Christi Craddick- Railroad Commissioner
This posting will serve for 2 series of this journal/ blog as well, the "Global War'n'ing" and "Public Parasites" series both, which is past due for this journal, and has been quickly swept under the rug ... of course this week the news is saturated with this Paris terror thing ... and folks are angry and as usual frightened, which I just got so tired of hearing I had to ignore most of the news all week, because it was so saturated and repetitive with this, and the endless talk of how we can better relations with a Muslim terror threat that the west pretty much created, and as usual, how afraid we all should stay, etc. So I chose Chairman Craddick of the Texas Railroad Commission to highlight as a local for the public parasite series, for just outright ignoring the voters request of Denton (a Dallas area suburban city) who voted a ban on fracking in the city last November, and Chairman Craddick pushing the oil/ energy companies to battle them in court. Part of what inspires this posting is the recent wave of earthquakes here in the Metroplex, most are very close to our NW Dallas neighbourhood, I for instance got hit with a couple back to back within a few hours a few dayz ago that were around 3.6 magnitude, which didnt alarm me so much since I experienced this out on the west coast several years back, but alot of folks around me were alarmed, even not knowing what it was in some cases, where I had a couple neighbours call me in the middle of the night, so alot of folks have been bringing this up to me, worried about home and infrastructure foundations, etc .... I touched on this a few years back in the Frackerjack posting's too. And this IS something that ALL business and property owners should be concerned with. But some read and video below, then of course I will add a tad to it after.
Denton, Texas: Vote for the Ban on Fracking ... Thanx to TARSANDSBLOCKADE
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***** THINK PROGRESS: Texas Oil Regulator Says It Will Not Honor Town's Vote To Ban Fracking
***** THE TEXAS TRIBUNE: Christi Craddick: The TT Interview ... an interview with Chairman Craddick where she touches on fracking and oil (newsread)
***** SOCIALIST WORKER.ORG: How Denton beat the Frackers
***** WFAA8/ ABC: 12 tremors jolt North Texas since Tuesday morning ... (newsread/ video)
***** NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC: Are Oil and Gas Industries Behind the Rare Texas Earthquakes?
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***** PD/ RCJ: "PUBLIC PARASITES" PART'S 8 THRU 1
**** PD/ RCJ: "GLOBAL WAR'N'ING" PART'S 35 THRU 1
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Craddick on the Denton Fracking Ban ... Thanx to THE TEXAS TRIBUNE
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***** Thanx for your "support and trust" eh? ... who in Hell is she talking to? ... the oil/ energy companies or the voter's? ... cause the voter's got screwed on this one by the Chairman.
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Thomas Hudson Pickering aka "Ranch Chimp" & "Commie Tommie" (the car is a 2013 ZL1 Chevy Camaro convertible, with a LSA 6.2 liter supercharged V8 and 580 horsepower engine ... it dont fuck around (half- step), and neither do I : )
According to Chairman Craddick, this is all a misunderstanding and misinformation of peoples perception of technologies, so Craddick is a self- proclaimed "Queen of Tech" I assume, and were all just paranoid nuts with conspiracy mind's, eh? This is all about protecting vested interest's, job's, job's and mo job's according to Ms.Christi ... she sayz McDonalds out in Midland, Texas is paying $15 an hour minimum because of this (they sure as Hell dont in Dallas, Houston or San Antonio, and the cost of living is higher here ... imagine that), the resurgence of Texas energy business, etc, etc. Ms.Christi also guarantee's us that she has a seismotologist Craig Pearson investigating this to make sure were all safe, etc. I am sure what credential's this political circle look's for when choosing some of these rent- a- scientist's to evaluate and investigate though ... Ms.Christi herself is a so called oil/ energy expert ... although I just look at her as a generational lawyer/ lobbyist politician who got pretty much campaign funded by oil and gas, riding on the coat- tail of her dad ... Tom Craddick, Speaker of Texas House of Representatives, not a scientist, okay? And since Chairman Christi talks constantly about misinformation ... many Texan's dont understand the title "Texas Railroad Commission", and assume it is what it sayz ... but it has not a bloody damn thing to do with railroad's, and hasnt in at least a decade, the name is just historically and traditionally used, it is basically a commission/ department that is unofficially owned and ran by energy/ mineral companies ONLY (even supported with Texas taxpayers money), for their purpose and profit ONLY.
