America and Texas Are #1 But Not In A Good Way

In last Sunday's Parade magazine Virginia Senator Jim Webb wrote an article about the disgrace of America's prison system and incarceration rate.

America has by far the World's highest rate of incarceration. We have only 5% of the World's population, yet we jail almost 25% of the World's prisoners.

That is just embarrassing. Are we the World's most criminal country? Or as Senator Webb put it, "Either we are the most evil people on earth or we are doing something very wrong."

I don't think we are the most evil people on earth, I opt out for the doing something very wrong option.

As in putting way too many people in jail for crimes that don't seem jail-worthy. Like, as satisfying as it may have seemed to see Martha Stewart do jail time. Did her supposed "crime" really deserve that drastic punishment? I don't think so.

I think only those who commit crimes such as murder, attempted murder, armed robbery, rape, child abuse (of any sort), treason, vehicular homicide due to drugs or alcohol, and maybe a few other type crimes I'm not thinking of right now, should be locked up, many for life.

But, economic crimes, as in embezzlement, swindling, stock manipulating, being caught with marijuana, crimes where no one has been physically hurt, those crimes should not be punished with jail time. Big fines. Yes. House arrest for a period of time. Maybe.

But to take so many citizens away from being productive and making them temporary wards of the state is just plain stupid.

And then we have those convicted and jailed erroneously. Just last week, more than a dozen men who had spent, collectively, more than 200 years behind bars for crimes they did not commit, went to Austin, Texas to sadly and angrily ask the state legislature to pass laws to improve eyewitness testimony, expand post-conviction appeals and DNA testing. And to pay more compensation to those wrongly convicted.

As former inmate Billy James Smith said, "I'm still not completely free. I'll never be completely free." Smith spent 20 years in prison for aggravated sexual assault. He was exonerated by DNA testing in 2006.

In Texas DNA testing has freed 36 wrongly convicted citizens. Texas leads America in the number of wrongly convicted people freed by DNA testing. Yet one more #1 ranking to make us in Texas feel proud.

So, we've got people in jail for very minor crimes. Like an out of control Robert Powell-like cop throws a person in the pokey for walking across the crosswalk against the light (happened in Dallas). You've got young kids, with ruined lives, due to being thrown in jail for being caught in the wrong place at the wrong time with a lit up marijuana cigarette. You have all sorts of people, for all sorts of very minor "supposed" crimes, doing time, for no good reason.

And it's a mystery why America leads the World in number of people behind bars? One in every 31 Americans is in jail or on supervised release, such as house arrest.

What sort of hit does the economy take with this type of idiotic dislocation of its citizens? A certain percentage are productive adults (Martha Stewart) thrown in jail, their business taking a hit. Even though it's on a much more minor scale, a McDonald's working kid, incarcerated for 6 months, due to being caught with a drug, also causes the economy a hit.

Local, State and Federal spending on jailing Americans adds up to around $68 billion a year. That is nuts. We need a massive release of prisoners doing time for non-violent crimes. And DNA testing done wherever it may prove an American innocent.

Indian Paintbrush at River Legacy

We are slowly moving towards the point in time when Texas, well, my zone of Texas, looks its best, as in real purty.

Indian Paintbrush had sprouted up at River Legacy Park since my last visit. Along with Bluebonnets. The only wildlife I saw today, while riding the mountain bike trail, was a couple joggers and Blonde Bobbi. She must practically live on those trails.

My bike is 5 years old. It has over 4000 miles on it. It is a K2 Attack. It replaced a Schwinn Moab. The Schwinn Moab had over 5,000 miles on it when I broke its frame riding on the Horseshoe Trails. The Schwinn Moab has been my favorite bike, though this K2 is also nice, but it is getting old.

This week I replaced my bike's speedometer. The previous one had been broken for months. So, I'd been biking without knowing how far or fast I was going. But not today. I averaged 10.2 miles per hour and biked 9.3 miles. I went 2 times around. Til I got the new odometer, I did not know how far it was with all the new trails. I figured the new trails had added about 2 miles. I was about right.

The trails at River Legacy Park are getting closer and closer to being jungle-like. I like it. I wish monkeys were native to Texas.

