The SB Depot Dud Had Me Happy To Be Back With My Regular Saturday Gateway Park Town Talk Rut

In the picture you are looking at my handlebars above a cliff above the Trinity River in Gateway Park.

Last Saturday, from this same location, I said that today I was going to break free of my Saturday Gateway Park Town Talk rut and go instead to SB Depot in Arlington.

Well.

I had to be in Arlington yesterday. Which made it make sense to go to SB Depot, then, since I was in the neighborhood.

Last week, after I mentioned I was going to go to SB Depot today, Stenotrophomonas told me I would like the SB Depot cooler much more than the Town Talk cooler.

I somehow construed what Stenotrophomonas told me to mean I would like SB Depot better than Town Talk.

However, I'd barely driven on to the SB Depot parking lot when I decided this place was a dud. A big DUD.

It was coming up on noon and there were only a couple cars in the parking lot. Inside the store was a ghost town. The touted International Food Court was empty of anyone from any nation. The sole checkout person appeared to be napping.

And then I found the SB Depot cooler and got what Stenotrophomonas meant. This cooler was so big all of Town Talk could fit inside. However, the SB Depot cooler was mostly empty and what was in there was nothing I wanted.

I quickly left SB Depot and continued on to Cho Saigon and then ALDI.

Now, back to today. I had myself a really fine time biking the Gateway Park mountain bike trail. The trails are in great shape, which enabled some high speed pedaling.

And then it was on to Town Talk to cool off in Town Talk's tiny cooler.

I filled an entire shopping cart at Town Talk today. That has never happened before. I got Pineapples, Oranges, Asparagus, Mangoes, Romaine Lettuce, Yellow Peppers, Avocados, Green Beans, Rainier Cherries from Wenatchee, dozens of Tyson All Natural Chicken Legs and other stuff I am not remembering right now.

I guess I am okay with my Saturday Town Talk rut. I do enjoy it. And since there really are so few things I enjoy, I suppose I should just be happy to stay in my familiar rut....

CBS TV Is Covering The Olivergate Scandal Reporting The Tarrant Regional Water District GM Is In Hot Water

Unlike the inept, non-local newspaper of record, known as the disgraced Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the local CBS TV News is covering the TRWD Olivergate Scandal.

Yesterday's CBS coverage of the scandal was titled "Tarrant Regional Water District GM In Hot Water".

An excerpt from the online version of the CBS TV coverage of the TRWD Olivergate Scandal...

There are allegations of confrontations and threats at the agency that provides water to nearly two million North Texans.

The newest board member of the Tarrant Regional Water District said her request for documents related to district emails, real estate records and payment records, was met instead with a heated lecture from the district’s general manager Jim Oliver.

“He said if you want records as a board member, you come through me,” Kelleher said, pounding on her chest to show how she said Oliver emphasized his words. “I thought ‘wow’.”

You can watch the interview with Mary Kelleher by going to CBSDFW.COM where you will hear Mary Kelleher describe the bullying of Jim Oliver.

Yesterday's blogging about the TRWD Olivergate Scandal brought a very appropo comment from Guelma...

Guelma has left a new comment on your post "The TRWD Olivergate Scandal Takes Another Scandalous Turn With Denials, Lies & Cover-Ups":

This part of the world seems to have more than its fair share of what has been called bullycrats, public servants who somehow think they are rulers of the "we the people" who pay their salaries and other perks. Time to keep twisting this Oliver and then flush him down the river. 

I agree with Guelma, the Oliver Twisting must continue until this bullycrat is flushed down the river....

A Call From My Mom Had Me Hunting For My WSU Cougar Bobblehead From My Aunt Mike

My mom called me a couple minutes ago to let me know they are heading north in the morning, heading to Tacoma for a wedding, with a stop in Bend, Oregon, on the way.

The stop in Bend is to see my Aunt Mike, my mom's baby sister, who we were all shocked to learn, this past year, has Alzheimer's.

Aunt Mike has always been the healthiest, most robust of my aunts and uncles.

And the funniest.

Aunt Mike ran marathons. I remember being at Gasworks Park, in Seattle, in the early 1990s, in a heavy rain, to watch Aunt Mike complete a marathon the day before the I-90 floating bridge sank.

I last saw Aunt Mike on August 11 of 2001, at my mom and dad's 50th Wedding Anniversary Party. I drove solo, back to Washington, for this, with no one but my two oldest nephews knowing I was coming.

No one knows I am coming north for this latest family event. Because, I don't think I am.

