The Rain Is Downpouring In Fort Worth, Soon To Be Freezing Rain

I managed to get in my daily early morning pool dip. But by the time of my usual daily aerobic habit the sky had turned dire, here in my zone of North Texas, soon wet stuff began to hit the ground.

So, I decided to get my daily walk by pushing a grocery cart at my neighborhood Wal-Mart Supercenter.

On the way to Wal-Mart I needed gas. As I was pumping, an ol' geezer pumping from the adjacent pump asked me a question.

As in, "What's the difference between this gas station and Jesse James?"

I said, "I dunno. One's dead?"

"No," the ol' geezer said, "Jesse James used a gun to rob you."

Or something like that. I gave the ol' geezer a courtesy laugh. But I was not amused. In a public restroom I don't want the person using the adjacent urinal talking to me. I feel the same way when I'm pumping gas. Unless it is a being flirted with scenario, that I don't mind. But, no jokes when I am pumping gas.

As my one longtime reader knows, when I get gas I call my mom and dad in Phoenix and tell them how much it cost. But they were not home, so I left a message.

After about a half hour of pushing the heavily loaded grocery cart around in Wal-Mart it suddenly became very noisy, like a pounding roar, which it was, because the rain had shifted into downpour mode.

I checked out and on my way out of the store I asked the Wal-Mart greeter if she could please walk me to my car under an umbrella? The Wal-Mart greeter gave me a polite courtesy laugh. I was glad I'd anticipated a possible downpour, so I parked close to the door. Usually I do not park close to the door.

Right now it is 54 out there. That number is supposed to begin to drop, going below freezing sometime early tomorrow. I'm thinking it is going to be a real slippery mess in Fort Worth and North Texas soon. I hope it does not go into Ice Storm mode. Ice Storms wreak havoc with power lines. I don't want to lose power.

I forgot to tell you, the picture at the top was taken near the Handley Post Office, heading east on Ederville Road, with one of the flyovers that connects I-820 to I-30 overhead.

I must make a beauty named Elsie a map before lunch. Make that after lunch, I just heard the lunch is ready noise.

Experiencing Malice In Blunderland In Fort Worth Texas

Reading FW Weekly and TxSharon this morning has me aggravated.

The FW Weekly aggravation comes from the Metropolis section, which further documented the bad behavior of the corrupt state of Texas agency that calls itself the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, an agency name which is pretty much Orwellian double-speak, due to the fact that the quality of the environment does not seem to be much of a concern to this commission.

The TCEQ seems more concerned with helping the Barnett Shale natural gas industry cover up their dirty deeds and doings.

In the FW Weekly article we learn about the different testing results, and different methodology used by the TCEQ and the little town of DISH. A little Texas town that has been ravaged, in many more ways than one, by the basically un-regulated natural gas company Blitzkrieg that has damaged lives and livelihoods in a once peaceful small Texas town.

The town of DISH has an actual, real, serve the people who elected him, type of mayor, unlike Fort Worth's corrupt Mayor Mike Moncrief, who was installed by the gas industry to help facilitate the gas driller's massive Blitzkrieg on Fort Worth. The natural gas industry pays Moncrief over $600,000 a year to be their in the henhouse fox.

DISH Mayor Calvin Tillman has been fighting back, trying to save his town and the people who live there. Eminent domain was abused in DISH when the gas drillers decided it would be a perfect location for gas compressors, which are jet engine noise level contraptions. To feed the compressors, pipelines had to be laid. So, land that people used for their livelihoods was, well, basically stolen, using the corrupt Texas legal system to do so.

I sure use the word "corrupt" a lot. I never think I'm exaggerating when I do so.

After awhile, people in DISH started not feeling as well as they did before the Natural Gas Blitzkrieg hit their town. DISH paid to have their air tested. The results showed bad, bad things were in the air they were breathing.

And now, gas industry legal lackeys have sent the town of DISH some sort of legalistic, threatening letter, the theme of which seems to be making all sorts of claims of things DISH has not done correctly.

Visit Texas Sharon to read what Mayor Tillman has to say about this latest bullying by the corrupt gas industry thugs and read the thug's intimidating letter.

We are down the Rabbit Hole here, where black is white, yes is no, wrong is right. But, it's not Alice in Wonderland, it's Malice in Blunderland.

I've been in Texas around 10 years now. In all my years of living on the West Coast I don't recollect anything ever happening that appalled me like the things I've seen happen here in Texas.

A corporation wants a new headquarters? Boot 100s of Fort Worth low income people out of their homes and build a new Radio Shack Headquarters, that Radio Shack could not afford.

A mall needs some new parking space? Abuse eminent domain to take Hurst citizen's homes for the benefit of a private business known as the Northeast Mall.

A football team wants a new stadium? Abuse eminent domain, in Arlington, to boot more than 1,000 people from their homes and apartments and businesses. And bulldoze the homes before the victims have had their day in court.

