Inspector Reveals Fort Worth's Panther Island Bridges Are Engineering Nightmare

The above came to me via Twitter via Mr. Galtex who was replying to a Tweet I Tweeted on Twitter, with that Twitter Tweet being a link to a recent Fort Worth Sheep Lemmings Fall For Trinity River Vision Propaganda blogging in which I made mention of the fact that the misinformation propaganda spewed during the recent Tarrant Regional Water District bond election made mention of those pitiful three bridges being built in slow motion to connect the Fort Worth mainland to an imaginary island.

With that propaganda repeating the absurd lie that those bridges are being built in slow motion over dry land in order to save money.

Mr. Galtex's reply to my Twitter Tweet was the screen cap you see above, gleaned from a Fort Worth discussion forum about which I do not know specific details.

But, the information in this screen cap certainly warrants sharing, because the information appears to be accurate, and explains why the construction progress on those bridges has been so slow.

This is also the type information one wonders why one does not see such in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Surely that pseudo newspaper could do a temp hiring of a real investigative journalist who might investigate why and how the Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island District Vision has becomes America's Biggest Boondoggle.

I will type out what this screen cap has to say to facilitate easier reading than trying to read the screen cap...

"I am currently working on this project as an inspector, and the bridges are a night mare. The V piers are so difficult to build up, they've changed plans so many times I don't even know which ones are the standards. The contractors jump from place to place because none of the engineers can agree on how to build the V piers."

Oh, and I am sure if those bridges ever do become anything anyone can see, they are going to be real easy to dig a ditch under without additional complications.

Boondoggle.

America's Biggest...

An Ahwatukee Sweet Tomatoes Mother's Day With Miss Daisy

A couple months ago at the time I booked the flights I did not realize that I was flying away from my mom the day before Mother's Day.

With me leaving on Saturday, on Friday Miss Daisy had me drive Sister Jackie and mom to see the Eddie Basha Collection in the Zelma Basha Salmeri Gallery, where all three of us greatly enjoyed the HUGE collection of Western American & American Indian Art. The most extensive, most valuable such collection in the world.

Maybe more on that later.

So, after seeing the Eddie Basha Collection we headed west to Ahwatukee, an urban village of Phoenix, located south of South Mountain. Our eventual Ahwatukee destination was Sweet Tomatoes, which is a restaurant I used to like in the D/FW zone, before it went defunct.

The Ahwatukee Sweet Tomatoes still prospers. Brother Jake was already there when we arrived. Soon my favorite brother-in-law, Sister Jackie's first husband, Jack, also arrived.

Did I already mention this Sweet Tomatoes outing was Miss Daisy's pre-Mother's Day outing, scheduled Friday, due to my leaving the next day, like I already mentioned, the day before Mother's Day.

Speaking of Mother's Day. I forgot to mention something else, that being the flowers you see photo documented above.

Around noon I returned from a walk to the Sun Lakes Community Club to find the vase of flowers you see above, sitting on mom's kitchen counter.

I located mom and asked if she knew there were flowers in the kitchen. Mom indicated she was aware of this, a man had delivered them.

I asked mom if she wanted me to put the flowers in her TV viewing room so she could view them.

Yes, was the reply. And then mom wondered who the flowers were from. Well, said I, there is a card, would you like me to read the card?

Please, said mom.

It's real long, do you want me to read the entire thing?

Please, said mom again. I can't read.

Yes, said I, think I remember hearing before that you can't read.

Since mom can't read I felt compelled to use some poetic license in the card reading...

Happy Mother's Day Mom, from your sons, daughters, son-in-law, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, grandchild-in-law and great-grandchild---

Much Love from Durango Dean, Jake, Jackie, Jack, Michele, Kristin, Clancy, Fancy, Jason, Joey, Monique, Christopher, Jeremy and Spencer Jack. And the grand-dogs, Tilly, Blue, Eddie and Raven.

_____________

That's nice, said mom, after I "read" the card. But, who is Monique, mom asked?

