The Texas Conflict of Interest Laws Made Simple Enough For Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief To Understand

I have a slight problem, at times, confusing my dreams with reality. It is now obvious to me that I was dreaming when I said I had had a long talk with Fort Worth Mayor, Mike Moncrief, in which I was able to get him to understand why he is committing a serious crime with his Conflicts of Interest involving his Barnett Shale Natural Gas Drilling Company holdings and he being mayor in a town that's getting drilled.

Apparently, I was also dreaming when I said that Moncrief had agreed to use his ill gotten gains to fund the Fosdic Lake Dam Vision.

See that dollar bill with Mike Moncrief on top of George Washington? Moncrief makes over 600,000 of those dollar bills, annually, from his holdings in each of the gas drillers drilling in Fort Worth.

Now, there are those in Fort Worth, like the city's attorney, who do not think the Conflict of Interest laws apply to Fort Worth or Mike Moncrief. Both the city attorney and Mike Moncrief apparently are ignorant of the fact that the State of Texas has quite strict, precise Conflict of Interest Laws.

The State of Texas even conveniently put an explanation of the Texas Conflict of Interest laws on a website, under the title 2010 Texas Conflict of Interest Laws Made Easy.

Made so easy, in fact, that I'm almost certain a simpleton, like Fort Worth's mayor and his city attorney might finally understand that Moncrief is breaking the law and needs to be removed from office, jailed and fined, now that the Conflicts of Interests have grown so dire with Moncrief in cahoots with a corrupt company like Chesapeake Energy in their abuse of eminent domain in a basically Nazi-like attack on Steve Doeung and the citizens on Carter Avenue.

I think I'll send a letter to the FBI today. Surely it's time the feds intervene in Fort Worth now that the political racketeering has reached its current level of corruption.

Below is a short excerpt from 2010 Texas Conflict of Interest Laws Made Easy. Read it and ask yourself how in the world the Mayor of Fort Worth and his idiot attorney can claim he has no Conflict of Interest when he owns a piece of the drilling companies and looks the other way while they steal Trinity River water, abuse eminent domain and pollute the air?

What conflict of interest laws apply to local public officials in Texas?

The general conflict of interest law for Texas city and county officials, as well as officials of other Texas political subdivisions, is found in chapter 171 of the Texas Local Government Code. Chapter 171 establishes the standard for determining when a local official has a conflict of interest that would affect the ability to discuss, decide or vote on a particular item. Chapter 171 conflict of interest provisions apply to all local public officials. Within a governmental unit, “local public officials” are defined to include:

1) elected officials such as the members of the city council or county commissioners (whether paid or unpaid); and

2) appointed officials (paid or unpaid) who exercise responsibilities that are more than advisory in nature.

It should be noted that other state and federal laws, as well as local provisions in the case of cities, may be applicable to officials in a particular situation. Whether a law is applicable depends on the activity that the official is undertaking. Officials should work with local legal counsel to determine whether their activities are subject to any such provisions. However, the general conflict of interest provision for officials remains chapter 171 of the Local Government Code.

What types of issues are covered by Texas conflict of interest laws?

Texas conflict of interest statutes do not address every conceivable conflict that may arise for a local official. In fact, chapter 171 conflict laws are generally financial in nature and only cover two types of conflicts of interest:

1) Business Entity conflicts: Conflicts due to a local official's substantial financial interest in a business entity and that has an issue before his or her governmental unit;

or

2) Real Property conflicts: Conflicts due to a local official's substantial financial interest in a real property and that would be affected by his or her governmental unit's action.

What is considered a “substantial interest” in a business entity (such that it would amount to a potential conflict of interest)?

There are four ways that a person could be deemed to have a “substantial interest” in a business entity that would raise a potential conflict of interest. A person has a substantial interest in a business entity if the person has a(n):

1) Stock interest: If the official owns 10 percent or more of the total voting stock or shares of the business entity;

2) Other ownership interest: If the official owns either 10 percent or more, or $15,000 or more, of the fair market value of the business entity;

3) Income interest: If the official received more than 10 percent of his or her gross income for the previous year from the business entity;

4) Close family member with any of the above interests: If a close relative of the local official has any of the above types of interest in a business entity. A local official is considered to have the same interest in a business entity that his or her close relatives have in that business entity. In this context, close relatives of an official would include persons who are related to the official within the first degree by consanguinity (blood) or affinity (marriage). Such relatives would include an official father, father-in-law, mother, mother-in-law, daughter, daughter-in-law, son, son-in-law and the spouse of the official.

