Is a Hybrid Car really the best choice to save fuel?

The Toyota Prius gets about 45 mpg a Volkswagen Golf Diesel gets about 52 mpg. The Golf will run circles around the Prius while saving fuel. Just watch the video.

Mineral County Planning Commission hears requirements for Zoning

Wednesday night the Mineral County Planning Commission was visited by Michael Dougherty of the WVU Extension Office. Mike spoke for 21 minutes to the commission on what was required for implementing zoning in Mineral County.

His speech is complete with all the parts below.

Part 1



Part 2



Part 3

Hillary Clinton Supporters Call Fox News Fair and Balanced, Indirectly

Democrats, especially those of the pantsuit persuasion, have many times over the years chided Fox News as being a bastion of conservative bias. They love bashing the network's "Fair and Balanced" slogan.

Certainly over the years Fox News has gotten its shots in at both Clintons while other networks cast a glow upon them. This primary season saw the Clinton backlash candidate within Democratic circles result in the nomination of not a formidable Clinton Part II, but of Jimmy Carter and George McGovern rolled into one vague and incomprehensible package.

Hillary Clinton thought she had this one in the bag. Based upon the media love affair with her over the years, why should she have felt any differently. Negative media coverage, not just in stories, but also photo selection, point of view, even jokes, assailed her as it normally does the GOP nominee. She found out suddenly what it was like to be a Republican.

Last week her supporters called out MSNBC and CNN for their presumed bias against her nomination. Of course they hauled out the sexist card against those two organizations. Interestingly by default she acknowledges Fox's claim of fair and balanced coverage. Stories also surfaced last week describing the possibility of retribution against those who turned on the Clintons. In our state, Governor Manchin only announced his support of Obama after receiving the blessing of the Clintons. Not that it matters since Joe Manchin would rather be seen with Mao Tse Dong at this point than Barrack Hussein Obama (of course there's not much difference between those two.)

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Speaking of disciples of Mao Tse Dong, Delegate Carrie Webster (D-Kanawha) spent over $73,000 in the primary! The party of the common man has 80% of the $1.28 million that all legislative candidates have at this point, according to Lincoln Walks at Midnight.

Voters must look past the flash and dash that the Democrats can afford and pay attention to their pro-abortion platform that also endorses the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol was voted down by the US Senate in 2000 99-0. It would have been 100-0, but Strom Thurmond was too ill to vote. It would effectively destroy much of the coal market. Additionally it would place restrictions on the US economy that competing third world nations would not be burdened with. Senators Byrd and Rockefeller as well as all our representatives voted against it.

Illegal to be Overweight Part Two

If you saw the previous article about Japan passing laws to outlaw obesity, you know what I am talking about. That country established national waistline standards that will cause towns and cities to be punished if their citizens are too overweight.

The big question here is, how would the state find out if people in a given city are too fat or not? My guess is that the government has too much access to health care numbers on individuals. They can leverage that information against towns and cities who will then bring compulsive power down upon individuals. All this effort for a problem that is none of the state's business.

It can't happen here, right? Too late! Governor Joe Manchin expends state resources to gather information about what kind of exercise each child in school does every day. That's right. Children must report their physical activities on a calendar every day or they receive a D in their physical education class. Are you an aspiring valedictorian that believes in freedom and keeping government out of your life? Too bad. Uncle Joe says you have to tell.

Expect more of this kind of interference if the government ever gains control of health care. That will give them access to all your information. Governments cannot be trusted with the economy because they make economic decisions for political reasons. That is why the Soviet Union fell apart and why China has abandoned real Communism (although they maintain their dictatorship.) It is why Britain has almost no dentists and why people there have taken to extracting their own teeth.

Socialized health care will not only result in poor decisions by politicians, it will also allow the government to craft policies to encourage you to be healthier whether you like it or not. Someday compare pictures of those who led our Revolution and crafted our Constitution with those who founded fascist and communist states. The American founders are certainly a mixed bag. For every trim George Washington you have two or three pear shaped Franklins or John Adamses. You also have a few morbidly obese men such as General Henry Knox. Look at the Nazis. Outside of morphine addict Hermann Goering, you have a group that was obsessed with physical fitness. Look at Stalin's inner circle. Krushchev was a little pudgy, but most of those men stayed pretty fit as well.

