Thursday, July 31, 2008

Fleming Leads Gorman and Thompson in Poll

Thanks to the Reduct Box:

Results of a poll obtained by a reliable source show Minden Physician John Fleming with a seven point edge over nearest rival Shreveport businessman Chris Gorman and a 13 point lead over Shreveport attorney and GOP favorite Jeff Thompson. More results after the jump.

See the numbers here:

Fleming leads GOP pack in race to replace McCrery

Back To School sales tax holiday Friday and Saturday

What is the Sales Tax Holiday?
The Louisiana Sales Tax Holiday provides an exemption from state sales tax on the first $2,500 of the purchase price of most individual items of tangible personal property for non-business use. The state sales tax is payable on the portion of the purchase price of any individual item in excess of $2,500.
The holiday will apply to the 4 percent state sales tax, but will not apply to the sales taxes levied by parishes, municipalities, school boards, and other political subdivisions of the state.
The 2008 holiday will be from 12:01 a.m. on Friday, August 1, through 12 midnight on Saturday, August 2.
What items are eligible for exemption?
The exemption will apply statewide to all consumer purchases of tangible personal property, other than vehicles subject to license and title and meals furnished for consumption on the premises where purchased, including to-go orders, provided that the property is not for use in a business, trade, or profession.
What items are NOT eligible for exemption?
In addition to the specific exclusions in the Act for vehicles and meals, the state sales tax holiday will not apply to purchases of taxable services (hotel occupancy; amusement, recreational, and athletic admissions; repairs to tangible personal property; laundry, cleaning, pressing, and dyeing services; vehicle parking; the furnishing of cold storage space; printing services; and telecommunication services) or to leases or rentals of tangible personal property.
What are the conditions for exemption?
A customer will be eligible for the sales tax exemption if during the two days of each annual holiday:
He/she buys and accepts delivery of eligible property;
He/she places property on layaway;
He/she acquires property that was previously placed on layaway; or
He/she places an order for immediate delivery, even if delivery must be delayed, provided that the customer has not requested delayed shipment.
State Revenue Department

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Haynesville Shale: Thursday Meetings

Thursday, July 31 meetings:

Sponsored by Town of Haughton: Haughton High School Auditorium, 210 E McKinley St, 6:30 PM

Sponsored by Haynesville Shale Landowners: Summer Grove Baptist Church8924 Jewella Avenue Shreveport 7PM

Fairview/Alpha Meeting: Davis Springs Methodist Church Fairview Alpha Community at 7:00 p.m

2nd Lakewood Meeting: Airline Baptist Church, 6:30 PM

Haynesville Shale 101: Notarizing Oil & Gas Leases

Subscribing Witness
There has been a lot of confusion in forums in The Times and on various websites as to whether or not a notary public must witness your signature when you sign an oil & gas lease.
The answer is no.
In most cases, one of the people who witnesses your signature acts as a subscribing witness. This means that he or she presents the document to a notary public, verifies their identity as a witness, and state that they were present and saw you sign the document.
For more information and to see copies of actual documents go to Haynesville Shale Newslink.

Haynesville Shale Landowners schedules August Meetings

The Haynesville Shale Landowners Association is headed up by Walter Johnson. A native of Mansfield, Louisiana, Mr. Johnson is a Shreveport attorney with over 30 years experience in oil and gas and property law.
Check our link in the right sidebar and click on Hayneville Shale Newslink for updates on other local meetings.

.,,
,
Haynesville Shale Landowners Meetings (link)
Thursday, July 31
Summer Grove Baptist Church
8924 Jewella Avenue Shreveport 7PM
..........

Our AUGUST Calendar
Monday, August 4
Shady Grove Community Center
Bossier City, 6:30 PM

Thursday, August 7
American Legion Hall
Shreveport, 7 PM

Thursday, August 14
Vivian United Methodist Church
223 West Louisiana (corner of Louisiana and Cypress)
Vivian, LA. 7 PM

Thursday, August 21
Vivian United Methodist Church
223 West Louisiana (corner of Louisiana and Cypress)
Vivian, LA. 7 PM

Thursday, August 28
American Legion Hall
Shreveport, 7 PM

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Haynesville Shale: $50,000 per acre?

Haynesville, Do I Hear $50,000/Acre?
Excerpt from Energy Matters: (Click on the Link above to read entire article)
Think $25,000 an acre is top of the market for the Haynesville play? Don’t stop there.
When looking at Chesapeake Energy Corp.’s deal with Plains Exploration & Production, one may think acreage prices are “topping out,” says Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. research analyst Shannon Nome in her report “From Shale To Shining Shale: A Primer On North American Natural Gas Shale Plays.”
Instead, “we believe Chesapeake’s monetization was simply motivated by a pressing need for cash, and not a statement that $25,000 to $30,000 per acre is a high-water mark for leasehold values; in fact, we see ample room for rising acreage value from here.”
She estimates for the play a base case of $14-million per-well net present value, incorporating an industry-standard 10% discount rate.