Attacks Of The Mad Fort Worth Fosdic Lake Ducks & Texas Blizzard Deniers

I did not think the Tandy Hills would be available for my noontime daily constitutional due to the remains of our Christmas Eve unpleasantness still not fully melted.

Speaking of our Christmas Eve unpleasantness, just this morning Miss CVB of Sedro Woolley, Washington had the raw gall to tell me that that raging blizzard the blew for 7 hours on Thursday was nothing but a light snow flurry.

So, it was back to the site of the Fosdic Lake Dam Vision to do some more imagineering.

Those really are some happy ducks that float on top of Fosdic Lake. Today they were in full loud quack mode. Practically every time I'm at Fosdic Lake there is someone throwing bread or other duck food at the birds.

The Fosdic Ducks are so used to being given food they have developed quite an attitude of entitlement. If you stand at the shoreline taking a picture, for instance, a herd of the little beasts will make a beeline for you and when you don't deliver the goods they keep on coming, as if chasing you is going to free up something to eat. It has been quite unsettling on more than one occasion.

After I was done communing with nature I headed to Town Talk. I found no good stuff today. Got big containers of cinnamon and black pepper. That's all. My favorite Town Talk checker's line was open. Previously she'd lamented regarding the upcoming Christmas.

So, I asked her how Christmas went. "Christmas was fine," she said, "but Christmas Eve was a nightmare."

"Why?" I asked.

"The blizzard," she said.

I told her I'd been informed that the blizzard was a light snow flurry.

"Well, that light snow flurry took me an hour and a half to go what should have taken 20 minutes," said she, quite testily.

The nerve of some people. Suggesting that the historic Texas Christmas Eve Blizzard of 09 was nothing but a little snow flurry. I tell you, those people from Washington can be so uncouth. Makes me glad I'm a Texan.

Manly Men & Wild Women Of The Fort Worth Texas Prairie

Incoming Invite From Don Young:

Need a post-holiday workout in the great out-of-doors? Something vigorous but not too challenging? Feel a need to test your mettle? You're in luck!

Celebrate the new year and the 50th anniversary of THNA by participating in the First Annual Manly Men and Wild Women Hike at Tandy Hills Natural Area.

This will be a border-to border-to-border-to-border hike, tracing the steel cable that defines the 160 acre boundary. Here are five good reasons to join in:

1) You will lose at least 2 pounds. (results vary)
2) See sections of the park known only to birds and coyotes. (and gas drillers)
3) Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the coolest park in Fort Worth. (2010)
4) It won't kill you but will make you stronger (for the Brush Bash)
5) Work up a good appetite for a group lunch (TBA)

Who: Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area

What: Manly Men & Wild Women Hike. (All ages welcome.) No wimps allowed.

When: Saturday, January 2, 2010
10:00 am (allow 1.5 hours for hike)

Where: Tandy Hills Natural Area
3400 View Street
Meet at the Prairie Fest entrance

Why: For the fun and glory of it and to prepare your body and mind for the upcoming Brush Bash (January 23, 2010)

Bring: Water, snack, camera, hiking boots, hat.

RSVP: > > > to Don Young ASAP. <EMAIL>

Chesapeake Energy's Aubrey McLendon's Lapdog, Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief

As you can see in the picture, Chesapeake Energy's basketball team stealing thief of a CEO, Aubrey McLendon, pretty much has in his hands, Fort Worth's corrupt, ethically challenged, Conflicts of Interest-laden mayor, Mike Moncrief.

Mayor Mike owns a piece of Chesapeake Energy, earning money from the entity that has come to his town to stick a lot of holes in the ground and run roughshod over a lot of the people whom Moncrief is supposed to serve and protect.

We are seeing in Fort Worth a real bad civics lesson in why there are Conflicts of Interest rules and laws.

I've been getting some good blog comments of late. Mostly generated by the outrageous continuing persecution of Steve Doeung by Chesapeake Energy.

Chesapeake Energy had bullied every homeowner on Carter Avenue, but one, to sign over the right to run a non-odorized natural gas pipeline under their homes. Threatening the homeowners that eminent domain would be abused to steal their property if they did not cooperate.