The difference is the freedom to choose. Our society is based upon that ideal but it is difficult to maintain it. The enemy is the nanny state and they don't take all our freedoms at once. They use what Stalin called "salami tactics." If you slice away a bit at a time, no one notices. Uncle Joe Manchin takes a little freedom by forcing kids to give up their privacy "because it is for their own good." Socialized health care by comparison is giving away the farm. We put this crucial part of our system into government hands and we have told the world that we are no longer free.

Illegal to be Overweight?

If we need any more indications that what we used to call liberal democracy is on the decline, we just need to look at Japan.

When someone uses the term "liberal democracy" or "classical liberalism" they do not mean the left wing socialist style liberalism that has gained ascendancy in the current Democratic party. Liberalism at one time referred to those who advocated breaking through the restrictive regulations of 18th century mercantilism to create freedom and opportunity for individuals and business. It meant that people needed freedom from government so they could thrive. Individuals and businesses had the freedom to make choices and the responsibility to live with them. There was no contradiction between the fact that these people called themselves "liberal" and that the word derived from the same Latin root that gives us "liberty."

After World War II, societies began exercising their democratic rights to trade away their liberties. In America those advocating more restrictions and less freedoms called themselves "liberals." Europeans traded their economic freedoms for what they felt would be a more orderly economy. The socialist regulatory state resembled Mussolini's Italy more than a classically liberal state. On the Continent this was understandable since real democracy had only existed there a short time. The virus has recently infected Britain, however. Their so-called liberals forced the population to give up their guns. And this country was the origin of the idea of natural rights!

That brings us to Japan. They recently passed legislation that established a national standard for waistlines. Towns and cities that do not meet national standards will face sanctions. Of course this means the people will suffer eventually. This kind of legislation probably appeals to some American nanny staters who would use the power of the state to force people into certain lifestyles. However it reeks more of the physical obsession of states designed by Stalin, Hitler, and Mussolini.

The anti freedom virus has infected too many states. We must work to turn back the tide.

Battling Jay's

Jay Wolfe is sending a message that all of us can identify with when we head to the pump to fill up with fuel.

The irony that Rockefeller's money comes from Standard Oil, as he is a direct decedent of the founder, should not be lost on any of us. The majority of Congress in the past have voted to block drilling for US oil. That majority has included both Democrats and Republicans. In West Virgina all of those members have been Democrats.

The problem is this should not be a partisan issue. It should be an American issue. Each day we send nearly $2,000,000,000 to foreign nations for oil. Years ago oil drilling was blocked in much of the US coast, in the Rocky Mountains and ANWR. At the time the technology was not there to drill safely, but now it is any many refuse to accept that.

Rockefeller whose vast fortune comes from oil should understand that technology in the oil industry has changed significantly. If our elected officials will not change with the times, then maybe it is time to change our officials?

WV land owners benefit from high energy prices

High energy prices around the world are impacting many people in a negative way. We are reminded each time we fill up our vehicles with $4 plus a gallon gas, but for some there is an up side. Many landowners have valuable energy that the market now wants.

Just a few years ago gas leases were running around $100 per acre, today most are in the $300 to $400 per acre range for the first 3-years with a bump to $1,700 per acre in the fourth year. Once the well starts producing the land owner will typically be able to negotiate between a 1/8th royalty on the low side and a 1/4th on the high side.

Wind farms are also providing a positive economic impact for landowners. Some are paid $5,000 per year per wind generator, while others opt for a $3,000 per unit lease with a percentage profit from the electricity generated.

Even if you are not a land owner you will see a positive impact in the local economy. Each dollar pumped into the area will act as three dollars to the local economy. The facts are people tend to spend extra money they get. After all that was why the Federal Government sent out the economic stimulus checks. They knew most people would spend them pumping money into the economy.

Most of the people receiving royalty and lease checks from the gas and wind companies will do the same thing. They will buy the boat they always wanted, build a garage they always wanted, start a business the didn't have the extra money to risk on, etc. Somebody will have to sell that boat, someone will have to build that garage, somebody will have to work at that new business. All of those people benefit indirectly from the increased wealth in the area.

