HARRISBURG, Pa. — A state lawmaker is explaining his remark that suggests the impact of Pennsylvania's booming natural gas industry includes the spread of sexually transmitted disease "amongst the womenfolk."

Democratic Rep. Michael Sturla of Lancaster County was expected to discuss the remark at a previously scheduled hearing Wednesday on gas drilling.

His remark was made in comments e-mailed to a reporter in which he accused a Corbett administration official of downplaying the seriousness of community impacts created by drilling.

The state Republican Party on Tuesday evening called the remark offensive and incredibly stupid, and called on Sturla to apologize. However, Sturla was apparently citing testimony by Troy Community Hospital from May that says among its experiences with the influx of drilling crews is an increase in sexually transmitted diseases.

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/inde ... r_suggests_spread_of.html

More of the same thing, but I thought it was amusing (as much as this kind of thing can be)...

Drill, Oh Baby, Drill!
Womenfolk, beware gas men
August 18, 2011

LOCK UP THE LADIES and grab all the babies! The drillers are a comin'!

A Democratic state House leader suggests that expanded drilling for natural gas could cause Wild West behavior, including a different kind of, um, drilling.

Rep. Mike Sturla, of Lancaster County, chairman of the Democratic House Policy Committee, offered the fear as part of an email to the online news service capitolwire.com, which was reporting on a Corbett administration contention that more drilling in state forests can solve state economic woes.

Sturla wrote, in part, "What are all those things the drillers are doing for local communities? Patronizing the bars at night . . . spreading sexually transmitted disease amongst the womenfolk?"

He later apologized for using the term "womenfolk."

But Republicans went nuts.

One labeled him Rep. Mike Sturla, D-19th century.

The state GOP issued a news release calling Sturla's remarks "incredibly stupid."

House Republicans unleashed statements saying that Sturla insulted drillers and women. Several GOP lawmakers tagged the comments "archaic," "shocking," "fear-mongering" and "deplorable."

For his part, Sturla's sticking with his STD worries.

He cites a Troy Community Hospital report in May that lists "an increase in sexually transmitted diseases" among the issues that health professionals in gas regions are seeing or are concerned about.

Troy is in Bradford County, a major drilling area.

Make that a major gas drilling area.

- John Baer, Philly.com

So the boom is probably good for prostitutes too!

So, if I tell the ladies I'm a roughneck on a gas derrick, I'll get more play.

Beats the usual lie I tell 'em in the Gentlemens' Club.

Well guys. You won't see this story in our local newspapers... but BradCo. is prosecuting it's first case of prostitution in 35 years. Evidently, Chessie Energy hired a few women to work in the mancamp. Under the guise of "Morale, Welfare, and Recreation" these ladies were supposed to tend to laundry, sewing/tailoring, etc. But in reality they were "servicing" the drillers in other ways. He, he, he....

Someone musta left the red light on? Roxannne.... Roxanne..... sorry, bad Police song parody.

You wanted local jobs.

I did? Nah. Not me.

JJ to funny.