Saturday, January 30, 2010

Case of the Dead Cows Solved


X File case of the "bellowing and bleeding" cows has been solved. No, it wasn't occult practices or aliens mutilating and doing countless tests, but a toxic spill from a Chesapeake owned well. Is Chesapeake in trouble? Oh, you bet they are, here's a short list of the offenses:



  • Chesapeake violated state law by allowing a solid waste to be deposited without a permit. Chesapeake attempted to cover the truth by stating the cows death had nothing to with ingesting of the fraccing fluid but actual autopsy reports proved otherwise.


  • Chesapeake failed to notify the state Dept of Public Safety and they can't say it was because the office was closed because the hazardous materials line is open for business 24 - 7. Do you think maybe Chesapeake didn't notify the authorities because they truly believed that the fraccing fluid is non-hazardous?


  • Chesapeake also failed to turn in a written report of the incident within seven days. Why the stall tactics? Remember, if ground water contamination isn't reported, then the Oil & Gas industry can claim there's no proof of ground water contamination.
    • Friday, January 29, 2010

      The Magnificent Seven Levitate Like Criss Angel


      A few years ago I purchased each child of mine the coolest book I'd ever seen for kids according to their gender. Justin's was The Dangerous Book for Boys and Annie's was The Daring Book for Girls. Some of the contents are the same, such as how to build camp fires, paper airplanes and stink bombs and then some of the content is gender specific. In Annie's book there is a chapter titled, Slumber Party Games.

      When I first read the chapter, I was very excited to see that a game I had played as a kid over twenty years ago was in the book. I couldn't really remember how to play just the gist of it, but I had told Annie all about the game and when she saw that the game was spelled out in detail how to play...she just had to play it at her slumber party.

      Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board...this is how you play it:

      Have one person lay on the ground, while four to six others gather around her. The players should place the index fingers of both hands underneath the person lying down, and then, with eyes closed, everyone does a call and response, with the player next to the person's head beginning the story: "It was a dark and stormy night." Each player except the one on the ground repeats. "It was cold and the road was icy." "The car she was in spun out of control." "And when they found her." "She was light as a feather and stiff as a board." The last sentence is repeated by the group several times, and then the entire group begins chanting, "Light as a feather, stiff as a board" and lifting up the girl lying on the floor.

      Did any of our magnificent seven actually levitate? This game has its roots in a long tradition of unexplainable feats of weightlessness. Saints were said to levitate while in a state of uncontrollable rapture and have a luminous glow and Buddhist develop the skill to levitate with lots of spiritual and physical training. The act of levitation in the modern world is purely seen and understood to be only a magic trick, a grand illusion. But if you ask any of the magnificent seven, they'll tell you...it's no trick.

      Thursday, January 28, 2010

      Chesapeake In Denial

      Chesapeake denies that the force it took to hurl a full grown man 30 feet into the air was an explosion...I repeat, it was not an explosion. Sounds like a X-File case to me.

      "And a lie Mr. Mulder, is most convincingly hidden between two truths."
      Deep Throat

      I Made My Phone Calls...How About You?

      I got an email alert from a concerned friend advising me that in my rage against BIG OIL & GAS I made a few blogging errors. I'm hoping I repaired those errors enough so that the message intended got across.

      Last night I attempted to inform y'all that DISH needed some help from the CAVALRY. Do you remember what I said I was going to do today? That's right...you remember.

      I phoned Mr. Patrick Nugent's office. I thought maybe I'd be too late because it was nearly 4:30PM and I had just returned with my son after acquiring his new driver's license. I hurriedly typed in the number, which resulted in a polite voice informing me that the number I had dialed was invalid.

      What? Wow...I started thinking that possibly thousands of people had already called and Mr. Nugent had to disconnect his phone! Not quite, I had just punched in the wrong number. I tried again and on the third ring a frazzled man's voice answered and I could literally hear two or three other phones ringing in the background. Could it be that his phones haven't stopped ringing all day?

      "Pipeline Association." "Hello, Mr. Nugent?" "Yes." "My name is Joely Trujillo and I live in Wink, Texas. I'm calling today to inform you that I support Mayor Tillman and am asking that you clean up your mess in DISH and please leave those people alone."

      I'm not sure what other people have said when they've called or what the tone of their voice may have been, rather it suggested anger or not, but I must have taken Mr. Nugent by surprise, because he thanked me for calling and then he said, "Calvin Tillman is a good man." I agreed and added, "I wish Texas had more mayors like Mr. Tillman."

      Heart beating fast, I then took a breath and dialed the next number to Ms. Romero. She didn't answer like Mr. Nugent, but instead another lady did telling me that Ms. Romero was in a meeting. I left a message with the lady giving her my name and phone number. She inquired as to what state I was calling from. I then figured I should beef up my Texas accent and resounded, "I'm calling from Texas, West Texas that is...the true heart of Oil & Gas country." (I love saying that, it makes me feel like I'm some kind of expert)

      She gave a little giggle and said that she wasn't familiar with the 432 area code and just wanted to make sure. By this time I had my Texas Twang down pat, and laid it on really thick. I told her that DISH was lucky to have Mayor Tillman and that I wished the Oil & Gas industry would clean up that town and leave the people alone. I told her that I understand first hand the effects of drilling, that my little town of Wink is sinking and that soon we may have to start shutting down our county roads because they are unsafe.

