Middle of the Night Thunderstorm in Fort Worth

No, that is not the dawn morning view from my patio door window.

That's not the sun coming up. It's a burst of light from a lightning strike. At 2 am, this morning.

In other words, it's been a rough night here in Cowtown. The thunderstorm didn't last too long, maybe a half an hour. But, it thoroughly woke me up.

Now that dawn has dawned I'm seeing what appears to be blue sky. I don't know how long that is going to last.

This latest round of storms has brought in a cold front. It is only 57 out there right now. Which means the pool will be back being warmer than the air, which is the reverse of the pool situation of late.

I think I'll head down to the pool zone now, before it gets any colder.

Dallas Cowboy Training Facility Destroyed By Micro-Burst, Not Tornado

Monday Update At Bottom

Last night I was puzzled when I looked at my FeedJit blog stats and saw that a large number of people were being directed to my blog when looking for information about a tornado hitting the Dallas Cowboy Stadium.

I knew we'd had a storm or two and were under Tornado Warning. But, I had heard no tornado sirens.

When I pulled the wrapper off the Sunday paper I saw what had actually happened. It was not a tornado. And it was not the Dallas Cowboy Stadium that was hit by wind.

It was the Dallas Cowboy training facility at Valley Ranch. And the wind was of the micro-burst sort with winds around 65 mph. The micro-burst struck around 3:30 in the afternoon.

There were about 70 people inside the facility when the roof was ripped off and the walls crashed down. There were 12 injuries, of which 10 were taken by ambulance to area hospitals, 7 to Los Colinas Medical Center in Irving and 3 to Parkland Memorial in Dallas. Two of the injured were able to make it as walk-ins to a Baylor medical facility.

I have experienced a micro-burst wind storm twice. Once where I am right now and another time experiencing the aftermath when a micro-burst destroyed most of what had been the Balloon Festival at Midlothian Airport. Micro-bursts are amazingly powerful, sort of scary, sort of exciting. I guess they are sort of a tornado-lite type phenomenon.

Monday, May 4 Update: Of the 12 injured by the micro-burst caused training facility collapse, scouting assistant, Rich Behm sustained a fractured spine that severed his spinal cord, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. He had surgery at Parkland Memorial, in Dallas, the night of the collapse and is in stable condition.

Dallas Cowboys like Tony Romo and Jason Whitten were there to support the injured and their families. Dallas Cowboy owner, Jerry Jones, left the Kentucky Derby early to get back to Dallas to see the injured and their families, along with Cowboy coach, Wade Phillips. Jones and Phillips returned on Sunday, along with the other coaches and players.

Early Voting For Clyde Picht

I forgot to mention, in the previous blogging about going to Tandy Hills Park today, that on the way to do some high humidity hiking I saw that the public library I drive by to get there was an Early Voting location. So, I told my Gang of Four Hikers that we were going to go do our part to overthrow that Ruling Junta I blogged about this morning.

The polling place was a bit lonely. There were two people manning the station.

Voting has gotten so high tech. Is it like this everywhere now? Or is it a Texas thing? First my driver's license was scanned. This somehow established me as a legit voter and not some convicted felon forever banned from voting. Then a machine printed up some paper. Pieces of paper went to various places, including one piece handed to me that had the number code I had to enter into the voting machine.

The Texas voting machine is like some sort of video game. You enter your code by spinning a dial til the right numbers show up. Hitting enter to choose each number. Then you spin the dial some more til you get to who you want to vote for. Then you hit enter.

Then you do some more spinning and you're asked to confirm that this is how you want to vote on your ballot. You then hit enter again and when the American flag waves in all its red, white and blue glory, you're done.

There were only 2 things to vote on on this ballot. For mayor and for city councilman. I do not recollect ever voting in Washington when there was not an awful lot to vote on, Initiatives, Referendums, Bond Issues, various people.

I'm thinking maybe this thing of having only 2 items to vote on might be part of the reason the voter turnout is so low. It's a little hard to get the masses worked up over something like overthrowing Fort Worth's Ruling Junta by tossing out its current corrupt mayor. One would think it wouldn't be hard to get the masses worked up to do that, but here in Fort Worth, it is.

Well, I've done my part. That's 4 confirmed votes for Clyde Picht.