Since this is ALL about the resurgence of energy business in Texas, job's, business, building a relationship between community and business or whatever, why were so many businesses and property owner's ignored in all of this, and this battle starting (and this isnt just here in Texas, but state after state across the nation) where these oil/ energies giant's want to sue us all and basically run everything how they see fit? ... and this fracking is going on everywhere, around folks homes, schools, hospitals, you name it, with cleverly worded legislation on restriction zoning. Christi talks about business, peoples voices, how we should be heard (which is a sacred Texas value historically, of the power of the voter/ people here ... actually a conservative value at that) when it comes to zoning for health, safety and property issues ... yet out of the other side of her mouth, saying that, even though people should have their voice, mineral rights take precedence over surface. So basically all this negotiating that the Chairman want's to hear is about total control by oil/ energies only ... I mean ... if you deny the people their voice and vote to where it becomes meaningless and there is only one way to negotiate with these folk's ... that dont even sound American, pro- business or Democratic ... nothing more than you would get out of the communist government of China who has ownership in probably at least 4/5th's of all business in their country. The bottom line is Chairman Craddick denied the peoples vote and rights ... plain and simple ... your voice will only be heard their way or no way.
Frankly speaking as a Texan American who is also pro- business, free market, the right of the people and power of the vote and the rest ... I dont see Chairman Craddick as nothing more than another oil/ energy political flunky, who buckles up under pressure and is on a one way street, who ignores the vast array of business and property values as well of this state. As for Denton's oil/ gas business ... it roughly is less than a percent (1%) in royalties of the city budget and about 1% of their property tax revenues. The idea that Texas is a loser without strictly oil/ gas control is more nonsense ... the Texas economy is very diverse in the 21st century in many area's besides these oil, insurance and banking investment giant's ... so the idea that without us kissing their asses 24/ 7/ 365 we will fall into eternal poverty and the poor house is more bullshit. Property values is the other issue, not just rights ... I was pointing this out for a few years here in Texas to many folks ... like the other day when I told folks that home owner property values just in a large suburb like Irving are going to devalue because of foundation issues and these quakes, it will have an impact on many business structures as well, that are not built like say ... structures in California to handle this. I personally know people that have cracks in their homes and foundations because of the recent high activity, my daughter the other day was concerned when she was at her office in central Las Colinas (Irving), when a 3.5 shook everything, wondering if the above floors could collapse of the office building and fall on them? ... and no one in the office knew what to do. While my daughter was telling me this here at home later that day and still tweeting with friends about it ... another 3.6 hit while we were in the living room.
Of course the debate and argument over this is ... does fracking have anything to do with earthquakes? ... I feel it does have an impact looking at all that is done in fracking, this sudden rise in earthquakes in an area not even known for them, I dont think is just coincidental ... I would bet my Dallas Cowboys training shorts on it, but I reckon folks like me are looked at by folks like Ms.Christi as technically illiterate, militant green and anti- business neanderthal's. And I agree with Chairman Craddick that we are misinformed ... but not the way she is thinking. I myself several years back thought the natural gas boom was a good deal, being at least it was cleaner burning, but had no idea what all it took to develop this energy source, after reading up on the process of extracting this I was amazed, and thinking of the hazards, which I should have expected right away, but the way it was being presented publicly blindsided me ... but I should have suspected something, being that I know damn well there is a flip- side to everything and nothing comes free (without a price), being you have to weigh prices and consequences to anything. To me there is MORE evidence that fracking is detrimental as well to the environment, business and everything else ... than the talk or idea that it does not do or damage anything ... people just dont jump up overnight who are both left and right and wonder what is happening?, they experience problem's, and want to make measures to resolve them, that is why they vote, to protect their business, rights, properties, etc. At least if anything out of this since Chairman Craddick is so pro- business and peoples/ Texan's voice ... she should have AT LEAST put a freeze on issuing new contracts/ permits until the scientific investigation is concluded ... not just issue more and more. Which shows that Chairman Craddick is just full of shit and worx against the majority of Texas homeowners and businesses!
