North Texas Shaken By Another Earthquake

The earth moved unexpectedly, again, in formerly earthquake-free North Texas, on Friday, about a half hour before midnight.

The latest North Texas earthly rocking and rolling was epicentered in the town of Mountain Creek in Ellis County.

This was a 2.8 magnitude quake, felt as far as Fort Worth, 54 miles from the epicenter.

I was in Fort Worth at a half hour before midnight on Friday and I did not feel the earth move that night.

Cleburne is still trying to figure out why that town was hit with numerous quakes this year.

Meanwhile Barnett Shale natural gas drillers continue to poke holes in North Texas, followed by squirting a watery chemical stew into the holes which causes the fracturing of a layer of the earth above the molten lava zone.

I don't see how any reasonable person could possibly think there might be a connection between fracturing a layer of the earth's crust and the earth starting to quake a bit where previously no quaking took place. The quakes must be being caused by something else. The increase in the number of obese Texans perhaps?

It Is A Cold, Drizzling Sunday In Fort Worth With Hummus

You are looking east at the noon view of John T. White Road in east Fort Worth, Texas. It looks a bit forlorn and ghost townish. It looks that way because it is a bit forlorn and ghost townish.

I've been up since before 5. I jumped in and out of the freezing pool at lightning speed this morning.

When I left here at noon, intending to go to Oakland Lake Park to walk around Fosdic Lake, I did not realize that, in addition to the biting cold, a drizzle was falling.

Walking around in a freezing cold wind with drizzle did not sound like fun to me. And so, the change of direction to head east to Wal-Mart to load up a cart with heavy stuff and get my aerobic exercise up and down the aisles chasing chubby people out of the way.

I have not heard from my Mad Texas Grandma (MTG) this morning. I knew she was heading out of town for a few days, but I'd hoped she would check in and confirm some information. And send me some pictures of some perps in action.

I learned something this morning that brought back to me how much I dislike the Pacific Northwest (Shop). I tell you, I shall never deal with doddering old fools ever again. Unless the doddering old fools wave a lot of money in front of me.

Just heard the rice cooker ring its rice is done bell. Time for burgers, rice, hummus and a celery red pepper salad I cooked up this morning. I am such a Top Chef.

Dozens Of Cars Stolen From Dallas Cowboy Stadium Wal-Mart In The Middle Of The Night

You are looking at a blocked off entrance to the Wal-Mart Supercenter across from the new Dallas Cowboy Stadium on Randol Mill Road in Arlington, Texas during a Dallas Cowboy game on November 22, 2009.

All entries to the Wal-Mart were blocked, thus closing Wal-Mart.

There were cars parked in the Wal-Mart parking lot. The parking lot was maybe a third full.

Unlike most of the other possible parking lots in the area around the Dallas Cowboy Stadium, Wal-Mart puts up no "Event Parking $60" sign. One would think they would, if they are going to close the store, with their lot being so conveniently located.

So, what I am curious about is how did it come to be that Wal-Mart is shut down during Dallas Cowboy games? How is Wal-Mart compensated for this? In an area where Jerry Jones is charging up to $60 for parking one would think Wal-Mart's compensation must be hefty.

I was also at the Dallas Cowboy Stadium the day before, to take pictures of the Dallas Cowboy Outhouses. On that day, November 21, high school football playoff games were taking place in the stadium. On that day the Wal-Mart Supercenter was open.

So, I parked on the Stadium Wal-Mart's parking lot. I saw a few signs that said something like "No Event Parking. Violators May Be Towed." I now know these were not warning signs that meet the criteria for such signs as defined by Texas law.

When I was parked at that parking lot it was maybe 1/2 to 2/3's full. The store was extremely busy. I saw people walking from the parking lot across the street to the stadium.

There were no security type people that I detected watching the Wal-Mart lot.

The last of the football games finished a bit past midnight. I have asked my source to confirm the numbers, but have yet to get that confirmation. But, I believe around 50 people exited the stadium and walked to the Wal-Mart parking lot to find their vehicles missing.

A line of taxi cabs was waiting for the people with the missing cars, offering to take them the short distance to where their vehicles had been impounded. I believe the fee was in the $10 zone.

When the people arrived at the impoundment place they were told it would take 20 minutes to process each vehicle. And cost something like $240 to get back in their vehicle.

My source, a Grandma who was with her 5 year old grandson and the grandson's pregnant mother, was able to persuade the impounder to process her quickly. She made it home sometime after 2 in the morning.

According to Texas State Law a vehicle can not be impounded unless specific verbiage, on easily seen signs, is installed on the parking lot. An impounder taking a vehicle from a lot without the proper signage is considered to have committed auto theft. The victim can recover any losses and have any damage to their vehicle paid for by the improper impounder.

What we are trying to find out is who really owns the auto impounder, Straw K, Inc. doing business as A-AARLINGTON ABANDONED VEHICLE. The property manager, that is Wal-Mart, had to have entered into an agreement with the towing company. Was this done on the local level? Or from Arkansas?