      I also told her that we're going to have a fundraiser in March for cancer victims and that participants were asked to create a poster which included the names of each family member that has succumbed to cancer. I told her that as the posters were brought, the sensation it created was one of despair as I saw for just a little town of 900, that the number of victims was staggering.

      I explained that sometimes test results can be manipulated, that people who are supposed to protect you don't, and that votes are bought. I explained that there isn't a Calvin Tillman in every city and town, that he is a man of rare substance and a true elected official that is doing his duty.

      Wednesday, January 27, 2010

      All For One and One For All OR Is This When The Rest Of Us Tuck Our Tails And Run?

      I've been keeping up somewhat with the goings on over in DISH and Mayor Tillman, along with the attacks on the Ruggieros by Aruba Petroleum, and let's not forget the mafiaesque tactics used against Durango by corrupt bankrupt Express Energy, and finally the eminent domain abuses and intimidation against Steve Doeung by Chesapeake and generally keeping up with the Wink Sink, illegal dumping of tanker contents and flaring. So, you can well imagine it gets pretty busy around here.

      It's rather easy to read and sometimes make comments about issues that really rile us up. We become indignant and wish we could always do more. Haven't you ever just wanted to call up the offender and give them a piece of your mind? Tell them to back off, follow the rules, play a fair game, stop hiding behind big money? I know I have and guess what? I'll get to make two phone calls Thursday to do just that.

      Remember the first person I mentioned? Mayor Tillman of DISH? He needs our help. We can sure appreciate a man, an elected official, that's truly looking out for and protecting the interests of the people in the town he's the mayor of. Believe me, not all towns are fortunate enough to have a decent hard working responsive mayor, just take Fort Worth's Mayor Moncrief for example...a really bad example.

      It seems that because Mayor Tillman is doing his job, he's being threatened by the oil and gas industry. Here's just a bit of that threat:

      "I have become a lightening rod for personal attacks by our friends in the Natural Gas Industry...the latest...they are threatening to file suit..." Read the story of the town of DISH and Mayor Tillman.

      A quote that I see from Mayor Tillman "Together we bargain, divided we beg"
      is a call for unification and action. Please, support the efforts of Mayor Tillman and let the Natural Gas Industry know that they need to clean up DISH and then get out and leave those people alone.

      I know what I'm going to do. I'm going to make a couple of quick phone calls. One to Patrick Nugent 512-478-2871 and then when I'm through with him I'm gonna call Celina Romero 512-472-8800. What does the good Mayor of DISH want us to tell these two BIG ENERGY supporters? Pure and simple, "Clean up your mess in DISH, TX and Leave Mayor Tillman and the people of DISH alone."

      Sunday, January 24, 2010

      Hope House A Supportive Home For Victims of Cancer

      Jesse, my work out buddy and best friend, is a true cancer warrior. Not only did Jesse beat a brain tumor, but he has been vigilant in aiding his sister, Ramona, battle Melanoma. They left for a new cancer study down in San Antonio this morning and they won't be back until Saturday of next week. Luckily for Jesse and Ramona, they have family that will board them for the duration.

      Others are not so fortunate and besides having to deal with cancer they come up against room and board expenses that sometimes forces the families to be left behind and unable to be nearby to support their loved one. Imagine if you will having to leave your child in the hospital to endure the pain of chemo therapy and radiation alone, just because you no longer have the funds to stay in a hotel nearby.

      That's where places like Hope House have become synonomous with safe havens for families dealing with the treatment of cancer. Ruth Ann Wilkinson set about on a mission to provide hope for cancer patients by establishing a fund.

      This fund was meant to create a place where patients and their families could stay and live during their treatment plan/process. Ruth Ann, a cancer patient herself, died in 1996 and never saw her dream become a reality, but those left behind carried on and opened the Hope House on Febrary 16, 2006.

      We have our very own Hope House out here in West Texas. You can find the home on 2100 West Tennessee in Midland. This little spring of hope in the hostile environment of cancer needs all of our support to continue to provide lodging and medical expenses for cancer patients and their families. You can always donate on line at: http://www.hopehousetexas.org/.

      It is our pleasure to announce that on March 13th a racquetball tournament to benefit Gifts of Hope, Inc. will be held at the Frank R. Barton Physical Fitness Center in Wink, TX. Entry fee for the tournament is $50 per person with registration deadline being March 3rd.

      For tournament and registration information please contact: Jesse R. Moya at 432-527-3536 or 432-352-5322. For information regarding Gifts of Hope, Inc. please contact: Mary Collier, Patient Counselor, Hope House 432-687-1949 or 432-335-8275.

      All monies paid for registration, concession items and tee shirt sales will be donated to Gifts of Hope, Inc.

      Saturday, January 23, 2010

      The Magnificent Seven and Sleepover Madness

      I absolutely love Slumber Parties! They are so much fun, but with girls these kind of parties can sometimes end with lots of feelings hurt. To ensure that Annie's sleepover didn't turn into mayhem I scheduled lots of activities and fun things to do.

