POWER POWER GRID POWER GRID

Click here: Terror attack on grid would collapse U.S. article by By Shaun Waterman, UPI Homeland and National Security Editor. This is dated Sept. 4 'Copyright © 2001-2003 United Press International'. Note date in context of date of this post, a.k.a 'as we approach the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks', and the recent government reminder for the those who have just emerged from a nearly-as-long-coma: Al Qaeda wants to do bad things with aircraft of various sizes.

The evidence and need just keeps piling up as infrastructure deteriorates and those who guard and maintain it are given their pension-sucked walking papers. This is the colossal glacier shard melting above our heads while our so-called protectors light fires and shoot guns under it and distract us from noticing it with 'necessary' grossly humiliating TSA gropings of dying nonagenerians and little children when wastrel (often plutocratic) 'reality' show media whores and sadism-as-entertainment aren't enough.

Olbermann can often go off the deep end, but I was much cheered when he mentioned PUTTING THE POWER GRID UNDERGROUND, something I have been harping on for decades... We who recognize the need - the many needs - to do this should keep harping till it's done. Or until meteorological events, decay, human malignance or any combination thereof make the need too-late-obvious and those still left with sufficient breath and muscle can Start All Over Again, the Right Way This Time.

Among features of the Right* Way

1. Prioritize sanely; get right at what's most needed at once.

2. Get real: This mostly has to be federally funded: Pay for it by stopping war, and being as willing to shell out for it as we ever were for war, taxing the bloodsucker (especially warbux) plutocracy and making them pay reparations - & if you really want justice better served, duly prosecute, them put the CEOs, veeps, raiders and their lawyers on muckbucket chain gangs so they can hands-on support their nearest kin.

3. a. Hire ONLY clean-record American Citizens for every aspect of the project(s), initially/under construction and ongoing/permanent. b. Do not consider individual humans or (gakkk!) corporations-as-persons as possessing clean records if they've knowingly hired more than 9% foreigners. c. Hire plenty, give them the pay and pension and safety-stuff you'd think just for your nearest and dearest if they were taking those jobs. d. Give strong support and incentives for buying local and planting native.

4. No corruption, mordida-payola, private-porkbarreling, politicians' buddy contractors, fascist monopoly public utility dominance, or any other sort of 'insider' advantage.

5. It must be as up-to-the-minute but lastingly and thoroughly 'GREEN' (especially clean and recycle-y: that very much includes energy) and SAFE as possible. This will include ready, swift and easy-access to emergency supplies and alternatives to intensely security-checked authorized personnel, with abundant real-human expert security monitors always 'on the ball'.

6. And this-all must be made to withstand OMHG It's So Much Worse Than The Sliderule Crew Anticipated disasters.

7. Make every effort to avoid public-domaining and other afflictions to the public and other arguably-sentient creatures.

8. Fiercely avoid waste and ruining Good Stuff We Already Have.

9. Thoroughly (but promptly) plan ahead to coordinate-with and make necessary repairs and truly desirable improvements of Other Things Along the Way, such as water and gas mains, railroad crossings and railways / rail trails, dams, levees, safety barriers & retaining walls, reservoirs, cisterns & river trails, etc.,

ETC.

*'Right' as in 'correct' or at least Barry Goldwater-esque (paleo-) conservative-that-is-also-conservationist way, not 'Right' as in neocons and their Viper-Flag Party masochist zombie minions, of course!