If You're Afraid Of Change: Elect Jim Lane For Mayor Because It's The Fort Worth Way!

For the 3rd week in a row a Jim Lane for Mayor of Fort Worth mailer showed up in my mailbox. I've previously opined that due to the years of the Moncrief Regime I've grown to be a fan of having a goofy mayor. And that it seems to me that Jim Lane presents the best hope for continuing to have a goofy Fort Worth mayor, who is occasionally a national embarrassment.

Jim Lane has been catching flak due to using the Molly the Longhorn logo on his campaign literature. There have been complaints to the City Attorney. Demands that the logo be removed immediately. Another person called the Texas Ethics Commission, saying "It makes the appearance that the city is supporting him."

I'm thinking if some of the locals think the local voters are so dumb that they think the city puts its official stamp of approval on a particular candidate, via a logo, well, if they are that dumb, well, Fort Worth has a problem.

Yikes! Sometimes I don't realize what I'm saying. The reality is, collectively, Fort Worth is dumb enough to think Molly the Longhorn is giving Jim Lane the city's official stamp of approval. It's sort of the Fort Worth Way. Where 6% of the eligible voters will vote on the Ruling Oligarchy's choice for mayor, who will win with about 70% of the vote.

But, Jim Lane is not the Fort Worth Ruling Oligarchy's choice for mayor. The FWRO's choice is Betsy Price.

Change of subject to the poster you see at the top. That was sent to me a few minutes ago from Eunice Lovers.

Eunice had some things to tell me, and then this....

Meanwhile...I was bored at work the other day and made this flyer for one of the mayoral candidates after reading one of your blogs. Enjoy.

Thanks Eunice, feel free to poster me any time you get bored at work.

Looking At A New Art Installation On The Tandy Hills While Thinking About Dancing With Elsie Hotpepper & BBQ

I'm so sleepy. Last night I was so tired I was in bed by 9. Then up by 5 this morning. I'm drinking iced coffee right now, to try and de-sleepify myself. I don't usually drink any stimulants in the afternoon, due to the stimulator having a too over stimulating effect.

I don't think I over-did the hiking on the Tandy Hills thing today, to the point of exhaustion.

Speaking of the Tandy Hills.

Today, under the Tandy Bamboo Teepee, which survived the 2011 Prairie Fest, still fully erect, there was an artwork that had been installed directly under the apex of the teepee.

Several Lake Worth Alliance water bottles had been duct taped together, along with some other materials, like the piece of red plastic you see duct taped in the lower left part of the picture.

I am not sure what the Lake Worth Alliance is. Does drinking water actually come out of Lake Worth? Isn't that lake heavily silted. With alligators living in it? I believe I have watched boaters and water skiers on Lake Worth from the outdoor patio of The Point on Lake Worth.

I think the water flowing through Lake Worth is the West Fork branch of the Trinity River. Eventually the West Fork joins up with the Clear Fork at the location where young J.D. Granger hopes to build a little lake in his mama's honor, called Lake Kay Granger. Or Kay Granger Pond. Or Kay Granger Puddle.

I don't believe the final name for the little lake has yet been picked.

Tonight you may see me at Rahrs & Sons Brewing Company watching a movie, listening to music, dancing with Elsie Hotpepper, eating BBQ and staying away from any Rahr & Sons liquid products due to my suspicion it gives me the hives.

But, right now I'm going swimming and lounge in the sun for awhile to make my skin produce some Vitamin D.

Up Before The Sun On The Last Friday Of April Thinking About Inbreeding Royals & Funnel Clouds

As you can see, looking through the bars of my patio prison cell on this next to last day of April, I am up early.

No. I did not get up early in order to watch that annoyingly ridiculous wedding brouhaha over in the UK.

I slightly remember paying slight attention to when William's mother married Camilla's husband, Chuck.

Most of those royal weddings don't work out too well in the UK.

The royal weddings used to be of the arranged sort, for political or other dynasty reasons. And then medical science advanced to the point where it was learned the reason some of the European royals, like the Habsburgs, had receding chins, was due to all the inbreeding. So, the royals started breeding with commoners, like Kate Middleston and Diana Spencer, in order to reverse the generations of royal DNA deterioration.

