Unknown Soldiers

The New York Times reminds us that the largest military cemetary in Europe is for battle most people have never heard of and for a war that most people don't think of very often.

"The Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, 26 miles northwest of Verdun. As exquisite as any French park or chateau grounds, the cemetery is a formal garden of perfectly clipped trees, immaculate lawns, fountains and roses and long white rows of grave markers. Given its beauty, it's also strange how empty the place is — and stranger still since this is the largest American military cemetery in Europe, the burial site of 14,246 United States service members who died in the war to end all wars."

These World War I cemeteries are rarely visited now. Most of the people who knew and loved the soldiers who rest here have passed into history themselves. It seems more than a little sad that those who gave the last full measure of devotion for our nation are largely forgotten.

Not forgotten by everyone -- the American Battle Monuments Commission continues to act as guardian of America’s overseas commemorative cemeteries and memorials. They honor the service, achievements and sacrifice of United States Armed Forces around the world.

My great uncle, Oscar Cheyne, was one of those doughboys who slogged through Meuse-Argonne campaign. Unlike the soldiers under those headstones, he made it back home, although with a mustard gas injury that lingered for the last 30 years of his life.

Bud Kennedy -- Nature Lover

Bud Kennedy, who I believed never met a park that he actually liked, had a nice little valentine to urban gas drilling disguised as a love letter to Tandy Hills Park.

He calls Tandy Hills "our most endangered park. But not because of planned gas wells nearby. The wells will bring inevitable development to adjacent private land around the TV station on Broadcast Hill. But gas wells will also raise public park money to help improve Tandy Hills."

Bud, stretch your memory waaaay back to August when Chesapeake Energy was trying to play Rat Patrol with its seismic testing trucks through the park before community activists got the city to put the kibosh on that.

Then, stretch your memory even farther back, all the way to the year 1989. That's when a master plan for the park was completed. It's not unlike the one that this gas money bought. Except the 1989 one was paid for with taxpayer money.

Bud, we don't need gas money to save this park. If anything, the people in Fort Worth who actually go to parks need to save Tandy Hills from the gas drillers.

Oh, and by the way, MU-2 is still not an industrial designation. Haven't seen that correction yet.

Barnett Shale Update

I've got say I feel a measure of satisfaction from some of things I've read in the Startlegram over the past few days -- not because they are doing such a damn good job, but they finally seem to be listening to the community's concern about urban gas drilling in the Barnett Shale.

A few examples:

City residents voice drilling concerns: This made the front page on Saturday, or at least the teaser did. I thought Mike Lee did a good job with this story, even if parts of this was old news to my regular readers.

Mayor says oil and gas income is not a conflict: Another buckeye for Mike Lee for this one. This was the sidebar to the story above. Here's the meat: After reviewing the latest financial disclosure forms for all nine City Council members, the S-T learned that Mayor Mikey is the only one with significant income from oil and gas. The mayor earned at least $620,000 in royalties or other income from 54 oil and gas entities, including two family trusts, according to the disclosure form. Wowza. But it gets better. "The form shows he earned more than $25,000 from 20 companies, including Chesapeake Energy, one of the biggest drilling operators in Fort Worth." How is that not a conflict of interest?

What do Fort Worth and Wise County have in common? One of my new blog buds, TXSharon, tells us.

Railroad Commission taken to task over well inspections: Again, Mike Lee. Seems that state inspectors who check oil and gas wells for safety and environmental problems work under little supervision and need specific rules about accepting gifts from well operators, according to a state audit. Forty-six percent of the 169,000 oil and gas leases in Texas have not been inspected for five years, reducing the agency's chances of preventing environmental problems. Also, it appears there IS such thing as a free lunch. That is assuming you are a state gas well inspector. UPDATE, 10.4.07: Mayor Mikey sends a letter to the Railroad Commission saying, in effect, get your shit together.

