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    The pipeline dragon

    In latest Keystone Pipeline protest, environmentalists storm offices of oilgiant TransCanada

    Tyler Rudick
    Jan 7, 2013 | 6:15 pm
    • On Monday, environmental activists stormed the Post Oak offices of TransCanada,owners of the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline.
      Photo by Tar Sands Blockade/Flickr
    • Protestors fro the Tar Sands Blockade group flooded the building's lobbystarting at 10 a.m.
      Photo by Tar Sands Blockade/Flickr
    • Organizers brought out a paper mache dragon, representing the social andenvironmental havoc the pipeline will unleash. Protestors slayed the dragonthroughout the event.
      Photo by Tar Sands Blockade/Flickr
    • Two activists were arrested after chaining themselves to a doorway.
      Photo by Tar Sands Blockade/Flickr
    • The events lasted two to three hours, bringing approximately 100 protestors tothe building, according to Tar Sands Blockade.
      Photo by Tar Sands Blockade/Flickr

    Two activists were arrested Monday during a protest at the Galleria-area offices of the TransCanada Corporation, whose Keystone XL pipeline is currently under construction to bring controversial tar sands to the Gulf Coast oil industry.

    The Tar Sands Blockade — a non-violent coalition of climate change organizers and Texas-Oklahoma landowners — kicked off events at 10 a.m. by flooding the building's lobby with about 100 protestors, according to the group's spokesperson Ron Seifert.

    "Tar sands are the dirtiest hydrocarbon on the planet and we want to send a clear message to TransCanada that they'll be held accountable for anyone harmed by this pipeline."

    "There was a lot of political theater this morning," he told CultureMap Monday afternoon. "Tar sands are the dirtiest hydrocarbon on the planet and we want to send a clear message to TransCanada that they'll be held accountable for anyone harmed by this pipeline."

    After taking over the ground floor public space, the group marched around the building for several hours with the organization's Pipeline Dragon, which Seifert described as a large paper-mache creature standing in for Keystone's effects on communities and the environment. "In the end," he added, "the dragon's slain by several Tar Sands Blockaders."

    The two protestors were arrested during a scheduled "Death by Tar Sands" skit, which Seifert said involved activists locking themselves to an office door and pretending they were killed by TransCanada crude.

    According to the Houston Chronicle Fuel Fix blog, dozens of Houston police officers patrolled the scene on horseback as protestors passed out hand-written fliers and chanted “Toxic tar sands spill! Tar and benzene kill!”

    “This is another example of the protestors’ attempt to stop a project that is currently providing thousands of jobs to American workers,” explained TransCanada in a statement.

    TransCanada spokesperson David Dodson told CultureMap the protests mainly disrupted building operations for only 15 to 20 minutes, adding that most of the workers effected by the events were not even associated with the Calgary-based company or the pipeline.

    “This is another example of the protestors’ attempt to stop a project that is currently providing thousands of jobs to American workers,” Dobson explained in a subsequent statement. "TransCanada has secured every permit needed to build the Gulf Coast Project. We have followed the law to the letter. We are building the safest pipeline ever built, one that will greatly enhance America's energy security."

    The Monday incidents come less than a week after Tar Sands Blockaders camped out on treetop platforms to halt Keystone construction in Diboll, 100 northeast of Houston. The group arranged another tree campsite in November closer to the Dallas area.

    Also on Monday, according to Ron Seifert, two members of the organization officially ended their 40-day hunger strike on behalf of citizens affected by toxins from a Houston Valero refinery expected to receive tar sands when the Keystone XL is complete.

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    flag-waving news

    Texas drops on new list of most patriotic states in U.S.

    Amber Heckler
    Jun 19, 2025 | 3:30 pm
    American flag, Texas flag, patriotism
    Photo by Ray Shrewsberry on Unsplash
    Texas ranked a dismal No. 45 this year after previously ranking as the 36th most patriotic state in 2024.

    This may come as a surprise for many Texans, but the Lone Star State is far from being the most patriotic place in America, according to a new report.

    WalletHub's latest study ranking the "Most Patriotic States in America" for 2025 placed Texas near the bottom of the list as No. 45, marking a significant nine-place drop from its rank as the 36th most patriotic state in 2024.

    According to the findings, the three most patriotic states in America are Virginia (No. 1), Montana (No. 2), and Vermont (No. 3). Colorado (No. 4) and Oregon (No. 5) round out the top five most passionate, flag-waving states in 2025.

    Texas flopped toward the bottom mainly due to its civic engagement rank (No. 47), but it did perform fairly well in the military engagement category (No. 13).

    Texas has the third-highest average number of military enlistees, the report found, but it had the second-lowest percentage of adults who voted in the 2024 presidential election.

    WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said patriotism can't be defined by geographic region or by which states fly the most American flags. Rather, true patriotism can be found in states with high voter turnouts, high volunteer rates, and more.

    “The most patriotic states have a lot of residents who serve or have served in the armed forces, high voter turnouts during elections, and a high share of the population volunteering with national or local organizations," Lupo said.

    States like Virginia and Montana ranked at the top of the list due to their high voter turnout rates during the 2024 presidential election, plus high volunteer rates in local or national organizations. Virginia is also home to the third-highest population of active-duty military personnel per 100,000 civilians, and there are 27 military bases in the state.

    The report further acknowledges that many Americans may not be feeling very patriotic this year because of "societal issues" that span from "relentless high inflation" to tragedies like mass shootings.

    "Many people may find it hard to celebrate a country where countless people are struggling and frequent violence persists," the report's author wrote. "However, an expression of love for fellow citizens is patriotic in itself."

    Joining Texas among the least patriotic American states are Florida (No. 46), Alabama (No. 47), Louisiana (No. 48), New York (No. 49), and Arkansas (No. 50).

    The top 10 most patriotic states in America are:

    • No. 1 – Virginia
    • No. 2 – Montana
    • No. 3 – Vermont
    • No. 4 – Colorado
    • No. 5 – Oregon
    • No. 6 – Washington
    • No. 7 – North Dakota
    • No. 8 – Maryland
    • No. 9 – Minnesota
    • No. 10 – New Hampshire
    The report analyzed all 50 states across 13 "indicators of patriotism" based on military and civic engagement, including factors such as the rate of veterans living in each state for every 1,000 civilians; the share of adults who voted in the 2024 presidential election and the 2020 primary elections; the number of AmeriCorps volunteers per capita, and more.
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