Protesting With Princess Annie Of Wink Taking A Drink Before Heading To Mississippi

In the picture you are looking at Princess Annie of Wink. I believe this picture was taken soon before, or after, Princess Annie had her 8th grade graduation ceremony.

I am fairly certain that is not an adult beverage Princess Annie is holding.

But, who knows? There ain't a lot of law west of the Pecos. Or so I have heard.

I last saw Princess Annie, in person, over four years ago, if my memory is serving me somewhat reliably. At that point in time Princess Annie was still a little girl.

Way back in the winter of 2010, Princess Annie, and her mother, the Queen of Wink, drove all the way to Fort Worth, from Wink, so as to join the protest at the Tarrant County Courthouse protesting what Chesapeake Energy was planning to do to Carter Avenue.

After the protest we packed Judge Sprinkle's courtroom.

Four years later there have been a lot of changes in the Barnett Shale. Chesapeake Energy has gone from being a shadow government of the city of Fort Worth to being sued by Fort Worth, and others, due to Chesapeake's shady dealings.

Carter Avenue was saved, Judge Sprinkle was retired, Aubrey McClendon was booted from Chesapeake, in disgrace, and no one has heard from Steve Doeung in years.

On that protest day, four years ago, after we were done protesting, Annie, her mom and I went to the Fort Worth Stockyards, for BBQ and so I could watch the Queen of Wink and Princess Annie get themselves totally bum puzzled trying to figure their way out of the Cowtown Maze.

Now it is June of 2014 and Princess Annie is scheduled to leave Texas for a few weeks of Mississippi time. Then, near the end of June, the Queen of Wink will venture to Tyler, Texas to fetch Princess Annie, then head back to Wink, with a possible stop in Fort Worth on the way.

If the time and logistics can be worked out....

Questions From Bob About The Scott Avenue Non-Odorized Chesapeake Energy Pipeline Laying Operation

I have not made mention of the Carter Avenue Chesapeake Gate Scandal in awhile. No mention made, mostly, I assume, because the scandalous issue seemed to have been resolved when Chesapeake Energy backed off of their bizarre plan to run a pipeline of non-odorized natural gas under the homes along Fort Worth's Carter Avenue.

An alternative pipeline route was approved and everyone, for the most part, seemed  happy.

After I blogged about being on the Tandy Hills yesterday, with those hills due east of the Scott Avenue location of the Chesapeake Energy drilling site, from which the controversy pipelines was to be laid, Bob made a comment....

Bob has left a new comment on your post "Back On The Tandy Hills Thinking About Cutting Myself, Soy Yogurt & Driving Like An Old Lady":

So did you notice all the workers and work going on around the Chesapeake gas well site down the hill on Scott Ave. and along the I-30 right-of-way? I might be wrong but it looks like the workers are clearing trees and digging trenches to lay gas pipeline about 8-inches in diameter (a pile was stacked near the Hope Church on Beach St.) Is this the actual CHK gas pipeline that was originally intended to be placed under the front yards of Carter Ave. homes? Before we moved away from that neighborhood, we read that the Carter Ave. pipeline was supposed to have been built in November 2008, as soon as the last hold-out was subdued in eminent domain court procedures. BUT THAT'S THREE YEARS AGO. Can you shed any light on my state of confusion regarding this infamous pipeline and the fight against it?

I must have heard odd noises to the west as I walked on the Tandy Hills yesterday, because when I proceeded to drive on  to Town Talk I had in impulse, that I resisted, to take a right on to Ben Street to take a look at the current state of the controversial Scott Avenue Chesapeake Operation.

I drove north on Beach Street on the way to Town Talk. I noticed no pipeline stacked near Hope Church, which is on the west side of Beach Street. Then again, I don't remember looking much in that direction.

On Friday, on the way back to my abode from Pantego, driving west on Division Street, in Arlington, I was surprised to see 3 lines of water pipeline, waiting to be assembled, laying on the ground on the north side of the road. The string of pipes extended for a couple miles, eventually ending at a location where water could be sucked, near the south side of Village Creek Natural Historical Area.

How can the powers that be claim we are suffering a severe water shortage here in North Texas at the same time these big water sucking straws are draining creeks, rivers and lakes?

How is permission granted to cross property with these water pipes? How closely is the water sucking monitored?

As for the gas pipeline that apparently is now, after all this time, being installed to take non-odorized gas from the Scott Avenue location, where is that gas heading? Where does the pipeline go? To the compressor stations on Randol Mill Road? Is that the destination? Where can one go to see a map of the ever growing matrix of non-odorized natural gas pipelines that is being installed under us here in Gasland?

I am heading east today in the noon time frame. Tomorrow I will head west and check out the Scott Avenue pipeline laying operation.

A Carter Avenue Holiday Card

That is Elizabeth Doeung and her dad, Steve, on Christmas Eve a year ago, surrounded by flags and snow on Fort Worth's infamous Carter Avenue.

Steve, with some help from Elizabeth, this morning, sent me the nicest Christmas card I've gotten this year.

So, I thought I'd share Steve's E-card, (for those reading this who are not so lucky as to be living in The Shale, the CHK to which Steve refers is Chesapeake Energy. TxDOT is Texas Department of Transportation)......

Dear Band of Bloggers,

You already know how I feel about you and what you mean to me.  So you are the first to receive this clumsy attempt at an e-card (with some help from little Elizabeth, of course). Love you all for who you are, what you stand for, and what you do--that reflect the essence of this season and the best of what those flags represent.