Rising energy prices can benefit the local economy when you are in an energy producing region and the Potomac Highlands has the ability to be a major playing in the current energy market.

West Virginia Congressional Delegation on Wrong Side of Issue

Some of those Representatives that West Virginia sends to Washington are not listening to the people back home. These are starting to pop on the internet and around the state trying to send a message Rockefeller, Rahall, and Mollohan.
The United States is currently worlds number 1 user of oil and only the worlds 3rd largest producer of oil. Each day the US sends $2 billion overseas to purchase oil while over 600 billion barrels of oil are accessible in the US with current technology. The only thing stopping the drilling in the US is our own US Congress.

The Internet is playing a greater role in WV politics

Russ Weeks candidate for West Virginia Governor spend most of last week touring the Potomac Highlands spreading his message. In case you missed him Russ has a new internet video.

Mineral County Stawberry Fest

I'm going to use the blog today to thank everyone involved with the Strawberry Fest. If I try to list the individual names I will miss somebody and I don't want to leave anyone out.

There was a lot of hard work by a lot of volunteers on what turned out to be the hottest day of the year so far. I want to thank the county for providing the space and all of the county employees that pitched in to help. I want to thank City of Keyser for their help in blocking of the streets and providing much needed help and man power. I want to thank all of the volunteers from all the different organizations that made Strawberry Fest 2008 the largest one ever held.

Thank You

West Virginia’s High Fuel Tax is Reducing Fuel Tax Revenue

West Virginia has one of the highest fuel taxes in the nation. That tax adds 31.5¢ to each gallon of fuel we purchase within the state and that bad tax policy, like so many others Charleston has given us, is reducing our tax revenue.

Free market forces are doing exactly what they will always do. The price-conscious consumer searches for the lowest price, and they are increasingly finding that price across state lines. With much of West Virginia’s population located along the border in cities like Weirton, Parkersburg, Huntington, Bluefield, and others, it is easy for consumers to avoid the higher priced West Virginia fuel. Sometimes the choice for consumers is extremely easy with gas stations sitting on both sides of the border within sight of each other having up to an 18¢ difference in price on the same grade of fuel — the West Virginia station being the more expensive of the two. The state’s fuel tax is the biggest cause of the price difference.

These price-conscious West Virginians are voting to fill their tanks in other states, decreasing the amount of tax the state receives. At the same time they are giving a tax boost to the states of Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Kentucky when they pay that state’s fuel tax.

West Virginia funds its entire portion of highway construction and maintenance with taxes from fuel. A major component in highway maintenance is the petroleum based product; asphalt. The state’s equipment runs on diesel fuel and gasoline. All of these items are rising in price significantly right when the state’s poor tax policy is reducing the amount of funding the Department of Highways receives.

An opportunity for West Virginia lies in these high fuel prices, and we need to seize it. We must cut our fuel taxes now and get two great benefits. The first will be to West Virginia taxpayers who will see an immediate reduction in fuel cost providing much-needed relief. That lower fuel cost will free up consumers’ money to spend in other parts of our economy, causing long overdue growth in West Virginia.

The second benefit will come when the free market brings those price-conscious West Virginia consumers back to purchase the cheaper fuel. They will now begin to pay the West Virginia fuel tax instead of the fuel tax in the other states, but something else will happen as well. Price-conscious consumers living in the bordering states will begin to shop in West Virginia for fuel. Those from Ashland, KY, Marietta, OH, Cumberland, MD and other bordering communities will cross over the border, buy fuel here and pay West Virginia taxes instead of their home states, providing greater tax revenue for West Virginia.

Now is the time for West Virginia to make a significant cut in the fuel tax to help West Virginia taxpayers and consumers increase revenue to the WVDOH and boost our state’s economy. We need to put an end to the bad tax policies in West Virginia that are destroying our economy.

Garrison's Last Pitch

West Virginia University President Mike Garrison recently made his last desperate pitch to keep his job. Summoning up his powers to convince, he made such a strong impression on the Board of Governors that they absolved him of direct responsibility for the degree scandal. However the Board stated that they would continue to look at the situation and meet again on June 6th.

Michael Garrison may or may not have had a direct hand in the scandal. However the perception is that his political connections bind him too tightly to the governor and that this played a major role in the wrongdoing. The revelations in the Rich Rodriguez case that Garrison was assumed to be the next president long before his hiring do not help.

