I don’t like pointing out when I’m right, but a study was recently reported on by the New York Times that in nearly every case studied the cost of data centers was partially eaten by “regular” consumers or utilities that took a loss and passed it onto their stockholders. Neither scenario is good for you and me.
The data center hysteria does not pass the common sense test for me. Politicians are citing them as some sort of economic development and local officials like to think that saying Facebook and Google expanding here is some sort of validation for our region. But they are red flags to common sense aficionados.
Facebook and Google are here for cheap land and cheap electricity. Nothing more. As much as that hurts your local pride.
When I’m wrong, I probably won’t point it out in this column. My wife generally keeps track of those things, and she reports them in more of a verbal or eye roll type manner. The truth is, I do like telling you when I’m right about things, though.
The Director of Music for the Landmark, Brad Carl, has reached out to Publisher Foley recently to see if Foley has made any progress in teaching me the subtle greatness of bands like Air Supply. While that has not yet happened to date, we have made some social observation progress as a group.
The text chain to point this out quickly degenerated into a list of famous male singers that transitioned in old age to look like women, presumably by accident. We came to general agreement that Bon Jovi, Paul McCartney, Barry Manilow, and Steven Tyler were unanimous choices. Conversely, it does appear Tracy Chapman balanced the scales a bit by transitioning to a male look in her later years.
I don’t make the rules, I just report the facts.
To be honest, I sometimes sing along with the words I know of “I’m All Out of Love,” but let’s keep that on the down low, I don’t want to get stuck with my lighter in the air, singing with Foley at their next concert.
Do people still own lighters?
I almost started crying a little this week when I saw that a Dukes of Hazzard General Lee Dodge Charger replica jumped a water fountain in the downtown area of Somerset, Kentucky and it looked glorious. People lined the streets and watched as the car successfully made the jump and careened dangerously close to onlookers and a rogue cameraman. It looked like 1978 and made me want to slide across the hood of random cars, except I’m 59 years old and would probably break a hip. Anyway, it warmed my heart.
(Guy Speckman can be reached sliding across random car hoods in The Landmark parking lot)
