Columns
In These Otsego Hills
Earlier this year, we
were sent two articles
which appeared in the January
19, 2009 edition of the
Oil & Gas Journal. And
while this is obviously not a
publication we read on a
regular basis, we did find
the two articles of interest.
The first, entitled ``CNX
Gas drills record Marcellus
shale well’’ and written by
Nana M. Rach, Drilling Editor,
concerns ``...hundreds
of coalbed, methane wells
in the Appalachian basin...’’
which were drilled in southwestern
Pennsylvania.
We gather from the article
that these wells, which
were the first horizontal
Marcellus shale wells
drilled by CNX, have proved
to be quite successful. In
fact, according to the article
``On Dec. 15, CNX reported
that the well was producing
6.5 MMcfd of natural gas.
``A record daily production
rate for any well in the
company’s history and believed
to be among the
highest reported by any
Marcellus shale producer,’’
said the company in a press
release.’’ We suspect that
those in this area of the
world opposed to natural
gas drilling would not find
this news of particular comfort.
In the second article, entitled
``US, world possess
rich resource base’’ and
written by Khosrow Biglarbigi
and Hitesh Mohan,
both of Intek Inc., Arlington,
VA and James Killen,
US Department of Energy,
Washington, DC, we
learned that ``Oil shale is a
hydrocarbon-bearing rock
that occurs in nearly 100
major deposits in 27 countries.
In-place hydrocarbons
contained in the shales
may exceed 10 trillion bbl.’’
The article quite clearly
points out that in the United
States, the best shale
deposits for oil shale production
in the immediate
future are found in the
western states of Colorado,
Utah and Wyoming.
However, the article also
concludes that ``...eastern
shale has the potential to
become an important addition
to US unconventional
fuel supplies.’’ It further
adds: ``With processing
technology advances, for
example the addition of hydrogen
to the retorting process,
potential oil yields
could approach those of
western shale.’’
We must say we were
most interested in the conclusions
reached by the article
concerning gas drilling
in the east. The article
reads:
``Eastern shale has some
advantage over the western
shale. Five of these are:
1. Eastern shale is closer
to major demand centers
and this would reduce
transportation costs.
2. Companies could
move the liquid produced
by barge to a refinery for
processing. This would
eliminate the need for local
upgrading and for constructing
large new pipelines.
3. Because the resource
is diverse, eastern shale development
should have
fewer associated environmental
problems.
4. Because the eastern
area is more populated, the
area should have fewer infrastructure
and socio-economic
problems than in the
west.
5. The eastern states
also have numerous coal
mines and industrial
plants, so that public acceptance
and permitting of oil
shale facilities may be easier.
We must say that we
had several responses to
this set of conclusions.
However, insulting is the
only printable one. For
those who may be interested,
both of these articles
can be found online at www.
ogj.com/index.cfm.
We were somewhat surprised
at the response we
received to our thoughts of
last week concerning the
teaching of grammar. We
were amazed at the number
of people who told us
they felt their grasp of
grammar was inadequate.
We were equally surprised
by those who told us that
blaming poor grammar on
the internet was a cop out.
We must say we hadn’t
given a great deal of thought
to the internet angle when
it comes to grammar. However,
having now done so,
we must say we find the argument
somewhat offensive.
After all, we, and all
the other columnists who
write for the Cooperstown
Crier, can be found on the
internet. And we would truly
like to think that none of
us present a poor example
when it comes to writing.
Naturally we all make mistakes.
But overall we think
all the columnists do a good
job, presenting the columns
in a straight forward, easy
to read and understand, informative
and, hopefully at
times, humorous fashion.
And although we certainly
cannot speak for our fellow
columnists, we would not
like to think our offerings
should be used as part of
the explanation for poor
grammar in the school system.
In fact, there are times
when we would tend to
think that simply diagramming
our sentences would
be most challenging. At
least we hope that would be
the case.
Therefore, instead of
trying to figure out who or
what is responsible for the
lack of grammar in our
schools, we would think it
far more productive to discuss
how best it might be
improved. To that end, we
would like to suggest that
improvement in the area of
writing would be greatly
helped by both more reading
and writing on the part
of students.
Reading broadens one’s
exposure to all sorts of writing
styles, whether they are
fiction or non-fiction. And
writing gives one the opportunity
to explore how sentences
fit together to express
ideas and support
positions. Understanding
the rules of grammar will
only help to make the process
more pleasant.
We would also suggest
reading one’s written work
out loud. If it sounds bad, it
probably is. But knowing
that gives one the opportunity
to rework the piece and
improve the writing. And,
perhaps, most important of
all, we would suggest sleeping
on any written piece.
Going through it a second
time, working out any
problems, will always make
for a better written piece.
And, of course, we always
find that proof readers can
be most helpful as they
tend to read what we write,
not what we think we write.
And sometimes that does
make a big difference.
In closing, we must admit
that we have found ourselves
to be quite taken
with the 2008 movie ``Mamma
Mia.’’ In fact, we
watched it three times this
past weekend. We thought
it to be a riot. We found it to
be too funny. And we felt it
made us feel like we were
29 again. And watching the
movie, which included the
ABBA song ``Dancing
Queen,’’ was definitely better
than reading the e-mail
we received which renamed
a number of songs including
``Dancing Queen’’ which
became ``Denture Queen.’’
That made us feel like we
were 129.
We remain,
In these Otsego hills,
The Ellsworths
The Ellsworths may be
reached by mail at 105 Pioneer
Street, Cooperstown,
NY 13326, by telephone at
607-547-8124 or by e-mail
at cellsworth1@stny.
rr.com. They look forward
to hearing from you.
