of Labor Day and the 5 Hula Hoops

Only 18 days remain until Westfest (in West, Texas). It's been about 15 months since I got my fill of polka, so time for a refresher. Am hoping they sell Polka Dots this time.

Yahoo! Maps says West, Texas is about 90 miles and 2 hours away. Being the math whiz that I am, this assumes an average speed of 45mph. Guess I should get the horse and buggy out of the toolshed, so as to devolve to that speed.

Also (unrelated) a couple people have gathered in Greece for something called The Olympic Games. Not knowing much about it, I Googled it and found that the ancient Olympic Games began in 776 B.C. and continued to 393 A.D. (the 293rd Olympiad), then the modern Olympic games (re-)started in 1896. Certainly, this stuff pales in comparison with WestFest (above) but I thought I'd mention it anyway, being a full disclosure guy and all ...

blood: what a ripoff!

I donated another unit of blood today; I'm getting to be a regular! My blood pressure was down to 110/78 which is the best it's been in years. Must be the lack of work-related stress.

You're allowed to give whole blood every 8 weeks, and it had been about 10 since my last visit. Even so, the screening questionaire has changed again.

I noticed that the money-for-sex questions are slightly different. Now they ask "have you paid for sex in the past year?", and "have you ever received money for sex?"

There may have been a change in the questions about which drugs you're on/ever taken, but I usually breeze past those rapidly since my pharmaceutical intake has always been minimal. It's still: 81mg aspirin (preventive) and 400 IU Vitamin E, twice daily (also preventive). I have switched to the natural (d- vs dl-) form of Vitamin E, after reading that it absorbs better, but the questionaire didn't want that detail.

Today, I noticed that the nurse said I could remove the bandage after 4 hours (I don't recall that advice before) so I waited 4 hours and 10 minutes before ripping it off.

Scary August!

Summer vacations come to a screeching halt next week, when both Dallas and Richardson schools restart (Dallas on Monday, Richardson on Thursday). Summer vacations in more modern parts of the country end after Labor Day (first Monday in September), but not here.

It's been the coolest August I can remember since moving from California (in 1993). So, waiting until noon to mow the grass didn't seem odd today. Most summers, I cut the grass soon after 8am, since the heat can be less than splendid.

A few seconds after I started the lawnmower and made my way into the front yard, I spotted the Scotts Lawn Care truck parked at the edge of my lawn, ready to do the summer fertilization. I suspect they have A Rule for Encounters with Lawnmowers: a few seconds later, the truck darted away before I could talk to the driver. Maybe they'll return next week?

One of the things I like about Scott's is that they're more professional than Green Thumb (the company they bought), in that they always phone the prior day to let me know they're coming (so I don't leave Beta the Wonder Dog outside, to run away when the gate is opened).

Oftentimes, I only know they've been here by their miniature lawn signs, affixed to a plastic stake in the ground. Not to mention the invoice they wrap around the front doorknob.

Had I thought about it, I would've filmed this encounter for Home Movie Day, although I can't think of any audience that wouldn't be put soundly to sleep. Good thing everyone's watching the Olympics.

growth concerns in Big D

Aside: I updated this week's edition of Sundry on Thursday, so please .. remain seated with your seatbelts fastened.

---

Tuesday afternoon, I attended a North Central Texas Council of Governments meeting at Dallas City Hall (regarding the Metroplex Mobility Plan - i.e. what road projects will get priority in the next 10+ years). I learned several things during the meeting:

1. planners estimate an additional 100,000 people move into the MetroPlex every year;
   
2. There's a 69-31 balance between Dallas and Ft. Worth (population, infrastructure);
   
3. Emissions in 2025 are expected to be 80% less than now;
   
4. Most road funding is now via the gasoline tax, but what happens if there's a big shift to electric/biodiesel? (this makes tollroads a fairer way to fund road projects);
   
   and then there were 4 tidbits I learned (as of July 2004) after the meeting:
   
   
5. Gasoline taxes (state & federal) are 38.4¢/gallon in Texas;
   
6. Of that 38.4¢/gallon, 20¢ is the Texas state portion;
   
7. Gasoline taxes account for the 3rd largest tax revenue source;
   
8. Gasoline taxes are highest in New York and lowest in Alaska.

This growth strains all our resources, and building roads takes more time than (for example) buying more trash trucks to solve the recycling problem. It may be tied with building aqueducts from far-away lakes to bring clean water into the area, but that's another serious problem being addressed by a different agency.

BTW, the Dallas City Hall building is easy to find; it sits next to the Convention Center and has a unique design, not unlike some other buildings downtown.

While trying to reach City Hall, I learned (quite by accident) that the fastest way to the Frank Crowley Courts Building (when I'm asked to be on a jury) is via the unnumbered Woodall Rodgers Freeway which bisects downtown Dallas (occasionally called Big D). If you take the Woodall Rodgers freeway to the western end (and don't follow the ramp onto I-35E), you'll be dumped onto Industrial Blvd about 2 blocks north of the courthouse parking - very cool!

