The New York Times Joe Niocera Is In Pickens Back Pocket

Okay, for those of you who love the idea of oil and gas drilling...you know, the Drill Baby, Drill, shrill...please do not read this.

For the rest of you, please read on.

I read a rather disturbing reply by Joe Nocera regarding comments made on his previous opinion in The New York Times. Well, at first I thought that he was just uneducated on the matter of natural gas fracking...but it turns out that he is Picken's lackey. Please tell me you have not forgotten T. Boone Pickens.

What caught my eye about Nocera's opinion was this line:

In Texas and Oklahoma, it has been used for decades, with nobody complaining much about environmental degradation.

Really? NOBODY has complained MUCH? Well, I know for damn certain I have complained A LOT and I live in Texas.

Then, Mr. Informative lists the three main reasons and quickly dispels them without an ounce of back up or provided research.

fracking supposedly allows gas and dangerous chemicals to seep into the water supply. This is pretty implausible.

Well, if I remember correctly I just read an article about an EPA study concluding that fracking has contaminated drinking water. And you know what else? THE NEW YORK TIMES also reported on the same story! Hey, Joe? Do ya not read anything else besides your own bloated arrogant opinions?

The second problem is the disposal of the chemical waste.

Yeah, no kidding. This is a problem and no, Joe, they do not all bury it under the ground in spill proof containers, there are reports of it being dumped late at night off of county roads or kept in big open pits lined with plastic.

natural gas is dirtier than coal.

He quickly dismisses this as a biased opinion. What I find rather ironic (or maybe moronic) is that at the end of the article he then admits that there are problems with natural gas drilling and fracking the Shale, but that with best drilling practices and with strong state regulation (bahahaha, snort, choke...ouch) we, America (covers heart and sheds a tear) can finally end our dependence on foreign oil...and his cliched rhetoric doesn't stop there...

while diminishing the strategic importance of the Middle East, where American soldiers continue to die.

Of course, I wanted to leave my comment on his article, but due to the outpouring of outrage about his uniformed ignorant rant...he is no longer accepting comments.

Being Selfless

Have you ever made a decision? I mean a real life changing decision? One that you had thought about for several weeks, maybe even a month and you thought you were doing the right thing, but then after the decision, you felt worse than before?

Can you ever go back? Do hurtful things that are said can ever really be forgiven? Or do the words build and build until there's a protective wall that just stays there. I read a quote today:

"Be selfless today if it's going to be for the betterment of someone else's life. U and they will be better off for your sacrifice."

I had planned on trying to reverse my decision today. Go back and undo it, if it could. But after reading that quote, maybe the decision was what was better for the other person. Dang...being a human is so hard sometimes...

Summer Vacation Coming To An End

Like my good buddy, Durango, posted about an hour ago, it's going to be another hot day here in West Texas. The boys are practicing for football, my youngest will have a guest for the weekend and we are planning on staying around the house and maybe doing a little swimming up at the school pool.

I always get semi depressed at this time of the year. School is about to start, and although I love my occupation, I love the time off just as much. This is the first time of my teaching career that I'm not totally dreading getting back into the classroom. That lack of dread has everything to do with the district I am now employed with.

It will be slightly different this year, because my principal is now at the elementary, and the elementary principal is now at the junior high, my campus. Why was this change made? From what I gather, it's because the junior high campus has it's act together. Well, at least, that's what they tell us.

This is my son's last year in high school and my daughter's last year in elementary. We have a few more things planned before school gets underway, Summer Mummers and the Midnight Cellar Dweller Movie. And before that, I am making a solo trip to Louisiana to pick up a 1965 Ford Mustang.

Some interesting news has been coming down the pike about a correlation between fracking and ground water contamination. The article is easy to read, but just don't stop there...the comments are priceless.

You And Me And The Stock Market

Okay, I don't know a whole lot about the stock market, but from history classes and news articles and of course from the movie, Wallstreet, I have a basic understanding. This is my understanding, that the majority of the money we "see" in the stock market is soft money. Oh, I know...soft money means a type of political contribution that can't be regulated because it, ahem..."builds" the party. So, why am I using that term with the stock market?

The stock market contains whimsical money that builds the nations' economy. Sometimes it has a really awesome building effect while at other times it has an extremely damaging effect. Like it's having today, with a 400 point drop...people, according to one news source...are already throwing in the towel and moving their money to safer areas, such as bonds.

And then we have been having this whole debt debate thing going on over in Congress for quite some time. Shut it down, start it up, compromise... whatever. I know what's really going on, and knew it before I read Robert Bowden's article, but I'll let him say it for me:

"Instead of trying to reach consensus, political leaders are posturing for their re-election and increasing book sales."