Monique is your new daughter-in-law, I reminded mom. Remember, Joey surprised us all by getting married recently in Helena, Montana? And that come October you will be seeing the arrival of your second great-grandkid?

Oh, Monique, how could I forget that?, said mom.

Anyway, I hope all you Mothers out there have yourselves a mighty fine Sweet Tomato of a Mother's Day....

Finding The Right Price With Miss Daisy & The Right DFW American Airlines Wichita Falls Gate

Well, after two weeks of being in one of the un-South regions of America, on Saturday night, the day before the latest iteration of Mother's Day I found myself back in Texas, in DFW's airport's Terminal B, Gate 17, waiting to fly out of there in about an hour.

It had been a long day. It began with my final swim of this most recent Arizona visit. Followed by my final McDonald's visit of this visit.

After McDonald's I drove Miss Daisy to Sister Jackie's where I finally got to watch the infamous episode of The Price is Right where McDonald's Jon worked with Drew Carey to try and find the right price.

I had been told few details. I did know, due to a noisy hint from Jon, a few days ago, at the Maricopa McDonald's, that one of the items he won made noise. And that all were enjoying the noisemaker much more than was anticipated.

Mom is able to see, somewhat, when the images are big and bright and the viewing angle is maximized, which is what was the case this morning at Sister Jackie's Price is Right viewing theater, which is what you see photo documented above.

The first iteration of this blogging was written last night whilst waiting to get on board a teeny plane for the short hop to Wichita Falls. The above was edited this Mother's Day morning. The following I will leave as is, telling some of the fun of flying with American Airlines....

A person who seems to have some limited English speaking ability is telling us, loudly, that boarding will soon take place.

The boarding gate has been changed twice since my arrival. I am fairly confident this is the final gate. I had yet one more bizarre DFW American Airlines landing experience today. That makes three times in a row we land, get to the gate, sit, sit some more, sit even longer, with the pilot eventually telling us the gate crew is not yet making the walkway connection by which we exit the plane.

Almost a half hour later we were finally allowed off the HOT plane. I was sitting next to a nervous older guy, well, a couple years older than me, flying from Oregon, to a class reunion in Abilene. He was afraid he would not make his connection. This was his first time flying in decades. So he had had no experience with the uncomfortable flying experience we all enjoy nowadays.

We landed in Terminal A. The Abilene connection was in Terminal D. So, we had fun riding the SkyLink, or whatever it is called. I was pleased because I had time to kill. Over three hours of time in need of killing.

Like I said, the above was written last night. Now I am back in the present, the morning of Mother's Day. So, after I wrote the above and shut down my computer, we were told to move to yet one more different gate. This time to Gate B-14. And then a few minutes later, back to Gate 17. This was a shorter move than the one from Gate 44.

And then as we sat there waiting the waiting passengers who had had bad experiences before with the last flight of the night to Wichita Falls began speculating that the flight might be getting cancelled, since they had experienced that misery before, with American Airlines only offering a hotel voucher and the first flight out in the morning. Along with the suggestion one could rent a car to drive to Wichita Falls, but, without American Airlines paying for the rental.

It was nerve wracking. I just wanted to get home.

And then when the boarding time arrived there was no move to do so, for a couple minutes. And then the boarding began, with me first onboard.

The short flight between Wichita Falls and DFW is a bit bizarre. The plane only gets to an elevation of around 16,000. It barely reaches that elevation when it seems the descent begins. And yet the solo flight attendant passes out bags of pretzels, and then goes down the aisle holding a big bottle of water in one hand and a handful of plastic cups in the other hand. The water wanting passenger pulls off a cup and holds it whilst the flight attendant fills it.

Halfway.

Water service barely ends when the pilot informs the flight attendant it is time to prepare for landing.

Unlike the last time, last night the pilot did not get lost on the Sheppard Air Force base tarmac. He pretty much quickly found the terminal.

I guess I am glad to be back in Texas. I am running my A/C for the first time this year.

