Well, here’s something you’re not going to like, as if there is much of anything to like about TxDOT’s downtown Rockdale project: the north corners of the Ackerman/ Cameron Avenue intersection are staying as they are. I was told by my contact at TxDOT that their organization agreed that the intersection was poorly designed and that they had sent the plans to be redesigned.
That was evidently a lie. Or else they are just cutting more corners on this entire fiasco of a project.
And before those of you who love to complain about everything start up, remember that this entire project has nothing whatsoever to do with the City of Rockdale. This is entirely a TxDOT project that we have been asking to be done for nine or more years until they finally capitulated. And this project includes both the downtown area and the highway redo from about Big Boy’s BBQ eastward to US 77. Be careful what you ask for.
I suppose as a government agency they must accept the lowest bid, but Rockdale is paying for it with some of the shoddiest, substandard, most appalling workmanship I have ever seen.
I have also heard, but don’t know if it’s true, that rails without any openings will be installed at some point in each downtown block. For instance, let’s say you want to go get a cup of coffee at The Snug. When you park in front of it, you’ll have to walk all the way down to one corner or the other to go around the rail to get on the sidewalk and into the store.
I’m hoping that rumor isn’t true, but time will tell. It would not surprise me at all if that were to be downtown Rockdale’s unacceptable fate.
—kwc— These landed in my email and are not guaranteed, although plausible. I’d say whoever researched this has too much time on his hands, and maybe a great imagination.
• During WWII, U.S. Airplanes were armed with belts of ammo, which they would shoot during dogfights and on strafing runs. These belts were folded into the wing compartments that fed their machine guns. These belts measure 27 feet and contained hundreds of cartridges. Often times, the pilots would return from their missions having expended all of their bullets on various targets. They would say, “I gave them the whole nine yards,” meaning they used up all of their ammunition.
• In George Washington’s days, there were no cameras. One’s image was either sculpted or painted. Some paintings of George Washington have him standing behind a desk with one arm behind his back while others showed both legs and both arms. Prices charged by painters were not based on how many people were to be painted, but by how many limbs were to be painted. Arms and legs are “limbs,” therefore painting them would cost the buyer more. Hence the expression, “Okay, but it’ll cost you an arm and a leg.” (Artists know hands and arms are more difficult to paint.)
• Personal hygiene left much room for improvement. As a result, many women and men had developed acne scars by adulthood. The women would spread bee’s wax over their facial skin to smooth out their complexions. When they were speaking to each other, if a woman began to stare at another woman’s face she was told, “mind your own bee’s wax.” Should the woman smile, the wax would crack, hence the term “crack a smile.” If they sat too close to the fire, the wax would melt. Therefore, the expression “losing face.”
• Ladies wore corsets, which would lace up in the front. A proper and dignified woman, as in “strait-laced” wore a tightly tied corset.
• Common entertainment included playing cards. However, there was a tax levied when purchasing playing cards but only applicable to the “Ace of Spades.” To avoid paying the tax, people would purchase 51 cards instead. Yet, since most games require 52 cards, these people were thought to be stupid or dumb because they weren’t “playing with a full deck.”
- Log in or Subscribe to post comments.