Durango Texas

Ennui Has Me In Its Evil Grip

2013-05-23T09:44:00.000-05:00

I do not know why the picture of the view from my patio looks so dark. Does my camera have some sort of sensor that detects my mood? Maybe I accidentally put the camera on the bad mood setting, causing the picture to look moody.

I was able to go swimming this morning for the first time in 2 days, but the pool is still about a foot short of being full. It takes a long time for one garden hose to fill a big pool.

Yesterday I did not realize I had not done my usual daily blogging thing til I started getting emails and blog comments asking if I was okay. Or still alive.

I think Elsie Hotpepper was the first to inquire about my well being, which sort of confused me because I thought I'd done something at Elsie Hotpepper's request that very morning. But, I may be a day off in correctly remembering when I'd done something at Elsie Hotpepper's request.

Yesterday morning, (or was it the day before?), I found myself consumed with a bad case of ennui.

The ennui bout may have been precipitated by the fact that it seems I have gone days without my regular aerobically induced endorphin stimulation.

There have been a variety of causal factors that have caused my endorphin shortage. Bad weather, a waterless pool, a doctor visit.

Combine the endorphin shortage with a sort of sense of doom, some doom sense tornado related, some doom sense due to feeling that too much of the world, locally, nationally, globally, is totally nuts, and I find myself coming down with a bad case of ennui.

I'll probably get over it.....

I Am Now In Tornado Watch Mode With All My Hatches Battened Down

2013-05-21T14:07:00.002-05:00

My computer based weather monitoring device is telling me to be in "TORNADO WATCH" mode.

A minute ago I learned via my TV based weather monitoring device that the predicted storm is now entering the D/FW Metroplex and will be at my location in about 25 minutes.

Rain is already falling. The wind has grown stronger. The sky is getting darker.

All my hatches are battened down.

A Vote Recount Keeps Mary Kelleher From Joining The TRWD Board Today

2013-05-21T10:42:00.000-05:00

I was so looking forward to watching Mary Kelleher be sworn in this morning to be a member of the Tarrant Regional Water District Board, followed by lunch with Fort Worth's favorite self-entitled, pearls clutching dowager heiress, Marty Leonard.

As so often happens when I look forward to something, something goes wrong.

The Tarrant County Elections Office is recounting the votes cast in the May 11 TRWD Board election.

The swearing in of Mary Kelleher is postponed until the election results are validated.

I have heard of multiple impropriety allegations which may be why the recount has been ordered.

I have heard there are provisional and military ballots which were not counted. I don't know what a provisional ballot is. I assume a military ballot is a vote cast by someone in the military.

I have heard there was some dubious behaviors at a couple of the polling places. I don't have any idea if those dubious behaviors are one of the reasons for the recount.

I have also heard that there were some shenanigans at the Tarrant County Elections Office the day of the election that may have created some concern as to the accuracy of the original vote count.

If I remember right John Basham was 92 votes short of unseating one of the incumbents. I will not be shocked if this recount results in that incumbent being unseated, with John Basham joining Mary Kelleher as a newcomer to the TRWD Board.

Monday's Deadly Oklahoma Tornado Reminded Me Of Ma McMeganoodle's Oklahoma Tornado

2013-05-21T09:42:00.000-05:00

This next to last Tuesday of May of 2013 got off to a bad start with my pool not being doable due to the water needing to be lowered to repair a light.

And then we have the distressing news from a few miles north, in the Oklahoma City zone, of yesterday's monstrous killer tornado.

Today the storm predictors are predicting North Texas will be having a few thunderstorms, along with downpours, large hail, damaging winds and possibly a tornado.

Currently none of the above predicted calamities is occurring.

Regarding yesterday's Oklahoma tornado. Way back late in the last century, when I moved to Texas, one of my best friends from Washington moved to Oklahoma, to the town of Ada. Soon upon my arrival in Texas I drove up to Ada to visit Ma McMeganoodle (real name altered due to shyness issues).

Ma McMeganoodle arrived in Oklahoma soon after a massive killer tornado did massive damage in the same area as yesterday's tornado. The McMeganoodle clan checked out the damage, which left Ma McMeganoodle pretty much totally freaked out at the idea she and her family were now living in Tornado Alley.

Ma McMeganoodle was convinced their #1 priority had to be building a tornado proof storm cellar.

A couple years go by and what happens? A tornado strikes down a very short distance from the McMeganoodle home, eventually heading right up the McMeganoodle driveway before the twister decided to take a turn before hitting the McMeganoodle home.

So, what does Ma McMeganoodle do while this tornado rapidly approaches? Does she get in the storm cellar? No. Because no storm cellar was built. Does Ma McMeganoodle get in an interior closet? Or a bathtub? No.

Ma McMeganoodle stays outside, taking pictures of the tornado. I later webpaged those photos, along with pictures taken later of the aftermath, in a webpage titled Tornado Touchdown in Ada Oklahoma.

Ma McMeganoodle and family, left Oklahoma in 2008, moving back to the Skagit Valley of Washington, an area which is fairly reliably tornado free.

Two Nephews And A Niece In Danger From A Tacoma Tiger

2013-05-20T15:33:00.001-05:00

A few minutes ago I was surprised to find myself looking at photo documentation of my nephews, David & Theo and niece, Ruby, having a close encounter with a tiger.

Years ago I had a mostly undeserved reputation for putting my Nephews in Danger. This was pre-Internet, thus pre-websites, pre-blogging, and yet I remember some sort of computer produced production titled Nephews in Danger. If I remember right, when the Internet came along I did eventually webpage Nephews in Danger.

I do not remember ever putting my nephews in a dangerous situation involving a tiger.

There was a Nephews in Danger incident, or two, where the nephew in danger agreed to not tell his parental units the details of a particular incident.

I remember one nephew in danger incident that I still have nightmares about every once in awhile. It was late October, nephew Joey and I decided it sounded like fun to hike up Sauk Mountain. This is an easy hike accessed from the Skagit Valley, about 30 miles upriver from our home zone of Mount Vernon and Burlington.

The drive to the Sauk Mountain trailhead is a twisting turning series of switchbacks and other mountain road type fun. The temperature was below freezing. There were some patches of ice on the road, but we easily got to the trailhead and started our hike.

The hike to the top of Sauk Mountain is mostly long switchbacks, going back and forth, gaining elevation. The higher we climbed the more ice covered the trail. I remember telling Joey we had to be real careful, and that if we slipped, try and enjoy the slide down the mountain, while trying to stop the slide.

As we neared the top of the mountain the solid ice became problematic. That may have been the point when I realized the extent to which I had put my nephew in danger.

And then it began to snow. Hard. Real hard.

I told Joey we needed to head down the mountain as quickly as possible, but slow enough to not slip.

Visibility diminished as the snow increased in volume. As the elevation got lower the trail became less icy. At the end of the switchbacks we pretty much ran back to my motorized vehicular transport, which, if I remember right, was a Mazda pickup.

Joey and I were a bit cold, under dressed in shorts and t-shirts. I recollect shivering while waiting for the vehicle's heating system to heat up.

I remember Joey's teeth clattering as he said that this was the most fun thing we've ever done.

The last time I saw nephew Joey was early August of 2008. At Bay View State Park, on Padilla Bay, in Skagit County. Joey's mother was there. The subject of the Sauk Mountain Nephews in Danger incident came up that day, but after Joey's mother left.