Tornado Warnings & Tandy Hills Park

It is a bit past 3 this Saturday afternoon in Fort Worth. About a half hour ago a thunderstorm started up with heavy rain and wind. The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued 5 Alerts since 11:15 am---one Thunderstorm Alert, two Flood Alerts and two Tornado Alerts.

We are being very alert here.

Prior to the storm I went to Tandy Hills Park to get in some high humidity hiking. I was surprised to see the lady you see in the picture, painting the landscape. Last week, during the Prairie Fest, there seemed to be dozens of landscape painters. Today was the first time I saw a non-Prairie Fest landscape painter at the Tandy Hills.

There were more people hiking the Tandy Hills today than I've ever seen before, except on Prairie Fest day. Towards the end of today's hike a light rain started up. That felt good due to the high humidity making hiking like being in a mild steam bath. On the return pass by the landscape painter she was hurriedly packing up to get out of the rain.

I saw a new wildflower today.

And I saw something disturbing. Someone had removed the Tandy Hills Shrine, up by the Fort Worth Space Needle. A lot of work went into building that shrine. It'll be hard to rebuild because a lot of litter has been removed from the park.

When I got back here, because of that hot, humidity thing, getting in the pool seemed like a good idea, even though it was raining and even though I'd already done my early morning swim.

The lightning continues to strike and the thunder to boom. But it seems to be letting up. For awhile there it was being so wild I was expecting to hear the tornado sirens. But all I heard was pounding rain and thunder booms.

The Soviet Republic of Fort Worth and the Ruling Junta that Runs It

I think I've mentioned before that that newspaper I no longer subscribe to, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, sometimes made me think it acted more like the long gone Soviet Union's Pravda, broadcasting the party line of the Ruling Junta, rather than acting like a real truth seeking newspaper.

Since an election is coming up there are a lot of letters to the editor regarding Fort Worth's mayoral race. This morning there were 2 letters supporting current mayor Mike Moncrief and 2 supporting Clyde Picht.

What strikes me about the letters supporting Moncrief is how they have a propaganda-like, non-factual, Alice Through the Looking Glass, upside-down, reality-distorting feel to them. I'll copy the 4 letters and maybe do some more pithy commenting below the letters.

We like Mike

While it’s tradition that mayors of Dallas continually fight the public over their local issues, I am proud that Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief has been a consensus builder.

From citywide town-hall meetings to citizen task forces, Moncrief has proved that a good leader is a good listener.

He is a problem solver, and your city’s economy and neighborhood quality of life have benefited from his friendly style of results-oriented leadership.

I have a lot of friends in Fort Worth, and I have seen a lot of changes in their neighborhoods. I like Mike, and he has my full support for his re-election.

-- Sonja Moore, Arlington

For those who don’t know, being mayor is not just being in that position.

It is the caring for, the knowledge of and the ability to adapt to all situations, no matter how unpleasant, stressful or difficult they may be.

Decisions that affect the city and all the factions that make it up are difficult at times, and not everyone agrees with the decisions, but that’s part of being the mayor. Mike Moncrief has learned to drive the train, and it always arrives at the right station.

Of all the disasters that have befallen our city, I hesitate to think of the outcome if it had not been for Moncrief.

Listen to your conscience, not hearsay. Be aware of the accomplishments of Mike Moncrief and vote for Mike, the mayor with “you” in mind.

-- John Grammer, Fort Worth

We want change

The past few elections, voters have sent Mike Moncrief to the mayor’s office. Moncrief recently said he was running “on his record.”

Here’s the record: Fort Worth faces a $10 billion budgetary shortfall.

Instead of focusing on city streets and our horrible trash service, the city gave tax money to special-interest projects like the Mercado and the Trinity River “Vision.”

Moncrief accepted more than $69,000 of “special-interest” money, including from the oil and gas industry.

Moncrief is not a fiscal conservative. No surprise, as he’s a lifelong registered Democrat.

We need fiscal responsibility from a conservative with a proven record.

Clyde Picht spent eight years on the council voting against overspending and special-interest projects. He has the know-how to fix our budget without raising taxes.

On May 9, I will be happy to cast my vote for Clyde Picht.

-- John Austin Basham, Fort Worth

I hear the word change with regularity.

