"It Looked Like a War Zone in Here"

Remember this?

Link to the WFAA Story from October 2010

We sure do.  Here's the link to WCGasette's story from October 24, 2010 ~ "Take Cover ~ This is Just the Beginning":

Click Here to Read the Story.

So, we've just learned that DFW Midstream's Pipeline Permit is back on the upcoming Grand Prairie, TX City Council Agenda.  



Heck.  The issue was dead in the water, didn't even make it out of the chute, was basically thrown in the FRAC Pond  during the December 13, 2011 Meeting. 

Wow.  Kind of amazing!?  



Here's the link to the story on the Gasette.



A quick recap:  Not even one City Councilperson  would make the Motion...and then suddenly City Councilwoman Jackson called on a Boy Scout Leader (Page 2, Item 3 of the Consent Agenda) way in the back of the room, who, like all dedicated Boy Scouts, was "Prepared" on a moment's notice to speak ably and with enthusiasm about scouting.



Job well done!   



And now, we've just discovered that the DFW Midstream Gas Gathering Pipeline Permit is back on the Agenda (again) for this next Tuesday, January 3, 2012.  Double Wow.

As we recall, Mayor England even mentioned "The Pig" when the original vote on this Gas Gathering Pipeline Nightmare was tabled during the November 15, 2011 meeting.

God. Help Us. Please. 

And in the meantime, enjoy the Prairie Lights

thru New Year's Eve.  

We hear they're bigger and better this year. For the first time in a long time, Chesapeake's not an "official" sponsor. Yay.

A More Hopeful Holiday Extravaganza

Southlake, TX

We almost missed it ~ but we sure like this holiday extravaganza (in Southlake, TX) over this one. We also like it that Chesapeake decided that it was going to be too difficult to drill in Southlake, TX.

We thank Southlake, TX, for standing strong, and being the good example from the beginning of all of this. If only more communities had paid attention.

By the way, the creator of this amazing lighting display (David Koss with Alford Media), is the son of our Westchester neighbor and fellow Westchester-Grand Prairie Community Alliance "activist," Chris Koss. What an amazing and very talented family!

Happy New Year!

Coordinating Virus and Spyware Defense

Isn't it better to have more protection? This is a topic we discussed in our most recent technolgy training. Here is some great information that was recently publiched by US-CERT (United States Computer Readiness Team). Take a few moments to learn how to protect yourself while not going overboard!

Spyware and viruses can interfere with your computer's ability to process information or can modify or destroy data. You may feel that the more anti-virus and anti-spyware programs you install on your computer, the safer you will be. It is true that not all programs are equally effective, and they will not all detect the same malicious code. However, by installing multiple programs in an attempt to catch everything, you may introduce problems.

How can anti-virus or anti-spyware software cause problems?

It is important to use anti-virus and anti-spyware software (see Understanding Anti-Virus Software and Recognizing and Avoiding Spyware for more information). But too much or the wrong kind can affect the performance of your computer and the effectiveness of the software itself.

Scanning your computer for viruses and spyware uses some of the available memory on your computer. If you have multiple programs trying to scan at the same time, you may limit the amount of resources left to perform your tasks. Essentially, you have created a denial of service against yourself (see Understanding Denial-of-Service Attacks for more information). It is also possible that in the process of scanning for viruses and spyware, anti-virus or anti-spyware software may misinterpret the virus definitions of other programs. Instead of recognizing them as definitions, the software may interpret the definitions as actual malicious code. Not only could this result in false positives for the presence of viruses or spyware, but the anti-virus or anti-spyware software may actually quarantine or delete the other software.

How can you avoid these problems?
•Investigate your options in advance - Research available anti-virus and anti-spyware software to determine the best choice for you. Consider the amount of malicious code the software recognizes, and try to find out how frequently the virus definitions are updated. Also check for known compatibility issues with other software you may be running on your computer.

•Limit the number of programs you install - Many vendors are now releasing packages that incorporate both anti-virus and anti-spyware capabilities together. However, if you decide to choose separate programs, you really only need one anti-virus program and one anti-spyware program. If you install more, you increase your risk for problems.


•Install the software in phases - Install the anti-virus software first and test it for a few days before installing anti-spyware software. If problems develop, you have a better chance at isolating the source and then determining if it is an issue with the software itself or with compatibility.


•Watch for problems - If your computer starts processing requests more slowly, you are seeing error messages when updating your virus definitions, your software does not seem to be recognizing malicious code, or other issues develop that cannot be easily explained, check your anti-virus and anti-spyware software.

My recommendations include "Microsoft Security Essentials" for anti-virus protection and Spybot for malware protection. Both are free, and both work!

The Holiday Flowback Extravaganza!!

But Before We Get Started You Won't Want to Miss..."The Flood" on December 14, 2011: 

Click Here to Read About It on BlueDaze!

♫♥ And Now Let's Begin the Show♫♥♫♥

The Forks/Fulson/West Wing Shale Gas Pad Site in SE Arlington, TX

Welcomes You To The Neighborhood!

December 17, 2011

♫♫It's the "Most" Wonderful Time of the Year...♫♫

 ♫♥♫Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly! Fa la la la la, la la la la!♫♫♥

♫♫Tis the Season to Be Jolly

Fa la la la la,la la la la♫♫♥

♫♫♥Haul Out the Holly...♫♫♫♫♥

♫♫♥Put up the tree 

before my spirit falls again.♫♫

♫Slice up the FRAC Pond♫

♫♫It hasn't snowed a single flurry,

But Santa, dear, we're in a hurry, so...♫♫

Uh. Oh. Sorry.  We Interrupt This Holiday Fracking/Flowback Extravaganza

OK. The fracking flowback flood water from the Fracking/Flowback Process on the F/F/WW Pad Site seems to be flowing down into this Festive Storm Drain.  