A month or two ago, Chesapeake Energy let it be known that a route other than Carter Avenue was being looked at. Carter Avenue celebrated. American flags lined the street.

Even though Chesapeake Energy publicly let it be known an alternative route was possible, their eminent domain case continued against Steve Doeung. How can this be? Why would the judge not simply throw the case out of court, since, with the alternative route, there was no longer any justifiable reason to continue with the eminent domain case?

And now Chesapeake Energy is back acting like they are going ahead with their plans to run a pipeline under Fort Worth citizen's homes on Carter Avenue, running the same type gas that resulted in the worst natural gas explosion, ever, killing 100s of school kids, right here in Texas.

Anyway, below are a couple of blog comments that I liked, both from my favorite commenter, Anonymous. The first was a comment to a blogging about the Fort Worth Library being closed. The second comment was in response to a blogging about the same subject as this blogging, that being Steve Doeung and the corrupt nature of the city Steve lives in.

"BINGO, Durango. You must not be from 'round these here parts. Too much book learning and questioning ain't part of the "Fort Worth Way". The gasbaggers like McClendon needs lots of workers devoted to taking orders and using their muscles not asking questions and using their minds and reasoning. See why they've been trying so hard to put down that Steve guy on Carter--can't allow any victory by the common man, it might give others "ideas" and even en-courage to do the same kind of thing. That guy and his stance--for so long and against so powerful aggressors--reminds me of "the tankman" who stopped (more like delayed, actually) those columns of Chinese commies' tanks in Tienanmen square twenty years ago this past summer. He might be whisked away eventually, but his bravery (or foolishness) has given the world an opportunity to see both the good and the evil sides of humanity."

"There certainly is a prevailing culture in the city of Fort Worth that tolerates this kind of corruption, which in turn filters down to lost and wasted tens of millions of tax dollars AND even to the fairly common but brutal suppression/oppression of free American citizens--both by muscles and tazers as well as by the weapon of eminent domain. This man, Mike Moncrief and his "court" might be rulers of the so-called "citizens of the shale"---not unlike the tactics and practices of Hitler's and other fascists. In fact fascism by definition is not a dictatorship per se--it is the people willingly allowing the "run of the government" in the hands of a few. Of course, power tends to corrupt. Guess what this mayor's predecessor is making million$$ doing now a days? If it helps, you can scratch off volunteering with Habitat for Humanity."

An 11 Year Old West Texas Boy & His Computer Addiction

The Queen of Wink and I have been trying hard to de-nerdify one particular Texan thought to be the smartest Texan in Texas. I'll call this Texan Top Texan. Or TT.

TT has a blog where he shares a lot of his elevated thinking. It's really inspiring.

On his blog TT describes himself thusly...

"I've been addicted to computers since I was perhaps 11. I have some kind of innate ability to intuitively know how they will behave. I architect computer systems and design and write software for a living. I'm very good at it."

TT has now slightly altered the above self-description as part of the de-nerdification process.

This morning I realized TT might be an even tougher nut to crack than the Queen of Wink and I realize. Note that TT says that from age 11 he was addicted to computers, with an innate ability to know how they will behave.

Now, TT was born in 1969. In 1980 he was 11. The first mass-marketed IBM PC, the 5150, was introduced on August 12, 1981. It was very expensive.

Prior to the IBM PC you had Commodore products, like the VIC-20 and Commodore PET. There was the Apple II and Radio Shack's TRS-80.

I can't help but wonder what computer a little 11 year old boy in West Texas happened upon in 1980 that caused his addiction and revealed his innate ability to intuitively know how they will behave?

It's perplexing.

Getting My Dallas Cowboy Merchandise At The Dallas Cowboy Stadium Wal-Mart

I did not know if the Dallas Cowboys were playing in their shiny new stadium today, or not. Which means I did not know if the Dallas Cowboys Stadium Wal-Mart Supercenter was open or not.

I have still not received an explanation as to why the Stadium Wal-Mart shuts down during Dallas Cowboy home games, while all the other area businesses appear to remain open.

So, after I was done with Arlington's Chinatown I headed north on Collins Street to the Stadium Wal-Mart, which was open, with no football game being played across the street.

Inside the Wal-Mart there are a lot of flat panel TV's hanging down from the ceiling on which it appeared a Dallas Cowboys game was being played.