It looks like CHK started to dig trenches for the 8-inch diameter gathering line along TxDOT's right-of-way last week. Apparently, TxDOT has determined that 8 inches of high pressure is the maximum risk they will allow in their wide easement along the freeway. However, my mayor and city government obviously saw no problem with one or more pipelines 2X the size and pressure (thus threat, danger, and damages) under front yards along a residential street. All that aside, this is better for them than the previous two years of very bad PR and no pipeline/million$ in profit.

I asked Santa to bring Durango a new bike, Elsie something to occupy her spare time, and Joely a less stressful new year...and a nice hunk :>) I have a gift for each of you but am waiting for the right opportunity to give it. I hope to do it before we move, not immediate but hopefully soon/when feasible.

Merry Christmas and holidays wishes to all our friends and neighbors--both near and far--from the exhausted but thankful survivors of the Barnett Shale "Alamo". 

Thank you for helping us be the "miraculous" Victors after a two year long (and costly) battle. May the new year bring you health and happiness

May there be more Victors and less victims of the Exploiters of the Shale.

Your co-resister of Tyranny,

Y. Steve Doeung and family

George's Specialty Foods & White Settlement Road Under Attack By Chesapeake Energy & Fort Worth's Natural Gas Corrupted City Government Of Eminent Domain Abusers

You are looking at a mural at George's Specialty Food on White Settlement Road.

The mural depicts the view from George's, looking out at the Trinity Trail, the Trinity Levees and the houses in the hills on the opposite side of the river.

However, the mural is a bit out of date. Chesapeake Energy drilling sites need to be added to the view.

A few days ago I blogged about George's Specialty Foods closing in order to fight Chesapeake Energy's abuse of eminent domain to take property from the George's Specialty Food's owners.

I have gotten a few messages about this latest Chesapeake attack on Fort Worth Citizens. It is my understanding, now, that George's Specialty Foods was started by George and Helen Phiripes and is now operated by George's son Nick and Nick's son Theo.

Chesapeake Energy in the guise of one of its alias, Texas Midstream, want to take the Phiripes' property to run a pipeline from a couple Barnett Shale drilling sites Chesapeake has drilled and frac'ed.

I'm assuming this is another non-odorized natural gas pipeline like what Chesapeake tried to ram under Carter Avenue.

This morning I got an interesting comment to the blogging about George's Specialty Foods closing.

The commenter's name is Jim Bowe. Mr. Bowe has some interesting things to say regarding Chesapeake, and the City of Fort Worth's, rush to abuse eminent domain to steal citizen's property....

Now that all the bad publicity generated for two years by the Carter Ave. pipeline fight has come to an end, it appears that the gas drillers and the city need to make up for lost time and start putting those gathering pipelines in ASAP. 

That sector of gas drilling operations officially employed the outgoing TRR commissioner Victor Carillo as a consultant a few weeks ago---even while he's still in office. They also must hurry up because the legislators are fixing to meet next year and their man's prospect for another term as ruler, uh "mayor", of FW is not as secure as before. 

Gathering pipelines and eminent domain abuse appear to be the new hot issue in 2011. 

I guess we can help these business folks the same way we helped the residents on and near Carter Ave.: by keeping the story in front of the public and uniting to raise funds for legal defense. Not sure how much was raised to help those people on Carter Avenue fight for so long and then win an impossible victory. There must have been tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars collected in order to pay for a team of legal specialists to work on the case for two years.

Whatever money left from that Carter Ave. pipeline legal defense fund should be used to support these folks--if they want the help or their lawyer/s approve, of course. It would seem that these business owners have more financial resources than the working class folks on Carter, but they are going to need all the help they can get in going up against a multi-billion dollar corporation and its close city allies, though.

Well, Jim, I can tell you that no fortune of money was raised to save Carter Avenue. What happened was one brave Texan, Steve Doeung, fought back, alone at first. Steve acted as his own attorney. Because he could not afford one. Early one it was Steve alone, with Don Young pretty much being his only comrade in arms.

And then, it seemed to me, that a lot of people sort of got outraged over the bad behavior of the city and of Chesapeake. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram did not do too much to expose the dirty dealings. But, FW Weekly, did. Then various bloggers kept pounding away on the issue.

From what I've learned, from observing this, the people fighting Chesapeake Energy and the City of Fort Worth, can not expect any semblance of fairness if you get into a Fort Worth courtroom. What you can expect is to experience corruption up close. I'd never actually gotten to witness corruption up close til I spent time in a Fort Worth courtroom.

Why hasn't FW Weekly done a story on George's Specialty Food closing to fight eminent domain abuse? I can't help but wonder.

Is Carter Avenue Saved? TxDOT Submits Notice Of Proposed Highway Right Of Way Natural Gas Pipeline Installation

This morning Fort Worth's Lone Ranger, Steve Doeung contacted his Band of Bloggers to inform the Band of Bloggers that TxDOT has moved ahead on its plan to allow Chesapeake Energy to run a non-odorized natural gas pipeline on a route that does not run under homes.

Steve Doeung has been battling the City of Fort Worth and Chesapeake Energy for a long time now, trying to save Carter Avenue from having a possibly explosive pipeline run under their homes.

The legitimacy of Steve Doeung's objection to this threatened violation of his security was recently validated by a fatal natural gas pipeline explosion last month down by Granbury.