Really??

Whatever...

SO climb down the chimney;

Put up the brightest string of lights I've ever seen.

Slice up the fruitcake;

It's time we hung some tinsel on that evergreen bough.

For we need a little music,

Need a little laughter,

Need a little singing

Ringing through the rafter,

And we need a little snappy

"Happy ever after,"

Need a little Christmas now.

~Lyrics from the Broadway musical, Mame, written by Jerry Herman

Click Here to Hear "We Need a Little Christmas" sung by the Brady Bunch. Click Here If You Like More Scary Shows.

Grand Prairie, TX City Council: "We're Adjourned!"

The vote that had been tabled during the November 15, 2011 City Council meeting was back on the agenda last evening. See these blog posts about the non-odorized gas gathering pipelines here, here, here, and here. Oh, and here, too.

When Agenda Item #33 came up, the Speaker Cards were read aloud. Then, one at a time, the 3 speakers speaking in "Opposition" were called to the microphone.  Staff spoke in support.  (There were no visual aides on the screens as in all other presentations that evening.) This was noted by one of the speakers. The Mayor then asked that the Map go up on the screen! No one from Chesapeake or their pipeline-affiliated company, D/FW Midstream, were present.  When the last of the 3 speakers finished, Mayor England then called for a Motion for Approval. 

What followed was weird. But this kind of "weird" is "Just Fine." Councilwoman Jackson announced that there were Boy Scouts in the Council Chamber and she introduced their leader who promptly stood up and  spoke briefly about the Scouts.  Then Mayor England thanked the Boy Scouts and mentioned the Motion, again. "Well, what about that Motion"? A very, very brief silence and then Councilwoman Jackson announced a A Motion for Adjournment! Made. And Seconded. That's all folks. No Citizen Comments, tonight. Go Home!! 

WOW! No non-odorized, gas gathering pipelines  (brought to us by Chesapeake's D/FW Midstream) for Westchester ~ at least this week.

Oh, and it looks as if PG&E is going to pay out lots of money for the devastating San Bruno, California gas pipeline explosion just 1 year ago.  Clearly, an explosion like this could devastate Westchester neighborhoods and any of our surrounding neighborhoods. These non-odorized gas gathering (sales) pipelines have already gone in all over Grand Prairie, Texas. 

Here's a picture of the September 10, 2010 San Bruno, California explosion:

Link to the CNN Story About the Pipeline Rupture

The September 9, 2010, explosion blasted a 72-foot by 26-foot crater and destroyed 38 homes in San Bruno, near San Francisco International Airport. A 28-foot segment of the pipe was found about 100 feet from the crater. Scorched homes and the shells of burned-out cars lined charred streets, where firefighters battled hot spots trying to save the devastated neighborhood.

Over and Out.

"It Looks Fine to Me."

Apparently, the City of Grand Prairie, TX checked with USACE and everything "looks fine" for hooking up the gathering pipeline system to get that shale gas to China or unnamed foreign countries.

Remember the USACE rep who thought everything looked "fine," too back in the summer?  We've just never figured out who that was for sure.

We're very proud to know that South Grand Prairie's Corn Valley site will be providing shale gas to foreign countries.

We still hope and pray that the dam won't be compromised. Because really, that's all we've got at this point. The money is so "fine." The Joe Pool Lake Dam is one fine cash cow for our City and for a church with the ever-changing name, a school system willing to risk the health of the children and a state in need of a new legislature and a new governor. {{sheer frustration}}

So, in light of all of this, here are the Agenda Details for the upcoming Grand Prairie, TX City Council Meeting, Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at the Temporary Location at the GPISD Administration Building at 2602 South Beltline Road in south Grand Prairie beginning at 6:30 PM. Y'all come.

Updated Information (from the Agenda Details, Page 7):

Click the File Number 11-4440 to read the actual details at the above link.

"At the previous City Council meeting, a request for clarification was made to ensure the US Army Corps of Engineers did not intend to include gas pipelines in the request for a moratorium.

The City received information from the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Fort Worth District regarding the impacts associated with this line. Based on the technical information provided, the Corps of Engineers review team determined that the proposed action would have minimal potential for direct impact to Joe Pool Dam and their Dam Safety Officer concurred. As such, USACE has no objection with allowing the installation of the pipeline."

As such???  So, the City Staff called the Corps. Who did they talk to? This certainly doesn't give a lot of "detail" for us to know any of that. Maybe they think we're not "interested." 

Well, hello, City Staff and City Council, we're Very Interested. This just won't do for an explanation in light of the recent Moratorium and in light of what the new United States Army Corps of Engineers Southwest District Policy states about their concerns. Maybe you haven't read it??

Here it is.

Somehow, we find it very hard to believe that USACE would not show up to speak to this issue of pipeline construction near a federal dam.  We hope they will.  Good Lord.  Colonel Muraski even told us it could be catastrophic!!

Multiple Ways to Find a Job (podcast)

Listen as Chris details various ways, some creative, some not to find a job.

Avoiding Holiday Scams

Here is the "Staying Safe This Holiday Season" presentation from the technology training on December 6, 2011.

Holiday scams

View more presentations from William Mann.

Dragging & Dropping in Outlook

Do you know how easy it is to drag and drop email into "Notes", "Tasks", "Calendar" and "Contacts" in Microsoft Outlook? If you do not know, don't panic and simply watch this short training video to see how easy it really is!



Note: You can enlarge the video to full screen by selecting the icon on the bottom right of the video window. This is especially helpful if you are going blind (like me).