Inside the Stadium Wal-Mart there is an extraordinary amount of Dallas Cowboy merchandise taking up a lot of floor space. Like you see in the picture, with the game playing overhead.

I have not heard from the Mad Texas Grandma since December 15. You remember the Mad Texas Grandma, I am sure. She was mad because she and more than 50 others had their vehicles towed off the Wal-Mart parking lot on November 21, believed by the Mad Texas Grandma to have been towed illegally.

Wal-Mart denied knowing anything about the towing, or about A-AArlington Towing or about the dozens of taxis that showed up to take people to their hijacked vehicles.

The last I heard the Mad Texas Grandma was unable to reach the actual real manager of the Stadium Wal-Mart.

My best guess, as to what is going on with that Wal-Mart, is the manager, on his own, made a deal with A-AArlington Towing and the Taxis, with the manager getting a cut of the towing take.

Then, in a separate deal with Jerry Jones, the manager gives up a lot of store floor space to Dallas Cowboy merchandise, of which the manager and Wal-Mart gets a cut, along with Jerry Jones.

How all this wheeling and dealing between the local Wal-Mart manager, Jerry Jones and A-AArlington ends up with the Stadium Wal-Mart being closed during Dallas Cowboy home games continues to be a mystery.

The Mysterious Turquoise Blue Chesapeake Energy Pond In Far East Fort Worth

Way back on November 7 I blogged about the pond you see in the picture. On that day it was cloudy and so the pond did not look the unnatural shade of turquoise blue it looks under a clear sky.

I said I'd get a picture of the pond on a clear day, which turned out to be today on my way to Arlington.

This is a Chesapeake Energy pond located a few feet east of the intersection of Brentwood Stair Road and Cooks Lane in far East Fort Worth.

So, what's in this "water"? How is it used in conjunct with the Chesapeake Barnett Shale gas well that is adjacent to the Blue Pond?

What is in this pond that is so dangerous it requires being surrounded by chain link fence and barbed wire? It appears a dam-like structure was built to hold in the "water."

If that "dam" broke the "water" would flow towards the apartments you see in the background.

Are chemicals flashing off from this "water?" What happens to a bird that lands on this water?

The True Story Of The Little Boy Who Wanted To Be A Fireman & Was Not From Fort Worth

This morning Miss CVB of Sedro Woolley, Washington emailed me the story of a little boy who died from Leukemia, who wanted to be a fireman when he grew up. It was a touching story, but seemed hokey to me. So, I looked it up and quickly found there were several versions. The one Miss CVB sent me had the little boy being a Canadian in Calgary, Alberta.

So, with me thinking the story was a total hoax, urban legend, myth type thing I changed all the instances of Calgary to Fort Worth. And blogged it.

Soon after that Miss CVB emailed me that she was "crushed to learn it was not true."

Then I got a message from Steve A telling me, "The story IS true, albeit from Phoenix rather than Fort Worth. Even the off the wall bit about the firefighters climbing through the window is true."

Well, sort of true. In the real story it was 5 firemen, not 16. The boy's name was not "Billy." It was Frank "Bopsy" Salazar. The boy was 7, not 6. The story was lifted from the original Chicken Soup for the Soul book. The boy was the first "wish child" helped by the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The little boy wanted to be a fireman, ride in a hot air balloon and go to Disneyland. He got all 3 wishes. It is true the little boy was given a fireman's uniform. In the real story he got a ride in a firetruck and squirted a few cars with the fire hose.

In the real story the boy's condition worsened after the trip to Disneyland. He was back in the hospital, third floor. A fireman knocked on the room's window, it was opened and in crawled the 5 firemen. Later that evening the boy died.

The Am I A Fort Worth Fireman Yet Urban Legend

In Fort Worth, Texas a 26-year-old mother stared down at her 6 year old son, who was dying of terminal leukemia.

Although her heart was filled with sadness,
she also had a strong feeling of determination.
Like any parent, she wanted her son to grow up & fulfill all his dreams. Now that was no longer possible, the leukemia would see to that. But she still wanted her son's dream to come true.

She took her son' s hand and asked, "Billy, did you ever think about what you wanted to be once you grew up? Did you ever dream and wish what you would do with your life?'

Mommy, "I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up."

Mom smiled back and said, "Let's see if we can make your wish come true."