Jeff Thompson's late FEC filing

We touched on the difficulties that Jeff Thompson had with the FEC filings. LaNewsLink has an article today with a link to Thompson's 'apology' letter to the FEC.

Thompson waited until the last minute to file the report and was unable to because he did not have a password to get onto the website. We mentioned in our earlier post that this didn't look good for Jim McCrery's handpicked choice to succeed him in office.

Read the entire article here and link to the letter.

Haynesville Shale: local bankers advise caution

The Times in an editorial today says that the relationship between Fortress Management, Okki Industries, Chesapeake Energy and the people of Mansfield may yet work out, but still advises caution.

excerpt:
In reading Times reporter Vickie Welborn's first account of the controversy, the description of the July 17 Fortress-sponsored town gathering as a revival-style meeting sent up a red flag. Certainly the promises of riches could elicit a "Hallelujah!" from even the most jaded — but first, cool heads, keen ears and a few phone calls would have been wise. . . .
Two local bankers who met with The Times Editorial Board last week worry about area residents who have never handled large sums of money falling prey to bad advice, bad investments and bad people.

Oliver Stone's "W" Movie Trailer

Thanks to CenLamar for running this. I didn't know it was out yet. Makes you wonder if the case of Brolin et al being drunk, unruly, pepper-sprayed, tased and arrested is a case of life imitating art imitating life.
I wonder if the Shreveport Police videos of the incident are as interesting as this trailer? They could be better, but if it's up to Mayor Glover and Chief Whitehorn we'll never know.

Monday, July 28, 2008

Fortress cries foul: Publishes email link to Chesapeake

Fortress Management LLC has published an alert on their website that they do have a written offer from Chesapeake Energy through Okki Industries LLC. Okki Industries authorized Fortress to solicit leases for Chesapeake.
A copy of an email to Fortress from Okki is linked, authorizing them on behalf of Chesapeake to offer leases at $24,000 per acre and 1/4 royalty on a 5 year lease. This offer applies to about 1,500 acres that Fortress is working. Read the entire alert and the email by clicking on the link.

MANSFIELD ALERT

Fortress Management – Okki Industries email

The Ten Commandments of the Haynesville Shale

THOU SHALE NOT:
1. sign away a percentage of your royalties.
2. take advantage of the elderly.
3. mislead or deceive the misinformed and uninformed.
4. go it alone.
5. sign anything without reading every word.
6. disparage your neighbors for holding out.
7. act in haste.
8. remain uninformed.
9. blame others for your bad decisions.
10. claim oil companies are thieves because you signed for a lower rate 2 years ago.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

The Shreveport Stomp

A ride down Texas Street and Texas Avenue and back downtown to the music of Jelly Roll Morton playing his 'Shreveport Stomp'.

Friday, July 25, 2008

Oil & Gas Rig Count Up

The Houston Chronicle reports that the oil & gas rig count is up by 29, 14 of them in Louisiana.

Oil & Gas Rig Count Up

Chesapeake: Fortress Management does not represent us

People in Mansfield just learned that the check may not be in the mail. More than 400 people in DeSoto Parish who believe that they will recieve a check for at least $24,000 next month may be disappointed. Fortress Management, a Shreveport company led a 'revival style' meeting on July 17th that was attended by up to 1,000 Mansfield residents and promised payments from Chesapeake Energy.
"Fortress Management does not represent Chesapeake Energy Corporation. It is not an authorized representative of Chesapeake," said J. Kevin McCotter, Chesapeake's Louisiana corporate development director.
Tom Turnbow, Jr of Fortress Management said that they are authorized by Chesapeake, through an arrangement with OKKI Industries of Oklahoma.

Read the complete article in The Times

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Louisiana's 4th District: A message from Gerard Bowen

Gerard Bowen, Jr., Independent for Congress, introduces himself to the voters of the 4th District. Find out more about Gerard at his website.

A 'back door' link to Jeff Thompson's individual contributions

Charlie at The Old River Road blog sent us this link to individual contributions for Jeff Thompson. Thanks, Charlie.
The way we have accessed federal contributions is by going to http://www.fec.gov/, then clicking on Louisiana on the 'house and senate' map on the main page, clicking on the 4th District and then checking each individual. This 'front door' approach still doesn't yield results for Jeff Thompson's individual contributions, although it does list those of the other candidates.