What is the arrangement with the taxi cab company? Who calls them and tells them there will be some distressed people looking for their vehicles?

If there were 50 towed vehicles that Saturday night, at $240 each, that's $12,000. Who gets that money? The towing company? Wal-Mart? The local Wal-Mart manager? Jerry Jones? Who?

The Dallas Cowboys, Jerry Jones, Wal-Mart & Arlington Should Not Mess With A Texas Grandma

Yes. I know, the parking lot scams and crimes have made a bit of news in Texas for awhile now. In Dallas, at the State Fair of Texas, the parking lot scams were particularly nefarious.

Today I learned we've got some nefarious parking lot scamming going on in Arlington. Courtesy of the Dallas Cowboys, Wal-Mart, with the ringleader possibly being Jerry Jones.

Earlier today I blogged this....

On a totally unrelated note, I just got email from an Arlington Grandma who wants my help in solving a mystery involving Jerry Jones, Wal-Mart and an Arlington Storage Facility. Sounds intriguing. She gave me 2 numbers to call. She says she has done some digging and has uncovered some good stuff. But she needs help writing it all out.

I was erroneous in indicating this was an Arlington Grandma who contacted me. It was a Grandma from some other Dallas suburb.

I called Grandma this afternoon. She quickly told me the short version of her issue. Car towed from Wal-Mart parking lot while attending high school play-off game in the Dallas Cowboy Stadium.

I'm thinking, well there are signs suggesting event attendees not park there. And I say so to Grandma.

And that's when it got interesting. See, this particular Grandma is a real firecracker. She kept layering on the points of her issue til she had me totally getting it.

It is now pretty clear to me that Wal-Mart is pretty much breaking the law as defined by the State of Texas. That's serious business in these parts. You do not Mess with Texas. It's in our constitution.

According to Occupations Code 2308.301(b)(5) if you were towed from any parking lot without your consent and the parking lot's signage failed to contain the exact correct legalese, then you were illegally towed. Towing companies face stiff administrative fines for towing with illegal signs posted, but get away with it, everyday, because victims (motorists) fail to file a complaint.

Wal-Mart's signs are clearly not up to code.

There is a lot more to this Wal-Mart Illegal Towing/Dallas Cowboys Stadium Parking Scandal.

Jerry Jones may have a hand in what seems to be, well, a bit of racketeering. There is the appearance of some fresh dirty dealing.

Minimally there are some questions that are going to be asked that are going to need some answers.

More details to follow, as one very annoyed Grandma takes on Wal-Mart, Arlington, the Dallas Cowboys and Jerry Jones.

Hiking The Tandy Hills In Freezing Fort Worth With Asparagus

I did not overheat today hiking the Tandy Hills. Today was the first day this year, I think, that I wore a coat. And two hats.

I must go on a search mission for my long underwear. I remember there came a time last winter when that garment became necessary. I think the need will be greater this winter, what with Global Cooling seeming to be accelerating.

The prairie was still a bit damp in places, but not impassable. I came upon a few frozen spots and had to carefully navigate them lest I have a repeat of my last Tandy Hills fall that bent my right thumb where it should never have gone.

The snow and freezing of the past several days has knocked a lot of color out of the North Texas Prairie. When color returns it should be the most spectacular wildflowers since I arrived in Texas, due to the good dose of fall rain.

You can see in today's Tandy Hills Prairie photo how much color has left the prairie. It has now mostly turned back to my signature color. Brown.

After I'd achieved the medicinal effects of a naturally induced endorphin injection I went to Town Talk. I got some more asparagus, jicama and mushrooms. Lots of interesting people in Town Talk today.

Tomorrow I'm making Asparagus Soup. You're welcome to come have a bowl for lunch if you like.

Swimming With Sub-Freezing Temperatures In Fort Worth Texas & A Jerry Jones Mystery

You're looking at my view of Fort Worth freezing in the picture. We went 5 degrees under freezing last night. It is coming up on 11 in the morning this first Saturday of December at a balmy 38.

Brrrrr.

I know I'm adding evidence to the case to be made regarding my possible insanity, but I got in the pool this morning before 8. I warmed up on the machines in my weight room. Then jumped in the pool.

It was shocking. I got wet and got right out and in to the hot tub. After I was done in the hot tub I felt no inclination to jump back in the pool

I am determined to do something aerobic today. All this inactivity does all sorts of bad to me. I quickly put on weight like a hunk of fattened up cattle getting plumped up before the slaughter.

I believe the Tandy Hills Natural Sanatorium Area is in my future for the day. Unlike my attempt to walk in the cold a couple days ago, today I will be prepared.

On a totally unrelated note, I just got email from an Arlington grandma who wants my help in solving a mystery involving Jerry Jones, Wal-Mart and an Arlington Storage Facility. Sounds intriguing. She gave me 2 numbers to call. She says she has done some digging and has uncovered some good stuff. But she needs help writing it all out.

