 By Alvin Engelke
alvinengelke@hotmail.com
Garfield resident Bob Sims brought the message at the Burning Springs M. E. church.
Longtime Little Creek resident Dollie Schrader, who is now confined to a nursing home, turned 95 recently.
Charles Russell had Sunday dinner with his brother Euell & Ray Gum at Miletree Health Care. Ray is working on getting his radio set back up.
The Mothman, J. R. Ewing and Cap'n Spock were all attending to business in Upshur County on Saturday. It was reported that Federation Starships, even used, were in high demand and fetched the most. The Big Eared One took offense recently when a Federation ad poked fun at the Klingon Warbirds for living on taxpayer dollars and, in true Orwellian fashion the ad was pulled.
Concern continues over the massive federal debt and the impact on ordinary Crestonites. Spending over $1 billion by a "sun power" company to buy solar panels made in Mexico (manufacture in U. S. is apparently prohibited) and now the $1/2 billion to make electric cars in Finland (because of a non-friendly U. S. attitude toward
manufacturing) shows how bad the situation is and how a knife could be quickly applied to help ordinary folks, not the crony capitalists who give big money to the Big Eared One and his friends like Earl Ray, Johnny D. IV and Broadway Joe.
W. Harrison Schenerlein IV and his cousins were visiting the Pumpkin Patch over the weekend.
One local resident spent some time up in the mountains last week and noted that most of the windmills (taxpayer funded) were not turning even though the wind was blowing.
The state tax department sent out notices of big increases in the value of minerals, especially coal for next year's taxes. Many of these big coal value increases are for counties and areas that, except for coal dug locally for blacksmiths, etc. have never had coal mining. Some might assume that the state wants a big increase in strip mining on the level done in Germany where coal 900' deep is stripped. Back when little Johnny D. Rockefeller IV was playing governor a big coal tax was levied in some counties. Then, miraculously, a family company came along buying coal (that folks could not afford to keep because of the taxes) for a fraction of the value set by the State. Then the coal values went down. This time the only coal buyers are the Hindoos, the Ukranians, Russians and Communist Chinese. They apparently believe they can circumvent the present administration's anti coal rules as, perhaps, they are "more equal". Those who received the notices have only 'til November 15 to respond. Many notices have increases in "other minerals". Perhaps folks own uranium, plutonium, emeralds,rubies, and, perhaps, kryptonite.
Several area residents have been on the sick list as some sort of nasty virus seems to be going around. Speaking of bad things the government "lady bugs" or Asiatic beetles are back. Bill & Hill had them dispersed so "that aphids would not harm the pecan trees". Also, of course someone did well selling them to "the taxpayers" who didn't know they were buying them. As they say, "Another successful government program".
Folks who were attending to business in Grantsville noticed the new cracks in the Court House there which, apparently, were caused by the recent earthquake with the epicenter in Virginia.
Local residents have been getting in wood for the winter to be able to stay warm. A federal program, part of the "stimulus" and "being green" is the much heralded "updating the electric grid, etc." When the scheme is completed someone in Washington can turn off your electric at your 'smart meter' when "a wise one" has determined that you have used too much or set your thermostat at an unapproved level.
There has been a lot of talk about Ponzi schemes & social security, the so called lock box, now in West Virginia full of federal government IOUs, payable after interest on the debt to foreign creditors is paid, etc. Some years back the social security administration sent out press releases featuring local men who had been the initial participants who had lived to be old and had drawn much more in checks that they & their employers had paid in. The local example was Harry Bingman who worked for the South Penn Oil Company which later became Pennzoil, a part of the Standard Oil Trust. While, at one time, the SS money was 'kept separate and apart' that all came to an end 40 years ago and now it is just money in and money out like any other item. The social security administration also had employees whose only job was to go around and tell how wonderful the program was and that, now the government would take care of you in your old age.
The price of local Pennsylvania grade crude oil rose to $84.95/bbl. However, oil from Roane & Jackson Counties is $3/bbl lower since in is "Tier Two".
Josemite Sam, the Mower Man, has been mowing brush along W. Va. 5 near Creston. Also the Cosmos wildflower bed, planted by the Wirt road crew, is in its glory.
A four point was spotted on Ann's Run and the bushy tails are busy carrying walnuts away for winter. The deer apparently ate all the chestnuts again this year. That should make them tasty.
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