At An Arlington Trade Show With Miss Puerto Rico Loaded With Swag & Margaritas

A couple weeks ago Miss Puerto Rico told me I was going with her to something called the AATC Trade Show on November 17.

Yesterday was November 17, which, seeings as I always do what I am told to do, I drove Miss Puerto Rico to the Arlington Convention Center to a Trade Show.

I can tell you Miss Puerto Rico is among the show goers you see here in the photo.

Hour upon hour of being vertical at a trade show was exhausting, with the exhaustion enhanced due to the need to haul the bags of what I guess is called swag. Soon my bags of swag grew so heavy I used two of the 48 inch yard stick swags to carry a couple of the swag bags over my shoulder, in hobo with a stick mode.

I am thinking a 48 inch yard stick should be called a yard stick plus, what with it being a foot longer than a yard.

As we made our way through the Trade Show time and again I found myself being given a greenish concoction called a Margarita. The Margaritas were tasty, but sometime around the 7th or 8th Margarita something about the concoction seemed to be making the swag seem heavier to carry.

I have not been in all that many convention centers. The only ones which come to mind are the Fort Worth, Dallas, Seattle, Tulsa and Oklahoma City convention centers.

The Arlington Convention Center seemed extremely minimalist compared to the others I have been in. The exhibition hall in which the Trade Show took  place was rather spartan. Meaning I was tired of being vertical, but there were very few seating opportunities, and those were all occupied and consisted of being folding chairs.

Most of the vendors had bowls of edibles for the show goers. Candy type edibles. I had not had myself such a thing in a long time. Last night I had a Snickers, Nestle Crunch, Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, York Peppermint Patty, Mars Bar and others I am not remembering. I'd not consumed so much candy type stuff since I last went to one of Miss Puerto Rico's company Christmas Parties, way back in December of 2008.

Another thing about last night. I have an aversion to being in crowds. Even an outdoor crowd, such as what populates the Prairie Fest, quickly gets on my nerves.

I think my aversion to being in crowds stems from a traumatic experience  in October of 1986, about a week before Vancouver's Expo 86 was to close. The crowd was HUGE. If I remember right it broke the attendance record to that point, then broke it again and again as the Expo wound down.

So, it was nearing closing time. I was heading to where I'd parked near the southeast entry. Others were heading other directions. At a point where several Canadian pavilions were located the walkway was under a high cover. The passage through this location was only a couple hundred feet wide, which sounds real wide, but is not when human gridlock occurs. It  is an awful feeling to suddenly find yourself only able to move in slow increments.

Crowds can panic in such circumstances, such as what has happened many times in Saudi Arabia with Muslims making their trek to Mecca.

Last night's crowd at the Trade Show did not reach an Expo 86 level of human congestion, except for a couple locations where throngs had gathered to await the reading of a raffle ticket.

Eventually I made it safely home and this morning feel no after effects, thus I was up early and in the cool pool shortly after dawn, with the outer world heated to a semi-balmy 51 degrees....

America's Biggest Boondoggle Allegedly Finally Completes Something Worthwhile

What you are looking at here is a screen cap from the NBC DFW website, that being the online version of the Dallas Fort Worth NBC affiliate.

The article we are looking at is titled Art Piece Completed for Trinity River Vision Project.

The caption under the person talking with his hands says "Work on Fort Worth's Trinity River Vision Bridges has been going on for years and there are a few more years to go, but on Monday morning, one part of the project was complete."

The part of the project that is complete, after all these years, is an alleged work of art, that being the metal object the above person's right hand is pointing towards.

If you have driven by The Boondoggle's bridge construction zone you have likely seen this work of art and wondered to yourself why, among with maybe a few other choice words.

Work on The Boondoggle's bridges have been going on for years, with a few more years to go? NBC DFW makes The Boondoggle's boondoggle sound even worse than the embarrassment it actually is.

Actually only one of The Boondoggle's three simple little bridges is being worked on, with that work starting with a bang a little over a year ago, with not much to show for the effort til a couple months ago.

This NBC DFW article and news clip contains several gems in addition to what has already been mentioned, such as....

