A Comment From One Of Jerry Jones' Dallas Cowboy Stadium Eminent Domain Abuse Victims

This morning I got an interesting comment from Mad Mom about the above YouTube video. Mad Mom is one of victims of Jerry Jones, the Dallas Cowboys and the City of Arlington's abuse of eminent domain in order to take people's homes for the new Dallas Cowboy Stadium. It has been a long time, now, since all those homes and apartments were destroyed.

At the time, and I guess it still is, it was shocking to me that this took place. I empathized with how I'd feel if I was told I had to sell the house I'd built and lived in for decades.

To me it all seemed like using and abusing the law to commit a crime. That being the destructive of American citizen's homes without their consent.

I have gotten a lot of comments from clueless sorts who opine along the line that people had to agree to sell their property or Jerry Jones couldn't have bought it, indicating total ignorance of the concept of eminent domain.

Below is the comment from Mad Mom....

I lived in Arlington for years, born and raised. My childhood home was one of the ones that was destroyed by Jerrytown. I'm sorry but there is NO amount of money that makes it ok for someone to take your home and your land for a FOOTBALL Stadium. Those people could not replace their homes for what little they were given. And that "last holdout" was paid for 4 acres of land and 2 houses, not just one like most people, 1.5 mil isn't that much for that much acreage and houses.

Mad Mom

The Rain Has Stopped For Now In The Fort Worth Rain Forest

The rain has stopped. For now. The view from Miss Puerto Rico's balcony has brightened up from this morning's gloomy darkness.

Don Young commented on my gloomy state of forlorn-ness, saying I was depressing him and offering to loan me a water proof poncho so that I could do some water hiking on the Tandy Hills.

Apparently a 4-wheeler decided to do some damage to the prairie, despite all the signs warning wheeled devices and animals with hooves to keep out.

Don Young also commented that my forlorn state of woefulness finally matched the forlorn photo of me on my blog. I thought I was looking happy in that picture.

Living In The Texas Rain Forest Of Fort Worth

That is the dismal Tuesday morning at 11 view from Miss Puerto Rico's balcony this rainy day in Fort Worth.

I can't remember the last sunny day we had here. This is being way too much like winter in the Pacific Northwest.

The Texas rain I've grown to expect comes down fast and hard and then is done with it, usually returning to clear skies. This slow motion all day long type rain is not normal for here. It's like being by the ocean without all the benefits.

Our currently earliest predicted respite is this coming Friday when supposedly it will be clear and hit the 70s.

I imagine all these cold, rainy days have wreaked havoc with attendance at this year's State Fair of Texas in Dallas. The Oprah Show was taped there yesterday in front of a large crowd. I've seen no pictures so I don't know if the crowd was covered with umbrellas.

I am seriously considering that it may be time to move back to the Northwest.

The Disconnected World Of Durango Jones In Texas

The following was written last night when I was lamenting my world without an Internet connection. This morning I am back at Miss Puerto Rico's and connected...

I am still without an Internet connection in my abode. This is like when the water is turned off or the power goes out. You don't realize how much you use something until it is gone. Two seconds ago I was trying to think of a word and thought I'll just Google it. Doesn't happen without an Internet connection.

I am cut off from email. I can't blog. I can't read a blog. I can't Tweet. I can't read Twitter. I can't read news. I can't Scrabble on Facebook. I can't check my Google Account.

I am so forlorn suffering through this hell I am living.

I don't even know how cold it is, or if some impending weather disaster is about to zap me, because my Internet connection is not working.

How did people ever live without an Internet connection?

The Sky Is Dark Deep In The Heart Of Fort Worth Texas

That is the dark noon view today at Fosdic Lake here in Fort Worth. Perfectly matching my mood.

I was dealing with website/hacking woes all morning, escaped for a bit and returned to find my internet connection not working.

So, I hauled my laptop over to Miss Puerto Rico's to continue trying to get this hell that I am living under control.

Usually I have 2 monitor screens to work with. Using this laptop keyboard, with only one screen, is not what I'm used to. Typing is in slow motion.

Not a good day in Durango World.

Fort Worth Propaganda Comments From Hillybilly Billy Hill

I got a great comment this morning regarding Saturday's blogging about gas driller's pipeline mess and propaganda signs I found while walking around Gateway Park.

The comment came from Billy Hill, who claims to be a Hillbilly. What Billy has to say about the signs I took pictures of on Saturday matched what I was thinking, but did not verbalize.

I'll copy Billy Hill's comment below for your reading enjoyment....

Did you notice if they included locations of all them gas wells poking holes all over the park? All that fraccing need a lot of freaking water, the cheaper (or free)the more profit.