Last year I was surprised to open an email to find photo documentation from Joey's mom, she being my favorite ex-sister-in-law, with the photos documenting Joey's mom's hike to the top of Sauk Mountain!

I figured enough time had passed, statute of limitations type thing, that it was okay for me to suggest to Joey's mom that she ask Joey about the last time he and I hiked to the top of Sauk Mountain.

I don't know if Joey's mom asked Joey about hiking to the top of Sauk Mountain. I know when such an incident has been revealed in the past, I was usually the recipient of a very heartfelt scolding. But, like I already suggested, I think the statute of limitations has run out on this incident.

Now, I must try and find out who is responsible for putting David, Theo and Ruby in Danger with a Tiger....

Hiking With The Indian Blankets Blanketing The Windy Tandy Hills

2013-05-20T13:17:00.001-05:00

What you are looking at in the picture is what is known as an Indian Blanket Wildflower.

I know this is an Indian Blanket Wildflower because renowned Fort Worth Horticulturist, CatsPaw, told me so on Friday after I mentioned in a blog post that one particular wildflower seemed to be obliterating all others in the Village Creek Natural Historical Area's Wildflower Area.

Today I was back on the Tandy Hills for the first time in about a week, if I'm remembering correctly. The amount of wildflowers doing their annual wildflower blooming duty has greatly diminished since my last visit.

And, just like in the Village Creek Natural Historical Area, on the hills of the Tandy Hills Natural Area, Indian Blankets seemed to be putting on the most abundant display.

The Indian Blankets you see above were in a patch near the summit of Mount Tandy. These may be my new favorite Texas Wildflower.

Changing the subject from wildflowers to my favorite subject, that being the weather.

I have grown tired of the non stop wind. There were whitecaps on the pool when I went swimming this morning. I was tempted to get my surfboard out of the closet.

Changing the subject again, this time from too much wind to something far more disturbing.

I found out this morning that Elsie Hotpepper has made it safely back to Texas. That is a relief. However, Elsie is wanting me to join her tomorrow is some sort of gang related activity that makes me a bit nervous....

A Fun Sunday Fort Worth Trinity River Vision Boondoggle Bike Tour

2013-05-19T16:15:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I blogged about a bizarre bit of propaganda that touted something being called Panther Island Pavilion as a revolutionary game changer that is changing the face of music in Fort Worth and the world beyond, with this Panther Island Pavilion music venue being a huge attraction that will put Fort Worth on the music map.

I read this propaganda and wondered to myself if it were possible that the totally nondescript Rockin' the River location, which I'd checked out previously, could possibly have morphed into something special, since I last looked at it.

So, I decided to take myself, and my bike, on a Fort Worth Boondoggle Tour on this next to last Sunday of May. I drove to Trinity Park, via the 7th Street bridge, whose new arches, I must say, look cool. This will be a good-looking bridge, when completed, methinks.

Let the Fort Worth Boondoggle Tour begin.

The photo at the top is part of the downtown Fort Worth campus of Tarrant County College. This part of the college was supposed to be larger, with part of it on the opposite side of the Trinity River. After millions of dollars in cost over runs it was decided to spend millions more to turn the defunct Radio Shack Corporate Headquarters into the main campus of the downtown Fort Worth campus of Tarrant County College.

You are looking at the former Radio Shack Corporate Headquarters, that became a college, below.

Fort Worth's Boondoggles sort of feed on each other, at times. Radio Shack's Corporate Headquarters, that Radio Shack could not afford, and soon had to sell, came about with a land grab via eminent domain. From the Radio Shack Boondoggle Fort Worth lost acres of free parking, which, for decades, had made access to downtown an easy pleasant experience, because along with the free parking there was the world's shortest subway line to take you from the free parking to the heart of downtown Fort Worth. And the subway ride was also free. The Radio Shack Boondoggle clearly did lasting damage to downtown Fort Worth. I think of that anytime I need to park in downtown Fort Worth.

Well, let's leave those Fort Worth Boondoggles behind and visit some Trinity River Vision Boondoggles.

Below we are looking at the confluence of the West and Clear Forks of the Trinity River. This is also the location of the Trinity River Vision's Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats. This is the area described in the dfw.com propaganda article I blogged about yesterday, with the below paragraph...

Over the past two years, Panther Island Pavilion, a 40-acre space tucked away underneath Henderson Street just outside downtown, has risen from a barren patch of real estate you might not even notice on your jog along the Trinity Trails to become a focal point not only for civic planners with an eye on tomorrow, but for the city and state’s music industry.

Impressive isn't it? Actually, in person, this is a mess. J.D. Granger references new and improved music stages. But, what I saw today, was the stage I'd seen previously, is now missing, replaced by the two blue outhouses you see at the center of the picture. The stage on the right has been altered since I last saw it.

A couple lifeguard perches have been added. The sign on the lifeguard perch says it is "A PRODUCT OF THE TRINITY RIVER VISION."

Hubris.

The sign also advises "SWIM AT OWN RISK." If a floater runs into trouble does the lifeguard shout that you are swimming at your own risk?

That is a Panther Island Pavilion cement encased outhouse you are looking at above. The stage we saw in the previous two pictures is in the background.

I think the MMG should be changed to OMG.

J.D. Granger is planning on having thousands of people attend music events that will turn Fort Worth into the live music capital of the world. All those people? And only a few outhouses? Outhouses? Is there any other big city in America with so many outhouses near its downtown core?

Continuing on with the Trinity River Vision part of our Fort Worth Boondoggle Tour. Next stop, Coyote Drive-In.

I was hoping to be impressed by the Coyote Drive-In. I was hoping to see a well designed, landscaped, attractive modern looking take on a drive-in, something that reminded me of the long gone Skagit Drive-In of my long ago youth.

The word that quickly came to mind when I saw the Coyote Drive-In was TACKY. The cyclone fence topped by 3 strands of barbed wire is one example. The parking lot had not been resurfaced from the days when its facing bankruptcy owner sold it to the Tarrant Regional Water District. I saw no landscaping. A fence made of worn looking boards surrounds the area where the movie watchers park. The entry to the drive-in, where you pass on to the property to get in line to buy your ticket is, well, missing a Welcome to Coyote Drive-In sign, or any other type signage. Maybe it was there and I missed seeing it.

The Coyote Drive-In has the look of something built on the cheap, the extremely cheap. Totally aesthetically unappealing. Which makes it a perfect pairing with the Panther Island Pavilion.

Leaving the Coyote Drive-In our next stop on the Fort Worth Boondoggle Tour is the world's premiere urban wakeboarding venue, Cowtown Wakepark.

I must say, of the three Trinity River Vision Boondoggle up and running operations, Cowtown Wakepark is looking the best. The last time I saw Cowtown Wakepark it was a littered, overgrown mess. Today there were 4 guys wakeboarding at the same time. Several people were watching. The thing that totally surprised me is how clean the water looked. It is a totally different color than the Trinity River which you can see at the same time you are looking at the Wakepark lake.

What is making the Wakepark lake look so clean? There is no apparent filtration system. There are no aerating fountains. The water looked so good I thought to myself the TRV Boondoggle should lose this Cowtown Wakepark thing and turn this into a swimming lake.

On thing I forgot to mention and forgot to take pictures of, because I was focused on pedaling into a very strong wind, was at the Panther Island Pavilion location a couple of the old subway stations had signage attached of the "STAGE 3", "STAGE 4" sort. Can these possibly be some of the "new" stages J.D. Granger references in the bizarre propaganda article in dfw.com? If that is the case I guess it is sort of admirable that J.D. is re-purposing something lost due to the Radio Shack Corporate Headquarters Boondoggle.