Steve is of the opinion that it is time to celebrate. Below is Steve Doeung's message to the Band of Bloggers. And you....

Hey Band of Bloggers:

I'm sending you what I finally got from TxDOT.

I ran this alternative plan by a couple of different pros in two different states who know about the subject and they both said that it looks legit and show serious intention of constructing. One of the consultants, who is an industry insider, warned that with these companies "you never know if they will follow through on their commitment".

Please note that, its a large easement but only one 8-inch pipeline, which is 1/2 the size (and 1/3 the original size they wanted) of the pipelines that CTK wanted to place under front yards. It appears that an 8-inch pipeline is adequate. Or is this the largest/most risk that TxDOT is willing to allow in their right-of-way?

I'm not sure if this is the so called "final approval" announced by councilwoman Kathleen Hicks on 04/30/10 or not. In any event, her office had ignored my and a few other citizens' requests for more details about CTK's plan that had allegedly been submitted to TxDOT starting in 12/09. CTK's silence is also perplexing.

So, this is the ONLY detailed document (and verification that CTK actually submitted a design plan) that I am aware of that a citizen has seen. Of course, the Startlegram and other media outlets had no interest in pursuing such basic journalistic follow up details as this.

What would you think about my planning a community-wide event to celebrate this victory and to share this information with the public? It would be fun, inform the community (hopefully media will be forced to cover this denouement of the Carter Ave. saga---the scandal part is to come), and force CTK to follow through with this plan. Ideas?

Thanks again for the crucial roles that each of you have played in this battle. WE deserve a celebration, one which THEY apparently DO NOT want to see happen (thus the silence ?)

Steve Doeung

Steve Doeung Shouts At The Sound Of Silence On Carter Avenue

My one longtime blog reader may recognize the man in the pipe, he being Carter Avenue's Steve Doeung.

Carter Avenue, and the battle to save the homes on Carter Avenue, seems to have faded into memory.

A month or so ago announcements were made that TxDOT had approved an alternative route for the Chesapeake Energy Carter Avenue pipeline, running non-odorized, high pressure natural gas along Interstate 30, rather than under Fort Worth citizen's homes.

However, I have seen no mention of this made in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Maybe I missed it.

I also have not read the Star-Telegram editorially opine that, with an alternative pipeline route approved, that it is time to end the abuse of eminent domain that has victimized the Citizens of Carter Avenue.

Steve Doeung still has not met the mysterious attorney, Ed Fitzgerald, who somehow mysteriously represented Mr. Doeung without his approval or knowledge.

Steve Doeung recently had another woe added to his Chesapeake Energy woes and his battle against Lyme Disease. Steve's vehicle was rammed from behind, with the "accident" leaving Steve with a concussion/brain trauma.

Even though Steve is in recovery mode, he seems to be firing on all cylinders. You can't keep a Cambodian-American down for long.

Crazy Talk AKA The Fort Worth Way From Mayor Mike Moncrief

That is Fort Worth's corrupt goofball Mayor Mike Moncrief shooting up downtown Fort Worth, like a celebrating Iraqi in downtown Baghdad.

Yesterday one of my sources emailed me about a Fort Worth City Council meeting where, apparently, Mike Moncrief nakedly exposed bare the corruption that is at the heart of what is not quite right with how way too much operates in Fort Worth.

Currently there is some controversy in Fort Worth over the predatory behavior of Pawn Shops, taking advantage of the desperate, while charging usurious interest rates.

Cash America is the biggest of the Pawn Shops. The headquarters of Cash America is located on 7th Avenue, due east of the Trinity River.

Recently, the Cash America Pawn Shop, out of the goodness of its corporate heart, donated a strip of land to the city for the expansion of the Trinity River Bridge. Mayor Mike Moncrief, when questioned by WFAA-TV, said the strip of land, that Cash America gave the city, was valued at around $2 million.

At the recent Fort Worth City Council meeting Moncrief was grilled about the Cash America Land Deal. He then backtracked regarding the value of the strip of land, saying it was a figure he made up to illustrate a point. Moncrief did not explain what point he was illustrating by making up a figure.

According to the public appraisal records, the 2.5 acre strip of land is valued at $3.4 million an acre, which, according to my rudimentary math skills, would make this land donation, by the Cash America Pawn Shop, worth $8.5 million.

Fort Worth's corrupt Mayor Mike Moncrief went on to say there was nothing unseemly or untoward about the generous donation from Cash America. That it was simply doing business "The Fort Worth Way."

You out there in the parts of America that don't do business the Fort Worth Way, allow me to explain. Oh, and by the way, the City Council did not act to put any restrictions on the Pawn Shops. What is the term for that? Quid pro quo? I am not sure. I never learned Latin. But I do know that quid pro quo is The Fort Worth Way.

In Fort Worth, civic corruption is the status quo. For example, Mayor Mike Moncrief is on the take from the gas drilling companies, poking holes all over his town, to the tune of over $600,000 a year. In other parts of America this is what is known as a very serious conflict of interest, which would land a politician in jail. In Fort Worth it is called The Fort Worth Way.

In Fort Worth a company comes to town, like Cabela's, sells the city a bill of goods about building a sporting goods store that will become the top tourist attraction in Texas. The City of Fort Worth gives Cabela's all sorts of concessions. A short time later Cabela's announces another store in Texas, down by Austin, thus making obvious the degree to which the City of Fort Worth was snookered. No one is held accountable, no one even admits they were snookered. The City just moves on to its next boondoggle. This is The Fort Worth Way.

