Kentucky Sports Radio
[Moderated by Matt Jones]
[Moderated by Matt Jones]
Good morning, my sweet KSR brothers and sisters, and welcome to yet another day we will bill as one of the “firsts” of the John Calipari era. In less than 24 hours, the Kentucky basketball team will take the court in their first scrimmage under the former Memphis head man, meaning that by this time tomorrow, guarantees of a Final Four and an eighth national championship should be flooding the message boards of every UK site on the planet. The Blue-White game is usually a high-scoring affair and this year’s version shouldn’t be much different than those of years past as UK showcases easily the most offensively talented team of the last decade and, quite possibly, the most gifted unit in the country. John Wall will no doubt be sensational, Patrick Patterson will be steady and forceful and the handful of newcomers and returning players will look to showcase their skills. But, as with every Blue-White game, there will be a star that you didn’t quite expect and might not actually live up to their strong showing throughout the season, which I find to be the most intriguing part. Will Josh Harrellson come in and knock down some more threes? Will Mark Krebs go up and dunk on someone? Or, will one of the elder statesmen like Ramon Harris or Perry Stevenson step up and dominate in a way that will make Matt Jones declare them much improved and ready to make a big-time impact? Regardless, we can count on this being the start of what we all know will be a fun ride - and one that the whole nation will be watching.
Now, onto some more notes…..
- Late Tuesday evening, reports started to leak out that the UK basketball team would be holding a practice at Freedom Hall on Sunday. According to Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal, holding an off-campus practice or scrimmage and publicizing it would be an NCAA violation and DeWayne Peevy would not confirm or deny it, sending Jerry Tipton scrambling for his thinking cap and the NCAA rules book. The unprecedented move (as far as I know) is an absolutely brilliant one, in my opinion. Besides the obvious benefit of connecting yet again with the largest UK alumni group in the state (if it’s open to the public on a completley unofficial status), this serves as yet another blow to a Louisville program that has been grasping for some positive headlines over the summer. From the day that they were upset by Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament, the Louisville program has been on the wrong end of nearly every story. Early entries, de-commitments, Rick Pitino and arrests haven’t given Louisville fans a lot to smile about so far. And this certainly doesn’t help. It might not mean much once the ball starts bouncing in terms of their day-to-day operations, but this is a definite shot across the bow of the Louisville ship and another way that John Calipari has stoked the fires of this rivalry despite insisting all summer that he isn’t concerned with it much. As a UK fan, you have to love it.
- However, no matter how exciting the news of the Louisville practice was, the hottest topic on the message boards was the idea and subsequent approval of the renaming of the Joe B. Hall Wildcat Lodge as the Wildcat Coal Lodge. Many people thought the name change to be disrespectful to UK’s former coach, although he would say he ultimately didn’t care, and pretty much everyone else opted to debate the relevance of coal as an energy source and it’s positive and negative effects on the Bluegrass and its residents. Me, I just wondered why no one pointed out the obvious. Joe Craft, you might be one hell of a business man, but you’re one uncreative son of a gun. The name has no relevance to the building, the basketball team or the school and it doesn’t even serve as any marketing purpose for your company. I mean, would “Wildcat Alliance Lodge” or the “Alliance Resource Wildcat Lodge” have been too much for the board to commit to? It’s like Boone’s Butcher Shop dishing out $7 million to rename the building the Wildcat Beef Lodge. Except that would make way more sense than what you chose. As an alum, I’m grateful for your donation. But as a human being, I amazed at the lack of thought that went into this. I don’t think I’ll ever understand it. Even Frank Zappa and Gwyneth Paltrow think you dish out stupid names.
- In some other political-type news, the Herald-Leader reported that former call-in show show topic and current Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer is mulling the idea of running for governor. The KSR message boards, as usual, came to life with opinions near and far and a quick straw poll of the commenters on this site revealed only one flaw with #32’s chances: his flat top. No worries, though, Richie. You still have plenty of time to get yourself a nice little combover and a few highlights before officially declaring.