I received this email from the Thompson campaign:
Perhaps you have a problem with the computer or the FEC had a glitch, because I went straight to the report and found it with no trouble. Here's a link for you:
http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/dcdev/forms/C00448506/352095/sa/ALL.
The FEC has changed the way it posts reports from years past, and it takes a little getting used to. To download the reports you first have to download a program. If you view the reports, there are links in blue that take you to various sections of the report.

By following the link, you can view Thompson's individual contributions, but only his. The campaign should get in touch with the FEC and find out why these contributions aren't posted along with those of all the other candidates on the main site at http://www.fec.com/. Apparently the FEC does have a glitch and it could cause problems for Thompson's campaign.


Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Where is Jeff Thompson's itemized list of contributors?

After perusing the FEC website for 4th District congressional candidates disclosures, it seems that two of them are incomplete and *one is nonexistant. First, let's look at the candidates that seem to have filed complete returns. Chris Gorman, Paul Carmouche, Willie Banks, Jr and John Milkovich have filed full disclosures including lists of individual contributors.

Dr. Fleming, a Minden physician and a businessman, listed $104,058 in individual contributions, but lists only 5 contributions for a total of $2,800. Where are the rest?

Jeff Thompson, a lawyer, lists individual contributions of $253,515 but attaches no detailed list of donors. We called Thompson's campaign headquarters today and were told that 'it should be there.' Yes it should. It is hard to understand why Jim McCrery's hand-picked successor, a lawyer, does not find it necessary to disclose this information in a timely manner. Thompson has some really hot competition, especially from Chris Gorman, and cannot afford this kind of snafu.

*Just as a side note, Arti$ Ca$h, despite repeated pleas on his website, apparently has not received any contributions, or at least has not reported them to the FEC.

THOMPSON, JEFFERSON ROWE
Itemized Individual Contributions
$253,515
No detailed entries were reported in this category.

Itemized Individual Contributions - MILKOVICH, JOHN CHARLES ($42,151)
Page 1 of 2 (29 records) Show All

Itemized Individual Contributions - GORMAN, CHRIS D ($301,350)
Page 1 of 6 (118 records) Show All

Itemized Individual Contributions - CARMOUCHE, PAUL J. MR. ($384,072)
Page 1 of 6 (108 records) Show All

Itemized Individual Contributions - BANKS, WILLIE JR ($28,907)
Page 1 of 2 (34 records) Show All

Itemized Individual Contributions - FLEMING, JOHN CALVIN JR ($104,058)
Page 1 of 1 (5 records) Shows only 5 contributors for a total of $2,800. Where are the contributors of the other $101,258?

Monday, July 21, 2008

KTBS Channel 3 back on Dish Network



KTBS is back on Dish Network as of 6PM.

Video from KTBS here.

It's the sinking dollar, stupid!

"It's madness. It's blind madness. It's blind madness as a response to a previous bout of world-historic madness. Now's the time for sobriety and lucidity-- It's the morning after the bender and this is our wake-up call. Yet, we want to keep deluding ourselves."
From Your Right Hand Thief. The article is entitled Where's your Outrage? It will take a couple of minutes, but read it. Read it twice and let it really sink in.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

GoHaynesvilleShale: Great website


I just spent about an hour or more on GoHaynesvilleShale in the forums. This is a great site to connect with a lot of people in the area and share concerns and information. Give it a shot - I'm linking it to our Haynesville Shale Newslink site also.

It's free to sign onto the forums and share information.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Carmouche: More $$$$ on hand than Republican Candidates

In the 4th district congressional race, Paul Carmouche has more cash on hand than any of the Republican candidates, and has no debt at all. The three Republican candidates have a combined total of almost a million dollars in debt.
Carmouche reports $388,774 on hand, while Chris Gorman reported $352,427. Dr. John Fleming has $358,582 and Jeff Thompson $200,322.
Many blogs are reporting that Chris Gorman is the leading fundraiser, and that is true if you consider loaning your own campaign money to be 'fundraising'.
The same is true for Dr. Fleming.
Paul Carmouche is the only candidate of these four who has no debt at all - and he is also the candidate who has raised the most from outside contributions.

Friday, July 18, 2008

Taser Used on Wright, Brolin Pepper-Sprayed in Shreveport Arrest

Shreveport Police are not releasing any video or audio in their possession involved in the arrest of "W" actors last weekend.
"It hasn't been authorized for release by (Police Chief Henry Whitehorn) yet," Cpl. Rob Elliott, public information officer for the department, said Thursday, adding that it's an ongoing investigation.
"And I have no idea when the investigation will wrap up."
Police arrested Brolin, Wright and five crew members of the Oliver Stone movie "W." on misdemeanor charges after one member of the group, later identified as Eric Felland, caused a disturbance at the Stray Cat and refused to leave the bar.
At some point during their arrests, a Taser was used on Wright and Wright and Brolin were sprayed with pepper spray after ignoring orders, police said.