Who suffers here? Certainly the governor must want this to go away very badly. His opponent in November, Russ Weeks, has benefited tremendously. Not too long ago Weeks had little name recognition outside of Republican circles. Now increasing numbers of people see him as an alternative to the Manchinocracy. Weeks will be able to use this and other issues to bridge the gap between himself and his opponent by this fall. Garrison himself has taken an image hit from which he will not recover.

Worst of all the university has taken a hard right cross to its reputation. Coming from a state all too often maligned (thanks Dick Cheney), West Virginia University must always fight an uphill battle in its quest to be recognized for the great research institution it is. Since it has low standards for admission (which it must since it serves the state), magazines rating the best colleges ignore WVU's track record of research excellence. It was the one state run institution believed to be free of the usual political garbage. That reputation is gone.

The current president of WVU must love the university. I do not see how anyone who has taught or attended there cannot. WVU strikes a unique balance between teaching excellence and research that is rare at its academic level. Michael Garrison's best leadership decision would be to resign right now. That is how he could save the situation for himself and West Virginia University.

Take one for the team, President Garrison. Please.

Author Russ Weeks to Speak at Keyser Rotary

Senator Weeks, a Navy veteran who ran for office believing one man could make a difference, exposes the hypocrisy of state government in the Mountain State, and reveals an insider’s account of the true story behind:

Governor Joe Manchin’s handling of the Sago tragedy and the real reason behind the emergency mine legislation that followed the event.

The cover-ups and government interference regarding serious allegations at a West Virginia healthcare facility, and the heavy-handed efforts to stop Senator Weeks from pursuing the truth.

The charade of the lawmaking process, and how bills are often changed long after being approved by the legislature.

The real reason West Virginia ranks last in almost every category.

No Strings Attached is a riveting first-hand account of government malfeasance at its most shocking, told by the man who held the same Senate seat once occupied by Robert C. Byrd. And Senator Weeks issues a challenge: “Now that you know what’s going on with your elected officials, what are you going to do about it?”

Russ will speak to Keyser Rotary on Thursday June 5th at 12:00 at the Pines in Keyser.

"Water Water Every Where (sic) Nor Any Drop to Drink?"

Samuel Taylor Coleridge's Rime of the Ancient Mariner gives the reader a powerful image of what happens when a luckless ship breaks into an ocean bereft of breeze or rain. The crew suffers as they lose their supply of fresh water. Lack of water tortures them, giving them "black lips baked." This dire situation of no water has been presented to us by some of our leaders. According to a test that is far from conclusive, the aquifer under Keyser and New Creek may be low.

The problem faced by Coleridge's sailors was that their most convenient source of water had actually disappeared. Although no one has concluded that is the case in Mineral County, let us assume for a minute that the aquifer did start to run low. The unfortunate men on the ship described by Coleridge were surrounded by "water, water every where, nor any drop to drink." If they had lived in our time, modern technology could have saved them by separating the salt from the seawater, giving them as much as they needed.

We don't need modern technology. If the aquifers are low (and that is doubtful considering the precipitation that we have received since November) then all we need is the same technology used 2,000 years ago by the Romans. They drew millions of gallons per day from mountain sources, enough to fill the needs of over a million people and flush Rome's sewers.

We have ample sources of water. The Mountaintop Water Department commissioned a study which claims that their reservoir contains over 100 million gallons of water and does not drop much even in dry spells. Another study confirmed that 10% of the lowest ever recorded flow of the Potomac out of Jennings Randolph Lake could supply the needs of almost ten times the number of people currently living in Mineral County. The idea that we face a water crisis when surrounded by lakes is absolutely preposterous. Did anyone else see some of the streets of Keyser under four inches of water on Saturday?

Coleridge's ship ended up in a supernatural realm where each member of the crew was either sent to death or "death in life." Death in life was a crueler punishment, a cursed existence where a man had some sense of his surroundings, but those surroundings were decayed and foul. This water question, if it creates enough concern, will certainly be used to prevent significant development in Mineral County. For those in certain situations of comfort, keeping things as they are makes sense. However for those who need to find better jobs to feed their families and stay in this region, a Mineral County without growth becomes a death in life. Communities will continue to wither and lives and homes will decay. Of course if given a chance they will leave the state to live better and give their families more.