- Although it’s been noted several times, it is worth mentioning again that five star power forward Terrence Jones will be in attendance at the Blue-White game on Wednesday. Jones, a 6′8″ 220 pounder from Portland, ranks as the #3 power forward in the class of 2010 according to Rivals and actually flew into Lexington Tuesday (according to his Twitter). I’m sure Dustin will have more this afternoon because I’ve got nothing besides that. Well, that and that you probably shouldn’t chant his name unless you want to unleash the fury of you-know-who.
- In football news, much to the chagrin of Rich Brooks, the focus so far this week seems to be on uniforms rather than a very pivotal SEC matchup. Brooks again made it clear today that the team would not be wearing black uniforms on Saturday and late Tuesday, Mitch Barnhart issued an open letter to UK fans about the “Black Out“. Barnhart insists that black uniforms were never part of the plan when the marketing ploy was created and urged UK fans to still show up in all of the black gear they’ve no doubt stocked up on over the past few years. I think it’s safe to say that moving forward, we will be seeing a “Blue Out” or a “White Out” when UK decides to get all gimmicky.
- Rich Brooks also announced today that for Saturday’s game, DeQuin Evans and John Conner will serve as team captains. Conner has been exceptional in every game that he’s played in this season and Evans is starting to finally show why Brooks had so much hope for him in the pre-season.
- On a non-UK note, I’m absolutely thrilled about the NBA being back. The League seems to be a pretty polarizing topic with UK fans, but if you tuned in tonight to watch Rajon Rondo play against the Cavs, you noticed one very important thing. Rasheed Wallace has gone to the fro and his gray hair guarantees that he will look like Don King by All-Star Weekend. How can you not love that?
That’s it for now. This old man needs to hit the sack. But, stay tuned throughout Wednesday as we get you all geared up for the big scrimmage and we continue to keep our eyes toward the big Homecoming football game on Saturday. It’s a great time to be a Wildcat. See you in a few…
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October 28th, 2009 at 12:17 am
This move is an intrusion on the Commonwealth’s basketball team made from a position of raw greed. Coal is trying to gain an advantage by having their brand associated with our passion for UK Basketball — plain and simple. This tactic along with “greenwashing” is what the industries’ brand management is all about.
The “Coal is King” attitude by the wannabe Coal lobbyists who were on here earlier defending this scheme is exactly what has allowed Coal to swindle Eastern Kentucky’s residents since the 1800’s. Nothing has changed. This is the type of deal you’ll always get when coal barons throw their weight around behind closed doors. It stinks for UK’s image, and the players, coaches and fans. The regular hardcore fans I know hate the bullying, and especially the caving in by the Board, that places a name such as “Wildcat Coal Lodge” on the basketball player’s house.
Today the Board of Trustees put out an invitation to industries that Kentucky Basketball is now wide open to sponsorship. Shame on the Board, except for the three who voted against this. Kudos to the three who stood up for the integrity of the program.
October 28th, 2009 at 12:29 am
I was surprised to see all the roster changes in the NBA. But pickin up Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels was pretty brillant while giving them 3pt threats and good bench players. But letting Leon Powe go was kinda crazy IMO…he was a big reason that team won the championship and competed in the playoffs while Garnett was out. I’d rather have Powe than no-hands Sheldon Williams. But some sources are saying CJ Leslie is going to be at the game tomorrow night…that have any truth? Either way, I’m pumped about tomorrow night and cant wait to be there and see how the players do and react in a game like setting with all the screaming fans. It’s gonna be fun! But I dont get the point in doing a black out if the players arent wearing black. The blackout will flop. And John Conner should win many awards with how he’s played this season. Lot of positives in the UK world right now.
October 28th, 2009 at 12:36 am
All these open practices seem like a bad idea to me. Our players need to be focusing on getting better, and individually and as a team. That has to be hard to do with Coach Cal constantly parading himself and his players around the bluegrass.
I don’t have any problem with exhibitions for the fans, but I think I’d rather see the exhibition of a finely tuned team in games than watch them practice. It puts unnecessary pressure on the players, and turns their focus away from what is really important in October; getting better.