There is a segment of the UK population who are Monarchy Abolitionists. If I were in the UK I would be one of those. But, I'm stuck being a Monarchy Abolitionist in the U.S., where we long ago abolished the UK monarchy.

Change of subject to other strange unnatural phenomenon.

Up north, in my former location in the Skagit Valley of Washington, yesterday a funnel cloud appeared.

I have seen a funnel cloud since I have been in Texas. I never saw one in all my years of living in Washington.

I doubt I will be seeing a funnel cloud in Texas today. The forecast is predicting today to be sunny and breezy. Currently it is a relatively cold 58.

Though it may be only 26 degrees above freezing, I am not going to let that stop me from going swimming today.

Elsie Hotpepper Has Me Wondering About The Tarrant County Phallic Symbol Epidemic & Sanitary Sewers In The Tandy Hills

In the picture you are looking west, up a Tandy Hills trail, to the spot where yesterday I took a very cloudy picture of the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Fort Worth.

Today's view was cloudless.

After my recent bouts of the hives I've decided I need to lead a more healthy lifestyle. I will be trying to get more exercise and eat a more nutritious diet.

The Fort Worth Sanitary Sewer guys were on the Tandy Highway today, preparing a creek crossing for an incoming TV truck. They were working on the creek crossing that last week was flooding with gray water from a sewer line break.

I stopped and talked to the Sewer guys for a couple minutes. It was unclear to me if they realized the sewer water had been running down the creek at a high volume. It made no sense to me that they were preparing to send a TV camera into the pipeline, again, when the leak obviously occurred somewhere up the creek.

But, what do I know about the Sanitary Sewer business?

Sanitary Sewer. I had not before made note of it before, until today, when I read it on one of the manhole covers, that the phrase "Sanitary Sewer" is a bit odd. Should it not be "Unsanitary Sewer?" How can a sewer be sanitary?

Changing the subject from sanitary sewers.

If I remember right I mentioned recently that Elsie Hotpepper had gone missing. Well, I've now heard from Miss Elsie. A few minutes ago Elsie sent me a link to a blog post in the FW Weekly blotch blog, about the epidemic of phallic symbols cropping up all over Tarrant County, titled "Them's Some Nasty Vines."

I think I will go for an afternoon swim and get some Vitamin D therapy.

Going Swimming In Texas While Not Petting An Armadillo Or Worrying About The World Ending May 21

As you can see, looking up at the Texas sky, this last Thursday of April, it is another blue sky morning at my location on the planet.

Speaking of the planet. I was a little surprised to learn, when I looked at the Seattle P-I this morning, that the world is scheduled to end on May 21. There is a billboard on Aurora Avenue, in Seattle, telling people to save that date because Christ will be returning on that day.

These billboards have been popping up around the country. I have not seen one in my current location in the Buckle of the Bible Belt.

A guy named Harold Camping, of something called Family Radio, is behind the May 21 date. Mr. Camping gets really riled up over those people who claim the world will end in 2012, saying, “That date has not one stitch of biblical authority. It’s like a fairy tale.”

Meanwhile, while I wait for the world to end, I also learned I should not pet my pet armadillo because doing so may cause leprosy. I do not want to become a leper before Jesus arrives and ends the world.

I think I will go swimming now and try to block out worrying about the world ending and catching leprosy.

Hiking With My Mom On The Tandy Hills On The Last Wednesday Of April

Looking west from the Tandy Hills, around 4 this afternoon, at the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Fort Worth, you can see there is a bit of turbulence in the sky, not the predicted clear and breezy that had been advertised for today.

I got gas on my way to the Tandy Hills. As my one reader may remember, when I get gas I call my mom in Arizona.

Sun Lake, Arizona, to be precise.

My mom and dad living in a place called Sun Lake is interesting to me due to the fact that my favorite place we'd go on family trips was to Sun Lakes in Eastern Washington.

