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.

Elsie Hotpepper Is Trying To Cure Me Of Being An Overweight Fort Worth Shut-In Who Does Not Get Out Much

Today, two people, separately and in response to separate stimuli, informed me that I'm a shut-in who does not get out much.

At first I was taken aback by this blunt rudeness, the likes of which, I am unaccustomed to being subjected.

But, then as I thought about it, I realized I was reacting badly to this information because it was true. I remember reading somewhere that the truth hurts.

I don't quite understand why it hurts so much to realize I'm a shut-in who does not get out much. I suppose it is because it's not how I see myself, til I think about it and realize I'm a shut-in who does not get out much.

Anyway, I'll have more to say about not getting out much and the full shocking extent of the high level of shut-initis, later, but first I must say, I have resolved to try and get out more and quit being so shut-in.

So, this morning I went swimming. Okay, that's no different than my usual shut-in routine. Then, really daring to do something different, I took myself outside again, escaping being shut-in, and drove to the Tandy Hills Natural Area, risking that it might still be too muddy from yesterday's downpour deluge.

But that's the new me, taking wild crazy risks.

The hiking the Tandy Hills risk paid off, as it was dry enough for hiking. Due to yesterday's deluge, the Tandy River was running high. I had to use a stepping stone to get across the turbulent torrent.

I forgot to mention, that is today's view of the Tandy River, flowing big, in the picture at the top.

I just took another anti-histamine medication due to whatever it is that is in the air that is making my eyes itch and burn. The medication seems to work.

Elsie Hotpepper is trying to get me to go out to lunch with her tomorrow, along with someone I've never met. My usual inclination, with such invitations, is to politely decline, due to such things wreak havoc with my shut-in, not getting out much, regular lifestyle.

But, since I'm trying to change, because change is good, or so I've been led to believe, I am seriously considering taking Elsie up on this lunch deal. As long as she promises to stay sober. But. I will need to put a few more hours into thinking about this before risking doing something so daring as going out for lunch.

In the meantime, despite the anti-histamine, my eyes continue to bug me bad.

An Anti-Histamine Medicated My Allergic To Texas Woes

We are back blue again this morning in my zone of North Texas. Usually, when the sky returns to ,it makes me a happy boy, but, this Thursday morning I'm feeling the Thursday blues.

Why? I don't know. I've been up since fairly early, some time past 4. I think I've been sleeping well, due to be so tired by the end of the day, due to all the extra exertion required to haul around all my newly gained heft.

You try hauling around 40 extra pounds, all day long, and see if you're not worn out by the time the sun goes away.

I really do not see how those who are carrying around a few hundred extra pounds manage it. The underlying musculature, that moves all that heft, must be quite extensive.

I have an issue. Or two. Troubling me, that I want to discuss with my therapist, Dr. L.C., but she seems to have gone missing, I'm assuming due to being operated on, yesterday, and not yet fully recovered.

The Queen of Wink is heading to San Antonio and told me I can come along. If I drive. I've only been to San Antonio once and really liked it. It's a sparkling clean looking town, unlike some towns I've seen in Texas, for instance, like the one I'm sitting in right now. It's current nickname is Dirty Ol' Town, due to being, well, dirty.

The stuff in the air that I breathe in this air polluted zone of Texas in which I reside had me in full sneezy, itchy eyed allergy mode, which I medicated with an anti-histamine yesterday to good effect. My eyes have returned to full function mode. As has the rest of me, for the most part.

Fort Worth Judge Rules Chesapeake Is Allowed Right Of Way Under Carter Avenue As Landowner Loses Court Battle & Is Sentenced To 10 Years Hard Labor

I've got so many things perplexing me right now. How does Chesapeakegate sound for a Blog Forum about Texas Eminent Domain Abuse?

One week ago, tomorrow, I was in downtown Fort Worth for something called the CARO Rally, meaning Carter Avenue Rescue Operation Rally. I saw quite a few people at this rally. Many held protest signs. I listened to some speakers speechify using an electronic amplification device. There was a table with goodies, like bananas and muffins.

I am sure I did not imagine this. I have photo documentation. But, a few minutes ago I got email from my investigator who goes by Big Ed, asking me "did you see this?"

I had not seen "this."

"This" was in something called Pegasus News. The Pegasus website described "this" as "CONTENT FROM OUR FRIENDS OVER AT FWCANDO."

The headline for the article is "Photo gallery: Carter Avenue residents protest Chesapeake Energy's pipeline plans."

