The 3rd Day Of March Dawns Bright & Halfway To 100 Degrees In Texas

Looking out my viewing portal on the world on this third day of March I can see it is yet one more blue sky day in Texas.

Currently heated to 50 degrees.

I think I have somehow acclimated myself to being able to tolerate a level of coldness that may be a few stages past what I should be tolerating.

Yesterday I was in the pool for around a half hour. When I got out the air felt no different than the water. Til I stepped inside, where it felt very warm.

Getting in the shower I did not realize I had the water on cold til it hit a part of me, as in my face, that had not been in the cold water.

When I got out of the shower the shivering began. It was like involuntary exercise. I'm sure it burned a lot of calories.

When the shivering stopped there seemed to be no lingering after effect that I could detect.

So, I guess I'll go swimming again this morning. As in right now. Talk to you later.

Walking Around Fort Worth's Fosdic Lake Today Thinking About Old Bags In Tacoma

I could not get to one of my daily constitutional zones til around 4 this afternoon, unless you count my early morning swimming constitutional, which this morning somehow caused me a very interesting shivering sensation for about an hour out of the pool.

As you can see in the view looking north at Fosdic Lake in Oakland Lake Park, it is a nice blue sky day in Texas.  Well, this part of Texas.

It is currently 72. Windows open.

I just heard from my therapist, Dr. L.C., desperately seeking Elsie Hotpepper. I thought Elsie was with Dr. L.C., so I am of no use in the locate Elsie Hotpepper project.

I'd not gotten any email from my Tacoma Informant for awhile. I got one today telling me to look at Fubbo's Blog, because she'd had one of her incidents and blogged about it. I'd not looked at Fubbo's Blog in a long time, because, well, quite frankly, it's so badly written and so, well, uninteresting.

Apparently Fubbo was in her booth at one of the flea markets she works on the junk dealer circuit.

Fubbo was working the booth with some sad sap who hasn't figured out she is dealing with a sociopathic nutcase suffering from histrionic narcissistic disorder, who's a convicted felon who's done hard time for stealing 100s of thousand of dollars. And, currently this sad sap thinks Fubbo is a good business partner. The sad sap will wise up eventually.

So, this little old lady from Yakima comes up to Fubbo's booth and asks if she could have a bag to put her purchases in. Fubbo's "business partner" kindly gave the old lady a bag. Which set Fubbo off on one of her tantrums. Directed at both the old lady and the "business partner."

Fubbo making a big deal over a bag is classic Fubbo and why she was too toxic, by far for me to allow myself to be subjected to. Rather than worry about being 100s of pounds overweight, rather than worry about being addicted to psychotropic drugs, rather than worry about all the real things she should be worrying  about, Fubbo attacks an old lady over asking if she can have a bag and attacks her "business partner" who gave the old lady a bag.

Fubbo really was let out of jail way too soon. Psychiatric treatment should have been one of the conditions of her release. I don't think lobotomies are still performed.

On a totally different note on a much more pleasant subject. I told my mom last night I'd look at one-way options to Phoenix today. Bus, train or plane. I had it in mind that ground transport, without me having to drive, would be fun.

But then I started realizing what a living hell being stuck in a bus or train for 30 plus hours would be. This started making the 2 hours in a plane option seem much more appealing.

The only thing worse I can think of, than being stuck in a bus for 30 hours, would be being stuck in a flea market booth with Fubbo for 6 hours. No, worse would be being stuck on a plane next to Fubbo for 2 hours.

Arkansas Is Shaken By Earthquakes Around Shale Drilling Operations

Formerly mostly earthquake-free Arkansas has been doing some shaking of late.

This shaking coming after letting Chesapeake Energy, and others, poke a lot of holes in the Arkansas Fayetteville Shale.

It seems each time the earth quakes in these areas getting drilled it's like a mystery whether or not there is a correlation.

Steve Horton, an earthquake specialist at the University of Memphis and hydrologic technician with the U.S. Geological Survey, is worried by a correlation between the Arkansas earthquake swarm and a side effect of the drilling: the disposal of wastewater in injection wells.

"Ninety percent of these earthquakes, that have happened since 2009, have been within 6 kilometers of these salt water disposal wells. The timing is too coincidental to ignore," Horton said.

The U.S. Geological Survey recorded a 4.7-magnitude quake at 11 p.m. Sunday, centered just northeast of Greenbrier, about 40 miles north of Little Rock. It was the largest of more than 800 quakes to strike the area since September in what is now being called the Guy-Greenbrier earthquake swarm.

