Ken SchreinerKen’s Picks: The Reality of Coal and Utah’s Future; Murray Cries But We Shouldn’t
As Utah anxiously watches modern-day robber baron Robert Murray cry to his mommy over those nasty things Governor Huntsman said about him, punitively lay off our fellow citizens and shutter his death-trap mines, we all need to read Jeff Goodell’s excellent reality check on coal: The future for Utah is not coal but the extraordinary abundance of renewable energy resources we have: solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, hydro, nuclear, bicycles, feet. If we could harness the hot air blowing out of the state legislature, we could light Energy Solutions Arena. Or the oral flatulence generated by talk radio to power every station on the AM band.
August 26th, 2007 at 10:40 am
Bob “Pig Face” Murray can shove it straight up his swiney ass. There are plenty of energy companies who will happily take over his failed mine portfolio at a nice discount.
Gotta love that efficient free market. Go Jon Jr. (Hunstman)!
August 26th, 2007 at 11:04 am
The beauty of Huntsman’s showdown with Murray is that it fits with the guv’s renewable energy intitiatives. Now he can blame Murray and the arrogant but failing coal industry for leaving Utah no choice but to develop alternative energy sources. What Utah legislator is going to support Murray in lax mine security and out-of-state economic exploitation? Huntsman may also get his secret wish to be bigger than Ahnold! This is indeed a turning point, Cliff, as I predicted on your blog three weeks ago. Let me know when the check’s on the way ;-)
http://oneutah.org/2007/08/09/utah-mine-collapse-turning-point-in-renewable-energy-clean-air-debate/
August 26th, 2007 at 12:52 pm
Do you actually believe Utahns’ are in control of who, and how, coal is going to be mined in your state? Ok then.
Any alternative will require money, which no load Utah does not have. So is this the same Federal government that allowed the structure of murrays’ mine to be filled with infractions, the one that is now going to pony over money so the state can start on a fresh new path with some alternative, that will in the end supply no tax money(payola) to the state coffers?
The coal is sitting there, a competent company will put in the capital to get it out and make a profit. How Ken will this disaster change anything for Utah? Give it 3 months and then watch business as usual.
Ken, give the sequential scenario you envision, that will have Utah abandon coal, in favor of some alternative.
I submit, it isn’t up to Utah. The state and companies have written contracts with California, and surrounding energy users that are locked in.The source of that energy is coal burning. The 2nd burner on the Swell, sells power under contract to CA. I believe. With what money will Utahns’ buy them out? Are the people of Utah prepared to be sued to change desisions made in the very recent past.
I like a positive outlook Ken, but I am not holding my breath on this.
August 26th, 2007 at 12:58 pm
Furthermore, go get a map delineating the Federal, Private, and State holdings in the State of Utah. The State is not the biggest land controller is it? Perhaps Utahns’ can go back to the dream of a mormon empire that floated for while, until experienced civil war ass kicker General Johnston showed up with his federal boys and quickly dispatched any misguided notions of independence.
Practise holding your breath, dreams last longer that way, at least until you pass out.
August 26th, 2007 at 1:06 pm
…and finally, please explain how Colorado, a burgeoning break even state in the Rocky Mtn west, with far greater political will than any Utah I have ever seen, has been utterly unable to stop predatory drilling of gas wells all over the Western slope and Roan plateau?
The answer is: They don’t manage the lands in question, and there are more than a few private landowners willing to make a buck, IF they own the mineral rights. Most don’t and have to allow drilling on their land or face prosecution for obstruction of a right that does not belong to them.
August 26th, 2007 at 1:09 pm
Sorry but,… also in the case of Colorado, coal mining is running at a level to make Utahs’ industry look small…and there is absolutely nothing anyone has been able to do about it. From Craig east of Vernal, up the Gunnison Valley to Grand Junction, the coal production business is BOOMING!!!
August 28th, 2007 at 7:47 am
Here’s an inconvenient truth, gore’s power bill for a year, only slightly less than what you paid for your solar system. The guy is such a phony.
http://www.tennesseepolicy.org/main/article.php?article_id=367
August 28th, 2007 at 9:04 am
I don’t care what Al Gore pays for power. I don’t know if I care about global warming. This is about Utah, clean air and energy independence.
August 28th, 2007 at 10:32 am
Well gore doesn’t truly care then does he Ken? It all for politics and all for show. I can say at least that republicans are their own asshole selves, while democrats often wear two faces.
Reminds of the adage, hold your enemies close, but your allies closer. We are cretain what reps will support, dems not so much. Brutus was a democrat.
Sunny up here in loggerland, and the little system that could has enabled me to not run my genset going on 5 months now. As we drift into fall and winter, my batteries die sometime in late Sept. after about two weeks of continuous rain. If I lived where you do, likely would only have to plug in a couple of months in dead winter.
August 28th, 2007 at 11:34 am
Oh, come on glenn, tell me you didn’t use Al Gores power bill to make your point. Now I know you’re a Republican shill. Turn off the Hannity glenn. My lord! Dick Cheney’s bill was $180,000.