Trivia: James Woodall Rodgers was the Dallas Mayor from 1939 to 1947.

Say what you want, but the Dallas skyline is unique and .. dare I say it .. attractive. Given the lack of any natural aesthetics in this area, it has evolved into one of the country's most recognizable downtowns. Someday (April Fools Day?) I'll post something about climbing the Dallas Mountains, or watching the barge traffic on the Trinity River. Hmmm.

Gene Bob, Master Chef

Last Sunday, I decided to (finally!) try baking my own pizza. And no - not the frozen kind that every grocery has by the hundreds. This one was made with fresh dough and fresh ingredients. All I had to do was transport it home and bake it in the safety of my own oven. And thus, the adventure began.

The place is Nick-N-Willy's Pizza, in the same building as the Starbucks at Coit/Campbell. It's not in a great location, and that may provide for cheaper rent than Starbucks, but probably costs them a lot of business. You have to know they're there.

I arrived at about 4pm, and waited 5 minutes or so while they tossed the pizza dough in the air, then added the cheese and other ingredients. I opted for the Monthly Special - Little Nell's Chicken BBQ pizza: olive oil glaze; mozzarella; barbecue chicken; fresh cilantro; red onions.

When I got it home, I heated the oven to 425F and inserted the pizza on the top rack. The instructions suggested I should "burst the bubbles" after about 3 minutes, so I did that, and then waited another 10 for it to bake to perfection. Well, almost. I remember when I bought the house that one oven runs about 25 degrees hot, but I can never remember which one. Now, I think it's the top one, since it cooked a wee bit crispy. I usually cook things at a lower temperature for a longer time, so it hasn't been a huge issue. Plus, there this other kitchen gadget that I use a lot more - called a microwave oven.

Anyhoo, Nick (or Willy's) pizza doesn't use a pizza pan; it cooks atop a sheet of parchment that Nick (or Willy) provides. If they hadn't told me, I might've thought the parchment would catch fire in the oven, but I trusted their instructions and there was no problem.

So, while watching [60 Minutes] on CBS, Beta the Wonder Dog enjoyed the breadcrust on the outer edge, and I salivated and drooled over the interior. Verdict? Thumbs up (although I might opt for something more exotic - like their Big Kahuna which is an Hawaiian pizza, but with Mandarin oranges as part of the mix). They also appear to have a standing deal on a traditional pepperoni ($5.99) for those less daring of you (yes, Jill-Bob .. this means you).

abandoned shopping carts (and the homeless problem)

One of my neighbors complained about some abandoned shopping carts being left in the neighborhood. This is undoubtedly the result of a neighbor who has no car. Now, if we could only get them to return the cart when they're done, instead of pushing into the nearest patch of knee-high weeds.

I pointed my neighbor to CartTronics which makes a device that locks the wheels of a shopping cart, when someone tries to remove them from the store's parking lot.

While searching for other companies with similar products, I wandered across the Homeless People's Network site. Another Google later, I found the Dallas Homeless Consortium which led me to both the National Coalition for the Homeless and the Texas Homeless Network.

This gives me the impression that resources are available for homeless people who want help. Many of them appear to NOT want help, preferring to steal a shopping cart (I'm sure they're not free) and then complain that Society Is Out To Get Them. I suspect there's no easy solution. I still see people with cardboard signs (often near the freeway offramps) claiming to be homeless and asking for money, even though the Dallas panhandling ordinance has been in effect since May 2003. I suspect most police (rightly) feel that they have better things to do, and only act when someone complains. I just can't help but be suspicious of these people, suspecting that a majority think this is easier than holding down a (minimum wage) job.

Reminds me of a line delivered by a 20-something a few years ago: "back in Ohio, we didn't have homeless people. We just called them [bums]."

melons, caves and UB-40

A few weeks ago, I heard that Blue Bell Creameries was making Cantaloupe & Cream ice cream, so I just had to track it down. I decided to try Tom Thumb first since they usually have a good supply of Blue Bell products and .. paydirt! .. I found it quickly. The label says PecoSweet, so this is undoubtedly made from Pecos, Texas melons. I'm surprised that the local ice cream chains (Marble Slab Creamery and Braum's) haven't dabbled in cantaloupe yet. No surprise that the national chains (e.g. Baskin Robbins) haven't caught on.

Aside #1: to get to Carlsbad Caverns from here, you take I-20 to Pecos and turn right, basically.

Aside #2: I added myself to the Labor Statistics today. This was all done over the web via the Texas Workforce Commission [TWC] website. So, when you hear that unemployment claims increased in August, think of me. The band UB-40 got its name from the Unemployment Benefits Form #40; pretty exciting trivia, huh?

Aside #3: we swept the opposing team at bowling tonight, and this should move us into the #3 slot, going into Position Week. Woo hoo.