse or afterthought. it could be defensive mechanism because as an only child, you are forced to take care of yourself.

Also, when I was younger, I got picked on a lot because I had glasses and bushy hair. I had to fight for myself on a daily basis!!! This could be another reason why I don't easily form bonds with people.

What makes it worse is, I have a half sister, but I still consider myself the only child because I wasn't raised in the same household as her. I remember when I was 19 and I told my Dad, "I wish it was just me.." before I could even stop myself. His eyes got big like I threatened kill my little sister or something!LOL so yeah, I believe that most children who don't have siblings have problems forming an emotional bond with anyone, but it is something I am working on."

Catfish, Kava Tea & Only Child Syndrome

That is a nondescript catfish joint called Tuckers in the picture. It is in North Richland Hills on Davis Boulevard. Its billboard says its catfish is famous. I have no independent verification of that, nor do I care to personally sample their famous inland "seafood."

I was at this location due to me agreeing to pick someone up here on my way back from Southlake. I won't go into the details of why I was in Southlake, except to say while I was in Southlake I also went to Sprouts Farmers Market, and among other things I got Kava Tea. I've not had that medicinal herb since I got a supply direct from the island of Kuaui. That's part of Hawaii. Hawaii is a state way out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

I do not wait well. You can see how impatient I was being by looking at the picture, on the right, of me looking impatient, getting all rumpled and bored. When I agree to meet someone I expect them to be at the appointed location at the appointed time. The party in question was supposed to be on a precise spot at precisely 1:15pm. However, at that point in time, that spot was occupied by an urchin selling some sort of Valentine bauble. I declined the Valentine bauble offer. I do not participate in Hallmark type occasions, which pretty much makes me immune to just about any holiday.

At 1:17 pm the person in question finally arrived, unforgivably tardy. I'll probably get over it. I may even forgive it. After awhile.

When I got back here and checked my computer messages I saw one of them was a very good comment from a person suffering from Only Child Syndrome. I keep intending to blog again about OCS, what with there being so many sufferers out there, both those who are OC's and those who are victims of OCS.

But, it just so painful to write about, dredges up all sorts of troubling memories. And it is complex to detail my personal experiences with Only Child Syndrome, what with the behaviors being so oddly convoluted, yet sort of amusing when viewed from the perspective of distance and time. In other words, when written about when the memory of the pain of dealing with one of those monsters is not quite so fresh.

I did not see any sign of damage from last night's storm when I drove north.

Yankee Go Home You Carpet Bagger

It has amused me, almost since the first day of my exile in Texas, how some Texans stereotypically react to what they perceive as criticism of anything to do with Texas. In some Texan's mind, Texas is impervious to criticism, Texas is a work of Godly perfection upon which only a heathenistic Yankee would dare to cast aspersions.

So, last night I got an amusing comment, from a Texan, he being Sean Wilson of Huntsville, Texas. Huntsville is where we execute people in Texas, with one due to get the lethal needle tonight, increasing Texas' lead in this year's National Execution Derby.

Now, in a very ironic twist, Sean's comment was to a posting that I did not write. It was forwarded to me by a lifelong Texan! Who is trying to clean up some dirty Texas dealings by forming an accountability organization to try and bring local, state and federal reforms to protect water and landowner rights, primarily regarding natural gas drilling in the Barnett Shale.

I'll copy Sean's comment below. See how many spelling errors you can find. I found 3....

Hey man ease up a little. Oil and natural gas is the backbone of this great land. You are a little fresh off the boat in this state to start raising cane about how we do things down here in Texas. Oil is what we do and we are the damn best at it and we will continue to do it untill its gone. If you don't like it then head on back north. We won't miss you or the other carpet baggers...seriously im not jokeing.

Sean Wilson
Huntsville, Texas

First Tornado Storm Of The Year Kills 8 In Oklahoma

Last night's first T-Storm of 2009 produced a killer Tornado, about 100 miles north of my location, in the town of Lone Grove, Oklahoma. That's a bit west of Ardmore, about 20 miles south of Turner Falls Park.

