Year: 2007

Categories
Places

Press release Monday and Johnson’s: an epilogue

St. Louis Post-Dispatch brought in its “All of you are embarrassing Missouri” spanking paddle, and it would seem all parties are going to behave. Nixon’s office did issue a comment–it only received the investigative report on April 20th from the Highway Patrol. Now the Attorney General’s office can proceed with facts in hand.

The Southeast Missourian is about the only site that actually covered Lt. Governor Kinder’s visit. About the so-called Grand Masterplan:

Childers, in a letter sent Monday to Ameren, demanded the company immediately begin implementing a park master plan for redevelopment — something that Ameren contends goes beyond a mere restoration of the park. The plan, for example, includes a visitor center, a tourist overlook of the damaged area and relocated roads and camping facilities.

“We will restore the park to the original configuration without any settlement. But enhancements, that’s when we think we need a settlement discussion,” Voss said.

This is the first I’ve heard, at least, where the balking point is, and Ameren has a good point. It promised to repair the Shut-Ins after the breach, not invest in a whole new upgrade. As it is, there’s been a great deal of disagreement about the Grand Plan. Yes, the public was given chances to comment on such, but commenting on the plan lasted only ten days and was more of a formality, rather than a true discussion. Now would be a good time to re-visit the “Grand Masterplan”.

About the early opening:

The park reopened temporarily last summer partly so tourists could see the disaster area. But Ameren’s plan for this summer could do more harm than good, said the department’s deputy director, Kurt Schaefer.

“It would be the Griswold family vacation — people picnicking next to an aboveground sewage tank while it’s being pumped out,” Schaefer said. “You’re talking about people who are going to have a bad experience and never come back there.”

Now that is a very good point. It’s also the first time we’ve had a chance to hear more of these details. More blog reaction here and here.

A lot of people acted silly with this, and used the DNR and this event to further political agendas. However, that counts little to the folks of Missouri when compared to a baseball player getting killed in a car accident. It’s tragic when a young man is killed, but there’s much about how this state is governed that is related to this story. It really is important news, but I guess it doesn’t have that ’emotional’ hook. Well, other than to people who love the park and the Ozarks.

I am sorry for the folks who love the area and Johnson’s Shut-Ins, because it sounds like the rebuild plans are really mucking up both the park and the Ozarks trail. Hopefully over time, the park ‘improvements’ will eventually be truly improved and the Shut-Ins will once again be a jewel in Missouri’s crown of wonders, and a delight to those who love her.

As for the personalities associated with this event, I guess as long as ’emotional’ issues grab attention here in the “Show Me” state, the politicians needn’t worry about being accountable for their actions.

Categories
Places

Reason at Taum Sauk

It would seem that after the jumping up and down last week, our state officials are working together to come up with a proposal to put before Ameren in regards to the Taum Sauk dam failure.

Jay Nixon, the Attorney General, sent a letter to Ameren with a list of items his department stated Ameren would have to meet. Doyle Childers of the DNR read the letter and found it reasonable. This is good. This is an agreement between state officials, which will provide the ‘single source of communication’ that Ameren has been demanding.

Among the items in the letter Nixon sent:

  • Spend $350 million rebuilding the Taum Sauk reservoir, including state of the art safety facilities.
  • Continue to make tax payments to the county while the rebuild is underway
  • Not pass the costs of the restoration on to the customers

This, I’m assuming, would be in addition to the demands put forth by the Department of Natural Resources and Department of Conservation. These include right of ways, as well as the funds to clean up the Black River, reimburse the people of the immediate community, account for future problems and cleanup, as well as rebuild Johnson’s.

All total, this sounds like it will cost well over half a billion dollars. However, it also sounds like Ameren would get away without any criminal charges, and the company must want that.

It is in the best interests of everyone — Ameren, DNR, DOC, the AG office, the people of Reynolds County and the rest of the state–for this to move forward swiftly. All of us are exhausted by this event.

Categories
Media

Timese machine

I said, TIME, TIME mag, mag
You got me on the rag, rag
Take your insults about the queen
And shove them up your royal Timese machine.

 

Joan Baez may not have liked Time, but the magazine’s move to open past archives for direct, and free, access has certainly made me a friend.

First picks:

Einstein & Faith

“It seems there’s a state of undeclared war between Honolulu and the United States.”

Thank you Time.

(thx to Sheila, who as always finds such rich resources.)

Categories
Web

A succinct look at web generations

Web 0.0

brink

Web 1.0

blink

Web 2.0

link

Web 3.0

think

Categories
Books Burningbird

Woo hoo

The powers that be at O’Reilly have accepted my book proposal. Next comes the finalizing of the TOC to attach to the book contract and then The Start of Writing.

I still don’t want to talk about the book topic–it’s a surprise. I’ll have more on it when I’m closer to finishing. I can say that it will be the largest book I’ve written, and one of the most complex. Also, knock on wood, the most beautiful book I’ve written. (Tease! Tease!)

I have been contemplating whether I’d be able to continue the weblog while working on the book. My first inclination was to take the rest of the spring and summer off and just focus on writing. I decided, instead, on a compromise: read weblogs and write to my own on the weekend, and focus on the book during the week.

I’ll need a break from writing with a book of this size and nature, and having a regular schedule should prevent burn out. I may need to spend 10-12 hours a day during the week, but I want my weekends off. I need to be better disciplined, though. I must stop checking my aggregator in the morning, and to fight the urge to immediately respond to every interesting story that occurs elsewhere. I also need to set aside time every day to get out and walk. Visit parks. Knock this pasty white, limp, flabby, writer’s body into shape. Where once I was cherry pie–fresh, tart, and sweet–I’m now blancmange.

I still want to get the work planned for this site finished and plug-ins uploaded for you all to use if you wish. I also would like to get MissouriGreen finished. Out with the fancy layout, in with whatever I can put together reasonably quickly that won’t look too stupid.