Most Fort Worth public art is installed after a project finishes or at the very tail end. In this case, Wind Roundabout is really the first finished piece of the Trinity River Vision Project, also known as Panther Island. 

I wonder if NBC DFW can provide us with some examples of Fort Worth public art which was installed after a project was finished, or at the tail end? I draw a blank. This work of art is the first "finished piece of the Trinity River Vision Project?" How can any legit news source print, or say that, without realizing something is dire wrong if this art project is the first finished piece of a project that has been boondoggling along for well over a decade?

Does the now defunct Cowtown Wakepark not count as one of The Boondoggle's completed projects?

The reasoning as to why public funds, for this public works project the public has never voted for, have been spent on an "art" installation, at this stage of the project, is just a bit bizarre....

"The decision was that it would be nice to show something that indicates the progress," said Martha Peters, of Fort Worth Public Art. Showing drivers and residents that progress is happening is part of the reason. Another major reason is that with the artist selected and the piece designed, building it in the future could prove to be more costly. With the piece now finished, it's a chance to show off what the future may hold for an area currently undergoing major construction for the bridges. "It's really sort of setting the stage for the kind of architecture and development the Panther Island Project will bring to Fort Worth," Peters said.

Oh, I see,  part of the reason for adding this work of art to this unfinished project is to show drivers that progress is happening with The Boondoggle. Yes, I am sure that is what most of those driving by that work of  "art" have thought to themselves. As in, something like "Oh my, look at that progress! And here we were thinking nothing was happening with this vitally needed flood and economic development project."

This "art" installation is setting the stage for the kind of development the Panther Island Project will bring to Fort Worth? Could this not be interpreted as a cautionary warning?

When I first saw this art work in progress and wondered why such a thing is being installed now amongst all this sloppy construction mess I figured the artist must be a relative of J.D. Granger or Jim Oliver or Bryan Epstein, in dire need of funds. Thinking thusly due to The Boondoggle and the TRWD's penchant for corrupt nepotism.

The installer of the work of art is a German living in Maine named Uwe Langmesser. The work of art was designed by some other German whose name I have forgotten. I guess nepotism could still be in play, even though those installing the artwork do not have an obvious connection to The Boondoggle's perpetrators.

Another thing about this work of art which bothers me came to mind when I listened to Uwe the Installer wax poetic about how the wind creates a kinetic piece of ever changing art as it blows the thousands of aluminum flappers in the wind.

I thought to myself, is it really a good idea to put such a visual distraction at the center of a big roundabout where all drivers should be focusing their attention on making their way around the big circle, and not staring at some metal blowing in the wind?

I'm guessing the inside, true story as to why this ridiculous piece of art has already been installed in an ongoing construction zone would make for an actual news story, rather than the puff piece of propaganda produced by NBC DFW.....

Lord Baby Jesus Please Let The People Learn To Drive In The Rain

I saw that which you see here on Facebook a couple minutes ago, a meme from something called Olympia Memes.

Olympia is the capital of  the state of Washington. I don't know if Olympia being the state capital has anything to do with Olympia Meme being so named.

I do know that Washington has been much too dry for much to long, til lately. Apparently some people are being vexed by Washington drivers not driving well in the rain. Others blame California transplants.

My current location, a little north of being deep in the heart of Texas, is, weather-wise, being a stereotypical Western Washington Puget Sound lowlands type winter day.

Gray and a slow motion rain, off and on.

On Saturday I read a report or two, again via Facebook, that snow flakes were falling on the Kent Highlands. Kent is a suburb south of Seattle. The Kent Highlands are the area of Kent up on a high bluff above the flat lowlands. I have heard of no snow falling in my old homezone of the Skagit Valley. The lowlands of the Skagit Valley are known as a Banana Belt. Snow can fall and stick in copious amounts in the next county north of Skagit, that being Whatcom, whilst the Skagit zone gets nary a flake.

Lowland Washington drivers are just about as bad as Texans when a rare snowstorm makes roads slippery. Maybe not as bad as Texans due to the fact that lowland Washingtonians can easily get some snow driving practice by heading a few miles east, to the Cascade mountain zone. There are no mountain zone snow opportunities at my current location for hundreds of miles. Probably Colorado would be the closest location one might find a mountain with snow, currently.