      Most of the girls rode home from school with Annie. We resembled a minuscule clown car at the Ringling Brothers' Circus, fitting seven girls and a lady into a two seater truck! And that's how the fun began. Destination completed, the girls unloaded one by one and secured a spot in Annie's room for their sleepover belongings.

      Easy entertaining sleep over fun begins with cooking. The girls created dough and then fashioned the dough into a round flat looking shape. They then spread some type of red sauce all over the flat surface of the dough, topping it with shredded cheese, pepperonis and Canadian bacon.

      Mommies and daddies, you need to hear this..."Let your children help you cook!" They love it!!! Everyone of these giggly gals clamored to measure the liquids, pour them in and mix them to perfection. While we waited for the pizzas to bake, I made my way to Youtube.com and began blasting the music for an instant impromptu dance party. One of my favorite can't go wrong singers...Weird Al. His lyrics are entertaining and the kids love it.

      After consuming massive amounts of pizza and Capri Sun, we then made S'mores. M'm...these things are so good and such an easy do it yourself kinda treat. Mommies and Daddies, even if you're on a special diet, eat one, okay? And make sure you get the ooey gooey marshmallow all over your face, the girls loved telling me I had made a mess!

      I've learned from experience that canned sodas aren't a good idea for any kid party. They never finish the entire soda and you're left with almost full cans of soda, with kids wanting something else to drink, but they have no idea if that almost full can of Coke is theirs or not...bad, really bad, idea. Capri Suns are the best for parties and if you have to divvy out soda, souvenir party cups with the kids' names in marker on the cup for identification purposes.

      We played several traditional sleep over games, such as light as a feather and stiff as a board, Bloody Mary and Truth or Dare. I'll do a separate blog for light as a feather and for Bloody Mary. I got really tickled when one of the girls suggested we play spin the bottle. I replied that spin the bottle is usually played with girls and boys. My girls insisted they wanted to play, so I agreed and made up some rules for this new variation.

      How to play Spin the Bottle with all girls. First variation, has the girls going around the circle taking turns spinning instead of having the person the bottle landing on spinning. Once the bottle is pointing towards someone, the spinner then confesses what boy she'd most like to kiss. Of course, all the girls giggle insanely and then the spinner kisses the spinnee on the cheek. You play until you get bored.

      Second variation, has the girls taking turns like in the first variation. This time though, instead of naming a boy the girls are actually collecting kisses. You find the gaudiest ugliest lipstick you have, each of you coat your lips really good and then start playing. The girl with the most set of lip prints on her face, wins. You play for about 10 - 15 minutes.


      I never planned for this game, it was impromptu, but with adjustments it turned into a really fun moment. The girls shared their secret crushes and we all laughed and giggled our hearts out! But to ensure that these secret sacred crushes aren't revealed on Monday at school, you must perform a Pinkie Promise to never reveal and then provide the girls with a most terrible curse for revealing said promise. You'll never guess in a million years what I promised them would happen if they spilled the beans!

      Thursday, January 21, 2010

      When The Wind Blows Shouldn't the Blades Go?


      January has just flown by, hasn't it? I mean, here we are in the third week and pretty soon we'll be heading into February. I told a friend the other day that my computer has been having some trouble, something about Trojans? Used to, when a person mentioned Trojans a nice connotation of protected pleasure would come to mind, now it just means definite disaster, as in my computer's health.





      My employment continues to be a burdensome necessity and with so many in our sector jobless I've been extra careful to be appreciative of utter chaos and confusion. I do have some embers smoldering and I do know that after speaking with my son, a move would really make him very unhappy. I'm not in the business of creating disillusionment in my children.

      Annie and I went shopping yesterday over in Odessa, we braved Walmart and found that the experience hasn't scarred us for life. We didn't get finished with the monthly grocery shopping until 9PM! More time was needed to gather supplies, because Annie is having a slumber party Friday night which will then turn into a day filled of fun for Saturday.


      Yesterday, the wind was gusting up into the 40s! On the way to Odessa, we always pass a whole bunch of Wind Turbines at the Caprock. You know, I thought that when the wind blew was when the blades turned on those turbines, but as I observed those mighty turbine giants not a SINGLE BLADE was moving! Can anyone explain this phenomenon?

      I don't have much time before the big sleep over and I've got plenty to accomplish before the giggling, squirming, sassy, gals descend upon the Trujillo Family home. There's dishes to wash, clothes to fold, a scavenger hunt to prepare and water balloons to fill.

      Tuesday, January 19, 2010

      The Gathering Line


      Gathering Line
      - a special pipeline that transports gas from the field to the main pipeline.

      The Gathering Line is a round-up of oil & gas drilling news brought to you by National Alliance for Drilling Reform (NA4DR), a broad alliance of grassroots activists from states across the nation that are affected with drilling development.

      Something STINKS about TCEQ's recent Fort Worth air study. Considering that the Barnett Shale has a staggering asthma rate of 25% compared to 7.1% statewide, TXsharon thinks it's time for an intervention in Texas. Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS

      Follow the FRACTURE and you will find fraccing! Read it at Cheap Tricks and Costly Truths.

      When the citizens of Pulteney learned that a gas well in their town was going to be converted into an underground injection well for disposal of Marcellus wastewater, they didn't take the news sitting down. Sue Heavenrich blogs about last week's town board meeting on Marcellus Effect.

