LOST In Texas With A TV Star For A Friend

A couple months ago I'd grown tired of reading about Facebook to the point I was finally curious enough to check it out. But there was a catch. I had to create a Facebook account to do so.

In the process of creating the Facebook account I used my Internet nickname, not my real name. Some of the info was correct, like the name of my high school and where I went to college. Most info I was not accurate about.

During the process of creating the account there is a step where you are shown a list of names you might know. I thought I was supposed to select the names I recognized. So, I did so, not realizing this sent out "Friend" requests to these people.

That resulted in me getting embarrassing messages like "How do I know you and why do you want to be my friend." Eventually one of those to whom I had inadvertently sent out a "Friend Request" figured out who I was. She now regularly beats me at Scrabble. It's humiliating. I used to think I was pretty smart til Scrabble put me in my place.

So, this morning I got a fresh "Friend Request" from Beth in Hawaii. I've no idea how Beth figured out she knew me. Maybe it's through the Scrabble Queen. Who knows? Or cares? When I confirmed that I was, indeed, a friend of Beth's I went to look at her profile I found out what Beth has been up to since I last saw her sometime late in the last century.

I knew Beth now lived in Hawaii. We used to both live in Mount Vernon, Washington. I did not know she is now an actress! She's been on LOST, playing one of the crash survivors in that first plane that crashed on LOST that started the show.

I don't know if Beth goes skinny dipping with Matthew Fox, aka Jack Sheppard. I've read that several castmates join him in his regular skinny dips.

It does not shock me that Beth would be on TV and in movies. She's always been a real cutie, with a very easy to listen to voice. I think this may be the first time I've been friends with a TV/Movie star. I'm all atwitter. Whatever that means.

P.S. I forgot to mention, Beth is the one second from the left in the picture, behind Charlie.

Only Child Syndrome: Another Outbreak

I wish I knew what causes the outbreaks of people suddenly looking for help in dealing with Only Child Syndrome. Yesterday I had one of those outbreaks, with relief seekers coming in clusters.

This time the outbreak was limited to the U.S. and Canada. Maybe OCS is a plot-line on a soap opera that popped up yesterday. Or maybe Oprah did an episode on the Syndrome some psychiatrists have opined is a disease.

I've blogged a number of times on this serious subject, originally doing so because I was trying to figure out the mentally ill behavior I experienced from an Only Child last summer in Tacoma.

The bloggings about Only Child Syndrome get a lot of comments. Yesterday's outbreak on people seeking Only Child Syndrome information generated an inadvertently funny comment from an Only Child. This is not the first comment I've gotten from an Only Child in which the Only Child seems to be both arguing against the reality of the Syndrome while at the same time exhibiting symptoms of the Syndrome.

Below is the comment.....

I feel like this is ridiculous.

Only Child Syndrome is a term used to describe selfish characteristics that tend to be exhibited in children with no siblings. being an only child has nothing to do with grammar, intelligence or, family dynamics. The truth of the matter is that growing up in a household where there are no other children you learn some vital survival skills, the first of which is that mom and dad don't always have time to play so be creative and play single person games, second; there is no one to share the task of chores with, so while "John and Jane" get to split and alternate, you are stuck doing dishes every day, third; the only reason to be angry with anyone is when they are insulting/disrespecting you or invading your space. I agree that it is more difficult for only children to make emotional attachments, but I think that with time the difficulty eases and we learn. The moral of the story, We ARE entitled, We DON'T have to share, and if you want us to share maybe you ought to be nice!

Shared Blog DNA Telegraph & Sprouts With News From The Community

It's a HOT one in Texas today. 87 right now at 3 in the afternoon. WeatherBug just went off with one of its annoying weather warnings.

I have WeatherBug set to only warn me if the weather warning is of the dire run for cover before you die type. But that setting function does not seem to work. So, I get warned about every little thing. Like right now the warning was because it will be a little windy for while. I can look outside and deduce that it's a little windy.

Today being Wednesday I made my usual journey north to Sprouts Farmers Market. I got a lot of good stuff. The Texas Red Ruby Grapefruit are being very good this year. Big and sweet.

Yesterday the Fort Worth Blog, West & Clear called it quits. That same day a blog called Fort Worth DNA, somewhat similar to West & Clear, sprung up, which mentioned the demise of West & Clear, saying...

"With the discontinuation of West and Clear, and the downfall of printed media, we wanted to create a local outlet. Anyone can post, and you can even share in any advertising revenue."

And another somewhat slightly curious thing about this new FW DNA Blog is their motto, or tag-line, or whatever it is you would call it...

"Written by the Community, for the Community."

Which reminds me of the motto, or tag-line, or whatever it is you would call it of another new Fort Worth Blog, one that that started up several weeks ago, that being the Star-Telegraph Blog which at the top says...

"Real Community News From The Community."