I'd mentioned to my mom, previously, that my cousin Kurt, he being Aunt Mike's only kid, told me Aunt Mike still likes going to McDonald's.

So, mom told me she had a cute McDonald's Bobblehead for Aunt Mike.

I then told mom I still had a Washington State University Cougars Bobblehead that Aunt Mike gave me decades ago, when she went to WSU.

That Cougar Bobblehead went with me when I went to college, and has followed me all the places I have gone since, including Texas.

After I got off the phone, with my mom, I went hunting for my Aunt Mike Cougar Bobblehead. I found it, Googled McDonald's Bobbleheads and took the picture you see above.

It is going to be interesting to see if Aunt Mike recognizes my mom. This will be the first time since Aunt Mike has had Alzheimer's that she will be being visited by someone who she has known as long as she has had a memory.

The TRWD Olivergate Scandal Takes Another Scandalous Turn With Denials, Lies & Cover-Ups

UPDATE: Sorry to confuse. No, this headline did not actually appear in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Everyone knows the Fort Worth Star-Telegram does not cover news of the TRWD Olivergate Scandal type of real news....

On Wednesday I blogged about a letter newly elected TRWD board member, Mary Kelleher, sent to TRWD General Manager, Jim Oliver, in What Is TRWD General Manager Jim Oliver Afraid Will Be Exposed With Full TRWD Transparency?

In part that letter from Mary Kelleher said, “I take very seriously my responsibilities as an elected official and I expect that my attempts to provide the necessary oversight in the future will not be met with raised voice, chest-pounding, disrespect, and other behavior unacceptable for a public servant, let alone the senior executive of the TRWD.”

Rather than man up and own his bad behavior, Jim Oliver opted to use the Nixon-style Lie, Deny and Cover-up method of dealing with a scandal.

Most of us know how well that worked out for Richard Nixon. Apparently Jim Oliver missed that history lesson. I suspect Jim Oliver will meet the same fate as Richard Nixon.

Via TRWD spokesman, Chad Lorance, Jim Oliver strained credibility with the following....

“Ms. Kelleher, accompanied by two unidentified males, appeared unannounced at the District offices on June 21 and requested numerous documents from staff, including some that were confidential in nature. The release of those confidential documents by the district’s staff would have violated provisions of the Texas Government Code."

Chad Lorance continued the obfuscating spin by claiming all requests for information must be reviewed by general counsel for compliance with all laws, with the information requests made only to the TRWD Imperial Dictator, I mean, General Manager, Jim Oliver, adding that “Staff members confirmed that Mr. Oliver did not raise his voice during that discussion."

So, are we to believe that an elected TRWD board member can not examine TRWD documents without Jim Oliver's approval and a review by a lawyer? And there is some Texas Government Code which codifies this bizarre practice?

When Mary Kelleher made her document review request on June 21, why did TRWD employee, Nancy King, accept Mary Kelleher's document review requests, telling Mary Kelleher to return that afternoon,  at which time Nancy King would provide the available documents?

Apparently Nancy King had not been advised of the tight security that controls TRWD documents and filters their release through the command of the Imperial Dictator, TRWD General Manager, Jim Oliver.

As for Jim Oliver's claim that TRWD staff members, in the office at the time of his tirade, confirm he did not raise his voice. Well, I can not help but wonder what the result of a lie detector test would be, hooked up to Jim Oliver, or those staff members who were deaf to Oliver's yelling. Or used to hearing it. Or intimidated and bullied by this bureaucratic tyrant.

In other words, if Jim Oliver's judgement was so bad that he gave himself permission to try and intimidate Mary Kelleher with a hysterical tantrum, imagine how he must treat staffers who are not elected officials? Let alone elected officials elected with the most votes in TRWD election history.....

Over 100 For The First Time In 2013 In North Texas

I don't know when, today, the outer world furnace heated to over 100 for the first time this year in North Texas.

I did not notice we'd gone over 100 til some time after 5 in the afternoon.

I did notice that the air-conditioner has been working hard this afternoon to maintain the artificial chill.

Tomorrow I have business to attend to in Arlington, none of which will be out in the HEAT, except for the walks from an air-conditioned vehicle to an air-condition building.

I think tomorrow's super HOT Friday will have swimming as my only endorphin inducing aerobic activity for the day. Unless I change my mind....

Fort Worth 4th Of July Presented By TRWD While Being Produced By The Trinity River Vision Boondoggle

I still have not located any sort of "construction" timeline for the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle. I blogged about this a few days ago after I discovered the Skagit River Vision in my little old hometown of Mount Vernon had an actual project timeline for its legitimate flood control/economic development project.