I really do not know if I will be able to adjust to living in Western Washington again. Just one day of this gray Texas dripping has me suffering a mild case of SAD (Seasonally Affected Disorder).

I did manage to go swimming this morning, which sort of surprised me. For very selfish reasons I am really becoming a fan of global warming. I went running in the rain in the noon time frame. Running in my neighborhood zone.

French Flag Waves Support Around The World Along With Fort Worth's Unique Contribution

With this particular blogging my original intention was to make it one of my popular series of bloggings about something I see in an online west coast news source which I would not likely see in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

I had screen capped an article about Seattle's French community singing La Marseillaise on Saturday whilst the French flag was raised atop the Space Needle.

The 25 by 35 foot flag was made via a rush job by a Tukwila flag maker, then rushed to Seattle for hoisting atop the Space Needle at 4 pm Saturday.

So, while hoisting a French flag atop a well known Fort Worth landmark is something one would not see in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, due to the fact that Fort Worth has no well known landmarks, I decided it would be tacky and tasteless, on this occasion, to point out that fact.

Oops, I guess I just did.

And does Fort Worth have a French community? I sort of doubt it.

Below is the Sydney Opera House lit up in the French flag tri-colors. The French flag is like the American, Canadian, British, Japanese and a few other flags, in that it is readily recognizable, what with its red, white and blue simplicity.

A month or so ago we heard the sort of shocking news that the skyline of Dallas is the best in the world. Not New York City, not Paris, not any other well known city skyline, it is Dallas with the best, or maybe most well known, skyline in the world. The Dallas skyline has been lit up with the French tri-color flag via the Omni Hotel next to the Reunion Tower.

Note that Dallas is following the French flag's color protocol, broad stripes, with blue on the left, white in the middle, red on the right.

And then we have Fort Worth's contribution to the world-wide symbolic support for France.

I saw the above and totally did not get it. We are looking down on downtown Fort Worth's Sundance Square Plaza. Is the fact that there is blue, white and red lighting supposed to be easily noted as representing France? On ground level did this look like anything even remotely memorable?

Maybe all the other cities in the world were being totally literal, while Fort Worth opted to go for an abstract rendering of the French flag.

Yes,  I realize in the bigger scheme of things this particular Fort Worth oddity amounts to nothing, but still, it is just goofy.

I found this photo on Facebook. A selection of a few of the comments were, well, sort of equally embarrassing....

Debbie McGee: So beautiful! Brian captured the support for our neighbors across the sea!

Judy Schell: So proud of Fort Worth, Texas

Jean Wright Potts: Lovely to be so proud of our cities in mourning with France.

Judy Gans: Beautiful.

Nikki Frazier Sonderegger: Very well displayed.

Mary Zimmerman: awesome way to show we care.

So proud? Beautiful? Well displayed? Awesome way to show we care?

The Brian to which the first commenter refers to is Brian Luenser, he being a local photographer who uses filters and digital manipulation to create extremely distorted photos of Fort Worth, which legions of locals gush over like clueless sheep.  Mr. Luenser's photo of Sundance Square in its tri-color glory appears to be more photo-realistic than most of his photos.

In this blogging I had intended to mention how badly some Republican neo-con nincompoops have embarrassed themselves, and America, with the French, and other thinking people, world-wide, with some of their idiotic statements about the horrific mass murder in Paris. But, I have already run long and it is time for lunch....

I Found No Town Talk In Irving Today

In the photo you are looking at the Saturday post-noon skyward view from my patio prison cell. The photo makes the sky appear more stormy than what my eyes see.

However, apparently, storm clouds are on their way with some anticipated water delivery.

Saturday used to be the day I could usually be counted on to go treasure hunting at Town Talk. But, lately the Town Talk treasure hunting has not been all that fruitful. That and most of the Town Talkers who I was used to seeing whilst checking out, have checked out, replaced by multiple faces I do not recognize.

This morning rather than head west I headed east, to Irving, to check out some property. I don't think I'd been to Irving since my mom and dad were here in January of 2009. I recollect driving them through Las Colinas. Prior to that I think the last time I was in Irving was to go to a Dave & Busters for Miss Puerto Rico's company Christmas party.