Later that day she went to her local fire Department in Fort Worth , where she met Fireman Bob, who had a heart as big as Texas.

She explained her son's final wish and asked if it might be possible to give her 6 year-old son a ride around the block on a fire engine.

Fireman Bob said, "Look, we can do better than that. If you'll have your son ready at seven o'clock Wednesday morning, we'll make him an honorary Fireman for the whole day. He can come down to the fire station, eat with us, go out on all the fire calls, the whole nine yards! And if you'll give us his sizes, we'll get a real fire uniform for him, with a real fire hat - not a toy - one-with the emblem of the Fort Worth Fire Department on it, and a yellow slicker like we wear and rubber boots. They're all manufactured right here in Fort Worth, so we can get them fast."

Three days later Fireman Bob picked up Billy, dressed him in his uniform and escorted him from his hospital bed to the waiting hook and ladder truck.

Billy got to sit on the back of the truck and help steer it back to the fire station. He was in heaven. There were three fire calls in Fort Worth that day and Billy got to go out on all three calls.

He rode in the different fire engines, the Paramedic's' van, and even the fire chief's car.

He was also videotaped for the local news program.

Having his dream come true, with all the love and attention that was lavished upon him, so deeply touched Billy, that he lived three months longer than any doctor thought possible.

One night all of his vital signs began to drop dramatically and the head nurse, who believed in the hospice concept - that no one should die alone, began to call the family members to the hospital.

Then she remembered the day Billy had spent as a Fireman, so she called the Fire Chief and asked if it would be possible to send a fireman in uniform to the hospital to be with Billy as he made his transition.

The chief replied, "We can do better than that. We'll be there in five minutes.. Will you please do me a favor? When you hear the sirens screaming and see the lights flashing, will you announce over the PA system that there is not a fire?"

"It's the department coming to see one of its finest members one more time. And will you open the window to his room?"

About five minutes later a hook and ladder truck arrived at the hospital and extended its ladder up to Billy's third floor open window-------- 16 fire-fighters climbed up the ladder into Billy's room.

With his mother's permission, they hugged him and held him and told him how much they LOVED him. With his dying breath, Billy looked up at the fire chief and said,

"Chief, am I really a fireman now?"

"Billy, you are, and the Head Chief, Jesus, is holding your hand," the chief said.

With those words, Billy smiled and said, "I know, He's been holding my hand all day, and the angels have been Singing..."

He closed his eyes one last time.

---

This was way too good a story with way too many improbable elements. "Am I a Fireman yet?" is yet one more Urban Legend that has been circulating around the Internet for years.

A Yellow Wildflower Blooms In Fort Worth Texas After Surviving The Christmas Eve Blizzard

Until today I was pretty much housebound due to the North Texas Christmas Eve Blizzard. On Christmas too much ice and snow lingered to make it seem like a good idea to drive anywhere.

Today I could take being housebound no longer. So, I went to Oakland Lake Park to walk around Fosdic Lake. A lot of people seemed to be of a similar mind, to get out and enjoy the balmy 40 degree temperatures.

I was very surprised today to see an exotic, beautifully yellow, wildflower blooming (that is one in the picture with Fosdic Lake in the background). How do these wildflowers survive 14 degree temperatures, a raging blizzard and being covered with snow? There were dozens of these beautiful wildflowers coloring up the landscape. I would have picked a bouquet, but that seemed wrong to do. That, and these wildflowers do not smell too nice.

As you can see above, snow still lingers where the blizzard blew it into drifts. There were still some icy spots on the road in shady spots, so it's still a bit dicey driving out there, requiring caution. I'm not used to having to use a lot of caution. I usually throw it to the wind.

I'm on the west side of Fosdic Lake, looking east at a family feeding the Fosdic Lake Birds. The family is standing on what the Fosdic Lake Dam Vision envisions being a beach, where Fort Worth kids can play on the sand and run into the lake for a swim, while thanking Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief for making it all possible.

So, that's been my boring post-Christmas day. I actually got un-housebound prior to going to Fosdic Lake. After I came in from my morning quick dip and hot tub roast I had a hankering for bacon. This required a quick trip to Wal-Mart. I also had a hankering for waffles. These type hankerings and my decreased activity level are still causing constant weight gain, despite my therapist Dr. L.C.'s orders to the contrary.