Some goofballs get the hare-brained idea that ruining the confluence of two forks of the Trinity River to make a little lake and an un-needed flood diversion channel? Abuse eminent domain, taking homes and businesses, for a "public" project that the public has never voted on, known as Fort Worth's Trinity River Vision or Trinity Uptown Project or Fort Worth's Latest Boondoggle.

A company called Chesapeake Energy, run by a man many believe to be a lying shyster, named Aubrey McClendon, wants to run a non-odorized natural gas pipeline under a street called Carter Street, in Fort Worth. The Carter Street homeowners object, but one by one, under the threat of the abuse of eminent domain, they all give in to the strong arm tactics, all but one man, Steve Doeung.

And what does the City of Fort Worth do? Does the city tell Chesapeake Energy they must find a different route, and pipe only odorized gas. No, the City of Fort Worth sends in a gang of Gestapo Stormtroopers, in the form of code inspectors and Fort Worth Police, to raid Steve Doeung's house.

Where is the outrage here in Blunderland? Okay, there is some outrage, I mean I'm outraged. Texas Sharon is outraged. Don Young is outraged. The Queen of Wink is Royally outraged. Steve Doeung is outraged. 100s, maybe 1000s are outraged.

Why is the Environmental Protection Agency not outraged by what is happening in DISH. And elsewhere in Texas?

Has the Environmental Protection Agency been co-opted somehow, like all the other government agencies in Texas that are supposed to look out for the welfare of the people, but instead look out for the welfare of those who exploit and abuse the people?

What became of Dr. Al Armendariz? Why does the EPA not order a moratorium on gas drilling activities until the issue of pollution, both of water and air, are properly vetted to everyone's satisfaction, not just the satisfaction of the drillers?

I tell you, all this Malice here in Blunderland is the most perplexing stuff I have ever witnessed. I never dreamed, when I moved to Texas, that I would somehow manage to one day find myself being terrorized by White Trucks.

P.S. The Star-Telegraph has blogged about the Star-Telegram's article today which reverses previous articles which followed the gas industry and their lackey, Mayor Mike Moncrief's party line, that being nothing harmful is entering the air from the thousands of gas wells.

I Pledge Allegiance To The Flag Of Chesapeake Energy And To The Corporation For Which It Stands.....

You probably recognize 1 of the 3 flags in the picture, if you are in America, but not in Texas. You probably recognize 2 of the 3 flags if you are in Texas. You likely recognize all 3 flags if you have the misfortune to be a Citizen of the Shale.

On the left we have the Chesapeake Energy flag. On the right the Lone Star flag of Texas.

The flags are waving over the sprawling Chesapeake Energy complex, which is one of my neighbors, located on the north side of Randol Mill Road, at the northern termination of Oakland Avenue, on the site of what used to be a big ballfield park.

I do not know if Chesapeake Energy used eminent domain to acquire the ballfield property. Most likely it was City of Fort Worth property so Chesapeake simply told Fort Worth's Mayor, Mike Moncrief, that they wanted the land, and so they got it. That's one of the benefits when you operate your business where you also are in control of a city's government, for the most part, what with Fort Worth's mayor being on the take, taking money from all the natural gas companies operating in his domain.

Which. By the way. Is illegal. But not in Fort Worth, due to an exemption to the rule of law that operates in the rest of America.

The City of Arlington has a city flag. I've seen it many times. Does Fort Worth not have a city flag? If so, why is it not flying with the other three waving over the Chesapeake Energy complex?

I got a couple comments relating to Chesapeake Energy this morning, both from Anonymous. Both were very interesting....

Anonymous #1-----

Speaking of Gestapo-type stuff in FW, this picture reminds me to report what I thought was my eyes playing tricks on me a couple weeks ago while driving north on US 35 near I-20. I thought there was a black and white FWPD vehicle, with the light bar on top and all, coming up alongside of me. To my great surprise, the words on the side and back said Chesapeake Security. That is awfully confusing--not unlike how the city and council are awfully and easily confused with acting like they work for CHK when it comes to important policies. has anyone else seen one of these quasi-FWPD CHK PD cars?

Anonymous #2-----

I saw a white pickup truck that looked to be a natural gas company security vehicle. I couldn't get the name off of it because it was driving so fast and out of control. This is no exaggeration.

It was at the intersection of Westworth Blvd and Roaring Springs Road. I was on Roaring Springs waiting for the light when this white truck with light bar blazing turns south on Roaring Springs from WW Blvd, cuts through a very busy Quik Trip gas station, and gets back on Westworth. At a high rate of speed.

It was a WTF did I just see moment.

