John Beagle

People, Places and Things

Blog Snippits January 2010

I write to a lot of blogs. Here is a summary of my recent work:

Top 3 Reasons why I rate MSFT a Buy
January 26, 2010


Although I am fully invested and won’t be adding shares in MSFT, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t buy MSFT at this time.

First Look: Garmin Edge Bike GPS
I just purchased a Garmin Edge 500 because it will help me document my bike path explorations as well as keep an very useful log of all my runs, calorie burn etc.

Hispanola Island and Friedman
Milton Friedman would look at the Island of Hispanola and point to it as an example of the relationship of economic freedom and economic success. Friedman would call Island of Hispanola ‘a tale of two countries – Haiti and the Dominican Republic’.

21% More Meetings in 2010
FutureWatch 2010 predicts that U.S. meeting planners will plan 21 percent more meetings in 2010 than they did in 2009 while spending 3.5 percent less per meeting.


Monore Reinstates Membership in The Middletown Based Chamber
Last year, Monroe city council voted to leave the Middletown Based local area Chamber of Commerce which covers Monroe, Middletown and Trenton.


Computer Lab Rentals
“I put this 100 computer lab together in 1 day with one phone call to Darcy Mann, my Tech Travel Agent from Rentacomputer.com.” -Employee Training Department Manager, Cindy A. Marketing Company

I’m Stuck in the Middle

Monroe and Middletown Square Off 003

I’m stuck in the middle of Monroe and Middletown. That’s me with the US flag tie and disgusted look on my face, watching our town fight itself, neighboring Middletown and the areas largest employer, AK Steel. I’m stuck because I own a business in Middletown and live in Monroe. I’m damned if I take either side of this argument.

It all started when AK Steel decided it wanted to partner with SunCoke for coke and electricity.
Discussion: SunCoke Plant – Commission Vote March 26, 2008

Since then, things have gone steadily downward. Monroe Council has obtained legal council to fight the building of what AK Steel says is necessary for its survival. Union members who live in Monroe ask why their jobs are being blocked by Council. Residents ask why SunCoke has to build their plant on the boarder with Monroe.

Either Middletown will win and many residents of my hometown will see their quality of life go down or Monroe will win and AK may close down, jobs will be lost.

Today, residents attack the local paper on this Voice Post: Middletown Journal, or is it the AK Journal?

I hope this ends soon. Either way, many people will be unhappy.

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