Here in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, the Thunderstorm and its accompanying high wind and heavy hail, ripped off roofs in Colleyville. Colleyville is a town about 10 miles north of my location, which I will be driving through in about 2 hours, on my way to Southlake.

My location was on the southern fringe of the storm. The lightning stayed north of me, no overhead strikes. I could hear the booming and see flashes in the distance. I experienced one short outbreak of heavy rain and hail. My bedroom window was open, due to me forgetting to close it. This resulted in a very slight flood. I doubt I will report it to FEMA.

There were reports of Tornado sightings in the Metroplex, but no reports of a Tornado touching down in the Dallas/Fort Worth zone. Daylight may change that, as the damage is assessed, in the bright light of day. And it is a bright light today with the return of blue sky here in North Texas.

First Texas Tornado Storm Warning of 2009

Just this morning in response to a question from a Pacific Northwesterner I said today's predicted storm was not a tornado storm, as far as I knew, just a Thunderstorm. With a lot of rain and wind.

But, those often turn into Tornado storms, so I should have known better than to say today we weren't in tornado danger.

Because at 4:04PM, Central Time, the National Weather Service issued a Tornado Watch until midnight.

It is already looking a bit unsettled out there, a little rain has hit the windows. But, so far, it's not looking like anything major. But, I've learned, in Texas, that can change very very quickly.

Here's the NWS Urgent Warning....

THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 12:00AM CST

Urgent - Immediate Broadcast Requested Tornado Watch Number 10 Nws Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 340 PM CST Tue Feb 10 2009

The Nws Storm Prediction Center Has Issued A Tornado Watch For Portions Of Far Southwest Arkansas Mccurtain County Oklahoma Central Into Northeast Texas Effective This Tuesday Afternoon From 340 PM Until Midnight CST.

Tornadoes... Hail To 2.5 Inches In Diameter... Thunderstorm Wind Gusts To 80 Mph... And Dangerous Lightning Are Possible In These Areas.

The Tornado Watch Area Is Approximately Along And 75 Statute Miles North And South Of A Line From 20 Miles West Of Stephenville Texas To 20 Miles South Of Texarkana Arkansas.

Remember... A Tornado Watch Means Conditions Are Favorable For Tornadoes And Severe Thunderstorms In And Close To The Watch Area. Persons In These Areas Should Be On The Lookout For Threatening Weather Conditions And Listen For Later Statements And Possible Warnings.

Fort Worth's Connection To America's First Serial Killer

If I remember right, I think I've mentioned before that one of my favorite genres is the true crime book, with Ann Rule being my favorite author.

Yesterday I started reading a new true crime book, that being Depraved: The Shocking True Story of America's First Serial Killer, by Harold Schechter.

It truly is shocking. I'm only 100 pages in and it's truly shocking. And little did I know, when I started reading this book, that the story would come to Fort Worth.

Even though I'm from the Northwest, the land that breeds serial killers, I've never actually met one, that I know of. I did go to a company picnic with Green River Killer, Gary Ridgway. I went to the same college as Spokane serial killer, Robert Lee Yates. Ted Bundy took one of his victims from the university I attended my last 2 years of college.

So, I've come close to serial killers, may even have laid my eyes on one, for all I know. But, for personal true crime contact, my only actual personal contact has been getting someone out of the D/FW jail a few weeks ago and my long ago acquaintance with a Northwest criminal who had done time for crime.

So, in this Depraved book, this guy named Herman Webster Mudgett, who goes by a lot of aliases, the main one being Dr. H. H. Holmes, was a very prolific serial killer in the 1880-90s. It is believed he killed between 20-230.