Yeah, it is really clear to me, that J.D. Granger's vision for the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle is leading Fort Worth to a very special future, a music, drive-in and wakeboard mecca for all the world to come and enjoy...

The Propaganda Panther Rocks Tonight With J.D. Granger's Big Dose Of Hubris

2013-05-18T20:19:00.000-05:00

I think I may have mentioned previously that after I moved to Texas I became a fan of propaganda. I'd never really had the opportunity to witness hyperbolic propaganda up close and in person before, til Texas.

I tell you, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and its step-child, dfw.com, could have taught the old Soviet Union and Pravda, a thing or two about making their citizens think they are living in Paradise on Earth.

The Soviet Union was able to fool the Soviet people for a long long time, in part, by controlling what the people knew of the world outside the Soviet Union. Controlling what their people knew of the rest of the world became increasingly difficult for the Soviets, and eventually impossible.

When I first experienced Star-Telegram propaganda I was totally perplexed, with me thinking is propagandizing this stuff based on knowing the majority of its readers have not been out of the Soviet Union, I mean, Fort Worth?

For example, soon after my arrival in Texas, the Star-Telegram acted as a cheerleader for a public works project called the Santa Fe Rail Market, touting it as modeled after Seattle's Pike Place Market and public markets in Europe. And that it would be the first public market in Texas.

This, to me, set a very high bar, but, at that point in time, I was open minded, did not realize the extent to which the Star-Telegram will actually out and out lie to its readers. When I visited the Santa Fe Rail Market soon after it opened, I was appalled to find it bore no resemblance to Pike Place. It was more like a really sad food court, with shops, one might find in a bad mall in a small town.

And it was not even the first public market in Fort Worth, let alone Texas!

And then there was the propaganda the Star-Telegram foisted in its readers regarding the Cabela's sporting goods store. Over and over again, in article after article, the Star-Telegram told its readers that this sporting goods store would be the #1 tourist attraction in Texas.

Within 6 months of opening, not only was the Fort Worth Cabela's not only not the #1 tourist attraction in Texas, it was not the only Cabela's in Texas, and eventually the Fort Worth Cabela's was not even the only Cabela's in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.

Have you read a mea culpa in the Star-Telegram regarding their part in the Cabela's scam?

And then there is the Trinity River Vision. When the Star-Telegram first brought this vision to its reader's attention a huge headline announced that this project would turn Fort Worth into the Vancouver of the South.

Vancouver of the South? I remember thinking has no one working on the Star-Telegram been to either of the northern Vancouvers? Nothing could possibly be done to Fort Worth to make it even remotely resemble one of the Vancouvers of the north. Both Vancouvers have big rivers rolling through town that dwarf the Trinity River ditch, with the Washington Vancouver rolling the Columbia and the British Columbia Vancouver rolling the Fraser. The B.C. Vancouver is in one of the most scenic city settings in the world. Surrounded by water, with mountains.

The original vision of the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle conjured images of canals, of riverwalks, of a big lake. The original vision made no mention of wakeboard parks, inner tubing happy hour parties, drive-in movie theaters or restaurants.

But, now in 2013, over a decade since this bizarre project was foisted on the public, who had no voting say in the matter, all we can see of the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle is the Cowtown Wakepark, Coyote Drive-In, Woodshed Smokehouse and Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats at Panther Island.

Panther Island brings us back to dfw.com. At the top you are looking at the cover of this week's ink edition of dfw.com.

The propaganda starts on the cover with the headline "The Panther rocks tonight" with a sub-headline of "A barren patch of earth along the Trinity River has become Fort Worth's unlikely music mecca. We chart the rise of Panther Island Pavilion."

The above propaganda leads to the feature article in this week's dfw.com, titled "The rise of Panther Island Pavilion."

First off, pavilion seems a rather grandiose term to use to describe the nondescript bandshells being touted.

Panther Island? But, there is no island. That's fine. With propaganda you just make up stuff. It is sort of like how there really is no vision in the Trinity River Vision.

Where "Panther Island" sits, un-surrounded by water, is at the confluence of the West and Clear forks of the Trinity River. That being the location of what the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle claimed would be a lake of over 30 acres, later shrunk to a pond a third that size. Is what is being called "Panther Island" to be an actual island if the envisioned pond is something someone may actually one day see?

Now, let's start at the beginning of The rise of Panther Island Pavilion and look at some of the choice pieces of propaganda....

The asphalt teems with tents serving craft-brewed beers in 2-ounce plastic cups, and two stages featuring a panoply of indie-rock acts hum with energy well into the night. A few yards beyond the chain-link fence surrounding the city’s inaugural Untapped Festival, the Trinity River flows past, its calm waters absorbing and reflecting the rays of the setting sun.

Stop and take it all in. This is what Fort Worth’s future looks like.

That is, if J.D. Granger and the Trinity River Vision Authority have anything to say about it.

Fort Worth's future looks like a beer soaked music festival if J.D. Granger has anything to say about it?

Over the past two years, Panther Island Pavilion, a 40-acre space tucked away underneath Henderson Street just outside downtown, has risen from a barren patch of real estate you might not even notice on your jog along the Trinity Trails to become a focal point not only for civic planners with an eye on tomorrow, but for the city and state’s music industry.

“The backdrop is crazy,” says Granger, the TRVA’s executive director. “You’re right in the middle of an urban environment, but you’ve got waterfront [access] — it’s a very unique thing.”

Panther Island Pavilion has become a focal point for civic planners and the Fort Worth and Texas music industry? Why not just say it will become the #1 tourist attraction in Texas? Like Cabela's? J.D. thinks this backdrop is crazy? Well, something sure seems crazy. You're right in an urban setting where you have waterfront access, which is very unique? Unlike New York City, Chicago, Miami, Washington, D.C., Portland, Seattle, San Diego, San Francisco, San Antonio and many many other cities across America, and with their waterfront access not being a slow moving, polluted, un-natural, small, little known river.

The TRVA’s stated mission is “to connect every neighborhood in the city to the Trinity River corridor,” and through a mix of initiatives and ambitious goals, Granger and his collaborators just might help make Fort Worth a live-music capital in the process.

I am a little confused. Has making Fort Worth a live-music capital, whatever that is, now been added to the TRVA's stated mission?

There’s no question that Fort Worth stands poised, creatively, on the verge of a musical renaissance, with multiple bands achieving success at home and beyond the Tarrant County line.

Really? There is no question? Oodles of Fort Worth bands stand poised for success beyond the Tarrant County line! Maybe all the way to Dallas County? Are we sure there is no question as to how near we are to this verge of a musical renaissance? Will this have a cool name, like in the 90s when the Seattle sound became known as Grunge?

The venue’s rise began innocently enough, two years ago. It was conceived as part of the decade long Trinity River Vision, a plan meant to tie Fort Worth to the Trinity River, revitalizing the waterway with an urban infrastructure and amenities appealing to the “creative class” (a socioeconomic designation popularized by author Richard Florida).

So this Panther Island venue's rise was conceived as part of the TRV Boondoggle? At what TRVA or TRWD Board meeting was this plan approved? Can the public read the minutes of the meeting when this decision was made to add making Fort Worth a music mecca to the Trinity River Vision's mission? Richard Florida? Methinks Richard Florida would gag to have his name associated with Fort Worth's macabre vision of urban re-generation gone awry, with wakeboard parks, drive-ins and inner tube floats. With music.