Speaking of white trucks. To take the picture of the flags in front of Chesapeake I pulled to the side of Randol Mill Road and snapped away. There are dozens of white Chesapeake trucks on the Chesapeake property. Many coming and going. As I drove away I soon saw a white truck close behind me. I thought, what fresh hell is this. The truck soon passed me. It was not a Chesapeake truck.

I tell you all these white truck incidents are turning me into a paranoid person.

I was wondering, at City of Fort Worth meetings, like a city council meeting, over which the corrupt mayor presides, is a flag present? If so, what one? City of Fort Worth. Lone Star flag? United States flag? Chesapeake Energy flag?

Is a pledge of allegiance said to open such meetings? I have no idea, having never gone to one, nor desiring to.

I'm thinking, what with the way things are here in Fort Worth, that there is likely a Chesapeake Energy flag present, with Mayor Moncrief standing, hand over heart, leading the pledge...

"I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag of Chesapeake Energy, and to the Corporation for which it Stands, one Company, Immoral, with Decency and Common Sense for Few."

A Dark Wednesday Fort Worth Afternoon On The Tandy Hills

I should be tired. I've been awake since about half past 3 this morning.

I waited for the sun to light up the place, this morning, before going outside to the pool. The trip to the pool started off inauspicious when I went to tighten the drawstring that keeps my swimsuit from falling off me and something ripped.

I don't believe this was a weight gain, heft-related clothes ripping incident. It was my favorite swimsuit and it'd long ago reached its natural lifespan.

I was determined to go hiking the Tandy Hills today, because this might be my last chance in awhile, with the incoming return to winter expected to bring freezing rain and a possible ice storm on Friday.

You can sort of tell in the picture, looking west at the beautiful skyline of downtown Fort Worth, around 4 this afternoon, that we have turned very un-sunny here.

I forgot to mention, yesterday, when I was talking about the results of Saturday's Tandy Hills Brush Bash, that the Brush Bashers removed the remains of Annie's Hobo Campsite. I'm sure Annie will be worried when she learns the Hobo Campsite is no more, wondering where the Tandy Hills Hobo will live now.

Remember Brush Bashers and Brush Basher Wannabes, you have another chance to commune with Mother Nature and help Her return part Her Realm to its intended state, by showing up for Brush Bash II on the Tandy Hills at 10 am, Saturday, February 6. Don't forget to bring work gloves.

World's Best Catfish At Tuckers Catfish Haven In North Richland Hills

It is Wednesday, so I went up to Southlake today a little before noon.

On my way back from my first stop in Southlake I went to Sprouts Farmers Market and got a lot of good stuff. I've never seen Sprouts so busy.

Were people stocking up for the upcoming return of winter with its possible Friday ice storm?

On the way back home, after Sprouts, I had been asked by an Anonymous Person to pick said person up at Tuckers Catfish Haven in North Richland Hills.

Why do so many people insist I not put their name in my blog? It perplexes me.

Anyway, I'd been in the Tuckers Catfish Haven parking lot previously. But I had not bothered to look at their sign. I read the sign today and was surprised to learn that in Tuckers Catfish Haven I could get the World's Best Catfish.

I added the apostrophe to World's. For some reason Tuckers does not seem to like apostrophes. It seems like it should be Tucker's Catfish Haven, not Tuckers Catfish Haver. And it should be World's Best, not Worlds Best.

Sorry about being an apostrophe Nazi.

I do not understand why catfish is so popular in these parts. There may be more catfish restaurants in the D/FW Metroplex than any other genre. Even BBQ. To my semi-refined tastebuds, catfish is, at best, flavorless, at worst you can bite into catfish that tastes like the mud the catfish bottom fed from.

The texture of catfish is mushy. Very unappealing. And then the catfish is usually deep-fried with a corn meal coating. Although I have seen catfish grilled in various ways, but none that tasted very good to me.

Usually with catfish you'll get these things called hush puppies. These are little balls of deep-fried cornmeal dough, usually tasting the same as what the catfish is coated with.

So, I guess the thing I've learned today is if I want the World's Best Catfish, which I don't, I need to go to Tuckers Catfish Haven.

Birds Flying North For The Winter With Incoming Freezing Rain In Fort Worth

I do not know if it is another sign of Mother Nature running amok, or what, but this morning, while I was doing my usual pool/hot tub routine, I saw 4 large herds of birds flying in formation overhead.

Three of the four formations were flying north, while the fourth confused formation was flying west.

In the Fall it is quite common to see large formations of birds of all sizes flying south, to the birding zone of South Texas or into Mexico.

I do not recollect seeing big formations of birds flying north this early. Something seems amiss.

Did the birds miss the news that Winter is not over? And that the forecast for Friday is snow, again, in North Texas. What are all these birds going to do as they fly over Oklahoma or Kansas and realize this is way too cold? Do they make a U-Turn and head back to South Texas?