This could be interesting. Or not.

Thinking About Sun Lakes While Freezing In Texas

No. That is not me enjoying a sunny day in Texas. It may be a sunny day today in my Fort Worth zone of Texas, but it is in the 30s.

That is me enjoying a warm August day in Eastern Washington at a place called Sun Lakes.

I probably frequented Sun Lakes more than any other location in Washington, in my post-teen years. When me and my siblings were kids Sun Lakes was also one of our favorite places to go.

As the sun set on Sun Lakes, after a hot day, a phenomenon called a Zephyr would occur. Incredible gusts of wind could wreak havoc.

My mom and dad now live in Sun Lake. Minus the 's.' Sun Lake, Arizona. Sun Lake does not sound right

The Queen of Wink reported in from her West Texas location that her school called a Snow Day, so it was home early for the Queen of Wink.

That is not Wink snow in the picture. That is Sun Lakes in winter. I went to college a few miles south of Sun Lakes in the town of Ellensburg. Some friends were visiting, for the weekend, so we decided to see what Sun Lakes looks like in winter, not expecting to find it frozen over.

Hot Eggplant On A Freezing Texas Day

Today, apparently, eggplants are my world. You are looking at the finished result of the uncooked version I showed you earlier today.

I have now consumed the finished result. While this eggplant cooking was not a massive failure like my first attempt, years ago, I don't know if I see some nice purple eggplants tomorrow that I'll be buying them.

Then again, it was pretty tasty. But, then again, again, I've always said you can pretty much make anything taste good with Parmesan, butter and bacon. This had no butter or bacon, but it did have big slices of melted Parmesan.

I'm thinking maybe making this again and adding bacon and butter might turn the eggplant into a really tasty thing.

I did not venture to the pool this morning. Can you tell I'm being cranky? I did not feel like putting on several layers and going for a walk in the near freezing temperatures. So, I went to Wal-Mart and loaded up a cart and pushed it around for 45 minutes.

Gar the Texan has been pouting on my blog today. That boy is way too needy.

It's Freezing In Texas So I'm Cooking Eggplant

It's freezing out there. So, I decided to fore go my regular icy swim and cook eggplant instead.

My Top Chef attempt this morning seems doomed to failure. When I was at Sprouts Farmers Market on Wednesday they had nice big purple eggplants for only 69 cents.

I remember long ago attempting to cook eggplant. I don't believe I followed a recipe. If I remember right the result was inedible.

This time I decided to follow a recipe. Recipes are really easy to find these days via the Internet. I usually do not use recipes because I don't like anyone telling me what to do. That and I usually don't have the right ingredients.

What you see in the picture is what resulted from sort of following a recipe, prior to the cooking process, which is going on right now.

The directions had me slicing the eggplants length-wise, them cutting 6 or 7 slits, almost all the way through. Then sticking slices of Parmesan cheese, thinly sliced Parmesan and garlic, plus chopped up parsley into the slits.

Well, that sounds easy, but those slits were not very willing to have all that stuff shoved in them. Luckily I had no parsley or I'd have had an even more difficult time stuffing those slits.

The resulting mess bakes for a half hour at 375, then I sprinkle a topping of more Parmesan mixed with seasoned bread crumbs and olive oil, and bake til brown. I had no seasoned bread crumbs, so I pulverized some whole wheat crackers in my Vita-Mix.

I'll take a picture of the final result if it doesn't go up in flames and show it to you later.

Unidentified Flying Objects On The Trinity River In Fort Worth

That's a herd of unidentified flying objects taking a rest on a big block of cement sitting in the Trinity River near Gateway Park today around noon.

I was more curious about how the big block of cement got there than I was about what brand of birds were sitting on it.

It was below freezing when I got up this morning. I was sort of out of sorts all day yesterday due to the absence of doing anything remotely aerobic, so this morning, despite it being 31 degrees out there, I got in the pool. And then I got out of the pool and into the hot tub.

The hot tub was way too hot with way too much steam fogging up the place due to the freeze. I got out of the hot tub and back in the pool. That traumatizing desensitizing method works well. I stayed in the pool for about 5 minutes before I feared some sort of cardiac arrest type event might occur.

I was way under dressed for the walk at Gateway Park. It was windy with the wind blowing right through my 2 shirt layers. I walked across the bridge that leads to the Trinity Trails to see if the Barnett Shale gas driller water stealing damage to the Trinity River levee has been fixed.

Still damaged. Actually looks worse.

Speaking of Barnett Shale gas driller damage, I took I-30 to the Beach Street exit to Gateway Park. About a quarter mile from the exit I saw 2 Chesapeake Energy pickups on the strip of land between the freeway and the Trinity River.

Were they checking where the replacement for the Carter Avenue pipeline is going? How do you get permission to go driving in a location like that?