      Flower Mound Town Council will vote Thursday night on changing the zoning and ordinance to allow a Waste Water Centralized Collection Facility. What is a CCF and what will it mean to Flower Mound and their neighboring communities? Read about it at stopthedrilling

      Monday, January 18, 2010

      America Stuck on Stupid

      Why is it that our competitors in Oil and Gas are looking into developing alternative energy and we're still stuck on stupid? It may not be the ideal energy situation, but it's a step in the right direction.

      A 2.2 Billion dollar Hydrogen Power project could be completed as soon as 2014 and is expected to be the world's largest CCS Project. The carbon capture and storage project would split natural gas into hydrogen and carobon dioxide. The hydrogen would create a sellable 400 MW while the carbon dioxide would be injected into the oil fields, increasing oil production.

      Plant location is expected to be in Shuweihat and is owned by Abu Dhabi's Masdar and BP. This government is preparing for a future beyond oil. What is our government doing? I know, still protecting Big Oil & Gas, allowing them to rape and pillage the land like the Vikings of yore, while leaving a path of devastation and destruction.

      Think I'm kidding about the mayhem and destruction and basic lack of decency? Then check out the rude dishonrable unsafe practices of Aruba Petroleum.

      Saturday, January 16, 2010

      Express Energy - Google Search

      express energy - Google Search: "Results include your SearchWiki notes for express energy. Share these notes


      Cheap Tricks and Costly Truths: Express Energy Emerges EasilyJan 9, 2010 ... I'd not given much thought to who or what Express Energy is, but in the light of it's recent mafia like characteristics I decided to do a ...
      jamminmole.blogspot.com/2010/.../express-energy-emerges-easily.html - Cached -

      Cheap Tricks and Costly Truths: Express Energy Emerges Easily ...Jan 9, 2010 ... Cintas Corporation FNCC G&K Services Unifirst Corporation 1stel, Inc. American Ice Machines ATNI, Inc. FSP Phoenix Tower Corporation Midland ...
      www.hedgehogs.net/.../cheap-tricks-and-costly-truths-express-energy-emerges-easily-alerts-cintas-corporation - Cached -

      Durango Texas: West Texas Chief Operative CT2's Report On Express ...Jan 9, 2010 ... If the law were being followed, Express Energy Services would pay what is ... Express Energy Services recently went through Chapter 11 ...
      durangotexas.blogspot.com/.../west-texas-chief-operative-ct2s-report.html - Cached -"

      The above is now what you see when you Google Express Energy. Of course, the bad boys at Express Energy were at it again today, using their mafia like scare tactics against my fellow blogger and friend, Durango. It's a good thing Durango was armed with his champion camera and a bodacious bodyguard. Who knows what the corrupt law breakers of Express Energy would have done?

      Friday, January 15, 2010

      Several Helping Hands

      When you give an inexperienced teenager a vehicle ten years or older, he'd better hope that he has mechanically inclined friends, or friends whose fathers fix vehicles for a living. When the ex hubby gave Justin, our sixteen year old son, old blue, the 1992 Nissan Frontier, with 250,000 miles plus...I just knew we were in for a world of needing helping hands.



      My only knowledge when it comes to vehicular repairs are fixing flat tires, adding oil, maybe changing spark plugs, adding other needed fluids and possibly changing out windshield wipers, other than that, I've not a clue.

      A few weeks ago, Justin and Daniel came home from an overnight camping trip, with my son telling me, "Hey, mom...the engine is running hot." I let the engine cool off a bit and then had a look under the hood. (this is quite comical when you think about it) Not really knowing what I was looking at, I decided since the spray from the radiator seem to be exiting the cap, that all that was required was a new radiator cap, but told my son to also pick up some stop leak as well.


      We did that little bit of fixing and lo and behold...no dice, the engine was still over heating and fluid was ejecting at an alarming rate! Those of you who understand engines probably already know what's wrong with old blue...yep, the water pump. So, one of Justin's friend's father, who just happens to repair vehicles for a living, picked up the pretty little part and is outside as I type right now, repairing old blue.

      Here is the tricky part. I'm on a limited budget and my son, doesn't have a job. What in the world did he possibly work out with his friend's father? I've found out that in exchange for fixing old blue, Justin owes his friend's father a day's hard labor.


      Which reminds me of another friend who needs some helping hands. Remember Steve Doeung? I'm sure if an attorney could come forward to lend a helping hand, that we'd be able to figure out an agreeable exchange. Free advertising? We got a network of people that with one word, your name could be everywhere in hours. How about it? Anyone out there willing to lend a helping hand?

      Following The Fractured Future Of The Wink Sink

      Just two months ago I went on a private tour of the 2nd Wink Sink Hole. I received a call from my private tour guide informing me that some new developments have developed. If you remember correctly, we followed the fractures away from the sink which was about eight tenths of a mile. These were just buckles in the road at that time, but today these buckles have turned into cracks that continue to widen and spread.



