Hi boys and girls!

I haven't been around much. To much going on. I feel a bit guilty sometimes, but I manage to squash that down, and the feeling goes away. I have lots of ideas about things to write about the coal plant. Sadly, most of them require a level of research and writing that I have not been able to attain lately.
I do question how a group of cooperatives, that get together to form another cooperative, become a corporation that is not, apparently, interested in sharing information. The letter GeeGuy received, with it's use of words like compel and comply and I think there was a legally required in there, makes you wonder, why?
Is it really that hard to dig up a couple files, to calm down the people questioning what you are doing?
The City of Great Falls, on its website, directed you to contact SME for financial documents on the joint venture. That's what he did isn't it? And got stuffed, bam, nope not givin' em up. We aren't even going to tell you why, just no, we don't have to.
I noticed at the end of the letter from the City, it states that there are "other records". So they have lot's of stuff, to bad none of it is the important stuff. I see golf was in the news again.

And speaking of the City, I do believe I have been neglecting speaking of sign regulation. Who has noticed a real difference? Anyone? Helloooo......

Are there still sandwich boards on public property outside the BID? yes
Are there still signs advertising a business that has been closed for longer that 90 days? yes
Are there fewer temporary signs? possibly
Are there still signs over the height restriction? yes
Have we seen an economic change? ???
Have we seen a new Sign Inspector, who's salary is paid out of permit fees, hired? ???
Have we seen fewer sign related safety issues? ???

yeah, big difference. It's all the fault of casino's.

I wonder if the lights and camera's work over at the skatepark. Might be about time to revisit that little issue, it's going to be spring soon. I'll have to give that assignment to my squad of young sleuths.

"The proposed action would have a negligible effect on children or persons living in poverty, as these population groups are not generally present at or near the Salem Site."

They think of everything.

Happy Valentines Day.

I see GeeGuy has changed his colors in honor of the day. I can honestly tell you, I never considered that I would go over there and see Pink and Red! Wow.

Well, we got home awhile ago, and immediate panic ensued! My boy could not log onto the internet! Oh, the horror! Bereft of his internet! How will he survive!
So I got it figured out, and now I won't give him the computer.
Ha. I'm a mean Mom.

Oh, I just gotta link to this post.

Gotta joke in honor of the day.

Several men are in the locker room of a golf club. A cell phone on a bench rings and a man engages the hands free speaker function and begins to talk. Everyone else in the room stops to listen.
MAN: "Hello"
WOMAN: "Honey, it's me. Are you at the club?"
MAN: "Yes"
WOMAN: "I am at the mall now and found this beautiful leather coat. It's only $1,000. Is it OK if I buy it?"
MAN: "Sure, go ahead if you like it that much."
WOMAN: "I also stopped by the Mercedes dealership and saw the new 2007 models. I saw one I really liked."
MAN: "How much?"
WOMAN: "$90,000"
MAN: "OK, but for that price I want it with all the options."
WOMAN: "Great! Oh, and one more thing...the house I wanted last year is back on the market. They're asking $950,000"
MAN: "Well, then go ahead and give them an offer of $900,000. They will probably take it. If not, we can go the extra 50 thousand if it's really a good price."
WOMAN: "OK. I'll see you later! I love you so much!"
MAN: "Bye! I love you, too."
The man hangs up. The other men in the locker room are staring at him in astonishment, mouths agape.
He turns and asks: "Anyone know who this phone belongs to?"

I see

there is a nice little article in the paper today about Bed and Breakfasts in Montana. Written by a Tribune staff writer. She does not mention any local B & B’s. Oh, wait, our business friendly city doesn’t have many left, do they. The article discusses the tendency to house B & B’s in historical home or buildings. I never had an opportunity to visit the Charlie Russell Manor, but I would have liked to.

I lived near the Collins Mansion for a while when I was younger, when it was just an old abandoned house sitting on the hill. It made me think about history, the people that built it, that lived there. I looked at the old carriage house when it was for sale. I watched both buildings rejuvenated, and had the opportunity to visit the Collins Mansion for an evening dinner once, walk across the old parquet flooring in the foyer, and tour the upstairs bedrooms. The front bedroom with the windows that give you a view of the city spread below, with the lights gleaming in the dusk, twinkling off the river.

There is also an article about the Montana Bar in Miles City. There seem to be a lot of Montana Bars around. Wonder if the one in Miles City would be interested in an old sign. All it needs is some cleaning and a few light bulbs. And since it does not seem to have an owner, it should be free!

Frickin’ video games.
I am no good at them.
I spent damn near an hour playing Galaga and I can’t even get to 92,000.
I always get after my boy for getting mad at his games; he can have kinda a temper, and gets frustrated.
I tell him to calm down, it’s just a game.
So I’m sitting here, I crash and die despite my best efforts, and there may have been some minor cursing and such.
My son walks out (laughing) and tells me “Calm down Mom, It’s just a game!”
Little brat gets a higher score than me his first try.
Frickin’ video games.

