Gas Well Debate to Heat Up

You don't find much in the way of rational thinking amoung the left-wing rantings of the local paper. That's why S-T writer Bud Kennedy's article today on gas drilling is such a welcome relief.

I realize those committed greenies can't be bothered with facts in their passionate crusade against fossil fuels. But for the rest of us, here's some facts from Kennedy's article:

• The man that died in the recent gas well blowout in Forest Hill was just the second person in 10 years in Texas to be killed in a well blowout.
  
• There are only about two well fires a year in the entire state.

Now, some might argue that the risk, no matter how small is to great. But as Kennedy correctly points out, "We already live with that risk every time a construction backhoe driver mistakenly digs near a gas line or every time a railroad tanker hits a loose rail."

No doubt there are some local citizens that have been, and will be, inconvenienced by gas drilling. But as the City Council considers tougher regulations of drilling, we should remember. The most vocal opponents of drilling are a bunch of enviro-wackos that are opposed to any and all use of gas and oil. Period.

Long Vacant Warehouse Comes to Life

My Momma used to take us kids shopping at the Montgomery Ward's store on West 7th. The store closed long ago but has now been reborn as a mixed use development.

It's great to see the old building brought back to life. What's not great is the millions of dollars in tax breaks our local city council gave the developer.

News Hype Rising Faster Than Price of Gas

Well, the newsreaders on TV are all abuzz about the, "RECORD HIGH GAS PRICES!!!!" Well, guess what? The price of gas isn't really that high. Adjusted for inflation, the retail price for gasoline was higher back in 1981 than it is today.

Yet the talking-heads on TV never let a little thing like truth hinder their pursuit of a story. As the Media Research Center points out, network TV Newsreaders continue to blather on about high prices for gasoline even while in the same broadcasts acknowledging that adjusted for inflation, gas prices are not at "record highs."

I know that the news bizness is all about the crisis-of-the-moment, but would it be too much to ask for just a little dose of sanity?

Flyers Fall To T-Birds

The Fort Worth Flyers lost the D-League Championship game to the Albuquerque Thunderbirds 119-108 last night. Albuquerque led 58-46 lead at the halftime and through the Flyers pulled within 8 late in the game, it was really never that close.

So despite the fact that Cowtown's pro basketball team won more D-League games, the Thunderbirds take the trophy home. You didn't know Cowtown had a pro basketball team? You're not alone, there were only 3,518 fans at the convention center for the championship game.

Dinner Bell - Granny's Kountry Kitchen

Granny's Kountry Kitchen
101 South 1st Street
Grandview, TX 76050

(817) 866-3969

I recently found myself in the tiny town of Grandview at lunch time. So I drove around the old part of town, while pangs of hunger racked my body, looking for a place to eat. Fortunately, I stumbled upon Granny's Kountry Kitchen. The first thing you notice about Granny's is all the pick-up trucks parked around the cafe. Definitely a good sign. Inside, I discovered why. Granny serves up a huge amount of good home-cooking at a very reasonable price.

While Granny's has a menu, your best bet is to ignore it and go with whatever the daily lunch special is. The Daily Special is posted on a white board against the far wall. On a recent visit, I enjoyed Granny's lunch special. The feature of the day was chop sirloin wrapped in bacon and covered with brown gravy, corn on the cob, a generous helping of green beans, a large baked potato with all the fixin's, rolls, and a small bowl with just enough banana pudding to leave you with a pleasant sweet taste. The price? $5.85

If you go to Granny's for the lunch special, I'd advise you to go ahead and spring for a glass of iced tea, Grandview's water taste awful. Still, with drink, you bill will barely go over $7.00, quite a deal. Oh, and if you go to Granny's for the lunch special, don't make plans for supper. You'll still be full from lunch.

Assume Nothing

According to a story in the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times has suspended the blog of one of its top columnists after it was discovered that he had posted derogatory comments on his and other's blogs under an assumed name. The Times said that Michael Hiltzik, a Pulitzer Prize winner admitted posting comments on both his own Times blog and on other Web sites under names other than his own. The paper says it is investigating the matter.

While Mr. Hiltzik may be a Pulitzer Prize winner, he certainly showed a lack of understanding of modern technology. The Post story says that when he posted derogatory comments on a rivals blog, he used the times computer to do it. The internet address was easily traced back to him.

Yes Dear

Something every man can identify with. AFP reports on the case of a 42-year-old man in the city of Nuremberg, Germany. It seems the man fell asleep while talking on the phone to his girlfriend. His girlfriend became alarmed when he stopped speaking. She called him back several times, but only got a busy signal. So she called the police.

Emergency services sent a police car, fire brigade and an ambulance to the man's house. Apparently awakened by all the noise, a police spokesman said the man, "opened the door in a daze."

The man told police that he was having a cat-nap during a lull in the conversation. No word on what he told his girlfriend.

Down In Front

Well, it seems that the big shots that run Cowtown's famous musuems are upset. The S-T reports that they are none too happy with plans a Dallas developer has to build a 200-foot tall condominium tower near Trinity Park, just south of West 7th Street. It seems the proposed 16 story building would block the view of the Cowtown skyline from their musuems.

Now, reasonable folks might tell the whiney musuem types to go back to their archives and leave the devloper alone. But reason is a scarce commodity around Cowtown City Hall these days. See, according to the S-T, the proposed condos sit in a "view corridor." See, the folks in the musuem district like being able to look out their windows at downtown. So they got the city to pass a law so they always will be able to enjoy their view.

This view corridor is clearly unconstitutional. By restricting the height of the condos, the city is reducing the income of the owner of the property. There is no compelling public interest for the city to do so. In fact, the city's tax revenue would increase with more condos. The only compelling interest is that of some politically connected musuem types that what the city to cater to their every whim. And the city will.

That's No Bull

We're famous in Cowtown for our art.

I'm not sure what the "artist" was trying to say (I rarely am). Perhaps it's supposed to evoke thoughts of the gold calf the Israelites worshipped in biblical times?

'Nuff Said

Seen on the near west side:

No Apology Necessary

Jim Norwood, the fella' that is mayor of the armpit of Tarrant County known as Kennedale told the S-T that he will publicly apologize at tonight'’s City Council meeting for any embarrassment caused by his failure to file federal income tax returns for five years. Embarrassment? Kennedale has more junkyards and trailer parks that any town in Tarrant County. Nuthin' could embarrass Kennedale.

The S-T quotes hizzoner as saying:

"“I'’m just going to tell people that shame has been brought to the community, and that I would prefer that we all move on from this and move our city forward,"” said Norwood, who also is pastor of Oakcrest Family Church in Kennedale. Norwood, who is running for re-election May 13, said he didn't file his returns for tax years 2000 to 2004 because of some bad advice he received when he entered the ministry full time in 2000.

I'm thinking that somebody that thinks preachers don't have to pay income tax is too dumb to be either a preacher or a mayor.