From The Times

Thursday, July 17, 2008

USAF Cyber Command: Work to Begin on Cyber Innovation Center

The National Cyber Research Park is being built just off I-20 near Barksdale Air Force Base. The anchor building will be the Cyber Innovation Center which is being built by McInnis Brothers Construction beginning in August.
The Cyber Innovation Center is geared to support the Air Force Cyber Command at Barksdale. The State, Parish and City contributed over $100,000,000 for the Research Park. The Cyber Innovation Center will take about half of that amount.

Haynesville Shale: Obscure law strips owners of rights

From KSLA
excerpt:
The very latest on the Haynesville Shale involves an obscure law that strips owners of mineral rights. These families bought their property in south Caddo Parish believing they owned those mineral rights. Now, they're looking for answers and help.Property owner Jody Kirkpatrick told us, "we have found out that we do not own our mineral rights." That potentially cost Kirkpatrick and his father 108-thousand dollars in bonus lease money they had expected for the natural gas two miles below their feet and locked inside rock called 'shale,' in this case the Haynesville Shale.
The land described in 'Act 202' lies just north of Colquitt Road west of Shreveport. This obscure 1924 law that gives the state of Louisiana the mineral rights for 320 acres in this Keithville area apparently now affects about 130-property owners.
Obscure state law strips owners of mineral rights.

Full story and video from Channel 12 here

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Haynesville Shale: Channel 12 Reports on Lawsuit

On July 1st, we published an article about the mineral rights lawsuit that was filed the day before against the Brown Companies. Today the The Dead Pelican has linked to a video from KSLA. Go to the Dead Pelican and click on the link to read Channel 12's story and view the video.

This is going to be an interesting suit. It is based on the premise that if you buy property and no exception is listed for a mineral rights reservation, then you assume that you have bought those rights.

Monday, July 14, 2008

Fourth District Congressional Endorsement: Gerard Bowen, Jr.

GERARD BOWEN, JR. FOR CONGRESS
If we keep sending the same type of people to congress we will keep getting the same results.
Gerard Bowen, Jr.

The Bossier Independent is proud to endorse Gerard Bowen, Jr. to fill the 4th Congressional District seat that is being vacated by Jim McCrery.
Bowen is a native of Metairie and relocated his family to the Shreveport area in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina.
He has a BS in Kinesiology/Athletic Training from Washington State University and a Master of Healthcare Administration from Tulane University.
Bowen served in the U.S. Navy from 1989 through 1995. He served in the Persian Gulf War as a Hospital Corpsman assigned to the 2nd Combat Engineer Batallion of the 2nd Marine Division.
He has been married to his wife Mary since 1992. The couple are proud parents of two sons, Trey and Max.
A fair tax advocate, Bowen pledges to work to keep the federal government out of our lives as much as possible. He also promises to be accessible when he’s in office.
I urge you to consider Gerard Bowen, Jr., Independent for Congress when you vote in the general election on November 4th.
You may read his views on the issues on his Website.


Sunday, July 13, 2008

Air Force Cyber Command: The Air Force

This is the proposed badge future cyber operators will wear to identify themselves in the array of personnel in the service. The basic badge features lightning bolts to signify the cyberspace domain, center bolts taken from the navigator badge and the Air Force seal, and orbits to signify cyberspace's space-related mission elements. Variations will identify the wearer's certification levels. The badge and the rules for wearing it are under review by the air staff.
Operators are officers and enlisted members who plan, direct and execute offensive and defensive actions. Specialists are enlisted communications and information personnel who specialize in technical aspects of cyberspace. Analysts are officers and enlisted intelligence personnel with the technical foundations to support cyberspace operations. Developers are primarily officers and some enlisted personnel with advanced skills for designing and modifying software and hardware packages.
Specifics for analysts and developers should be outlined in coming months, Cyber Command says. The changes will affect about 30,000 active-duty members and about 2,000 guard and reserve forces now performing cyber-related duties.

There have been numerous questions surrounding the process of determining a location for the AFCYBER command. This link provides a synopsis of how this process is working.

The big question locally is whether Barksdale AFB will get the designation as permanent home of Air Force Cyber Command and whether this will mean thousands of jobs as we were told by local and state leaders when $100,000,000 of our tax dollars were dedicated to creating the Cyber Innovation Center.
Currently the Command is a virtual command spread out over the country.
All information is from the Air Force Cyber Command Website.

