On The Tandy Hills At A Fork In The Trail Not Liking Google Changes & Other Things

This location on the Tandy Hills, with a fork in the trail, forcing a choice to be made as to which direction to go, was a perfect metaphor, today, for how I'm feeling.

As I get evermore elderly I find I don't like change. I also don't like to learn new things. I used to like change and learning new things.

Just a little thing changing can vex me these days. For instance Google has been "updating" what Google calls their products.

For a couple months now Google has been trying to get its AdSense users to switch to the new interface, telling users the new interface will be activated in mid-November. And so it was. On November 15. I don't like it. I was used to the old interface. I liked the old interface. The new interface faces you with way too much information.

Google is also updating the Google product I am using right now, the one Google calls Blogger. Right now I am looking at a message at the top of the screen that says, "Try the updated Blogger interface."

I tried the updated Blogger interface. It looks way different than the old Blogger interface. Eventually I was able to figure out the new Blogger interface, but I'm continuing to use the old Blogger interface til Google doesn't let me.

Changing the subject to my favorite one, the temperature.

I did not go swimming this morning. It is only 54 degrees, currently, at my location.

Changing the subject from the not hot temperature to Elsie Hotpepper, who has been being cryptic lately. For instance, minutes ago I got an email from Elsie Hotpeppr that said "I do not understand Lucy." Who is Lucy and why can't Elsie understand her, I sat here and wondered.

And then there is Beale who is unhappy with me because I said I thought his French girl friend was awful. In my defense I did not realize this was Beale's new girl friend when  I said I thought she was awful. I feel darn bad about this.

I have not heard from Betty Jo Bouvier at all this week. The last I heard from Betty Jo she told me she was heading to Seattle on, I think, Saturday. I do not know if Betty Jo made it back to the Skagit Valley from Seattle.

And then there is Carlotta Camano who has also gone missing. Usually Carlotta checks in with me regarding the Reality TV Shows we both watch. This week's Real Housewives of Beverly Hills was particularly comment worthy, as was Top Chef, with no commentary from Carlotta Camano.

I wish I was constitutionally able to take a nap and momentarily not think about anything vexing me. Sleep really is the only peace I get. And I get very little of it.

On The 3rd Thursday Morning Of November The Redbird Provides Me Some Charity Clarity

The 3rd Thursday of the next to last month of 2011 has dawned frosty looking in the view from my primary viewing portal on the outer world.

It is currently 34 degrees at my location on this parched part of the planet.

I won't be going swimming this morning.

Yesterday I mentioned an email I got from Alma, the Songbird of the Texas Gulf Coast regarding various charity organizations like UNICEF and the Salvation Army and the supposed salary paid to the top official in those organizations.

Well.

I heard from The Redbird and someone calling him or herself Anonymous. Mr. or Ms. Anonymous pointed me to a Scopes article about this charity subject. Below is what The Redbird had to say...

The Redbird has left a new comment on your post "Alma The Songbird Of The Texas Gulf Coast Pointed ...": 

I totally agree with the spirit of Alma's letter and kudos for giving, but just fyi (because your know your blog kinda functions like news around these parts).... http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/s/salvation-army-salary.htm and http://www.salvationarmyexpectchange.org/2011/05/27/dont-believe-every-internet-rumor-you-read and a bunch of other articles on the google. So that email should probably be amended to be factual. The truth doesn't hurt their appeal at all. 

What I got from The Redbirds's comment besides the charity info was the disturbing idea that my blog functions like news around these parts. If my blog functions as news I probably should pay closer attention to the veracity of that about which I blog.

Here's some news for you that I am certain is correct.

It is one week til Thanksgiving.

Here's some other news about which I am almost 100% certain I am correct about.

It is cold this morning. Barely above freezing.

If the weather predictors are correct in their prediction, by tomorrow the 24 hour temperature average will again be above 50 degrees, which is what I currently require to go swimming.

Michele Q's George Washington Update On Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving

This morning Michele Q reminded me that 51 weeks ago today I blogged about Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Day Proclamation of October 18, 1863 proclaiming the "last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens."