      These new cracks on County Road 201 has all of Austin in an uproar. Well, maybe not all of Austin, but a few concerned parties are wanting the city commissioner to make the call...to keep the road open or to close it.
      I would think the call would be easy to make, but again my ignorance is limitless and I was told that closing the road would be a HUGE inconvenience for Apache and other oil & gas companies that got to get to well sites and check pipe lines.

      I also mentioned a sub power station that had been relocated when the second Wink Sink appeared. There are TONS of fractures just behind the the sub station. Why don't we see any cracks within the fence? I did see fresh sand and gravel smoothed out, seems that Texas-New Mexico Power has just been filling in the cracks instead of seriously considering relocating again.




      Look in the picture. See that HUGE fracture? That's 20 yards behind the power station, which means this is what's under the power station.

      Wednesday, January 13, 2010

      Dolchstoss -- The Legendary Stab In The Back


      An outsider posing as a friend walks among you and he is a treacherous enemy indeed. He is the assimilated Industry man, able to betray the people of Fort Worth, because he pretends to be their faithful friend. One that will provide and take care of every need.

      The outsider is not just one man he is every industry man that claims what he produces is of no harm to you. He conceals the truth in order to spread his lies and bury deceit far beneath you. That deceit, festers and takes root, it disseminates rapidly invading every orifice.

      Those of you who took the time caught a glimpse of the outsiders, sitting there comfortable with his familiars Mayor Moncrief and the Fort Worth City Council and his most loyal familiar of all the TCEQ. This time the outsiders could be named, Walter Duease,
      point man for XTO and Ed Ireland of the Barnett Shale Energy Education Council (BSEEC).

      The industry has robbed all of Fort Worth and pressed it beneath its domination. While you, battered and beaten, do nothing, but lie idle accepting your fate. When that seed of the ill begotten union comes to fruition you'll see that it's rotten and poisonous that it doesn't contain life, but death.

      Fort Worth doesn't need a hero, they'll only be betrayed and stabbed in the back. Fort Worth, you've been given the power to choose the government under which you live. I triple dog dare you to participate in the free elections and vote. Or are you just going to allow Industry's lackeys, Mayor Moncrief and the Fort Worth City Council to stab you and your children in the back?

      Tuesday, January 12, 2010

      Cowboy Tim And The Industry Produced Salt Lakes Of Wink Texas

      I grew up in Mississippi along the Gulf of Mexico, I'm a far way from home. I'm used to when crossing a bridge, that that bridge would convey you across some type of water, not dry land, which seems to be the case out here in West Texas. Why would it be that in West Texas, Wink specifically, there would be bridges conveying people across dry dusty desert land?


      Here's the answer. Way back when, before there were drilling regulations, the oil and gas industry would just let all that industry produced water flow free instead of putting it into disposal tanks. The water was very salty, referred to as brine. And way back then, people out here referred to the monument draw as the Salt Lakes. They'd even swim in them! Not sure if that was such a good idea.

      While I was taking some pictures, Cowboy Tim stopped by to ask what I was up to. I had never met Cowboy Tim before and for some reason he knew exactly what I did for a living. Yep, a teacher...I asked him how he knew of such a thing about somebody he'd never met before and he replied it was because I was nice and what else would a woman do out here in these parts? Isn't Cowboy Tim sweet?

      Cowboy Tim invited me to come watch him in action at the Roark Ranch. He's sort of a new fangled cowboy, he doesn't ride a horse when he herds cattle, he rides a four wheeler. Maybe, Cowboy Tim can learn a few things about what women can do out in these here parts. I'm thinking I'm going to take Cowboy Tim up on his offer for a visit real soon. I'm looking for a new job, I'm wondering if Cowboy Tim needs a new ranch hand?

      I've Been Workin On The Pipe Line

      Continuing on my journey to work, I've been coming across some pretty interesting sights, maybe not as Orwellian as Durango's but none the less noteworthy. The only reason I was remotely interested in this new pipeline was because of a road sign that stated pipeline crossing.



      What exactly is a pipeline crossing? And if the pipeline is crossing the road, how do I cross the pipeline? Surely, they can't run the pipeline up above the road they'd have to run it under the road.





      That's when my ignorance took over. I was thinking they would have to close my road to work so that they could dig up the road and put this pipeline in. I was all a fretting that possibility, because a detour to work would add something like 27 miles, one way!





      Not wanting my curiosity to get the better of me I stopped one day to ask questions and to take some pictures. I was told that no, they wouldn't have to close the road to lay the pipe, that they have a special boring tool that will create a tunnel under the road for the pipe.




      Then I started thinking about those residents on Carter Ave. If you look at my pictures what do you not see? Yep, no houses, no people, no trees...then that got me to pondering how this pipeline that crosses my way to work doesn't interfere with anybody or anything. Now that's a pipeline I can be happy with!

      Photo by Durango.

      A Lively Discussion On Prop 8


      Here's what I posted on my wall at Facebook.com. "The Proposition 8 campaign intends to call a handful of expert witnesses who also will testify about the history of marriage and who will contend that "traditional" marriage benefits children."