- Columns
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From Fly Creek: Passing fronts and settled weather
(I owe the first part of this column to an informal writers’ workshop sponsored by the Smithy Pioneer Gallery. The small group, led by Gallery Director Danielle Newell, meets Sunday afternoons and is open to anyone interested in the writing craft. As a warmup exercise on that very rainy afternoon, we each wrote a few paragraphs on the weather and emotions. Here’s what that keen group prompted me to scribble down) The dour old Scotsman, the one featured in jokes without number about buying lottery tickets, pinching pennies, scorning worldly ways, etc., once silenced a friend who was praising the beautiful weather.
Continued ... -
In These Otsego Hills: We're back from Michigan ...
Unfortunately, we once again find ourselves stuck in a time warp. When we look at the calendar, we realize that Labor Day is fast approaching. Yet, we seem to be operating under the misconception that it is still early July due in large part to the fact that we spent the almost five weeks from July 15 to August 17 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We feel the summer has sailed by and we, unfortunately, have not kept pace.
Continued ... -
Otsego Herald: Censorship?
All those indebted to John Lawrence, Post-rider, and do not settle the same IMMEDIATELY may rely upon having to pay cost!! Otego, Aug. 24.
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In These Otsego Hills: 1984 comes to a close ... finally
As we continue traipsing through 1984, we realize that even though we were supposed to be covering the comings and goings of Cooperstown, we actually were able, even then, to touch on a number of pressing community, as well as personal, issues. Of course, much to the relief of the powers that were at CCS, the school was not among them. The he-we ran for the school board in 1984 and was elected. Thus the school was deemed off limits by the powers that were at the paper. But we discovered there was still a wide range of issues upon which we could write.
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Otsego Herald: New school book
From the Otsego Herald for Saturday, Aug. 18, 1810
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Book Notes: Books offer tennis insights
Professional tennis sometimes seems to be the ultimate life. Where else could you travel the world, earn gobs of money, get in great shape, and have groupies from the opposite sex chasing you all the time? And you get all your equipment free to boot (which may explain why players smash racquets without remorse). Quite a glamorous life, isn’t it?
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In These Otsego Hills: Continuing our 1984 musings
Now that we have undertaken the beginnings of this column, we fear we find ourselves unable to stop our review of the early writings. In fact, we seem to be completely addicted to the project. And thus, we will continue to explore the very foundations on which this column has been built.
Continued ... -
Book Notes: Burnett's book recalls 'Golden Age'
It’s a shame that today’s young generation missed the golden age of television from the 1960s and 70s. The fact that Hollywood studios with their ``original’’ ideas of constantly remaking hit TV shows from that era into new movies and reunion specials is quite telling. Even Fox with its ``That 70’s Show’’ is a reminder of that whimsical time.
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Home Notes: A place to cherish
As we enter into the middle of summer, let us pause and relish in the fact that we have been blessed with such lovely weather.
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From Fly Creek: Hurray for Mother Bassett!
Just back from my annual week at Lake George’s Silver Bay, in company with about 600 other Quakers. As always, it was a great time: Friends shared silence in the early morning by the lake and during the day in the big brown-shingled tabernacle. (Silver Bay is an old YMCA camp.)
Continued ...
Plenty of fine stringed music and singing in the evenings; lots of daytime rocking-chair stints on the deep veranda, facing across rolling lawns and lake to green mountains and skies of startling blue. -
In These Otsego Hills: In the beginning
Our remembering Jerry in last week’s column has now lead us to muse about our early days of writing a weekly newspaper column.
Continued ... -
Book Notes: Prohibition should not be ignored
I was an American history major in college and one topic that my professors never discussed was prohibition.
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Otsego Herald: Elopement
From the Otsego Herald for Saturday, July 21, 1810 Compiled, with comments BY HUGH C. MACDOUGALL
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Home Notes: Personal Care is a rewarding occupation
When I was a young girl in the early 50’s my family would often take rides through Cooperstown and the Cherry Valley area.
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In These Otsego Hills: Remembering Jerry ...
Difficult as it is to believe, we have been a widow for eleven years this week. And yet it seems as if our late husband Jerry just died yesterday. The memory of it remains most vivid in our mind. We suppose there is much that we don’t remember about July 20, 1999. But we do remember just how much that day changed our life forever. We lost not only our spouse of 28 years, but also our best friend.
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Otsego Herald: Celebrating the 4th
From the Otsego Herald for Saturday, July 14, 1810 Compiled, with comments by
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Our Opinion: What’s good for the goose...
The board of trustees has decided to hire an engineer to review the work of CLA Site, the firm hired to do the site assessment and design work for the Village Gateway Project _ now known as the Cooperstown Intermodal Transit Project. That review will cost up to $12,000.
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From Fly Creek: ‘Thump-thump, dum-lum’
Since I last wrote to you I’ve been several times embraced to Mother Bassett’s bosom.
Continued ...
(Oh dear, I hope that’s not a disrespectful metaphor. But if you’ve seen photos, you know she was a handsome, dignified woman with an ample superstructure.) This time, for variety, the hospital visits at first seemed to have little to do with Parkinsonism. But a new problem had turned up that had me tested in every part of the hospital except obstetrics. -
In These Otsego Hills: Travels with The Widge...
We have decided that the role of grandmother is quite to our liking. As we have been told any number of times, as a grandparent it is perfectly acceptable to hold, play with and fawn over the grandchild until such time as said grandchild becomes fussy. And then, and this is the best part, it is completely within the purview of the grandparent to return the fussy grandchild to the parents. We love it.
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Otsego Herald: Shocking accident, American arrested
On Wednesday last, as Joseph Faulkner, esq. of Middlefield, was returning home from Cherry-Valley, a gust of wind arose up suddenly, a large Elm was blown across the road, directly on Mr. Faulkner, who, together with his horse was instantly killed.
Continued ...
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From Fly Creek: Passing fronts and settled weather