Woman warns city of suit over drilling: Melissa Kohout and her lawyer threatening to sue the city if Fort Worth allows gas drilling in the Trinity Trees site. And her dog, Barbie, will tinkle on the Mayor's yard. OK, I made that last part up. Again with the Mike Lee. But seriously, I would hope that we are not at the stage of waving lawyers at each other. Why won't Chesapeake and Union Pacific sit down and talk with Wendy Davis like they promised? Chesapeake Chairman Aubrey McClendon was supposed to meet with Davis weeks ago, but apparently that meeting never happened, even though he was in Fort Worth and had time to chat with the Startlegram.

New Startlegram Barnett Shale blog: Guess I am going to have to go back to linking to YouTube videos of cats riding bicycles and compiling lists of my favorite breakfast cereals. You can get all you Barnett Shale blog needs met right here.

So I guess the Star-Telegram is putting me out of business. I'm not writing about the Barnett Shale anymore.

The End.

















Just kidding.

Here's why I'm not done yet -- Star-Telegram signs gas lease: I missed this back in May, but the Startlegram signed a gas lease with Chesapeake Energy. "Publisher Wes Turner said the newspaper signed a lease on nearly 40 acres just south of Interstate 20 at Hemphill Street, site of its printing and distribution center. Turner declined to disclose the terms but said the company got 'an outstanding deal.' The company owns a number of other sites around Tarrant County, including its offices downtown and in Arlington. None are leased, but 'we will lease the mineral rights under all' those locations as the opportunity arises, Turner said. " How much is that worth? Who knows, but if you assume a signing bonus of $10,000/acre -- not an unrealistic amount -- that's $400,000.

How is this not a conflict of interest? While I've been very impressed with Mike Lee's reporting this week, I am a little bit skeptical of the S-T editorial board's stance, especially when I read editorials supporting Chesapeake Energy over the people of Fort Worth. Unfortunately, I think this business arrangement is a bad idea. Even if nothing inappropriate is going on, you don't have to stretch your imagination very far to detect the appearance of impropriety. Unfortunately, the people of Fort Worth are the real losers here.

I'm encouraged, Fort Worth. You aren't just buying the company line from gas drillers. You are asking appropriate questions about what is happening in your community. So keep speaking up and getting involved. Your work makes a difference for the better.

Last Roundup for the Wreck

The weekend is the last huzzah for The Wreck Room before it is, indeed, wrecked to make way for -- must ... resist ... urge ... to ... rant! -- to make way for something different. I'm going to head out there to-nite because I want to see Goodwin and also because I want to support my all-time favorite barrista in Fort Worth, Adrian Hulet (above) of Osocloso, also on the bill. The rest of this weekend's bill:

Friday, September 28 - Goodwin / Osocloso / Buttercup

Saturday, September 29 - The Me-Thinks / Leroy the Prophet / Blood of the Sun

Sunday, September 30 - The Gideons / Cadillac Fraf / Top Secret…Shhh

Hope to see you there.

Dear Wall of Sound Festival

I owe you an apology. I kinda suck. And I'm not alone.

Believe it or not, this isn't my job. I do this because it's fun. But I do actually have a pay-the-bills job, and that's what I was doing on Saturday instead of rocking my ass off at LaGrave Field. I figured you'd understand.

But when I go online to find some post-mortem, what do I find? Not freaking much. Most of the coverage came from ... ack ... The Dallas-freaking-News. On moral grounds, I refuse to point readers in that direction. Instead I point you to Hansford and Sammy at Big D little d. And of course, my main man Mike Orren and Pegasus News were on the spot, too.

You can't sling a cat without hitting a music blogger, but can most of them get off their ass and get out to the biggest music thing in Fort Worth all year? Apparently not. And that's just wrong.

So, Wall of Sound, forgive my suckitude. And give me one more chance. Come back next year. It'll be different. Oh, yeah, and as promised, here's my picture of a kitten. Friends?

Chesapeake Energy: Doing Fort Worth

If this is Chesapeake's idea of being good to the environment, I'd hate to see what they do if they ever got in touch with their dark side.

Tuesday's Startlegram reported that Chesapeake Energy got a permit from the state Railroad Commission to operate an injection well near East First Street and Oakland Boulevard.

What's an injection well?

Natural gas drilling in the Barnett Shale results in millions of gallons of production water, which contains salt, crude oil and other waste, sometimes including cancer-causing chemicals such as benzene. The gas industry prefers to dispose of production water by pumping it into the injection wells, also known as saltwater wells. The wells are more economical than recycling the water; they also avoid the problem of trucking the waste for disposal.