Despite earthquakes shaking in pretty much all the areas where shale drilling and fracturing is taking place, there are still legions of drillers being the cause deniers.

From an article about the Arkansas quakes, "Scientists are slow to draw conclusions on any subject, and despite years of speculation, there is still little consensus about whether the practice is contributing to the quakes."

The same lack of consensus regarding drilling caused quakes exists here in Texas.

In 2009, the small town of Cleburne, Texas, experienced the first recorded earthquake in Cleburne's 140-year history, quickly followed by another four shortly afterwards. Many experiencing the shaking quickly concluded the Barnett Shale drilling was causing it.

"I think John Q. Public thinks there is a correlation with drilling," Cleburne Mayor, Ted Reynolds, said. "We haven't had a quake in recorded history, and all the sudden you drill and there are earthquakes."

Yeah, it really is a big puzzle and mystery as to what is causing all the earthquakes where, previously, the earth stood fairly still.

The Paradise Center Scandal Has Morphed Into MHMR-GATE

I'd been calling the shady dealings done to the Paradise Center by the Tarrant County Mental Health Mental Retardation Agency the Paradise Center Scandal.

I now think it more accurate to call this particular scandal the MHMR-Gate Scandal.

Because, near as I can tell, the scandal emanates from the MHMR agency.

Paradise Center, its clients and Teresa Davis are the victims.

I heard from a concerned social worker, this morning, that rumors are flowing around MHMR, via employees, that the CEO, Jim McDermott, and his underlings are acting nervous and paranoid.

Likely the CEO has now been made aware of the legal implications of his actions. Some caseworkers have grown uneasy with the orders being given by MHMR's CEO and top management.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram has still not reported on the MHMR-Gate Scandal, as far as I know. Today FW Weekly's weekly issue hits the newsstands. We'll see if FW Weekly has an article about the MHMR-Gate Scandal.

Millions Worldwide Annoyed Because Facebook Scrabble Is Not Working

Facebook's Scrabble is causing an International Upset as Scrabble Addicts World-wide are unable to get their fix for the past couple days due to a Facebook Scrabble malfunction.

Getting beat regularly by the Scrabble Queens of Washington and California is just about the only mental stimulation I get on a daily basis.

So, with Facebook Scrabble not working I am current not mentally stimulated.

On the Facebook Scrabble page there is a link to a Scrabble Forum. That is where I learned people all over the world are not happy right now, due to their Scrabble withdrawal pains.

One person came up with the bizarre conspiracy theory that Mark Zuckerberg, he being Facebook's inventor, shut down Scrabble after being miffed that Social Network, the movie based on Facebook, did not when the Best Picture Oscar at Sunday's Academy Awards.

To me this seems a rather far fetched conspiracy theory. Though there are those who have made note of the supposed fact that Scrabble went down very quickly after Social Network did.

If Facebook Scrabble does not resume working today I am going to need to find something else to stimulate me mentally.

The Second Day Of March Thinking About Taking The Train From Texas To Arizona

The pool is looking more inviting on the 2nd day of March than it was yesterday, due to the temperature being only 3 degrees shy of 50.

I had myself an insomnia bout last night. And then, when I finally passed out, I had myself a roller coaster ride of disturbing nightmares.

Disturbing nightmares, the details of which I retain too much memory.

My mom called me again last night with a plan. She thinks it sounds fun if I'd take a one-way conveyance to Phoenix and then mom and dad would drive me back to Texas. Well, actually, I would do the driving.

It sort of sounds fun to take Amtrak to Arizona. Amtrak does not go directly to Phoenix. The nearest stop to Phoenix is Maricopa, where my brother lives.

I have only ridden on Amtrak once. From Tacoma to Portland and back. By the time I got to Portland the train ride had given me a splitting headache that lasted all weekend. Then on the way back to Tacoma I basically got seasick from the constant rocking motion that was worse than a ferry boat caught in a major tide change. I was barely back to Tacoma and on the freeway when I had to exit the freeway to throw up.

Maybe Amtrak to Arizona is not such a good idea.

I think I'll go swimming now and think about it.

Today's Shadow Of The Tandy Thin Man Thinking About Good News For Fort Worth's Paradise Center

The sun was in full exposure mode at noon today, which brought the Shadow of the Tandy Thin Man into view. Because it was noon it made for a very short Shadow of the Tandy Thin Man.

Sources close to the situation tell me that there may be good news soon about the Paradise Center. It seems there are some good people in Fort Worth who when they learn someone has done a bad deed, come forward and try to help right the wrong.

