In Village Creek Natural Historic Area Looking For Snakes, Fish & Graffiti

You are looking at some fishermen and fisherwomen and fisherkids fishing on and near one of the Village Creek Natural Historic Area's dam bridges, today, around noon.

I'd not seen a large group of people fishing here before. There were 3 or 4 more fishing to the right.

You can't see it in the picture, but the guy in the middle had a big net that he stuck in the creek which caught little minnow-like fish, which he then distributed to the other fisher people, who used the little fish as bait to try and catch bigger fish.

I saw no big fish caught.

I had barely started my walk through the jungle when I was annoyed to see graffiti.

A couple weeks ago I was annoyed to see graffiti on the new wooden bridge in Veterans Park. You can't see it in the picture but there is a big mess of graffiti on the dam bridge near where they guy with the minnow net is standing.

The graffiti in the picture is not quite so bad. It's more artistic. The artistic graffiti is on some sort of sewer outlet. The graffiti artists did not even have the decency to take their empty cans of spray paint with them.

The annoying graffiti, besides spray painting on the dam bridge, was spraying graffiti on various park signs. That goes past being graffiti to being outright vandalism.

I have seen more snakes in the Village Creek Natural Historic Area Park than any other park I've been in in Texas. Copperheads, Water Moccasins, Rattlesnakes. It is also the only place I've seen an Alligator Gar.

Today I walked off the paved trail to take the picture of the graffiti on the sewer outlet and saw a "road" path that I'd not previously seen. I thought maybe the recent Barnett Shale seismic testing in the park had had a truck make this new road.

Walking on this "road" through the jungle made me a bit nervous, due to that snake issue I mentioned two paragraphs ago.

Eventually the "road" came to a dead end at the creek. This is not Village Creek. I think the name is Bush Creek. But I'm not sure. What I do know for sure was there was a big white pipe crossing above the creek, supported by cables, like a suspension bridge. It looked very strange.

I am happy to report I saw no snakes.

The Last Sunday Of May Thinking Of Getting Drilled By Chesapeake Energy On Broadcast Hill

Looking out at the world from my primary viewing portal it appears the last Sunday of May has dawned cloudy in my location on the planet.

Today in my location on the planet we are scheduled to be heating to a relatively chilly high of 90. Much cooler than yesterday's high of 98.

If I remember right I think I have mentioned that I often go to the top of Mount Tandy as my start off point for hiking the Tandy Hills Natural Area's many trails.

I do not think I have also mentioned that Mount Tandy is also known as Broadcast Hill, due to television broadcasting facilities being located there.

I knew the Broadcast Hill facilities were a NBC operation. What I did not know, til this morning, was that the Broadcast Hill NBC operation is the location for the Dallas/Fort Worth NBC affiliates broadcast studio.

Apparently, after 63 years of operating from Broadcast Hill/Mount Tandy, NBC is moving its operation to a new, currently undisclosed location.

Chesapeake Energy owns the land between the NBC operation and the Tandy Hills operation. Chesapeake Energy also owns land on the west side of the Tandy Hills operation. That land has already been drilled. It would not please me if the Chesapeake Energy land on the east side of the Tandy Hills operation gets drilled.

Rather than worrying about getting drilled, right now, I think I'll go swimming.

I Am Going Over The Edge In Downtown Fort Worth For Only One Thousand Dollars

Yesterday I blogged that the entity known as Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. was sponsoring an event in Burnett Park on June 9 called Picnic & Politics in the Park.

I opined that Picnic & Politics in the Park struck me as a bit odd.

Just like how I think the Cowtown Wakepark is a bit odd.

The Cowtown Wakepark is part of the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle. The Wakepark is the first part of the vision able to be seen.

And then there is the Rockin' Live on the Trinity River, TRV sponsored Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats. With music. Very, very, very odd.

The Trinity River Vision and Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. are tightly connected entities. Both Fort Worth Ruling Oligarchy operations.

I think the Trinity River Vision and Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. must be consulting the same creative geniuses. Geniuses specializing in raising goofiness to some sort of art form.

Outdoing the Cowtown Wakepark, for sheer goofiness, is Downtown Fort Worth, Inc.'s "Over The Edge" event.

Fort Worth's current goofy mayor, Mike Moncrief, has been practicing for this event for at least a month.

Mayor Mike's first rappelling lesson ended up with him upside down on the side of a Fort Worth skyscraper.