October 28th, 2009 at 12:55 am
4 - What is this, the 2nd open practice? I think they will survive.
October 28th, 2009 at 1:03 am
concur with numero uno
October 28th, 2009 at 1:03 am
#1 - Cawood2Cal - You have convinced me to give coal a chance again.
October 28th, 2009 at 1:26 am
good points #1
October 28th, 2009 at 1:32 am
So what’s it gonna take for PPat to follow Rasheed’s lead and bring back the afro? I mean, he says he wants to be known as one of the all-time greats…the ‘fro could only help his cause!
October 28th, 2009 at 1:45 am
This will be the best NBA season in over a decade. The playoffs will also be the best of this decade. So many teams got good trades and so many young teams gaining more experience.
October 28th, 2009 at 5:37 am
#3(used to be 4, apparently)–Shining example of how some factions of our fanbase will never be happy. Gillispie didn’t give fans enough access to their team, now Cal is “parading himself and his players around the bluegrass.”
I honestly don’t know what it will take for some folks to be happy with this program–it really seems as if Cal has done almost everything right since taking over, and still some folks aren’t happy. To piggyback on #4’s comment–the team(according to Matt) is practicing 8-9 times a week right now(once on weekdays, twice a day on weekends). I would imagine the practice in question will be a light one as it comes the day before our first exhibition game.
Plus, it’s a genius move by Cal to keep the players from getting too crazy on Halloween–now they’ll not only have to practice the next day, they’ll have to do it in front of people.
October 28th, 2009 at 6:57 am
Just got news that Joe B. will still be a part of the Wildcat Coal Lodge. Apparently were already plans on doing this, but it just wasn’t being publicized as a last minute suprise for Joe. The long narrow room that leads to each players individual room will be called “The Joe B. Hall Way”.
Rumors also have been heard that an underground media room is being built. The area leading to it will be called “Rick Pitino’s Shaft” if those rumors are true.
October 28th, 2009 at 8:33 am
Everyone will just call it the “Wildcat Lodge” 99.9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 999999999% of the time anyway. That’s what they do now instead of saying the “Joe B. Hall Wildcat Lodge”.
October 28th, 2009 at 8:45 am
It is my understanding that they’re not re-naming the Joe B. Hall Wildcat Lodge to the Wildcat Coal Lodge but are instead building a new building for the players that will be known as the Wildcat Coal Lodge. The Joe B. Hall Wildcat Lodge will still be there and will continue to house students (maybe other student-athletes?). Can we STOP saying that the building is being re-named? C’mon Beisner…use those journalism skills.
October 28th, 2009 at 8:51 am
CawoodToCal — Tell ya what there feller - you just plop down 7+ million - and I just betcha good ole Lee Todd, Michie and your buddy Cal — will let you name the building — ANYTHING YOU WANT.
But if you don’t have 7+ million — then I guess your vote is - worthless.
Such is life.
October 28th, 2009 at 8:52 am
Is the blue white game going to be on TV?
October 28th, 2009 at 8:56 am
Again, I personally don’t care what the name is and the 1st one wasn’t to honor Joe B Hall anyway, it was that because he raised the money.
October 28th, 2009 at 9:00 am
It is over and done now and the argument is pointless. If you despise the actions of the coal exploitation companies, take your arguments to the General Assembly, congress, and the Obama administration. Not everyone is bought and paid for by King Coal.
A few things I am worried about basketball-wise:
1) Wall’s eligibility issue should have already been dealt with. What the hell is wrong with the NCAA?
2) Is our freshman class next year going to be Stacy Poole and no one else?
3) Will the team play defense tonight or will it be a replay of the Madness scrimmage?