That's the REALITY! ... Word Out! ....
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***** POST NOTE: I was talking to a couple (James and his wife Emily) not long back who gave up on voting and has not much faith I guess in this nation and the governing, and Emily said something like ... "it is naive to expect the government/ politician's to tell us the truth" (similar wording) ... and I realize alot of folks may think like that, but my response to that was pretty solid on what I expect of those who lead and represent the interest's of us all. You know ... with me it's simple, I can understand a need for some thing's to remain secret from the people, especially for national security interest's, or even for politician's to maybe lie about a romantic/ sex affair or whatever simple and personal that isnt really a crime, I'm fine with that. But when it comes to truth and transparency on SERIOUS issues that make and break us financially or otherwise, or has to do with the safety of our environment, preservation of rights for ALL, I see it a little different ... and YES, including rights of investor's and even corporation's, and realize as well the importance of building strong alliances and trade relation's with foreign countries, I'm not a hard- ass. I think truth and transparency is importante ... and I for one expect more, it get's problem's resolved faster and is what we call forward progress, and bring's thing's to light that are in the dark and not understood ... I dont feel that is naive, unbalanced, unfair or asking too much.
My semantics or perception may be different on how I look at our rights and the Constitution, everybody has their way that they see thing's, even on our institutionalized religion's, I dont think we ALL believe the same regardless of how we act like we do, our mind's are INDIVIDUAL. I may in this journal for instance, look at some as treasonists, and another may say ... well if they are not acting in war against our country or supporting the enemy or whatever ... that is NOT treason. My thinking is a tad different ... I see war being declared in some wayz on our country and freedom's by NOT necessarily firepower/ weapon's, or a military by some foreign country enemy and aiding that country, but maybe strong money controlling interest's in our own country, that may contaminate our rights and liberties ... which is in my opinion also necessary for our security for us to notice. I may look at some certain corporate or banking interest's as an enemy because of certain action's/ moves ... unless one can prove to me that an entity like such CANNOT possibly be an enemy ... I dont buy it. Absolutely these oil/ gas mineral companies should have rights, and some rights are more importante than other's. BUT the bottom line is, that doesnt mean that everyone elses rights mean nothing ... there has to be checks and balances for both the small and large investor, at least that is supposed to be what this democracy was intended to be, which gave us faith in it to begin with, and why we have a balanced judiciary system with laws. And even when someone buys a small property/ home, business, etc ... they dont do it expecting to just have folks run over it anywayz they see fit either, and even they are investor's and contributing to our economic success as a nation.
I am the same way on our gun rights ... and in these times I feel the CITIZEN'S can never have enough gun's (This is what you face when you lose gun rights and other rights start to deminish **** see last paragraph and videos), the way those running our country been doing to it, and to our Constitution/ Rights and economies ... actually legislating open corruption and legalizing criminal activities even concerning OUR MONEY and prepaid safety nets, properties, and rest that are OURS to begin with! And I realize that when the second amendment was wrote, they had maybe a different idea of what may be a well regulated militia should consist of and what it's function should be ... but one thing we can agree on ... is that it DID mean that IF there is even domestic interest's that are contaminating our government and the proper function of such, they need to be dealt with, and IT IS the citizen's responsibility of this nation, and a militia may be necessary even to maintain order, or preserve our rights, liberties and country from any possible tryrannical contamination in our system ... cause IT CAN HAPPEN ... history all around the globe and humanity shows clearly that it can. So for me just sitting around passive in my safe zone without observation and acknowledgement of what may be happening, is also naive. So in that respect, I dont live in some naive fantasy illusion ... history shows to also expect the unexpected at any time for any reason ... so we ALL have responsibilities on that end too, and if we are not ready to act at the drop of a hat, that is when we lose. To me, it is odd or even politically masochistic to some extent for ANYONE to EXPECT that we get lied to by those who are paid by our government/ revenues/ taxes to do a job and fairly represent all interest's, and who our own families protect militarily/ defensively, a job that they're all well compensated for at that, yet expect to be lied to and cheated, and to not hold anyone accountable for even incompetence. I will never understand that way of thinking and passive thought.