Radio Shack wants a new corporate headquarters. A headquarters that would obliterate what was, really, the only thing in downtown Fort Worth that was something no other big city had, as in, huge, free parking lots, with a subway to take parkers to the heart of downtown. Eminent domain was abused to remove a big public housing project, the headquarters was built, Radio Shack could not afford it. And now the Radio Shack campus is the campus of a new branch of Tarrant County College. Boondoggle. It's The Fort Worth Way.

A business wants to run a non-odorized, high pressure natural gas pipeline down an avenue in Fort Worth called Carter. The City of Fort Worth does not act to protect its citizens, instead it helps the business, Chesapeake Energy, abuse eminent domain, including the City of Fort Worth ordering City of Fort Worth Gestapo Stormtrooper Raids on the home of the last holdout on Carter Avenue, Steve Doeung. In the rest of America a city, doing such a thing, would be considered a criminal act. In Fort Worth it is just The Fort Worth Way.

Anyway, enough about the Fort Worth Way. It's all very perplexing to me. When is the FBI ever going to find the time to investigate all the nefarious shenanigans that go on in these parts?

TXDOT APPROVES ALTERNATIVE TO PROPOSED CARTER AVENUE GAS PIPELINE

Sometime Friday I got my first message regarding the supposed resolution of the Carter Avenue Chesapeakegate Scandal. Kathleen Hicks was claiming Carter Avenue was celebrating.

Again.

Wendy Davis was trumpeting this victory and thanking, along with Kathleen Hicks, the great benevolence of Chesapeake Energy and TxDOT.

The thing is, I am of the opinion that it is scandalous and borderline criminal that the people who live on Carter Avenue were ever put in this sort of jeopardy by a private business and a city government in cahoots with that private business.

I am also of the opinion that this is not over until Chesapeake Energy drops its eminent domain case against Steve Doeung. The day that happens is the day I think a celebration is called for. Until then. I don't trust that this absurdity is really over.

Below is the "News Release" from the office of esteemed Fort Worth City Councilwoman, Kathleen Hicks....

FORT WORTH –There is much to celebrate on Carter Avenue as TxDOT confirmed today that the proposal by TMGS, a subsidiary of Chesapeake Midstream Partners, to install a portion of the Thomas-to-Hickman pipeline route along I-30 has been approved. This morning, TxDOT issued a permit for the installation of a gas line across and parallel to I-30 and Beach Street.

Chesapeake Energy has long sought to lay a gas pipeline under Carter Avenue in order to connect the Thomas and Hickman well sites. After several requests to Chesapeake Energy to delay their permit request and after several meetings on this issue, Chesapeake can now actively work to seek street crossing approvals from the City of Fort Worth. These approvals are necessary before the pipeline can be installed.

"For two years, I joined concerned residents in just saying no to this proposed pipeline,” said Council Member Kathleen Hicks. “Today's news is truly a victory for the neighborhoods and I thank TxDOT and Chesapeake. Most of all I thank Carter Avenue residents who have waited patiently for this day! With this victory for Carter Avenue, I expect other neighborhoods to utilize this victory in their own efforts.”

Chesapeake is optimistic that pipeline construction could begin as early as this fall, bringing long awaited royalties to hundreds of mineral owners. The proposed alternate route will travel west of Beach Street south of I-30 and enter TxDOT right-of-way and run latitudinally across north of I-30.

Steve Doeung's Gone Missing While I Spy Fort Worth Code Violators & Green Tandy Hills With Wildflowers

As you can see in the picture the Tandy Hills are starting to get green. You can also see it is a cloudy day here in the Fort Worth zone of Texas.

What you can not see is it is a semi-balmy 76, right now, at 3 in the afternoon. And it is humid.

It is less than 20 days til the April 24 2010 Tandy Hills Prairie Fest.

A few more wildflowers have made their presence known, including the purple wildflower below, but the hills are no where near their usual bright state of color, as has been seen in previous years.

The wildflowers have less than 3 weeks to paint the prairie before the Prairie Fest.

Speaking of diminished color and the Prairie Fest. I learned on Easter that, due to a variety of reasons, the Queen of Wink and Princess Annie, mostly likely, will not be making a royal appearance at the Prairie Fest.

In a slightly related subject, Carter Avenue's Steve Doeung seems to have gone missing.

Today I was finally able to see something he told me about the last time I saw Steve. That being something that precisely pointed out the bogusness of the multiple Fort Worth Gestapo Stormtrooper raids on Steve's house, due to imaginary code violations.

Behind Steve's house, on Bomar Avenue, sets a large semi-vacant lot, next to the home of the large semi-vacant lot's owner. That vacant lot owner has connections to those who order Fort Worth's Gestapo Stormtrooper raids. On that vacant lot is an eyesore level of likely code violations, if this were a city where such things were actually a concern.

If Steve's rather tidy yard, with its imaginary code violating piece of protest art, was worthy of a Gestapo raid, then his neighbor is worthy of an Army Brigade size Fort Worth Gestapo Stormtrooper raid.

Exploding Gas In Pennsylvania, Washington, Texas & Steve Doeung's Carter Avenue

Fort Worth's Carter Avenue and the absurdity of running a non-odorized, high pressure natural gas pipeline under occupied homes is fresh on my mind this morning, thanks to Texas Sharon and a gas explosion about 15 miles from where I used to live in Washington.

