Frog Gone

"And the frogs shall depart from thee, and from thy houses, and from thy servants, and from thy people." (Exodus 8:11)

Photo ftom Pinterest.

Second only to the courthouse, it is the most photographed structure in Kermit, Texas. It is mentioned in at least two travel books, this one and this one. And it's about to be painted over. And only a few of us, it seems, are sad about it.
From CBS7:
Posted: Friday, July 18, 2014 7:13 pm | Updated: 1:27 pm, Mon Jul 21, 2014.
by DeAnn Lopez

(Watch the video here.)

KERMIT - It seems that Kermit the Frog has over stayed his visit in one West Texas city.

The Muppets star's face was painted on the city's water tower nine years ago when Kermit came down to celebrate his 50th anniversary of being in the entertainment industry.

City officials have been planning Kermit’s departure for a little over a year now.

Even though it won't be cheap to paint over the Muppets star, it's a price they’re willing to pay to show their community pride.

Back in 2005, Kermit Texas was the first stop that Kermit the Frog made while on his 50th Anniversary World Tour.

As part of his visit, Disney was given permission to paint Kermit’s face on the city's main water tower.

But, in just a few weeks the high school’s mascot will be buzzing its way back on to the tower.

"It's been the desire of many citizens that we make this change," Mayor Jerry Phillips said.

The water tower isn't the only thing that Kermit the Frog left his mark on.

Kermit the Frog Boulevard, which runs directly in front of City Hall, will once again be named South Tornillo Street.

CBS7 photo.

During Thursday night’s city council meeting, council voted to re-paint not only the Kermit the Frog tower, but their other water tower, which is going to cost them $123,500.

But not all residents agree with council’s decision.

 "I kind of don't see the point of them wanting to recover the Kermit the Frog, we got a lot of attention even with the Kermit the Frog festivities that still go on, I mean the Kermit Celebration Days, which they call now,” Kermit resident Letecia Garcia said. “It brings in a lot of publicity for Kermit."

Long-time resident Jaime Morales says he can't wait until those paint brushes hit Kermit the Frogs face.

"I know Yellow Jackets has been up for the longest time, I came to school here (Kermit High), I was proud to be from this school, it doesn’t make sense why we would still have a Frog,” Morales said. “It’s time to let go and let our bee come back."

If all goes according to plan, both towers will be painted sometime in mid-August.

(I just found this: About a month after Kermit's visit in 2005, a UFO was reported near Kermit. Muppets from Space? - DK)

A Frog's Eye View Isn't Always Pretty ...

 

From Fox News:

 

A still camera on a sound trigger captured this intriguing photo of an airborne frog leaping for his life as NASA's LADEE spacecraft lifts off from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

In a caption listed along with the photo on NASA’s Instagram page, the space agency writes that the frog was captured in a single frame by one of the remote cameras used to photograph the launch.

The condition of the frog, however, is uncertain.

 

IN OTHER NEWS:

Brenda Chapman explains why she chose to start her new mystery novel in Kermit.

Also in Grandfalls ...

From collectintexasgal.

 

This is a unique horse fountain in Grandfalls.

You can guess where the water emerges.

 



Man's Best Friend 2

From Animal-Space.

Man's Best Friend

From Geeky Girl Engineer.

You might be a Ron Paulblican

(Thanks as always to Rawhide for the text. I found the pictures everyplace.)

1.  You might be a Ron Paulblican if:

You believe that the Federal Reserve kills puppies.

2.   You might be a Ron Paulblican if:

 You came to believe after being bitten by another RP supporter.

3.   You might be a Ron Paulblican if:

You think that Rick Perry is the anti-Christ.

4.   You might be a Ron Paulblican if:

You refer to amendments 11-27 as the Bill of Wrongs.

5.  You might be a Ron Paulblican if:

 You support RP for fear of being abducted, again.

6.   You might be a Ron Paulblican if:

You believe that Satan is the patron saint of IRS agents, Washington politicians, and diet soda.

7.   You might be a Ron Paulblican if:

You believe IRS stands for I Represent Satan.

8.   You might be a Ron Paulblican if:

Every conversation you have eventually returns to Ron Paul and his midi-chlorian level being off the charts.