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Actor Josh Brolin arrested in Shreveport bar brawl

excerpt:
Actor Josh Brolin, in Shreveport starring in director-producer Oliver Stone’s “W.,” was arrested early today during a bar fight at a downtown Shreveport nightspot.
(Brolin, shown in the picture as "W", was charged with a misdemeanor for 'interfering with police'. )

According to Shreveport Police patrol report, officers were called to the Stray Cat bar in the 200 block of Travis Street just after 2 a.m. to deal with a rowdy patron.

As more officers arrived, several other patrons at the bar, including Brolin and fellow actor Jeffrey Wright, 42, tried to impede the officers, the report said. In all, the report named 10 officers called to the ruckus.

Brolin, Wright and four other people were charged with interfering with police, a misdemeanor. Brolin was booked into the city jail, and posted $334 cash bond to be released.


Bossier and Caddo Races Shape Up

Bossier-Webster Parish (26th JDC) District Attorney Schuyler Marvin (picture) is unopposed in the election this fall, so he will be the DA for another 6 years. Neither Bossier City Judge Tommy Wilson nor City Marshal Johnny Wyatt drew opposition, so for practical purposes they are re-elected.

The only 26th JDC Judge who drew opposition was Dewey Burchett. Attorney Mike Craig filed for the Division A position against the incumbent Burchett.

In Caddo Parish (1st JDC) two judges have recently been convicted of corruption charges and two others have resigned. Contested are Division J where Carl Henry Franklin, Ramon Lafitte and Ron C. Stamps have filed and Division I with Eddie Brossette, Joe Greenwald and Craig Marcotte seeking the position.

Outgoing 30 year DA Paul Carmouche, who is retiring to run for congress, leaves a void which Charles Scott and Craig Smith are hoping to fill. Judge Scott has been endorsed by Caddo Sheriff Steve Prator and this carries a big punch in Shreveport.

The other notable race in Caddo Parish is for Marshal of the Shreveport City Court. Charlie Caldwell has filled the position since Jimmy Dove resigned earlier this year. He is being challenged by Jack Collins and by former police chief Mike VanSant.
I have searched for candidate websites and have linked to the ones I could find. If you have a link to other candidates, please email me and I will include the link.
Sheriff Prator endorses Scott

Friday, July 11, 2008

Bowen Running as Independent!

Gerard John Bowen Jr, candidate for the La. Congressional District 4 race, has decided to run as an Independent.
After careful prayer and consideration and lengthy discussions with my wife, supporters, and potential-supporters, I’ve decided to run in this race as an Independent. There were several factors that led to this decision:
1. Many people I have talked to have said that they were unhappy with the new party
primary system in place for this year’s congressional race and feel that people should be able to vote for anyone regardless of party affiliation. By running as an Independent, that will allow anyone to vote for me, regardless of party affiliation.
2. Many people, including myself, are disenchanted with the 2-party system in general,and more specifically with the erosion of the conservative values that the Republican Party is supposed to represent.
3. As the only true outsider and the most conservative candidate in the race, I wanted the people to know that I am in this race to be the voice of the people and I’m not willing to tow a party-line just to get elected. I will not go to DC to make friends, I will go to make waves. I will stand for freedoms, smaller government, less spending, lower taxes, and my convictions will not be compromised by any political wheelings and dealings.
For more information about me and my candidacy, please see my Official Campaign Website.

Don't tell Captain Kirk

A special meeting about Dallas County traffic tickets turned tense and bizarre this afternoon.
County commissioners were discussing problems with the central collections office that is used to process traffic ticket payments and handle other paperwork normally done by the JP Courts.
Commissioner Kenneth Mayfield, who is white, said it seemed that central collections "has become a black hole" because paperwork reportedly has become lost in the office.
Commissioner John Wiley Price, who is black, interrupted him with a loud "Excuse me!" He then corrected his colleague, saying the office has become a "white hole."
That prompted Judge Thomas Jones, who is black, to demand an apology from Mayfield for his racially insensitive analogy.
Mayfield shot back that it was a figure of speech and a science term.
From the Sciguy Blog at the Houston Chronicle

Here's the Video

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Caddo Parish gets $17,600,000 & 30% royalty from Haynesville Shale Lease

Petrohawk Energy paid $28,700,000 to the DeSoto Parish Police Jury. Caddo Parish leased 585 acres and got $17,600,000 and DeSoto leased 1,045 acres. If the wells produce, Caddo Parish will get a 30% royalty and DeSoto will get 27.5%.
Even if it is not producing, each parish will get millions each year in rental fees.