October 28th, 2009 at 9:04 am
Tonight’s the night….all the evil that has cursed our team in the last 5 or 6 years will melt, to the nay-sayers, all will be quiet, to all the others that have relished in our beheavelment in those years will sit up and take notice. THE BIG BLUE NATION has awaken to the dawn of what just might be what maybe concidered one of the best teams to ever taken the court for the BLUE and WHITE. I say AWAKEN!!!! AWAKEN ol’ mighty CAT-ATTACK, AWAKEN and take the spoils that you have so richly deserved for these dormant years…do not ye hear the rumbles from deep inside the ground? Yea thoust does, for it is hungry. Hungry it is for Red birds,Tigers, Bulldogs, and Tar toes…..In other words GO CATS!!!!!!
October 28th, 2009 at 9:10 am
14. Just to get the question read again, is tonight’s blue-white game on T.V.? Maybe online?
October 28th, 2009 at 9:17 am
9, 4, whatever you guys are; I am on board with the Cal-train. I think we are worlds better than where we were 8 months ago.
But what are our players supposed to think? This time should be spent getting better. Cal has hit a home run with basically every decision he’s made, but no one has ever asked (to my knowledge) the UK team to drive 71 miles to put on an exhibition practice.
I know if I was a player, I would resent having to practice in front of people. If any of you have ever played basketball, I think you would agree. It’s about getting better. We have the Blue/White Scrimmage, BBM, and exhibition games for the team to get showcased to people. Why do we need to watch them practice too?
October 28th, 2009 at 9:17 am
19 - http://www.tvguide.com
October 28th, 2009 at 9:23 am
21) Thanks….I should have thought of that myself. However, I live in Jacksonville and the closest thing to a blue white scrimmage is the blue on gator orange.
October 28th, 2009 at 9:45 am
#22, it appears as though the Blue/White game will be streamed online through the UK athletics website. Go to the basketball page and you will see the upcoming schedule at the bottom of the page. Next to the Blue/White game is a little video camera. Click on that and you should be good to go.
October 28th, 2009 at 9:53 am
#1 - While the coal industry has its problems, to say that it is solely responsible for the state of Eastern Kentucky is a fallacy. If you haven’t before I would encourage you to take a trip to Eastern Kentucky. One of the first things you may notice is that there are no four-lane roads into SE Kentucky and I am pretty sure there are none into NE Kentucky, although I can’t speak to that region as well. Before you go rattling off the Mountain Parkway, it doesn’t reach into SE Kentucky as a four-lane road. There is also no airport into that region that can handle industrial aircraft. Exactly what industry is going to move into an area that has no way of shipping in and out. The state of Kentucky many years ago enacted a tax on the coal industry - the coal severance tax, which was originally intended to be used to reinvest in the areas from which coal is mined. Much like many taxes it has not been used for its purpose. It has however been used to invest in Central and Northern Kentucky’s infrastructures. So, a part of the state that is responsible for many of the state’s citizenry’s infrastructure and low electric bills has been largely ignored by the state from an infrastructure standpoint. Coal is the only industry down there and nothing is moving in given the current infrastructure. So, when you pay your low electric bill and enjoy the infrastructure of Central and Northern Kentucky consider calling your state legislators and encouraging them to do what should be done with the coal severance tax and invest in the infrastructure of the region that is creating those funds. Maybe then an alternative industry will move into the region and the coal industry you seem to so despise will die. Again, it obviously has problems, but a large part of the state is dependent upon it and the infrastructure enjoyed in the parts of the state that already have (as in the haves and have nots) is at least in part owed to it.
October 28th, 2009 at 9:57 am
#24 - bravo - well stated.
October 28th, 2009 at 10:02 am
I have never enjoyed the NBA. For me it seems to be more about entertainment than basketball. Why wouldnt the rules be more strict for “professionals”? Instead you see excessive palming of the ball, carrying of the ball, and walking with the ball. Yes the dunks are spectacular but that is not basketball for me.
October 28th, 2009 at 10:04 am
channel 10 wmyo in the louisville area, the blue white game is on.
October 28th, 2009 at 10:09 am
Will the scrimmage be televised on BBSN, maybe?
October 28th, 2009 at 10:09 am
In Lexington, that is?