Meanwhile, Fort Worth's Trinity River Vision Boondoggle seems to have lost sight of whatever its vision was, well over a decade ago, when this boondoggle was foisted on Fort Worth with no messy input from something like a public vote.

And now, in 2013, what do we see when we look at the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle?

The world's premiere urban wakeboard park, the world's first drive-in movie theater of the 21st century, a lame music venue that is called Panther Island Pavilion, a restaurant that is outside of the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's area where the vision was supposed to be seen.

And, let us not forget the Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats.

With next Thursday's floating coinciding with the 4th of July, which, apparently, gave the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle and perpetual frat party boy, J.D. Granger, the idea to have a really big party.

The Tarrant Regional Water District and the Trinity River Vision Authority appear to be really pleased to be putting on this 4th of July event.

Promotional material proudly states, as you can see above, "Presented By TRWD, Produced By Trinity River Vision Authority."

So, far no flood control has been produced by the TRV Boondoggle. And the economic development that is supposedly supposed to be part of the TRV Boondoggle seem to be rather sketchy operations.

As in, has anyone read any followup articles in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram letting us know how the Cowtown Wakepark is faring financially? And if the Coyote Drive-In having the 100s of vehicles show up, nightly, to watch movies, as was touted in the pre-opening propaganda?

Back when the original TRV Boondoggle was announced, with its signature bridges, lake, riverwalk, canals, and assorted other good things, no one could have imagined that over a decade later there would be so little to see, or that what there was to see would have nothing to do with what was  originally touted as being the Trinity River Vision.

Early on I thought this would be yet one more embarrassing Fort Worth boondoggle. My imagination is not sufficiently imaginative to have imagined how big a boondoggle and how embarrassingly bad the Trinity River Vision would actually turn out to be.

And there is still more to come.

Like the un-needed flood diversion channel with its 3 un-needed non-signature bridges.....

Walking In Arlington With The Village Creek Indian Ghosts Thinking About A Self-Important Martinet Raging Psychotic Nonsense

With it not quite 100 degrees I thought it seemed to be a good idea to go for a refreshing walk with the Village Creek Natural Historical Area Indian Ghosts today in the shade of big oak trees.

As you can see via the photo evidence, the Village Creek Blue Bayou is no longer blue. It is now the Village Creek Green Bayou.

Speaking of the temperature.

And who isn't?

Earlier today, after I blogged about today's North Texas HEAT, Steve A, currently vacationing up north, commented on the North Texas HEAT,  letting me know it is going to be hot today in the Pacific Northwest, with hot there being in the high 80s in Seattle and 68 for the high in Ocean Shores, which is Steve A's location today, enjoying the cool breezes blowing in from the Pacific.

Whilst walking today I was pondering the mystery of DeepTex2013, that being the person who emailed me a copy of the letter Mary Kelleher sent to the TRWD's General Manager, Jim Oliver. I blogged about this letter in a blogging titled What Is TRWD General Manager Jim Oliver Afraid Will Be Exposed With Full TRWD Transparency?

Apparently very few people were in possession of this letter and those few people were very surprised and not a little disoriented to see it show up on a blog.

During the course of my pondering, whilst walking, thinking about the bad behavior of Jim Oliver brought to mind Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls, which I finished reading yesterday. There is a scene in that book where one of the partisans is trying to get a dispatch to a general and finds himself thwarted, temporarily, by a self-important martinet, raging psychotic nonsense.

I really don't think self-important martinets, prone to raging psychotic nonsense, should be employed by a public agency, let alone paid over $300,000 a year.

That is what I concluded during today's walk with the Indian Ghosts.

Apparently A Very HOT Day Is Expected Across North Texas On Friday

My computer based weather monitoring device was flashing red when I woke up my computer this morning.

Flashing red with a "SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT."

Below is that SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT, all of it shouted in capital letters...

...A VERY HOT DAY EXPECTED ACROSS NORTH TEXAS ON FRIDAY...

A STRONG UPPER RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE CENTERED FROM TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA WEST TO THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BE GENERALLY LIGHT AHEAD OF A WEAK COLD FRONT EXPECTED INTO NORTH TEXAS FRIDAY NIGHT. AFTERNOON HIGH TEMPERATURES FRIDAY ARE EXPECTED TO SOAR TO BETWEEN 99 AND 102 DEGREES ACROSS EASTERN NORTH TEXAS AND BETWEEN 103 AND 107 DEGREES ACROSS WESTERN NORTH TEXAS. THOUGH HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE LOWER ACROSS THE EAST...HIGHER HUMIDITY LEVELS MAY PUSH HEAT INDICES BRIEFLY TO AROUND 105 DEGREES. WHILE THE HUMIDITY WILL BE LOWER ACROSS THE WEST...THE ACTUAL HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE OPPRESSIVELY HOT.

TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS NOW IF YOU ARE WORKING OR PLANNING TO SPEND EXTENDED AMOUNTS OF TIME OUTSIDE FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. WHEN POSSIBLE...RESCHEDULE STRENUOUS ACTIVITIES TO EARLY MORNING OR LATER DURING THE EVENING HOURS. KNOW THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION AND HEAT STROKE. WEAR LIGHT WEIGHT AND LOOSE FITTING CLOTHING WHEN POSSIBLE AND DRINK PLENTY OF WATER OR WATER-BASED FLUIDS. AVOID CARBONATED DRINKS...ESPECIALLY ALCOHOL.

Semi-Full Moon Squirrel Lunacy While I Swim Waiting To Get 100 Degrees HOT

I have not felt quite right the past couple days, I think because my pool was not doable due to an electrical malfunction rendering the water filtering system useless.

With the pool back doable this morning I had myself a really fine time getting some much needed water borne endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation.

We are barely past a big full moon, with that big full moon appearing to be only slightly less than full, early this morning, soon after the arrival of the sun.

I don't know if it is full moon lunacy that accounts for the behavior, but this morning something has 5 or 6 squirrels acting very squirrelly whilst I was swimming. The squirrels were doing some extreme limb leaping, odd fence climbing and noisy chattering.

I think the air was already heated to the low 80s when I got in water this morning. The water felt heated to a similar temperature. According to the current temperature predictions the pool water is about to get a lot HOTTER.

The above indicates that today will hit 100,  tomorrow 104, 104 again on Friday, with that 104 earning a HOT graphic, with Saturday chilling to only 98, but also earning itself, inexplicably so, one of those HOT graphics.

I got the above temperature info from the Star-Telegram, which might explain the inexplicable-ness of the 98 degree HOT graphic.

At least we can take some comfort in the Air Quality being only Moderately Bad.

What Is TRWD General Manager Jim Oliver Afraid Will Be Exposed With Full TRWD Transparency?

Captain Clean, during the recent Tarrant Regional Water District Board Member Election, promised to do some TRWD Flushing if any of Captain Clean's candidates were elected to the board.

Well, Mary Kelleher was elected. Elected with the most votes any candidate has ever received in a TRWD Board Election.

Mary Kelleher has been busy making good on her campaign promises regarding transparency and open meetings and accountability.

To that end, Mary Kelleher on Friday, June 21, went to TRWD headquarters to request documents to review.

This perfectly legitimate request for documents to review, in Mary Kelleher's capacity as an elected member of the TRWD Board of Directors, quickly spun out of control, with the out of control part of the spin provided by TRWD General Manager, Jim Oliver, which lead Mary Kelleher to send Jim Oliver a letter, a copy of which I have received, part of which had Mary Kelleher telling Jim Oliver the following...

As requested by Ms. King, I did come back in the afternoon. Instead of being provided the documents, I was confronted by you, and you proceeded to yell at me while beating on your chest and declaring that all future requests be made to you. As a result, despite Ms. King's promise of the documents, I still have not been able to see any of the documents I requested.

You were noticeably frustrated and angry with my attempts to obtain documents that would shed light on what happens at the TRWD. Please understand that was what I was elected to do and I have a legal right to review such documents. I take very seriously my responsibilities as an elected official, and I expect that my attempts to provide the necessary oversight in the future will not be met with raised voice, chest-pounding,
disrespect, and other behavior unacceptable for a public servant, let alone the senior executive member of the TRWD. It has come to my attention that you have been similarly inappropriate in your email correspondence with John Basham. See, e.g.. Exhibit A, attached. In light of these repeated outbursts, in my view, the District should consider whether it is appropriate for you to continue in your current position and/or whether you should be required to take anger management training.

You can read the entire letter, including the above referenced Jim Oliver inappropriate correspondence with John Basham, by clicking here.

I can not help but wonder, given the reasonableness of Mary Kelleher's request to review TRWD documents, with that request causing such an uncalled for, unprofessional, inappropriate, hysterical reaction from the TRWD General Manager, what it is that Jim Oliver is so afraid will be exposed if full transparency sheds bright light on the years of closed door dealings of the Tarrant Regional Water District Board....