I also heard from Wandalyn again. Wandalyn is going to look into the idea of starting a blog as a memorial to her murdered daughter.

And, as if Wandalyn does not have enough grief, she was coming home to the apartment she lives in with another daughter, to find the body of a young black man. Shot in the head. Wandalyn called 911 and then waited by the bod until police arrived.

I saw my first Tandy Hills wildflowers of the year today.

68 degrees out there coming up on 4 in the afternoon. My windows are open. Daylight Savings Time starts up March 13. I would prefer it not to start up.

TRIP The Trinity River Improvement Partnership's Fort Worth Rebels

It has been brought to my attention that a group of rebels has formed with the goal of trying to Save the Trinity River from its current course of being severely altered by the myopic Trinity River Vision Billion Dollar Boondoggle.

It is risky business rebelling against The Fort Worth Way in these parts.

In the picture of the pair of Trinity River Inner Tube Happy Hour imbibers there is a "Vote NO! Save The Trinity" sign.

That is a bit misleading. In Fort Worth the voters are not allowed to vote on massive public works projects in their city.

The Rebel Group calls itself  the Trinity River Improvement Partnership (TRIP).

On Saturday, March 5, 2011 TRIP is hosting its premiere event at the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens. Unlike voting on public works projects, the Fort Worth public is invited to this event.

At the event you will find hors d’oeuvres. Hors d’oeuvres is fancy French-speak meaning food. In addition to food you'll also listen to speakers and view a film. I don't know for sure what the film is. It may be the infamous J.D. Granger UTA video. I've not seen this video, but I've been told it is highly informative.

TRIP has a website where you can learn more about plans to "Save a River...Save a Billion!"

Go to the Star-Telegragh to learn more about Saturday's meeting and to RSVP to make sure you reserve yourself a seat.

54 Days Until The 2011 Prairie Fest On The Tandy Hills

It is 54 days until the 2011 Prairie Fest takes place on the Tandy Hills, also known as the "Best place to stand in North Texas," with the Prairie Fest known as Fort Worth's "Best Outdoor Cultural Event."

The Prairie Fest is a one day event. Mother Nature has been good to the Prairie Fest during a time of the year known for wild weather, like tornadoes and hail, in North Texas. The only bad Mother Nature behavior I have seen at a Prairie Fest has been wind gusts causing some trouble.

The Prairie Fest needs volunteers. Find out how you can help via Don Young's Prairie Fest message below...

Prairie Fest is a big 'ol sprawling event that's getting bigger (and better) every year. The thing is really a small city of 4,000+ people that we create for a single, ten hour event, one day a year, at the mercy of Mother Nature. Why would anyone do such nutty thing? We do it for one reason: 

-To bring awareness to Tandy Hills Natural Area in order to protect and restore it for you and your family for now and forever.  

We rely heavily on people like you to create and manage this small city on that one day. Will you spare a few hours on April 23rd to help out?  >>> EZ sign-up HERE.

"Ask not what Prairie Fest can do for you. Ask what you can do for Prairie Fest."

The First Day Of March Wondering About Wandalyn Getting Scammed At The Garden Of Angels

It's the first day of March. Spring is only 20 days in the future. When it should be warmer than it is right now in my zone of Texas.

It is only 6 degrees above freezing this morning. I think I'll be skipping the morning swim this morning.

Remember last month when I mentioned the Garden of Angels and Wandalyn's hope to get a cross installed there as a memorial to her murdered daughter?

Well. I got email last night from Wandalyn. She had gone to the Garden of Angels and met with its president, a man named Greg Price. To get Wandalyn's cross Price wanted Wandalyn to sign a contract. At the bottom of the contract was the pricing options for the crosses.

A cheap cross for $150. A better cross for $400. Price said, "You do want the $400 one right?"

Wandalyn told Price that the Garden of Angels' website said the cross cost $40 and gratis if one could not afford it. Price told Wandalyn that he told them to take that off the website, "but I guess they didn't do it."

Wandalyn became very uncomfortable with the Garden of Angels experience at that point. Understandably so.

Wandalyn also told me the Garden of Angels is in really bad shape. The fountain no longer spouts water, the drunk driver destroyed gazebo is still destroyed.

And Wandalyn said the most tattered American flag she'd ever seen was blowing in the wind. Wandalyn put an ad on Craig's List asking if anyone could donate a flag to a memorial. A guy named Joe, in Illinois, then mailed Wandalyn a new flag, which she then gave to Price when she met him.

I wonder what's happened to the group that used to meet monthly to work on the Garden of Angels? And at what point in time the Garden of Angels turned into one guy's money making scam?