I know what you, the average ordinary non stock market guru is saying..."this is not going to affect me in the least. I will wake up and do what I do, go to work, get paid and pay the bills." I think that's a HUGE misconception, because it will eventually affect YOU! If you remembered correctly, I posted a nice little proposal for a flat tax. I got some positive feedback, so I started emailing my plan to all my elected representatives...so far, no takers.

But here are a few things that all of the above will have to do with the average person:

1. Higher interest rates, less loans
2. Delayed Government checks, except for Congress (there's a law that protects them)
3. Government offices will be closed and some employees on leave
4. Finally, with access to capital(money) being limited; layoffs are on the horizon and costs/prices will increase

What are we going to do? I don't know yet. I have to give this some thought, but I'll be sure to let ya know what I come up with.

Titillate Your Senses In The Tall City

Do you remember the cult classic, The Rocky Horror Picture Show? Some of us not only remember it, we lived it! Persons that did not participate in a midnight showing probably are a little clueless of what it means to attend an active viewing of the The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

The audience members not only watched the movie, but they usually did so in costume and had every line of the movie well memorized. Props, dancing and crowd participation is what makes the Rocky Horror Picture Show experience truly fun. Of course, it does help if you have a sense of humor and are not offended by transsexuals or crude behavior. There is a guide for Rocky Horror Virgins which could be extremely useful in preparing you for your first time.

Since I now have you thinking about this unique movie type experience and I have your mind primed, pumped and ready, I'm about to drop something just as amazing and interesting on you.

Let's say, that you could see one of your favorite movies of the past, could be something like, Blue Velvet, High Plains Drifter, Heavy Metal or even Evil Dead. And not only could you see it again, but you could view it on the big screen, with surround sound and buttered popcorn for a very low price. Interested?

Coming soon, right here in The Tall City, The Cellar with Bogart and Brando, in conjunction with Basin Bands will be bringing you the Cellar Dweller Midnight Movie. It's not just a movie...contests, discount cards, giveaways, live bands, concessions...and so much more. Titillate your senses in the Tall City!

Here's a sneak preview of what is soon to come!

A Round Up For Express Energy

I'm not quite sure what Express Energy has been up to lately, but for the past several weeks I have had a lot of traffic searching for information on Express Energy. At one time, Express Energy was siphoning water from the Trinity River, without permits and when my good buddy, Durango, tried to take a few photos...they got really nasty.

So, let me ask...are you searching for information about Express Energy, because they're up to no good again? OR are you from Express Energy checking out your google rating?

I'll make it easy, I did a quick search on my blog and put all the information that I have about Express Energy right here.

That's Why They Call It The Blues

When you grow up in the Deep South, as I did, you become accustomed to a few things, such as great Jazz and Blues music, smiling politely and saying yes ma'am, and this little bug called the craw fish. Being away from the South, for nearly two decades, leaves this Southern girl feeling a bit discontented at times. This discontentment brews and manifests itself into a longing to get a taste of my childhood on occasion. The perfect opportunity for satisfying this yearning came in the form of the Tall City Blues Festival of Midland.

Jesse, Annie and myself arrived at the festival gates around noon on Saturday and were greeted to a beautiful cloudy cover, with the sound of a soulful crooner and a cooling breeze. Within the breeze, music swayed like effervescent bubbles, infused with the smell of spicy craw fish. I knew at this point in time, I was exactly where I needed to be.


The three of us, with our four pounds of craw fish and iced tea, meandered to a spot on the cement under the trees. While sucking the heads and chomping the tails, we listened to a peppy little tune called Slow Down Sugar by John Lisi and The Delta Funk. I noticed a man, dancing away, and well, I wasn't the only one, because John Lisi called out to him, "This music makes you want to jump right out of your flip flops!"

For some of us, The Blues remind us of home, for others, it can bring on a certain melancholy, while for a few it may elicit feelings of love and passion. Whatever it brings forth in you, that's what the Tall City Blues Festival was all about, bringing people together to appreciate The Blues.

Fly Away LIttle Birdie

Do you ever take inventory of your life and look back a year, two years and wonder have you actually moved forward? I suppose if you did not plan to move forward, but only to maintain, then that question would not apply to you.

Let me take a walk down memory lane for a minute or two, please indulge me. Two years ago, 2009, I was working for TYC in Pyote, was twenty pounds heavier, in much more debt, finally coming to the realization that my marriage of eight years disintegrated; depressed, floundering, just maintaining.

