Looks like the people described in this morning's post might actually have a good reason to drink. Back on October 12th of last year, in my post, "Peak Coal Hits Appalachia," I cited the following quote from a Huffington Post story:
Coal here is getting harder and costlier to dig – and the region, which includes southern West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee, is headed for a huge collapse in coal production.
The U.S. Department of Energy projects that in a little more than three years, the amount of coal mined here will be just half of what it was in 2008. That's a significant loss of a signature Appalachian industry, and the jobs that come with it.
Well, as reported by the Columbus Republic on Tuesday, it looks like that prediction is coming true:
Alpha Natural Resources says its decision to scale back production and idle some coal mines will cost 152 West Virginians and 168 Kentuckians their jobs in the coming weeks.
Media outlets say the West Virginia mines being idled include the No. 2 Gas Mine in Kanawha County and the Randolph Mine in Boone County, both underground operations.
Hours are being cut at Boone's Black Castle surface mine and the Progress/Twilight surface mine, and at Logan County's Camp Branch surface mine.
The Alloy Powellton Mine in Fayette County is eliminating one underground section.
So tell me again what happened to the "two hundred years' supply of coal" America supposedly has?
It seems incredible that nearly 80 years after the passage of the 21st Amendment to the Constitution overturning Prohibition in America that there are still plenty of dry jurisdictions around the country. My own hometown still had a Sunday ban on liquor sales when I was growing up, and even that seemed old fashioned at the time. In my January 18th post, "States Doubling Down on Bad Gambling Bets," I commented on a story about how cash strapped state governments are now turning even more to casinos in a desperate attempt to try and raise money. Not to be outdone in chasing the sin tax dollar, here is the Courier-Journal.com with a story about dry Kentucky towns considering allowing alcohol sales to raise tax revenue:
In this Appalachian college town where socially conservative views are bedrocks of life, some people want to do what was once unthinkable: legalize liquor sales.
Supporters say passing the measure in Tuesday’s special election in Barbourville would tap a new revenue source in a place where hundreds of jobs are evaporating as one plant shuts down and another cuts its workforce in half. But from the pulpits to the courthouse square, opponents have been pressing their case that uncorking liquor sales would irreparably harm the town of about 3,200.
“We’ve got a fine community,” said the Rev. Leonard Lester, a leading spokesman for church-related groups and other opponents that have rallied and waged an aggressive media campaign. “To reverse that and to bring decay into our community is senseless and dangerous.
”There is nothing good about liquor,“ he added.
The issue in the town that’s home to Methodist-affiliated Union College is the latest in a series of special elections popping up all over small-town, socially conservative Kentucky, where voters are asked whether they want to approve liquor sales as a way to bring in much-needed tax dollars.
Ironically, as the story points out, Kentucky is a leading producer of one of the strongest types of alcoholic beverage:
The state brags about its title as the world’s bourbon capital, where distilleries churn out fine whiskeys and lure tourist dollars. But elsewhere, temperance attitudes have preserved broad pockets of territory in Kentucky where liquor sales are outlawed. Nearly one-third of the state’s 120 counties are dry.
There also would likely be a bit of a zero sum game here that would raise revenue for the dry counties by draining it from those where alcohol is already legal:
Some people in town like to imbibe, but Barbourville isn’t reaping any financial benefits, area resident Kenneth Gregory said. Now, they have to drive about 15 minutes to have a drink while dining out, and more than twice that far to pick up a six-pack of beer.
”Why send our taxes to other counties and let them get the use out of it,“ said Gregory, 56. ”Boy, this is 2000-something. This ain’t back in the 1950s again. That’s what they try to run it like.“
And, as always, when a widely used product is stupidly banned by the government, it's the criminal element which benefits the most:
”This city has never been dry. It’s just been illegally wet,“ Jewell said.
A vote to legalize liquor sales would effectively drive bootleggers out of business, he said.
Bootleggers typically load up their vehicles with beer and whiskey obtained in wet areas, then return to resell the alcohol.
Ultimately, however, money eventually trumps everything in America...even religious convictions:
In Paintsville, liquor sales generated about $150,000 in tax revenue in 2011, said Bob Porter, mayor of the eastern Kentucky town. The town of about 4,000 has package sales and by-the-drink sales at some restaurants.
”It’s not the savior, but it helps,“ he said. ”It’s allowed us to put off or not administer any additional taxes to this point.“
I'm not in favor of any kind of prohibition, of course. I'm merely pointing out that this story represents another telling sign of the times completely at odds with the national mainstream media narrative about our supposed economic recovery.
The "Tightest Ship in the Shipping Business" just got a little tighter. Here's a local Kentucky radio station with the story:
(Hebron, Ky.) - More than 500 people will lose their jobs after UPS closes a warehouse in Boone County.
UPS notified the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training on January 18 it will issue layoffs at its Supply Chain Solutions Building K warehouse at 1505 Worldwide Boulevard in Hebron by April 1.
The move will affect 542 employees according to the WARN notice submitted by the company. About 430 of the workers will be offered separation allowance or another position if it becomes available, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported.
So what was explanation?
UPS says the move is due to losing a major account at that distribution center. The company said that account was Zulily, a Seattle-based online store, WCPO-TV reported.
So what can Brown do for you? Fire your ass if business is slow, of course.
KFC announced this week that there will be layoffs at the company's corporate headquarters, as reported by Courier-Journal.com:
Burdened by lackluster results in its U.S. business, KFC Corp. laid off an unknown number of employees on Thursday at Yum! Brands headquarters in Louisville.
Being one of America's biggest purveyors of obesity and death, you just knew this particular corporation would be well versed in corporate FlackSpeak:
“We made the difficult but necessary decision to reorganize KFC to reduce cost, maximize efficiencies and better reflect our current business needs,” said Karen Sherman, senior director of communications at KFC Corp. “While we have increased investment in some positions, we also have eliminated others at our corporate offices and in the field.”
But wait...there's more:
“We are doing everything possible to help support those affected by the reorganization in their transition,” Sherman added in her emailed statement.
Yeah, I'll bet.
Actually, I have to hope that if someone at KFC is getting laid off, it will be the diabolical genius who invented the KFC Famous Bowls. Though I've never had one, their absolute sheer nastiness was brilliantly captured a couple of years ago in a very funny bit by comedian Patton Oswalt.