Panther Island Pavilion, so nicknamed by local writer Kevin Buchanan in a 2007 post on his urban growth-focused website FortWorthology.com (a recent server mishap has temporarily waylaid the site), became, along with Tim Love’s Woodshed restaurant, a way for Granger to show the TRVA board and the city at large how urban planning could jump-start growth along the Trinity.

Well now, we finally find out the reason behind the Woodshed Smokehouse being added to the Trinity River Vision. J.D. Granger has been using Panther Island Pavilion and Tim Love's restaurant to show us how urban planning could jump-start growth along the river. And people thought J.D. Granger was totally unqualified for this job, while he has actually been being a Machiavellian clever boy showing us how the grandiosely named Panther Island Pavilion and a restaurant can do some jump starting of some growth along the Trinity.

“It’s always been planned that [Trinity Uptown] would be an exciting urban lifestyle,” Granger says. “People expect more in an urban environment. We have a blank slate down there, so let’s make sure and create the character ahead of time, be unapologetic about it. If you don’t like the character, this is not the place for you to live.”

When the city’s noise ordinance was revised in early 2012, a special exception was made for the area containing Panther Island Pavilion (it’s right there on page 10 of the Jan. 23 presentation to the City Council: “Large venue in Trinity Uptown”). Granger calls it “the most liberal noise ordinance” in Fort Worth, and it was made with the intention of attracting more and larger events to the space.

So, what I'm understanding J.D. to be saying is if you don't like loud noise this is not the place for you to live. J.D. thinks that he has created something special about which he should be unapologetic? I would like to suggest maybe being embarrassed about that which has been "created" might be more appropriate.

Indeed, an argument can be made that none of the recent flurry of activity along or near the Trinity River — the just-opened Coyote Drive-In (see sidebar), for example, or the Clearfork Food Park — would be possible without projects like Panther Island Pavilion paving the way.

Panther Island Pavilion somehow led to the Coyote Drive-In and a food truck park? Is Vegas taking odds on how long it is til the first drive-in in America in the 21st century goes out of business?

Okay, you get the idea. Totally absurd propaganda. Read the The rise of Panther Island Pavilion for even more absurdity, such as....

“Do I plan to be in the music business forever? No,” Granger says. “We go to a cool business model, turn it over to a concessionaire and let them go. That will be the biggest struggle over the next couple years: Do we go ahead and go to a national model, or can we maintain the character of Fort Worth and keep some real grit? That’ll be a tough one.”

A national model? Model of what? Real grit is the character of Fort Worth?

If I remember right I believe I have mentioned before that the word "hubris" often comes to mind when I am appalled by the propaganda spewed in the Fort Worth zone by entities like the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Trinity River Vision Authority & Tarrant Regional Water District Board....

Hubris: Extreme pride or arrogance. Hubris often indicates a loss of contact with reality and an overestimation of one's own competence or capabilities, especially when the person exhibiting it is in a position of power.

Mountain Biking In Gateway Park Thinking About Rockin' The Green Trinity River With Fuji Apples

2013-05-18T14:44:00.000-05:00

I took my handlebars to Gateway Park, this next to last Saturday of May, to pedal my wheels on the mountain bike trail.

I had already had myself a good bout of endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation, early this morning, via swimming.

At the morning swim point in time the air in the outer world, at my location, was heated to around 77 degrees. Which felt to be about the same temperature as the water in the pool.

The air in the outer world, at my location, is now heated to 89 degrees. I suspect by the time the sun leaves for the day we will have had the hottest day of the year, so far.

Hot and humid. The humidity is being a bit oppressive.

It is almost that time of the year when thousands of locals hit the Trinity River in inner tubes to have some fun rockin' the river in the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats.

More on Rockin' the River later, if I can muster the energy.

Today the Trinity River was looking a bit green, as if it had not yet recovered from being dyed for St. Patrick's Day.

What with the ongoing drought and low reservoirs, is there sufficient water to float the thousands of inner tubers hoping to Rock the River?

I pedaled twice around the Gateway Park mountain bike trail and then headed to Town Talk for my regularly scheduled Saturday treasure hunt.

Today's best treasure is personal size organic watermelons, only a buck each. Had one for lunch. Best watermelon ever. Also got a big bag of Fuji apples, imported from this state called Washington. And 2 cases of yogurt made from soy, one lemon, one peach, only a buck for a case of 12.

Former Fort Worther, current Washingtonian living in the Tacoma zone, MKB, is currently visiting her old home state, down in the New Braunfels zone, doing some tubing in crystal clear river water. I don't know why MKB did not come to her old home town to do some tubing in the Trinity River, which has turned crystal clear, except for some green bouts, since MKB lived in town....

The Obliteration Of The Village Creek Natural Historical Area's Texas Bluebonnets

2013-05-17T13:03:00.000-05:00

I prefer my Wildflower Areas to have a variety of wildflowers in a variety of colors.

My wildflower preference was not in play today at the Village Creek Natural Historical Area's Wildflower Areas on either side of Village Creek, which you can see documented in the photo.

A predominately orange, with a smattering of yellow, wildflower has taken over the Wildflower Area, muting the pink evening primroses and obliterating the struggling Texas bluebonnets.

Isn't there a law on the Texas books making it a felony to obliterate Texas bluebonnets?

Speaking of obliterating Texas bluebonnets, I was about to issue a BOLO for Elsie Hotpepper, who went missing yesterday. But, Elsie surfaced this morning, to let me know she has left Texas. Something to do with federal litigation, I think. Whatever that means. The message was very cryptic.

I am almost 100% that Elsie Hotpepper has not found herself in hotwater with the Obama IRS goon squads that target right wing nut groups, because I am almost 100% certain Elsie Hotpepper is not a right wing nut.

Changing the subject from Elsie Hotpepper to my favorite subject, that being the weather.

My computer based weather monitoring device is indicating the humidity is only 76%. But, it feels like a 100% humid wet blanket in the outer world.

It was so humid when I went swimming this morning that my sunglasses fogged up. I think that was caused by the humidity.

Deadly Texas Tornado Caused Non-Gas Related Call To My Mom & Dad

2013-05-16T16:15:00.002-05:00

As I sit here looking at my computer monitor we are coming up on 4 in the afternoon of the day after a killer tornado wreaked havoc a few miles southwest of my location.

As you can see, via looking at the sky above the turquoise body of water I see when I look out my south facing windows, no dangerous clouds appear to be presenting any sort of dire threat at this current point in time.

The sky above still appeared to be a bit threatening when I went swimming in that turquoise body of water early this morning.

At my location last night's storm consisted of some noisy thunder, some rain in downpour mode and a burst or two of wind. No tornado sirens were heard.

Due to it being a rough night, last night, I was not in the mood to drive anywhere to get myself some salubrious endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation. Instead I walked to Albertsons because I needed vinegar.

On the way back from Albertsons I reached for my phone to call my mom and dad because they always think I may have been twisted aloft whenever they hear tornadoes have struck the D/FW zone.

As I pulled my phone out of its pocket it started singing its incoming call song. I thought it was likely my mom calling, but I was wrong. It was Connie D. The Tacoma version of Connie D., not the Fort Worth version.

I sat at a picnic table and had a long talk with Connie D. We had some much needed itinerary discussing to do regarding my upcoming visit to the Pacific Northwest.