      And then I posted this:

      That is SOOO laughable!!! ALL my gay friends are products of "traditional" marriage...hmmm...makes one wonder

      Then these are the comments that followed:

      "Traditional marriages produce Neanderthal gun toting macho red necks. What does that prove? Traditional marriages also produced the majority of people in prison. Most people with mental and physical defects come from traditional marriages. Hitler came from a traditional marriage.And how on earth does what two people down the block affect some other married couple? Are they suddenly going to exclaim "Oh yes! I want to be gay too!" Not bloody likely. The good charitable and forgiving couple will spread rumors, innuendos and hatred about their neighbours and attempt to control and direct their behaviour.While heterosexual myself I have worked with and been friends with both gays and lesbians, some of the brightest, most engaging people I have known and I wouldn't trade them for a minute for the many dull, narrow minded red necks I have also known and worked with."

      Can you tell where Mr. Paddle hails from? Oh, look, he's made friends with a red neck. This should be interesting.

      "Mr.Paddle, being one of those gun toting, snuff dippin', god fearin', macho neanderthal red necks, I beg to differ. A few of us knuckle draggers are fairly level headed and open to opposeing views. I also had freinds that were gay\lesbians, in fact, a few family members swing that way. Although what I think of there private lives should be of no consequence, but by the same token, I shouldnt have to be beat 'bout the head shoulders in order to make me believe its right.With all due respect."

      I figured at this point that I should intervene and bring the discussion to an end, you know, have the two fellows shake hands and pretend to be friends.

      "It's quite interesting to observe two ends of the spectrum debating quite nicely, sharing lovely opinions and enlightening the other... Tis a truly amazing time we live in, would you agree?"

      Mr. Paddle responding to Mr. Red Neck:
      "I never mentioned right or wrong. It's none of my or anyone else's business how others conduct their lives. Life, Liberty and the Persuit of Happiness, as I recall. Who gave the Christian church ownership of the institution of marriage? They don't own it and shouldn't be able to control it either. Separation of Church and State."

      Well, I'm truly shocked. I was completely ignored. I mean it was my wall after all...and the comments continued on and on and on...




      Browning's Mystery Pits

      Like I've said before, my drive to work is normally uneventful. I can usually identify what it is that I see, like cows, coyotes and trucks. Recently though, a couple of mystery pits have popped up and I have no idea what they are for.






      A blogger friend of mine told me that in his area they truck in a lot of sand for drilling purposes. Then I was thinking, that maybe that could be it, we dug up sand out here and trucked it there, except that the sand piles are still standing out here after months of being dug up.





      Another blogger friend of mine told me that the pits could be where somebody is going to bury something, maybe like toxic waste. I've been keeping my eye out for that and so far, the pit remains unfilled.







      Then I was thinking that maybe they are big caliche pits. We do have an enormous amount of caliche in this area, and that could be a possibility that someone is mining caliche.








      It seems that Browning owns these pits or the land that these pits sit on or the mineral rights under the land that these pits reside on. Could someone tell me what these pits are for, please?

      Gathering Line




      Gathering Line
      - a special pipeline that transports gas from the field to the main pipeline.

      The Gathering Line is a round-up of oil & gas drilling news brought to you by National Alliance for Drilling Reform (NA4DR), a broad alliance of grassroots activists from states across the nation that are affected with drilling development.

      Express Energy Uses Mafia Like Tactics On A Fellow BloggerNEW Information On Express Energy! Express Energy Being Sued For MULTIPLE Employment ViolationsRead it at Cheap
      Tricks and Costly Truths
      .

      Take a photo-tour of some of the wells in our backyard in Upstate NY at Marcellus Effect

      The Texas Department of State Health Services is looking into a possible cancer cluster in Flower Mound. 5 children and 2 adults have been diagnosed with Leukemia. All live near gas drilling activity. Read about it at www.stopthedrilling.blogspot.com

      How does Texas compare with other states? A statistical analysis with graphs reveals the truth at Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS.

      How do yoga, the Bible, and hydrofracking relate to each other? Peacegirl sees a connection. If it were an answer by Karnak the Magnificent (you would have to be a certain age to know about Karnak!), it would be amusing, but it's not. Yoga, the Bible, and Hydrofracking brings up the issue of doing harm. Is hydrofracking harmless? No. Another question: Who will listen? There are many people who are telling their stories about how gas drilling has adversely affected their lives. Is anyone listening? From Peacegirl at Gas Wells Are Not Our Friends.

      From atop the Marcellus Shale, Splashdown reports that a recent PA Supreme Court ruling states local municipalities can regulate where gas wells are located through zoning ordinances, pre-empting PA's Oil and Gas Act. Read how Greenfield Twp. stopped Exco Resources from drilling a misplaced well, despite their DEP permit.

      Sunday, January 10, 2010

      You Don't Put A Toilet In A Kitchen

      Reminds me of an old Roger Miller song, "You Can't Roller Skate In A Buffalo Herd." Miller suggests some pretty crazy things that you just can't do. Like you can't put a water waste injection well next to a pristine clean reservoir!

      Jim Legieri, general manager of the Bartonville Water Supply Corp, gets it:

      "You don't put a toilet in a kitchen, which is what they want to do."

      The injection well would suck up 25,000 barrels of waste water per day, that's a lot of possible contamination. Why can't we take a moment and realize that if contamination occurs, how are we going to get the water uncontaminated? Why risk an entire county's drinking supply to find out?


