<p>Spanier may not have slept with Sandusky, but he was certainly sleeping with the gas industry. Research friendly to the industry was encouraged; research that showed any significant environmental concerns was suppressed.</p>
<p>Meanwhile towns near fracking sites suffer noxious gases coming out of showers, heavy metal poisoning and memory and cognition impairments.</p>
<p>I am very unimpressed with the school’s sense of honor and ethics. It seems that whistleblowing was not only suppressed in its athletics department, but its science departments as well. Don’t let yourself (or your child) go here.</p>
<p>I heard This American Life last night (and earlier). What are you referring to that hasn’t already been brought out in the regular news coverage?</p>
<p>Edit-- Ah, these are the stories from last summer, not last night’s or the #1 Party School episode that was partially replayed last night.</p>
<p>Mainly Penn State’s support of predatory drilling. It’s despicable. I think that’s new. It’s not so new, but it hasn’t been brought into public light until recently.</p>
<p>Fracking company and “King of the Marcellus Shale” Range Resources seems to attract Penn State graduates like flies to honey. One recalls the scenes in Blade Runner where various employees of the corporation protest their innocence to the replicants: “I know nothing…I only make the eyes…”</p>
<p>evita may not have slept with Sandusky but she is certainly in bed with that Gasland dude! I am very unimpressed with evita’s sense of honor and ethics.</p>
<p>I’m just a student from UVA. (And certainly, our sense of honor and ethics is greater than Penn State’s…) I study biochemistry. I’m a libertarian. I support nuclear power. When I’m done with school, I’ll in all likelihood join a private chemistry firm, or start my own. I’m like one of the last people to be a tree-hugger.</p>
<p>What I dislike are corruption and wanton negative externalities from an industry concerned about private profit but not public costs, and oh…also how Penn State’s top management have also apparently been all bought out by fracking executives.</p>
<p>That they would be complicit in covering up the rapes of little boys really shouldn’t be a surprise, given their past record in other areas.</p>
<p>Evita, Just reread your posts to see the complete lack of honor and ethics at UVA. Actually, I highly doubt that you are a UVA student because the school tends to draw those with some level of intelligence. You aren’t a tree-hugger, you are a hater.</p>
<p>Seriously, I bet UVA is demanding that you quit tarnishing their name. Yes, the fact that NPR and NYT exist doesn’t give you free reign to create your own facts.</p>
<p>This isn’t exactly huge or new news. Just look around Beaver Stadium and you’ll see Chesapeake Energy advertisements and sponsorship statements all the time.</p>
<p>And while I don’t necessarily agree with what they’re doing, Penn State itself is a business. While not defending the actions of those involved, they’re running a ginormous business and see this as a way to make money. It should also be noted that Penn State has numerous amazing scientists/researchers/faculty members that don’t agree with said corruption or agree with fracking in general.</p>
<p>And collegekidsmom, just because you don’t agree with Josh Fox (“that Gasland dude”) doesn’t necessarily make you right; having seen the movie (have you?) there are tons and tons of indisputable facts that the industry either can’t defend itself against, or chooses to do so in a scathing manner (to which Fox has disputed all of their claims, it’s pretty cool).</p>
<p>Everyone seems to have an opinion about everything Penn State-related nowadays. People just need to understand what opinions are, and that just because you think what you think doesn’t make you right. And vitriolically writing arrogant posts online doesn’t really help your case among those who feel more personally affected by the situation.</p>
<p>Corruption? Oh, I see, those who agree with fracing are corrupt, those who oppose are the amazing ones. Yes, the advertisements really seal the deal!</p>
<p>Yes, I’ve seen the movie by that Gasland dude. Where exactly are these indisputable facts? Today, another nail in the Gasland coffin. Dimock issues continue to be litigated and continue to be proven false. Tomorrow, Cabot discontinues water delivery to Dimock. DEP, Cabot, and now the legal system discredit the dude.</p>
<p>I live in the heart of Marcellus drilling. Where are you receiving your information? A docudrama?</p>
<p>I’m not quite sure what you’re first paragraph is supposed to mean. Maybe if it wasn’t dripping with arrogant sarcasm I’d be able to understand it.</p>
<p>Having seen the movie over a year ago, I don’t remember every detail of it, though I do recall my initial reaction after seeing it and hearing him speak afterwards. Using the current state DEP as proof is just silly, the oil and gas industry is so far up Corbett’s butt it’s ridiculous. Also, why wouldn’t Cabot dispute the claims? Not doing so would make them look even more guilty.</p>
<p>Yes I received most of my information from a documentary, but that’s not the important part. What’s important is where the documentary got its information from, and it’s not like he just made this up. Frankly, I believe some of it was a bit sensentionalized, but I’m totally okay with it because of all of the attention it has brought to the environmental cause.</p>
<p>Seriously? Yes, the Gasland dude “just made this up”. I’m most knowledgeable about what has happened in PA but the other areas have also debunked his docudrama. </p>
<p>His docudrama covers an area in PA called Dimock. He makes many horrendous claims. Cabot hasn’t just claimed these things to be untrue, they’ve had to provide proof to the DEP and in Court(litigation). DEP made it’s findings under the previous governor. Yes, during the Rendell administration, the DEP researched the situation and finally sided with Cabot. People in Dimock sued over multiple concerns. So far, including today, they’ve lost.</p>
<p>I haven’t seen Gasland. I do however, listen to NPR and read the New York Times, which AFAIK have pretty reputable journalists who AFAIK do not make up complaints. Try Eliza Griswold and Sarah Koenig.</p>
<p>Combustible tap water appears to be a common complaint. (Simply google scholar this.)</p>
<p>This is the least of my concerns. (Methane is odorless and more or less harmless in small concentrations.) </p>
<p>What I am concerned about is black tap water capable of corroding faucets and washing machines, and “rainbow sludge” flowing from chemical pools into water catchment areas. Have you even bothered to read the The New York Times or any other high culture literature (the New Yorker, perhaps)? What do you read, the New York Post?</p>
<p>Not a hard feat, when fracking giants such as Range Resources seem to have allies in high places. The DEP has been fairly inactive in the face of very obvious complaints. The DEP itself is being sued for negligence.</p>
<p>Here’s a nice overview of the DEP by the NPR programme “State Impact”. Eliza Griswold of the NYT (an award-winning journalist) doesn’t paint the DEP’s attitude towards pollution complaints in the greatest light either.</p>
<p>First, having allies in high places doesn’t help when proving the quallity of water. Water tests are run by the homeowners, DEP, drillers and independent agencies. There is a tremendous amount of interest in the contents of our water.</p>
<p>Second, the DEP has changed during this litigation. The DEP under Sec. Hangar sided with Cabot. Later, the DEP under Sec. Krancer has sided with Cabot. </p>
<p>I’m amazed at the faith shown in the DEP when they are issuing violations and fines but criticized for believing the science that is provided by multiple sources.</p>
<p>Evita, The NPR and NYT may be the gold standard in your eyes but many, including me, will disagree. Yes, people in PA can light their tap water on fire. What your scholars fail to explain is that this was the case before gas drilling occurred. On youtube you can find full length interviews with some of the “people of Gasland”. One woman describes how her neighbor accidentally set his water on fire with his cigarette while making a pot of coffee, how these high levels of methane were what drew the gas companies to Dimock.</p>
<p>In Gasland, you’ll see that awful black tap water in Dimock but it’s always in bottles. I wonder why Joshy didn’t show it coming out of the taps? He was on location but never shows where the water came from. Since Gasland, the “dirty water” people have refused to allow their water to be tested. I wonder why? They won’t even allow the samples, in the jars, to be tested.</p>