So rather than trucking this waste out of the city, they are just going to shoot it into the earth underneath our city. So just days after telling us about how much they love Fort Worth and love the environment, Fort Worth finds out about this injection well, which could potentially contaminate groundwater.

City officials have imposed a moratorium on new injection wells. The Fort Worth City Council is tentatively scheduled to discuss the moratorium in mid-October.

District 9 Dirty Campaigning

Tuesday's Star-Telegram revealed that the candidate behind the District 9 City Council race phone poll was ... Joel Burns.

Burns, a city zoning commissioner, acknowledged that his campaign conducted the poll but said it was not a push poll because it targeted only 360 voters. He said he approved all the wording in the survey.

"It was a poll to test a wide variety of things and potential perceptions," he told the S-T. "It was testing positives and negatives."

All five of Burns' opponents -- Jim Beckman, Mark Pederson, Juan Rangel Jr., Bernie Scheffler and Chris Turner -- criticized the campaign tactic. Some said the survey straddles the line between a legitimate poll and a "push poll" -- a survey that loads questions with potentially negative information about a candidate.

"It seems to me that, so far, Joel has run a pretty slick campaign but hasn't said much about where he stands on the issues," Scheffler said. "It seems unfortunate that he is more interested in painting candidates in a one-dimensional way."

I agree. Joel, let's make this campaign about issues, not labels.

UPDATE, 10.01.07: Joel seems to have too much money on his hands. If you visit www.berniescheffler.com, you'll find that you get pointed to Joel's Web site. Is that really necessary? I'm extremely disappointed in Joel's campaign for moves like this. Unfortunately, that seems to be the tone of his campaign. And there's a whole other month to go. Wee.

Bye-Bye, Rich Connor

The Fort Worth Business Press ... sold! I guess that explains Rich Connor's column last week. I was hoping it was a change in editorial position on urban gas drilling in Fort Worth. Instead, it was just a change in editors.

Gas Drilling Downtown?

It looks like downtown gas drilling might actually be happening. A public notices in the August 22 Star-Telegram announced a drilling permit applied for Chesapeake Operating, Inc. / T&P 1H at the end of Lamar on East Lancaster Avenue. Kevin at Fort Worthology has a lot more on the site.

Ah, yes. Chesapeake Energy. Doing Fort Worth a world of good. When I read about this well, this is the first thing I thought about:


This is a picture from the explosion at a gas-related facility in Dallas in July. Even though this facility wasn't a drilling facility, it shows how devastating a flammable-materials explosion can be in an urban area. If there was an accident like the explosion at the gas drilling site in Hood County, imagine the devastation. It's within a 100 yards of I30, and few hundred yards of the Post Office and the T&P Building -- two of Cowtown's architectural treasures. I'm sure that just what those loft dwellers want -- explosion debris floating in their lattes.

City To Revisit Gas Drilling Ordinance?

When the Fort Worth City Council met on Sept. 11, Mayor Moncrief was very clear -- there is nothing wrong with Fort Worth's gas drilling ordinance. In fact, he said it is the model for ordinances used by many of the surrounding cities.

I took that to mean case closed. In spite of the concerns of over 1,200 people who signed petitions to support the Trinity Trees and the over 400 people who turned out for a public forum on the issue, the City seemed to have a clear message -- get lost.

But, as Lee Corso might say, not so fast, my friend.

In an e-mail sent out last week to dozens of Trinity Trees supporters, Wendy Davis indicated that far from being a done deal, the city's gas ordinance might be going back to the drawing board.

Last week, the City Council committed to hold a workshop for purposes of sending the ordinance back to the Gas Drilling Advisory Committee for further review as a direct result of the outcry over the Trinity Trees issue. Davis said in the e-mail that she expected the workshop to be held within the next few weeks.

