Life, Liberty & The Pursuit of Happiness In Moscow, Texas

Yesterday I indicated this would happen, that I'd hear from someone outside America and then feel the need to change the CARO logo. Again.

So now it's the "World To Save Carter Avenue."

Apparently, Vladimir from Moscow, Russia, follows American eminent domain abuse cases, paying particularly close attention to the Eminent Domain Abuse Capital of the World.

Tarrant County, Texas.

Ironically, Vladimir lives in the country that pretty much invented eminent domain abuse and used to be the world capital of such abuse, when it was the Soviet Union. In the Soviet Union eminent domain abuse was called Communism.

The Communists used to run roughshod over the Soviet people. If the Communists decided they wanted to drill for natural gas where you lived, they'd just remove you from your land, using some flimsy legalese, maybe throwing you in the Gulag if you did not leave your land peacefully.

If the Communists wanted to run a non-odorized natural gas pipeline under your home and you didn't want them to, tough luck, they'd go through some trumped up legal formality and build the pipeline.

If the Communists wanted to build a sewer plant next to your farm and needed some of your land, they'd throw some papers in your face, informing you that part of your land was being taken and then proceed to proceed, with no attention paid to how you were impacted.

If the Communists wanted to build a new stadium, where dozens of homes and apartment buildings sat, they'd inform the apartment dwellers and homeowners they had to get out, because the people need a stadium. And then bring in the bulldozers.

I can't imagine what it must have been like to live in the Communist former Soviet Union, where such horrible abuses occurred. I'm so grateful to be living free in America where such things can not occur, because here in America we are guaranteed, by our Constitution, that prime among our many rights is the right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. And to be safe and secure on our property.

See you all in downtown Moscow, I mean, Fort Worth, Thursday morning.

Aubrey McClendon Assaulted In Boston With A Solidarity Shout Out To Y'All in Texas

The Carter Avenue Rescue Operation today got a Solidarity "Y'all" shout out from Boston.

You know Boston, that Yankee town that had the first famous Tea Party.

Yankees are good at doing the protesting thing.

Yesterday, activists representing Marcellus Shale residents, got in Chesapeake Energy's CEO, Aubrey McClendon's, two faces, when he attempted to give a lecture titled, "Natural Gas: Fueling America's Clean Energy Future" at Harvard University.

Activists shouted from the audience, asking McClendon questions he did not want to answer.

McClendon gave up on his lecture 40 minutes early. He was clearly shaken by the angry, informed reaction.

One protester shoved a jar of dirty water at McClendon, saying it represented fracking water and asked McClendon if he was willing to drink it.

As McClendon fled the building he was serenaded with eco-protest songs.

One observer's personal account...

"McClendon was very rude. He mocked the people who were worried about health defects and got defensive and completely lost his composure when we were quick to respond to his sarcasm with solid responses. He is not a nice man, not at all. When we told him we were delivering messages from directly impacted communities, we were told to "keep our comments to just questions", so we asked him if he would be willing to listen to the voices of the people who are feeling the effects of his business, he said "I will only answer questions" so pretty much "No". People definitely got our message. We are considering this action a "win". Solidarity to yall from Boston."

I think I can speak for CARO when I say if Aubrey McClendon shows up at the Save Carter Avenue Rally, Thursday, March 4, on the Tarrant County Courthouse steps and wants to speak to the Rally to inform the people of Fort Worth that he has ordered Chesapeake Energy to drop its eminent domain assault on Steve Doeung and abandoned the plans to put a non-odorized natural gas pipeline under Carter Avenue, that the people at the Rally will greet him with huge round of Southern Hospitality.

And no one will try to get him to drink some Chesapeake Dirty Water.

Friday Fort Worth Moved To The Coast With Horizontal Drizzle

I don't remember when I've been more ready for the end of winter. I think this is the most miserable winter I've ever been through.

Or maybe the previous Texas winters spoiled me and my memory of Washington winters has faded.

My therapist, Dr. L.C., told me, this morning, that I needed to take my daily therapeutic walk early, due to incoming rain. Once again, I erred by not listening to my therapist's advice.

When I left my abode I did not realize the precipitation had begun. Usually I hear it hitting my windows. But at noon the wet stuff was in the form of a strong drizzle, being blown semi-horizontal. It seems as if Fort Worth has been moved to the coast of the Pacific Ocean.