I don't know what the current status is of the Chesapeake Energy assault on innocent Americans trying live free and pursue happiness on Carter Avenue. I have learned not to believe anything I read about the ongoing Chesapeakegate scandals.

Texas Sharon has a link to a bizarre incident in Pennsylvania. Residents had been reporting foul odors for days to the officials who are supposed to check into foul odors coming from gas drilling operations. But no one bothered to check until the foul odors exploded. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has the whole disturbing story.

I read a story about an incident like the Pennsylvania gas explosion and think how can anyone here, in Texas, not think it unreasonable to stick a non-odorized, high pressure pipeline under homes?

Living here in Texas is the first time I've resided in an energy producing area, of the poke holes in the ground and extract sort. I have lived where humongous dams produce energy. Dams don't create the same problems as hole poking seems to.

I'd totally forgotten, til this morning, that I used to live very close to humongous energy producing facilities in the form of refineries that turn Alaskan crude, brought into Puget Sound in Supertankers, into gasoline and other petro products.

Early this morning, about 12:30am, something called a catalytic reformer naptha hydrotreater unit exploded with a concussive boom that was heard and felt a far distance away. The explosion set off a fire that burned for 2 hours.

The explosion was at the Anacortes Tesoro Refinery. Three workers were killed, four were critically injured.

I believe the Scrabble Queen of Washington's brother works at Tesoro. A lot of people who live in the Skagit Valley work at the refineries.

I have no memory of a deadly explosion occurring at the Skagit refineries before. The refineries have been there for a very long time, as in as far back as my memory goes.

So, again, I really don't think it is unreasonable for Steve Doeung to not want a non-odorized, high pressure natural gas pipeline to run under his house.

What I do think is unreasonable is that the city government of the city Steve lives in, Fort Worth, is in cahoots with the gas drillers who are putting Steve, and others, in harm's way.

In a civilized city, this would be considered criminal behavior on a city's part. In Fort Worth it is just known as "The Fort Worth Way."

Fed Up & Ready To Escape Texas & Return To Civilization

I got an email a couple days ago asking me about the current status of the Carter Avenue/Chesapeake Energy Natural Gas Pipeline fiasco.

I have no idea regarding the current status of that particular fiasco.

The emailer also mentioned that I have not been making comments, of late, about the Chesapeakegate Scandals or Fort Worth's corrupt, on the take, mayor, Mike Moncrief or the shenanigans of the dishonorable Judge Vincent Sprinkle or the shenanigans of J.D. Granger and his mother Kay and their pet Trinity River Vision Project.

Why have I not made mention, of late, of these subjects and others?

Because I'm Fed Up with it all. Fed Up.

When I realized that I'm living in a place where a judge can lie to a courtroom full of fully functioning ears. And get away with it, with the scandalous behavior not being reported anywhere, but in blogs that few read. Fed Up.

Blogs that also make note of the corruption in Fort Worth's city government, to no avail. No one cares, no one, who can do anything about it, listens. Did Chesapeake Energy pay-off the FBI? Fed Up.

Gestapo Raids by the city of Fort Worth for no appropriate reason, with no one asking who ordered the raids. Fed Up.

Yesterday I read that the first stage of Seattle's $4 billion Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement will be put out to bid in early April. That article mentioned, just matter of fact, like it's just the ordinary course of things, that a Seattle Activist had filed a lawsuit objecting to some aspect of the project.

Activist? What a concept. Fort Worth Activist? Some try. To no avail. Can you imagine reading an article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle and mention being made of a Fort Worth Activist filing a lawsuit regarding some aspect of the project?

I don't know, maybe a lawsuit regarding the nepotism involved in hiring the project manager. Or eminent domain abuse being used on a project on which the public has not voted.

Fed Up. Fed Up I tell you.

I have decided it is time to plot my escape from Texas. I'm ready to return to civilization.

Is It Time To Line Fort Worth's Carter Avenue With American Flags Again? Or Is Chesapeake Bluffing Again?

Something is going on here. What it is is not exactly clear.

But, near as I can tell, and I can't tell much, Chesapeake Energy is taking the advice rendered on the protest sign, at last Thursday's CARO Rally on the Tarrant County Courthouse steps, and is going to take their Carter Avenue Pipeline and shove it somewhere else.

It seems like I've heard this before.

But.

Near the end of last Thursday's Steve Doeung vs. Chesapeake Energy court date, after Judge Sprinkle indicated he had no choice but to sign the order granting Chesapeake Energy the right to run a potentially explosive, high pressure, non-odorized natural gas pipeline under Steve Doeung's home, and that Steve Doeung would have 30 days to appeal the ruling from the point in time when the Judge signed it, Steve Doeung then asked Judge Sprinkle to please take his sweet time in signing the order, because Steve had reason to believe that a significant announcement would be forthcoming that would obviate Chesapeake's eminent domain case, due to the Carter Avenue route no longer being needed.

At that point in the proceedings, the chief Chesapeake lawyer told Judge Sprinkle that he knew of no impending announcement which might affect the case.

And then, a few days after that, the Fort Worth City Councilwoman who represents the district Carter Avenue is in, Kathleen Hicks, had minions place letters in Carter Avenue resident's mailboxes. The letter was a sort of obtuse meandering that seemed to be somehow taking credit for something that was about to happen, which Ms. Hicks seemed to be indicating she had been working hard to bring about.

Even though Ms. Hicks has had no contact with Carter Avenue residents during this controversial period. Nor would Ms. Hicks answer questions posed to her regarding the Chesapeake issues.