After Connie D. was done with me I finally called my mom and dad. Mom answered. Mom always answers. I don't think mom lets dad answer the phone.

They'd consulted maps trying to figure out where the deadly Granbury tornado area was in relation to my location.

During the course of talking to my mom mom asked if I'd been invited to a wedding taking place this coming July 6. I said I had not heard of any wedding. Mom then told me the details of this wedding. I then told mom I was shocked, shocked I tell you, that I have not been invited to this.

Well, I was unnecessarily shocked. Just minutes ago I got email from the member of the wedding party to whom I am related, informing me of the event, asking if I want to go, saying "I can send you a real invite if you are interested. Lemme know. I know how you love family events, so I thought I’d give you fair warning instead of just sending it."

I do love a family event. Let's see, the last family event I went to of the wedding sort was way back in April of 2006. That went well, sort of, but eventually went totally off the rails due to the absurdly obnoxious antics of the relative some of us now call BS.

I can't help but wonder if BS will be at this wedding? I suspect not. I have said previously I will never subject myself to BS again, not ever, if I can help it. And usually I can....

An Incoming Sign Request For A Spencer Jack Addendum To The Jason & Joey Playground

2013-05-16T11:05:00.000-05:00

Last night there was incoming email, subject line: Sign Request, from Spencer Jack's dad, my most elderly nephew, Jason....

Uncle Durango,

Your favorite brother confirmed my thoughts on the origin of this newly hung sign. It was in fact my FUD who made this for me and my brother years ago. Perhaps in the early 1980s. The sign has been carefully stored for years and just recently rehung for all to see. Over the long winter, Spencer Jack, Joseph (aka Uncle Joe)converted my once carport into a lego playroom. This is virtually a small lego city which highlights model lego based trains, and an encompassing lego monorail, similar in scale to a real one found 70 miles south of here. I am requesting a new uncle made sign, one that includes Spencer Jack's name.

Below is the above mentioned lego city with a monorail....

As for the "The Jason & Joseph Playground" sign.

Yes, my favorite brother is correct. I did make that sign. There was a Christmas a few decades back when I had fun with my router making signs which became that year's Christmas presents.

I do not remember what became of the router. I know it did not make the move to Texas. Even if the router did make the move to Texas, I do not have a workshop zone like I had in Washington, that made it easy to make stuff out of wood.

The Jason & Joseph Playground sign must have been made soon after "Joseph" was born, before "Joseph" became always known as Joey. Or Joe. I do not recollect anyone ever referring to Joey as Joseph.

Other than me on this antique sign.

Water Board Waves Continue To Wash Over The TRWD

2013-05-15T18:58:00.000-05:00

This week's Fort Worth Weekly's Static column, Water Board Waves, annoyed me.

More accurately, it was not the Static column that annoyed me, it was the quotes from a TRWD Board member, Jack Stevens, quoted in the column, that annoyed me.

Just this morning I was telling one of the Water Boarders, I won't say which one, that "just judging from the words I've read them utter, 3 of your co-boarders are not the sharpest knives in the drawer."

And now, later on the same day that I opined what I opined above about 3 of the Water Boarders, one of them, the aforementioned Jack Stevens, shows up in FW Weekly saying the stupid type stuff that led me to opine that these are not the sharpest knives in the drawer.

Below are the parts of the Static Water Board Waves column containing Jack Stevens' words of wisdom...

Incumbent Jack Stevens said the BNK campaign spouted “misinformation and lies” that led to the unseating of longtime board vice president Hal Sparks III. “The water board has lost a very knowledgeable person that has given twentysomething years,” he said.

Stevens said he hopes Kelleher can work with the four incumbents. “She is probably a pretty good person,” he said. "However, if Kelleher believes the agenda espoused by BNK," he said, there is “probably going to be a problem.”

“She has a sharp learning curve,” Stevens said. “She’ll be welcome when she contributes productively.”

“If she comes with the BNK mindset, she’s probably going to have a rude awakening,” he said. “She’s going to find out everything she’s been told is misinformation and not the truth.”

She's probably a pretty good person? Which would seem to mean there is some chance she is not a good person?

If Mary Kelleher has an agenda that is counter to the Stevens/Water Board agenda there is going to be a problem? Is this some sort of ham-handed threat?

Mary Kelleher will be welcome when she contributes productively? So, until Mary Kelleher contributes to the TRWD Board in a way that is determined to be productive, she will not be welcome on the TRWD Board? Did the voters not just elect Mary Kelleher in a record breaking landslide? Is it not the voters who have welcomed Mary Kelleher to the TRWD Board?

Mary Kelleher is going to find out all that she believes is misinformation and not the truth? And what would those bits of misinformation be that are not the truth? Little things like the TRWD Board has operated like its own little private fiefdom. Rescuing friends from bankruptcy with TRWD public funds? Being part of building the world's first drive-in movie theater of the 21st century, which everyone knows is important for flood control and maintaining a supply of quality water?

Two paragraphs in the Static column are a better retort to this Stevens guy's buffoonery than anything I might say....

The two camps probably have different ideas about what “productive” means at this point. Kelleher wants to make the water district and the board as transparent as possible. She’s new to politics, but she’s an old hand at fighting for her rights. She battled gas drillers and city officials over flooding at her ranch. She’ll bring that same mentality to the water board, she said.

“It was a great day for citizens,” she said. “For so many years people felt like they didn’t have a voice in the Tarrant Regional Water District. Now they do. They have me.”

Methinks it is not Mary Kelleher who is in for a rude awakening......

Having Myself A Closeup Visit With The Fosdick Lake Swan

2013-05-15T15:20:00.003-05:00

On Monday I walked around Fosdick Lake in Oakland Lake Park in East Fort Worth and mentioned seeing a big white swan for the first time at this particular location.

Today, due to weather related restrictions as to the viability of my regular go to locations for my daily endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation I opted to return to Oakland Lake Park to walk around Fosdick Lake.

One is never too far from ones means of motorized transport, when one is at Oakland Lake Park, in case a sudden downpour necessitates a quick run for cover. No sudden downpour necessitated a quick run for cover today.

I did experience a slight downpour whilst heading to the pool this morning. That downpour only necessitated jumping in the pool for cover.

Changing the subject back to the big white swan.

On Monday the big white swan was floating solo on Fosdick Lake. The big white swan was not part of any like feathered flock.

Today the big white swan had moved to shore and had acquired a following flock of ducks.

Usually the ducks of Fosdick Lake are very skittish. I get near, they flock to the lake.

Today when I walked up to the big white swan, and his duck flock, the swan was peacefully resting, as you can see in the photo.

I think I may have awakened the big white swan from a peaceful slumber, which resulted in the photo you see at the top.

It seems as if the ducks feel protected by the big white swan, losing their usual fear impulse which usually causes them to flock to the water to get away from the potentially dangerous human.

The big white swan seemed to have zero fear of me being a potentially dangerous human. I think I could have reached out and petted the big white swan, if I had been able to overcome my fear of getting snapped at by a biting bird.

Years ago I was attacked by a mad, aggressive goose in a raspberry field. One would think getting bit by a goose would be no big deal.

But it is.

It left me permanently scarred. Not physically, but psychologically, instilling a lifelong fear of angry biting birds. And plus-sized women with overbites.

Good Grief Doctor Moncrief?

2013-05-15T11:04:00.001-05:00

Surprising news in Fort Worth Weekly this morning that basically proves that in America anyone can become a doctor.