I have a backlog of blogging fodder from my two weeks in Arizona. I may get to that in the coming days. Maybe. We shall see....

Mom Watchdogs Sun Lakes Dull Episode Of Arizona Cops

One of my mom's many activities is being a volunteer neighborhood watchdog, keeping a close eye on traffic, or if a neighbor is home, or not. And if someone has not taken in their recycle and garbage bins.

Yesterday mom's watchdogging went into overdrive when a Maricopa County Sheriff parked across the street, exited his vehicle, holding some paperwork, then walking to a house two houses north, one house outside mom's watchdog zone.

The sheriff remained in that house for well over an hour. While the sheriff was in that house four other vehicles, unmarked, showed up, with one man in each vehicle. Mom deputized me to determine if the men in the four other vehicles were in uniform.

They weren't.

At some point during this ongoing pseudo episode of COPS, mom directed me to photo document the sheriff's vehicle, which he had left noisily running during the entire incident.

That is one of the surveillance photos you see above, with me hiding behind one of mom's cactuses.

After a couple hours of watching mom being the neighborhood watchdog I tired of the drama, so I went to one of my favorite swimming pools for some cool off time. Mom was not happy that I was leaving her alone when all this potential criminal activity was underway.

An hour later I returned from pooling to find calm restored to mom's neighborhood watchdog zone. The sheriff was gone, but due to mom's limited visibility ability she had not seen the cop leave, and so mom was still glued to the window doing her watchdog duty.

Mom seemed relieved this nightmare was over, but still concerned, worrying what this was all about. I then took mom on a long drive in the desert to take her mind off her neighborhood possible crime spree troubles.

I do not remember ever looking so forward to returning to Texas as I am looking forward to tomorrow...

Sun Lakes Lady Swim Club & Sister Jackie Rescue Mom & Me From Dead Battery

Only a couple days left in my most recent Arizona visit. Not that I am counting down the days, or anything like that.

This morning's swim with the Sun Lakes Ladies Swim Club started off being mighty fine. Mom came along to supervise from her seated position on wheels.

After about an hour of mom's swimming supervision the temperature had reached a level of slight discomfort. So, it was time to wheel mom to the air-conditioned comfort of her mechanized transport device.

I got mom on board and did the turn the key to do the ignite the engine thing. But turning the key did nothing.

Dead battery.

A relatively new vehicle with a dead battery. Such calamities are common, apparently, in this HOT dry desert climate.

I left mom guarding the vehicle and went back to the Sun Lakes Ladies Swim Club, which was now mostly in the hot tub.

When the SLSC heard my tale of woe they leaped into action.

I forgot to mention that this one time only I did not bring my cell phone with me. Several of the SLSC ladies offered me the use of their phone, but I knew no number committed to memory which I could call.

Miss Jacqui offered to take mom and me home via her golf cart. Phyllis and Ann offered transit in their car. We took the car offer.

Back at my phone I called Sister Jackie, who soon met me back at the dead battery. AAA was called and about an hour later a new battery had me back rolling Miss Daisy around town again, with the first stop at Sister Jackie's so I could take a picture or two of her blooming Saguaro Cactus.

That blooming Saguaro Cactus is what you see above, looming high above Sister Jackie's house. That is the aforementioned formerly dead batteried vehicle you see looking white to the left of the cactus.

Apparently the Saguaro blooming so copiously in highly unusual, usually happening only during periods when a lot of rain has fallen on the desert. But, this desert has been unusually dry for quite some time.

Below is a closeup of the blooming buds. The blooming buds close at night, and then re-open as the sun does its daily lighting duty. Coming up on noon Sister Jackie's buds were not yet in full blooming mode.

Seeing Chandler Rawhide Before Maricopa's Penny McDonald's & Ak-Chin Jackpots

For yesterday's Arizona Adventure Miss Daisy directed temporary driver, Sister Jackie, to drive me and Brother Jake, also known as Spencer Jack's grandpa, on a tour of a new Chandler development with waterfalls and a riverwalk in the making along with a western town called Rawhide.