Would people want their families to roam around that landmine and breath the air contaminated by all those wells?

I sure hope our beloved city (all those banners reminds me of Hitler's Germany and North Korea, which is in contrast to the hand made signs by citizens during the 9-12 and other rallies/parades) will take great care when doing the work to expand the park cuz there are big ole pipelines carrying gas (and maybe the toxic waste water to the "injection well" just a couple miles away at the former ARC park on E. 1st and Oakland, right west of Quanah Parker Park) crisscrossing that whole park.

Can you imagine another big firework show in that park with all those wells and their "escaping" gas? I hope they don't have a firetorch parade and rally to hear speeches by our dear leaders like those b%w film footage from the 1930's. Maybe our dear leaders will mark off a little fenced in area for people and their kids to run and play that has no pipelines right under their feet a-la Ft. Woof park for our precious four-legged pets/"kids", but I doubt there's enough such space available now.

Isn't there a big ol' former sewage/water treatment plant there (big humps near the softball fields)?

Keep taking pictures and reporting because no one will believe the danger and mess in that park after the million$$ are spent to "decorate" the park that I betcha will be declared "the envy" of the world (as hinted by the beautiful propaganda mini billboards in your picture.

General Eisenhower is reported to have made the painful decision to order as much filming of the holocaust camps and the victims because he wisely reasoned that "people are not going to believe this" without pictures and film (even then some geniuses still deny the crime today).

This hillbilly thanks you for telling it like you see it.

Billy Hill

Happy Columbus Day From Texas Where I Have Been Hacked Again

That is the dreary dewy cold Columbus Day morning view from Miss Puerto Rico's balcony.

Day 5. Or is it 6? Of gray skies, cold temperatures and wet stuff dropping.

I'm in an even more foul mood than usual this morning. This morning I found that every one of the 100s of pages on my Eyes on Texas website has had code added.

In other words I have been hacked again. This time is different. Rather than just a few pages, it is every single one. And this time the hacked in code does not try to load anything, near as I can tell. It just appears to be an awful lot of gibberish script.

I'll copy the code below in the oft chance any of your HTML wizards out there can tell me what this code is all about.

Well, I guess I won't copy the hacking code. The blogging program doesn't allow it. I have a really good feeling this is going to be a really bad day.

Frigid Texas Temperatures With Geese Flying South While I Swim Under Them

I don't think the temperatures, here in my zone of North Texas, climbed out of the 50s yesterday. We are coming up on 3 in the afternoon and 57 degrees. It looks like we aren't going to warm up today either.

I'm liking it. Sort of.

When I went swimming this morning it was 52 and drizzling with the most dense drizzle I've ever been in. I thought I might be chilled into bailing on the swimming, but quickly found it was totally doable.

Another thing happened, when I was in the pool, that was the most of something I'd ever seen.

Over head a massive formation of geese flying south spanned the horizon. As all the birds kept progressing south from me, I kept expecting to see either the left or the right end of the formation. When I'm in the pool I am surrounded by trees, but I still have a fairly wide sky view. That formation of geese, forming several "V"s must have been at least a mile long. Who knows, maybe it was several miles. I'll never know.

It sure was one of those occasions that are the reason 99% of the time I have my camera with me. But, not at the pool this morning. I would not have been able to be quick enough, even if I did have the camera with me, I think.

So, that's pretty much my exciting Sunday in this hell I am living in Texas. I keep telling myself tomorrow will be a better day, but it rarely seems to be. Maybe tomorrow will be an exception.

I love it when I hit the check spelling button and I get told no misspellings have been found, which is what just happened. Such news didn't cheer me up all that much though.

Fort Worth's Gateway Park Master Plan, Abandoned Boardwalks & Dogs

The above big billboard caught my attention as I walked across a Gateway Park soccer field today. There seemed to be a lot going on on the billboard. And other signs by it. I was curious. It was right next to Fort Woof.

There was a lot of activity at Gateway Park today. A big rugby tournament with loud music and really good smelling Texas BBQ. Texas BBQ is my favorite type of Texas air pollution. Fort Woof was having a lot of barking going on. Including a pair of barking abandoned pit bulls.

But, before the dogs, back to the sign. On it I learned there is something called "Gateway Fanatics." And "Go Gateway Activity Sponsors."

I was quickly getting the feeling that this had to be some Trinity River Vision thing. That feeling was confirmed when I saw that the Trinity River Vision is one of the Gateway Activity Sponsors. The ubiquitous Chesapeake Energy is also a sponsor.

A nice trail has been installed and along the trail were well done propaganda signs. But before I get to that I'm going to go to the dogs.

