The Trinity River Corridor Glows Again

It was plain to see that the interest in the Maggie 2 Bridge (Margaret McDermott) is drawing visitors during the early construction more rapidly than the Maggie 1 (Margaret Hunt Hill) did. That, within itself is a testament to the Maggie 1 Project. After people saw what the building of a prized bridge could do as far as community and economic benefits, it was only natural that the crowds would come early on to witness the uprising from the trenches into that glorious Santiago Calatrava design of architectural form. The interesting part is that the first pieces of the double aches have not even been shipped from the fabricator.The other point to consider in the early crowds is that during this bridge construction, there is the new Trinity Skyline Trail that was non existent during the building of Maggie 1.

In as much as Interstate 30 will ferry visitors between AT&T Stadium in Arlington and downtown Dallas, if for nothing more than commuting between a hotel room and the stadium, it would be worth it all. The impression with the remake of the mix-master into the horseshoe will give a more refined coat for the city to wear. There is no question in my mind that the Trinity River Corridor Project was and will be the place to add growth investment for the city. After all, it is only following what mother nature put down eons ago and the city discovered with vision and astute planning, even though the naysayers were screaming at every turn. It was the right decision folks. It really was. I only wish that I was going to be around in thirty years with the same energy that I have today to rejoice with the city for making their dreams come alive despite the negativeness that others were trying to white-wash  as a , "I told you so" party that they will never have.

 Over the years, I have seen cities developed good plans and I have seen cities develop bad plans. I have seen even rock-hard cities like Detroit fall into the gloom of despair. But, Detroit will come back again with vision and planning. It always works. The key to any city is in the elected and the paid visionaries.For visions are the eyes of  new vistas. Dallas took a river and a forest and turned it into the second most powerful economic engine outside of DFW International.

Former Mayor, Ron Kirk (1995-2002)  fired up the engine that we know today. We were lucky to have Former Mayor Laura Miller follow Mayor Kirk and even more lucky to have Former Mayor Tom Leppert to follow. Dwaine Caraway keep the fires burning after Mayor Leppert stepped down. The legacy of Mayor Mike Rawlings is still being written, but I don't see the blazing economic engine that moved this city down the road like it was moving. But, we shall see in time. Don't get me wrong. Mike Rawlings has had his plate full. Long have I preached that Fair Park needed attention. It's getting it now. South Dallas is finally getting the attention that they deserve and will get much more through the Trinity River Project than they suspect will happen. The spin offs will bloom in south Dallas and Oak Cliff. The train is still on time. Don't give  up, south Dallas. Don't ever give up!

As a foot note here, the new radar unit that measures the down river discharge rate that the United States Geological Survey had installed is now up and running with all its wires connected.  Thanks to the USGS office in Austin and the field office in Ft. Worth. I had listed an image with my agent and after talking with the USGS after they reviewed the image, ask that it be withheld until the wiring was complete. I am happy to report.... It's a GO!! Thanks to every one in the office for their great informative discussion on what the unit did and how it worked and how it can be viewed on the USGS web page daily. Now, we just need the rain so that I can check out the log reports.

The Radar unit measures the rate of discharge going downstream. The reports can be seen on the USGS website under water management.

Maggie 1 as seen from the new Maggie 2. That is # 11, grade 60 rebar there on the ground. It ain't no # 3 pool rebar!

Here goes another skyline change for Dallas! Where else can you see a bass fishing boat, complete with outboard motor  hanging from a crane eclipsing both the Bank of America Building and Reunion Tower?

In Loving Memory 

of  a son, KP

Happy  44 th Birthday

Just A Few Old-Man Philosophies

My cardiologist is fine tuning my meds again for a number of reasons but the biggest reason comes as a result of my weight loss from the cardio walks and  regaining the strength  again to ride my bike. Also,cutting out all sugars and eating much more garden style without being a vegan or total vegetarian has really helped..Do you know how many ways you can cook chicken? It's amazing. The cows would be happy in the Chick-fil-A commercial.

My appointment today was way to early for me. At one point in life, I was a big morning person, but throughout the years--especially in retirement-- I have been know to wake up, take my scheduled meds and go back to bed until the sun is much higher in the sky. But, early voting started on Monday and I wanted to vote after the visit to the doctor.