On Friday, June 24, for only $1,000, you can rappel down the side of the 26 story XTO building at 714 Main Street in beautiful downtown Fort Worth.

This is limited to only 80 participants, so you'll want to sign up as soon as possible, because those 80 slots are going to go fast.

According to the DFWI website, you will "Get a whole new view of Downtown Fort Worth during this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience big thrills and excitement!"

The DFWI website also suggests, "If you want to live on the edge, this is your chance! Go as a solo climber, or sign up a representative from your organization. Pool your money and "toss your boss." Or give this unique experience as a Father's Day or anniversary gift."

The DFWI website claims this is "A Lofty Fundraiser for Downtown Fort Worth" where "Your participation will help Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. (DFWI) continue to improve our wonderful Downtown. You'll be supporting projects like the JFK Tribute, our downtown marketing programs, Burnett Park, Heritage Park, our social media efforts and everything DFWI does for Downtown!"

This will help support projects like Heritage Park? Heritage Park is a closed, surrounded by chain link fence, downtown Fort Worth eyesore.

If 80 people actually pay $1,000 to rappel down a building, that is only $80,000. Minus, I am sure, a lot of expenses. How is this measly amount going to help Heritage Park, where the latest estimate of the cost to restore it to its former glory is something like $7 million?

That would take a lot of people paying $1,000 each to rappel down a Fort Worth building to raise $7 million.

Almost 100 With Pirate Booty & Tandy Hills Hiking With No Power

At 3 in the afternoon we are currently 5 degrees shy of today's predicted high of 98.

I think it was nearing 90 when I went hill hiking on the Tandy Hills today. The humidity seems to have dropped, so the hill hiking was not like walking through a wet wool blanket, like it was a few days ago.

I was surprised to see, today, that the Tandy Bamboo Teepee art installation survived the recent storms. I would have thought being pummeled by hail, rain, winds and possible tornadic action would have brought down the teepee.

Here in East Baghdad, I mean, East Fort Worth, the power went out again this morning. There were a couple very short outages. And then it went out for about an hour.

I am getting very tired of the almost daily power outages. The Albertsons, across the street, and the Krogers a little further up the street, both lose power when I do. As do several other businesses in the zone I live in.

I am sure it must have happened at some point in time, but I do not ever remember the power going out when I lived in Mount Vernon. All the utilities were underground there. Is that the difference? Or does it have something to do with Texas being more like a third world country than Washington is?

I had a good foraging expedition at Town Talk after my Tandy hiking. I got grapes. And a super-sized bag of Pirate's Booty white cheddar cheese puffs. They're a delicacy.

I think I will go swimming now and do some sun lounging in the 93 degree heat. I likely will not last long.

Looking At A Blue Oasis On The Morning Of The 28th Day Of May

It is the morning of Saturday, May 28. This month has gone by in a super flash. I do not like months going by in a super flash.

Looking out at that blue oasis on ground level it appears that enough water has been added back to the pool that swimming will be doable this morning.

The prediction that today would be the first 100 degree day of the year in my zone of habitation has been lowered by 2 degrees.

98 degrees will still be HOT.

I'm going swimming now. Talk to you later.

I Am A Platinum Sponsor Of Fort Worth's Picnic & Politics In The Park

This afternoon I made one of my infrequent forays into Facebook. During that foray I saw GG making a cryptic comment that intrigued me.

GG said, "Only in Fort Worth do you have to pay $60 per person to hear what mayoral candidates have to say, in a public park."

What fresh hell is this, I wondered to myself?

Well, GG and her assistant provided sufficient hints to allow me to get to the bottom of this mystery.

Seems the Fort Worth Ruling Oligarchy has two candidates running for mayor of Fort Worth, Betsy Price and Jim Lane. The one chosen to be the next mayor, by the Queen of the Fort Worth Ruling Oligarchy, Kay Granger, is Betsy Price.

I do not know if Jim Lane did something to displease the FWRO Queen, which caused him to lose royal favor, or what.

Maybe the FWRO Queen did not think Jim Lane could as easily be made to do her bidding, as could Betsy. Or maybe it is something as simple as the fact that both Betsy and Queen Kay are Republicans, while Jim Lane is a Democrat.

Back to paying $60 to hear what the mayoral candidates have to say for themselves.

Well.

On June 9 at 11:30 AM - 01:00 PM at Burnett Park, it being one of downtown Fort Worth's public parks, Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. is staging an event called Picnic & Politics in the Dark. I mean Park.