      Clane LaCrosse, president of Bosque Disposal Systems, doesn't understand why we should be concerned. Hey, Clane, can you tell us how to rollerskate in a buffalo herd?

      Alicia Diehl, team leader of the Texas Commission on Environment Water Quality, doesn't understand why we should be concerned. She says there's NO EVIDENCE of contamination. I guess that sort of thing only raises concerns in New York.


      Hopefully the Railroad Commission will be concerned.




      My Sights I'm Seeing On The Road To Work


      Very rarely am I surprised at what I see on my way to work. Once there was a cow standing in the middle of the road. I called my mommy so she could call the local law enforcement so they could call the rancher and put Betsy up. I don't really know if the name of the big brown cow was Betsy, but I'd like to think it was.



      I was driving along as usual except I was going a bit slower due to the ice and snow on the road and I suppose that's how I come to notice the guard rail. Usually a guard rail protects you from going into the water or to keep you from going off a high embankment. If you knew my area of West Texas you'd laugh a bit at the thought of both suggestions!



      Not to let my curiosity get the better of me I pulled over to see exactly what is was that this particular guard rail was protecting. It was a big hole! Now, you can't immediately assume that it's another sink hole and I'll tell you why. A while back I posted about running the dogs at the caliche pit out by the airport. It's a possibility that this hole is an old caliche pit, but it seems way wrong for someone to purposely put it this close to the highway. Also, back in the good old days before tanks, the oil industry stored oil in earth tanks and also transported oil in canals and not pipe.

      Saturday, January 9, 2010

      Express Energy Sued For Multiple Violations

      Could it be that Express Energy is no stranger to a courtroom? Could it also be true that Express Energy is not only appearing in court for bankruptcy proceedings, but also for MULTIPLE violations of employment discrimination, personal injury negligence, breach of contract and well...you name it, they've done it! (look on page 253)

      It's a good thing that Express Energy didn't inflict any personal injury on our very own Eyes on Texas... Durango, but looking at the most recent court filings...I wouldn't put it past them.

      There are multiple cases filed with the EEOC for all kinds of employment violations including, but not limited to:

      Sexual discrimination, retaliation, age discrimination, racial discrimination, and violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

      Then there are several health and safety suits filed by the Department of Labor. Under these are the personal injury suits filed against Express Energy.

      One court case in particular caught my eye: Defamation and Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress
      Case No. CV-09-04-338

      Jeffery A Bell and Wanda E Bell vs. Dickey Pate, Jr.; Dicky
      Pate Jr.; Dickey L. Pate; CD Consulting & Operating
      Company; Carrizo Oil & Gas, Inc.; Gary Cherry; Premiere,
      Inc.; Express Energy Services Operating LP DBA Express Energy Services; Mike Byrd; Randy Davis; Richard J
      Wiggins; Kendall Bennett; KRB Consulting, LLC; Michael
      Barton; Champion Exploration Corp DBA Champion
      Exploration; Quicksilver Energy Company DBA Quicksilver;
      Quicksilver Resources, Inc. DBA Quicksilver; Quicksilver
      Gas Services, LP DBA Quicksilver; Quicksilver Gas
      Services, GP LLC DBA Quicksilver; Quicksilver Gas
      Services Operating , LLC DBA Quicksilver; Quicksilver Gas
      Services Operating GP, LLC DBA Quicksilver; Quicksilver
      Service Company, Inc. DBA Quicksilver; Denbury
      Resources, Inc; Denbury Onshore, LLC; Denbury Holdings,
      Inc.; Chesapeake Energy Corporation; Chesapeake Operating Inc

      As hard as I looked I couldn't find anything out about this one. Maybe a person in Wise County can go and check this out.

      Northern New Mexico Conservation Project: Nothing Sacred

      Northern New Mexico Conservation Project: Nothing Sacred

      Picture of a veterans cemetery next to a frac pit. One would think that the two aren't related, but haven't some made a correlation that the push for invading the Oil Rich Desert is directly related to the need to have that oil?




      Dangling dollars doesn't diminish death.

      Marc Hall Jailed For Being A Conscientious Objector

      Conscientious Objector, Marc Hall, finished his tour of duty in Iraq and expected to be honorably discharged from the military. Then can you blame him when he gets a tad bit upset with the information, that "No, Marc...you're not getting out like you're supposed to...you have to go BACK TO IRAQ!" To let off a bit of steam, Marc Hall wrote a little ditty about his objections and feelings of having to have his time extended beyond the normal date, by something that's been referred to as the Stop Loss Policy. Here's Marc's Song posted at Courage to Resist Website. You take a listen and see if it warrants him being arrested and jailed.

      Express Energy Emerges Easily

      I'd not given much thought to who or what Express Energy is, but in the light of it's recent mafia like characteristics I decided to do a bit of research. Oh, so you think I'm being a bit harsh, well before you judge me follow the link and observe the treatment of my friend Durango.

      Well, let's discuss exactly what organized crime is. Organized crime is any group that has an organized structure of bosses--advisers and working members--whose main goal is to obtain money and PROPERTY through illegal activities. Durango has been searching diligently for signs of a permit that grants Express Energy the right to siphon water from the Trinity River. Since we see NO PERMITS posted then we can only assume that Express Energy is obtaining property from the Trinity River illegally.