Ed Koch Continues to Support George W. Bush

Former Mayor Ed Koch represents a dying breed. He is one of the last of the nationalist Democrats that once dominated American politics. Starting with Woodrow Wilson and continuing through Franklin Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy, these Democrats supported a strong American foreign policy. They learned the lessons of Munich and Pearl Harbor while fashioning the policies that Reagan eventually used to win the Cold War.

Koch compares President Bush to Harry Truman. Both men had a number of difficult decisions forced upon them by an unfriendly and changing world. Both men acted from the principle that American power wielded justly would deter the forces of tyrannical aggression. Certainly this required sacrifices that were not easy on the American people. History looks kindly on Truman today for his strength; Koch believes that George W. Bush will be remembered similarly. Bush's stand for a democratic Israel combined with his recognition of the threat posed by Islamofascism won him Koch's praise.

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One of the last active nationalist Democrats is Joe Lieberman. Since his defeat as part of the Al Gore ticket in 2000, the Democratic Party has sought to purge him from his US Senate seat because he dares to support President Bush. Lieberman strongly supports John McCain in this election and a large silent percentage, if not a silent majority, of conservative and moderate Democrats will likely follow him. Interestingly, Hillary Clinton has turned full circle from her Vietnam War protest days and looks increasingly like a Democrat of old. However the radical MoveOn.org organization's money will defeat her in the end.

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Looks like it might be a little while longer before we find out who Ruth Rowan will face this fall in the 50th delegate district. Alan "Mitch" Davis came within twenty votes of Royce Saville. Although declining to request a recount initially, Davis eventually decided to ask for one.

Rowan is a two term Republican incumbent.

Congratulations to NASA

NASA almost never gets full coverage unless they screw up in a major way. However what they do with their relatively tiny budget is sometimes nothing short of incredible. Their Phoenix Mars Lander successfully landed on our solar system's fourth planet recently with its intricate parts all working in good order.

Phoenix's mission lies in testing the subterranean ice just beneath the surface of Mars' northern hemisphere to see if it at one time supported life. The presence of water on Mars makes an eventual manned landing and colonization much more likely within the next few decades. The Phoenix mission cost $420 million total which actually carries a relatively small price tag compared to other government expenditures. Additionally NASA's research and development usually creates a host of new technological advances for each mission, making the investment well worth the money. We should remember that NASA also employs West Virginians in the Fairmont area.

The day should come this century when the shoestring budgets of NASA are eclipsed by private enterprise as men and women search for economic opportunities in space. The moon and other space objects should contain multitudes of useful minerals. Low gravity manufacturing in a century or so be more cost efficient than that on Earth. Space's potential to benefit mankind is potentially limitless. Future generations will thank the tireless and determined minds now at NASA for their baby steps into the great beyond.

Shelley Moore Capito Working on Your Fuel Costs

Shelley Moore Capito announced that Congress will halt shipments of oil into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve for the time being. President Bush had opposed such a measure because the reserve currently is short of full capacity by 3%. However Capito cited statistics that claimed gas prices could drop by as much as a quarter a gallon in some areas.

Capito had called upon the president to not oppose this move and it looks like he will not veto it. From his perspective it certainly makes sense to fear a severe supply crisis, but people and the economy need relief now. However, Capito realizes long term solutions must continue to be worked upon.

Will fuel costs go down as much as anticipated? Definitely in the short term the impact will be felt. The question is whether or not the drop will be enough to restimulate demand. After all, driven miles actually dropped in the last several months for the first time in years. Stimulated demand could drive the price back up again.

More concerning is the attitude of the oil producers who rebuffed Bush's request to increase production. The US market is no longer the only major player and our leverage as consumers has decreased. If the Congress would act, we could once again command leverage as producers as we did before World War II.

In any event, Capito's work will be much appreciated by those of us scraping to put gas in our tanks this summer.

Press Release

Republican Club President steps down, to focus on House Campaign

For Immediate Release Contact: Lisa Peana
Thursday, May 29, 2008 304-730-4599


Ceredo , WV – West Virginia Republican Club President, Lisa Peana, stepped down from her position on Thursday to focus on her efforts to capture a House seat in the 17th Delegate District.