FYI

SME is owned by five rural cooperatives and Electric City Power, which is owned by the city of Great Falls. The rural cooperatives are based in Red Lodge, Lewistown, Hysham, Ashland and Huntley. They serve about 120,000 residential and industrial customers in 22 counties.
February, 2007
That's a lot of people. No worries, those 120,000 people all want this plant, Right?

Gregori admits that carbon emissions were not at the forefront of discussions four years ago when the project started, but as concern over global climate change heats up, so does the pressure to curb carbon emissions — a greenhouse gas which scientists believes contributes to global warming.
February, 2007

Er, carbon? Emissions? We didn't hear nothin' bout no emissions four years ago. What's global warming? Anybody?

Ms. Coleen Balzarini, the City of Great Falls Fiscal Services Director and the Executive Director of Electric City Power said on this very issue: During the last legislative session, the City did request a change in law to allow us to serve residential customers within the City limits. The legislature opted to not approve that request. The City is considering making a similar request this session, but has not made a final decision to do so, and has no guarantee that even if the request is made, that it will be granted.
December 2006
But, but....

The city of Great Falls also hopes to use its share of the power to serve its 50,000 residents through a nonprofit municipal power authority.
March, 2006


State law has no mercury emission standards for coal-fired power plants. But two other plants' owners have agreed to mercury standards, setting a potential precedent for state regulators.

Hedges said her group broke off the talks because Southern Montana would not agree to language essentially forcing it to work toward 90 percent removal of mercury in the coal-burning process. A new coal-fired plant at Hardin and a proposed plant near Roundup have agreed to similar standards, she said. "We said there's no agreement unless (Southern Montana) does what other facilities have been willing to do," Hedges said. Gregori said Southern Montana proposed a floor of 80 percent removal, along with a promise that the plant would install special technology that would increase the mercury removal to an undetermined point, possibly 90 percent.

"I hope that Southern Montana is being honest and does what they say they're going to do, but I don't want to tie (our) hands based on their promises," she said. "I'd rather have it in writing."
February, 2006
In writing. Yeah, that would be nice. SME must be tryin' to be environmentally friendly - by saving paper!

The rural electric co-ops making up SME are Beartooth, Fergus, Mid-Yellowstone, Tongue River and Yellowstone Valley electrical cooperatives. They serve 23,000 member-customers.
September, 2004
I thought they served 120,000 members? And if we add 23,000 + 50,000 (that's Gt Falls) we still only get 73,000 so where did 120,000 come from?

For three years now, the leaders of the co-ops and the city of Great Falls have been privately developing a partnership and deciding whether to build their own coal-fired power plant somewhere in central or Eastern Montana.

The power would be produced in Montana and sold at cost to Montanans, Gregori said.
June, 2004
But...

Yellowstone Valley General Manager Terry Holzer said the group is banding together to buy better power for its 100,000 customers.

Lawton was careful to say all Great Falls has agreed to so far is to pay $500 to join the cooperative and pay a fair share of exploring energy options.
October, 2003

So, I guess that means we are a member of SME. We don't need no stinkin' contract!
Oops, customers number changed again! Can't we get that dang number to stop doing that?

But don't worry now. These people know what they are talking about. We can trust them to do the right thing with out taxpayer dollars. They are our friends, our leaders, they do not need contracts and things of that nature. They are obviously smart, trustworthy, honest, loyal....

Note the dates on those articles. Then think about other things you have read about this. Are we being bamboozled?

How's it going.

All kinds of things going on I want to write about, as usual.

Oh, for those of you with reading comprehension issues, or ADD or whatever, you might just want to go check on batting averages or something, this might be one of those posts.

Once again, I'm a year older. Discussing it with the sister tonight, we both decided we are just going to stop aging. Sounded good to me. Birthday's aren't much fun when you are the birthday planner, decorator, cake cooker etc. And then mine is stuck between Christmas and Valentines day. There's another overrated holiday. I like it when the chocolate goes on sale though. Any holiday the chocolate goes on sale is good.

On to flowers. I like flowers. I buy the bouquets at the store, I attempt to get them to grow in my flowerbeds, but don't spend a lot of money on something for me if it is just going to die! Depressing. I like the little tea roses, in the pots. As soon as they enter my house, they begin to droop, and within a couple weeks, they die. Gave up trying that years ago.

Oh, hey, anyone know what that is?

Duh, I know it's a car, ha ha.

I think it kinda looks like a car coming out of shell of a car.

$1,363,000.00

Type:Quad-Turbo W16
Displacement:7994 cc
Horsepower: 1002 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 922 lb-ft @ 5500 rpm
0-60 mph: 2.9 sec
Top Speed: 248.6 miles/h
Miles Per Gallon: N/A (Ya think?)
Redline: 8000 rpm

Fun.