Anyway, Irving was a heavy traffic driving adventure today.

Changing the subject to something else.

This morning when I got myself vertical I was very pleased to find that my strained Achilles tendons were no longer in pain mode. This pleased me. So, even though the temperature was a bit below 50, I took myself on a limp-free walk to the pool where I was surprised to find myself able to have a mighty fine time.

After exiting the somewhat cool pool I did my now regular warm up routine of installing myself in sweatpants and then running as fast as I can run til the need to breathe hard stops me. This went quite well this morning with the, now, no longer hurting Achilles heels.

And now it is time for lunch. Chicken, pizza and potato salad....

Riding A Disneyland Log With Ruby, Theo & David

I found that which you see here in my email inbox this afternoon. Photo documentation of the first visit to Disneyland by my Favorite Niece, Ruby and Favorite Nephews Theo and David.

Ruby, Theo and David's grandma had told me the kids were in Disneyland a couple weeks ago when I called my mom and dad from Fort Worth's Disneyland known as Sundance Square Plaza, which is also one of the happiest places on earth where people go to make dreams come true, when they have no better place to go.

Ruby, Theo and David did the Disney parks five days in a row, hopping between Disneyland and Disney California, using something called a Park Hopper Pass.

I have never gone to Disneyland for more days than one in a single visit. Disneyland is exhausting. My last time getting exhausted at Disneyland was Christmas of 1994

Christmas of 1994 was also my one and only time taking a ride on Disneyland's Splash Mountain. I did not like the ride. It was a cold winter day and that ride splashes water. That and I enjoyed Knotts Berry Farm's version more. Probably because the temperature was warm and getting splashed felt good.

On the log you are looking at David in the lead, followed by Theo, then my little sister, Michele, followed by Ruby, followed by mama  Kristen, and then behind  Kristen, near as I can tell, is my Favorite Brother-in-Law, Jack, he being the first husband of my Favorite Sister Jackie.

Jack and Jackie were also in attendance at Disneyland, for at least one day during the extensive stay of Ruby, Theo and David.  My Favorite Nephew Christopher, he being Ruby, Theo and David's cousin, was a surprise visitor, along with Christopher's girl friend.

I do not know how Christopher managed to find his mom and dad, cousins and aunts in the vast Disneyland parks. My guess is he called his mother once he was in the vicinity, got an idea where they were in which park, and then tracked them down. Christopher is very resourceful that way.

Strollers were used to move the kids through the parks. I can not imagine herding three little kids around Disneyland. I can barely handle herding myself in that locale...

Wobbling On My Strained Achilles Heels Looking For Signs Of Christmas

What you are looking at here is what I was looking at a few minutes ago when I walked to Albertsons. This view is looking northeast from the north side of the Albertsons' parking lot. That little structure on the right is a Fort Worth bus stop waiting room.

Soon after I snapped this photo a bus arrived and soon thereafter I started hearing a guy shout "hold that bus, hold that bus." The guy was riding one bike whilst holding on to another, smaller bike. The bus waited for him. I did not wait to see if he successfully boarded with two bikes.

I took this photo not because I was enamored of the bus stop, but because of the billboard in the center pf the picture. That billboard is shilling a store I have never heard of called At Home, apparently with multiple locations in the D/FW Metroplex, with the main message being that this store is the "Home of  the Christmas Spirit."

I thought that home was Walmart.

Speaking of Walmart, it was at Walmart yesterday I saw my first sign of the coming, dreaded, by me, Holiday Season, that being a partially assembled Christmas tree, with its upper third missing.

I likely have passed by many other signs of the coming Holiday Season but did not notice them due to my blissful obliviousness. Which makes this billboard only the second sign of the Holiday Season I have seen.

Changing subjects to something more pleasant, like the weather.

As you can see via the photo documentation my location in North Texas is currently enjoying a totally clear blue sky. The temperature this morning at the time of my regularly scheduled swim was 46. I opted out of swimming. The temperature currently is 64 at a bit past noon. I likely will opt out of swimming tomorrow morning as well.