More details in The Times

Thompson & McCrery have Egg on Face

From LaNewsLink

Last week, some great blogging by The Old River Road shined serious light on Louisiana 4th Congressional District candidate and Bossier City trial lawyer Jeff Thompson.

Now, LaNewsLink.com has learned that according to the respected “Rothenberg Report” – a weekly national update on the political world – Republican candidate Jeff Thompson joined the campaign steering committee of none other than Paul Carmouche – the long-time Caddo Parish District Attorney and presumptive Democrat nominee for the same seat!

Political watchers were already puzzled by the quick and unexpected endorsement of the little-known Thompson by outgoing Congressman Jim McCrery.

Jeff Thompson: The man without the hat
Roundup of 4th District Congressional Candidates
Will McCrery's Endorsement Help Thomspon?
Jeff Thompson to run for Congress with McCrery's Endorsement
Paul Carmouche announces for Congress

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Haynesville Shale: Beware of Overrides

Haynesville Shale Landowners, Inc Schedules July Meetings

Haynesville Shale Landowners schedule of meetings for July:


Thursday, July 10
Christian Center Church
207 Idema Street
Shreveport
7PM


Thursday, July 17
Shady Grove Community Center
3949 Wayne Avenue
Bossier City
7PM


Thursday, July 31
Summer Grove Baptist Church
8924 Jewella Avenue
Shreveport
7PM

Horseshoe Casino offers Gas at $1.40 per Gallon

excerpt:
Beginning at 10 a.m. today, gas will be $1.40 per gallon to the first 1,000 cars at the RaceWay gas station at 2125 Old Minden Road in Bossier City, according to casino officials. There is a 10 gallon maximum and participants must present their Total Rewards card to receive the offer.

From The Times

Although Bossier City police will be on the scene to help with traffic, this seems a little risky right at a major I-20 interchange. Hope it works out great and people enjoy their cheap gas!

Monday, July 7, 2008

Twin Cities Development Schedule of Community Meetings

List of Twin Cities Development Community Meetings for July. You can find more detail on Twin Cities' website.

----- Tuesday, July 08, 2008 -----
TCD Community Meeting
6:00 PM-8:00 PM (Central Assembly of God in Haughton )



TCD Community Meeting
6:00 PM-8:00 PM (The Pentecostals of Bossier City)



----- Thursday, July 10, 2008 -----
TCD Community Meeting
6:00 PM-8:00 PM (Airline High School )



----- Monday, July 14, 2008 -----
TCD Community Meeting
6:00 PM-8:00 PM (Parkway High School )



----- Tuesday, July 15, 2008 -----
TCD Community Meeting
6:00 PM-8:00 PM (Central Assembly of God in Haughton )



TCD Community Meeting
6:00 PM-8:00 PM (The Pentecostals of Bossier City)



----- Thursday, July 17, 2008 -----
TCD Community Meeting
6:00 PM-8:00 PM (Airline High School)



----- Monday, July 21, 2008 -----
TCD Community Meeting
6:00 PM-8:00 PM (Parkway High School)



----- Tuesday, July 22, 2008 -----
TCD Community Meeting
6:00 PM-8:00 PM (Central Assembly of God in Haughton )



TCD Community Meeting
6:00 PM-8:00 PM (The Pentecostals of Bossier City)



----- Thursday, July 24, 2008 -----
TCD Community Meeting
6:00 PM-8:00 PM (Airline High School)



----- Monday, July 28, 2008 -----
TCD Community Meeting
6:00 PM-8:00 PM (Parkway High School )



----- Tuesday, July 29, 2008 -----
TCD Community Meeting
6:00 PM-8:00 PM (Central Assembly of God in Haughton )



----- Thursday, July 31, 2008 -----
TCD Community Meeting
6:00 PM-8:00 PM (Airline High School)

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Republicans should consider Gerard Bowen, Jr.