October 28th, 2009 at 10:11 am
I would rather see a “Blue-out” anyways.
I just wish that they didn’t start this the week before the most important game on the schedule. Is anyone else worried about this game? I am. MSU has been playing their a$$ off the past few weeks, and if we’re not on our game, we will lose. We don’t need these distractions.
October 28th, 2009 at 10:17 am
Thanks veeper.
October 28th, 2009 at 10:20 am
23) Thanks!!!…..perfect for us out of staters.
October 28th, 2009 at 10:41 am
Two great questions.
1) Wall’s eligibility issue should have already been dealt with. What the hell is wrong with the NCAA?
2) Is our freshman class next year going to be Stacy Poole and no one else
October 28th, 2009 at 10:41 am
The blue and white game will be on Fox Sports South and the Big Blue Sports Network. And for all of you bonehead whining about how coal has ruined so much, you are idiots who live comfortably under the blanket of which you bitch about. Yea, there are plenty of bad to be said about some of the coal operators, but when you curse COAL in general terms, you are including tens of thousands of hard working people that make a hard, honest living to keep YOUR lights on. Remember that as you are responding to my comment on your ELECTRICALLY POWERED COMPUTER.
October 28th, 2009 at 10:43 am
24.
I really want to talk about basketball, but this is a great discussion to have. Ecotourism could be the future for that area. The lack of major industry and infrastructural disruption to the landscape makes much of Kentucky’s appalachia prime area for protection as a national park. I’m thinking the Big South Fork/Daniel Boone National Forest area in particular. Of course, the larger population centers in the area could not be taken by eminent domain and preserved as park land, but there is plenty of precedent that would allow the government to buy up millions of acres in Eastern Kentucky that have prime hiking, climbing, rafting, camping, fishing and hunting areas and turning them into a world-class destination for the people living in faster growing, more advanced states like Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia. Eastern Kentuckians would then be free to create their own Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge economy to accommodate the visitors. It would be a win-win situation for the whole south-eastern part of the United States. Before coal and timber companies started to destroy the landscape Eastern Kentucky was as natural and wild a landscape as one could find east of the Mississippi River, and in many ways it still is.
About the distribution of coal severance taxes from the coalfields to the bluegrass region, it only makes sense and whining about it is futile. The bluegrass region has higher population density and greater need for infrastructure. The state should be investing even more severance tax money into connecting Lexington, Louisville, and Cincinnati by train. These are the greatest areas of Kentucky by both population and potential for economic growth. Eastern Kentucky is nothing but a beautiful wasteland if we continue to ignore its ecological potential. There is only so much coal in those mountains - but their beauty is immeasurable.
October 28th, 2009 at 11:02 am
35) Your first paragraph is a great idea, one I have thought of before. The smoky mountains weren’t always the travel destination that it is today. It was once an economically depressed region much like parts of eastern Kentucky are now. There are lots of small state parks and such, but I always wondered why there wasn’t a major national park in Eastern Kentucky.
October 28th, 2009 at 11:07 am
35 - The ecotourism idea has been kicked around more than once for that region. I would personally hate to see that area turned into Pigeon Forge, but that is simply a matter of personal taste. As you know, much of the region is already protected as a National Forest. I confess to being ignorant as to what being a National Park gets an area that being a National Forest doesn’t unless it just means you get a lodge and possibly more infrastructure. However, how are they going to attract tourists when there is no decent way in and out. It still gets back to the fact that there remains no four lane roads in and out. They recently made a section of Highway 15 between Vancleve and Jackson four-lane and took it over a mountain rather than around a mountain. It literally shaves at least 15 minutes off the drive time between Campton and Jackson. Imagine what a wholly four lane road would do for the region.
I actually think it would be a good idea to actually create some shipping route into the region and use the flattened tops of the mountains that are the result of strip mining to build warehouses and/or plants and factories. These are large expanses of cheap flat land that would be great for that purpose and if the four lane road was built in and out the region has easy access to TN, VA, WV and even NC is not far away. When casino gambling was still of consideration I thought that would be a great place to build a casino. The land is cheap and as stated there are large expanses of flat land on which to build. Also, being in close proximity to TN, VA, WV and NC (granted East TN has gambling in Cherokee) you could pull in the out of staters to bring money into the state.