Where this story goes totally macabre is the means by which this guy did his deeds. He was a highly evolved con man, committing all sorts of frauds. In Chicago he managed to build a huge building that the locals dubbed "The Castle." The Castle was 3 stories tall. He lived on the top floor. The second floor was a confusing labyrinth of rooms that he would rent out. The top floor had a coffin sized safe, sound proof rooms and a chute that went to the basement. In the basement he had a kiln, acid baths, an operating table and assorted other tools to help him do his bad deeds.

Mudgett/Holmes did his crimes during the same time as Jack the Ripper in London. He likely would have been more infamous with his crimes existing in the popular imagination, had Jack the Ripper not garnered so much attention worldwide.

If Mudgett/Holmes had not been a serial killer, his serial bigamy would likely have made him famous. He was married many times, never got a divorce. His preferred means of separation was murder. The first of his wives that he killed in The Castle, he turned into a skeleton and sold to a local teaching university. Same with the next wife. Who was pregnant. Mudgett/Holmes had quite a sideline of selling skeletons.

On it went. The hugely popular 1883 Chicago World's Columbian Exposition brought people from all over America and the world to Chicago. It is estimated about 45 people came to Chicago and never returned home. Likely temporary dwellers of the Mudgett/Holmes Castle.

Eventually things in Chicago got dicey. So, Mudgett/Holmes loaded up his latest bride and his confederate (later victim) Benjamin Pitezel and headed to Fort Worth, where earlier Mudgett/Holmes had conned a former mistress, Minnie Williams, out of valuable land she had inherited from her uncle. He'd already used up the cash Minnie had inherited.

The property consisted of a large, vacant lot on the corner of Second and Russell Streets, close to the Tarrant County Courthouse. Mudgett/Holmes proceeded to scam locals out of money and services, sort of a precursor of a century later when entities, like Cabelas, would succeed at similar fleecings in Fort Worth.

But, in Fort Worth, it all caught up with Mudgett/Holmes faster than it had in Chicago. Just when his situation in Fort Worth was getting dicey, Mudgett/Holmes somehow magaged to steal a boxcar full of horses, which he shipped off to Chicago. The theft was discovered and he was charged with horse theft. In Texas, horse theft is taken quite seriously.

With the law nipping at his heels, Mudgett/Holmes and Benjamin and wife, Georgiana, fled Fort Worth in the middle of the night. From then on he was on the lam, city to city, running his cons and keeping one step ahead of the law. Til he was caught, tried. And hanged.

I'm going to west Fort Worth today. Maybe I'll pop into downtown Fort Worth and see what stands nowadays at the corner of Second and Russell Streets. A historical monument? I doubt it.

Village Creek & Kitchen Injury

That's a leafless oak tree at Village Creek Natural Historical Area, today, about noon. It rained last night, but not hard, so Village Creek was just a little higher than usual. When we have downpours, Village Creek often floods, causing the park to be closed til the water goes down.

I thought due to the rain and the warm temperatures that there would be an army of armadilloes out busy trying to root out something to eat. But I did not see a single one of the cute little beasts.

When Village Creek floods it goes over the dam/bridge you see in the photo. The rapids can get quite wild. Sometimes after a good flood a lot of garfish and water moccasins are flushed out of Lake Arlington and you'll see them by the dam/bridge. I saw none today.

Snow is in the forecast in the Northwest, or so I have been told. Here in the South, in North Texas, I've got my windows open and it's in the sultry low 70s.

I made Lemon/Orange Peanut Pork with Green Peppers, Onion, Garlic, Ginger, Carrot, Celery, Broccoli & Cilantro over Sesame Brown Rice for lunch. It was tasty. But somehow during the cutting up vegetables process I suddenly saw a lot of blood on the counter top. I didn't know where it was coming from. And then I saw it gushing from one of my fingers. I have no idea how I poked a hole in my finger, it didn't hurt, I felt nothing. I had to go find a bandage to get the bleeding to stop.

I'm outta here, heading to the library to do some research. I'll be back soon. If I'm seeming a bit scatter-brained, please keep in mind I've had some serious blood loss.