Gerard Bowen, Jr. is the best, and probably the least known, of the Republican candidates for the 4th District congressional seat. He is possibly the best candidate of either party. Qualifying is next week, and we still have two months to go until the first Republican primary on September 6.
As opposed to the other Republican candidates, Dr. John Fleming, Jeff Thompson and Chris Gorman, Bowen stands out as someone who more closely holds the values of our founding fathers, and one who would fight to protect our rights.
Remember that Benjamin Franklin said that anyone who would trade their liberty for security deserves neither.
We have traded too much liberty, and our representatives (of both parties) have been part and parcel of this outrage. If we don't preserve the rights that our forefathers fought for, nothing else matters.
A good example is the Patriot Act. After 9-11, both parties were anxious to retaliate, and understandably so. At some point that retaliation got off track and became a fool's mission to reform the entire middle east, except for the country where most of the terrorists came from, Saudi Arabia. The so-called Patriot Act was voted in, supposedly to help with this effort, and our rights were compromised.
I know, it sounds good, the Patriot Act, who wouldn't support that?
You can put lipstick on a pig, dress her up and take her to the prom, but she is still a pig.
Bowen has stated that he would not vote to make the Patriot Act permanent. That's a big check-mark by his name.
This is a candidate who truly believes that smaller government is beneficial to all of the people. Bowen says "Oil is traded world-wide in US Dollars. Therefore the price of a barrel of oil goes up as the value of the dollar decreases. We need to start putting a big dent in the $9.5 trillion national debt, so that our dollar is worth something to the rest of the world."
Another check mark.
Bowen would stand up to the powers that be and would not sell us out with political deals to increase his own power. A lot of candidates give lip service but when the rubber meets the road, they vote party line, and that always means that the people are paying through the nose in one way or another.
Consider Jim McCrery, our retiring congressman. McCrery is the ranking member of the House Ways and Means committee, and would have been chairman if the Republicans hadn't messed up so badly that the people threw them out of power in both houses of congress.
To McCrery and his ilk, the ways and means simply means that government has the ways, and the people have the means. In Washington, there are a lot of ways - but only one means.
Dr. Fleming, Jeff Thompson, and Chris Gorman are estimable individuals. They are just the wrong answer for our state and our nation at this time. We don't need another cookie-cutter party politician representing our district. For example, Chris Gorman told the State Central Committee that he is a Bobby Jindal Conservative. This as Jindal was in the process of lying to the legislature about lying to the people. That's enough for me. I don't much like Bobby Jindal conservatives. They aren't conservative.
On the Democratic side, John Milkovich is clearly one who would protect our rights. I may sound like a broken record, but this is important. Anytime you surrender a tiny portion of your freedom to the government, it is gone forever. Washington, Jefferson and Madison warned us of this. We should listen.
Paul Carmouche hasn't given us enough to work with. We want to know where he stands on the issues, but apparently he is not ready to tell us.
We have two months to make a terribly important decision. If you are a registered Republican and will be voting in the primary, please give Gerard Bowen your ear. Look at the candidates, not only at what they say, but at what you believe they will do once in power.
Franklin also said, in answer to a question as he left Constitution hall, 'we have given you a republic - if you can keep it."
Let us all work together not only to keep it, but to restore it to what it once was.
Consider Gerard Bowen.

Shreveport-Bossier City Churches


Saturday, July 5, 2008

Jeff Thompson: The man without the hat

From The Old River Road blog we learn that on Jeff Thompson's campaign biography he listed the focus of his law practice as “real estate and commercial litigation…successions, estate planning and business transactions.” But his Martindale-Hubbell profile listed “Nursing Home Abuse, Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Auto Accidents” as well as the solidly Republican areas of the law like business and real estate.
Since The Old River Road first questioned the campaign about this, the profile on Martindale-Hubbell has been changed. Read the entire article, it's interesting.

UPDATE: There's More!

Happy Birthday America: A Bunch of Spoiled, Whiny Brats

Pravda, the propaganda arm of the Russian government, is busy doing what it does best - bashing the United States

Happy Birthday America: A Bunch of Spoiled, Whiny Brats
excerpt:
There are fundamental flaws not in the constitutional construct of the United States but in the people who are occupying positions in at least two of the three branches of the US government. Americans are crying about gas prices. A pity they can’t buy as many hot dogs or beers at the baseball stadium. They need to adjust and adapt. Americans have always been told that they are the best at everything, so why aren’t they? Americans are not entitled to anything more than the rest of the world. Do they want education systems, roads, bridges and levees that function properly? Well then they need to stop whining about taxes and pay up or make those who pay nothing pull their weight.

John McCain, senility America’s loss of the Pacific
excerpt:
Senility and politics are a pathetic mix. There is no better example of this than Republican presidential hopeful Senator John McCain. In a recent campaign speech, billed as a major foreign policy statement, McCain seemed to think that he was breaking news when he declared: “Russia and the United States are no longer mortal enemies!” After half a dozen interruptions by hecklers opposed to the Iraq war, he was finally allowed to expound on this new pearl of wisdom. “As our two countries possess the overwhelming majority of the world’s nuclear weapons, we have a special responsibility to reduce their number. I believe we should reduce our nuclear forces to the lowest level we judge necessary, and we should be prepared to enter into a new arms control agreement with Russia reflecting the nuclear reductions I will seek.”
Such noble sentiments, about a decade past due, are still shocking coming from this heretofore clueless old man.