9.   You might be a Ron Paulblican if:

You believe that fiat money is the root of all evil.

10.   You might be a Ron Paulblican if:

You believe that Ron Paul is actually 9 feet tall, but the weight of his conscience makes him look shorter.

Obstacles

Another teacher video from Liz's workshop. Here's a link if you're having trouble viewing it.

Could a Three-Inch Lizard Shut Down the West Texas Oil Industry?

(Hannity opened his radio show with this West Texas story the other day.)

From mywestexas.com:
Mella McEwen
Midland Reporter-Telegram

A three-inch lizard that thrives in desert conditions could shut down oil and gas operations in portions of Southeast New Mexico and in West Texas, including the state's top two oil producing counties.

Called the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard, it is being considered for inclusion on the federal Endangered Species listing by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A public rally to oppose this move is being sponsored by the Permian Basin Petroleum Association on Tuesday, April 26 at Midland Center beginning at 5 p.m. Congressman Mike Conaway will speak, as will Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson; other public officials have been invited. (Here's a story about the rally.)

"We are very concerned about the Fish and Wildlife Service listing," said Ben Shepperd, president of the PBPA, noting the service also has proposed listing the Lesser Prairie Chicken next year. "The wolf at the door is the lizard; we're concerned listing it would shut down drilling activity for a minimum of two years and as many as five years while the service determines what habitat is needed for the lizard. That means no drilling, no seismic surveys, no roads built, no electric lines."

The move would impact activity in Andrews, Crane, Gaines, Ward and Winkler counties in Texas and Chaves, Eddy, Lea and Roosevelt counties in New Mexico.

Not only would the move impact oil and gas operations but agriculture, Shepperd noted, shutting down agricultural activities like grazing and farming -- "anything that disturbs the habitat." While the industry is perfectly willing to undertake conservation measures to protect the lizard's habitat, he said, naming it an endangered species "would shut down activity and be devastating not only to Permian Basin economies but to the national economy. We are the one bright spot month after month; in our economic turnaround, the main driver is the oil and gas industry."

The concern is, he said, that the Fish and Wildlife Service lacks enough data to conclude that the tiny lizard is endangered and is basing its action on flawed methodology. "They didn't spend enough time looking for them or the right technique to find them," he said.

In New Mexico, where the lizard can be found on both private and public lands, Shepperd said a number of companies have entered into voluntary agreements to help conserve the lizard's habitat, mitigate threats to the lizard and remediate any damage while continuing to operate. He said he wants the same to happen in Texas. The association favors such joint agreements between the federal government and landowners to protect the lizard's habitat while allowing drilling operations to continue responsibly.

"The point is, we think the best way is for land owners and industry actually on the ground where the lizards are, who know how to protect the lizard, to be in charge instead of the feds putting up 'Do Not Enter' signs on every gatepost," Shepperd said.

A sign of hope is that four counties -- Lea, Andrews, Ward and Winkler, and the town of Monahans, have passed resolutions demanding to have standing during the comment phase, which ends May 16. Under the National Environmental Protection Act, or NEPA, Shepperd said, the federal government is required to work with local governmental entities when they make such a request.

"This will enable them to bring in the economic impact," he said. "We feel like the counties demanding to be part of the process should require the Fish and Wildlife Service to work with them to develop a reasonable conservation process that we all can live with."

He said he hopes those attending Tuesday's rally "will be inspired and better prepared to testify at the public hearing" being held by the Fish and Wildlife Service on Wednesday, April 27. The public hearing will also be at Midland Center, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

The public comment period is scheduled to close May 16, 2011, and the earliest date the Fish and Wildlife Service will make a final listing decision is, as of now, December 15, 2011.

Meet Our Endangered Lizard!

From KQRE:

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing endangered species listing for a small lizard found only in southeastern New Mexico and West Texas.

The dunes sagebrush lizard is in danger of extinction throughout its entire range and faces significant threats due to oil and gas activities and herbicides, the agency said.

