 By Alvin Engelke
alvinengelke@hotmail.com
Rev. Keith Belt filled his regular appointment at the Burning Springs M. E. Church. His mother Jenny Belt is said to be improving and his Uncle Ken Belt tends to get confused.
Nancy Engelke got a "special Christmas present" with a stay Christmas Eve, Day and the day after at the Camden Clark hospital. Also she and Mandee Richards were in an automobile accident on Monday before Christmas in Parkersburg. Vacations in the medical facilities make it clear the transformations in medical care mandated by The Big Eared One and his socialized medicine scheme. The insurance companies who were told, "Work with us and we'll guarantee you a profit" have found that, unless the taxpayers give them bailouts, they are in a mess.
Also churches that adopted the Social Justice gospel by Marx [not St. Mark] and said that government health care for all would be good were, for some reason, surprised to learn that the "government largesse" included abortion which is, the killing of babies. There are always those who think that they can make a deal with evil and come out OK. The Republican elites say, "We must compromise!" Now they are going to try to eliminate those who would stand on principle & bring in more illegal aliens and goodness knows what else. Next month is the time to file for office and help clean up the mess.
The folks at the Creston Space Dock did some work on the "landing pad" at the Charles Russell residence.
The younger set have been busy playing with their new toys, showing off their new threads, etc.
Sis & Cooter Marks have been visiting Ryan, Jessica & Rylynn Marks up in Ohio.
The nicotine Nazis have almost put one Elizabeth area business out of business "just to show what they can do". While the attack on tobacco continues there is a big push to "legalize drugs" and a promotion of the use thereof among the young. While those who work must pass "the tinkle test" making it difficult to find oil field, coal mine and state road workers, there is a group that stops drug testing for the welfare queens, kings and those who reside in their domiciles.
Several local folks were pleased that the Duck Commander blew the PC Police out of the water. Perhaps the battle can turn into a war and force the mind control zealots back under the rocks from which they crawled. This writer knows that he has been offended many times; such is life and it is absurd to think that there are those who believe that everyone must kowtow to whatever they say or do without making comments, statements or observations so they "won't be offended". It was noted that federal employees down in the swamps along the lower Potomac were not permitted to say Merry Christmas and mentioning Jesus Christ or Christianity seems to be worse than shouting "fire" in a crowded theater.
Local wet natural gas (with the goodies, propane, butane, etc) sold for circa $3.00 or less while local natural gas customers got to buy back dry gas for $8.
The price for local Pennsylvania grade crude rose to $97.82 with condensate or drip fetching $76.68, Marcellus & Utica light $88.94 and medium $98.82/bbl.
Triad Hunter permitted a Utica/Point Pleasant horizontal well to 10,600' on the Stewart lease in Ellsworth District (Paden City quadrangle) in Tyler County. Based on wells drilled across the river the Utica should be dry there but time and the bit will tell.
Antero reported that wells in the highly rich gas/condensate section of the Marcellus which would be lands west of Burnt House, Grantsville & Millstone have a 93% return and the wells have 50% or more of gas liquids, which under some leases they do not have to pay royalties or taxes on. The highly rich Utica wells have a 208% return while dry gas Utica has a 40% return. Antero also said, "Upgrade analysis demonstrates that ethane recovery is not economic at current ethane price." Sorta makes one wonder with all the talk by the politicians & others about the proposed ethane cracker down at Washington Bottom. Based on $4.25/mmbtu price for natural gas, 1300 btu gas would be worth $7.94.
Equitable (EQT) noted that the price for propane is $1.02/gallon, n-butane $1.82 and iso-butane $1.93 with natural gasoline (mountain high test) $2.44 with ethane at the rate of 2 -3 gallons/MCF is rejected back into the natural gas stream.
Freddie Bush & associates were hauling hay on Christmas Day. The ground was frozen so hay bales could be gathered up in the fields.
The post office department announced that stamps would go up to 49 cents each next month. Also in postal news there is a part time job available at the Brooksville Post Office that pays just under $16/hour.
It was noted that Berkshire Hathaway which is Warren Buffet's flagship company has moved into the Parkersburg area. Some wonder if that has to do with proposed petro-chemical plants along the Ohio River.
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Hur Herald. | 