Seems to me there were a lot of non-Carter Avenue residents also protesting.

And then the sub-headline said "A Carter Avenue landowner lost a court hearing on Thursday. The judge ruled that Chesapeake is allowed access to the right-of-way under Carter Avenue."

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram also had Chesapeake winning in court last Thursday. In Fort Worth Star-Telegram world, the CARO rally did not happen. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram article was so misleading, the prime player, in that story, was getting messages of condolence and worry from friends and relatives who only got their "news" from the Star-Telegram.

And now, today, the closest Fort Worth has to a real newspaper of record, FW Weekly, came out with its latest issue. Steve Doeung's court appearance on Thursday did not take place, nor did the CARO rally, as in there is no mention of either in Fort Worth's alternative newspaper.

Now, I know that it is impossible for newspapers to cover every little thing that goes on in these parts. And protests with sign waving protesters happen all the time here. No big deal. Concerned citizens filling a courtroom? Happens all the time in these parts. It's not news....

A Very Very Short Wednesday Texas Thunderstorm With A Few Balls Of Hail

About a half hour ago, some time after 10am, the predicted thunderstorm arrived. Along with hail.

I do not have a good view from my location, so I quickly headed over to Miss Puerto Rico's balcony, hoping to get pictures of some good lightning bolts and big balls of hail.

But, by the time I got to my photo perch, the thunder had stopped booming, the hail had stopped falling. All I was left with was a dark sky and rain.

I waited for about 10 minutes for some fresh incoming flashes, but all I got was continued rain. So, I left my Thunderstorm Observation Post and came back here.

This was the shortest Thunderstorm I have yet to see in Texas. And now it is sort of brightening up out there. Is this storm now over for the day? The National Weather Service has the Severe Thunderstorm Watch continuing til 3 in the afternoon.

The birds are back in full chirp mode, a clear indication that the storm has passed.

A Tale Of Two Cities: Seattle Gets A $5 Billion Floating Bridge While Fort Worth Gets a $1 Billion Little Lake

If I remember right I've annoyed a person or two when I compare something in Seattle to something in Fort Worth. It is only natural that I would make note of things that seem so different, to me, in the two towns, because they are the two plus-sized towns with which I am most familiar.

One really big difference between Seattle and Fort Worth is the way public works projects come about.

Currently Fort Worth's biggest public works project is building a little lake and an unneeded flood diversion channel, obliterating the historic confluence of the West and Clear branches of the Trinity River. This project goes by various names. Mainly, Trinity Uptown Project, Trinity River Vision or Fort Worth's Latest Boondoggle.

Fort Worth's Latest Public Works Boondoggle is using eminent domain to take property for this public works project about which the public has little say and no vote.

Meanwhile, up in Washington, on Monday the State Senate sent to Governor Gregoire SB 6292 for her signature. This bill approves the almost $5 billion State Highway 520 Floating Bridge replacement. The 520 Floating Bridge is one of 2 that cross Lake Washington.

Seattle has a lot of lakes, so there is no need to have a public works project to build a fake lake. The existing 520 Floating Bridge is about 60 years old. It's near the end of its lifespan and needs to be replaced before Mother Nature sinks it. Mother Nature has previously sank 2 other Washington Floating Bridges.

The new 520 Floating Bridge is going to be quite a bit bigger than the current one and will fix several problems that have been a bottleneck for way too long. The final routing has yet to be determined. Eminent domain may need to be used to route part of the new road through the area made famous in Sleepless in Seattle, that being an area on Lake Washington with a lot of houseboats.

Now, as I read the article about Washington's new Floating Bridge what is it that really popped out at me as being way different than the way things are done in Fort Worth? Well, in Seattle it's sort of a joke/truism, that before anything gets done, everyone who wants to have a say, gets to.

I'll copy a paragraph from the Seattle P-I article by way of illustrating the HUGE difference between these 2 towns.

"Critics from business and labor - as well as Eastside city leaders - have complained that the debate over how to replace 520 has already taken too long and it's time to move forward. Powerful Seattle neighborhood groups have hired an attorney as they continue to press their case."

Did you spot what I am focusing on? "Powerful Seattle neighborhood groups...".

I can tell you what would have happened in Seattle if something occurred as absurd as a private company abusing eminent domain to run a non-odorized natural gas pipeline under a Seattle neighborhood. I can tell you, it just would not happen.