At the polls, I voted for 2 Republicans, 2 Democrats. The rest of the voting went to Libertarians and Green Party. I voted for one amendment and against all the rest. Not, specifically because I liked the candidate or the ideal but more because I have been unhappy with the  leadership, the work being done in congress and the basic attitudes inside the Beltway. So, like my old history teacher hammered into my brain years and years ago (the talk of term limits was being discussed even then for you 20-30 something readers) you do not like how things are going in the political arena, you vote the bums out. Yes, I know.....your voting isn't going to change a thing. Well, what you have to understand is that this is a joint adventure. And, there are plenty of others that are thinking that way, too. That's why the political pundits have their  half-moon table discussions following up-set elections as a moderator ask the question: what happened, do you think? Democracy is still the best system in the world. Yes, I still did my pumping-arm action and yell, as I left the polls. "Oh, that felt so good!" This year, there were something like 8 or 9 pages of people voting and 7 or 8 pages of amendments. So this year, it really did feel good!

Here is another little thing that changes my vote at the polls. If your candidate called me on my house phone during the year, your candidate lost my vote with that call. Ain't technology, great? It's a two-way street folks. I signed up years ago for the "do not call" list. I know, there are loop-holes for organizations and others. Here's the thing. It is a DO NOT CALL list. The government advertised it as a DO NOT CALL list and that is what it means. You call me, you get no money, you get no vote! You get the dial tone as a bonus. Of course, 90% are robo calls but they understand that dial tone!

Early Voting Is Officially Underway

Those are holes from a pellet gun or worse!

A key lock on a railing at one of the scenic overlooks at the dam.

The two out-of-pocket pictures come from things I noticed on a cardio walk after the voting and waiting on the pharmacy to call that my scripts are ready. It was a perfect fall day, warmer than normal.

Monarch Butterfly and Bird Migration Has Reached Texas

I hate adjusting while balance, so, as you can see, I don't!!!

The milk weed in the Great Lakes has already received frost this fall. Over head, I have noticed large numbers of birds riding the thermals which looks like the pelicans have arrived on area Lakes to refuel for several weeks before they continue their migration south.

This morning, I took the cat out. She likes to sit in her chair on the porch. Then, I noticed overhead around tree top level, hundreds of Monarch Butterflies. Sure enough. The Monarchs have reached north Texas on their way to the mountains of Mexico to winter in awesome displays of hanging strings of Monarchs from the trees that are falling to poaching. This is causing the lost of Monarchs in dangerous numbers for loss of habitat.

At White Rock Lake, the lake was filled with log-setting pelicans in huge numbers.....more than were there the same time last fall. There were many,many more still riding the thermals high above the lake. Farther out in the lake were even more black cormorants sitting on down logs stuck in the mud.

Yes, migration is fully underway. Enjoy the Monarchs and the beautiful fall weather.

Having this in the yard is great.

Another Great Commercial

Another commercial has hit the air waves that is attracting tons of viewers on You Tube or sites of special interest devoted to photography, graphic arts and film. There is no surprise in learning that it was produced for Union Pacific Railroad and it's 150th year in America. Bravo! Bravo!

Already, there have been over 25,000 views on You Tube with a 217 Likes to 7 ratio.  The last commercial to hit the charts was, of course, the Omega watch commercial and it has now spread to a great American railroad. The link: http://youtu.be/3Z9T_HBlyWg

Credits: This commercial is the property of Union Pacific Railroad and the music was commissioned by Union Pacific specifically for this commercial. Contact Union Pacific (http://www.UP.com) to let them know how you like the commercial. It is total class, and very well done.
Also credit: You Tube for the link to this commercial. 

Columbus Day Parade

It seems that the Continental Bridge Pedestrian Park is getting quite the work out. The Columbus Day Parade was held Sunday, starting on the east end of the bridge park, winding its way to the west Plaza area, where a member of the Italian Parliament gave a brief address. It was a well done event!

The Color Guard

Strike Up The Band. You know that Purple is the color of Royalty, don't you?

Texas Horse Park  Riders and this was no laughing matter!

The Airline Battles in Dallas

Besides American's latest worry at DFW and their loss of gates at Love,  there is a new battle taking place at Love Field and DFW. At Love Field, there are twenty gates. Southwest has control over 16 of them. Virgin American won the 2 gates up for grab as a result of the American Airline merger. Virgin, after its official win will give up its gates at DFW. American had been leasing those gates to Delta. United had the remaining 2 gates.