Though the local weather record did not indicate it froze last night, this morning when I went swimming at 8am, there was frost on the roof. I don't know what else it could have been. It was white and it disappeared as the sun hit it. WeatherBug said it was 37, when I went down to the pool. The water felt warm compared to that icy air. So, I had myself a good swim. It is 71 right now with the windows open. Supposed to hit 80 tomorrow. We are at the Sweet Spot in Texas weather. Soon, the HEAT will arrive. But, I like that, too. I am very easy to please...

With Egg On Their Faces No More Krogers

I have mentioned before I do not like Krogers. Too many price mistakes. Over and over again. The last time I mentioned this, some naive sort, apparently not familiar with Texas, reminded me that Krogers gives you a refund if they make a price mistake.

Yes. Previously I have brought a mistake to the attention of the minimum wage moron who mans the customer service. I've actually done this twice. The first time the woman was so befuddled by what I was pointing out to her that I gave up.

I then wrote a letter to Krogers complaining about that incident and their horrible customer service and chronic price mistakes. About a month later Krogers sent me a $15 gift card. That sort of mitigated my aggravation. A little.

The second time that I bothered to complain was over a 2 for 1 pricing scheme that did not ring up as 2 for 1. Once more when I went to customer service I was confronted with befuddlement. This time I said, just give me my money back. And so she did, but she had trouble counting it.

And now to today's FINAL time of ever trying to buy anything at Krogers. Earlier today I'd forgotten to get eggs while I was at Wal-Mart. I needed them for French Toast in the morning. I remember seeing a Krogers special ad at the bottom of this morning's Dallas Morning News. The ad had a dozen large eggs for 88 cents. The ad also had mangoes 3 for $1 and red grapes for 88 cents a pound.

Since Krogers is right across the street I figured I'd take 5 minutes and go get eggs, some mangoes and some grapes. Three items. Krogers can't screw that up, I thought, despite having something screw up with Krogers when I've only tried to buy one item.

So, I pick up 2 dozen eggs. I head to the mangoes. They were green, hard and not worth 33 cents. I find the grapes. These did not look like grapes I wanted in my house.

So, I go to the self-checkout. I scan the first dozen eggs. They ring up as $1.29. I figure, okay, sometimes Krogers doesn't calculate the "real" price til you hit the pay button. I scan the next dozen and then hit the pay button.

The total did not rec-calculate the eggs at 88 cents a dozen. I looked for the person who manages the self-checkout lines. She'd run off. I was not going to pay $1.29 a dozen eggs, particularly after I saw the HUGE handmade sign by the eggs saying "Large Eggs 88 Cents Dozen."

I was not going to waste my time going through the buying process and then going to customer service to deal with a mouth breathing minimum wage moron in a futile, frustrating, maddening attempt to get my money back.

So, I just decided to walk away and leave the eggs behind. I don't know what happened, really, I truly don't, but as I went to exit, somehow, something snagged the bag of eggs and they tumbled to the floor. As I swiftly exited I looked over my shoulder to see some yellow stuff oozing out.

I feel real bad about that.

I feel so bad, I will never waste my time in Krogers again.

The Good Works of Fort Worth's Ruling Junta

I'm reading a book where this guy tracks the route of Alexander the Great's conquests, some of which were in what later became part of the now gone Soviet Union. In this book the writer often makes note as to how Alexander's propagandist sent altered realities back to Greece for the consumption of the home front.

The Soviet Union used to have this propaganda tool called Pravda (Russian for Truth), which the Soviets used to manipulate their people with their lying spins on reality.

Why in the world am I talking about this? Well, here in Fort Worth we have what is known as a Ruling Junta. We really don't have what is known as a representative democracy. Some are trying to fix this, like Clyde Picht, who is trying to unseat Fort Worth's corrupt mayor, Mike Moncrief.

Fort Worth's Ruling Junta does not have Pravda, what they have is the Fort Worth Star-Telegram dispensing their version of the "TRUTH."