And now, this morning I learn that, supposedly, once more, Chesapeake Energy and the Texas Department of Transportation has found an alternative route for the controversial pipeline.

The new route is the same route that was announced late last year, an announcement which sent Carter Avenue into celebration mode, complete with lining Carter Avenue with American flags.

TXDOT says the "new" route, running along Interstate 30, could be approved quickly, as soon as Chesapeake submits its plans for the route.

Councilwoman Hicks is quoted as saying, "The coordinated efforts by all demonstrate what we can do when we work together. The actions we have taken here are significant for other North Texas neighborhoods that are concerned about pipelines in their neighborhoods."

This latest iteration of TXDOT's pipeline policy supposedly came about due to pressure from the forementioned Hicks, plus Texas State Senator Wendy Davis and State Representative Lon Burnam.

Wendy Davis is quoted as saying that when construction starts on the I-30 pipeline, Chesapeake needs to return the right of way to the Carter Avenue property owners, saying, "Particularly, they need to back away from the condemnation against Steve Doeung. I feel like his family has suffered a lot of emotional trauma."

Well, I agree with Wendy on that. Steve Doeung and his family have been put through a Kafkaesque nightmare, complete with scary Gestapo Raids and lop-sided court hearings, where the victim is left helpless in court, defending, solo, his rights, against a powerful government/industry combine.

Is it time for Carter Avenue to bust out the flags again? I don't know. The last time the Carter Avenue flags went up, someone stealthily removed them under cover of darkness. This time, if the flags go up, I'd say it'd be a wise move to keep the flags on the home side of the sidewalk.

And. To whover it was who stole the previous flags, this time there will be 2 night vision cameras strategically located on Carter Avenue, covering the majority of the street. You may steal the flags again, but this time it will not be an Anonymous Operation.

In Fort Worth Texas Turning The Carter Avenue Rescue Operation Into The Carter Avenue Chesapeake Park Project

I have been dwelling, as in my tendency, about the events of this past Thursday.

My main dwelling revolves around the conversation that took place with Steve Doeung, myself and the Queen of Wink, at Riscky's BBQ in the Fort Worth Stockyards, after the CARO Rally and Steve's appearance in court.

During the course of talking to Steve there was a moment of absolute clarity, where, for a moment in time, the absolute absurdity of the hell Steve is being put through, by Chesapeake Energy and the City of Fort Worth, was so obviously wrong and the solution so obviously clear.

Chesapeake Energy wants to run a non-odorized natural gas pipeline under Carter Avenue. Chesapeake claims this is safe. However, these pipelines have been known to blow up. And so, it is totally reasonable that a person might choose not to live above such a pipeline.

This is non-odorized natural gas. The reason natural gas is odorized is so leaks can be detected. This was mandated after a natural gas explosion. In Texas. Killed 100s of school kids.

How can the natural gas industry so cavalierly dismiss citizen's concerns, when the record of the industry really inspires no confidence.

Steve is the last holdout on his side of Carter Avenue. The homeowners on the opposite side of Carter Avenue received no compensation, because the pipeline would not run under their front yards. Yet they are in the same danger, taking the same potential risk as their neighbors on Steve's side of the street.

The small amount of compensation, that Steve's neighbors took from Chesapeake, does not make them whole. It does not cover their loss in property value. Or the difficulty of selling their home, with the homeowner mandated to reveal to a potential buyer that the house sits atop a big pipeline pumping non-odorized natural gas.

Chesapeake Energy is a private company trying to maximize its profits. Abusing eminent domain allows Chesapeake Energy to help its bottom line, by being able to acquire gas pipeline routes on the cheap.

Okay, here is my moment of clarity. If, indeed Chesapeake Energy needs to run a pipeline under homes, to me the only sane, only decent, only right way to do this is for Chesapeake Energy to acquire the homes in the same manner Jerry Jones took homes in Arlington for his new Cowboy Stadium.

As is, the value of the home is being compromised, with the homeowner left victimized. Eminent Domain should insist that Chesapeake Energy should buy the entire property at market value, plus an additional fee to help pay for moving. Chesapeake Energy could then rent out the homes.

Or tear them all down and turn Carter Avenue into a park above the pipeline.

In a truly fair, logical and just America, this would be the only option. If this did not fit a private business's profit making model, fine, move on and figure something else out. But, it should not be part of the system that a private business can damage citizen's property value, in this manner, without truly just compensation.

I am thinking we should turn the Carter Avenue Rescue Operation into the Carter Avenue Chesapeake Park Project aka CACPP.

Why is this type ruling not the automatic course of such things? It only makes sense. It just is not fair to maximize profit by squeezing the little guy. It all leaves me feeling slightly sick.

We Won't Pipe Down: Americans to Save Fort Worth's Carter Avenue

Well. Yesterday I committed a massive faux pas. I was asked if I could possibly make a logo for the CARO Project Press Release. I always do what I'm asked to do, so I made a logo.

The original logo said "We Won't Pipe Down: North Texans to Save Carter Avenue: Rescue Operation."

Can you spot the mistake that had me receiving blistering emails this morning? Okay, I'm exaggerating. They weren't all blistering.

I heard from several CARO supporters who are not located in North Texas, including one full of umbrage West Texan, a couple from Oklahoma, a guy from Austin, another guy from California and an acquaintance of mine from Washington.

So, changing "North Texas" to "Americans" should fix the problem. Unless I hear now from a Canadian, Mexican or Iranian. If I do, it is easy to change "Americans" to "World."