If Carter Avenue were in Seattle, in a Seattle neighborhood called Meadowbrook, the powerful Meadowbrook Neighborhood would have collectively come together to demand the pipeline project cease. The powerful Seattle Meadowbrook Neighborhood would have pooled their resources to hire legal help to help Carter Avenue.

I have seen time and again, in Seattle, where a group will band together in some common cause. Object to Paul Allen's plan to make a sort of Seattle Central Park running from Lake Union to downtown? Stopped by forcing the issue on to a ballot. Object to a voter approved plan to build a new monorail line? Force another vote. Five elections later the monorail is dead.

Is Seattle better or worse off than Fort Worth due to having all this citizen input and participation? Well, if you've ever been to Seattle you know the answer to that one.

No one could get away with shoving down the voter's throats, in Seattle, something as goofy as Fort Worth's Town Lake Boondoggle.

Did Paul Allen give up on his Seattle Central Park plan? Not really, it just sort of morphed into something else, as in a re-vitalized South Lake Union and things like SLUT (South Lake Union Transit). Fort Worth sent a task force to Seattle to check out some of those South Lake Union developments.

So, is it too late for the Meadowbrook Neighborhood to turn itself into a powerful Seattle-like neighborhood? It really is not just Carter Avenue that is under attack and facing the danger of a potentially explosive pipeline. The streets running parallel to Carter Avenue are also in harm's way. Streets like Bomar & Scott Avenue.

It would take a very small donation from the neighbors of the Meadowbrook Neighborhood to raise enough money to hire legal help. I really think this is the time and this is the issue where the people of Fort Worth buck it up and start exercising their rights like Americans in other parts of America do. Like Seattle.

Severe Thunderstorm Watch For North Texas & Other Woes

It is early Wednesday and already I am having a bad day. I guess I was due for one of those. I think my bad day may have started last night when I spent way too much time with various This, That and the other Thing-Gates, in the search for a good name for a blog.

By morning the gate scandal had cleared up and settled down to being CarterAveGate. Not my first preference, but one really needs to have a good scandal name to go with a good scandal, so this will do.

In the middle of the night WeatherBug started chirping with one of its dire weather warnings, even though I've have tried over and over again to set WeatherBug to being silent all 24 hours of the day. I got out of bed and turned off the speakers. This morning, when I saw WeatherBug flashing, I clicked on the little pest to learn the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center has scheduled a Severe Thunderstorm, today, for us here in North Texas.

The Thunderstorm Watch lasts til 3 this afternoon. I'm heading up to Southlake around noon. I'm guessing I'll be seeing some thunderbolts.

The past 48 hours, give or take a few, I've been miserable with stinging, watery eyes, drippy nasal congestion and other symptoms symptomatic of a cold. Only this is no cold. This morning I took an antihistamine. This seems to have helped.

And then I had an accident on my way to the pool this morning. I got mail out of the mailbox, that went well. Then as I walked towards the pool, I do not know how it happened, but suddenly I tripped and fell to the ground, scraping my right knee and twisting my left ankle.

It hurt so bad I was not able to stand up, at first. I thought I was going to have to crawl back here. Then I tried to stand again and managed to remain vertical. The first few steps were very painful, and then the pain seemed to be melting away. By the time I got in the pool and hot tub my aches and pains were much less painful.

The Severe Thunderstorm Warning makes mention of potential BIG HAIL, but no mention of potential tornado danger.

Oh, I forgot to mention, in addition to all my other misery I got a miserable comment to my blogging yesterday about waddling around Veterans Park, with the comment coming from Mayor Mike Moncrief and his co-hort in crime, Aubrey McClendon, telling me the weather is going to keep me getting ever fatter, keeping me from going to any more silly rallies. They actually called me Lardboy. That hurt my feelings an awful lot.

Waddling In Arlington's Veterans Park On A Balmy Tuesday In Texas

As you can it is a beautiful blue sky winter Tuesday in Texas today.

75 degrees, windows open.

Sunday and Monday, rain prevented, well, made unpleasant, trying to do anything outdoors. I think all this bad weather caused sloth is part of what may be behind my out of control weight gain. I think I mentioned earlier today, or maybe it was yesterday, that I've blimped up to 210.

So, today I was in Arlington, which meant it was convenient to waddle my hefty girth on the trails in Veterans Park. I need to do a lot of waddling to melt away these extra 40 pounds I'm lugging around.

