National Weather Service Arctic Cold Front Wind Advisory For North Texas For Thursday

When you've got nothing else to talk about there is always the weather. Especially here in Texas.

As you can see from the 4 in the afternoon screen shot from WeatherBug we are at a balmy 46.2 right now, with a slight Wind Chill.

The National Weather Service minutes ago issued the first alert regarding the incoming Arctic Blast of Extreme Cold.

This was a Wind Advisory in effect starting Thursday morning at 6 til 6 in the evening. With the 15 degree low expected tomorrow and that wind, it is going to feel a bit cold out there.

I think I may take off and go on a hike while it's still semi-HOT out there.

Below is the National Weather Service Alert....

The National Weather Service In Fort Worth Has Issued A Wind Advisory, Which Is In Effect From 6 AM To 6 PM CST Thursday.

A Strong Arctic Cold Front Will Sweep Across North Texas After Midnight Tonight Bringing Strong North Winds Of 25 To 35 Mph With Gusts Over 40 Mph. These Strong Winds Are Expected To Persist Through The Day On Thursday And Will Begin To Diminish Around Sunset.

Precautionary/Preparedness Actions.

A Wind Advisory Means That Sustained Winds Of At Least 20 To 30 Mph Are Expected. Winds This Strong Can Make Driving Difficult, Especially For High Profile Vehicles. Boaters Should Use Extra Caution When Venturing Onto Area Lakes. Residents May Wish To Take Action To Secure Trash Cans, Lawn Furniture, And Other Lightweight Outdoor Objects That May Be Blown Around In The Strong Winds.

I Am Prepared For The Incoming Blue Norther Deep Freeze In Fort Worth Texas

I had to be in Southlake today, so it seemed a good idea to make a visit to Sprouts Farmers Market.

The view you are looking at in the picture is sort of looking north.

Which means a wind from the south is blowing the flag and pointing it north.

In a few hours the direction is going to change as Texas is invaded with the coldest Arctic Deep Freeze in a decade.

My shocking introduction to how cold it can get in Texas. And an Ice Storm. Came about 2 weeks after my arrival in Texas. I'd never experienced such weather. We'd gone to the Fort Worth Stockyards to, now long gone, Riscky Rita's Mexican food lunch buffet, coatless, temperatures in the 50s. Upon exiting Riscky Rita's I was appalled to find the temperature nearing freezing, with a strong wind making it feel way colder than freezing.

The was my introduction to a Blue Norther.

When I heard on the radio today that the incoming cold was expected to be the coldest in a decade I assumed the decade old cold was that cold I just mentioned that introduced me to the volatile Texas weather 10 years ago.

Below is the forecast for Fort Worth issued at 11:21 this morning. If the predicted Freezing Rain happens, tomorrow should be interesting. I'm well stocked with goods. I can handle a 5 day siege.

The Queen Of Wink Gets Winded & Pneumonia While Gar The Texan Has An Attack Of The Vapors

I'm finding out all sorts of surprisng things this morning.

Number 1, the Queen of Wink is ailing with a case of pneumonia, that she may have already contracted when she was a Wild Woman last Saturday on the Tandy Hills.

I was also surprised to learn that at some point on the Tandy Hills the Queen apparently got totally winded, but kept it to herself lest she be thought less of a Wild Woman, or a wimp coming down with a case of the Gar the Texan-like vapors.

The getting winded thing really surprises me because we really weren't hiking all that fast and the hills really aren't all that steep, albeit we were going fast enough and steep enough that it likely would have triggered a vapors attack in Gar the Texan. But the Queen of Wink appears to be in excellent shape. It's very perplexing.

Speaking of Gar the Texan, this morning I was surprised to learn he believes I have a reading comprehension problem and should seek therapy for this ailment. And to quit being so mean to him. Gar the Texan expressed this slightly more colorfully. I can't imagine why he thought I was being mean. I thought I was being helpful, explaining to him how the American political system works.

I did not go outside yesterday, except for a brief time, delivering a print out of Miss Puerto Rico's travel itinerary to her. It is almost balmy out there right now, 5 degrees above freezing. But I can't go on a hike til later in the afternoon. I have to head up to Southlake at noon.

I am rapidly gaining weight due to all this sloth. I think I crossed over 200 pounds a couple days ago. I walk with a waddle, my beer gut makes my back ache. I'm a mess. I'll try and have myself back to normal by tomorrow. Or the day after.

The Big Chill Is Coming To North Texas

It really perplexes me that there are Global Warming Skeptics. Why, here in Texas we are having the most balmy winter since I arrived in this sun kissed state.

No. That's not right. I'm having a bit of a brain freeze problem due to the constant chill I'm trying to survive. The reality is, barely 16 days into winter, this is the worst, coldest winter since I moved to Texas.

And it is about to get worse. By Friday the low is predicted to be 13.

This morning Miss Puerto Rico called me to tell me she is booking a shuttle to the airport next week, due to the forecast being extreme cold and ice, with me being unreliable to make an airport delivery, due to me not operating an ice storm friendly vehicle.