I am currently being medicated to mitigate the pain I have been suffering from due to strained Achilles tendons. The strain is currently not causing much pain. Apparently the medication is working.

I must now see if can remain vertical long enough to make lunch....

The Shadow Of The Tandy Hills Thin Man Was Not Seen By Me Today

No, that is not the Shadow of the Tandy Hills Thin Man you are looking at here. What you are looking at here is the Shadow of the Village Creek Pinhead.

When I am on the Tandy Hills my shadow looks like I'm a thin man. When I'm running with the Village Creek Indian Ghosts my shadow looks like I have grown myself a pair of thunder thighs.

Thunder thighs are a genetic trait which occurs in many of my relatives. I have always been grateful to have had that genetic trait pass me by.

Til, apparently, now.

Yesterday's high was in the 80s. This morning when the sun arrived the outer world was chilled to the high 40s. With the 24 hour average being well above 50 I opted to do my usual morning swim. The morning swim went quite well, with the water much warmer than the air, and once again confirming that swimming works if that 24 hour average above 50 thing happens.

I suspect tomorrow morning's pool bout will be a bit more dicey. I mean icy.

For my run in with the Indian Ghosts today I had on much more outer wear than is the norm. Long pants and a long sleeved sweatshirt. The long pants may have contributed to the thunder thigh illusion.

After my visit with the Indian Ghosts it was on to ALDI to acquire vittles. Lots of vittles. And now it is time to turn some of those vittles into lunch.

Why Is The Fort Worth Arena Project Only Now Getting Closer To Reality?

In last year's November vote Fort Worth voters approved of the building of a new arena to replace the ancient Will  Rogers Coliseum.

Voters voted to approve of the project by passing three propositions. One proposition approved charging a buck to rent a livestock stall. Another proposition approved of a parking fee surcharge. And still another proposition approved of charging a surcharge on tickets.

Yes, I realize you reading this in democratic parts of America are wondering why three propositions of this sort would be on a ballot  and how it is that approving them approved of the building of an arena.

Well. Apparently the passage of those three propositions really had nothing to do with an arena actually being under construction. I remember wondering at the time, during that election season, why there was no mention made of the construction timeline of this arena project.

But, this is Fort Worth where the locals are used to public works projects with no project timeline. America's Biggest Boondoggle, also known as the Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island Vision, has been boondoggling along for almost two decades, with no real project timeline, yet recently touting 2023 as the year when The Boondoggle's projects are finally completed.

So, this morning the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has an article titled FW arena project getting closer to reality.

I thought that vote a year ago brought the FW arena project to reality?

I know I have asked a time or two lately if anyone has seen any sign of that arena being under construction.

Well, now we have the answer. It is not under construction. A year after being approved by voters voting yes on three goofy propositions, nothing is currently being built.

From the Star-Telegram article....

The new multipurpose arena in the Will Rogers Complex approved by Fort Worth voters last November won’t happen for a few more years, but work on the project has made some significant steps forward.

The City Council on Tuesday was presented with the proposed master agreement between the city and its private backers, Event Facilities Fort Worth Inc., for the development, construction and operation of the $450 million, 14,000-seat arena.

Completion of the master agreement should “allow construction to begin in earnest,” said a city staff memo to the council.

Initial projections pegged the arena’s opening for 2019.

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Really? Initial  projections projected the arena opening in 2019? I do not remember that opening date being part of the campaign information during the election.  Five years after voters voted to approve building it? Five years is even longer than America's Biggest Boondoggle is expected to take to build three simple little bridges over dry land to connect the Fort Worth mainland to an imaginary island.

I thought we were sold on the idea that the entire funding scheme for this arena was in place at the time of the vote, a year ago.

I remember many people wondering at the time, but I am wondering anew, how in the world do you spend almost a half a billion dollars on an arena which only seats 14,000?  The new Cowboys stadium cost a bit over a billion and can hold over 100,000 event attendees. And that giant thing was built in less than four years.

I am thinking that America's Biggest Boondoggle may be getting some local competition for that coveted title.....