Lincoln had such a poetic way with words.

Below is this morning's comment from Michele Q....

MicheleQ has left a new comment on your post "Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Day Proclamation":

Actually it was president George Washington who issued a proclamation on October 3, 1789 naming Thursday, November 26, 1789 as an official holiday of “sincere and humble thanks.” After that different states celebrated on different days until Lincoln’s proclamation on October 3, 1863 when he made Thanksgiving a national holiday to be celebrated specifically on the last Thursday of November.

In 1939 FDR moved it to the third Thursday of November to lengthen the Christmas shopping season and boost the economy still recovering from the Depression. That move, which set off a national debate, was reversed in 1941 when Congress passed and President Roosevelt approved a joint house resolution establishing, by law, the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day.)

In 1939 President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the holiday to the third Thursday of November to lengthen the Christmas shopping season and boost the economy still recovering from the Depression. This move, which set off a national debate, was reversed in 1941 when Congress passed and President Roosevelt approved a joint house resolution establishing, by law, the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day.

Source: The National Archives

The Trinity River Vision's J.D. Granger Wins A Coveted FW Weekly 2011 Turkey Award

J.D. Granger Wins Coveted FW Weekly
2011 Turkey Award

If I remember right, last month I mentioned going to a TRIP sponsored forum at Fort Worth's Botanic Garden.

J.D. Granger was scheduled to be on the forum panel, but panicked and cancelled at the last minute. This news was greeted with loud booing when it was announced to the assembled forum goers.

This week's week before Thanksgiving edition of FW Weekly is the 2011 Turkey Awards issue.

J.D. Granger won one of the coveted Turkey Awards.

This is what FW Weekly had to say by way of explaining why J.D. deserved this coveted award in the cover article title "The Big Bird".....

Last month, the Trinity River Improvement Partnership (TRIP) sponsored a forum at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden to discuss the merits of the $900 million Trinity River Vision project and ask questions about where that money will come from, what the justification for the project is, and what it has to do with flooding and water quality issues. About 125 people showed up, but it was one person missing that stirred the ire of the citizens. J. D. Granger, executive director of TRV, had promised to sit on the panel and give direct answers to those important questions. But at the last minute, he cancelled. The only one to show up on the “pro-TRV” side was a gutsy Jim Lane, a board member of the Tarrant Regional Water District. Lane did his best to answer some of the questions, but the water district is handling only part of the project. The reason given for Granger’s backpedaling was that he realized the event would involve discussing policy, and, shucks, he’s just the hired hand (although he’d known about the format of the event for weeks). But the fact is that Granger is in charge and is one of the few people who can sort out where this multi-agency project is going. Canceling at the last minute just doesn’t cut it. Maybe voters should drop him from their holiday invitation list. Oh, wait. That’s right. He’s not an elected official.

A Cloudy Cold Tandy Hills With The Dallas Cowboy Stadium Scandal Back Haunting Me

The drop in temperature has arrived. It is currently a chilly 61 degrees in the outer world at my location.

The brisk chill made for some brisking hill hiking on the Tandy Hills today.

As you can see, looking west at the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Fort Worth, there is a layer of clouds blocking the clear blue sky.

The clouds were very interesting looking in the noon time frame. They looked like snow clouds.

Changing subjects from the weather to the Dallas Cowboy Stadium Scandal.

Way back in 2004 when homes, apartments and businesses started being taken from their owners and destroyed, often via abusing the perfectly legit concept of eminent domain, to build a football stadium, I was totally shocked at such thing happening and the idea that a community (Arlington) would go along with doing such a thing to their neighbors.,

I documented the destruction and the building of the new stadium.

Today I heard from someone associated with something called NFL Films. This is what someone asked me...

Hi! I work with the Footage and Photo Acquisitions Department at NFL Films. I am looking to see if I can get copies of the photos on your site that show the demolition of the home in Arlington.  Do you own these photos?  I am looking to possibly license the photos for use in an upcoming segment that will be produced for the show NFL Films Presents. The segment is on Fred Jackson, whose childhood home was demolished. If you do own rights to the photos, I do have a standard release that I can email over to you for your review.