I'm not all that unpleased with that turn of events. I do not much enjoy running airport deliveries. It always seems to turn into an aggravation.

I may be a bit incommunicado in coming days due to weather related woes. I'll likely survive.

The Flock Of Texas Sheep Being Led To Slaughter Without A Protest

I read an article and saw a photo in the Seattle P-I this morning that made me think of Fort Worth and how different things are here.

In the photo you are looking at Seattle citizens protesting the construction of what was then known as the Everett-Seattle-Tacoma Superhighway, now known as Interstate 5.

The protesters did not like the fact that the new road would cut a big gash through Seattle, cutting off neighborhoods.

In the end the freeway was built and then the gash was somewhat mitigated by a huge convention center and a lid being built over a large section of the freeway, with the lid turned into a park, called, appropriately, Freeway Park, and which is very similar to the now defunct Fort Worth park called Heritage Park.

One of the many things that perplexed me when I moved to Texas was what seemed to me to be the lack of people being organized to do this that or the other thing, or stop this that or the other thing.

Shortly before I moved to Texas, Seattle passed a citizen initiated bond issue to build a $billion plus new monorail. Issues arose, other citizens petitioned for another vote and then 5 votes later the monorail was dead.

In Fort Worth there are a few voices saying that the voters should get to vote on the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle. I have no understanding of how such a project can be initiated without a public vote by the taxpayers. In Washington a voter can force a vote by getting enough signatures on a petition. This is called an Initiative. Does Texas not have this?

Which brings me back to those Seattle protesters back in 1961. If Chesapeake Energy goes through with its threat to run a non-odorized natural gas pipeline under Carter Avenue, among the 700,000 plus Fort Worth citizens, will 1/700,000 of those citizens, as in 1,000 show up with signs and block Chesapeake Energy with a protest? If not, why not?

What happened here in Texas that's made so many Texans so passive and so much like a big flock of sheep willingly being led to the slaughter, so to speak? Even sheep can outnumber a wolf if they get organized and show a little initiative.

The Dallas Cowboy Wal-Mart Supercenter Continues To Perplex Me

See that white rectangle in the upper right of the picture? That is the Dallas Cowboy Stadium Wal-Mart Supercenter.

This picture was taken in July of 2004. I was flying up to Seattle and when I realized the plane was going to fly directly over the worst case of eminent domain abuse in American history I got out my camera and started snapping pictures.

This was very early on in the project. The last house standing is still standing in this picture.

Now, why is the Dallas Cowboy Wal-Mart Supercenter on my mind this morning? Well, you may recollect me mentioning that the Wal-Mart parking lot is blocked off on Dallas Cowboy game days. On Saturday I saw the entries off Randol Mill Road were blocked off during the Cotton Bowl. And dozens of buses were parked on the lot.

When I found the parking lot blocked during a Dallas Cowboy game I figured it was just Randol Mill Road that was blocked. So, I tried to get to the entry on the north end of the parking lot, but found all roads leading there to also be blocked.

On Saturday we saw people walking in to Wal-Mart. So, it was open.

And now this morning I got a perplexing comment from the ubiquitous Anonymous claiming to work at the Wal-Mart in question.

"Perhaps you should have looked closer.

That Walmart doesn't close during games. The North entrance of the parking lot is open.

How do I know? I f*$%ing work there."

I don't know what to make of this. I know what I saw. Blocked roads. And on Saturday dozens of buses parked on the Wal-Mart lot. Do they pay to park there? When other vehicles get towed if they park there during a game, when signs say "No Event Parking?"

If it is true that the north entry is not blocked, then what is the route to that entry? And what is the reason Randol Mill Road is blocked?

It's very perplexing.

The Beach Street Gateway Park Trinity River Water Stealing Is Now On Steroids

A week or two ago I mentioned seeing a backhoe working in an area that had previously held a diesel pump sucking water from the Trinity River and making a big, rutted, muddy mess in the process.

When I saw the backhoe I thought maybe it was fixing the mess. As I so often am, a couple days later, upon closer inspection, showed me I was wrong. Instead more damage was done, in what looked to me to be preparation for a bigger water thieving operation.

And today I found out that, on that, I was right. A much bigger water thieving operation is being installed.

This time, with at least 3 large pumps and a lot of very thick metal pipe to move a lot of Trinity River water. That is a lot of pipeline leading down to the river's edge.

This was quite an operation, with trucks carrying pipeline lined up, waiting for their turn to rut up the Trinity River levee.

Above you are looking east at one of the truck trailer loads of pipe being delivered, with the installation crew on the left. That is the foot/bike bridge that crosses from the Trinity Trails into Gateway Park in the background.

