FW CanDo!

We have now witnessed several neighborhoods and at least one city (Bedford, Texas) who have challenged out of control gas drilling and won.

The energy extractors who are preying on our cities and towns across the Barnett Shale and spreading across the whole country are like single minded drones in their pursuit of income for shareholders.

The have made a mockery of our zoning laws, threatened our clean water supplies, filled our air with carcinogens, ruined our rural lands and wilderness areas, intimidated our elderly and naive citizens, bought off our elected officials and church leaders, erected equipment in our neighborhoods with the potential to incinerate our children, elevated our sense of anxiety and hopelessness, etc. etc. ad nauseam. read more of this posting »

Please see these two current news items of interest:

1) A reporter for SNL Energy, an investor newsletter, called me yesterday for my opinions on urban gas drilling. The light weight report intended for energy investors (NOT green investors) is already online. Some of the "quotes" attributed to me are a bit exaggerated.

For example, it was the reporter who asked me the the dramatic question, "Who is the enemy?" Of course, I didn't have to think very hard about that one. (For those of you who are reluctant to use the word, "enemy", to describe Chesapeake Energy, I advise you to see the movie, Michael Clayton.) On the other hand, a certain Mr. Moncrief also fits the bill.

For better or worse, I reflected back to the reporter the sentiments I hear every day from people like you. read more of this posting »

Go Bedford! Go Go Go!!!

You are the reigning hero of urban drilling foes. You embolden hope for the downtrodden and apathetic of Fort Worth and other oppressed towns in the Barnett Shale. You embrace principle in the face of potential lawsuits. You have chosen people over profits. Your challenge of medieval mineral rights law, never intended for urban dwellers, is heroic and long overdue.

The Star-Telegram editorial staff has declared war on FW and surrounding municipalities such as Bedford with their unequivocal endorsement of urban drilling and their support for mineral rights over the greater good, well being, health and safety of Barnett Shale residents. read more of this posting »

Not only UTA, but the City of Arlington has agreed to study their carbon footprint, as well.

Since natural gas is primarily methane and since methane is one of the biggest contributors to global warming, this study should help provide a baseline to gauge the effects of urban gas drilling on air quality in the Arlington area. (Incidentally, methane is 21 TIMES more powerful a greenhouse gas than CO2.)

The irony here is that, UTA has allowed a gas well ON campus. It's up and running, right now. I expect that pressure will build on TCU to conduct similar studies in Fort Worth, now that they have allowed gas wells on their campus. read more of this posting »

At the urging of Barnett Shale Mafia bosses, Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief today unveiled 2 new logo designs being considered that more accurately convey the city's new image.

City officials are asking all FW residents to cast a vote for the design of their choice. The chief Don was quoted as saying , "You people have no choice in the matter. It's not your town anymore".

So...you might as well pick one:

The NEW Molly?

...or the same old MiKeY!

Either way, you're on the horns of a dilemma.

Reporting LIVE from a nearby parallel universe known as, Dirty Ol' Town, this is...

DY (Thanks to K.C.)

What criteria do you use to judge the merits of a livable city? What matters most? Clean air? Certainly. A well-educated populace? A definite plus. The following brief reports (for the literacy challenged) should get a rise out of any breathing and/or thinking person:

1) This one will kill ya'. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram recently posted, 8 Simple Rules for a Healthier 2008. All good advice that I highly recommend. However, I was taken aback by the Curious Connections between #3 and #5. read more of this posting »

Dateline Dirty Ol' Town:

6 Flaggs Offers Bonus Checks to Lure Beer Drinkers!

6 Flaggs Under the Table, Inc. announced today that they will begin offering bonus checks to individuals and groups who lease their bellies for beer consumption at the popular theme park. Negotiations were underway with various neighborhood associations for a special, Beer Belly Night Out.

Park officials decided this was the best way to cope with the growing public outcry over their recently announced proposal to allow the sale of alcohol in the park. In a move to allay fears form area residents, they also agreed to install beer kegs as sound barriers between noisy beer drinkers and teetotalers. read more of this posting »

The main purpose of FWCanDo is to share information, unpleasant as it often is. This last update of noteworthy news finishes out an eventful year. Stay tuned for more on these and other topics in A.D., Two Thousand and Eight.

-----1) God Bless Bob Ray Sanders. After trying for two years to get him to take a stand on urban gas drilling, I see that he's now flirting rather boldly with the concept. Check out the last few paragraphs of his "Retrospective 2007" in Sunday's Star-Telegram (12/31/07). This is his second column in the past few weeks to address this subject. For a Startlegram columnist, this is significant. Feel free to encourage him:

http://www.star-telegram.com/news/columnists/bob_ray_sanders//story/3819... read more of this posting »

Ho, ho, ho...choke...cough...gasp...Merry New Year!

Before you get suckered in by the upcoming media blitz that, gas drilling is good for you, consider the following:

Flaring of gas wells is a common practice in natural gas production, especially in the Barnett Shale. It is being done right now, this very minute, in Fort Worth neighborhoods and it is a detriment to our air quality and subsequently a serious health risk to all residents.

The attached photo was taken 12/29/07 at a well site near I-30 and Beach St., less than a mile from my home and about 3 minutes from downtown Fort Worth. Residential housing is about 1/4 mile away. (Take Beach St. north from I-30 and look to the west.) read more of this posting »

The following film reviews were compiled, subjectively, from a list of a couple of current films I just happened to see and some old favorites from the grand old master of social commentary, Frank Capra.

It seems that, every December we are exposed to movies such as these that challenge us to take stock of our moral and ethical standards, to examine the choices we make. They have the power to humble us and open our hearts. They compel us to look at ourselves in the mirror and ask the Big Questions.

I admit to a bit of cynicism in these capsule reviews but, this is Fort Worth, Texas circa 2007, under the "leadership" of the current occupant of the mayor's office. These are the times that try women's and men's souls. read more of this posting »