The Conservative Capital of the World - Somerset, Pa

NRO ^ | July 29, 2002 | Michael Novak

[hillsborofox]

bump.

[zook]

My family and I were driving through the county on Sunday. We stopped at a diner off the interstate. We all got such a warm feeling. The young man who greeted us was so friendly. Gospel music was being played, and a handwritten sign read "Don't forget to thank God for saving the Miners!"

Oh yeah, the food was excellent! It's the Four Seasons, just a few miles south of Breezewood on I-70.

[BADJOE]

Badjoe is puffing out chest. : )

I was born and raised in Meyersdale, 20 miles south of Somerset in the county.

I learned to fly at the county airport in 55.

Meyersdale is the home of the "Maple Festival" and the County Fair.

[CedarDave]

Pinging Miss Marple. Make sure you read this.

Question from Saturday Night's threads. I think I remember you saying that a family member had been a mining engineer. Have you heard or do you know how they were able to pinpoint the drilling location? Especially the first borehole for fresh air and heat??

[aculeus]

Bump.

[TroutStalker]

The people in this area have really fine communities. I was born and raised in Hollidaysburg, just down the mountain to the east. In the 70's I spend a lot of time traveling to every town in the area helping the high school bands, boy scouts and church groups with holiday fund raisers, and met some of the finest, salt-of-the-earth, rugged individuals ever. I am not surprised at all at how they rallied on their own. They sure have had plenty of experience from the past.

[Emile]

G-d, what a beautiful and moving tribute to American ingenuity and compassion.

The statist liberals reading this would probably have us believe that they agree with all the sentiments expressed. But they know, and so do we, that if a federal agency were in charge, those men would have died while the bureaucrats were pushing their papers, sitting in their meetings, and ruminating over how the rescue operation could be made politically correct and done in a way which would shine credit upon the political hacks running the show. Later, they would have wanted to put up a monument, of course with the racial, gender, etc., composition of the deceased "looking like America". And then had their funding increased to help them do better in the future.

Good thing the sincere, truly selfless people got there first.

[BADJOE]

Been through you home town many times on the way to see my honey at Penn State. I went to Pitt.

[zook]

PSU Bump!

[mware]

Rush is hammering on the issue right now.

Said that if the judges at the 9th Circuit Court would try to push their agenda there, they would have to baracade themselves behind a steel wall.

[CedarDave]

Rush is mentioning this piece now.

[BADJOE]

Hey Zook:

My dad was a farm implements dealer.

I knew a lot of Zooks. : )

[zook]

Hey,
I know a lot of Zook's, too. But that's just my handle here.Years and years ago I was in a rock band named "The Zooks". Now I'm a prof here at PSU--imagine that!

[cynicom]

Could someone explain what an "ordinary working man" is???

[patent]

Bump.

[meenie]

I was in the service with some miners out of Pennsylvania and they were some tough dudes. They build men up there in terms of physical and mental toughness. These nine miners are characteristic of the whole of the hard rock miners in the Appalachia.

[lodwick]

bttt

[Movemout]

I know that it is highly unlikely that there would be a coal mine in a liberal area, Cali-style. But imagine if there were. Would all that diversity help recue nine human beings or just get in the way? I live a ways south of Somerset in No. VA but I feel a kinship with these folks. I had written these miners off in my own mind but these heroes of everyday life pulled off a miraculous rescue. Great article!

[gubamyster]

I know that it is highly unlikely that there would be a coal mine in a liberal area, Cali-style. But imagine if there were.

It is less than unlikely - it is impossible. But if there was a mine in Northern Cal, they would have had to drill 3 rescue holes to allow a woman & 2 other "minorities" to share in the rescue.

Then the rescued would have asked for brie & wine instead of a chew & a beer.

If they were from San Francisco, they would have huddled together for different reasons than body heat.

Luckily we were spared from this PC garbage and got to see real men.