So, I bailed on my planned excursion and instead went over to Miss Puerto Rico's to take a drizzly picture from her balcony. As usual, my photo skills do not do justice to the horizontal drizzle.

On the semi-bright side, if there possibly is one, the 5 day forecast does not foresee a return to freezing.

Getting Fatter Next Thursday At Fort Worth's Cowtown Diner Eating The World's Biggest Chicken-Fried Steak

Next Thursday after the Carter Avenue Rescue Operation rally to support Steve Doeung in his Battle against Chesapeake Energy is over, you can mosey a bit further south on Main Street and support me.

At the Cowtown Diner, a new downtown Fort Worth eatery, where I will be attempting the Full O' Bull menu option.

64 ounces of chicken-fried steak, 6 pounds of mashed potatoes, along with 10 slices of Texas toast.

The Full O' Bull comes on a dish the size of an extra large pizza pan. If I finish the platter I get all that bull for free, plus an "I came to Cowtown Diner Hungry and Left Full O' Bull" t-shirt.

If I don't finish the bull platter it will cost me $69.95. I don't know if that includes tax and tip.

What is the liability of the Cowtown Diner if I keel over with a heart attack? Or burst my internal plumbing? I estimate there are 10-11,000 calories in this little dinner. I have been trying to amp up my calorie intake as part of my weighing 300 pounds by the time I'm 30 goal.

The Cowtown Diner's Full O' Bull is not an original idea. A restaurant in Amarillo, the Big Texan Steak Ranch, has been helping Texans get fatter for years. At the Big Texan Steak Ranch you have an hour to eat a 72 ounce steak dinner. I don't know what the trimmings are. Over 35,000 have tried, with over 7,000 succeeding at not having to pay $50 for the big steak.

See you next Thursday!

Texas Eminent Domain Abuse: Willow Park Sewer Plant Coming To Aledo

In this week's FW Weekly Billy Mitchell has a new Anti Eminent Domain Abuse ad. The new ad is a full page on the inside cover. And on the opposite page is last week's half page ad.

When you attend next Thursday's Downtown Fort Worth Rally, in support of Steve Doeung and Carter Avenue in their battle against Chesapeake Energy's abuse of eminent domain, you will find that Billy Mitchell is one of the featured speakers.

Below is what Billy Mitchell had to say in this week's FW Weekly....

Eminent domain is so easy under Governor Rick Perry, that the City of Willow Park used it to try to put their sewer plant in ANNETTA NORTH's jurisdiction. RIGHT NOW Willow Park has an application filed with TCEQ to put their sewer plant in THE CITY OF ALEDO's jurisdiction (mighty neighborly!) Willow Park also used eminent domain to acquire a private water system that is not even close to their city limits, but is inside THE CITY OF ANNETTA and ANNETTA SOUTH. These selfish deeds were done against the will and without the consent of these cities. (Does Willow Park know where their city limit ends?)

Willow Park filed fee simple eminent domain on my family's farm and mineral rights at $6,500 an acre. FEE SIMPLE TITLE means they are going after everything including mineral rights. They saw a drilling rig preparing to drill a gas well on my property and asked if we own the mineral rights (maybe this is why they wrote FEE SIMPLE TITLE in the eminent domain papers!)

My family has owned this land for over forty years, it is in Aledo ISD, has a stock tank, multiple building sites, 100 year old pecan trees, Trinity River frontage, a coastal hay field, a sudan hay field, and a producing gas well ($6,500 an acre using Texas eminent domain law and a Parker County court.)

Willow Park informed me that they are leaving my family the building sites next to the sewer plant (how generous!) No guarantee of access, but we get to keep the home sites next to the sewer plant. (Just what I have always wanted, a home with no access, next to a sewer plant.)

Willow Park wrote in a certified letter to my family, "We are aware of your need to preserve adequate ingress and egress to the remainder of your property, and we will make every effort to try to meet your needs. The flexibility we have in doing this will be tempered by the City's obligations to maintain the integrity of our sewer site." (Maybe we can use Willow Park's airspace and fly to our home site with our cow suspended from a helicopter!)

Friendly criticism suggests I not use the word CRAP in my ads but use the word BULL instead. Another friend suggests, "Is Rick Perry a True Blue Conservative or Just Another Big Spending Politician?" These two suggestions do not communicate my true feelings toward Willow Park or Governor Rick Perry. I believe Rick Perry is beyond "Another Big Spending Politician." I believe the eminent domain abuse under Rick Perry and his political appointments to his campaign donors is "CRIMINAL."

