S-T Shale coverage wins FWWeekly Turkey Award

The annual Fort Worth Weekly Turkey Awards are out, and the Barnett Shale was the big thread that ran through several of the awards.

First, the basis for the awards, according to FWWeekly: "How to recognize Turkeys when they are picking your pocket, stealing your future, and generally leaving their droppings all over the civic landscape."

Some of this year's award winners:

David Williams (we guess this is the former sheriff) Memorial Big Bird: Urban gas drilling. The FWWeekly takes us through a fictional dialogue between homeowners Ethyl and Tex, in which they announce their signing bonus paid for a radio and porch swing, and their monthly royalty checks "ought to buy a new spittoon and...armadillo-shaped wind chime." Then, to their surprise, a "40-foot tall mutant mosquito carrying a giant straw descends from the sky and heads directly for Tex and Ethyl. Behind it are more swarms just like it." Tex: "My gawd! This ain't want we bargained for!" Ethyl: "Call the Texas Railroad Commission! The environmental commission! The Fort Worth City Council!" Laugh track, laugh track, laugh track.

Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief, for his handling of a citizens committee formed to make recommendations to the city on what to do with the big money it's making off the Barnett Shale.

Fort Worth City Councilman Danny Scarth, for serving on the committee that wrote the city's gas drilling ordinance and also accepting campaign contributions from gas interests in his first campaign. FWWeekly also took issue with Scarth's late payment of property taxes.

Star-Telegram and gas drilling. "The city's daily newspaper has celebrated gas drilling from the outset of the Barnett Shale phenomenon," FWWeekly says, citing "nauseating" and "gushing" editorials, and Bud Kennedy's column on the Trinity Trees dispute. The FWWeekly also suggests the S-T's news coverage might be colored by "how much Barnett Shale money is making its way to the Star-T's bank account, either through advertisements or from drilling royalties from its properties." FWWeekly says the S-T has acted as an "uncritical apologist" for the gas industry. "Recently, however," FWWeekly says, "the newspaper has begun offering a little more balance in its coverage and on its blog site devoted to the Barnett. So, in the spirit of the day, we give thanks for small wonders."

Leonard Briscoe Sr. and "Questionable Deals" through his Glencrest Resources.

Mayor Moncrief II. The mayor has substantial energy investments, and his most recently reported earnings included income from Chesapeake Energy. He says he doesn't view his investments as a conflict of interest. The FWWeekly says it is a conflict.

-- Scott

(Photo: S-T of a turkey)

Comments

[misty]

b. Humphries is actually Rossie O'Donnell

[Texas Ex]

Well obviously again you don't know a damn thing you are talking about. Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat so go ahead stupid and keep going down the path you have always gone.

Senile old man, well if you want to run a race, play golf. poker, name your sport mouth then name the place and time and we will meet and compete. Bring all your retirement money beacause I want to compete against you and take all of it. You are nothing but a fool. Don't give me a speech Moron. Stuff it Turkey broad.

[tom]

WELL B., WHAT A BRAVE NEW WORLD YOU HAVE CREATED DOWN THERE IN DUMPLAND.

And what is your claim to fame, degree wise, financially, socially?

What an impact player you are? Man we are all so impressed.

Talk about someone stuck in the past, talking about all the farms you have visted and owned and what a firearm expert you are.

We are ALL so impressed????????????????????????????????????????

[B.Humphries]

TexasEX: I am fine thank you. I don't consider calling people names,
making snide remarks all the time, not staying on the subject of
this blog, Arguing. All of the above things I mentioned have been
the theme of all your comments., not just against me but others
as well. I suspect you are an old war horse who is out of touch
with todays world both in business and manners. You keep referring
to things in the past, how things used to be. Maybe thats your
everyday world. I feel sorry for you, and wish you luck.

[Texas-Ex]

No thanks. Already married to a beautiful great lady and I am a Texan.

B, I have been immature. Arguing with you on this blog is a total waste of time when I should be paying attention to my children.

It is just not worth the headache and pain in arguing with someone as sad as you must be. Actually I am beginning to feel sorry for you.

Go down to Fortress or one of the other homeless shelters and help some people out. Get the attention off of you and stop feeling sorry for yourself. You are plumb eat up with hate. Three things can destroy a person 1) hate 2) pride 3) jealousy

That goes for me as well, but you as well.

I really wish you well.

[B. Humphries]

TexasEx--Sorry Pal, you'll have to go back to Oklahoma to find the
woman of your dreams, either in a Teepee or the biggist dang daubber
nest you can find.

[Texas Ex]

Turkey farmers huh? And you shotgunned some oil man in Jack County? Who are you, Belle Star, Bonnie Parker or Stumbling Buffalo Woman?

