The emPower Brokers

Busier than usual today, beginning with a meeting with SIUC Chancellor Walter V. Wendler, who generously agreed to speak with his out-of-the-box friend for a recorded interview for podcasting. "You aren't trying to compete with Tom Miller, are you?" Walter joked, before we got down to business. I wanted to know how the book he was reading at the time of our first meeting (The Power Broker, by Robert Caro -- about architect Robert Moses) inspired Saluki Way. You can hear the Chance's full replies to this and other provocative questions, including a new way of looking at the value of a university diploma.

Afterwards, I buzzed to Longbranch coffee house to the monthly meeting of the Historic Town Square Coalition, to hear a busy B inform a small group that included Kevin Clark, community development specialist, about improvements that could be made to the Carbondale cityscape, far beyond the 4-8 benches that are in the City budget for Town Square. The "On the Square" newsletter will have more details about the benches, and what's happening to the old Tuscan Lodge building in its first issue. (It looks like the old building will definitely be demolished sooner or later -- unless the owner turns to the hiphop music stars to save it, since it used to be a musical venue. The Tuscan Lodge needs a major fundraising, the kind that doesn't come in government grants. The TL is a "reality show" waiting to happen. Unfortunately, this idea was not put forward at the meeting, but perhaps it's not too late, if the right people read this blog.) But my big idea for moving the Amtrak building across the tracks was shot down big time by a big shot from the City, though I'm not sure why, exactly. But you know me, Bloggee, the man who put the "pest" in persistent. The City will have to build an intermodal transportation center (like the one Champaign) on Washington St., across from IV's -- just to get me to fly away. And then I'll be . . .

Bloggin' in the Wind

Did you feel that wind yesterday, Bloggee? I can't recall a wind so strong, so steady for so long, averge 23 mph, gust 46, and I grew up on the ocean where it blew up a storm once in awhile. But enough about the weather. How about those bloggers? Millions of them worldwide. In the city of Carbondale, there are about eight, not counting student bloggers, both university and high school. The university should co-sponsor an area Bloggers Conference like they have in other places, either held on campus, or at one of the City's new hotspots, such as NewCilan's coffee bar where wireless internet meets Greyhound bus.