The light brown lizard, less than 3 inches long, lives in a small area of shinnery oak dunes in northeastern Chaves County, Roosevelt County, eastern Eddy and southern Lea counties in New Mexico and in a narrow band of the dunes in Gaines, Ward, Winkler and Andrews counties in Texas.



Yes, these are oaks.  This is how tall they get.

 The lizard has been affected by habitat loss and fragmentation from oil and gas development due to the removal of shinnery oak and the building of roads and pads, pipelines and power lines, Fish and Wildlife officials said.

The executive director of WildEarth Guardians in Santa Fe, John Horning, said he's cautiously optimistic about the Monday decision. He noted Fish and Wildlife officials propose to list the lizard under the Endangered Species Act, rather than saying a listing is warranted but precluded at this time, as it has done for other species.

The Endangered Species Act makes it illegal to kill or harm a listed species. It requires federal agencies to minimize the impact of their activities on listed species and directs Fish and Wildlife to develop and carry out recovery efforts for those species.

In just the last two days, the agency said the Sonoran desert tortoise in the Southwest and the wolverine found in several western states warranted protection under the Endangered Species Act but won't be listed because of higher priorities - other species considered to be in greater danger.

Horning said he hoped the lizard could be listed in about six months. The final decision will be made by the Interior Department secretary.

"This is getting closer to the day the species will be afforded the protection the agency itself has said it has needed for a decade now," Horning said.

Fish and Wildlife will take comments on the listing through Feb. 14.

Steve Henke, president of the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association, said his organization was disappointed by the listing decision but not surprised.

"Anytime you're dealing with an endangered species on existing oil and gas leases, it creates additional challenges," Henke said.

The federal agency placed the lizard on the candidate list for endangered species protection in October 2001.

WildEarth Guardians said scientists warned 13 years ago it may be too late to save the lizard from extinction.

Horning said the species has declined since then and "faces an urgent situation."

(See also the Pecos Pupfish.)

OK, YOU Can Has Cheezburger!

From Texas Hill Country.

The No Dog Days Are Over!

From this site.

What's Going On In Arkansas?

From the New York Times:

By CAMPBELL ROBERTSON
Published: January 3, 2011
Times Square had the ball drop, and Brasstown, N.C., had its descending possum. But no place had a New Year’s Eve as unusual, or freakishly disturbing, as Beebe, Ark.

Around 11 that night, thousands of red-winged blackbirds began falling out of the sky over this small city about 35 miles northeast of Little Rock. They landed on roofs, roads, front lawns and backyards, turning the ground nearly black and terrifying anyone who happened to be outside.

“One of them almost hit my best friend in the head,” said Christy Stephens, who was standing outside among the crowd at a party. “We went inside after that.”

The cause is still being determined, but preliminary lab results from the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission revealed “acute physical trauma” in samples of the dead birds. There were no indications of disease, though tests were still being done for the presence of toxic chemicals.

Karen Rowe, the bird conservation program coordinator for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, said the prevailing theory was that the birds had been startled by New Year’s Eve fireworks and suddenly dispersed, flying low enough to run into chimneys, houses and trees. Pyrotechnics are used to scatter blackbirds for bird control, though only during the day, given the birds’ poor vision.

Beebe (pronounced BEE-be) is a congregating spot for blackbirds, and one witness told Ms. Rowe that he saw the birds roosting earlier in the day and heard them again at night just after the fireworks started.

“It was the right mix of things happening in a perfect time sequence,” Ms. Rowe said.

At most recent count, up to 5,000 birds fell on the city. Sixty five samples were sent to labs, one of which is at the Livestock and Poultry Commission and the other in Madison, Wis.

Keith Stephens, a spokesman for the commission, said he was not aware of a case this large. “About nine years ago we had some ducks,” he said, “but that was only a couple of dozen.”

The town contacted an environmental cleanup firm, which by Monday afternoon had picked up nearly all the birds, some of which were bagged and left at the end of driveways by residents.

“It just looked as if it had rained birds,” said Tracy Lightfoot, a member of the City Council, declining to speculate on the reason. “There’s lots of theories running around. I have no idea. I just don’t have a clue.”