This was brought to mind a couple days ago when I was reading the letters to the editor in the Ruling Junta's online newspaper. It was a letter that was such a bad example of over the top propaganda I was appalled. Did the writer of this letter actually believe what he was writing? Or is he a mouthpiece/shill for the Ruling Junta? Who knows? Even though, apparently this guy is the mayor of North Richland Hills, he could still be a Ruling Junta shill. The Soviets used to plant people in their satellite states.

Anyway, here is the letter........

Thanks are due

Many thanks to the government leaders of Fort Worth for their continuing efforts to make the Dallas-Fort Worth region the best place to live in the United States. Mayor Mike Moncrief and the entire City Council work diligently for their residents to make Fort Worth the great place it is — and they still make time to help their neighbors improve the region.

Council members Jungus Jordan, Kathleen Hicks, Danny Scarth, Frank Moss, Carter Burdette, Sal Espino and Joel Burns are all active in the important regional issues we face. I often find them at many diverse functions pushing for a better quality of life for all residents in this area.

I personally thank the Fort Worth City Council for going above and beyond to work for a better life for all of us in North Texas.

— Oscar Trevino, mayor, North Richland Hills

How in the world is Fort Worth's Ruling Junta making an effort to make the D/FW region the best place to live in America? This is the best place to live in in America??? I've seen a lot of the rest of America. I beg to differ.

Mayor Mike and the entire city council work diligently to make Fort Worth the great city it is???

Examples, please, examples.

Is this guy talking about the boarding up of Heritage Park, it being where Fort Worth started and a monument to its heritage? Is this an example of the great work this city council is doing?

They still make time to help their neighbors improve the region??? Tell that to people who live along Fossil Creek in Haltom City.

Scarborough Faire Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie Texas

The Scarborough Faire Renaissance Festival starts up tomorrow (Saturday, April 4) and continues every Saturday and Sunday through Memorial Day.

What is Scarborough Faire, you may be wondering. Well, it's this village built on a Texas prairie, replicating as best one can in the 21st Century a 16th Century English village.

Scarborough Faire is very very well done. I liked it more than Six Flags. There is jousting and sword fights, wenches with excessive boobage, skinny men in tights, all sorts of shows, crafts, music, food. And beer.

I've only gone to Scarborough Faire once, several years ago. I webpaged my experience. When I did that, little did I know, that I had set off the most over the top reaction to anything I'd done on the Internet. The overreaction continued for several years. I got invited back for a guided tour, so as to educate me out of my Scarborough ignorance. I got invited to Scarborough parties. And I got invited to attend their training sessions. I got invited to the Houston area Renaissance Festival. And I got invited to a wedding.

I did not manage to go to any of the things I was invited to. Not due to not wanting to. It just didn't work out. I did meet a couple of the Scarborough Faire Renaissance Festival people in person. That was interesting.

I may go this year. I may not. If you have not been to this event and you live in the D/FW zone, it is worth the drive and the admission price. Trust me. It is just outside of southwest Waxahachie. Waxahachie is just a few miles south of Dallas. If you've not seen Waxahachie before, it is also worth a visit, with its incredibly ornate courthouse square and all the Victorian houses in town. Waxahachie has been used as a movie backdrop several times.

I've almost talked myself into going to Waxahachie and Scarborough Faire.

Post April Fool's Day Blues in Texas

Yesterday was the first day of April. This is also known as April Fool's Day. Some call this day All Fools' Day. It is not actually a holiday in the formal sense, but it is celebrated in many countries around the world.

This special day is marked by the commission of hoaxes and other practical jokes of varying sophistication, perpetrated on friends, non-friends, family, neighbors, Internet users or just about anybody else, sending them on some sort of fool's errand or tricking them into believing some piece of information, the purpose of which, apparently, is to embarrass the gullible.

I can not imagine doing such a thing.

On April Fool's Day I blogged about ending my exile in Texas and my unfortunate weight gain, that had me contributing to trying to make Texas the fattest state in the union, which by default would make Texas the fattest place on the planet.

I got a lot of comments and emails about moving and being fat. The comments and emails truly touched me, truly, I tell you, truly.

Regarding ending my Texas Exile....

Tootsie Tonasket emailed:
You're coming back to Washington? Come live with me.