As for the money going to Central and Northern Kentucky, I agree that these are obviously the most densely populated regions and more money is going to obviously be spent there. However, the improper use of the coal severance money is akin to theft. Talking about “income redistribution” that is a case of the state robbing the poor and giving it to the rich and the fact that a large region of the state is isolated from the rest of the state because there is no decent highway into the region when a specific tax is levied upon the region that was intended to be used for that region is a travesty. When people who have never set foot in that part of the state want to get on their proverbial high horse about the lifestyle of that region while they are reaping the rewards of thievery from that region it is shameful (please note I am not speaking of present company as I don’t know where you are from and at least you are proposing some sort of solution as opposed to continuing the echo chamber browbeating by people who from their comments seem to have never set foot down there).
October 28th, 2009 at 11:43 am
37.
Yellowstone. The Grand Canyon. Yosemite - none of these places have any more infrastructure than eastern Kentucky. So that isn’t what would come from national park status. Promotion is the big thing national park areas get. The closest thing in the region to a national park is the Big South Fork National Scenic River, which enjoys quite a bit of promotion and tourism.
The question of reclaiming surface mining sites for mixed commercial use makes little sense. For one thing there are not true population centers in the area to necessitate large distribution centers. For another, centralized distribution systems are useless in a global economy and most large companies have done away with them. Finally, if we reclaim mining sites without restoring them to their former elevation and relief then we impact an entire hydrological system from the top of Black Mountain to the Gulf of Mexico. Our concerns over the jobs of 13,000 Eastern Kentuckians who work in the coal industry cannot be allowed to trump the need of people in places like Richmond, Nicholasville, Lexington, Frankfort, Louisville, Owensboro, Henderson, Paducah, Memphis, Vicksburg, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans for flowing rivers and clean drinking water. This is about the health and survival of millions of people along thousands of miles of streams and rivers whose existence depends on water flowing from the higher elevations in the mountains to sea level at the Gulf of Mexico in as clean and undisturbed a manner as possible. Usable water is much more important than clean energy or flat surface area for development.
I think that taxes will always be to some extent redistributed and there is no avoiding it. People will always complain when they feel that their tax money isn’t spent on them ie: the young often object to Medicare because it redistributes their income to providing health care to the elderly in a way that is most likely insustainable. The rich and elderly object to a public health care option because they see it as a redistribution of their money and their payments into the medicare system to the working class. Urban citizens object to price supports for farmers. Rural citizens object to investment in public transportation in cities. These complaints generally should be ignored. Yes, income is redistributed to a certain extent but the end result is usually a net benefit for all who live in our society.
I was born in New Jersey, but I’ve lived in Lexington for most of my life. I have spent much of my time hunting, fishing, hiking, climbing, camping, and trail riding in Eastern Kentucky, and I have done missionary work there as well. The part of New Jersey I am from is Appalachian in nature, home to silver and zinc mining as well as a dairy industry. I have seen the effects of economic blight and economic development there.
October 28th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
If not restore the mountains, why not build solar panels/windmills on top of these mountains that have been destroyed? It would create jobs on an otherwise useless piece of land. Of course, this is far-fetched, and would probably never happen because of the coal companies. You also have to look into how effective these forms of energy are in this state, considering we are below the national average in sunlight and wind.
It’s fun to think about though, right?
October 28th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
38 & 39 - Well, I certainly didn’t mean to hijack this board and I apologize to those who have come here for sports talk.