For more on eminent domain in Parker County visit:

WWW.BILLYMITCHELLSWORLD.COM

Be sure to see the pictures.

Thinking About Protesting & Litter Vandalism In Fort Worth

In the picture you are looking over the edge of Fosdic Lake Dam. I do not know what is wrong with my photo taking skills, in that I can never get something steep to look steep.

See that green thing about a third down the picture? That is a garbage can that was anchored on top of the dam yesterday. Since then some sad soul unanchored the garbage can and sent it down to the bottom of the dam.

This left a lot of litter laying on the ground or blowing in the wind.

I would have picked up some of the litter, but there was no garbage can to put it in.

All that tossed litter was a perfectly apt visual metaphor for how today has been for me.

I do not remember when I last got so many confused and confusing messages. It has sort of given me a headache. I very rarely get a headache.

I think I'm going to a Big Rally Protest Support Meeting thing next Thursday, if all goes as planned and no wagons lose their wheels. I think I'll be bringing protection muscle in the form of Big Ed, in case things get unruly and the Fort Worth Gestapo starts zapping with their tasers.

I think Gar the Texan is also going to be there. Gar has never participated in a public protest event before. I think he sees doing so as part of his ongoing personal growth plan. I do not know if Gar is bringing his German wife. I suspect not. German's have a reputation for turning events like this into Beer Hall Putsches. Well, actually, a Beer Hall Putsch is sort of what Fort Worth badly needs.

My therapist, Dr. L.C. will be there, as will Elsie Hotpepper. Tootsie Tonasket's divorce was final yesterday. Now that she is a free woman Tootsie may be coming to Fort Worth to do some rallying.

I do not believe the Queen of Wink and her Entourage will be making the journey east, to Fort Worth, next Thursday.

So, that has been my Thursday, so far, in Texas, making plans to protest in downtown Fort Worth, next Thursday. Fun times ahead.

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.

Having A Cerebral Blood Flow Woe While Thinking About Skinny Dipping With John Quincy Adams

That is not a plastic bag stuck in a tree. It is a big white bird perched in a Fosdic Lake tree at Oakland Lake Park.

As you can see, blue sky has returned, after yesterday's unpleasantness with gray skies, freezing temperatures and snow.

It is in the 50s out there right now a little after 5.

I was up in Southlake today during the period of my regular habitual walking.

Did you know that John Quincy Adams took a daily constitutional, in the form of a brisk 2 or 3 mile walk? In summer John Quincy Adams would go skinny dipping in the Potomac River.

Harry S Truman was also a heavy duty walker. Harry let members of the press walk with him, but few could keep up. I think it highly unlikely Harry S Truman ever went skinny dipping in the Potomac. I think by the time Harry was President the White House had a pool.

Anyway, back to me. After lunch I was determined to get a blogging written about a subject important to me. And then publish it when I got the go ahead.

Early this morning, while doing yoga, I came up with all sorts of really clever bombastic rhetoric. I thought to myself, I should be writing this stuff down. But that is hard to do when you are in the reverse plough position. I thought to myself, this is such good stuff, there is no way I'll forget.

But, post lunch, when I went to write, my brainpan had gone sluggish, due, I suspect, to diminished cerebral bloodflow due to that digestion business taking place.

So, I decided to get out of here and walk around Fosdic Lake, hoping to get the blood flowing again.

That was an hour ago. I'm feeling sort of recovered from my post-lunch sluggish state.

The Texas Bucket List Of Things All Texans Should Do Before They Die

Yes, that is me on the cover of an upcoming issue of Texas Monthly that is all about the Texas Bucket List, that being 63 things all Texans should do before they die, also known as kick the bucket.

I have no idea what is on the Texas Bucket List.

Hike to the top of Enchanted Rock? Play with the dolphins swimming in the gulf at Port Aransas? Visit one of the other 49 states?

Or is the list made up of things like pick up at least one piece of litter before you die?

Or every Texan should go on a diet at least once before they die?

Every Texan should try a seafood other than catfish before they die?

Every Texan should vote at least once before they die?

Every Texan should be comic fodder on a Reality TV Show before they die?

Every Texan should watch a football game before they die?

My imagination is running at a very low ebb today. I've run out of ideas of things Texans need to do before they die.