I'm assuming Betsy Price and Jim Lane will give speeches while a picnic takes place. This Picnic & Politics in the Park is open to the public, Fort Worth being the type of inclusive town that it is. And the fact that the event takes place in a public park. How could it not be open to the public?

All it costs to attend this event is $60. You can get in for $50 if you pay $350 to become a Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. member. That is $350 a year to save you $10 on a political picnic.

I'm already going to this important event, due to being a PLATINUM SPONSOR. It only cost me $2,500, for which I'll get priority seating for me and 20 of my closest friends. Plus I'll get recognition in the luncheon program, event signage and stage announcements.

Best $2,500 I have ever spent.

A Red-Head Nephew And Twins Named Theo & Ruby Babysat By A Pair Of Poodles

I got an email a few days ago telling me that the censorship block had been lifted from the Blue & Max Blog that I'd made well over 3 years ago.

Blue & Max are a pair of real high maintenance, real cute, poodles.

When I last saw Blue & Max they were living in a big house in Tacoma with a pair of real high maintenance, real cute, humans.

When I was last in the house Blue & Max live in I was astonished at how many things were serious issues. Like there was a house ban on repetitive noises. Everything in the kitchen had to be organized in alphabetical order. There were 6 or 7 different containment vessels for various types of trash.

If you mistakenly put something in containment vessel 4 that should have gone in vessel 5, well, let me tell you, the inquisition that followed was not a pleasant thing to endure.

And do not get me started on the dish washing protocols.

At the time I observed this domicile, like some sort of anthropologist observing an alien tribe, it appeared to me that Blue had the most issues. Blue is one very particular poodle. Blue's brother, Max, is the most laid back, easy going inhabitant. Max really was the only inhabitant I had a comfortable bond with.

So, sometime after I left that domicile, in a very metaphoric dark sky downpour, on August 20, 2008, had you told me then that less than 3 years later that a 2 year old boy and a pair of twins would be added to that house, I would have said this would not be possible.

And yet that is what happened. My nephew David was added, I think, well over a year ago. David is my first red-headed relative that I am aware of. Then 5 or 6 months ago the twins, Ruby Jean and Theo Ryan, RJ & TR, were added.

My mom and dad have yet to meet Ruby & Theo. They have met David. David flew down to Arizona to see his grandma and grandpa. I think maybe my mom and dad have been back up to Tacoma since David arrived, but my memory is faulty.

In the picture at the top, that is David, in the Big Brother t-shirt, with his arm around Ruby Jean. On the Blue & Max Blog there are a lot of pictures of David being the big brother, and Blue & Max being the babysitting poodles.

I highly doubt the circumstances will arrive where I play the uncle role with David, Ruby and Theo. I don't know how one can play the uncle role long distance.

When I did play the uncle role it was with 4 nephews who lived in close proximity. I was an excellent uncle, even if I do say so myself. Ask my nephews, they will confirm my excellent-ness as an uncle.

Hiking The Hot Windy Tandy Hills Thinking An Adult Intervention Is Needed In Fort Worth

The weather predictor has backed off a degree from tomorrow's 100 degree temperature. What a relief.

As you can see, via the view from the top of Mount Tandy, looking west to where the west begins, at the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Fort Worth, you can not see anything but a bright blue cloud-free sky.

Hiking the Tandy Hills was a good thing today. Borderline HOT with a very strong wind blowing.

GG's husband, currently calling himself Mike, pointed me today to some upcoming Fort Worth events that are causing me to again think a federal intervention is needed in this goofy part of America where I find myself living.

A couple days ago it was the Rockin' the River Inner Tube Happy Hour Parties that had me thinking it is time for adults to intervene here.

Then yesterday it was an advertisement for the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's Cowtown Wakepark that had me wondering am I the only one who thinks this is goofy?

I may get around to blogging about the goofy stuff GG's husband sent me. But, right now I'm worn out and tired.

I've not been able to swim for 3 mornings in a row. But, the problem with the pool has been fixed and it is currently in re-fill mode. An amount of water sufficient for swimming should be in the pool by morning. That will please me.

Betsy Price & Jim Lane In A Race For Mayor In The Fort Worth Stockyards

One of Jim Lane's ex-girl friends sent me this picture of her ex in a horse race with Betsy Price at some location in the Fort Worth Stockyards.