Over by the now defunct Trinity River boardwalks there were a pair of very lonely, tail-wagging pit bulls that appeared to have been abandoned. There were 2 large piles of dog food for them under a tree. The pair acted as if I was there to rescue them. I guess with so many dog lovers in Gateway Park this is a good place to abandon a dog. Eventually I'm sure the pair will hear the barkers in Fort Woof and head over there, hoping to be adopted by a dog lover.

Here you see the nice new trail and some of the propaganda signs for the "Gateway Park Master Plan" touting the planting of over 80,000 trees, an Equestrian trail, outdoor covered basketball courts, kayaking, preserving nature. That type stuff. It was very impressive. The big billboard at the top shows the layout of the new Gateway Park. It will expand west across Beach Street, to the area of the water pipeline I showed you in the previous blogging. Fort Woof will be greatly expanded.

Meanwhile, in Gateway Park, the elaborate wooden boardwalks that used to take you down to the Trinity River are still boarded up eyesores. Now, I'm thinking, if Fort Worth can't manage to maintain what they've already built in this park, what hope does this Gateway Park Master Plan really have? Which also reminded me of what the powers that be have allowed to happen to downtown Fort Worth's Heritage Park.

Here you see part of the complex of rugby fields. I could not get a picture showing how big the crowd was. But it was. Big and loud. This is a very nice complex of sports facilities. There are also very well done baseball fields in this park. However. One thing really bugs me. And it's not just a Fort Worth thing. I've been bugged about the same thing in an Arlington park, that being River Legacy.

Okay, like I said, Gateway Park's rugby/soccer fields are very well done. Except for one thing. The restroom facilities are a row of outhouses. Now, I know that indoor plumbing came later to the South than the rest of the country, but really, it is 2009, not 1909.

Food was being cooked and served at this event. Where were the handwashing facilities? At River Legacy they have a big pavilion which is rented out for events like weddings. I've seen a lot of weddings take place there over the years. With food. With the restroom facilities being 2 outhouses. A word stronger than tacky needs to be invented.

Gas Driller's Water Sucking Today From The Trinity River By Gateway Park & Making A Real Big Mess

The mud covered paved trail is not a vehicular trail. It is a Trinity Trail running out of Gateway Park towards downtown Fort Worth and beyond. Today the trail ended a short distance from where we are in the picture, due to the Trinity River is running over a dam that also serves as a bridge for the trail.

My one longtime reader may remember a few weeks ago when I discovered a pipeline and pump in this location. And a short time after that, on a day when large numbers of people were cleaning up litter on the Trinity, that pipeline had been moved to a less noticeable location.

I must mention, before I continue on with what my main thing is that I want to tell you, that it seemed very ironic to see the Trinity River banks up close today, lined again with litter due to the recent high water. The litter looking like a line of white birds along the edge of the dikes.

I found this sign interesting. It is right by the aforementioned pump, that I must tell you has now been dragged from water's edge to a location on the levee. So, if you are at this location past 10pm you are committing a violation which constitutes trespassing. And what sort of violation is making a mess, while pumping water out of the river? I looked and looked and could find no permit for this operation posted anywhere. Surely the City of Fort Worth must issue some sort of permit to allow such activity on city parkland?

Here you see the muddy mess made on top of the levee. I don't know how it works in Texas, but in Washington dikes are protected from this type damage, because it is known that removing the grass can weaken the dike. Then again, the Trinity's levees are way bigger than any dikes I've ever seen on a Washington river. Maybe this does no harm to a Texas Trinity levee.

A close up look at the diesel pump. I forgot to mention, the pump was running today. I heard a really loud noise as I crossed the bridge from Gateway Park. I thought it was water roaring over the dam at first. Then I started smelling diesel fumes, then it became obvious it was a noisy pump making the racket.

Here you see the pipeline going into the Trinity. And the remains of the protective skirting from the pump's previous location before it was drug onto the levee.

A closer look at the strange swirl of foamy river water circling around the pipeline's intake.

From river's edge looking back up to the top of the levee where the pump sits and pumps water and diesel fumes into the air. One other interesting thing. I touched the pipeline, thinking I'd feel the movement of water, instead the pipe felt warm. Warm from friction from fast moving water, I wondered?

Trinity River water flowing over the dam that usually serves as a bridge for the Trinity Trail. It appears the boat dock was damaged in the flood. If you click to enlarge the picture you'll see the faint line of litter on the south bank that I mentioned above. From that you can see how high the river got during our recent unpleasantness with excess rain.

Another look at the litter line high water indicator on the south bank of the Trinity River. This view is from under the Beach Street bridge.

So, that's some of what I found interesting today at Gateway Park. I found another interesting thing at Gateway Park today. That I'll tell you about in another blogging. To be written as soon as I finish this one.