In the e-mail, Davis attached a memo from City Planning and Development Department Director Fernando Costa, dated Sept. 13, that outlines some possible points for review, including:

Requiring review and comment by the City’s Parks and Community Services Advisory Board for any gas wells to be sited within a certain distance of designated City parks

Applying the same setback requirements to the Trinity River and its tributaries as to designated City parks

Requiring the installation of more effective landscaped buffers around gas well sites

Repealing current provisions whereby property owners may waive certain setback requirements, thereby requiring all such waivers to be approved by the City Council

Requiring special use permits to be approved by the City Council upon recommendations from the Zoning Commission for wells within or near residential zoning districts.

In addition, Davis is recommending that a few other points be added as part of the review, including:

Charging impact fees to the gas companies for the wear and tear to our streets from their trucks

Requirements to complete a truck route plan with the city for the ingress and egress to the well sites

Requirements to work with the city on the placement of the gas pipelines

Requirements to work with the city regarding the placement of the compression stations.

Taken at face value, this all looks encouraging. But I wonder why the sudden about-face on this issue? Is this just an attempt for the city to smooth over ruffled feathers? Or is it an attempt to fix some legitimate problems with the gas drilling ordinance? I don't know. I'd like to think that public outcry is forcing the city to act. But let's see how this plays out. In the meantime, I would encourage you to contact your city councilperson and let them know that you support revisiting the gas ordinance.

Can the Trinity Trees be saved? If you continue to speak out and get involved, maybe they can.

Monday Morning Whimsy

For your consideration and to give you three more minutes to not be productive, I give you the new Wes Anderson AT&T commercials:







Anderson's new comedic road drama, "The Darjeeling Limited," lands in theaters Oct. 5.

Podcast: Roundtable Discussion

The Fort Worth Blog Cabal was at my house last night for the latest installment of the Cowtown Chronicles, Panther City Bikes, Vote Bernie, Fort Worthology podcast. Thanks to all who attended for being such gracious guests. Bucky approves of all of you.

 

Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Why I Don’t Believe You, Chesapeake

I woke up to a Green Living section my Sunday Star-Telegram, including a full-page ad from Chesapeake Energy. “Go Green by Turning Blue. We All Win,” the ad reads. “Chesapeake understands the need to make the drilling process equally friendly. That’s why we all go above and beyond to treat essential green space and groundwater resources with the utmost of care. The environment wins. Texas wins. Our children win. Together, we all win.”

I’m not sure what turned my stomach more -- the cynicism of placing the ad in this section, or thought that Chesapeake might actually believe their own spin.

Chesapeake, you say you’re doing Fort Worth a world of good. You point to the revenues that the city and private citizens will receive as a result of your work. You point to your $100,000 donation to Eagle Mountain Lake Park. You point to the importance of producing a clean-burning energy source that is acquired right here at home and not in the Middle East. And I grant you all some of these points [tip of the Stetson to Texas Sharon].

You see, as much as you’d might like to believe it, I’m not some extremist who is never going to agree with anything you do. Not at all. I like to think of myself as a realist.

But I am interested in deeds, not words. Just because you say you’re doing Fort Worth a world of good on big ads in the newspaper, on billboards all around town and on lots of television commercials doesn’t make it true. But as Stephen Colbert would say, it’s got the ring of truthiness.

And I guess that’s what you are counting on – the appearance of truth. Tell people you are good for Fort Worth enough times, and eventually they’ll believe it. I know that's your hope.

But Cheseapeake, I don’t believe you. Here’s why:

Green space: Carter Burdette told a story at the Trinity Trees public forum. It went something like this: I have some trees in my yard. They’ve been there for years. They offer shade to my house. They offer shade to my neighbors. But one day, I decided I want to cut those trees down, and my neighbor says I can’t because he enjoys those trees, too. Is that right? Should my neighbor have a right to tell me what to do with my property?

That is the heart of the private property defense in the case of the Trinity Trees. Funny thing is this -- I’ve heard your VP Tom Price tell a version of that story. I’ve also heard Mayor Moncrief tell a version of that story. I’ve also heard Bud Kennedy at the Star-Telegram tell a version of that story. One thing I learned in my years working in journalism was this: you can tell which people are talking to each other because the same words, phrases and stories keep popping up. It makes me wonder. Is it coincidence? IJS.