I saw no permit posted, anywhere where these vehicles were driving, where "NO VEHICLES" signs are posted. A few days ago I learned that a permit is required any time surface water is taken in Texas, with the permits issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Above is a closer look at the, what I believe, is a criminal activity, that is a product of the racketeering that is going on in Fort Worth, with a corrupted city government permitting gas drillers to steal water from the Trinity River, due to the powers that be, in the Fort Worth City Government, being on what is commonly called "the take." With Fort Worth's Conflicts of Interest-laden, law breaking, ethically challenged, morally bankrupt Mayor Moncrief, the top crook on the take, to the tune of over $600,000 a year.

I'm trying to amp up my stridency on this issue, due to the fact that no one has corrected me if I am wrong. As in have permits been issued to take this water? If they have, how much do the permits cost? How much is being paid for the water that is being taken? How is it being regulated? If Moncrief is not violating the Conflicts of Interest laws would someone please explain to me how that can be?

Above you are looking at 3 of the diesel pumps which I believe will soon be put to work breaking the law and stealing Trinity River water, used for the purpose of further enriching Fort Worth's corrupt mayor and others on the take in Fort Worth's elaborate racketeering scheme that is raking in millions while poking thousands of holes in Texas, while making thousands of Texas citizens mad as hell and not wanting to take it anymore.

Above you are looking west at the diesel pumps and the bridge that leads to Gateway Park. The river is behind me. These pipes are a huge magnitude bigger than the first pipeline that stole water from this location. That pipeline was pretty much an oversized garden hose compared to these pipes.

Can anyone explain to me why this is being allowed? How does one make a citizen's arrest? Does anyone know if Mayor Mike Moncrief packs heat?

I thought Texans took serious, horse thieving and water stealing in these parts, where the west sort of began. It is just one more thing I've been wrong about.

Aches & Pains & Birds In Chilly Texas

Lots of birds of different feathers flocking together in the cold today at Fosdic Lake in Oakland Lake Park.

There were a pair of seagulls at this inland Fort Worth sea today. I don't see many seagulls in these parts.

We, supposedly, are about to get hit with another Arctic Blast here in North Texas. Winter has barely started, with this one already the worst winter since I've been in Texas. Two snowstorms, so far, with one of them being a blizzard.

I am staying out of the pool all this week. I've been having this chronic sore joints thing for several weeks now, made much worse from being chased by those Wild Women up and down the Tandy Hills on Saturday.

I was stuck in my computer chair this morning from dawn til noon, converting an existing website into a Wordpress based website. I'm almost done with it. Major pain in more ways than one, with none of the pains being worse than how my back felt when I got out of the computer chair to go to Fosdic Lake.

The pain has gone away, for now. Thanks for asking.

I'm hitting the Publish button on this blogging, then I'll be blogging about what I saw after I left Fosdic Lake.

Manly Men & Wild Women Hike The Hills Video

That's the Queen of Wink Wild Woman chasing behind me yesterday during the Manly Man & Wild Women Hike at the Tandy Hills in Fort Worth's biggest event of the day.

Below is a message from Don Young regarding yesterday's wild hiking and below that is the YouTube video Don is talking about...

Soreness and sunburn aside, The 1st annual Manly Men & Wild Women (& kids & dogs) Hike on the Hills was a roaring success. Participation was much greater than expected. The weather was just right. The company was excellent. The hills and valleys did their job of providing exercise ramps and eye-pleasing vistas.

Thanks again to all you alpha males and females for showing up and supporting Tandy Hills Natural Area. I hope to see you all on January 23rd for the Brush Bash.

Jim Marshall, has put together a nifty little YouTube vid of the MM WW HH event. Check it out here:

Fraccing The Barnett Shale Perplexes Me

I saw the notices you see in the picture, yesterday, pinned to the gate that blocks the entry to the Chesapeake Energy Scott Avenue Thomas 1H Barnett Shale natural gas drilling site.

I've been a Citizen, I mean Victim, of the Shale for a lot of years now and I still don't understand how it works. I guess I have not tried too hard to learn.

These notices indicated "Frac Dates" of Monday 1/12/09 to Wed 1/14/09. And a "Pump Time." Pumping what?

Yikes! Typing that made me realize this Frac date is not next week, it was a year ago. I forgot we have moved into a new decade and left the "Aughties" behind.

Which means the question that was perplexing me is no longer perplexing me. And that question was I thought the fraccing had already taken place at this site, because I remember video taping it.

So, is the fraccing a one time deal? Somehow a lot of chemically enhanced water is sent down into Barnett Shale via the hole that's been noisily drilled and this water causes the shale to shatter and release a lot of natural gas?

What role does the sand play? The second notice has to do with "Staging Sand Trucks." The Queen of Wink told me that she's seen mysterious giant piles of sand appear in her zone of West Texas. Is that where the sand is coming from?

After the chemically enhanced water does its fraccing job, then where does the chemically enhanced water go? Back to the surface? How does that work? I mean the chemically enhanced water has shattered the shale, releasing gas, that released gas, I assume, starts coming up the well shaft.

I'm perplexed. Maybe I'll try reading the Wikipedia article about the Barnett Shale again. When I tried that previously it didn't help alleviate my ignorance on this subject.