blog musings by Mark J. Welch
Enron. That’s the most important keyword when evaluating AI data centers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enron_scandal How many of the mega-datacenters are owned, operated, controlled and contracted entirely through Enron-style style LLC REIT shell companies, which could default on all environmental, power, water community commitments? Do not assume nor misrepresent names of ultimate customer(s).”…
Giving up is unforgivable: a manual for keeping a democracy (2024) by Joyce Vance https://a.co/d/0a4O5Teh MW: Alas, no action list! Parts of the book were re-hashing information I was long aware of (including Marbury v Madison and the Dredd Scott decision.) The latter half of the book added some new content for me, but again [ ]
Print Books: What Happened to Liberal Democracy?: Remaking a Politics of Shared Prosperity by Daron Acemoğlu (print) Some People by Parini Shroff Breakout by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D Jackson Sketch by Ros Hill The First Stop by Tao Wong Murder on the Upper East Side by Gigi Waldorf Total THB, Volume 2 by Paul Pope [ ]
https://amzn.to/4g6F8U0 These are just quotes straight from the book. 1. Today s Voucher Programs Primarily Support Students Who Were Never in Public School2. The Larger and More Recent the Voucher Program Is, the Worse the Academic Results3. Financially Distressed Private Schools Explain Negative Student Results4. The Most Vulnerable Kids Suffer High Voucher Turnover- Or Are Pushed [ ]
25 years ago, I chanced upon a book called Republic 2.0, by Cass Sunstein, and I wrote a fairly detailed critique of the concept that people would actually isolate themselves online and exacerbate tensions and conflict by participating in enclaves and not interacting with those who disagreed: https://www.markwelchblog.com/2002/01/21/54 I was right, and I was wrong. [ ]
Michael Hasty is NOT a serious candidate for Missouri District 135 State Representative I assume that Mr. Hasty is sincere (if misguided) in his candidacy, and he won a serious share (45%) of the vote as the Republican candidate in 2024. But he has refused to state any position on the two most significant issues [ ]
Here is what I want to hear from the candidates seeking my vote this year. I ve been a registered Democrat since 1983. But often, I ve felt much more in common with the Greens and the Democratic Socialists. Here is my list of issues and topics that I want to hear candidates talk about, to earn [ ]
Missouri s Amendment 5 would end state income taxes, double sales tax rates, and impose new taxes on services, including rent. The math behind Amendment 5 does not add up. Missouri s income tax now brings $8.5 billion annually (two-thirds of all state revenue). Missouri residents now pay 8.44% sales tax, on average. [The current Missouri sales [ ]
The CommunityTogether417.com web site is now hosting a collection of reports edited by Dale McCurry, as The Blue Tide Times. (These are PDF files.) #1 November 24, 2025 The Tides They Are a-Changing (By Dale McCurry)No Free Pass for Burlison and Ilk #2 January 1, 2026 Fear, Loathing, and Black Eyed Peas (A holiday essay [ ]
[Updated Friday, March 20] The City of Springfield held two meetings to present its Residential Rental License and Inspection Pilot Program [PDF] in the West Central Neighborhood. Inspections have long been demanded by Springfield Tenants UNite (STUN), which finally persuaded the City Council to launch this pilot. The pilot program includes only about 1,500 single-family [ ]