Be that as it may, I’ve got a story, too. It goes like this. I bought a house once. There were lots of trees on the lot where this house stood, but they hadn’t been cared for in many years. I called an arborist who came out and looked at the trees and said, “You need to take down three of your trees. They are old. There’s nothing that can be done.” My wife and I talked about it, and we decided this: if we move into this house and the first thing we do is cut down those trees, our neighbors will hate us. And rightfully so, So we talked to another arborist, and we saved those trees. Was it easy to do? No. I could easily have cut down those trees. But saving those trees was the right thing to do.

If you are serious about green space, the Trinity Trees are your litmus test. Do the right thing. Find a way to save those trees.

Ground water: I know the chances of you using the Eighth Avenue drill site have gotten quite a bit less likely, but I want to talk about that site and ground water. I was talking to a business owner not far from that site one day and he was complaining about water damage that he had experienced on the floors of his shop. At first, he turned to the city, thinking the culprit was a broken water main. As it turned out it wasn’t. The source of the water was a long-forgotten Artesian Well that used to be a source of water for area residents.

Barnett Shale wells require fracturing of the limestone formation to release the oil and gas trapped within. Water, sand, and hazardous chemicals are injected under high pressure down the drilling hole to fracture the limestone. What are those chemicals? Some are known and include potentially toxic substances such as diesel fuel, which contains benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, xylene, naphthalene and other chemicals; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; methanol; formaldehyde; ethylene glycol; glycol ethers; hydrochloric acid; and sodium hydroxide. Some others remain unknown because they are considered “proprietary company information.”

Is fracing safe? It’s hard to read this article and say yes. One Colorado resident says that a 2001 fracing accident less than 100 yards from her home, blew up her water well "like a geyser at Yellowstone." For a time, the company paid for drinking water for her family, then assured her that the well water was fine. Later she became ill and was diagnosed with a rare adrenal gland tumor, which is linked to 2BE, a benzene derivative, and a chemical used by the drilling company for fracing.

Can you tell me that using processes like this one are safe for ground water all over Tarrant County and the Barnett Shale? Will you swear that it is in a full-page ad?

Together We All Win: I believe in win-win for everyone in the Barnett Shale, but in the way you conduct business in the Barnett Shale, I’m not seeing that you feel the same way. Like how one of your executives, Tom Price, tries to tell us that natural gas is good for the environment but, oh, by the way, global warming doesn’t exist. No global warming, eh? Then I wonder why the sea ice in the Arctic shrank 1 million square miles more this summer than the average melt over 25 years, an area larger than Alaska and Texas combined, according to NASA satellite data released Thursday.

Why is global warming important? In this debate, it tells me what is in your hearts. What I hear is environmental concerns are overblown. And it makes me wonder why you have tried to do seismic testing in Tandy Hills Park? And I wonder why you seek high-impact variances to bring your drilling closer to our homes and schools? Because I believe in your hearts you don't really believe protecting the environment is important.

When I put these things, I don’t think Fort Worth is dealing with a company seeking a win-win situation. I think I’m dealing with a company that will say anything to close a deal.

In spite of all of the ads you buy and the things you say, I don’t believe you Chesapeake. If you want to earn my trust, give me deeds, not words.

Coal: Cheap. Abundant. Cheap. Clean.

Dear Mr. David Bonderman:

Congratulations on the Forbes list thing. Cowtown represent! Since you're going to like own TXU and stuff. I'd like to suggest a new ad campaign. I think Rick Perry would love it. My friend, Pete from Cowtown Chronicles sent this to me. Just a thought.

District 9 Nastiness

When you have six candidates running for something, things are bound to get a little ugly. When sheer ambition collides with the better angels of our nature, the desire to win sometimes comes out on top. We're seeing a little of that in the District 9 City Council race.

One of the things I've always liked best about the candidate I support, Bernie Scheffler, is his positive attitude and contagious optimism. That's part of why I believe this city needs him. In May, when Wendy Davis congratulated him on a race well run, she thanked him for running a positive campaign. That's the Bernie that I know and respect.

However, there has been a whisper campaign from another District 9 candidate trying to paint Bernie as a dilettante, a dabbler, someone who is running this race as a lark. When I spoke to Bernie, he shrugged it off. He's not concerned about it. He knows he's serious, and he believes the voters will, too.