Lisa Peana, who has served as WVGOP Club president since its inception, said, “It was a tough decision, but now that we have entered the General Election, I must step aside to focus on my campaign.”

The West Virginia Republican Club was formed by volunteers in 2007 to help the West Virginia Republican Party with candidate recruitment and volunteer efforts.

“I am very proud of the efforts and progress the Club has made so far,” said Peana, “We recruited great candidates, and I am proud to share the ballot with them this November.”

The Republican Club also held a Republican Candidate Training seminar early in the primary election cycle. Trainers included state Legislators and campaign consultants.

Another goal the Republican Club had set was to help the GOP retired its debt left over from previous election cycles. “The WV Republican Party, led by the efforts of State Chairman, Dr Doug McKinney, did a terrific job retiring the debt. I feel that the Republican Party is poised to help our candidates and lead them to victory this November,” said Peana.

Although Peana won’t be in the leadership position with the Club, she does not plan to walk away completely, “My door will always be open to help candidates and the Club in anyway that I can,” added Peana.

Peana is running for the House of Delegates in District 17, which encompasses most of Wayne County.

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Shortages and Price Rises

The Moorefield Examiner ran a poll yesterday asking how the US government should stabilize gas prices. 30% responded that the answer lay in increasing supply by drilling into known reserves including public lands. 11% suggested that current market forces ought to be left alone. However 53% suggested that the oil companies be overwhelmingly taxed to seize their profits.

The price of oil and gas rises because of shortages in supply. Gas companies (and this is true for food as well) must raise prices substantially in times of short supply. Price rises actually represent the lesser evil when compared to a complete cut off of product to the market. Seizing profits won't help because these companies do not stick their money into a sock and hide it. Most of them reinvest profits into production and research, looking for new sources of energy or making production more efficient. Putting legal caps on gas or food prices will not reduce demand and we would run low on or run out of gas and perhaps some kinds of food as well. President Bush's recent veto of a bill that would put caps on food prices showed real leadership.

Does it make anyone happy to pay $4 a gallon for gas? Nope. The key for the United States whether it comes to food or fuel is to assume leadership and increase supply. We can do both since we have vast untapped reserves of oil and we pay farmers to not farm. Flooding the market with US oil and food will drop prices substantially, but it will take congressional action to make this happen. We must remember this in the coming election.

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Kudos to Lisa Peana and the West Virginia Republican Club's blog for predicting the primary day massacre of incumbent Democrats. My question is this, were these Democrats all very publicly associated with Joe Manchin? I wonder how many Democratic candidates and incumbents will be eager to get their pictures with the Gov in this go-round?

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Prayers for Senator Edward Kennedy and his family. No one except the most evil should have to suffer from the ravages of brain cancer. We may disagree with the Senator a lot, but we hope that God sees fit to enable him to make a full recovery.

West Virginia University Losing Professors Due to Garrison

On Friday, newspapers around the state announced the departure of three long time professors from West Virginia University. One of these was Professor Steve Zdatny.

Professor Zdatny just took over the history department chair at the university. I have worked with him quite a bit and know him to be a professor who is a rarity in the academic world outside of WVU. Zdatny produces quality research while also being a zealous teacher. You do not often find professors like this in major universities. The loss of Zdatny is a terrible blow to the school and its students.

Now he and I did not always agree. Once I lectured on the Russian Revolution to his class and he told me I was too hard on Lenin. However he always had respect for different opinions and points of view regardless of whether he agreed with them or not. I remember a lot of good natured teasing back and forth between him and conservative graduate students. This respect for different points of view is also somewhat rare in academia.

Zdatny also is a man of principle and another aspect of his character I remember is that he hates to have his intelligence insulted. Plagiarists received not just an F on the assignment, but an unforgiveable F in the course. His statements upon leaving for the University of Vermont tell me that he believes that the administration has insulted his intelligence. Zdatny said he never considered applying for another position until the scandal broke.

West Virginia University lost not just one experienced professor, but three. These unexpected losses mean that extra search committees will require funding from the taxpayers. The costs from this scandal just keep adding up.