No More Mr. Nice Guy Regarding Pseudo Conservative Reactionary Republican Right Wing Nuts

Something has been bugging me bad for way too long, with me taking the easy route of just ignoring that which bugged me, rather than saying what I think about that which is causing the bugging.

Had I been a German in Germany in 1930 I like to believe I would have spoken out against the Nazi evil.

But, how can I think I would speak out against the Nazi evil when I don't speak out when I see similar evil in America?

Well, I am about to purge my conscience by speaking out against the evil amongst us Americans.

One does not have to spend much time on Facebook before one reads something that can simply be summed up as being pure idiocy.

Case in point, that which you see here. A posting by a moron named Steve Davis in which he shares the idiotic idea that Attorney General Loretta Lynch has mandated that the term "juvenile delinquent" can no longer be used, with the term "justice involved youth" to be used instead.

You live in the United States of America, you clueless idiot. The Attorney General has no power to dictate what words Americans use.

How can any grown adult be this stupid, to think something so moronic? Well, let's look at one of the replies to this idiotic Facebook posting....

David Patriot Lambertsen: Eat Shit and Die you worthless affirmative action anti-American anti-Military and Police hating POS - due your duty and indict the traitor Hitlery Clinton - oh I forgot If you do she'd rat out that worthless marxist muslim homo illegal alian grifter infesting the WH and destroying our Country.

Uh, isn't the above what is known as hate speak? Would an actual patriot speak of the occupant of the White House in this manner? A White House occupant who Americans have twice elected?  For months now I have noticed this David the Patriot person showing up on Facebook. I paid little attention. When I did notice he was saying incredibly inflammatory, stupid stuff, I figured he was a troll, trying to point out the absurdity of that which right wing reactionary nutjob types spout.

Then I realized he was an idiotic reactionary right wingnut. And then I realized the reason I was seeing this idiot's nonsense was because he was on my Facebook Friends List.

Yikes! I have a hateful, reactionary, bigoted, traitorous, un-American idiotic moron listed as one of my friends? How did I make this mistake? Well, I get one of those Friend Request things and if I see we share mutual friends I click confirm, without any more thought about it. So, when  I checked and saw this False Patriot on my FB Friends List I also saw we share 13 Mutual Friends. Several of whom I actually know and a couple of whom I hold in high regard. How can they be friends of this wretched excuse for a human being? I am beyond appalled.

I feel an existential crisis coming on. Which I will likely avert.

So, I went to this David Traitor Lambertsen's Facebook page to see some of his other traitorous, seditious, possibly criminal entries. Those follow for your appalled reading displeasure....

David Patriot Lambertsen: The University should cancell the scholarships for these dumb sub-human mongrels as they probably don't qualify to attend the University - the football team sinks anyway. There must be something wrong in MO.

David Patriot Lambertsen: He does have unsually big ears / but not as big as the monkey throwing turds in the WH

David Patriot Lambertsen: Any muslim with a green card or a visa must be immediately deported - tough luck about a sad story - and by the way it goes for the aunt and uncle of the worthless muslim infesting the WH.

And then there is this gem, screen capped right from the Facebook page of this shameless, traitorous, sad excuse for an American....

David Patriot Lambertsen: Just love talking to those young patriots. They are so kind to an old geezer like me. Especially when I start talking about being a Barry Goldwater Delegete (Young Republican) 1964.

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Okay, so this idiot was a "Delegete" (Delegate) to the 1964 Republican Convention which nominated Barry Goldwater, he being an actual conservative who actually understood what the word "conservative" means. Barry Goldwater would be appalled, disgusted and embarrassed by what many who call themselves conservatives opine about our current American president. Barry Goldwater was a decent man, with high standards, who was admired by all sides of the political spectrum when he reached the elderly statesmen stage of his career.

Barry Goldwater would rip the current so-called conservative Republicans to shreds. As likely would Ronald Reagan. Ronald Reagan would have no tolerance for the hate speak of a David Traitor Lambertsen sort. Ronald Reagan was a decent good man.

I am not going to un-Facebook Friend this David the Traitor Idiot.

It is not often one gets a window seat look into utter madness. I shall keep looking as long as I can. And I am no longer going to be a nice quiet guy when I feel my conscience is being troubled by evil....