It has been a long time since I have been to Sun Lakes, Washington. I've been to Sun Lake, Arizona way more recently than Sun Lakes, Washington.

I have not been in Eastern Washington since August of 2001. The Washington friends I was staying with took me over to Leavenworth, via Stevens Pass, then fruit hunting by Wenatchee, then over Blewett Pass to go to Roslyn (aka Cicely, Alaska), for pizza and beer, then over Snoqualmie Pass, back to Seattle.

I have no mountain passes to cross over anywhere near my current location. Or big orchards where I can go fruit hunting.

I digress.

As usual.

I called my mom after I got gas, so mom went hiking with me on the Tandy Hills. My mom was in laughing at me mode. My mom laughing makes me feel good. My mom is one of the few people in the world who reliably finds me amusing.

I've not heard from Elsie Hotpepper for days. She is not answering her pager. Why do people go missing on me? Don't they realize this type thing worries me?

Watching The Sunny Breezy Sky While Waiting For Ernie At The Relapse Lounge & Bar In Either Richland Hills Or North Richland Hills

For several days in a row the forecast for the zone of North Texas that I inhabit has been for severe t-storms.

With no t-storms arriving. Thus rendering the forecast a bad forecast.

And now today, with the forecast being sunny and breezy, it looks the stormiest it has looked in days.

In the picture we are in either Richland Hills or North Richland Hills, looking east from the parking lot of the Relapse Bar & Lounge.

The Relapse Bar & Lounge is next to Ernie's Seafood. I was waiting for someone to show up at the appointed time at Ernie's Seafood.

I don't like waiting. My Adult Attention Deficit Disorder quickly kicks in if I am left impatiently waiting. Fortunately, the wait was not long.

Who goes to the Relapse Bar & Lounge? Rejected AA members?

Storm-Free In My Zone Of North Texas While Covered With Hives Also Known As Urticaria

Looking out my primary viewing portal on the world it appears the last Wednesday of April has dawned with a clear blue sky.

Once again my zone of North Texas dodged storms. Yesterday's predicted t-storms did their storming in East Texas, damaging or destroying over 100 homes.

I am still experiencing off and on bouts of rashes appearing and disappearing. I believe what this actually is is a case of hives. The medical term for hives is Urticaria.

Hives can be triggered by many different things, sometimes it's an allergic reaction. Sometimes it is stress. I am not particularly stressed at the present moment. The only random, different thing I've done of late, to which I may have had an allergic reaction, was on Saturday I consumed an intoxicating liquid concoction at the Prairie Fest.

Today in the noon time frame I likely will be heading north to Hurst. This may have me hiking the Tandy Hills later this afternoon.

In the meantime I am going swimming before it gets any colder. It is only 60 right now, heading to a low tonight of 48. Brrrrrr.

An Explosive Arlington Chesapeake Energy Event During Thunderstorm Is Not Being Reported

Way back on Saturday, January 23, 2010, my next door neighbor, a Chesapeake Energy Barnett Shale Natural Gas drilling site, started making real odd explosive noises, like loud pops.

After a couple hours of hearing this I walked over to my neighbor's to take pictures and video. Just as I arrived so did the white Chesapeake Energy pickup you see in the picture.

The pickup arrived at a high rate of speed, which sort of told me that whatever was happening, that was causing the popping, was serious.

I never did learn what this particular Chesapeake malfunction was. Or if any real danger was involved. But I did blog about the incident.

Moving forward more than a year. Earlier this month I heard from a lady in Arlington, Kim Feil, who told me about a Chesapeake Energy Barnett Shale Natural Gas drilling site incident which occurred in the wee hours of April 11, 2011.

Kim Feil has been trying to get answers about what happened that night, answers from TCEQ, answers from Chesapeake Energy, answers from the Texas Railroad Commission.

So far, no real answers.

So, this morning Kim Feil sent out the following....

Dear Media, during a power loss in the storm of April 11, two TCEQ investigations are ongoing to determine why emission events occurred in the same time frame.

Please inform the public of the added risk in the gas patch with storms.