Come to think of it, this really should be a Global Cause.

Fort Worth's New Favorite Son Steve Doeung's Got People In The Eminent Domain Abuse Capital Of The World

This morning we hear from Fort Worth's #1 Watchdog, Don Young, about Fort Worth's #1 Lone Ranger, Steve Doeung, regarding the growing feistiness that seems to be erupting from the Victims of the Shale in the Eminent Domain Abuse Capital of the World.

Below is what Don Young had to say. And below that you can see and hear Steve Doeung, via a YouTube video, regarding Thursday morning's CARO (Carter Avenue Rescue Operation) Rally...

Something like a tsunami of outrage is rolling over Fort Worth in support of Steve Doeung and the thousands like him who have been bullied by lawless gas drillers who are trying to ram dangerous NG pipelines AND extraction operations into our neighborhoods.

Steve sent out a message in a bottle last year that has finally been discovered by a once-sleeping public. His next court hearing is this Thursday morning. You need to be there.

The alarm bell is ringing. Momentum is growing. Apathy is yielding to action. People are angry and ready to fight back, not just for Steve but what his case stands for.

The multi-headed enemy is clearly defined:

Chesapeake Energy Mayor Mike Moncrief Exxon Mobil TX RRC Sarah Fullenwider TCEQ Julie Wilson XTO Ken Barr FW Chamber Of Commerce ENRON O & G Apathy Aubrey McClendon Devon Energy Ignorance Greed Range Resources Quicksilver Energy Business As Usual Add Your Own ___________Etc., Etc., Ad Nauseam.

If you've had enough abuse from gas drillers and their enablers, come join Steve's People on the courthouse steps.

What: CARO (Carter Avenue Rescue Operation)
When: Thursday, March 4th, 2010
Time: 7:30 am
Where: Tarrant County Courthouse steps, 100 W. Weatherford St., Downtown Fort Worth

Is The Texas Chapter Of The Institute For Justice For Real?

There is this thing called the Institute for Justice. The Institute for Justice has a Texas Chapter, working out of Austin.

Supposedly the Institute for Justice fights to secure property rights, economic liberty, freedom of speech and school choice and to help Texas property owners in a range of property rights disputes, including eminent domain, annexation, zoning, special districts and citizen referendums.

There is a heavily reported case of eminent domain abuse and freedom of speech suppression here in the Tarrant County town of Fort Worth, Texas involving Steve Doeung and his fight against Chesapeake Energy and the City of Fort Worth, to try to keep his home from being taken via eminent domain.

When I say eminent domain is being used to attempt to take Steve Doeung's home, by home I mean the place where one feels safe and secure in the privacy of ones home. Steve Doeung believes, and with good reason, that a non-odorized natural gas pipeline running under his home is an unacceptable risk, thus it would compromise the quality of his home, taking it from Steve Doeung, really, no differently than if his home were forcibly taken.

Up til now Steve Doeung has been a Lone Ranger, for the most part. He is alone no longer. On Thursday the Carter Avenue Rescue Operation is holding a Rally at the Tarrant County Courthouse to Support Steve in his Battle for Life, Liberty and his Pursuit of Happiness.

Read Steve Doeung's account of what he and Don Young experienced in court when Steve was fighting alone.

Attempts have been made to enlist the help of the Institute of Justice, contacting the Executive Director of the Institute for Justic Texas Chapter, Matt Miller, to no avail.

If ever there was a case that warranted the attention of an entity calling itself the Institute for Justice, the Steve Doeung Eminent Domain Suppression of Free Speech Case would seem to be that case.

Does anyone out there know anything about the Institute for Justice? Is it legit? Have they been helping Billy Mitchell with his eminent domain abuse nightmare?

Is there not a single lawyer in the Eminent Domain Abuse Capital of the World, Tarrant County, Texas, willing to help Steve Doeung, pro bono? Just because it's the right thing to do?

Join the Carter Avenue Rescue Operation Cause on Facebook where you will be able to find details about Thursday's Fort Worth Support Rally.

We Won't Pipe Down: Huge Downtown Fort Worth Rally Of Support For Steve Doeung & Carter Avenue

Steve Doeung likens his fight to save his home from Chesapeake Energy and the City of Fort Worth's efforts to take his home using eminent domain, to being like those who fought in the Alamo.

Fighting against stronger forces. The weak against the strong. In that sense, the Alamo metaphor works. But, in the end, the defenders of the Alamo lost the battle and all the brave defenders were dead.

We want a different outcome for Steve Doeung and the people of Carter Avenue in their fight against Chesapeake Energy's plan to run a non-odorized natural gas pipeline under their homes.

The last time Steve Doeung was in court, to face his Chesapeake tormentors, he was supported by only one person, he being Fort Worth's #1 Watchdog, Don Young.

I remember this bothered me a lot. I believe I blogged about how appalled I was at the apathetic attitude of the people of Fort Worth regarding this bizarre case of eminent domain abuse. I wondered why the people of Carter Avenue were not there in the courtroom supporting Steve Doeung. I wondered why others were not there. I wondered why there was no organized protest over the fact that Chesapeake Energy was continuing its persecution of this fighting American, even after Chesapeake Energy let it be known there was an alternate route for their controversial pipeline.

Steve Doeung is back in court, early Thursday morning on March 4.

This time Steve Doeung and Don Young will not be alone.