2010, I found more pleasurable employment within a school district that is closer to home. I resolved to lose those unwanted twenty pounds and did. I cut up my credit cards and started paying off debt, over fifteen thousand to date. Made peace with my failed marriage and filed for divorce; hopeful, determined, gaining ground.

Here I am though, halfway through 2011 and I find myself floundering once again. No, I'm okay with debt, still gaining ground. And no, I'm not gaining weight again, still exercising and eating healthy. Not even giving the failed marriage a second thought, I survived and have put it behind me. So, why am I feeling...a bit discontent?

I think it's the ideology and dogma of others that has infiltrated my otherwise peaceful forward moving life. I can not for the life of me, convince my son to finish his entire senior year here in Wink. He's discontent. I understand discontent and finally, today, I decided that I am no longer going to fight it. I gave him my blessings and wished him well. So, I am preparing for having my son, after his 18th birthday, move to Midland to live with his new friends. Good luck my dear one, I love you and wish only the best for you.

Raise Your Hand For 5% No Exemptions Necessary

It's really simple, we can begin to lower the debt by getting rid of a bloated and overindulgent tax system. Why is it that we have all these rules? Why can we not have a simple flat tax rate for everyone, regardless of how many dependents they have; how much they donate to charity, or how much interest they pay on certain loans?

If you made $100,000 annually, would it not be extremely simple to know, that no matter what happened that year, you would pay a flat tax? The amount of the rate is still debatable. See, Congress would still have something to argue and complain about.

Don't corporations hire lawyers and accountants to figure out which loop holes benefit them the most? Does not the government have well over 115,000 employees on the full time payroll to process and collect taxes? Tons of people E-file, which I think is fantastic, that's not the problem. The problem is enforcing all the rules. Spending countless hours to ensure you got all your tax breaks. Please, give me a break...pass a flat tax and get rid of the loop holes and deductions!

Back to the rate, let's say that it's 5% across the board. So, if you make $120,000 (like a friend of mine does in Lewisville) then your tax payment would be $6,000. I bet he'd like that, because now his tax payment is $40,000. He's single, no children and owns his own home...no breaks.

I have another friend that makes $1,200,000...which is a considerable sum. He's a small business owner. Under my plan, he would pay $60,000, which is a fantastic break for him since he now pays well over $250,000 in taxes under our inflated ridiculous tax code.

The way I see it, middle America and small business owners finally get a break, big corporations have to pay their fair share, government spending is cut and millions of trees would be spared. I figure it's a win-win for everyone!

Oh, I know what you're thinking...Corporate America would pack up and leave. Let them. I would love to see a come back of the mom and pop businesses. Customer service would increase exponentially, automated systems would go bye-bye (and good riddance!), and people would act more like...well, people. Let's take our humanity back!

Am I being unreasonable? Is there something I'm missing? If I am...I'd like to know. Educate me on this matter, because I can't figure out why it would not work.

Escape From Houston

It's been quite the summer, and it's not entirely over yet. I made some small trips around Texas and New Mexico, remodeled the kids' rooms and started the Insanity workout. Both my children took solo trips, Princess Annie to Denver for a couple of weeks and Justin to New Orleans for a few weeks.

Justin's return trip from New Orleans was muddled at best. Somehow he managed to procure a ticket to the Warped Tour in Houston, which meant that his flight home would be from Houston, not Dallas.

Jesse booked Justin a trip to Houston from New Orleans via Grey Hound. It was Justin's first bus ride, seven hours of pure bliss. I think everyone should experience bus travel at least once in their life time.

After arriving in Houston, the experience becomes convoluted. Any and all plans to meet up with his "friend" and her mom were nixed. In my personal opinion, I'm thinking that there never was a "friend" and mom, but that's a different story altogether.

So, let me bring you in where I was brought in. A call comes in from Justin at about one AM, telling me that the worst has happened and then...I lost his call. For a mother, the "worst" entails a ton of horrible things that I'll not hash up at this particular point in time.

All I could gather from the call was that he was stranded in Houston, after spending his last fifty dollars on a taxi to the wrong airport and now he was trying to use the Metro Bus to get across town to Intercontinental.

Since I don't know your name, and my only way of getting this to you is via the internet...thank you, big nice man, that stayed with Justin and guided him through the streets of downtown Houston.

Justin did find his way to the correct airport and to an outlet in the terminal in which he could plug in his phone and call. As he related the story, fatigued, weary, relieved, stressed...I realized that we were fortunate.

Justin experienced the worst and best in people that night. He also found a sense of composure that enabled him to use resources he had never tapped before. He may have lost his luggage that night and all his earthly possessions, but he found so much more.