This must be one of those all great minds think alike type deals. Or not.

Tootsie Tonasket's Kentucky Grilled Chicken Free Meal Deal Woes

I have not yet tasted Kentucky Grilled Chicken. Apparently a lot of people are having trouble tasting Kentucky Grilled Chicken.

I remember reading awhile back that Oprah had some Kentucky Grilled Chicken Two-Piece Meal Coupon freebie deal on her show. People were told to go to a website to download and print a coupon for their free chicken.

Apparently, in these troubled times, way too many hungry people, with computers and the Internet and some spare time, printed up the coupons and overwhelmed KFC's with their desire to get a free KFC KGC meal deal. Some locations had near riot scenes.

I bring up the Colonel and his business at this point in time because I just got an email from the Freebie Queen of Area Code 506, Tootsie Tonasket, regarding the aftermath of the Oprah/KGC Missing Chicken Scandal.

I don't know where Tootsie's nearest KFC is, I'm almost certain there is none close by, due to Tootsie living in a rather isolated zone of Eastern Washington. But apparently Tootsie printed up one of the Oprah coupons and has been doggedly trying to get her free chicken ever since.

Below is the message sent to Tootsie Tonasket from KFC President, Roger Eaton....

Rain Check Policy from KFC

We are so sorry, but due to the overwhelming response to our FREE Kentucky Grilled Chicken meal coupon, we can no longer redeem the free coupon at this time. But we will honor our commitment to giving you a free Kentucky Grilled Chicken meal. Please visit a participating KFC restaurant for a rain check form. Complete the form, attach your original coupon, and give it to the KFC restaurant manager or postmark per the form's instructions, by May 19, 2009, and we'll send you a rain check for your free Kentucky Grilled Chicken meal at a later date, plus a free Pepsi with our compliments. Your participating KFC restaurant will provide you with the form you need. Please note that the redemption periods of the rain checks will vary. All other terms and conditions of the original free Kentucky Grilled Chicken coupon will apply. Thank you for your understanding,

Wow! That is a lot of hoops to jump through to get a couple pieces of chicken. Even with that free Pepsi thrown in to the deal. What if they run out of Pepsi? Do you have to fill out another raincheck form?

Hitler Was Murdered & Oswald Was A Patsy

I think I may be too easily swayed by people who make a good case to support what might be an erroneous conclusion.

I probably would not make a good juror.

Lately I've read a couple books that altered what I thought I believed to be true.

I've long thought those who doubted Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in the JFK Assassination were conspiratorial nutjobs.

And then I read "Oswald Talked" by Ray and Mary LaFontaine. That book had all sorts of disturbing information I did not know about. Like Oswald had a lot of contact with the FBI prior to the Assassination. And Oswald was not some loony loner.

Now I'm reading "The Zapruder Film" by David R. Wrone. If you've never watched the Zapruder Film watch the YouTube video below. The Warren Commission conclusion has the magic bullet coming from behind Kennedy. Watch the video and see if that's your conclusion.

I just finished "The Murder of Adolf Hitler" by Hugh Thomas. This book makes the case that Hitler did not commit suicide. Rather, some of those closest to him were getting nervous due to the Soviets being a couple blocks from Ground Zero. Hitler had told his people he was going to commit suicide and gave instructions as to what to do with his and Eva Braun's corpses.

But, at the end Hitler was a mess, according to those there, barely able to function. So, Hugh Thomas puts together a pretty good argument that in the end Hitler was murdered, quickly disposed of, with the remaining Nazis running like rats to escape all the Incoming Ivans.

So, this week I'm choosing to believe Hitler was murdered and Lee Harvey Oswald was a patsy.

Durango World America

I'm sure I'll come to regret it, but I started another blog today, well, actually, finally decided to go ahead with it and post something.

I'd grown bored and annoyed with the TV Blog I started months ago. At times that Blog can get thousands of visits a day. But it doesn't generate the ad revenue one would think thousands of visits would generate, due to the type ads the TV Blog attracts, I guess. While this blog you're reading right now does not, usually, get as many visitors as the TV Blog, it generates way more ad revenue.

I know from my Eyes on Texas website that travel and tourist information causes real good ad revenue generation. So, a travel/tourist type blog, which is actually something I can get more motivated to write about than TV, seemed like a good idea. I don't even watch all that much TV. But I have done some traveling and touristing while I've been on the planet.

When you make up a blog name in the Google Blogger it can be a bit frustrating. I don't even remember what name I hoped to get, but they kept getting rejecting, due to all ready being taken. Which is how I ended up with Durango World America. It sounds real global. It may grow on me in time.

So far, the blog has only the first posting, that being the one I wrote today. If history is any indication, I am likely about to go into maniac mode on this new blog and will quickly have it having an awful lot of posts. I'm amazed I've spewed out about 200 TV bloggings. That's impressive, if I do say so myself, what with what little TV viewing I do.