CP emailed:
You're moving to Seattle? Why not back to the valley?

Anonymous commented:
You are not allowed to go anywhere! Do you hear me?! Who is going to report the truth?! Certainly not our media...Anyway back to my original statement. You can stop unpacking now. Today's lesson - Life is too short not to live it as a Texan!!!!!

TT commented:
I am shocked. You're actually moving back! This should be fun.

And then another Anonymous commented:
Just so you know, Lord Voldemort is back on the streets. Does this change your decision to return?

Seattle Girl emailed:
When you going to be here? The day after meet me at Pacific Edge Starbucks, k?

And yet one more Anonymous commented:
I'm not sure if I love you or hate you. I will not deny being amuzed by your sometimes funny, sometimes sarcastic takes on Texas issues and overweight people. I call you my guilty pleasure. If you ever leave Texas you will regret it. I was not born or raised in Texas, just end up here via US Army. When I think about Texas I think about mild weather, warm and frienly people and the place where everything happens. I love Texas and everything about it.For every 10 Durangos leaving Texas there are a 100 waiting to have a shot at it. Take care whatever you do, wherever you end up.

Deby commented:
Please, please, please don't go! Who will be go to for the fun and facts about Texas, the Dallas Cowboys, Jerry Jones, Chesapeake Energy, fat woment at Wal-Mart, etc? Really, you can't leave us. It just wouldn't be right!!!

Well, I must say, Deby makes a compelling case. I shall have to give this all some thought.

And then there were the comments and emails about my unfortunate weight gain. There was only one comment to the blog.

Yet one more Anonymous told me:
You really do look like a really fat Tom Cruise.

And then there were a couple emails. With only one amusing one.

Tubby Tuna emailed:
It looks like your anti-obesity crusade bad karma came up and bit you on your fat ass! Hah! You deserve it porker!

Well, I've got news for Tubby Tuna. I was in error regarding my shocking weight gain. A mechanical error. My scale was reporting false information. This morning I bought a new scale that both measures my weight and my body fat %. I was pleased to learn I've lost 35 pounds overnight and only 7.5% of me is fat. How much of you is fat, Tubby Tuna?

I didn't think that old scale was making sense. It seemed like if I'd gained 35 pounds that my pants wouldn't still be so loose on me. Well, that's another mystery solved!

Anyway. Thanks, you all, for all your concern. About both me ending my Texas exile and my sudden descent into porkiness.

Seeing the Signs in the Tandy Hills

No. I am not talking about the signs of spring. Though those were sadly lacking today while hiking the Tandy Hills. Well, there was an extremely brisk wind that had blown the air clean. But there were no other fresh signs of spring.

As in no new wildflowers. I fear the earlier reports are accurate and due to the drought of last fall, which continued through winter and now into spring, the wildflowers this year in Texas are going to be a bit less colorful than the norm.

The signs I'm talking about seeing in the Tandy Hills Natural Area are the extremely unnatural signs you see in the photo. That particular one blocks a view of beautiful downtown Fort Worth. Next to the sign a cable stretches across the trail, adding a possible tripwire to the Tandy Hills hiker who isn't paying close attention. Such as me.

I don't know why these signs have been added. I have never seen a motorized vehicles wheeling over the Tandy Hills. It'd take a jeep or an ORV with big wheels. It is pretty rough terrain. I have also never seen a horse on these hills. I have seen a kid on a mountain bike. I remember asking him why? Due to the Tandy Trails not really being conducive to mountain biking. He told me he didn't realize the trails were so rough.

I hope this wind isn't blowing in anything wet or loud. Or cold. I like having my windows open.

Dallas Cop Robert Powell Quits & Wants To Apologize To Moats Family

As the scandal caused by his abuse of his police power continued to boil, Dallas Police Officer, Robert Powell resigned on April Fools' Day.

Somehow that seems appropriate, to resign on April Fool's Day, not that the resignation is a trick, but that this guy seems to be one big fool who should never have graduated from the Police Academy. Then again, I don't know if Texas Cops are required to graduate from a Police Academy.