Several years ago a magazine called Backpacker paid me $100 for a photo of a Longhorn surrounded by wildflowers on a hill by Lake Grapevine.

I wonder why, after all these years, NFL Films is going to film a segment about the destruction of one of the homes demolished during the worst abuse of eminent domain in American history?

Alma The Songbird Of The Texas Gulf Coast Pointed Me Towards The Right Buckets To Drop A Quarter

I was just fixin' to write a check to make a donation to UNICEF when I got an email from the Songbird of the Texas Gulf Coast, Alma, currently crooning at various venues in Port Aransas, that caused me to change my mind and decide to drop a quarter into the next Salvation Army bucket I see instead.

Below is the email from Alma....

As you open your pockets for the next natural disaster, or for Christmas donations, please keep these facts in mind:

The American Red Cross President and CEO Marsha J. Evans salary for the year was $651,957 plus expenses.

The United Way President Brian Gallagher receives a $375,000 base salary along with numerous expense benefits.

UNICEF CEO Caryl M. Stern receives $1,200,000 per year (100k per month) plus all expenses including a ROLLS ROYCE. Less than 5 cents of your donated dollar goes to the cause.

The Salvation Army's Commissioner Todd Bassett receives a salary of only $13,000 per year (plus housing) for managing this $2 billion dollar organization. 96 percent of donated dollars go to the cause.

The American Legion National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary. Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!

The Veterans of Foreign Wars National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary. Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!

The Disabled American Veterans National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary. Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!

The Military Order of Purple Hearts National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary. Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!

The Vietnam Veterans Association National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary. Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!

No further comment is necessary. Please share this with everyone you can.

Day 16 Starts With Another Warm Morning In Texas

I thought I'd awaken to Day 16 of the next to last month of 2011 chilled in the outer world to barely above freezing.

But. I must have mis-read the weather predictors prediction because this morning it is 58 degrees in the outer world at my location on this parched part of the planet.

As you can see in the view from my secondary viewing portal on the outer world it is not quite clear whether the sky is clear or not. The sky appears to be gray, but very bright. I see no blue.

Changing the subject from my favorite subject to something else.

I heard from my favorite grammarian, who's expertise in that area is unsurpassed, this morning, pointing out a grammar error I made and which I repeated three times. The grammar trouble came from one particular word, who's misuse of an apostrophe, which on 99% of English words indicates possession, on this particular word, simply implicates a contraction.

Now, I have long been a believer in helping the language evolve, which for me means with those pesky type words who's grammar rule seems to fly in the face of logic and common sense, I opt to make the mistake and pay the consequences.

Even if that means I risk rising the wrath of CatsPaw, who's advice I greatly value.

Wondering About Green Graffiti On The HOT Humid Tandy Hills With Bubba

Un-Natural  Tandy Hills Manhole Cover & Post

Today whilst wandering the Tandy Hills Natural Area I found myself wondering why manhole covers in the Natural Area have been painted a very un-natural shade of green with what looks like graffiti.

Previously I wondered why the cash strapped, library and pool closing City of Fort Worth spent money sticking green poles in the ground next to the now green manhole covers.

The green poles say "CAUTION SEWER" on them, along with the City of Fort Worth Molly the Longhorn logo.

For years these manhole covers did not have a "CAUTION SEWER" sign by them. Did something change and what is under those manhole covers has become dangerous? Requiring a cautionary warning?

It's very perplexing.

On a related Fort Worth note, someone named Bubba made a comment regarding yesterday's blogging about the Lone Star International Film Festival. I don't know why, for sure, but I found Bubba's comment to be amusing...

Bubba has left a new comment on your post "Up A Creek Did Not Win Best Documentary Short Film...": 

FW and Tarrant county are notorious for overhyping any positives and ignoring or minimizing their deficiencies. And that's a big loss for everybody. 

Changing the subject from Bubba to my favorite subject, that being the temperature and the weather.

Earlier today I said as far as I knew no rain fell yesterday. Well, as I often am, I was wrong. A little rain did fall. But, even though the amount of precipitation was small it was enough to amp up the humidity, with that humidity making it feel HOTTER than the real temperature, as in right now it is 81 degrees in the outer world, but feels like a HOT 83.