Now, that has been my day. A lot of aggravation and a new blog.

Windy Texas Bike Riding With Snakes, Lizards & Wildflowers

I'm having me a day that's having me feeling like a tired worn out old man. I woke up way too early. My bedroom window was open, by morning it had gotten cold, as in the 60s. A bird started up some siren, alarm clock type warbling, well before the sun came up. I assume it was a bird.

So that warbling bird got me up early. I then got on the computer where one thing after another sucked my mental energy while trying to figure out annoying website and blog issues.

Around noon I had had enough of straining my easily strained brain. I needed some fresh air and sunshine. The closest available source is Village Creek Natural Historic Area. Or Historic Natural Area. I never remember which way that goes. Neither way makes a lot of sense. Is it a natural historic area? Or an historic natural area? It's perplexing.

It was being very windy around noon. With the wind pushing me, it was very easy to pedal over 20 mph. That was fun. Heading back into the wind I was lucky to go 10 mph. That also was fun. I pedaled about 11 miles before I had had enough.

Of all the Texas wildflowers I think the pink primrose ones are my favorite. Maybe because they last the longest, as in the bluebonnets seem to be long gone, but these pink things just keep blooming along. And they were the first Texas wildflower I ever saw, coming in from the west, just east of Amarillo, they started appearing. There were several big patches of the pink wildflowers waving in the breeze at Village Creek today.

I saw some wildlife, while pedaling today. Two snakes and a big lizard. The snakes weren't moving too fast, due to it not being all that warm, with them being cold-blooded little monsters. The lizard did move fast. Aren't they cold-blooded, too?

That's been my day today in Texas. Tomorrow will be better. It always is. Sometimes.

Putting The Dallas Morning News On The Do Not Call Registry

Yesterday I blogged about getting pestered by multiple phone calls from (636) 925-1746 and how a little Googling led me to learning that this number is a phone bank thing used by newspapers. I speculated it was either the Dallas Morning News or the Fort Worth Star-Telegram trying to get me to re-subscribe.

I was wrong. It's even stupider.

My one reader may remember me dropping the Dallas paper after they stopped delivering due to them never managing to get a bill to me after my 3 month pre-paid subscription had run out.

When I told their customer service guy I was not going to pay them $30 a month, for their paper, I also told him to send me a bill for the amount owed, which was $27.50, I think.

I have not received a bill. But I have been getting those annoying phone calls. Today I decided to answer it.

A woman not fluent in English fumbled through mispronouncing my name, mangling it really bad. Then she tried to do some "how are you doing" type pleasantries. To which I said what do you want and why do you keep calling me?

To which she said she was calling on behalf of the Dallas Morning News to tell me I was late paying for my subscription.

I told her I was told I would be sent a bill and no bill has arrived. To which she said "Thank you, sir. I will put in a request for a bill on your behalf." Or something like that.

I'm appalled that the Dallas Morning News has gone from the slick way they hooked in a new subscriber, to continuing to totally botch up ever since.

Fort Worth's West & Clear Gets Cloudy

No, I am not referring to pollution at the point where the West & Clear Forks of the Trinity River become one.

I'm referring to the Fort Worth blog that many believe to be the best of the Fort Worth blogs, West & Clear, and the fact that West & Clear has decided to call it quits.

This morning's West & Clear post, "Goodbye To A River," says farewell. The 5 guys who worked on West & Clear, for over a year and a half, have decided they don't have the time to maintain their website in the style we've all grown accustomed to.

I thought West & Clear had been around a long time. It surprised me to learn it's about the same age as the blog you're looking at right now.

Maybe the 5 West & Clear guys will do some re-considering and figure out a way to keep alive this thing they've created that really is way too young to die such an untimely death.

(636) 925-1746 Sorry Wrong Number

Ever since the Dallas Morning News failed to bill me at the end of my 3 month pre-paid subscription, I have not received a final bill, but I have been receiving a daily call to my cell phone, no Caller I.D., but I do see the number, it being (636) 925-1746,

I generally don't answer calls when I don't know who is calling. I looked up the area code and saw it was in Missouri. I know no one in Missouri. No voice mail was left.

When today's daily call arrived, for the first time I flipped the phone open and said nothing. After about 20 seconds a male voice said my first name and then hung up.

So, I Googled the number. And what do I find? This number is used by some service that newspapers contract with to call people to get them to subscribe to their newspaper.

Two days after I stopped the Dallas Morning News, after they stopped me first, a Fort Worth Star-Telegram showed up on my doorstep. Prior to that I got a special offer, in the mail, from the Dallas Morning News, significantly cheaper than what their rep had offered me on the phone, that caused me to no longer want to get the paper.

So, which of the two papers is behind the annoying repeating phone calls?

It's been a week, I think, and I've not missed reading a morning paper. I feel like I still know what's going on in the world.