In an April Fool's Day statement, released through his attorneys, Powell said he resigned "with a heavy heart and great sadness" and he wanted to apologize to his fellow officers, as well as to the Moats family.

"I still hope to speak with the Moats family to personally express my deep regret, sympathy and to apologize for my poor judgment and unprofessional conduct," Powell said in the statement. "I made this decision in the hope that my resignation will allow the Dallas Police Department, my fellow officers and the citizens of Dallas to better reflect on this experience, learn from the mistakes made and move forward."

An internal investigation into the incident will continue, Dallas police said.

I still think Powell should have been immediately fired as soon as his superiors viewed the video of his bizarre, inappropriate, borderline psycho conduct.

Confessions of a Fat Man

Things have gone downhill for me, weight-wise. I feel like such a hypocrite. A time or two in the past 6 months I think I may have blogged about the obese people plague.

In my mind I weighed 168.5. That is what I weighed when I flew up to Tacoma for a month last July. While in Tacoma attempts were made to fatten me up. I was forced to eat dinner, of a high caloric sort, which I don't usually do.

No matter how many times I'd insist that I don't eat dinner, I was forced to do so, including one time being coerced against my will to go to McDonalds for a Fish Sandwich Happy Meal.

While in Tacoma I was continually plied with fermented beverages with a high caloric count. I was repeatedly brought to restaurants and made to eat.

However, for some reason I was able to escape Tacoma, after a month of the forced feeding, and make it back here to Skinny Texas, having only gained a pound or two. It was a miracle. I attribute the lack of a huge weight gain to all the nervous stress I was subjected to.

All went well for months after I got back to Texas. No weight gain. And then the first of the year arrived. A week later my mom and dad arrived. Each day of their visit I was brought to an All You Can Eat restaurant, Babe's Chicken, Riscky's BBQ and Sweet Tomatoes. The visit to Sweet Tomatoes proved to be the breaking point. I have returned again and again.

I don't know how many times I've been to Zorro's Buffet since January 1. I started buying cheese again, a lot of it. Butter started being melted on my evening air popped corn.

I swore I would never let myself get over 200 pounds again. This morning I weighed 205. I'm a fat bloated whale. I look like a fat version of my lookalike, Tom Cruise. On the bright side, all this fat makes me float easily in the pool and insulates me from the cold of the water.

I can put on weight fast and take it off fast. I am in take off mode now. I anticipate the process to take a couple weeks with me back in the 170 zone by May.

My Exile In Texas Comes To An End

I knew, or sort of knew, that this day would one day come. I said it wouldn't, but I sort of knew it would.

I've lost track, during the time of my exile in Texas, how many times, in response to the most mild verbalization of something that some super-sensitive, insecure Texan sort perceived to be some sort of criticism of Texas, that I have been advised to haul my Yankee self back north by whatever means and direction I arrived in the #1 state in the union.

Usually this sentiment regarding my departure is not expressed as politely as I worded it.

Well, the means of my arrival was a moving van, the direction was from the northwest via Amarillo and Highway 287. I have not decided for certain, but my exit will likely be via the same means and direction.

I will be heading to Seattle to a condo by Myrtle Edwards Park on Elliot Bay in downtown Seattle. That is the view in the picture. Unlike Fort Worth, Seattle already has a town lake in the form of Puget Sound and Lake Washington and Lake Union and other lakes. I'd be an old man if I waited here in Fort Worth for the Trinity River Vision to finally become clear and create a lake and some canals with condos, so I could move to a place facing water.

Reliable sources, more than one, have told me that Lord Voldemort, aka the Fremont Behemoth, is back safely behind bars, thus making a return to the Northwest seem safer and saner.

Adjusting to the weather will be difficult. Very difficult. Adjusting to being able to pick all the blackberries I want, for free, will be easy. As will having access to all the other berries and fruits and vegetables that grow in Washington. I believe that and fresh seafood are the number one things I miss.

I'll miss Texas, really, I will. There is an awful lot I like about Texas. An awful lot. I'll likely return to visit. Especially to see both the Dallas and Fort Worth Trinity River projects in their various iterations come, hopefully, to fruition.

In the meantime, I'm busy packing.....