Rolling Through Gateway Park With Dozens Of Fort Worth Cops Thinking About Muffins

My handlebars were rolled to my favorite Gateway Park photo opportunity site today for the first time since last week's deluge left some muddy trails in its wake.

Looking at the center of the picture it appears I caught a big white bird in flight.

Seagull?

I do not see many seagulls in this far from any sea location I am currently in.

The first section of the Gateway Park mountain bike trail exits the jungle to the park's eastern parking lot. When that parking lot came in to view so did multiple Fort Worth police cars.

Oh oh, I thought.

But, it turned out to be some sort of picnic convention of Fort Worth bicycle cops. I'd never seen so many cops with bikes before. They seemed to be behaving themselves, although they were a bit loud, at odds with the usual peaceful serenity.

Changing the subject from bike cops to muffins.

Ever since yesterday I have had muffins on the mind. I can't remember the last time I had a muffin. I don't even remember if I like muffins. I used to frequently buy a dozen muffins at Costco when I lived in Washington. At that point in time I thought they were a health food. I later learned muffins can be fattening when over indulged in.

The fact that muffins can be fattening was freshly revealed to me yesterday when I learned that the mysterious weight gain of someone I used to know as slim is likely caused by excess muffin consumption.

Since I was in the neighborhood I went to Town Talk after I was done rolling my wheels. I was hoping I'd find a Town Talk muffin, but all I got was what I needed. Tortillas, cheese, chicken and guacamole.

Amarillo This Morning Had Me Time Warping Over A Decade

In the picture you are looking at the Texas Panhandle whilst heading southeast towards Dallas/Fort Worth on Highway 287, a few miles past Amarillo.

This photo was taken in early September of 2001. I was returning from a solo roadtrip to Washington for my mom and dad's 50th Anniversary, along with a few other reasons for the trek north.

The past month or two I have been appalled a time or two as I go through my webpages altering the code. Some of these webpages were made whilst I was still in Washington, making some of them maybe 15 years old, or older.

So, what has appalled me? Well, for one thing, it appalls me how many of the webpages I have totally forgotten making. Even ones made in the last 5 years. Like I have no memory of making such a detailed webpage about Austin for my Regions of Texas part of my Eyes on Texas website.

Apparently I webpaged in antiquated framed style my 2001 roadtrip to Washington. That is where I found the Texas Panhandle photo.

Another thing that has appalled me is reading things I long ago wrote and realizing how much much of my attitude towards Texas has changed over the years. Some of what I wrote seems a bit embarrassing to me now, to read, years later.

The text that I wrote to go with the Texas Panhandle photo is not a good example of the old text that I have found a bit embarrassing. The Texas Panhandle text I still found to be a bit amusing....

South of Amarillo, heading towards Dallas/Fort Worth, after a month of mountains, now nary a mountain in any direction, clouds providing scenery. In the movie True Stories a character explains Texas by saying that when God made the earth He worked hard, making mountains and oceans and valleys and trees and all manner of scenic wonder to please Man, but by the time He got to Texas He was tired and didn't have any energy left to do anything with the land. And so He left it that way. And then had to make a special type of Man who liked it that way, and so God invented the Texan....

Walking With My Mom & The Village Creek Indian Ghosts Talking About Adopting Eddie & Avoiding BS

Looking at the picture my one longtime reader might guess that it is a scene in Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area that you are looking at.

That one longtime reader would be guessing correctly.

As you can see, blue has returned, somewhat, to the Village Creek Blue Bayou.

My mom went walking with me and the Indian ghosts today.

Mom was sounding very chipper. It has been over a month now since my mom had knee surgery. The recovery continues, helped by pain meds, which may account for some of that chipperiness.

My mom wants me to fly to Arizona in December. And to get Spencer Jack's uncle Joey to come there too.

I know why my mom wants me and Joey to fly to Arizona in December. But, what my mom does not know is I have an issue which I refer to as the "BS" problem, which I have vowed to avoid, as best I can, which is fairly reliably. If I fly to Arizona in December I would likely find myself having to deal with the "BS" problem for the first time since I promised myself that I would no longer tolerate the bad "BS" behavior, like I have always done in the past.

And in other relative news, talking to my mom today I learned that mom learned yesterday, what I also learned yesterday, that being that my sister who lives in Tacoma is adopting yet one more adoptee into her brood. This adoptee is coming from a shelter in Los Angeles.