Leaving Rawhide Miss Daisy directed Sister Jackie to head south towards Maricopa. Sister Jackie drives at a speed known as the speed limit. So, we arrived at Maricopa much faster than when I am Miss Daisy's driver.

The view you see above is a look at the Chandler desert, currently undeveloped, prior to eventually turning into modern America. With water features. And excellent landscaping. Along with streets with sidewalks.

Upon arrival in Maricopa I soon found myself inside the Ak-Chin Casino Resort where I once again won a HUGE jackpot via a complicated slot machine which erupted with noisy sound effects and a lot of visual action which eventually counted down to a point where my dollar take was revealed.

After winning enough money to buy lunch Miss Daisy directed us to our favorite Maricopa McDonald's, where our favorite McDonald's manager, Miss Penny, was expecting us for lunch.

While Miss Penny quickly delivered lunch, Mr. John, also known as that Price is Right Guy, entertained us.

I had myself quite a McDonald's buffet, starting with my favorite, the Fish Sandwich, plus a Double Cheeseburger, some Buttermilk Chicken product, a lot of fries, stuff I am not remembering. And then when Miss Penny asked if we wanted dessert I ended up with a giant Mango Smoothie.

Hours later, with the sun now setting, I don't think I am requiring any additional food calories today.

Today is FNJ3's Happy Birthday.

FNJ3 is Favorite Nephew Jeremy, my number three nephew with a "J" name, hence FNJ3.. Jeremy's Happy Birthday may involve going to yet one more restaurant.

I do not yet know how much weight I have gained during this current Arizona visit. I suspect I may have once again crossed over that 200 pound Rubicon...

Fort Worth Sheep Lemmings Fall For Trinity River Vision Propaganda

So, on Saturday, the voters who voted in Wichita Falls voted to not pass all but one of seven propositions. Well detailed, well planned propositions, a couple of which needed to pass in order to secure matching funds far in excess of the bond amount in the failed propositions.

Meanwhile in another town in Texas, Fort Worth, something like 3% of the eligible voters actually voted and actually passed several bond proposals.

With even Boondoggle Cheerleader, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, making note of the fact few Fort Worth voters, because fewer were allowed to vote in it, than the other proposals, voted to approve a $250,000,000 bond for imaginary flood control and drainage. When the quarter billion bucks are actually a fund infusion into the long floundering Trinity River Vision, which, after almost two decades of dawdling along, has morphed into being America's Biggest Boondoggle.

And, in reaction to what local wags have taken to calling the Pirate Island Bond, the lead Pirate, Fort Worth Congresswoman. Kay Granger, is touting this bond approval as indicating the voters having finally approved, via voting, of the Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island District Vision, more commonly known, as we already indicated, as America's Biggest Boondoggle.

So, this corrupt woman who has financially benefited in multiple ways from this eminent domain abusing boondoggle thinks less than 3% of voters approving of a ballot measure described as being for Flood Control and Drainage, with no mention of the Trinity River Vision, Panther Island or Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats, that this approval means the voters of Fort Worth have now approved of that which has become America's Biggest Boondoggle.

Methinks not.

This quarter billion bucks is not going to rescue this ill-conceived, ineptly implemented project, originally touted, long ago, as a vitally needed flood control and economic development scheme.

So vitally needed, the project has been limping along almost since the beginning of this century, with the current project completion supposedly being in 2028.

Yeah, really vitally needed.

So vitally not needed that until last Saturday no voters had been allowed to vote on this project. And, in reality, still have not been allowed to vote on this project.

This bond measure of which a few Fort Worth voters approved was misrepresented by an incredibly idiotic propaganda campaign designed to scare the ignorant with visions of an impending flood of biblical proportions if this proposition was not approved, with that approval supposedly allowing the removal of levees which have kept downtown Fort Worth flood free for well over half a century. The idiotic propaganda claimed if this bond proposal was not approved those levees would have to be raised, you know, because Fort Worth's population has grown so much since the levees were installed.

Like I said, idiotic nonsense.

