Up Lifting Story - The Tail of Two Squirrels

If this story doesn't get you going, I don't know what will. The heavy snow storms we had a few weeks ago wreaked a little damage on the old homestead. The wife and I awoke Friday morning to find our beloved 60 plus year old oak tree lying on its side, almost in the street. Needless to say, we were devastated. I immediately called my favorite arborist to come out and give me an assessment of the situation. Upon his arrival, and his inspection, the news was not good. Seems the larger half of the tree split down to the roots, and severely damaged the root system of both side. The news was bad; the entire tree would have to be removed. That being said, we set up an appointment for the following Monday for his crew to take down the entire tree.

Monday morning rolled around and just like he said, his crew of about 7 men showed up on my front lawn, chainsaws in hand. They used ropes, chainsaws on poles, you name it, and they had it. His wood chipper machine ran non-stop. I believe if a person were to fall into that machine, you would be chopped up into crumbs in just seconds. That machine was unbelievable. I watched for the first few minutes, and then went back into the house.

I had sat down at the computer, starting drinking my coffee checking my email, the usually stuff, and was reading a nice article on the WSJ about how those party crashers at the White House could possibility end up doing some time for that little stunt. When a couple of the workers started knocking on the door, like in hurry or something. I ran out to the garage to meet them and they were waving me over by a large branch of the tree they had been working on. None of them spoke English; but this one guy picked up what looked like a bunch of matted leaves, and grass. He said look, look, "squirrel". I looked into the pile and sure enough, you could see two pink baby squirrels. They were so young, they didn't even have fur on them yet, and their eyes were closed. The baby squirrels couldn't have been more than maybe 2 1/2 inches long each.

I told the guy to wait there while I went to find a box for them. When I came back, we filled bottom of the box with saw dust from the tree cuttings, and put the squirrels and what was left of their nest on top of that. Then we added a little extra saw dust, and off I went to our vet’s office, "Cross Timbers Animal Medical Center". I carried them in inside the box and showed them to Dr Dena Lock (My Favorite DVM). She told me that she was not equipped to take care of "Wild Animals", but she did know some who was. So she called ahead for me and I was on my way. When I arrived at Main St Veterinary Hospital in Flower Mound, the Tech that helped me was very nice. She explained that since it was a wild animal, it would have to be released back into the wild, and it required a certain amount of paperwork. She also went on to explain that Dr. Smith had done this before with other types of animals with success. So I signed the paperwork giving them over to her and thanked her for taking on such an effort.

Well, it’s been a few weeks since all of this happened so I thought I would give the good Doctor a call and see if the little babies survived. She wasn’t in the day I went by, they said she was working out of her house. So I ask if they would call her and give her my information and maybe she could call or email me something to let me know how things went. Low and behold, today in my email box was the most beautiful pictures, and very nicely worded email to me. I was blown away. First of all I was glad they survived, because when I found them, the squirrels basically did not have any fur, and the outside air temperature was something around 25 – 28 degrees. Their nest was pretty much destroyed. And on top of that, no telling where their mother was, or how long she had been gone. I am just glad that everything turned out good. I may have lost a great old tree, but another will grow in its place. The squirrels Aladdin and Jasmine will hopefully be eating live oak nuts for a long time.

A Very Special Double-Double Whammy Shout-Out for
Dr Denise Smith, DVM
Main Street Veterinary Hospital

Below is a copy of the email I received from Dr Smith.  Click on the email image for a larger view.

House Panel Probing Natural Gas Hydrofracking Process (This is a Must Read)

Is it Christmas, or have Democrats suddenly come to their senses?  Ian Talley, of the DOW JONES NEWSWIRE reports the House Energy and Commerce Committee said it had begun an investigation into the potential impacts of a natural gas production process called "hydrofracking" on the environment and human health.  That's the part of the piece that sounds like it is going to be bad for the O & G Industry.