Why not Fort Worth?

Wouldn’t it be refreshing for the voters to supplant those rich and influential few now controlling every move this city makes?

Perhaps then we could cap out that Trinity River fiasco. And we could then hold for the future that light rail to lighten the burden on taxpayers.

Most importantly, Moncrief’s sanctuary city would cease in favor of law and order. Can you imagine the cost of harboring illegal immigrants? How about the illegitimacy of such a policy?

Clyde Picht would put an end to these trends. Not only is he a 22-year veteran with three Purple Hearts, he is a seasoned and ethical candidate prepared to represent the interests of the voters. He has served this city well for eight years on the council.

I cast my vote for Clyde Picht.

-- Nathan C. Vail, Fort Worth

Moncrief has proved he's a good listener? At city council meetings he limits citizen input to 3 minutes. Stalin allowed 10 minutes to a Politiburo member. Moncrief will not talk to Fort Worth's responsible, fact-finding, honestly reporting local issues newspaper, that being FW Weekly.

I can't think of a single thing Moncrief has done that has benefited the city of Fort Worth. These Moncrief supporting letter writers do not mention a single specific fact to support their propaganda.

The city's economy and neighborhood quality of life have benefited from his friendly style of result-oriented leadership? Huh? Please, some specific example of how Moncrief has affected the quality of life and the economy. By cutting back on library hours? By lining his own pockets with Barnett Shale money? Is that what they mean by him benefitting the city's economy?

The aforementioned FW Weekly has an annual Best of Fort Worth issue. Below are a couple examples pertinent to this coming election...

Thing Tarrant County Needs

Critic's choice: A revolutionary with moxie

Lots of folks are whining about how the gas drilling companies are taking over Fort Worth, stepping on its citizens, and controlling city hall. Whine, whine, whine. This city needs somebody to go all Pancho Villa on somebody's ass - in a nonviolent way - and really kick up some resistance against city officials and corporate robber barons who treat residents like floor mats and rely on unfair laws put in place by co-opted legislators.

Politician Most Likely to Sell Grandma to the Highest Bidder

Readers' choice: Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief

Another Arlington Park Trail Closed By A Pipe

For a couple weeks now, when I return from mountain biking at River Legacy Park I've noticed a Sidewalk Closed sign, with crime scene tape stretched between sawhorses, at the bridge over Village Creek and the Village Creek Paved Trail on Green Oaks Boulevard.

This sidewalk is actually part of the paved trail that connects the Village Creek Historical Natural Area with the paved trails in River Legacy Park.

I was curious as to why the the trail is closed at that particular point. So today I took my bike to Village Creek and learned what is causing the problem.

In the first picture you are looking north at the Sidewalk Closed sign on the other side of the problem that brought about the Sidewalk Closed sign I'd been noticing for a couple weeks. As soon as I saw this other sign, I saw the problem. A big pipe crosses the trail.

At first I thought the pipeline must be sucking water out of Village Creek. I was wrong. The pipeline crosses the creek and continues on, I suspect to a natural gas drilling site a short distance away.

So? Where is the water coming from for this pipeline? The tangle of pipes heading towards the source were not heading towards the Trinity River. Instead they seemed to be heading into Interlochen. Could they be sucking water out of the Interlochen canals?

The pipelines made quite a mess as they went across private property. When you enter this section of the Village Creek trail there is a sign telling you that the trail is a public easement through private property. You are warned to stay on the trail and off the private property.

So, how do the gas drillers get to go across private property and lay out a mess of pipelines? I could see trucks had driven over the lawns after our recent rains, because they left ruts in the lawn. I'm sure the property owners are happy about that.

This makes at least 2 of Arlington's city parks with trails blocked by pipelines. In River Legacy Park the obstruction is a pipeline ditch that shortens the paved trail by almost a mile.

It surprises me that there aren't little acts of sabotage directed at things like this Village Creek pipeline. Was there any public notification? Does permission get asked of property owners? Or do the drillers just litter the landscape with pipelines wherever they want? If there is no public notification, with this trail just arbitrarily closed, would a citizen be within their rights to clean up the mess by taking a chainsaw to it?