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***** RANCH CHIMP JOURNAL "WELCOME" POST
***** RCJ MUSIC/ ART'S HONOUR ROLL SOCIETY (my hand- selected music/ arts picks)
***** RCJ/ THOMAS PICKERING: GOOGLE+ (video posts)
***** THE RESISTANCE/ PERIL'S OF THE POWER POSSE (inspiration for hope & change) ... to be viewed as a "profit- see", not a "prophecy".
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5 comments:
Hey Skool,
Wife and I took our low-budget vacation in 2008 in Denton. We were visiting my parents' Alma Mater where they met and fell in love playing the flute and piccolo. Two of their old-time best friends were still alive and healthy. They greeted us warmly. Jervis was chronically on the Denton Town Council. Told me the funniest story I ever heard about famed flutist, William Kincaid. The other bro had an organ built in his honor at a Methodist church in Denton. A tracker. Fully modern = historically informed style. I got to play it. Happy times. Bach and Vivaldi. Yeah man!
We were at an organ dedication at NTU. What a beautiful campus. It was October. God's country. People were so friendly. Had a ball, puttin' on the ritz at the banquet. We were so overdressed, that we were seated with the organist for Garrison Keillor's home church in Minnesota and cute as a button, Dr. Faythe Freeze, professor of organ at the University of Alabama. My Dad's organist friend took me to lunch at El Guapo in downtown Denton. We even drank wine with our lunch at the town square. Made it to the lake district to dick around in the hickory forest. People are so fucking funny and friendly.
California is one of the biggest frackers in the nation. We have been doing it quietly for many years. Completely unreported by the media. All of the old wells in Bakersfield, for instance, have been fracked. We don't have a helluva lot of groundwater in and around Los Angeles anymore, so there have been zero reports of environmental damage.
I have heard reports that fracking is going on under the ocean off of the coast of Santa Barbara. Back in the 1970s we used to see oil tar on the beach all of the time even down by the border. I have seen new oil tar this year. I wondered if it had occurred naturally.
But I am very interested in these earthquakes that you describe. Isn't that almost unheard of in the Dallas area?
And screw that mean Railroad Commissioner.
Flying Junior: I remember you from a few years back actually, maybe it was the piano lessons link you sent me(?) Good to hear you enjoyed yourself in Denton, it really is a cool town, mainly a college town, my daughter's fiancee graduated from UNT @ Denton, I used to visit the Fry St area before they yuppified it, had a small nice alternative music scene, and a couple musician friend's were recording up there too. But yeah ... earthquakes are rare as shit here, almost zilch for that matter. William Kincaid sounds familiar too. But yes, I think fracking is contributing to not just earthquakes but other environmental issues too, yeah, LA area is kind of fucked up too on shit, my dad had a place also in Bakersfield, got familia in Oceanside and Glendale/ LA too. Well, at least nice weather in San Diego, kind of cold and wet here.
Thanx for stopping by ....
Well Happy New Year Thomas. Keep on keeping on.
Hey thanks for visiting my blog! I'm looking through your posts and you've some interesting things here!
I'll be back!
Hey Candy! ... well, Thanx for stopping by here and glad you found something of interest. Some of the political stuff here is boring and may seen over- saturated at times, but I simply feel it's importante for folks to be aware of the political scene to an extent ... especially to know who's screwing us is all. My favourite part to blog would be the music/ arts posts basically (and I'm not really a writer at all, so its not very professional).
I heard of you as far as arts is concerned before I even went to your blog ... an old friend of mine as well, Joe Christ (RIP) was an underground filmmaker. I liked your short film for example on YouTube called "The Slut's Bedroom", and thought your partner Anthony done really nice work as far as the music/ soundtrack to it. But again, Thanx for dropping in, and I will be visiting your blog as well ... hope all is well with you and yours ... take care.
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