      Organized crime uses extortion and force to gain money and property. Wouldn't you say that pinning someone in is an example of a threat?


      Organized crime activities negatively impact a community or region. Wouldn't you say that the damage being done to the levees of the Trinity River fall into that category? And the damage being done to the ecosystem of the area fall into that negative impact zone as well?


      Photo by Don Young.


      Express Energy was a small start up in 2000 that in the beginning dealt in coil tubing for offshore services. That business grew into a diversified oil field service company with 1200 employees and 30 service locations.

      Express Energy filed chapter 11 claiming that in July of 2008 they started to see a downward spiral in profits. Really? Hmm...July of 2008? Then explain why they expanded operations? Express Energy borrowed 325 million dollars in July of 2008 to pay off lenders because in 2007 they borrowed 189 million dollars to acquire H2S Safety, Byrd R&S Oilfield Services Companies, Ace Rathole Services, Laydown, LTD, Brazos Oilfield Services, LTD, J&L Tank Services, and CST Drilling Fluids. And in September of 2008 they leased the penthouse, ya know...the real expensive part of a building.

      "Express Energy Services Operating, L.P. signed a long-term, full-floor lease for 25,113 square feet at Phoenix Tower. The 34-story, 629,000-square-foot office tower is located at 3200 Southwest Freeway."


      Then in June of 2009, Express Energy decided not to pay their bills anymore. By this time, Express Energy owed creditors 330 million dollars. Do you think Express Energy ever had any real intentions of paying that back? You want to know what your beloved giver of the community did to make a dent in what they owed? They made their workforce take a 10 percent reduction in salary and then laid off 850 employees. Yeah, the oil & gas industry is good for our local economy.

      And under the Chapter 11, who do you think isn't going to be paid? Nope, you're wrong...the big banks are going to get their money...here's the short list of local companies that have been wronged and won't be receiving a dime for services:

      Acadian Monitoring Services
      Aramak Uniform
      Cannon Copier
      Cintas Corporation
      FNCC
      G&K Services
      Unifirst Corporation
      1stel, Inc.
      American Ice Machines
      ATNI, Inc.
      FSP Phoenix Tower Corporation
      Midland 5, LLC
      MHS, LLC
      RAM Lands, LLC
      Randy Davis
      Red Diamond Energy Services
      Santosh Skariah
      Warehouse Opportunities

      Xerox Corporation

      When you play with snakes, you can guarantee...you're gonna get bit
      .


      Thursday, January 7, 2010

      Driving Way Too Much, New Fractures & Stolen Tailgates

      I've had a busy driving day. First I drove to work over in Pyote, twenty three miles. Before leaving the house though, I dressed in lots of layers. First an under shirt, a sweater shirt and finally an over shirt. I wore tights covered by a pair of slacks. I then had gloves, a scarf and a wool coat. I dressed warmly for the occasion of below freezing weather made to feel even more below freezing due to the wind that kept whipping through the West Texas landscape.

      You may wonder why I clothed myself so warmly if all I was doing was driving. Upon arriving at work, it's a good half a mile walk past the education building to the vocational buildings where us teachers now have taken residence in order to facilitate learning. Did you happen to notice that I said "past the education building"? On December the 14th, the education building at West Texas State School in Pyote experienced a power failure. A few lights, some outlets and phones were working, but there was absolutely no heat or computers.

      The boys stayed on the dorms where there was electricity and of course heat. Us teachers stayed, sitting in the dark and the cold for several hours waiting for information regarding our dire situation. Being the brazen outspoken one that I am...I decided I was taking an early lunch across the railroad tracks at the Pyote Cafe and Grocery. Others decided to join me. At lunch we met up with TYC employees who informed us that the transformer had blown and another would need to be ordered, it could take a week before getting the problem fixed.

      Long story shortened, the powers that be in Austin, you know, all those lovely representatives chosen by us voters, decided not to fix the problem, but instead have us the teachers move into the warehouses behind the education building. Do I need to tell you that I was not pleased? None of the moving occurred until after we returned from the holiday, so the rest of the week was spent in the partially lighted, extremely frigid building.

      That explains why now I walked past the education building this morning after arriving to work. After working a few hours, I then drove to Iraan, one hundred seventeen miles, to meet with the superintendent to discuss worst case scenario in regards to my soon to be unemployment. Worst case scenario is that the school will close in March and to work out my contract and still receive a paycheck, then I and the other teachers would need to drive to Iraan everyday to work.

      I then drove home to Wink, one hundred forty two miles thinking about the possibility of driving two hundred eighty four miles every day to collect a pay check. I'm really hoping the school stays open until the end of May, that would be super sweet.

      A few updates and a public service announcement before I go. Seems that a former student of mine has been nabbed by the Odessa Police for stealing tailgates from pick up trucks. Apparently, there's a high demand for tailgates and now the police have suggested that those of us with these valuable tailgates should park our rears up against something so that the perps can't make off with our tails.


      The comish told me at the gym tonight that County Road 201, the one leading to the predicted third sink hole has developed a few more fractures. He's picking me up tomorrow at 4:30PM and taking me out to get some pictures of the ever spreading problem.