"Hydraulic fracturing could help us unlock vast domestic natural gas reserves once thought unattainable, strengthening America's energy independence and reducing carbon emissions," said Chairman Henry Waxman (D., Calif).

The announcement of the probe comes just days after Steve Heare, Director of the EPA's Drinking Water Protection Division, said that despite claims by "Environmental Organizations of thousands of Cases", he hadn't seen any DOCUMENTED evidence that the hydrofracking process was contaminating water supplies.  He also said state regulators were doing a good job overseeing the process.  In its 2011 budget, the EPA is seeking to spend $4 million to study the environmental impacts of the process.

I don't know whether to hug them or kiss them.  Again, for the second time in 2 days we have to give credit, and shout outs to Chairman Waxman, Chairman Ed Markey (D., Mass) and an unbelievable double shout out to Mr. Steve Heare, of the EPA for having the courage to actually insist on evidence.

To read the entire Dow Jones Wireservice article click on the link at the end.  Dow Jones On Line

Senators Warn Over Co2 Regulation

I thought I would never utter these words since Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid took control of both houses of congress a few years back. 

But in light of that, cheers, and gratitude need to be rewarded even when it comes from Democrats.  So, I would like to extend my thanks and thumbs up to 8 Democratic Senators who have apparently come to their senses and opened their eyes, and stopped drinking the White House Kool-Aid.  The lawmakers, including Senators Max Baucus, (D., Mont), Carl Levin, (D., Mich), and John Rockefeller, (D., W.V.), warned EPA chief Lisa Jackson in a letter that "ill-timed or imprudent regulation of (greenhouse gases) may squander critical opportunities for our nation, impeding the investment necessary to create jobs".

This certainly appears to be an opportunity for some bi-partisan support against the EPA trying to regulate an un-regulate able gas of nature that is part of everyday life.  It also may be the the start of the down fall of "Cap and Trade", of which we can only pray will never make it to law.

The WSJ on February 22, 2010 article by Ian Talley is worth reading.  Please click on the WSJ Link to read the article.WSJ Article on Co2

Who is really causing harm here?

Anti-drilling petitioners are breaking local laws as well as Texas Ethic Commission rules regarding political action committees as they gear up to help their anti-drilling candidates and impose their will on the rest of the community. The problem is, they are misleading petition signers and others with false information and probably ought to consider how the community will hold them accountable later when the truth emerges. Misrepresentation of proposals and initiatives, and attacking and putting at risk other neighborhoods in Flower Mound has legal, social and environmental consequences. Since the media caters to the loud, angry, and persistent types, there is little interest in learning about boring facts. Therefore, everyone loses except the candidates and special interests encouraging these groups and individuals. But each participant in these anti-drilling endeavors makes a personal decision whether to let their emotions guide their judgment, to become addicted to media attention, to fail to question claims, to fail to do their own research, to restrict information to one viewpoint, or to willingly pass along false information to their fellow citizens. These are self-serving groups and individuals. Why else would they want the council to make illegal decisions, and want to revote, recount or recall until they get the outcome they want? Why would they actually create false information to incite emotional reactions? Equally important, so many of their claims have been disproved over and over. These groups, their leaders, and their candidates will forever be remembered for creating the most destructive, costly, and unnecessary division in Town history. But they do not care.

Moderation of Comments (PLEASE READ UPDATED 2/25/2010)

From the Editors Desk: February 25, 2010

1. I want to apologize to all of the fine folks in the Wellington Housing Divisions to whom my remarks have offended you.

2. I want to personally apologize to Ladd Biro for my way over the top and hurtful rants, and the way I responded to his email to me, and that I had him mixed him up with someone else that triggered the response. But in the end I am responsible, and while I do not want to go into specific detail of what brought this about, I would just like to extend a hand and an apology to Mr. Biro for my Rant. .

3. There has been a lot of back and forth name calling, innuendo, wild rumors, and whole gamete. The unfortunate part of all of this is no one is listening on either side. What we should do is to listen to what each sides concerns are, and try and come together and reach a point in the middle that everyone could live with.