I need to lose all this lard before it's swimming season and I'm out in public in a swimming suit. This morning in I was in a swimming suit and swimming, but I was not out in public, as in, no one saw me looking like a bleached white beached whale. With all this added adipose tissue I'm thinking I likely am able to float quite easily. Maybe I'll give that a try in the morning.

All the extra insulative adipose tissue may be what makes it so easy to get into cold water.

Anyway, I am having a happy day. I'm a very simple person and it does not take much to make me happy. Blue sky usually is all it takes.

Anonymous Comments About Steve Doeung, Bad Reporting & The Cartergate Scandal

My favorite blog commenter, the Ubiquitous Anonymous, has been real busy lately making a lot of real good comments, some too good not to repeat in a fresh blogging, like right now.

The first comment from Anonymous was inspired the by picture you see here, of Steve Doeung heading up the Tarrant County Courthouse steps, last Thursday, while a crowd of supporters rallied around him.

The second comment from Anonymous was also about what took place last Thursday, commenting on a blogging I titled "Cartergate, The Star-Telegram & Other Fort Worth Texas Scandals."

The first Anonymous comment....

"What a symbolic photograph--poor little man climbing the steps determined to assert his precious rights (and for his neighbors and nation, based on his many statements and actions) to where "power" awaits him, in the forms of armed court guards, tailor-suited lawyers wheeling in file boxes (not sure if there's anything in having to do with this little case but looked mighty impressive, though), and a stern judge staring down at him from the above in the courtroom. However, the picture shows a man walking up to face "power" knowing that the POWER of the PEOPLE and the power of the American Way (as symbolized by the flag and sign held proudly by determined and supportive fellow citizens) were with him. Too bad Norman Rockwell is not around to memorialize this very American scene. KEEP SHOWING THIS AND OTHER PICTURES BECAUSE CHK, THE CITY, AND THE STAR-TELEGRAM DON'T WANT THE PEOPLE TO SEE THEM--for obvious reasons. If there were a picture of Steve shaking his fist in defiance at the CHK's Tower of Power (formerly the Pier 1 Building)."

And the second Anonymous comment...

"We were inside the courthouse too but couldn't get in due to the courtroom being too crowded (at least that's what the two armed security/bailiffs standing guard at the front of the courtroom said anyway). We did hang around long enough to watch as about two dozen giddy people came out of the courtroom chattering excitedly in small groups. We couldn't help but notice that the two fancy-dressing men hauling file boxes went to a corner and spoke 10-15 minutes with a bearded man who was scribbling down notes of what they said. The same bearded man then appeared to ask Steve one quick question as he made his way out of the area. He sure did not appear to be interested in what Steve or anyone else there had to say. Two tv stations' camera men and one tv reporter hung around patiently to interview other people and eventually Steve himself. But we didn't see any other reporters/journalists around. Good thing you were there, Durango. keep up the good work and keep calling out these so-called journalists and news reporters b/c they can and should do better. "

The Bluest Skies I've Ever Seen Looking Out My Fort Worth Window

We have had, yet again, a return to blue sky here in my zone of North Texas called Fort Worth.

All winter long, for the most part, when I'd check the temperature here in the morning and then go up to Washington, via the Seattle P-I, more often than not there would be at least a 20 degree difference, with it being warmer in the Pacific Northwest than Texas.

The past few days the temperature difference has reversed back to the norm, as in this morning, when I first checked the temperature here, it was 53, while it was freezing, at 31, in Seattle.

Today it is scheduled to get to 75 here. Yesterday rain kept me from my usual aerobic escape. Today I plan to go to Veterans Park in Arlington and then to Chinatown.

I am still being perplexed by mysterious weight gain. This morning I hit a new high of 210. I am now closing in on my all time high of 217, reached in February of 2004 during a 10 day stay in Tacoma which including a 10 hours layover in Phoenix, getting drug McDonald's for All You Can Eat, then to a Happy Hour with way too many appetizers and then on to an In & Out Burger joint where I had 2 In & Out burgers. By the time I got on the plane I felt was going to pop open.

This morning WeatherBug started chirping with a National Weather Service warning that there is a potential for wildfires. Huh? It rained a lot yesterday, downpouring at times.

The picture on the right is the same view as this morning's, looking out from my patio balcony. Only yesterday's view was looking through a very heavy downpour.

I must maximize my enjoyment of today's blue sky and balmy temperature. Tomorrow we return to rain and thunderstorms.