I like girls like you, it keeps a man warm in the winter and provides shade in the summer.

[Cyber Man]

Mr./Mrs./Ms Humphries, whatever, why don't you kiss my behind as you so kindly quote.

On second thought no thanks. I doubt you are a Sports Illustrated model, or a porn star. Why don't you stick that turkey where the sun don't shine Rosie, or Rossie or whatever fat broad you so emulate.

What kind of man would want a old bird like you?????????????????

[Texas Ex]

Bh or I should say Sister.

[B. Humphries]

TexasEX: I knew this TURKEY farmer/breeder once in Dublin, Tx.
I visited his place several times, It's funny, I haven't thought
of him and his Turkey's for years, that is, until you reminded me
of it, with your mouth, the noise and gobble-gook and squakking
you do, and how we all had to clean the Turkey Crap off our boots
when we left. Have a Happy Thanksgiving. I will drink a toast to
you as I stuff my bird, then stick it in the Oven.

[Texas Ex]

BH like we will ever get the truth out of you.

Admit it, the only reason you are ticked is because you feel you did not receive the same bonus as someone in another neighbothood. Be sure and fog up the facts with misinformation and lies that you make up. If you keep this up you are going to stroke out buster.

First you are against drilling, hate 4-7's, then you feel you were cheated, then not, this and that, that and this, you are all over the charts. Do have another life, a job, children, a hobby, anything besides the constant bitching.

Why waste my time arguing with someone who is so out of touch with reality. You are totally hopeless. Actually I think you are the old senile man.

[Texas Ex]

BH you are certainly one to talk. A majority of the bloggers I have seen that disagree with you have been blasted by you with so much misinformed information that it is just amazing.

Clean up your own house mister before your dare tell me how to run mine. Besides, I feel like anything you have to say is just pure nonsense and pure lies.

[B. Humphries]

Texas Ex is really Wiley Post, can't you tell by his ugly mouth?

[Cyber man]

Track addict I consider being mocked by a punk like you as a badge of honor. I doubt whether you have ever had a real job in your life as you make fun of people who have. I doubt you or your group have ever served your country or added to the energy security of the USA. You just live in your little perfect mental world and continue to bash the things this country has stood for. Hell, you probably even feel like the killers who crashed into the Twin Towers had a legitimate grip or agenda. I just wish I had the opportunity to face you in person.

[Texas Ex]

Track addict, should that really state Crack Addict. You young intellectuals are just so truly brilliant in your thought process. Gee, I remember when I had my first beer.

Stick it.

[Don Young]

If the Star-Telegram management hopes to shake off their well deserved public perception as having a conflict of interest that taints their reporting, full disclosure is a must. There is a good reason why the Fort Worth Weekly criticizes your blatant favoritism.

The bigger question is WHY do the editors allow their newspaper and blogsite to be biased on a controversial issue that clearly divides the public? Despite the financial rewards that gas drilling bring to the Star Telegram Inc., your editors should remain unbiased and aim for the higher ideal of public trust and balanced reporting. Keep your personal feelings on the editorial page.

PS: Winning a Pulitzer Prize used to be one of the goals of newspaper reporting. Something they dreamed of, aspired to. The Star-Telegram, by its mere location in the Barnett Shale, is in a position to win an armful. IF the Star-Telegram took the time to dig deeper into the environmental costs alone, a Pulitzer is within reach. Investigating the social implications of urban gas drilling might win another. Exposing the corruption of local and state officials might win another. The list of possibilities goes on. By seeing, hearing and speaking no evil, by not digging deeper into these issues, you merely rake in cash instead of Pulitzers.

[Steve]

I think the readers of the Star-Telegram would be well-served if the paper would disclose how much money the paper received from Chesapeake Energy as a signing bonus on the lease for the 40 acres at the South Plant. The paper should also disclose the terms of the deal. If the paper is in a business arrangement with Chesapeake that could potentially net the paper hundreds of thousands, or even millions of dollars, the readers need to know this information so they can weigh for themselves whether or not the business arrangement comprimises the objective coverage of urban gas drilling.

[Track Addict]

What a brilliant reply! Gosh, now I see where I've gone wrong in my thinking. Thanks for clarifying the issues, Cyber man.

[Cyber man]

First off the FW Weekly is about as left wing, anti drilling and anti business as you can get. They make George Soros look like a Republican. Who cares what they think. Pravda is more conservative than that propaganda.

If the FW Weekly wipe had ther way we would all be wearing loin cloth and living in tee pees.

My Dad used to call those creeps hairheads. They add about as much to the public well being as what my dog does in my backyard.