Although I was able to find the source of the rumor, I really don't believe it's important to name the culprit. Although the person in question may see this as hardball politics, I think it is just grade school. Stop the whisper campaign now. I assure you that Bernie is quite serious. He's in it to win it, and I believe he will win.

Unfortunately, this isn't the only incident so far in this young campaign. There is a phone poll being run by a candidate in the race which attempts to prejudice voters against Joel Burns and Chris Turner. Although I don't support either of these candidates, I believe Mr. Burns and Mr. Turner deserve better than this. I deplore this attempt to make the campaign about something other than issues of substance.

I encourage all the candidates in the District 9 race to follow Bernie Scheffler's lead -- run a positive campaign based on the issues. The people of Fort Worth deserve this. Too much is at stake.

Is It the End for the Ridglea Theater?

I hope not, but it ain't looking good for the current ownership.

No Wall of Sound for Me

I'm not going to the Wall of Sound Festival. Wah. Work life intrudes, but you could be the winner. You going? E-mail me your reviews and I'll smash them together into the semblance of a review. Your deadline is 7 p.m. Sunday. If I get nothing, I'm running a photo of a kitten.

Help save Fort Worth from a photo of a kitten. Gimme sumthin.

Neighborhoods at Crossroads

If you read the Startlegram this morning, you saw that representatives of the Berkeley Place and Ryan Place neighborhoods say they have come to terms with XTO Energy on a mineral-rights lease.

These neighborhood associations believe the terms incorporate residents' safety and quality-of-life concerns and could become a model for other neighborhoods in the area.

Writes Jim Fuquay: "Principal among the Ryan Place and Berkeley concerns was the drill site. Fort Worth Energy plans to use a site east of Jennings Avenue and north of Page Avenue, in an industrial area, to reach those neighborhoods. The lease specifically excludes the use of a site between Eighth and Stanley avenues, land held by Four Sevens Resources, which leases in the area for Chesapeake."

Also, Bill Conley, the head of the Ryan Place leasing committee, told the S-T that the Ryan Place/Berkeley lease specifies which drill sites may and may not be used, and guarantees that drilling activities must be at least 600 feet from neighborhood properties, a figure that would rise if the city of Fort Worth increases its 600-foot separation rule.

However, what the S-T didn't mention is that according to local attorney Liane Janovsky, the proposed drill site is 4 blocks from Daggett Montessori Elementary, and 6 blocks from Daggett Elementary. Below is part of a letter she wrote to her neighbors:

Needless to say, I’m very disappointed with the outcome, and particularly disappointed that the RPIA Gas Taskforce (of which I was a member) was not briefed or informed about the plan before it was presented and endorsed.

The lease is modeled after the Tanglewood N’hood Assoc lease. Variations with different drill sites are being proposed throughout the 10 Southside neighborhood associations. Berkeley has already proposed a similar lease (drilling at a “secret site” north of I-30, but not on 8th Avenue), and the other Southside neighborhoods will roll out their proposals in the days ahead under the auspices of the “Joint Neighborhood Committee.”

I bring this to you attention so you can be aware that the gauntlet is now down for people to demand (and get) $10,000 / acre signing bonuses. Judging by the standing ovation the RPIA plan got last night, some people are clearly more thrilled with the cash than they are concerned about the risk to the children in nearby schools, high traffic, pipelines, water abuse and safety.

We are at a crossroads. Unless we devote time and money to publicize information about the adverse effects of these lease proposals, then most residents will probably sign the Southside leases with XTO / Fort Worth Energy.

Please contact me if you are interested in helping distribute information to Southside residents about the adverse consequences of signing these leases.

You may contact Ms. Janovsky at:
314 Main Street, Suite 300
Fort Worth, Texas 76102
Phone: 817-332-6800
Fax: 817-332-6810
Email: liane.janovsky@janovskylaw.com

My own take: don't sign. But you knew that already.

Reflections on The Best of Funkytown

Lost in the hoopla over, well, me, is the fact that there was some noteworthy stuff in FWWeekly "Best of Funkytown" issue. Just random thoughts here.