August 28th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
In Glenn’s defense, the Goodell article I cited says the big issue regarding coal is global warming. That may be true for many people. But I disagree with wasting a lot of Utah’s valuable breath trying to hang the albatross of global warming around Robert Murray’s neck. Let’s talk breathing, mine safety, environmental damage, carving up public land for private gain and all the other things obviously bad about coal. If global warming is the worst, then that makes the case against coal even stronger. Dick Cheney and Al Gore are businesses. There are lots of businesses that have big energy bills. I applaud the ones that think green. I sympathize with the many businesses and individuals who want but cannot afford renewable energy systems. There will always be “the others.”
August 28th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
Cheney isn’t telling us the sky is falling, whilst gore burns up power at 20 times the rate of average Americans. gore is hypocrite, cheney an asshole. At least I know exactly what cheney is and can defend against it. gore is a brutus in our midst, and lives like it. The only point that I was trying to make in my post is that gore is a jerk.
You haven’t figured it out yet Larry, if it were up to me, I’d tar and feather the lot. You seemingly wish to support the dems despite their obvious failings. Can’t think of any other way to go or what? They your pals, or what? gore invited you in for tea yet, or what. They are no damn good Larry, none of them. We are in debt by trillions, promulgated by bi-partisan agreed budgets. The debt, debt service, and unfunded future liabilities of this nation are running 50 TRILLION!! This has been done with the goody goody dems defending us the whole way. Wake up.
Ken the reality is that coal will stop being burned when everyone decides to use candles at night, or quits running swamp coolers, and so on. Meanwhile I cannot see many people investing money they don’t have for power that will be more expensive short term. This is a quarterly run economy, in large and at home(paycheck to paycheck mainly). Until you wrest control of our future from the current vested interests that use coal etc. as their cash cow, what are the chances?
Look at china, 500, 500 megawatt coal burners in the next 5 years. One a week. The brown cloud that has drifted across the Pacific ocean before(stayed in Junction for 10 days in winter ‘03) will only get worse. In order to get this to stop, we MUST GENERAL STRIKE, or start living like monks.
August 28th, 2007 at 4:18 pm
I have never once listened to hannity Larry. Savage though, is pure entertainment, which is all talk radio ever was or is.
August 28th, 2007 at 4:28 pm
“Cheney isn’t telling us the sky is falling” No, he is telling us it will be wiped out terrists. Do you see that all these people are is back and front of the same outfit?
It’s their job to divide us so we can be fleeced, then butchered. Larry, have no democrats ever started a war based on lies? Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. Believe in bullshit apparently. Gulf of Tonkin, Vietnam, kennedys’ lying little war. We’re just going to send in advisors, to help stop the dominoes. What are you still willing to believe in Larry?
Me, I’m done believing in(or on) any of these people.
August 28th, 2007 at 10:51 pm
glenn:
If you must be entertained by talk radio, don’t listen to savage. I posted a story about my favorite talk show host and his name is Mike Malloy. He doesn’t lie and try to get everybody divided over “illegals.” and gays. He isn’t a piece of human waste like Savage, (Weiner), and he is very entertaining but, and this is important, truthful!
The only time Limbaugh, Hannity, Savage and the rest of these corporate shills say their show is entertainment is when they get caught in a bald face lie. Otherwise they like people to think they are legitimate.
Please glenn, listen to Mike. He is 65 years old and used to work for CNN before he saw what they were becoming when AOL, (now there’s an honorable company), took over. He couldn’t take it anymore and has lost many jobs just for telling the truth. That’s who you should be listening to.
August 28th, 2007 at 10:53 pm
By the way, glenn, if you want to REALLY hear somebody go off on the Democrats, Mike Malloy is your guy. Tom Dashel wanted to go on one time and Mike told him no thanks.
August 29th, 2007 at 9:54 am
When Air America was up in Seattle I loved to listen the Randy Rhodes show, and of course Al Franken.
Savage is most entertaining when he goes off on his own home city of San Fransisco.
I get KGO 810 AM out of S.F. and I love listening to Bernie Ward, progressive, who often says his show is so bad, its killing people. Now that is truth in entertainment, and humility. I have heard of Malloy.
You can get KGO online even with dial up.
August 29th, 2007 at 11:54 am
I like Randi Rhodes, Al Franken, and Bernie Ward as well. At least you’re getting some truth. I simply don’t have enough time to listen to someone as vile as Savage. Too bad greedy corporations are preventing everybody from hearing the others except on the internet.
Mike Malloy is the best. His anger directed at power is priceless. That’s why nobody knows who he is. Americans only likes to hear talk show hosts go after the weak and helpless. Somebody they can fight.
August 29th, 2007 at 3:40 pm
I think this is the common bond for all of us here at One Utah: Regardless of who you favor, it’s their power we are suspicious of. I don’t consider myself an extremist in any regard. So when I talk about the environment, I see room for swamp coolers, SUVs, nuclear power, ATVs (though I hate them), synthetic fabrics, peanut butter, chocolate cookies, Burger King, and, of course, television. It’s all a matter of balance. Right now, the world is out of balance on the side of development, wealth, waste, pollution, politics, and pop culture among other things (actually, there aren’t that many wars). It’s our job to see the downside of unsustainable living and bring everyone back to the center. Nice job, everybody!