Russia stands up for new world without America
excerpt:
Medvedev has made a timely statement of Russia’s aspiration to become the new economic and political center in the world. The economic isolation of the USA inevitably makes many countries look for new centers of gravity. The concept of building the new economy without America, but with the help of Russia’s growing influence, may seem to be quite alluring to many. The development of USA’s internal economic problems into the global crisis may lead to significant changes in the structure of the world economy. As a result, new centers of gravity may turn out to be successful.

Dogwood Homeowners go with Twin Cities Development

According to The Times, the Dogwood Homeowners Association is recomending that their members sign Oil & Gas Leases with Twin Cities Development.

excerpt:
That offer is $8,750 per acre if 90 percent of the Dogwood community in Haughton signs leases with the company to develop possible underlying natural gas pockets called Haynesville Shale under their properties.
"Almost everybody is signing," said Dianna Judd, a Dogwood board member.
When making their recommendation, Dogwood Homeowners Association members said people kept calling and asking what to do.
"So we had a meeting and negotiated and our best deal was with Twin Cities," Judd said.

Friday, July 4, 2008

List of great sites to explore the Haynesville Shale

For those who don't want to 'surf' for hours, here is a short list of sites with a wealth of information on the Haynesville Shale, from leasing to geology. Some are very detailed and some very technical.

Geology.com

Go Haynesville Shale

Oil Shale Gas

Oil Voice

Energy Digger

Independence Day

What were they thinking, those men who expelled the super-power of the day from our shores and established a new form of government? This is what Independence day should celebrate. Fireworks and parades are great, political speeches on July 4th are a tradition, but not so great. A lot of people celebrate militarism, which to my way of thinking is off the mark. Here are a few random comments by a handful of the men who established our government.

George Washington:
Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party, generally. This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but, in those of the popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy.

John Adams:
In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress.

James Madison:
I have no doubt that every new example will succeed, as every past one has done, in showing that religion and Government will both exist in greater purity, the less they are mixed together.

Benjamin Franklin:
All wars are follies, very expensive and very mischievous ones.

Samuel Adams:
If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down & lick the hand that feeds you; May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Chesapeake CEO: Haynesville Shale likely to be America's largest gas field


excerpt:
The Haynesville Shale is likely to become America's largest natural gas field and perhaps the fourth largest in the world, Chesapeake Chairman and CEO Aubrey McClendon disclosed Wednesday in a conference call with its newest partner, Plains Exploration and Production Co.

The Times

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Mineral Rights lawsuit filed against Bossier Builder

The Haynesville Shale is stirring up a new controversy in Bossier Parish.

A lawsuit was filed in Bossier District Court Monday against James M. Brown Builder, Inc, Brown's Property Development, Inc, James M Brown Real Estate, Inc & Brown Builders, Inc. Audubon Oil & Gas Corp and Twin Cities Development LLC were also named in the suit, as well as individual members of the Brown family.

The suit was filed seeking class certification. If this is granted, it means that anyone who purchased property from any of the Brown Companies in Bossier Parish would qualify to benefit from the suit.

The suit was filed by Charles & Carol Casares, Darbi Rice, Brian Rice, Melvin Edwards III, Joyce Edwards and 'other similarly situated persons'.

The lawsuit alleges that the various companies sold them property and that the deeds contained no mineral reservations. One of the plaintiffs was told by Twin Cities Development that they could not execute a lease on their property, because the Browns owned the rights.
Here's what happened.
In July of 2006 the 4 Brown Companies executed a mineral deed to 4 of the individual owners, giving them ownership of any mineral interests on property that the companies owned at that time. The subdivisions listed on the mineral deed are:
Bossier Golden Meadows
Plantation Trace
Plantation Trace Estates
Plantation Trace Garden Homes
Northgate Village
Brown Office Park
Green Street
Shady Grove Unit I replat
Brownlee Estates
Northgate Temperature Controlled Subdivision
Southgate Estates
Southgate Estates Unit 6 replat
Sunflower Plantation
Barnes Addition
as well as various undeveloped properties with metes and bounds descriptions.

The named plaintiffs bought their houses and lots in December of 2006 and in early 2007, 6 months after the companies had transferred all mineral rights to the individual members of the Brown family.
On June 10, 2008, 2 of the individual Brown owners executed an oil & gas lease to Twin Cities Development that covered 28 different tracts, some of those tracts including multiple subdivision lots.
Among those lots were the Casares, Rice and Edwards property.
The plaintiffs said that the Brown companies, at the time of sale, did not reserve mineral rights on the properties they purchased.
I'm sure that the Brown's defense will be that the companies did not own any mineral rights to reserve, as they had already been transferred.
We will update you on this case as it progresses.