Editor Gayle Reeves has her eye on the ball. Sayeth Gayle in her introduction: "Why, there are actually some residents in this city so funky that they’ve decided they value safety, quality of life, and neighborhood preservation over gas drilling royalties. Now that is fun-keeee." Imagine ... a journalist on the citizens' side. Imagine.

Best Bike Shop, Readers Choice: Panther City Bikes! Holla Bernie, Jason and Brian!

Best Old Guy: This tickled me. Readers Choice: Carter Burdette, who is an old fossil whose politics seem to reside somewhere to the right of Albert Speer. Bad call. The critics were much more on target: Jay Milner -- local journalist and "arthur" and friend of Willie Nelson, Jerry Jeff Walker, Bud Shrake, Dan Jenkins, Gary Cartwright and Larry L. King. If you haven't read his memoir, Confessions of a Mad Dog, pick it up like yesterday.

Best Local Web Forum: Fort Worth Architecture. There's none better. John Roberts, take a well-deserved bow.

Best Print Journalist: My man-crush on Mitch Schnurman was denied. A crime I tell ya.

Best Green Space: Tandy Hills Park. Agreed, but I would have liked at least an honorable mention for the Trinity Trees.

Best Breakfast: Kudos to the critics for taking Paris Coffee Shop over Old South. There really is no contest. IJS.

On the Street Where We Eat: Thanks for shouting out to Magnolia Avenue -- Lili's, Benito's, Paris and Spiral Diner are all in my favorites.

Best Steak: Where is the love for M&M?

Best Bar: Tiff & Andi's? Where is the love for T&A? Heh.

Best Exotic Dancer: Evidently there is four-foot tall stripper in the Fort. I really don't know how to process that information.

Thing Tarrant County Needs: Public debate. Can I get an amen? "Cowtowners need to ditch the backroom Fort Worth Way and embrace vigorous debate in the public arena." True dat. Here we are at a crossroads in our city -- Trinity River Vision, Barnett Shale, Fastest Growing City in the Nation -- and where is the public discourse? NOWHERE! Mayor Mikey sure as hell doesn't want it and the Startlegram is boring our asses off with Top 10 Lists which seem more like Ways to Sell Target Merchandise. We deserve better. We'll get it when we demand accountability. "Many neighborhood leaders are now rallying around [The FWWeekly], working more closely with us on big-city issues." As much as the Mayor, the Council, the Startlegram and Chesapeake Energy may try to stonewall the citizens of this community, it seems clear to more than just me than backlash is building. Not a moment too soon.

Thank You, Fort Worth

Well, the Fort Worth Weekly Best of 2007 is out and the readers and the critics have selected yours truly as the best blogger in the Fort. Thank you. I'm not the best of Fort Worth, but I can think of a few people who are:

Bernie Scheffler: Please make Bernie the new District 9 City Council member. The city needs him, like, real bad. He's got two great blogs: VoteBernie! and Panther City Bikes.

Pete Wann: Great guy. And I love his blog -- Cowtown Chronicles.

Kevin Buchanan: Kevin's blog, Fort Worthology, is a must-read for Fort Worth architecture lovers. And he's a great guy.

Ken Shimamoto: Also known by his nom de blog the Stash Dauber. I aspire to be him when I grow up. You must read his blog several times a day. He makes me think and laugh. And I think we own a lot of the same records.

Jim Marshall and Rick Collins: If you love Fort Worth, help these two guys save The Trinity Trees. Don't let Chesapeake Energy mow down a fantastic part of this city for a few bucks.

Don and Debora Young: Again, if you love Fort Worth, drop by FWCando.org. Get a sign and get involved. Don't let gas drilling ruin the best parts of Fort Worth.

Randy Bacon: I think this guy is the stuff. If you have some money burning a hole in your pocket, buy one of his paintings. Don't know him? Then read this.

Mike Blackman and Mike Cochran: I like to tell stories, but these two guys are actually really good at it. They've forgotten better stories than the best stories I know.

Thanks to my lovely wife and my amazing daughter. Thanks to my friends. Thanks to Paul. Keep reading. Support your local bloggers.