State scientists believe one thing to be almost certain: that the bird deaths were not related to the roughly 85,000 fish that died a few days before near Ozark, in the western part of the state, the biggest fish kill in Arkansas that anyone can remember. They were spotted by anglers along the Arkansas River last week and reported to the Game and Fish Commission, which spent New Year’s Eve measuring and counting dead fish that had spread out for nearly 20 miles.

In that case, the victims were almost all drum, and almost all younger ones. That suggests the culprit was disease, said Mark Oliver, the chief of fisheries for the commission. He said fish kills were not uncommon, especially in winter when the fish are packed more closely, but he did not recall one of this size.

Meanwhile roughly 500 dead birds were found on Monday outside New Roads, La. Those birds were much more varied, with starlings and grackle in addition to blackbirds, and a few samples picked up by James LaCour, a wildlife veterinarian with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, did not show any signs of trauma, he said.

This I Wanna See!

Biggest Moth in the World?

More news from slightly north of me:

From Fox News:

HOBBS, N.M. – The discovery of what could be a complete mammoth skeleton in Lea County has local archeologists excited.

The New Mexico Natural History Museum Foundation will hold a special event at the Western Heritage Museum next week during which Executive Director Calvin Smith will announce the historic find.

"It is a major discovery," Smith told the Hobbs News-Sun. "We usually find pieces and parts, but if this is a complete skeleton, it is very important."

So far, amateur archaeologists have unearthed a femur, tibia, fibula and a carpal.

Smith helped excavate more than 20 mammoths at a dig site near Waco, Texas, and has found the remains of five mammoths in Lea County, but this could be the first complete skeleton.

"It is a significant find and one that deserves a lot of attention," he said. "If we are on the bottom of it, we are through, if we are on the top of it, we have another year's work."

How important it could be for Lea County is yet to be seen, but the potential is huge, Smith said.

"When I was at Baylor, I heard about the mammoths found out in (the Waco) ravine," he said. "There were five found. My first trip I found three more eroding out of the bank. We ended up with 23 mammoths and they are building a $4 million building over the site and it is being approved to become part of the National Parks system.

"I am not saying this is what will happen, but it is certainly a possibility."

The mammoth was discovered last year by Lea County resident Delbert Sanderson, who saw the femur bone fossil sticking up out of the middle of a two-track road in the desert.

Sanderson was visiting the area to explore a different archaeological find he first noticed as a teenager more than 50 years ago.

"There was this bone running all the way across the road," he said. "I dug at it with my pocket knife and pried a piece out."

Sanderson took the fossil fragment to Smith, who immediately knew what he was seeing.

The announcement of the find was delayed for several reasons, one being worries about thieves. Another was getting permission to keep the fossils in Lea County from the New Mexico Museum of Natural History, which has authority over all fossil finds in the state.

Smith petitioned the museum for permission to keep the bones local for an exhibit at the Western Heritage Museum and was granted a loan of fossils previously found in the area that are currently in the state museum's collection.

Smith will be using the fossils to create an exhibit on the Guadalupe Reef, as many of the fossils are of extinct sea animals that lived in a small sea covering what is now southeast New Mexico.

Other mammoth fossils found in Lea County include pieces of a skeleton found south of Jal in the 1940s or 1950s and a piece of tusk found during excavations for building foundations at the Urenco USA site, Smith said.

There are rumors an intact skull has been found in Lea County and, if true, Smith believes the find could be one of the greatest for the area.

"I would like to know more if someone does know of a significant find like that," he said.

Red Ribbon Week/Fall Festival/Spook Parade

(Photo from KISD website.)  Liz wore this costume for Red Ribbon Week.  She's supposed to be a hippie chick, but some thought she looked like Ozzy.

You won't be able to sleep tonight until you check out all 32 pictures of Red Ribbon Week on KISD's site.

Spelling is important:  This student's priceless drawing of a "h*** storm" actually got hung in the hall.  (Click image to make it biggerer.)

For the Fall Festival, Liz hosted the dance party.  Behold the twin skeletons of John Travolta.

Gift bouquet from fellow teacher.

(From the KISD website.)

Liz dressed as a jester for Halloween, but some of her kids were reminded of this fellow.  Now, how do you suppose they knew about that?