My sister has a fairly large house, with three levels, but, with Blue, Max, David, Theo, Ruby, and now,  Eddie, I'm thinking it might be time to start hunting for a bigger house.

Inquiring Minds Want To Know What Made The Trinity River Vision A Boondoggle?

Yesterday I got an email in which the person emailing asked me if I could explain why so many people, including myself, refer to the Trinity River Vision as a boondoggle.

Well.

Googling "Boondoggle" and clicking on the Wikipedia Boondoggle article, in the first and second and third paragraphs we read....

A boondoggle is a project that is considered a useless waste of both time and money, yet is often continued due to extraneous policy motivations.

The term "boondoggle" may also be used to refer to protracted government or corporate projects involving large numbers of people and usually heavy expenditure, where at some point, the key operators, having realized that the project will never work, are still reluctant to bring this to the attention of their superiors. Generally there is an aspect of "going through the motions" – for example, continuing research and development – as long as funds are available to keep paying the researchers' and executives' salaries.

The situation can be allowed to continue for what seems like unreasonably long periods, as senior management are often reluctant to admit that they allowed a failed project to go on for so long. In many cases, the actual device itself may eventually work, but not well enough to ever recoup its development costs.

The Trinity River Vision Boondoggle has been boondoggling for over a decade. After that passage of time the Trinity River Vision's executive director has clearly stated that only about 20% of the project has been completed.

Boondoggle.

With the other 80% not expected to be completed until 2023.

Boondoggle

Completed if federal money can be acquired to pay for about half the current almost $1 billion price tag.

Boondoggle.

Three bridges are supposedly going to start being constructed in 2014, bridges spanning where a flood diversion channel will be built if those federal funds can be found to pay for it.

Boondoggle.

In the meantime dozens of business owners have had their property taken via the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's eminent domain abuse. In many other parts of America taking property in this manner is not allowed. In other parts of America property can be taken by eminent domain only for projects for the public good, like roads, hospitals, schools. Not economic development projects or for an un-needed flood control project.

Boondoggle.

In other parts of America not only is this type of eminent domain abuse not allowed, using eminent domain to take property for the public good would not even be considered for a project for which the public has not voted. There has been no public vote to fund the Trinity River Vision.

Boondoggle.

The lack of funding is one of the reasons this project's construction timeline covers such a long time. And will likely grow longer. For years in to the future Fort Worth will have an un-finished construction mess, sporadically worked on, awaiting funds.

Boondoggle.

For the job of running the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle project the TRV could have conducted a nation-wide search for a person with the engineering credentials to run such a project. Instead the TRV found an assistant district attorney named J.D. Granger, whose qualification for the job was his mom is Fort Worth Congresswoman, Kay Granger. Kay Granger was thought to be key to getting those much needed federal dollars. But, that has not quite worked out as planned.

Boondoggle.

If the Trinity River Vision was a legitimate public works project, addressing a legitimate flood control problem, along with bringing needed development to a blighted part of town, why is there no urgency to build the project? Why is there no attempt to convince the public to vote to tax themselves to build this project,  if this project really did provide a big benefit to the people of Fort Worth?

Boondoggle.

Witness the vast amounts of delusional propaganda spewed by the Trinity River Vision. Check out the bizarre signage at Gateway Park's Fort Woof touting the imaginary wonders the Trinity River Vision will bring to Gateway Park and East Fort Worth. Check out the quarterly propaganda mailing from the Trinity River Vision. Make note of all the Trinity River Vision propaganda signage one sees at various locations. Check out the Trinity River Vision's website for more propaganda.

Boondoggle.

In addition to its main website the Trinity River Vision also has a Panther Island website. At the Panther Island website we read--- © Panther Island Pavilion - A Product of Trinity River Vision Authority. How many taxpayers dollars are being spent on all the Trinity River Vision propaganda products?

Boondoggle.

Anyway, I hope I have managed to somewhat illuminate some of the reasons I, and others, refer to the Trinity River Vision as the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle....

Village Creek Motivated Me To Barbecue Chicken On The First Day Of Fall

Today my handlebars are on the paved trail in Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area.

The paved trail was looking a bit brown, not its usual gray, on this first day of Fall.

The paved trail was looking brown because a lot of brown leaves got the notice that today is the first day of Fall and so they fell, apparently.

This morning when the sun came up and I exited my warm abode to go swimming the air was being chilled to only 56 degrees.

For the first time in many a month the pool was quite cool  this morning.