4. I am making a pledge to all of my fellow Flower Mound Readers of the “Shiloh Area Drilling Blogspot” “NOT” to engage in any more of this rude and insightful name calling. I am pledging “NOT” to engage in what could be perceived as hostile, mean-spirited, or demeaning the other persons, or readers.

5. I am asking/pleading to all Flower Mound Residents, and those outside our Town, to bring the tone of the debate down to a civil discussion. After all, we are adults, and everyone who wants to post comments, or leave messages should have the right to do so. Not only are we adults, but I think you will find in a lot of the people across the line, are hard-working, conservative, liberal, and environmental people who are passionate about what they believe in. Who knows, you might even find a new friend?

                                           (UPDATED Febuary 22, 1020)

While being a forum for issues concerning drilling and the Barnett Shale, it is my policy not to publish "Communist Manifesto" from people in the Wellington area who seems to think this is a socialist state and that they are entitle to the wealth of others by way of the state.  I hate communist, I hate socialist, and I really hate lying environmental "Wackos" who by all accounts have lost their minds.

I would like to apologize to the majority of Wellington residents.  My remarks were not directed at the residence of Wellington, but the people who are associated with the "Stop the Drilling" groups.  I would like to say that it would be more appropriate for me to say that I hate "Communism", "Socialism", and key word "lying" environmental radicals and groups.

The US fought Communism for more than 50 years and I for one don't believe that being "anti-communist" is a bad thing.  Just like I hate the  "Nazi's", and the Klan, I don't that being against those organizations is a bad position to take as well.

Colorado After Nine Months of New Oil & Gas Regulations

It seems our friends to the north west in Colorado are experiencing a massive slowdown in the number of new oil & gas permits since the new O & G rules went into effect in April of 2009.  According to Ms Dunn's reporting, new oil & gas permits are down -36% statewide.

Sharon Dunn writing for The Tribune outlines the effects of the regulations in her January 24, 2010 piece "With soured market and tighter regulations, those in the oil and gas industry are scared".   Her article lays out step by step the effects on the oil and gas industry by not only market price, put the new regulations put in place on April 2009.  Operators said the new rules would make the permitting process an increasingly complicated system and would cause them to cut back drilling and fire employees, which in turn reduce tax revenues locally, county wide, and to the state.

You can bet the radical activist groups like OGAP, Earthworks, and EDF, were behind the rule changes.  While the groups pretend to be for drilling "done right", that is just a cover for them to work behind the scenes toward their end goal of an all out ban on domestic energy production.

Ms Dunn's article is worth reading, and offers a glimpse into what might happen in Texas if these onerous regulations were put upon Texas operators.   

The Tribune Article

TCEQ Air Quality Test Conclude No Target Compounds Found

On Tuesday February 9, 2010 I received an email from the Air Quality Section Manager of the TECQ that contained the test results from two (2) summa canister test conducted on January 21, 2010.  The tests were performed at two (2) different location in Flower Mound.  The first was labeled ACL Number 100127 that represented the sample taken from a site downwind of the Bunn Compressor Unit A1H.  The second location was labeled ACL Number 100129 representing a site on Skillern Rd, downwind of the Sam Wilson Compressor site.  Both samples showed benzene levels well below what is considered to be normal back ground levels in the DFW area of 0.20.  The Bunn Unit reading was 0.17, and the Sam Wilson site reading was 0.16.  Both of these levels are considered to be safe by all government agencies including the TCEQ. The  measured  reading standard for this test were 180ppb ESL.  According to both summaries of the test, "No target compounds were detected at or above the Appropriate Comparison Value.  Therefore, the TCEQ's Toxicology Division expects no adverse health effects or odors and will not review the data further".  Click on the links to read local reports and to see the TECQ reports.Star Local New, Flower Mound Leader TCEQ Article.   When you click on the Town of Flower Mound link, you will see the TCEQ info, then just click on study 100127, and study 100129.      Town of Flower Mound Website