“My goal is the reindustrialization of Pa., especially areas like Pittsburgh, Allegheny County... that were hit so hard by the shutdown of the steel industry.”

—Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary C. Alan Walker. Read more from “Ethane cracking plant in region to bring ‘thousands’ of jobs” on Pipeline.

An American Chemistry Council study says a new ethane cracker plant could help create 12,000 new jobs. Bayer Corporation is considering a number of sites in West Virginia for the facility, which would break down natural gas liquids in “wet” gas from methane natural gas. Ethane can then be “cracked” to form ethylene, the basis of plastic.

I Love Hot Air Balloons! (Chemistry, Not So Much)

“A lunatic professor is trying to construct a “hot air” balloon filled with ethane. What is the minimum temperature (in K) to which the ethane in the balloon needs to be heated so that the “hot ethane” balloon will rise? Assume that the balloon itself is weightless to simplify the calculations.”