Thanks for clarifying at least to some degree the benefits of a National Park. I am not an ecologist nor an environmental engineer, so I freely admit that you went over my head with the elevation stuff, but I will say this much about that issue. Those mountains are not currently and I would be willing to wager my home on them never ever being restored to their original elevation and relief. They will remain as they are. I grew up in SE Kentucky in the heart of big coal. I came to Lexington for college and stayed. The landscape and terrain there is completely different now from what it was when I left and admittedly not nearly as pretty. I am not a proponent of flattening mountains merely to create flat land in order to develop commerce. I am talking about taking already flattened mountains that are going unused and putting them to a use that would benefit an entire region.
The fallacy in your tax redistribution examples is that everyone is bearing the cost of those taxes and in at least half of those examples it is intended that everyone will have an equal opportunity to benefit from those programs, whether they take advantage of them is their choice. The coal severance tax is not borne by the public equally. It is directed at a specific industry that is largely in a specific part of the state and when it was enacted the revenues were intended to largely be directed back into that region. Instead what is happening is the people of Eastern Kentucky are paying a tax that is being spent on the rest of the state and not being reinvested in Eastern Kentucky where it was intended to go. This is not a tax being borne by Lexingtonians and spent on Lexingtonians, it isn’t a tax being borne by Kentuckians and spent on Kentuckians. It is a tax being borne by specific segment of the state and not being used to benefit that segment of the state. The entire populace bears the cost of medicare and taxes that would be used for public health care options. The intent at this time (albeit probably unrealistic) is for medicare to be there for the young when they reach that age. All citizens would have the option of being covered by public health care. Urban citizens would theoretically benefit from price supports in the form of lower cost groceries, etc. Simply taking money paid into the coffers by a specific group of people and using it to benefit a separate group of people who did not put that money in the coffers is not merely redistribution it is theft.
With the utmost of respect, to advance the theory that the only people in that region that are dependent upon the coal industry are the 13,000 people employed directly by the coal industry is an uniformed position to take. The entire region is dependent upon it whether they are directly employed by coal or not. The attorneys, doctors, accountants are all paid with money derived from coal to some extent. The utility companies, grocery stores, etc. are all paid with money derived from coal to some extent. Take coal away from Eastern Kentucky and there is literally no industry whatsoever there. Take horses away from Central Kentucky and the region will be hit hard, but there is also bourbon, there is Toyota, there is Lexmark, there are any number of industries and alternative employers in Central Kentucky. These do not exist in Eastern Kentucky and in my opinion will not exist there until the state opens its eyes and puts some infrastructure in there in the form of roads. I maintain that the fact that an entire region of Kentucky is essentially isolated from the rest of the state due to a lack of a decent four lane road into it is shameful. Is it a cureall probably not, but does it open a lot of possibilities absolutlely. Again, coal has big problems. It is by no means infallible, but until something is done about the infrastructure in that region coal is all those people have. To essentially legislate the industry out of business overnight and not at least look at some phasing so the industry has the opportunity to adapt from an infrastructural standpoint is blind ignorance and would completely destroy that part of the country, which benefits no one. Those who consistently attack coal and attempt to put the entire industry out of business clearly do not understand the impact that would have not only on Eastern Kentucky, but the entire state. In my opinion a better solution would be to look at better alternatives and work towards those, get them and the necessary infrastructure in place and coal will be evolved out of business naturally. To kill coal through legislation when no alternative has even been decided upon let alone the necessary infrastructure put in place is to cut one’s nose off to spite one’s face. Switching to hydro or wind or solar or whatever alternative energy source requires a complete overhaul of our energy system. It is not a mere flicking of the switch.
I like the idea of solar panels and windmills on the flattened mountains. I have always believed that part of the reason the state was lacking in sunlight and wind is the mountains in Eastern Kentucky. They shade the region and knock down the wind. If you put these things on top of the flattened mountains theoretically they would be in the sun and wind. Again, though I am no ecologist or environmental engineer.
Probably the saddest part of this whole discussion is that I am a news junky and have never heard or seen such a fruitful debate about the subject. Until there can be a public discourse that rises above the fray, ad hominem attacks and blind ignorance I fear a tenable solution will never be reached.
October 28th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
40 - Is Richie gonna play tonight?
October 28th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
I am Richie and I approve this message.