Liz hung this cute sign on her projector as a gentle reminder to the techs and administrators.  (Click image to enlargerate.)

Be sure to see all 87 of Kermit Elementary's pictures of the Fall Festival.

Kokomo (aka Koko) didn't care much for the alien costume.

Robert doesn't care much for holding the dog.

Examine all 104 (and still growing) of the Winkler Post's photos of the Spook Parade.

The M-I-B and his alien captive.

The Haunting of LCU and Other Links

Here are some things, some wise and some weird, that I'm in the mood to share:

• Ghosts seem to haunt college campi.  LCU is no exception.
• Odessa's UTPB, Liz's alma mater, is haunted by a spirit named Matilda.  (You will have to scroll down after the jump.)
• Where do I get one of these?
• Meet Twinkle Dwivedi, the girl who cries blood.
• Here's an excellent post about the disease of perfection.  (Thanks to shallowfrozenwater.)
• My parent is an idiot!
• Ten reasons Trey Morgan loves living in a small town.

What Has Science Done?

Liz found this while searching for Veteran's Day material.

Baa, Baa, Fake Sheep

(From, of course, the Sacred Sandwich.)

Chiweenie

This is our new 4-week-old chiweenie pup.

He is so tiny that when he eats, his hind legs rise off the floor.  I guess his head weighs more than the rest of him.

We have yet to name him.  Any suggestions?

The Spook Parade

These pictures were taken on Halloween 2008. I'm a little behind on blogging, okay?  First, here's some pictures from the late, lamented Room 19: 

Step 7: Adjust data to fit hypothesis.  Step 8:  Publish.

Spiders grow awfully big in West Texas.

Frankenstein is one of Liz's most popular decorations.

Anyway, this is how Kermit does trick-or-treating:  It's called the Spook Parade.  The downtown merchants give out candy.  The kids, young and old, file past in a somewhat orderly fashion.

Robert as Indiana Jones.  See shadow of photographer.

This cat does not look happy in this Winkler Post shot ...

(be sure to view all 71 of their photos)

Halloween is tough on pets.

The line begins about 5 p.m. beside the skating rink ...

... and to the front of Lowe's Supermarket.

Rumor is there's a kid in a cockroach costume.  What kind of parent ... Never mind!

Tristan, one of Liz's students, came in this charming costume.

My goal is to find the kid dressed as a cockroach ... but he's too quick for me.  You turn on the light and he's gone.

The Winkler Post beat me to him!

Child on pile of rusty metal looks safe.

The Kermit police keep the street blocked.

We spend seven years of our lives waiting in line, you know.

Awright, who put Halloween so close to election day?

See reflection of photographer.

Or if you see, like, flames or something...

The wires at the left appear very safe.

First candy stop.

Onward to the credit union.

There we are in the credit union window.

Then across the street and down the block ...

Want to look like this?

 ... and through the alley.

The purpose of all this is to make the child tired, right?

The Jack and Jill shop was founded by musician Doug Smith's parents.

This familiar fellow stands in the doorway of H and R Block.

Yes, there are a few Democrats in Kermit.

This mural shows many of the town's historic buildings, and even the Wink Sink!

The only local contested race in 2008 was for district attorney.  The seated gentleman is Mike Fostel, the incumbent.

Caption this pup.

How long has this guy been waiting for a loan?

More animal cruelty.

Now we head into the courthouse.

This interesting marker belongs near Wink.  I don't know why they keep it in the courthouse, but here it is.

These markers also appear in this post.  I guess I just like to repeat myself.

This time capsule is scheduled to be opened later this month (September 25).

Kermit looks on in approval.  Or not.

Leaving the courthouse,

 

we head across the street to what used to be a theater.  Now it's a real estate office.

There are a few Star Trek fans in Kermit too.  (From the Post.)

We were here a few days before for a cakewalk.

This is about a 90-minute walk.  Hopefully Robert is tired.  I know I am.


The last candy stop is James Jepson, the other guy who was running for district attorney.  (He wound up being defeated 2 to 1.)

This marker tells the story of Col. C.M.Winkler, whom the county was named for.