And yet a majority of the few who voted, voted yes.

Idiots.

Utter Idiots.

Utter, ignorant idiotic fools, apparently.

Utterly ignorant idiotic fools willing to be mindless sheep.

No one knows the price tag for the parts of this project yet to be designed. Like the ditch to go under the three simple little bridges being slowly built over dry land.

Or the flood diversion dam mechanism which will supposedly divert a flooding Trinity River into that ditch, speeding the flow of water towards Arlington and beyond.

Or how much it will cost to clean up all the underground pollution, some of which recently seeped to the surface, sickening workers. The pollution aspect of this boondoggle is only gonna get worse.

And the price tag is only gonna go up.

And in the end, the voters of Fort Worth will get exactly what their inept idiotic ignorance deserves.

Or, maybe there is still time for common sense to prevail, and some clear thinking adult to ride to the rescue and lead Fort Worth from its current path of continuing to be an embarrassing American backwards backwater.

With Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats in a polluted river at an imaginary music venue with an imaginary pavilion on an imaginary island.

With world class outhouses....

Not Protesting Price Is Right At Arizona McDonald's On Cinco De Mayo

You are possibly guessing that that which you are seeing here is some sort of protester protesting the bizarre results from yesterday's Texas voting activity, protesting by hanging some sort of protest sign from a Texas McDonald's.

Well, you would be wrong to think this is a protesting protester.

Or that this was taking place in Texas.

This protester was not protesting anything. He was trying to hang a banner from the roof of the McDonald's at the intersection of Dobson and Warner in Chandler, Arizona, with that banner celebrating the re-opening after the re-modeling of one of my favorite brother-in-law's dozens of Arizona McDonald's.

Mom directed me to this location mid-day on Cinco de Mayo.

Inside the re-opened McDonald's I was unable to find my faovorite brother-in-law. Or see my favorite brother, who I later learned was there at the same time mom and I were.

But I did see the McDonald-ite you see here. You probably recognize him if you are a fan of Price is Right. In March there were watch parties in Arizona to watch this particular McDonald-ite, John, and his current wife, Ricky, have fun with Drew Carey whilst guessing what various products, like cars, cost.

On Tuesday my favorite brother-in-law's favorite first wife, my favorite sister Jackie, is taking me and mom to one of the Maricopa McDonald's to see Penny, and possibly John.

Way back in February I saw the Price is Right John, with Penny, at that Maricopa McDonald's. At that point in time he could not reveal the results of his Price is Right appearance. He was able to reveal the details of the process which ended with his face time with Drew Carey.

I am looking forward to a fish burger on Tuesday. It does not take much to give me something to look forward to...

Vote NO To The Criminally Fraudulent Fort Worth Boondoggle Way

Tomorrow an election in Fort Worth, Texas gives the few voters allowed to do so the first chance in almost two decades to actually vote on a bizarre, corruptly implemented public works project the public til tomorrow has never approved of via the time honored American way of the people saying yes via a ballot.

But, that is not the Fort Worth Way of operating in a town where a long entrenched good old boy and girl network runs the town like some sort of anachronistic throwback from long ago America.

On tomorrow's Fort Wort ballot the Tarrant Regional Water District is asking those allowed to vote to vote to approve a quarter billion buck bond. The ballot fraudulently describes the bond as being for flood control and drainage.

Flood control in an area of downtown Fort Worth where the Trinity River has not flooded for well over a half century due to being protected by levees long ago installed.

And now I find that the TRWD propaganda purveyors have mailed a scare tactic piece of perversity full of lies and ridiculous claims, apparently assuming, (sadly possibly accurately), that those Fort Worth voters allowed to vote are mindless, ignorant, ill-informed, illogical, clueless sheep with zero memory retention or ability to tell right from wrong or legitimate from criminal fraud.

The TRWD Trinity River Vision propaganda is claiming this quarter billion dollar addition to the already bloated 'project' is needed to protect downtown Fort Worth from a catastrophic flood, you know, because the population of the town has grown so much since those levees were built. You know, levees which the Trinity River has never gotten close to topping in a flood.