A disparate group of Americans has come together in the past few days and have organized the Carter Avenue Rescue Operation.

There will be a rally of support starting at 7:30 am. Speakers at the rally include Louis McBee, Glen Bucy, Billy Mitchell and DISH Mayor, Calvin Tillman.

It is a week until D-Day. More speakers may be added, or come forward wishing to speak.

It is very easy to get to downtown Fort Worth. Just follow the signs to Sundance Square, where you will find a lot of parking lots.

Meet The New Boss Who Is Not The Same As The Old Boss In Fort Worth

Something is happening here (in Texas). What it is, isn't exactly clear. But it is clear, something is happening here. I think I may be detecting the ground doing some swelling. It is like suddenly a long dormant collective Texas conscience is being stirred to do something good.

I have mentioned, a time or two, in various ways, that all it takes for Evil to win, is for the Good People to do nothing.

Too many of the Good People of Fort Worth, and its environs, have done too little to stop Evil from winning, for too long.

I think the Era of Evil winning may be coming to an end in these parts of Texas.

I think maybe the corrupt mayor of Fort Worth, Mike Moncrief, and the rest of his good ol' boy network and the Barnett Shale gas drillers, who have Moncrief in their pocket, are about to learn something.

There is a new BOSS in town.

The new BOSS will not be the same as the old BOSS.

Because the new BOSS will be the PEOPLE.

Steve Doeung & The Carter Avenue Rescue Operation On Facebook

The Queen of Wink has started a Facebook Cause Page as part of ongoing efforts to save Carter Avenue and Steve Doeung from the corrupt City Government of Fort Worth and the Barnett Shale Natural Gas Drilling Companies who are running roughshod over the Victims of the Shale, abusing eminent domain, endangering citizens, polluting the air, and the water.

The cause is called CARO. CARTER AVENUE RESCUE OPERATION.

Steve Doeung is back in court in downtown Fort Worth on Thursday, March 4 at the Old Courthouse at 100 West Weatherford and Main Street, across the street from the Heritage Park eyesore.

If you can think of any way to help Steve Doeung in his battle to save his home from Chesapeake Energy and its lapdog, the City of Fort Worth, you can email him.

Carter Avenue's Steve Doeung & Abuse Of Power In Fort Worth Texas

I have written about the Fort Worth Gestapo Stormtrooper Raid on Steve Doeung's home on Carter Avenue, more than once.

It crossed my mind, ever so slightly, that I might be being slightly hyperbolic referring to Fort Worth's code compliance and police officers as Gestapo Stormtroopers.

This morning I learned new information regarding the details of the Gestapo Stormtrooper raid that turned it into an even more Nazi-like fascist intimidation abuse of power outrage.

To protest the Chesapeake Energy plan to run a pipeline under Carter Avenue Steve Doeung installed a visual protest in front of his house.

The visual protest was a 2 foot long green 16 inch pipeline on which 2 laminated signs were attached, saying "Stop the Carter Avenue Pipeline." That's Steve in his visual protest in the picture.

Steve Doeung was exercising his American Right to Free Speech.

On 3 occasions, in late November and early December, of 2009, within 1 to 3 days of Steve's visual protest appearing in some media form, such as in FW Weekly, the City of Fort Worth sent in its stormtroopers, on a raid, to write up citations regarding Steve's visual protest, with the citations saying Steve had committed a code violation by having a "discarded item in public view."

Each of the citations carry fines ranging from $250 to $2,000.

You reading this in non-Texas America. Aren't you proud to have Fort Worth in our country?

Or are you ashamed that a city like this is in America?

Okay, maybe that's a bit harsh. It's not really Fort Worth that's the problem. It's Fort Worth's corrupt city government, led by a mayor, Mike Moncrief, elected in a 70% landslide by the 6% of voters who bothered to vote. Fort Worth's corrupt mayor makes over $600,000 a year from the gas drilling companies poking holes in his town.

The City of Fort Worth Gestapo Stormtrooper intimidation raids on Steve Doeung's home are an example of the bad things that can happen when you have a Conflicts of Interest laden mayor who is a lapdog of an industry doing business in his town.

Can't someone somewhere follow the chain of orders that led to the raids on Steve Doeung?

Can't someone somewhere see that the Gestapo Stormtrooper raids on Steve Doeung are a criminal abuse of power?

Can't someone somewhere in this town of Fort Worth, besides me and a few others, see how wrong it is that Mike Moncrief is on the take from the gas drillers, while he makes decisions regarding that gas drilling?

Like the decision to run raids on Steve Doeung. On 3 occasions.

Who ordered that all the celebratory American flags be removed from Carter Avenue? Remember those flags that were celebrating Chesapeake Energy saying there was an alternative route for the non-odorized natural gas pipeline?

This was another expression of free speech stifled by Fort Worth's fascists.

Think I'm wrong to refer to the city government that ordered the raids on Steve Doeung as fascists?

Well, from Wikipedia, "Fascist governments forbid and suppress openness and opposition to the fascist state and the fascist movement."

You know, like how Mike Moncrief runs his city council meetings. Or how he won't speak to Fort Worth Weekly. Or put himself in any situation where he can be asked hard questions. Like a courtroom.

Suppress opposition to the state? Like taking down American flags, and fining a man for protesting a plan to run, what he believes to be a potentially dangerous pipeline, under his home.

The people of Fort Worth need to start doing some heavy duty rabble rousing and protesting and opposing and run the fascists out of this other-wise fine town.