Five Centuries of Texas Maps on Display

As the Father of Fort Worth, I'm keenly interested in Texas History. That's why I intend to check out “Going to Texas: Five Centuries of Texas Maps.” The exhibit features 64 historic maps dating from 1548 to 2006. It's a joint project of the Center for Texas Studies at TCU and the the Museum of the Big Bend at Sul Ross State University.

The exhibition just recently began a 2-year stay at the Old Red Museum in downtown dallas. After that, the collection will travel around the state, winding up at the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame here in Cowtown in 2010. Don't tell Amon Carter, but I will probably make the trek east and see the exhibit in downtown dallas. But I'll be sure and take a sack lunch when I do.

AF Academy Falcons Headed to Cowtown Bowl

The Falcons of the United States Air Force Academy have an invite to the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl on New Year's Eve. The game which will be the fifth annual, is set to be played at TCU's Amon Carter Stadium for December 31, at 11:30 a.m. ESPN will broadcast the event. The date is a change from previous events when the game was played on December 23rd.

The Falcons have won their last 3 games as well as 6 of their last 7 games. Air Force relies mainly on their ground game, which is strange for a school dedicated to air combat. Statistically, the team has the second-best rushing attack in the country.

This will be Air Force's 1st bowl game since 2002.

Frozen Turkey on Thanksgiving

Well it sure seemed like a good idea at the time!

I'm talking about signing up to run the Westside YMCA's Turkey Trot. I remember sitting on my sofa, in my shorts and t-shirt, way back when, and signing up online.

But something happened on the way to my little jog through Ridglea.

It got cold. Real Cold. Bone-chilling Cold.

With a wind-chill in the 20's, I seriously thought about skipping the event. But I'd already picked up my official Turkey Trot T-shirt. There's something dishonest about wearing the shirt if you didn't run the race.

So there I was, standing in Camp Bowie with a bunch of other folks that were too darn honest to wear the t-shirt without running the race as well. The gun went off and off we went, most people running in an attempt to stay warm rather than to compete.

Of course, there were some that immediately ran way on out ahead of the pack. That group was comprised mostly of serious athletes. And teenage boys. So I plodded on, determined to earn the right to wear my Turkey Trot T-shirt. Actually it wasn't so bad once we got in the Ridglea neighborhood. Those great big two-story homes tended to block most of the wind.

I was satisfied with my time, and my effort. I even managed (barely) to finish ahead of a fit-looking, twenty-something guy. Of course, he was pushing a stroller.

I was even more satisfied by the number of teenage boys I passed towards the end of the race. And for you boys that ran out of steam and stood there looking back, acting like you were looking for a friend, I have one thing to say. You weren't fooling anyone.

City Ushers in Holidays WIth Red-Light Cameras

Strings of street lights
Even stop lights
Blink a bright red and green
As the shoppers rush
home with their treasures

Red and green are the traditional colors of the holiday season. With that in mind, the City of Fort Worth is about to turn on their new-fangangled red light cameras -- just in time for the holidays.

According to Pegasus News, starting next Monday, Nov. 26, red light cameras will be activated at seven intersections in Cowtown. Get caught running a red-light before the new year and you get by with a written warning. After New Year's Day 2008, the city will issue a $75 fine.

Hate Crimes Numbers Meaningless

"Hate crimes rose 8 percent in 2006" scream the headlines in the Startle-Gram. Okay, but knowing how little math is required to get a degree in journalism, I decided to dig a little deeper. Here's the next to the last paragraph of the article (emphasis mine):

Lack of full participation by the more than 17,000 police agencies around the nation somewhat undermines year-to-year comparisons.

Somewhat? No. Unless you have full participation by the same agencies, year to year comparisons are meaningless.

Here are the numbers for the last three years as reported in the S-T:

Year: 2004
# of Agencies Reporting: 12,711
# of "Hate Crimes": 7,649

Year: 2005
# of Agencies Reporting: 12,417
# of "Hate Crimes": 7,163

Year: 2006
# of Agencies Reporting: 12,620
# of "Hate Crimes": 7,722

So what conclusions can we draw from this? None. The article notes that there are more than 17,000 police agencies in the U.S. of A. So in any given year, only about 3/4 of the police agencies bother to file a report. Is it the same 3/4 every year? Who knows.

Roughly 5,000 agencies did not file a report in 2005. Were there no "Hate Crimes" in their jurisdiction? If so, that's good news. If there were, it shows how ridiculous the whole thing is.

However, it does make for a good headline. Somehow, I think that was the main point in it all.

Turkey Trot Gives Kids a Leg Up

It's not too late to sign up for this year's Turkey Trot. Held early Thanksgiving morning, the event features a 5k Run/Walk, a 10k Run and a 1k "Gobbler Trot" for the little ones. The first race starts at 8:00 a.m. with the awards handed out at 9:30, still plenty of time to make it to Grandma's for lunch and Cowboys.

Proceeds go to the help pay for scholarships for kids to enjoy the Westside YMCA. Which means that not only will you feel justified in having a second helping of pumpkin pie after your run, but you'll feel better knowing you done a good deed as well.

Rules of the Road

4 or 5 times a week you'll find me out jogging on the local trail. I run about 16 miles a week. Now, I'm normally a rather easy going type, but lately some of you have been getting on my nerves, big time.

So it's time to establish some rules of basic etiquette:

1. When I fail to speak to you, it's not because I'm rude. See, I'm a fat old guy (though I still have all my hair). Often times I'm huffing and puffing, straining to make it back. If I fail to say "good morning" I'm not rude, I'm just out of breath. Trust me, if I were to attempt to say something, nothing would come out.
2. Clean up after your dog. It's a park, not a doggie bathroom, okay? 'Nuff said.
3. Slow traffic, keep right. This is for all you fat old ladies trudging down the middle of the trail in your velour jogging suits. Your butt is big, but it's not so big that there's not room for both of us on the trail, if you will just move over a little and let me pass.
4. Keep your dog on a short leash and away from others, especially me. This is goes double for those of you with your puny, yappy dogs. I love dogs, except for the little yappy kinds. But don't let your dog try and smell me as I go by, he might trip me.
   

Thanks for your cooperation. If everyone will follow these simple rules, I promise to pretend not to notice how big that jogging suit makes your butt look.