Massive White House Protest Limps Along, with an STD Update

I noted yesterday the "Massive Protest At White House Against Alberta Tar Sands Pipeline" could only muster 65 protesters. Today, such rightous indignation could only come up with a measly 45 people. This protest is to continue daily through September 3 and is expected by organizers to draw over 2,000 participants. Reuters:

Authorities arrested dozens of people on Sunday protesting outside the White House against a proposed $7 billion oil pipeline they oppose for environmental reasons.

Park Police Sergeant David Schlosser said 45 activists were arrested on Sunday for "failure to obey lawful order." They were released after paying a fine, he told Reuters.

Evidently these arrests are lighting a fire in the bellies of the Green Machine. Wait, doesn't fire release CO2 into the atmosphere? Seems like a poor choice of words.

If the police thought that they would discourage more Americans from taking part in the sit-ins at the White House by keeping Bill McKibben and Saturday’s participants in jail, they were completely wrong. Another group of over 70 people gathered in Lafeyette Square Park today. 45 of them were arrested for the second day of sit-ins at the White House. “Saturday’s arrests and overnight jailings are already lighting a fire,” said Mike Tidwell, director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, who was also arrested Saturday. “More people are now inspired, determined, and committed to join. On Monday alone over 20 DC-area doctors, lawyers and students will be going to jail to chant, sing, and stop the pipeline. They’ll be joining Nebraska ranchers and others nationwide. Word is spreading.”

I have to agree, word is spreading and we do not like what they are hearing. Although you have probably seen this story on the Instapundit, Hot Air, andGateway Pundit websites, you heard it hear first! Last week Mike Sturla, PA House Deomcrat Policy Committee Chairmanhad some interesting words to describe the adverse effects of "fracking" Pennsylvania.

“Also, aside from building roads so their trucks can get to drill sites and doing a little stream work to mitigate damage from their road building, exactly what are all those things the drillers are doing for the local communities? Patronizing the bars at night? Driving up the cost of rental housing? Spreading sexually transmitted disease amongst the womenfolk? Causing school districts to ask local governments to ban truck traffic on local roads during school bus pick-up and drop-off times so kids don’t get killed? Upgrading emergency preparedness equipment to handle a well blow out? Running compressor stations that have decibel levels equal to a jet engine?…Really community-oriented stuff…”

Mike Sturla D, 19th Century, stands by his comment, citing a report by Staci Covey, CEO at Troy Community Hospital presented to the Marcellus Advisory Commission in May. You can read the report here. See page 12 of the PDF. In this testimony, she cites no evidence and now we know why, "Hospital administrator Staci Covey says her information was “anecdotal,” but maintains the hospital has seen a definite increase in the number of STDs it has treated in recent years. We’re working on finding specific stats for Bradford County." While Ms. Covey searches for data to support her contention I have actually found some. From the Pennsylvania Department of Health we find that Gonorrhea cases in Bradford county, Pennsylvania won one less in 2010 than in 2006. Chlamydia cases dropped a total of 18 from 117 in 2006 to 99 in 2010. Not a single case of syphilis was reported in Bradford county in 2010. This data is not anecdotal, it is non-existent. State Impact reports:

Gonorrhea Cases:

COUNTY	2010	2006	2010 VS. 2006
Bradford	9	10	-1
Butler	31	20	11
Forest	1	0	1
Greene	3	5	-2
Lycoming	103	47	56
McKean	4	5	-1
Susquehanna	1	3	-2
Tioga	4	1	3
Warren	3	3	0
Washington	101	128	-27
Westmoreland	74	74	0
Statewide totals	6350	6248	102

Chlamydia Cases:

COUNTY	2010	2006	2010 VS. 2006
Bradford	99	117	-18
Butler	198	183	15
Forest	12	6	6
Greene	69	40	29
Lycoming	369	271	98
McKean	88	69	19
Susquehanna	38	16	22
Tioga	70	48	22
Warren	47	26	21
Washington	465	290	175
Westmoreland	502	407	95
Statewide totals	28090	22287	5803

Syphilis Cases:

COUNTY	2010	2006	2010 VS 2006
Bradford	0	1	-1
Butler	1	0	1
Forest	0	0	0
Greene	0	0	0
Lycoming	1	2	-1
McKean	0	0	0
Susquehanna	0	0	0
Tioga	0	0	0
Warren	1	0	1
Washington	1	1	0
Westmoreland	2	3	-1
Statewide totals	131	139	-8

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Health

Commenter and fellow NY blogger leaves the comment:

A couple of months ago I attended a local, purportedly neutral, fracking presentation here in central NY by two women from Bradford County (if you’ve ever been to any of these things, I’m sure you know who they are–they’re on the “anti” speakers circuit). One of the slides in their presentation listed the social negatives associated with fracking, which they said included an increased divorce rate. At first, I was completely puzzled–were spouses splitting over whether or not to sign a lease? I guess I’m a little naive that way because these ladies claimed that that increase in divorces came about as a result of PA “womenfolk” running off with Texas drilling workers in the mistaken belief that “everything really is bigger in Texas” (a direct quote).

Well, never let objective data get in the way of a salacious story. Speaking of salacious, it is easier to open a brothel in Nevada than a mine?

It is easier in this state to get a license to run a brothel (which is a euphemism for whorehouse) than to open a mine, graze livestock or build a powerplant. And, since Mr. Hope and Change was elected, that applies even more.

Why?

Well, as a matter of state law, prostitution is a matter of county option except for Clark, Washoe, and Carson City, so all you need is a rural county’s approval. And even a Nevada County Commissioner understands the income brothels bring in fees and taxes.

That means if, say, Newmont Mining wants to open up a new open pit mine on I-80 by Wells, given the Federal permits necessary, it can take five years before they can start advertising to fill the first job. More since January 20, 2009.

There are a lot of lessons to be learned here, I think!

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