Tarleton State University gave something called honorary doctor of humane letters degrees to former Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief and his wife Rosie.

Karen Murray, who is an official associated with this school which apparently has a low opinion of doctors, said this couple was doctored because of their “consistent commitment to the common good” and for being “models of engaged citizenship.”

Consistent commitment to the common good? Models of engaged citizenship?

Ugh.

The writer of the Fort Worth Weekly Doctor Moncrief? article, Eric Griffey, verbalized the reason for the "UGH" quite well...

I guess Murray was unaware of Mayor Mikey’s horrible track record of holding the door open for urban gas drillers with scant regulation or environmental protections in place, while lining his pockets with oil and gas money, and protecting elected officials from ethics probes. Maybe she forgot his penchant for abusing eminent domain, shutting out the press and the public from important policy matters, offering tax abatement to every cooperation, neutering the city’s ethics committee, and being generally unaccountable, secretive, and downright hostile to anyone who opposed him.

I only saw Mike Moncrief once during his Reign of Terror as Fort Worth's mayor. That one in person viewing happened while watching Mike Moncrief try to dye the Trinity River purple. I have seldom witnessed such an embarrassing spectacle. I documented this event way back on November 27, 2009 in a post titled Fort Worth Mayor Moncrief Fails To Turn Trinity River Purple.

I never guessed then, as I watched a grown man try to dye a river purple, that I was looking at a future doctor. Or that I was looking at a model of engaged citizenship consistently committed to the common good.

Have I mentioned that my new favorite word is hubris?

Taking A Dizzy Walk With Indian Ghosts Worrying About Fainting Over Clutched Pearls

2013-05-14T16:43:00.000-05:00

At some point in time this afternoon my get up and go got up and went. I think my blood sugar level went low along with my blood pressure.

This morning I may have risen way too soon before the sun arrival. I was in the pool before the new day dawned, moving about for a salubriously long time in refreshingly cooled water.

In the noon time frame I headed to Arlington to the Village Creek Natural Historical Area to walk with the Indian Ghosts who haunt that location.

As I was leaving my home zone location I was flagged down by Miss Puerto Rico who insisted I take possession of the Puerto Rican t-shirt she got me when she was on her home island a couple months ago.

Before I got to the Indian Ghosts I had to get gas. Since I got gas I called my mom when I got to the Village Creek Natural Historical Area. Just like on Mother's Day, mom was not talking calls.

Soon after I stopped to look at and photograph the bucolic wildflower scene you see in the above photo I saw a water snake slithering at the edge of the creek.

Soon after seeing the slithering water snake I started feeling a bit light-headed, bordering on dizzy. This was not a totally unpleasant feeling, new as it was to me. I've never been seasick, no matter how turbulently waves have tossed me about whilst on a boat. I've never fainted, no matter how faint worthy a situation I have been in.

So, I wondered if this light-headed, bordering on dizzy feeling is what it feels like before one faints, or before one gets seasick.

By the time I was finished with lunch I was no longer dizzy. This led me to ponder whether this phenomenon might not be being caused by the fact that I have been losing weight of late.

Then this afternoon I got a bit dizzy, again, after I got an email telling me that a particular member of the Tarrant Regional Water District Board was requesting my contact info. Was it Marty Leonard? I was mortified at the very idea. I do not handle well those who clutch their pearls at the slightest bit of imaginary stress.

Stormy weather is once again in our forecast for North Texas. Once again, I'll believe it when I get wet from incoming rain and hear booming from incoming lightning.

Right On Cue After Every Election The Star-Telegram Pretends To Have A Journalistic Conscience

2013-05-14T11:19:00.001-05:00

Last night an incoming email message said, "Right on cue AFTER every election to clear their conscience."

In addition to the message, there was a link to an article in that which the pronoun, "their" above refers, that being an editorial in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram titled, Election a slap in the face for Tarrant Regional Water District board.

I do not know how long the above link to the mea culpa editorial in the Star-Telegram will remain linked to a readable article. I did not see a link to this editorial on this morning's online Star-Telegram's front page.

To review, in the recently completed Tarrant Regional Water District Board election the Star-Telegram came under a lot of criticism due to its biased coverage.

Complaints were made about the Star-Telegram's mockery of journalistic ethics to its parent company, McClatchy.

And now, in this Election a slap in the face for Tarrant Regional Water District board editorial, the Star-Telegram is opining that the results of this election delivered a well deserved slap in the face to the TRWD Board, for reasons the Star-Telegram refused to mention during the election.

Some choice bits of hypocrisy from the editorial...

If the campaign and vote totals in Saturday’s election for three seats on the Tarrant Regional Water District board of directors struck a bit of fear in the hearts of current board members, that would be a good thing.

Really? Before the election the Star-Telegram could find nary a thing to criticize regarding the TRWD Board, let alone acknowledge that there was some legitimacy to some of the TRWD Board challenger's claims. Yet now it is a good thing that this election struck fear into the hearts of the current board members?

The tidal wave of funding for the challengers shocked the incumbents to life in the final days of the campaign. They lost the early vote count across the board and look to have been rescued by a last-minute get-out-the-vote drive with high-profile leadership from Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price.

So, it was the leadership of Betsy Price that saved a couple of the water boarders from defeat? Tidal wave of funding? By that I think the Star-Telegram means tidal wave of mailers paid by the tidal wave of funding. Shocked the incumbents to life? You mean shocked the incumbents into spewing slanderous propaganda besmirching the motives and qualifications of the challengers? Claims like rogue Dallas businessmen were conspiring to steal Fort Worth water, using the challengers as their tools to do so? And that, God forbid, one of the challengers had a meager voting record, she being the one who got the most votes in the history of Water Board elections, Mary Kelleher.

She’s also a client of powerhouse local political consultant Bryan Eppstein, who was brought in to shake the water board incumbents’ campaign out of dormancy into feverish activity in the last week before Election Day.

"She", in the above paragraph refers to Betsy Price. So, here we have the Star-Telegram admitting that the Water Boarders brought in a notorious campaign hatchet man to slam the challengers with a slew of slander, just like was done in the previous TRWD Board election?

Many of the campaign claims relied upon by the challengers — Basham, Kelleher and Timothy Nold — were political hyperbole. The current directors simply can’t be said to have put too little effort into building water supplies for Fort Worth and its other client cities. Nor are they responsible for all of the pollution in the Trinity River.

Oh, yes, BNK relied on political hyperbole, suggesting that unless BNK was elected rogue Dallas businessmen would steal our water. No, wait, I'm sorry, it was the TRWD Incumbents who spewed that ridiculously hyperbolic, manipulative, fear-mongering propaganda. Of course, you read none of that in the Star-Telegram, pre-election, unless you count the outrageous TRWD Board campaign advertisements the Star-Telegram shamelessly published.

As for the TRWD not being responsible for pollution in the Trinity River? The TRWD is not responsible for pollution in the water from which the TRWD draws our water supply? What river is it, that, when dammed, makes the majority of the reservoirs from which the drinking water is drawn? Is it not the Trinity River?

Maybe if board members see themselves more as vulnerable to defeat they’ll put a little more effort into sharing what they do with the people who elect them. But openness is not the board’s strong suit. It may not quite fit the “secret meetings” label advanced by the challengers, but the TRWD is not a constituent-friendly organization. It has a spiffy website, but try going there to find out when the next board or committee meeting is or what’s on the agenda.