The City of Dallas just informed Delta that they had two weeks to vacate their gates. As everyone knows here in Dallas, the Wright Amendment that previously had held Southwest captive to where it could fly will expires on October 13. Virgin needs their gates. In fact, they have made full use of those gates with expanded service out of  Love Field and they haven't even begun to fly from Love until October 13. Delta just announced that they will sue the City of Dallas over those gates. Southwest is throwing a party to say good-bye to the Wright Amendment.

Meanwhile, over at the big airport. Doug Parker, CEO of American Airlines is fearful of the Emirates Airbus 380 service. In fact, the Businessweek article head line read," Emirates Flies into America and U.S. Airlines Grow Anxious. While Tim Clark, Emirates Airline President is grabbing up all the available gates he can get at airports were American airports can already handle or are planning to expand to be able to handle the super-giant, A-380. Emirates sees a market in the States. They only have less than 10 percent of it currently.

Last Monday, September 29th, Qantas beat even Emirates with the arrival of yet another daily A-380 to DFW. So while Doug Parker was talking about his fear of Emirates, Qantas arrived with their A-380 daily service to Sydney. At any rate, there are now two A-380s arriving at DFW daily. It does appear that Parker is concerned about Emirates more, however, because they fly more A-380s than anyone and are buying more. Funny, Parker should be worried.  His airline doesn't even own  one A-380 and does not seem to have any plans to get one. American, with one of the oldest fleets  of all the airlines started to upgrade. There was also a rebranding of American with a new livery that still leaves customers unhappy with the new look. While still in bankruptcy, American began to replace their MD-80s with 737s, 777, and other like craft.Now that they are out of the courts, Doug seems to be worried about Emirates.

So while Gary Kelly is happy as the number one airline at Love and everyone loves the new paint on Southwest, it's his counter part, Doug Parker who controls more gates at DFW that seems to be unhappy. So unhappy, it seems, that one of his planes at DFW was recently see going head to head with the Emirates A-380 on the taxiway at DFW. Appearance IS everything, Doug.

Even Sir Richard Branson is happy. He is about ready to take off into space. Virgin American and Southwest  can fly your passengers to New Mexico to the Virgin Galactic space port.  Hang in there Doug, somehow you will figure out how to get your own A-380. Perhaps you can spearhead a renaming of your partner airline, One World, to something that's not so limited.

Qantas' A-380. Check out the kangaroo with the cowboy hat on!

American Airlines 777 and the new Emirates double deck A-380 on the taxiways at DFW

Mother Nature's Fall Prunning

A line of severe thunderstorms stretching from Mexico to Canada moved through Dallas late yesterday afternoon. The squall line only lasted about 45-minutes but it was a long 45-minutes. Winds were at hurricane force when the bow-echo came through. Over 140,000 people were without power, even today. Roofs came off buildings in Arlington, brick walls collapsed in the stockyards in Ft. Worth. Trees in University Park fell across streets and in Lake Highland, trees fell on houses. Very large trees fell on houses, in fact.

The last time that I saw rain come down in a horizontal pattern was during Hurricane David when it struck the South Carolina coast in 1979 but, yesterday, it came down that way here in Dallas. Today, I went over to Whole Foods to get some pistachio. I had to go around the block because Dart Police had the crossing at Blackwell and Greenville closed. After getting the cholesterol-lowering tasty things, it was on to White Rock for the first time in several weeks. In June, I had posted a blog post on the Cremation of the Big Oaks at White Rock. I wanted to see how much damage had occurred. Into the short trip over to the lake  it didn't take long to see that the damage from the wind was more severe than I had thought. In the course of three miles, I came across three houses with big trees laying across  their roofs. At the lake on the west side, there was damage to two of the trees that I had written about. On the east side of the lake, the damage was even more severe. One tree at the Stone Tables had been completely uprooted with the cement post barriers still in the root system and sod.

I'm not a tree-hugger but I hate to see beautiful old trees with so much character taken out in such large numbers. It was only 90 days ago that another storm had take out a massive old oak on the curve just east of the stone tables. And the one taken out Thursday was not the only one at the stone tables. There are also some wooden tables south of the shelter house at the stone tables and a big tree branch covered at least three of those tables.

The parking lot at Winfrey Point was covered in leaves and twigs like carpet. Along the drive down toward the parking lot of the ball diamonds were a couple of big branches that were hit as well.

Take a look see.

House # 1 damage

House # 2 damage

Stone table area with another big tree at the road and behind here  that was felled by the storm.