Swine Flu Closures Epidemic in Dallas/Fort Worth

Attempting to stop the new variant of Swine Flu from going pandemic is causing some strange inconsistencies.

All the schools are closed in Fort Worth. Dallas has not closed all its schools.

Fort Worth has canceled MayFest, this hugely popular arts, crafts and music festival in Trinity Park along the banks of the Trinity River. Cinco de Mayo Festivals in the Dallas/Fort Worth area have been canceled.

I have not heard that Dallas Maverick basketball games have been canceled. Or Texas Ranger baseball games. It would seem being in tight quarters with a mass of humanity in a sports venue would pose a much greater virus passing chance than an outdoor event.

The Dave Matthews Band and Kenny Chesney are at 2 Dallas venues on Saturday. I've not heard that these have been canceled.

I don't know if the world's biggest honky tonk, that being Billy Bob's in the Fort Worth Stockyards, has closed.

Yesterday I saw that Wal-Mart has now placed hand sanitizers at its entry. I did not see anyone bothering to use the hand sanitizer.

2009 Texas Execution #14: Derrick Lamone Johnson

The latest execution in Texas was reported in today's Dallas Morning News in a little blurb on page 2 of the B section of the paper.

This time it was a Dallas man, Derrick Lamone Johnson, who got the lethal needle for the rape-murder of a Dallas woman, LaTausha Curry, who he abducted while she was trying use a pay phone 10 years ago.

Johnson's final words were a bit odd. He said, "Don't cry. It's my situation. I got it. Hold tight. It's going to shine on the golden child." He then told his mother, witnessing her son's execution, "I love you. That concludes the statement."

With last night's administration of the lethal needle in the Texas Death Chamber it brings the year's total in Texas to 14.

Durango Texas Going To Be On Japanese TV

A few days ago I got an email from a researcher for a Japanese TV production company in New York City telling me that one of his clients, "Nippon Television Network, is interested in using your video footage from the 2009 Sweetwater Rattlesnake Round-Up in a segment as part of a weekly prime-time TV program called "The Most Useful School in the World". The show is a family-oriented program that introduces a wide variety of subjects to its viewers."

The email said they were interested in licensing this footage for a one time only use and if interested, use one of the contact options to discuss licensing fees.

I had no idea what one might expect to be paid for such a thing, so my email reply pretty much said just that.

Then this morning I got another email from NYC. I'll paste the pertinent part below.

"Thanks for your quick response and I apologize for the delay. The producers of the segment want to pay you $3000 for the clip. It will be for one time use and broadcast only in Japan. The broadcast will only happen on terrestrial TV - i.e. no internet or DVD release or anything like that."

I thought about it while walking at Village Creek Natural Historic Area and when I got back here I replied, saying I'll do it.

And now just as I'm typing this blogging I get another email, with verbiage that would have puzzled me, as to why, if you'd told me that today I'd get an email with this phrase, "We just need to check in with the producers in Tokyo."

Ironically, during lunch I was watching The Military History Channel documentary on how close Japan came to having an atom bomb and the American B-52s firebombing of Tokyo.

The video that Nippon Television wants to use is the first video I made, about a week after I bought the camcorder. The YouTube version is below...

I'm Taking a Hike While Wal-Mart Milk Price Drops a Cent

That's the new observation deck that looks out on a bog at Village Creek Natural Historic Area. The bog used to be more of a pond, but now it's getting so thick with greenery that the greenery is coming up through the deck.

It was in this bog/pond that I saw my first water moccasins. A couple guys were staring at something. I stopped and asked what they were looking at. They pointed towards a small herd of snakes.

There were no signs of flooding, seen by me, when I walked through the park. I've no clue why it was closed 2 days ago, with the sign saying the closure was due to flooding.

It was very humid, dripping wet stuff from the trees today. I sort of liked it.

And on the Wal-Mart Milk Front. My one longtime reader may remember me complaining a time or two at Wal-Mart's milk price on the shelf being $1.98 but ringing up at $2.00 This "problem" had been happening for over a month at various Wal-Marts. Complaining brought no fix. Just a two cent refund.

So, I needed milk. I saw the big price sign had been changed to $1.97. But the price on the shelves still said $1.98. I fully expected the $1.97 milk to ring up at $2.00. And was shocked to see it rang up at $1.97.