The Star-Telegram editorial is a bit disjointed, I combined two related paragraphs, above, that were separated by the paragraph about the TRWD not being responsible for Trinity River pollution. In the above paragraph the Star-Telegram is basically agreeing with one of the campaign themes of the BNK challengers, that being that the TRWD needs to operate with greater transparency and hold open meetings.

In the end, it doesn’t matter who wants information about TRWD. It’s a public agency and everything it does should be open to public scrutiny in every detail allowable under state law, even if nobody pays attention.

And then in the above paragraph we have the Star-Telegram again agreeing with one of BNK's main campaign themes. And then the article ends with the following two paragraphs...

The Star-Telegram Editorial Board did not recommend Basham, Kelleher or Nold in this election. The incumbents got that nod because the Editorial Board respects their knowledge of TRWD’s mission and the work they have put into it.

But there’s a lot of room for improvement at TRWD, most notably in the openness of its operations and responsiveness to its constituents. If the challengers made that point in Saturday’s election, that would be a good thing.

So, is the Star-Telegram now calling on the TRWD to make big changes in the way it operates? If that does not occur, is the Star-Telegram going to have follow up articles telling you that the TRWD is still operating like a private, non-public entity?

And, I would really appreciate it if the Star-Telegram could elaborate on what it is about the TRWD Board's knowledge of the TRWD mission that their editorial board so greatly respects? And what is this admirable work the TRWD has put into their mission?

Water supply, water quality and flood control. Is that not the TRWD mission? How does rescuing a bankrupting friend to the tune of spending millions of TRWD public dollars to buy a parking lot south of La Grave Field, to lease to some fools with the bad vision to think a drive-in theater, is a good idea, have anything to do with the water supply, water quality or flood control?

Has the Star-Telegram Editorial Board asked the TRWD Board how their mission is working to help mitigate the flash flood problems that plague Haltom City?

Has the Star-Telegram Editorial Board asked the TRWD how going into the restaurant business on the banks of the Trinity River helps with water supply, water quality and flood control?

This is all extremely perplexing...

Sammy Lu & Rosie The Rat Dog Together Again In Doggie Heaven

2013-05-13T15:51:00.000-05:00

Sammy Lu & Rosie the Rat Dog

On the left, sitting next to the late Rosie the Rat Dog, is the equally late, Sammy Lu.

Sammy Lu passed away last week after a tough battle with cancer. Rosie the Rat Dog passed away in December from age-related aliments.

Sammy Lu was a well bred beagle, while Rosie the Rat Dog's lineage was not quite as well bred.

There has always been common agreement that Rosie the Rat Dog was part Chihuahua. The other elements of Rosie's lineage were open to speculation.

Sammy Lu and Rosie the Rat Dog were long time neighbors in Kent, Washington. Over the course of their charmed lives they often vacationed together, taking long road trips, to places like Mount Rushmore and camping trips to their favorite locations in Washington and on the Oregon coast.

Sammy Lu never managed to become internationally well known like Rosie the Rat Dog did, but, in her immediate neighborhood, Sammy Lu was well known as a sweet-natured lovable girl, just like the two girls she lived with.

Sadly, near the end of their lives, through no fault of their own, Sammy Lu and Rosie the Rat Dog were unable to see each other. When Rosie the Rat Dog died, Sammy Lu and her family sent a condolence card, but were not invited to the funeral services.

I really don't know why people can not just get along, at least for the sake of the children, of course, unless there is an actual good, rational reason for not getting along, which in this case, there is not....

Taking A Walk With A Big White Fosdick Lake Swan In Fort Worth's Oakland Lake Park

2013-05-13T13:04:00.004-05:00

A Fosdick White Swan

As soon as I arrived, today, in Oakland Lake Park's east parking lot, I saw something I've never seen floating in Fosdick Lake before. That being a big white swan.

During the course of walking around Fosdick Lake the big white swan was motoring all over the lake, often coming close to shore.

Unlike the Fosdick ducks and turtles, the big white swan did not seem to care, even a little, if humans were close to it.

I suppose this fearless swan behavior may have something to do with the big white swan being bigger than a large percentage of the humans

In the valley from whence I moved to Texas, that being the Skagit Valley of Washington, large flocks of trumpeter swans visit valley farmland during their yearly migration. The flocks of trumpeter swans could be quite a spectacle, en masse on the ground, or taking flight, making a cacophony of noise with their wings flapping and trumpets playing.

Why was this Fosdick Lake swan all alone, I could not help but wonder? Where was his or her flock? Was he or she banished for some bad swan behavior?

This Morning I Learned Mary Kelleher's Vote Total Is A TRWD Board Election Record

2013-05-13T10:37:00.002-05:00

I did not know, til reading it this morning in the Star-Telegraph, that Mary Kelleher is "the record setting vote getter in the history of TRWD elections."

I interpret that to mean that Mary Kelleher received more votes in Saturday's election than has any previous candidate for the Tarrant Regional Water District Board.

It can also be stated, without fear of contradiction, that every TRWD Board candidate I have met in person, and with whom I've exchanged handshakes, has won election to the TRWD Board, while receiving the most votes.

Apparently there is powerful magic in my handshake. I think next election I will sell it to the highest bidder.

In other interesting TRWD Board election news. Anonymous made an interesting comment, which included an interesting statistic, which I do not know is accurate, or not...

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The Corrupt Crony Club Has Had Its Collective Dumb Thumb On Fort Worth & Its Environs For Way Too Long":

B-N-K garnered 22,837 votes.

Stevens, Henderson, and Sparks also pulled in 22,837 votes.

Weird.

The Queso Kid or Spuds McKennedy is lashing out at regular folks again while kissing up to the privileged elite. That's what he do.

My often reliable source tells me that actual number has the Incumbents with 22,841 votes, while the BNK Challengers have 22,837 votes.

I thought Spuds McKennedy was one of the privileged elite, which would seem to make it difficult for him to kiss up to himself. Lashing out at regular folks is just part of the job of being a mouthpiece propaganda minister for your fellow privileged elite. I don't know why people can't be more understanding.

The Corrupt Crony Club Has Had Its Collective Dumb Thumb On Fort Worth & Its Environs For Way Too Long.

2013-05-12T15:35:00.000-05:00

I am a bit perplexed as to what to make of the results of the Tarrant Regional Water District Board election.

Mary Kelleher, of the Basham, Nold, Kelleher slate, was the top voter getter, and thus is now on the TRWD Board.

If it was the TRWD Incumbents' misleading propaganda and slander that led voters not to vote for Basham and Nold, why did Mary Kelleher come out on top?

Basham was the one of the BNKers who was the target of much of the "Dallas" themed propaganda, suggesting, to the easily suggested to, that Basham was somehow in an evil conspiracy with "rogue" Dallas businessmen to steal water from Fort Worth.

The TRWD co-conspirator in corrupt cronyism, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, pretty much mirrored the TRWD smears in its articles. Or joined in the out and out lying.

Such as the following paragraph in a Star-Telegram article in today's edition, about Saturday's election...

Allies of U.S. Rep Kay Granger (R-Fort Worth) kept a board majority but lost one seat to a Dallas-funded slate of Tea Party libertarians opposed to the board’s use of eminent domain, both in Fort Worth and for a proposed shared Dallas-Fort Worth water pipeline through wealthy landowners’ ranches in East Texas.

Again with the "Dallas-funded slate." Again with the "Tea Party" dig. And for the first time adding "libertarians" to the description.

And this "Dallas-funded slate" was running because of the board's misuse of eminent domain? Yeah, that was their only reason they wanted to get on the TRWD Board.