It appears, in the picture, that Jim Lane has a slight lead over Betsy Price. I don't know if that is currently the case in their horse race to become Mike Moncrief's replacement as mayor of Fort Worth.

Betsy Price is the Fort Worth Ruling Oligarchy's choice to be mayor. Jim Lane is also a member of the FWRO. But not the chosen one.

In the May 14 election that eliminated the non-FWRO candidates, Betsy got 43.3% of the vote, while Jim got 26.3%. Together, Betsy and Jim got 69.6% of the vote.

In the last mayoral election Mike Moncrief won by getting 70% of the 6% of the votes of the voters who bothered to vote. In the May 14 election more than 10% of the voters bothered to vote. With the percentage of votes going to the FWRO candidates virtually at the same 70% level as when only 6% voted.

This would seem to negate the theory that the way to overturn the FWRO is to get people to vote. If there was a 50% turnout would the FWRO still get around 70% of the vote? It would be interesting to find out. But, sadly, it will never happen.

There are too many fun things to do on a Saturday in Fort Worth, competing with voting, like going wakeboarding on the world's premiere wakeboard lake, for example.

Even though he is a charter member of the Fort Worth Ruling Oligarchy, I'm voting for Jim Lane. I think he may make an amusingly goofy replacement for the amusingly goofy Mike Moncrief.

Jim Lane has a Facebook page for his mayoral campaign. I gleaned a few good comments that I will share below...

 Best quote of the day regarding supporting Jim Lane for Mayor:

"It's time to coalesce around a real leader for Fort Worth. Besides, Best Buy wants their logo back."

--Todd Hill, Democratic Activist

Fort Worth has taken the wrong path of leadership for years, it's time to "Get in the right Lane" besides; "The Price ain't Right"

---Joycia Sunshyne Johnson

I wish I lived in Fort Worth for this election. Betsy Price is a great lady, but there is nothing in her resume that qualifies her for mayor. Mayors have to think forward and VOTE ON MATTERS concerning: public safety, parks and recreation, setting property tax rates, street maintenance, water and sewer system maintenance, libraries, bond issues, employee salaries and benefits, long-range planning, attracting new businesses and on and on. So...Who talked Betsy Price into giving up a nice salary and why?

---Joe Forsythe

The gas drilling industry perhaps? Fort Worth needs a mayor that will regulate the excesses and public abuse caused by the gas drilling industry. I agree that Betsy Price is in no position to afford any protection or review of regulation to protect the Fort Worth public. I was looking to Cathy Hirt for that. I can only hope that Jim Lane is in a position to protect Fort Worth and it's residents should he be elected.

---Paul Philip Holt

____________________________________________________

A lot of people seem to be wondering why Betsy Price is willing to give up a job that pays over $100,000 a year for one that pays considerably less.

I have asked if maybe Betsy Price is independently wealthy so the change in income is meaningless. Or maybe she is married to someone who makes a lot of money, rendering the change in income meaningless.

Mayor Mike Moncrief made millions during his tenure as mayor from the gas companies poking holes all over his town. Maybe Betsy Price has figured out her own way of getting money from the gas drillers. I understand she is very good at handling large amounts of money.

When asked why she was running for mayor, Betsy Price said she was doing so because the Queen of the Fort Worth Ruling Oligarchy, Kay Granger, asked her to. Maybe Kay also promised to make up the income difference after Betsy's installation as mayor.

A Woozy Friday Morning With 100 Degrees On Saturday Thinking About Voting For Jim Lane

The sun got up before me on this 27th morning of May.

When my camera looked out my viewing portal on the world, this morning, it was set in aquarium mode, which caused it to take a picture that matched my currently woozy view of the world.

At this point in time the outdoors is chilled to a very pleasant 67 degrees. Thus my windows are open.

The outdoors is currently scheduled to be heating today, eventually, to a relatively warm 93 degrees.

Tomorrow the current forecast is that we will be experiencing the first 100 degree day of 2011 in this particular zone of North Texas.

At 100 degrees all windows are closed. Fans are spinning, A/C is running.

Now, on non-weather related news. Former Fort Worth mayoral candidate, Cathy Hirt, has endorsed Jim Lane for mayor.

Many former Cathy Hirt supporters are now voting for Jim Lane.

I voted for Cathy Hirt. No one I vote for ever wins. This has me thinking I should vote for Betsy Price, even though I prefer Jim Lane.

It's a perplexing conundrum.