On “I’ll never be the same person”
Posted on January 27 at 10:03 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Gary was a friend of mine. He was a great guy. Just a week or two before he was killed, I was looking for something new to listen to. Something to beat back winter's blues. Steve Winwood - that was what he talked me into.
His death forever changed the lives of many. The tragedy continues to play out for Mary - year after year. What horrible pain it must be for her. I wish her strength and peace.
On Windy neighbors: Residents offer perspectives on living next to turbines
Posted on November 11 at 6:59 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I first saw a “farm” of large wind turbines on a ridge in Texas some years back. From miles and miles it was an awe-inspiring sight. At the time, and still, I felt those wind turbines were beautiful and graceful – and added to an already beautiful landscape.
From time to time I now pass wind farms in Illinois. There is a large collection of them down Interstate 39. Their slow, rhythmic sweep through the sky is tranquil, and what could be more beautiful than harnessing the natural power of our environment.
Thirty years from now, or 40, or whatever it ends up being; we will run out of fossil fuels. What wars will be fought over that remaining resource? What wonders would have been started if we had invested funds on the development of alternative energies rather than thrown our money away in Iraq. The rest of the world would now have little to find fault with America. We would be in the middle of a resurgent economy, including reduced budget deficits and improvements in the balance of trade. And, we would be on the path to energy independence and environmental stewardship.
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On Forward Janesville puts pedal to the metal for project
Posted on January 11 at 7:53 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
This is a great example of how the Federal bailout of the economy would, and perhaps should, trickle down to the public. This seems like the right time and place to be very aggressive in attracting this sort investment. And with the recent departure of GM from Janesville, certainly the city is "politically" positioned to receive consideration.
But this is also the right time to look at what is the right investment for the future. Three lanes in each direction is clearly the right investment for now. But, in 20 years, will we be saying - "gosh - what were we thinking? We should have built high-speed train tracks!" Or some other such alternative. It is the future of our region that we are talking about - not the present. We surely want a better version of the present.
And while I would argue that this is a great time to consider the "right" investment as opposed to the "most desired" investment, there really isn't enough time to fully flush out what the right investment might be. To get anywhere close to agreement for a plurality, let alone consensus, would take years.