I refuse to turn the air-conditioner on in the middle of November. But, if it gets any hotter that resolve may dissolve.

Solving The Mystery Of Foster The People & Pumped Up Kicks

Foster the People

That is Foster the People in the picture.

More on Foster the People later, but first I have to say that when I moved to Texas, late in the previous century, I was not much of a fan of the current pop music.

I listened to the radio on the drive from Washington to Texas, having to find new stations as I drove along. When I crossed the border into Texas I found I could only find Christian and Country radio stations.

I never had listened to much Country Music before. I did not know, at the time, that a lot of it now sounded like old style rock and roll. By the time I got to Fort Worth I was sort of a Country Music fan.

Being a fan of Country Music soon faded.

And then a few years ago I discovered myself finding a lot of new pop tunes to be quite good.

Pumped Up Kicks

For a couple months now there has been a song on the radio that I found myself liking. But I could not understand the lyrics. Nor did I know who sang the song. Or what the name of the song was. The DJs never seemed to identify it.

Then yesterday I thought to Google "American Top 40." That led me to a Top 40 Charts website.

On the chorus of the song that had been vexing me I thought I'd made out the words "Pumped Up Kids."

On the Top 40 Chart I saw a song in the #6 spot called "Pumped Up Kicks." From a group called Foster the People.

I Googled "Foster the People" to learn via Wikipedia that...

"Foster the People is an American indie pop band formed in Los Angeles, California in 2009. Members Mark Foster (vocals, keyboards, piano, synthesizers, guitar, programming, percussion), Mark Pontius (drums and extra percussion), and Cubbie Fink (bass and backing vocals) formed the band while in their mid-twenties. The band is best known for its song "Pumped Up Kicks", which reached number one on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart, number 3 on the Rock Songs tally and number 3 for 8 consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100."

So, now I knew the name of the song that have been vexing me and who's song it was.

That left the words to the song and what the song was about as the remaining mystery.

I Googled "Pumped Up Kicks Lyrics" and learned that there are a lot of websites where you can find the lyrics to songs.

Below are the Pumped Up Kicks lyrics and below that is a YouTube video of the song who's name I did not know and who's words were mostly a mystery to me. I may now know the words to this song, but I still am not sure what it is about...

"Pumped Up Kicks"

Robert's got a quick hand.
He'll look around the room, he won't tell you his plan.
He's got a rolled cigarette, hanging out his mouth he's a cowboy kid.
Yeah, he found a six shooter gun.
In his dad's closet hidden with a box of fun things, and I don't even know what.
But he's coming for you, yeah he's coming for you.

[Chorus]
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks you'd better run, better run, outrun my gun. All the other kids with the pumped up kicks you'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet.

Daddy works a long day. He'll be coming home late, he's coming home late. And he's bringing me a dark surprise. 'Cause dinner's in the kitchen and it's packed in ice. I've waited for a long time. 
Yeah the sleight of my hand is now a quick-pull trigger,
I reason with my cigarette, And say your hair's on fire, you must have lost your wits, yeah.

[Chorus]
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks you'd better run, better run, outrun my gun. All the other kids with the pumped up kicks you'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet.

The Ides Of November Dawns Dry So Far In Texas

It is the Ides of November.

Looking out my primary viewing portal on the world, in the early morning of the 15th day of the next to last month of 2011, you can sort of tell it is yet one more clear blue sky day, so far, at my Texas location in this parched part of the planet.

So far, as far as I know, none of the predicted rain has hit the ground in my zone of the planet. More predicted rain is scheduled for today.

If I had a place to bet on such a thing, I would bet that no rain is going to fall today.

Currently the predictors are predicting that tomorrow, Wednesday, it will get cold, as in 35 degrees cold.

35 degrees cold means I likely will not be trying to go swimming tomorrow morning. I've discovered that I am not a big fan of shivering.

So, I think I will go swimming now and get in a bout of being waterbound before the predicted chill arrives.