I just went to get the Fort Worth forecast, for any of you birds reading this, and I see our Friday forecast has been changed from snow to freezing rain & freezing drizzle. I'm not sure what the difference is. I am not a big fan of freezing rain or drizzle. I prefer my rain to be thawed and lukewarm.

A Post Brush Bash Hike Over The New Tandy Hills Prairie

I was pleased to learn that almost 8 dozen Brush Bashers showed up on Saturday to Bash Brush on the Tandy Hills as part of an ongoing effort to remove invasive non-native, non-prairie type vegetation, and to rid the Tandy Hills of litter.

I made it to the Tandy Hills today around 3 in the afternoon. That was a very pleasant time to be there. Perfect temperature, no wind, nice blue sky light.

I was amazed at all the bags filled with litter that await removal. I thought Don Young might be exaggerating, a bit, when I read thousands of pounds of debris and litter were removed. I'm guessing multiple tons would not be exaggerating.

And all this was done in 3 and 1/2 hours, including a lunch break!

Tandy Hills 2010 Brush Bash Part II is scheduled for Saturday, February 6. Today I didn't see a lot of brush still awaiting being bashed to the main trail, compared to what I saw, pre-Brush Bash, but there is still a lot of work to be done, hence BBII.

The above picture shows a large section of the newly restored invasive species-free Tandy Hills Fort Worth Prairie, returned to its historical glory.

I learned today that one definitely needs to be wearing work gloves if you want to Bash Brush. I thought I'd drag out what I think was a chunk of Mesquite, today. Big mistake, whatever it was that I tried to drag, it had a thorny aspect to it that was not pleasant.

See you at the Tandy Hills Brush Bash Party February 6.

Another Car Hits A Tree By The Handley Post Office In Fort Worth

I have no clue about the details. All I know is I saw a strange scene this afternoon when I pulled into the Handley Post Office to mail some important documents to the Queen of Wink.

8 or 9 Fort Worth police cars, a couple emergency vehicles, a lot of flashing lights and one dilapidated looking car slammed up against a tree.

That is the tree and the car you see on the right.

I saw no tasering or any other Gestapo-type Fort Worth police behavior, which is why I referred to them as police, in case you were wondering.

What appeared to be a blanket was covering the back of the wrecked car. That seemed odd to me. There was no rush by the emergency vehicles to take anyone to a hospital. Was this a police chase that ended badly? This is the third wreck-type incident I have seen while at the Handley Post Office. Nothing seems unusually dangerous about the road in this location.

It's very perplexing.

2010 Tandy Hills Brush Bash I Huge Success, Brush Bash II February 6

This past Saturday multiple events conspired to keep me from being able to join the Manly Men and Wild Women bashing brush on the Tandy Hills of Forth Worth, Texas.

I've heard from Don Young that the bashing was a huge success, with Brush Bash II scheduled for Saturday, February 6, 2010.

The Brush Bash Report---

About 90 dedicated boys, girls, women and men showed up on a chilly Saturday morning to help restore the prairie at Tandy Hills Natural Area. This diverse team of individuals from all walks of life and throughout the Fort Worth area worked hard and did so cheerfully and with gusto. There was a sense of community and coming together to make a difference in this special place. The transformation of Tandy Hills Natural Area is well underway.

A huge swath of endangered Fort Worth prairie has been cleared of undesirable and invasive plants. Several large trucks hauled it away for composting. Thousands of pounds of trash and debris were removed. The rain forced us to stop at 1:30 pm so there is more work to be done this season. Please join us for round two.

The 2nd annual Brush Bash succeeded with help from the following groups:

--- Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area

--- City of Fort Worth Parks & Community Service Department led by, Michelle Villafranca, and crew

--- Polytechnic High School Key Club, directed by, Mike Beaupre (highly disciplined and motivated group)

--- Boy Scout Troops 12 and 180 (the future leaders of Tandy Hills were well represented)

--- Tarrant County Sheriff's Office, Labor Detail

--- Don's Dawg's owner-operator, Mindy Billings (hot dog's never tasted so good)

A very big Thank You to all!

DY

Another Stunning Scrabble Victory Over The Scrabble Queen Of Washington

Tuesday is off to an auspicious start. I have had another Stunning Scrabble Victory over the Scrabble Queen of Washington.

This now gives me 3 wins over the Scrabble Queen, with around 120 losses. So, in the bigger picture I'm a big Scrabble loser. I don't mind being a Scrabble loser, it's good exercise for my frequently dormant thinking mechanisms, even if losing is my norm.

If only this Stunning Scrabble Victory were some sort of omen of wins to come on other fronts. Sadly, I suspect this win is just an isolated fluke.

Speaking of isolated flukes, today I return to the location of last week's first flat tire. I am hoping to avoid any punctures.

I saw bad news whilst reading the local papers online this morning. Winter is about to return to North Texas. It was in the high 30s when I went swimming this morning, so, I suppose, winter's return may already be here.