The propaganda claims if the voters do not approve this bond why there will be no option but to increase the height of those levees, in order to prevent the type flood which has never occurred.

To enhance flood protection the Trinity River Vision Central City Uptown Panther Island District wants to remove those levees which have long prevented flooding, and replace the levees with a flood diversion channel.

Because, you know, a big new cement lined ditch will afford much better flood protection than long installed levees built along the actual river.

If this "new" flood control method is so good and so important and so vitally needed why has this project dawdled along in slow motion for almost two decades with little to show for the effort?

Beginning in 2014 the Trinity River Vision, which is now known as America's Biggest Boondoggle, began construction of three simple little bridges, built over dry land, to connect the Fort Worth mainland to an imaginary island.

Those three simple bridges came with an astonishing four year construction timeline. Longer than it took to build the Golden Gate Bridge and many other actual feats of complicated engineering.

And now, four years after starting that bridge construction with a big money wasting TNT exploding celebration no bridge exists. Some concrete forms have been poured.

And yet this bizarre propaganda mailer in support of this funding subterfuge brings up those pathetic, pitiful bridges and repeats the ridiculous propaganda that the bridges are being built over dry land in order to save money, as if doing so is by some sort of fiscally responsible design.

Which is a lie.

The bridges are being built over dry land because the funding to dig the ditch to go under the bridges does not exist. The design of the ditch has not been completed. The cost of digging the ditch has not been calculated. The added costs caused by having to dig the ditch under bridges absurdly built over dry land has not been calculated. The design of the water diversion dam which will divert a flooding Trinity into that ditch has not been done, or the estimated cost determined.

And yet these idiots, foisting this on Fort Worth, spew nonsense as if this is not an embarrassing disaster for Fort Worth with no end in sight.

Unless those few allowed to do so say NO tomorrow on that likely criminally fraudulent ballot.

Bonds Being Played The Fort Worth vs. Wichita Falls Way

In about an hour I go on the long five mile trek north to the Hooterville, I mean, Wichita Falls airport to get on a plane to fly east so I can fly west to Arizona.

I refer to the local airport with that Hooterville name because I was amused last week to see an opinion piece in the local Wichita Falls newspaper referring to the local airport as such.

Hooterville, if it has an airport, its one plane would likely have be a single engine WW1 vintage plane, not the super modern super small jet I fly to DFW.

So, prior to flying I took a walk on the Circle Trail this morning along with dozens of fellow walkers, bladers and bikers.

In front of the Endurance House sporting equipment store, which one quickly comes to when one walks south from my abode on the Circle Trail, I saw that which you see above, a sign suggesting voters VOTE YES for a Better Wichita Falls.

I already did so, yesterday.

I will be in Arizona on May 5 when we find out if Wichita Falls voters did the smart thing and voted to approve what seems to me to be well planned plans for the Wichita Falls future.

Meanwhile in Fort Worth some voters will be allowed to vote in the May 5 vote, saying YES or NO to a fraudulently worded ballot measure trying to trick those few voters into voting YES for a quarter billion buck bond for imaginary flood control and drainage issues, when the money is actually an attempt to rescue the Trinity River Vision from its current status as America's Biggest Boondoggle.

This morning I saw that former Tarrant Regional Water District Board Director, Mary Kelleher, had eloquently opined on her blog about this latest election fraud being perpetrated by the perpetrators behind most of the shenanigans which have long kept Fort Worth an American backwards backwater full of corruption of various sorts.

Absurd nepotism. Justices of the Peace booted for rigging their own elections, eminent domain abuse. That type thing.

Mary Kelleher opines about some of this corruption in Fort Worth Bonds....We Are Being Played the Fort Worth Way!

I do not understand how the results, either YES or NO, of this Fort Worth vote would not be considered fraudulent, due to the fraudulent wording on the ballot.

But, like Mary says, it's the Fort Worth Way.

So bizarre...