The pleasantly cool temperature had more than the Sunday norm of people and their dogs out enjoying walking and biking with the Village Creek Indian ghosts.

One group was barbecuing something that smelled real tasty in one of the seldom used Village Creek Natural Historical Area's firepits.

I do not know what type meat product was being barbecued at Village Creek today, but I do know it motivated me to barbecue chicken, a process which is taking place right now as I sit here typing.

However, the meat product I am barbecuing is not smelling as tasty as that which motivated me to barbecue chicken.

I hope y'all are having yourself a mighty fine first day of Fall....

Rolling Over Gateway Falls Finding Trash Bashed Before Finding Mango Power Yogurt

This last day of summer I had myself a really fine time rolling my bike wheels in and out of Gateway Park.

If I remember right in the past I referred to what you see in the photo as Trinity Falls.

Today I decided a much better  name would be Gateway Falls.

No, that is not me in the picture contemplating jumping in Gateway Falls. When I pedaled past the guy in the picture I saw that he was holding a fishing pole. This did not seem like it would be a very good location to catch fish.

Today was Trash Bash Day on the Trinity River. I don't remember if Trash Bashing the Trinity River is a once a year event, or if the trash gets bashed more than once a year.

What I do know is I saw no Trash Bashers bashing trash.

However, I did see a lot of bashed trash, already stuffed in bags and set beside the Trinity Trail.

In the quarter mile before I reversed direction, I saw a dozen or more collections of bashed trash like you are looking at in the picture.

It has been months since we have had a day like today in North Texas, with a refreshing chill in the air and with no overheating into a sweaty mess every time a water break gets taken.

By the time I rolled into the Town Talk  parking lot I realized I had not been running my motorized conveyance's air-conditioning. And I had not rolled down a window.

And I did not quickly head to the Town Talk cooler to cool down, soon upon arrival. It has been months since I have not quickly headed to the Town Talk cooler soon upon arrival.

I already said, this last day of summer is a very pleasant day in North Texas.

I found no memorable treasures in Town Talk today. Some rabbit food in the form of a couple types of lettuce. Just remembered, I did find something good. Something called Power Yogurt. Mango Power Yogurt, with 20 grams of protein per serving.

Speaking of food. It is time for lunch now. Pizza, chorizo, broccoli and salad.

Shivering In Texas This Last Day Of Summer At Only 27 Degrees Above Freezing

This morning's dawn's 59 degrees was 12 degrees chillier than yester morning's 71.

The Autumnal Equinox is tomorrow.

With this morning's temperature only 27 degrees above freezing it would seem that today's cool preview may be a harbinger of a some very cold months ahead.

This morning's 59 degrees had the water in the pool being way less cool than the air for the first time in weeks.

Last night due to the chill in the air the air-conditioning did not cycle on, all night long. At some point in the middle of the night I was actually chilly, which necessitated turning off the ceiling fan. Currently a cool breeze is blowing in through open windows.

I don't recollect a previous time in Texas with such an abrupt temperature change. This lack of recollection is likely due to my age-related memory woes.

Due to yesterday's drenching rain today I will not be mountain biking to my regular Saturday photo op location in Gateway Park. I think I will likely be biking the paved trails in Gateway Park,  prior to my regular Saturday stop at Town Talk.

Swimming In The Rain While Being Advised About A Texas Area Flood

Brrrrr. Currently the outer world at my location is being chilled to only 39 degrees above freezing, if my ciphering is correct, which it often is not, due to me being math challenged.

AREAL FLOOD ADVISORY?

Should that be A REAL FLOOD ADVISORY?

Or maybe AREA FLOOD ADVISORY?

I feel I need to find out what the word "AREAL" means. I'll be right back....

According to the Wikitionary—

"areal — of or pertaining to an area. areal interstices — the areas or spaces enclosed by the reticulate vessels of leaves"

Well, it appears that "areal" means "area". So, why not have an AREA FLOOD ADVISORY instead of an AREAL one?

Enough about areal flooding confusion.

This morning I had myself a really fine time swimming in the rain.

Judging from the fact that enough rain fell overnight to almost have the pool spilling over I can see how it is that we are having an AREAL FLOOD ADVISORY.

With all these water woes I will not be going hiking or biking or walking in any of my regular hike, bike or walk locations today.

Unless I feel a sudden desire to walk under a bumbershoot.

TRWD Says, “NO! We Won’t Have Elections, And You Can’t Sue Us! We’re Exempt!”