Yet, somehow, non libertarian, non Dallas-funded, non Tea Partier, non critic of eminent domain abuse, member of the "Dallas-funded slate of Tea Party libertarians," Mary Kelleher, was the top vote getter.

I love how the Star-Telegram characterizes this election as being between the allies of Kay Granger and, what, the axis of evil that opposes Kay Granger and her corrupt crony club? With that corrupt crony club being the network of good ol' boys and girls in sensible shoes who feel entitled to operate in Fort Worth like it is somehow their little private fiefdom?

Well, in addition to Mary Kelleher of BNK being the top vote getter there are other interesting things this election brought about.

One interesting thing is many different voices verbalizing disgust with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram due to it operating not as a town's newspaper of record, but instead acting as the mouthpiece of the corrupt crony club of good ol' boys and girls in sensible shoes.

Another interesting thing is this election brought about something that should have happened a long time ago, as in journalists from outside of Fort Worth and Tarrant County reporting on the dealings of the corrupt crony club of good ol' boys and girls in sensible shoes.

So, why was Mary Kelleher the top vote getter? Even though she was part of the nefarious scheme of rogue Dallas businessmen to steal Fort Worth Water and put an end to progress?

I think 8,941 voters knew Mary Kelleher's story. That being that her ranch started getting flooded after Barnett Shale Natural Gas operations moved into her neighborhood, with the attendant physical alterations to the landscape causing Mary's ranch to flood.

When Mary Kelleher turned to the government agencies who look after things like flood control, she had the same rude awakening that has shocked others into becoming activists, that being that the government agencies who Mary thought were supposed to be looking out for the public good, were instead looking out for the interests of those who do the damage.

I think when the next election comes up, a couple other candidates of the Mary Kelleher quality level should be found and convinced to run.

If Don Young wasn't moving to Marfa to escape all that is disgusting about Fort Worth, I suspect he could easily win a seat on the TRWD Board.

And then there's that lady from Haltom City, I think her name is Lola Castaway, or something like that, who was in the news a lot when her house was almost wiped out by a flash flood, who then, like Mary Kelleher, found out that government agencies she thought would help, were of no help.

I think Lola Castaway could, like Don Young, easily win a seat on the TRWD Board. Trouble is, Lola lives in Haltom City. Haltom City is outside the privileged area that is allowed to vote in a TRWD election, or run for the TRWD Board.

Methinks that the Clyde Picht/John Basham magic piece of Fort Worth land should now be turned over to Lola Castaway, to qualify Lola to run for the TRWD Board, so she can get elected to join Mary Kelleher in the fight to end the shady dealings of the corrupt crony club of good ol' boys and girls in sensible shoes who have had their collective dumb thumb on Fort Worth and its environs for way too long.

On The Tandy Hills With Yellow Wildflowers Making Happy Mother's Day Calls

2013-05-12T13:21:00.000-05:00

Big Yellow Tandy Hills Wildflower

I was back on the Tandy Hills this Mother's Day Sunday, for the first time in over a week.

I was in dire need of some mood improving endorphins to alleviate my post-election blues. A long swim this morning did not provide the needed endorphin level.

With it being Mother's Day, and the fact that I got gas today, I called my mom, whilst hill hiking. Mom was not available. I suspect mom and dad were at church, what with it being Sunday.

Before I forget, Happy Mother's Day to all you other relative mothers out there, as in sisters, Jackie, Michele and Kristen, my favorite ex-sister-in-law, Cindy, Spencer Jack's mom, Jenny, my current favorite sister-in-law, Jill and any other mother I'm not remembering right now.

The Tandy Hills were being a lot more colorful than the last time I did some hill hiking. The big yellow bloom you see in the photo is just about my favorite wildflower. It seems to be such an optimistic bloom.

With The Polls Closed BNK Takes An Early TRWD Board Election Lead

2013-05-11T20:03:00.001-05:00

It is sort of too early to be too sure that a revolution is taking place in the Fort Worth zone tonight, but, early voting results have the BNK slate being the top vote getters in the TRWD Board race, with Mary Kelleher in the lead, John Basham in second and Timothy Nold in third.

I learned of the current results via Bud Kennedy, on Facebook, at the exact same time that I was being told not to blog about where the BNK election results party was taking place.

A short time after that I got another call, telling me that the nefarious Bud Kennedy had cracked the BNK election results party code and had arrived at that location.

And now I am being told that I need to be there. To make that happen would take an awful lot of effort...

Looking For Captain Clean Before Fishing In The Trinity River In Gateway Park While Mountain Biking

2013-05-11T15:11:00.000-05:00

On my way to Gateway Park to pedal the mountain bike trail before going to Town Talk I made a delivery to my neighborhood library.

Today my neighborhood library is serving double duty, because in addition to being a place where one can find a book, it is also a place where one can cast a vote.

This particular polling place seemed rather busy, judging by all the cars parked. But there is no way to tell how many of the parked cars carried voters or book seekers.

I had been told that Captain Clean and several Captain Clean Clones would be making appearances, today, at many of the 38 polling places. However, there was no Captain Clean to be seen, by me, today, at my neighborhood polling place.

Gateway Park was also busy today, with various sporting activities of the teams competing against each other in games involving ball manipulation sort of sporting activity.

In addition to team sports I was also surprised to see three amigos practicing the fishing sport. I first saw the three amigos paddling their canoe, heading upstream. By the time I made my second trip around the mountain bike trail the fishermen had docked their canoe on one of the Trinity River's more scenic beaches, to better facilitate casting their lines from a standing position.

I trust these boys know it is not safe to eat the fish they might catch in the Trinity River. Captain Clean has not yet had the opportunity to clean up the river. I am almost 100% certain that in a few hours we will be on track to having Captain Clean in business.

Town Talk was the least busy of the places I visited today. The best thing I found at Town Talk today was a 5 pound bag of chopped up romaine lettuce. And mangoes.

Why Is The TRWD Board Lying In The Star-Telegram About Team BNK?

2013-05-10T16:23:00.000-05:00

A couple minutes ago, in the same batch of email, one email was attached to the photo you see on the left.

While another email was attached to a document from a different point of view than that expressed in the photo you see on the left.

Ironically, also just a couple minutes ago, I blogged about my disdain for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and its bad newspaper behavior.

In the photo you are looking at a full page ad which is in today's Star-Telegram, it being a campaign advertisement placed by the corrupt campaign of corrupt campaigners running to retain their seats on the Tarrant Regional Water District Board.

If the Star-Telegram were a real newspaper would it not refuse to print ads containing blatant lies and fear mongering propaganda?

Rogue Dallas Businessmen? Again playing the Dallas is the Boogeyman card? How embarrassing.

Those Rogue Dallas Businessmen are so evil and so powerful that they can stop the local water supply? Again, how embarrassing. And how stupid do these TRWD Incumbents think their constituents are? Maybe the incumbents are erroneously projecting their own personal stupidity level on to their not so stupid constituents.

The local water supply will be unprotected if you don't re-elect these corrupt Water Boarders? Again, what an embarrassingly stupid bit of inept propaganda.

The document in the second email, referenced above, was the PDF version of a TRWD Challenger BNK mailer that hit mailboxes today.

The TRWD Incumbents put a full page ad full of lies in the Star-Telegram, while the TRWD Challengers sent out a mailer that seems to be directly counter-pointing the TRWD Incumbents' embarrassingly inept propaganda....