Look what the cat dragged in.

You know that sinking feeling in your gut you get when you've been caught doing something that maybe you shouldn't have?  It's one many of us would feel often as kids, but as we grow and mature those instances happen less and less.  More on that in a moment.


Despite a decent, growing readership I rarely get any comments on my posts here on the blog site.  Some people do comment on Facebook though and I get some feedback in person.  Yesterday brought one of the few comments here to the site.  If you haven't yet read my post from October 19th be sure and check out ESDone and then view the comments at the end of the post.  The masterful word-smith under the pseudonym "S" had the following to say:


"Mr. Mathieu,

Didn't a home in the city limits of Joshua burn to the ground this past Friday, and Joshua Fire Department called for mutual aide from the ESD departments? Doesn't sound like very promising protection if you ask me." 


With a career in computers I naturally take advantage of my technical resources.  That includes tracking traffic to this blog.  What's the point in writing if nobody is reading, right?  Most information available is quite anonymous, but every now and then an identifiable network shows up.  Readers from big corporations such as Haliburton and the Cummins Engine Company have dropped in for a visit as have numerous school districts from around the state.  I've even had visits from the U.S. House of Representatives a couple times. Earlier this year I was able to identify a faithful reader originating from none other than the Johnson County Emergency Services District office in Cleburne.  For months a reader in that office has nary let a day go by without checking in on my latest rambling.  That's not really surprising though since they are frequently the subject of the day.


Yesterday's comment from "S" came in at 11:48 am.  A quick check of the blog stats showed none other than the ESD on the site and clicking 17 times between 9:27 am and 12:05 pm.  The reader clicked into the comment form for the ESDone post at , you guessed it, 11:48 am and they were the only visitor on the site at that time.  The mysterious "S" is really E"S"D.  If you're my super fan from the ESD office then that sinking feeling I mentioned earlier is probably happening right about now.


This really turns out to be a good example of how the ESD operates.  After doubling the tax rate someone from a government office paid for with our taxes on a computer paid for with our taxes and a salary paid for with our taxes spent "our" time to make an anonymous comment to try to make their office look better instead of using "our" time on emergency service related tasks.  Doesn't sound like very promising protection if you ask me.


The next time you have something to say, ESD, stand up and put your name on it.  You'll find mine below.


A.J.