Incoming tonight from Texans For Government Transparency regarding their ongoing attempt to teach the Tarrant Regional Water District that Soviet Union style governing is long gone from the planet and that the TRWD is operating in a place called America where dictators extending their terms of office, arbitrarily, is frowned upon......

Fort Worth, Texas) Attorneys for the Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) last week filed paperwork trying to dismiss the TFGT lawsuit against the board. The TFGT suit contends the TRWD board is unconstitutionally skipping elections and illegally extending their own terms in office. This suit was filed by Texans for Government Transparency (TFGT), John Austin Basham, and Darlia Hobbs.

The TFGT suit asks the court to intervene requiring the TRWD board to comply with Texas’ law and the state constitution. In court documents TRWD attorney Lee Christie asserts the TRWD and the board are immune from being sued by the people they govern. The court papers filed by Mr. Christie on behalf of the board also state Mr. Basham and Mrs. Hobbs as property owners and taxpayers have no “standing” to sue the TRWD for this blatant violation of the law.

TFGT President John Austin Basham responds to Mr. Christie and the TRWD’s assertions “Imagine a President, or Congressman, or Governor declaring they would skip the next election and give themselves more time in office. That is exactly what these directors are doing.” Basham goes on to say,” They’ve done this once before with not one single member of the public present for their vote. The TRWD board continues to operate as if they are above the laws and constitution of the State of Texas. I say they’re not, they work for us.” TFGT entered this court action when property owners and taxpayers subject to the TRWD found no relief by addressing the board directly.

The TRWD recently lost a very similar plea in Tarrant County District Court where they are being sued by a landowner for over 600 violations of the Texas Open Meetings Act. In that case the TRWD argued they are exempt from the open meeting laws of this state and like their response in the TFGT case they claim the plaintiff also couldn’t sue, again saying they are exempt. After hearing the TRWD’s attorney’s pleas Tarrant County District Judge Susan Heygood McCoy disagreed striking every part of their motion and pleas.

“I fully expect the court will rightfully side with the taxpayers and the law on this issue. The fundamental American right to have and election and choose your leaders can never be curtailed”, says Basham. “It is a shame however the TRWD will continue to spend hundreds of thousands dollars of taxpayer’s money to fight the rights of those very same tax payers.”

The water district has attempted other constitutional abuses in court with disastrous outcomes. Earlier this year, similar delay tactics and unwillingness to recognize they couldn’t steal Oklahoma’s water, cost the TRWD taxpayers over $6 million in legal fees in a stunning 9-0 loss in the US Supreme Court.

Shocking Revelations Regarding Rockin' The River Happy Hour Inner Tube Float Fecal Matter E.Coli Cancellations

Unbeknownst to many, a couple days ago, for the first time in history, a meeting of the formerly secretive operation known at the Tarrant Regional Water District Board was streamed live over the Internet for the viewing of those who use non-Apple products.

At this meeting the TRWD's newest board member, Mary Kelleher, suggested that it might be a good plan to spend some money studying how it might be possible to make the Trinity River a cleaner body of water suitable for recreational use, saying ,"Since we are inviting people to get in and tube in the river, shouldn't we make sure it's safe?"

Mary Kelleher buttressed her suggestion with the apparent fact that twice the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats have had to be cancelled due to elevated E.Coli levels.

In other words, too much fecal matter in the water.

The General Manager of the TRWD, Jim Oliver, then said he was unaware of any fecal matter related floating closures.

This had Jim Oliver's TRWD Assistant Manager, Mr. Thomas, informing the TRWD Board and the public attending the meeting and those listening on the Internet, that elevated E.Coli levels had, in fact, necessitated the canceling of the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats.

Now, what I am appalled by is the following....

How can it be that two of the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats have been canceled due to the river being dangerously polluted with E.Coli without this being major news in any of what passes for Fort Worth's news sources?

Did the Fort Worth Weekly not know of the E.Coli caused Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats cancellations?

No one really expects the Fort Worth Star-Telegram to act like a real newspaper, but really, even though the Star-Telegram is not a real newspaper, is this not some sort of journalistic malpractice not to inform the locals that the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats had to be canceled because too much fecal matter had been detected in the river?

Does this mean that on other days, when the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats have been allowed to float, have the fecal matter levels been not quite high enough to present a public safety issue?

Should not the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats floaters have the right to be informed, prior to getting in the Trinity River, what that day's E.Coli fecal matter levels are?

This is all very appalling and very perplexing for multiple reasons....