Regarding the Chesapeake, Fulson site at 5720 S Watson in SE Arlington:

On  4/11/2011 early am, the emission events have been noted as follows..... (this before I have the 911 records that have gone past my 10 day open records request).

2:30 am   (approx per Mr Loredo) spewing sound awakens neighbors
3:00         Mr. Lordeo calls 911
3:15         (per records dept) Jane Lynn's first call to 911 did not result in the dispatch of the fire department-yet was told Chk would be contacted
3:30         Councilman Rivera contacted by Jane Lynn
3:34         Fire Dept dispatched (19 minutes after Jane's first call)
3:40         Jane Lynn's second call to 911 when being sickened with fumes that filled her home. Also by that time Loredo reports the fire truck was driving around the neighborhood and pointed their light on the Chesapeake contact sign
3:50         Emission sound stopped when the Chesapeake rep went onto the padsite
4:18         Fire truck back in service

In speaking with Mr O'Quinn from Railroad Commission,  a rep visited the site on 4/14 and noted that dry gas was released when the burst plate on the separator broke apart (as designed) to release pressure.  When I told him of the reported witnesses duration of the sound being almost 1 1/2 hours, Mr. O'Quinn said that long time frame would not be the sound of depressure in a relief valve (which is a short duration sound).  This indicates to me that the well did NOT AUTO SHUT ITSELF DOWN as was reported by Arl Fire Chief Don Crowson.

So it is suspect that there was actually a failure of the computer in the automatic well shut down that explains the duration of the venting of raw, unodorized, natural gasses from approx 2:30-3:50 am which is an hour and twenty minutes.

If the well auto shut itself down, then the Chesapeake rep would not have needed to go onto the site to make the sound "go away".

Then two evenings later Chesapeake rep, Tony Rutigliano, was applying for six more wells at this site. He honestly tried to tell council that he was not sure of the events.  Generalizations of emission behaviors and questionable information about the system being closed looped and about how the auto well shut in worked, as designed, made for the need to have this tabled and investigated, however, council approved the new wells by one vote.

As I see this, the only safety feature that worked as designed was the burst plate on the separator to relieve pressure.  But if the well itself was not shut in, then gasses flowing for almost an hour and a half was a failed attempt in preventing natural gas effluents from entering the airshed and our atmosphere.

In speaking with Mr. Mallick from TCEQ, the investigation is still in process and he could only say that the reports of the emission durations matched the same time frame as the XTO/Dalworthington Gardens's event that night during the storm.  Both have been reported to have lasted around an hour and twenty minutes.

I am reporting this to the best of my ability from the sources I have received information from.

Sincerely,
Kim Feil

Walking Around Fosdic Lake Talking To My Sister About My Brother's Knees While My Eyes Burn

I was housebound yesterday, due to inclement weather, with my only outdoor activity being my early morning swim.

Today I escaped my confinement at an hour before noon and went to Oakland Lake Park to walk around Fosdic Lake.

I am currently not suffering from any rash that I'm aware of. But, I am suffering from extremely irritated eyes. As in itching and dripping tears, making it difficult to see the computer monitor.

I called my mom and dad while I walked around Fosdic Lake. They weren't home. So, I called my sister. She got back to Arizona from Tacoma a few days ago.

Tacoma made my sister sick. Same thing happened the last time she stayed in Tacoma. That time it took about a month for my sister to recover. It took me about a year to recover from the last time I was in Tacoma.

As I was talking to my sister, my mom and dad arrived. I asked where they were going and learned my brother is in a hospital getting his knee or knees replaced. So, they were going for a hospital visit.

My brother was a jock, something I avoided, and so he has had many sports related surgeries. All my siblings were jocks and all have suffered jock-related maladies, not the least of which is finding watching a baseball game to be a stimulating activity.

So far, today's predicted severe t-storms have not arrived at my location. It is only 65, so I have my windows open. This may be why my eyes are being so irritated. One never knows what is in the air one breathes at my current location.

I should call my parakeet in the mine, Miss Puerto Rico, and ask if her allergies are in overdrive.