WJBC Forum: Wind turbine

Wind turbine (
(Photo courtesy Jim Fischer)

By Jim Fischer

I was sitting my living room this past week. The sun setting low on the horizon when I notice a bright light from the sun reflecting off the newly fallen snow onto the wall of the room. I was sitting there day dreaming as I watched the beam of light ever so slightly moving into the corner. Then it started. Right there in the in the confines of my living room: Shadow Flashes. Those evil shadows that jump across the light of a beautiful scene. Or across the road as you are driving causing you to jump at the steering wheel of your car because you weren’t expecting the darkness as it leaps from the side of the road. Not knowing if it was an animal, another vehicle or a source if evil. You never get used to them; they startle you each and every time. And now they have entered my private dwelling. They are Evil and their source is evil as well

Those horrid wind generators.And their blasted propellers spinning across the shining light of the sun. And that’s not all.

My once quite little house on the prairie has been changed to as if I was living in the middle of a freeway. The whoosh whoosh whoosh of the spinning blades sounds like the passing traffic at highway speeds. Then there is the constant GRRRR of the turbines that have replaced the gentle song of crickets in the summer evenings or the melody of song birds

I used to have beautiful Starlit nights where you could shut off all the porch lights and gaze to see the beautiful constellations and the occasional meteorite blazing across the sky. Now all you see is flashing red lights from the towers of the generators

The very definition of pollution is:the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change.[1] Pollution can take the form of energy, such as noise, heat or light.” And those wind generators are a major source of those pollutants.

But those wind generators have created additional pollution. A new form of contaminate.When the sun shines during the day you have the shadow flashes jumping across the windshield of your car as you take that country drive. Or now as they enter into my living room disturbing my beautiful thoughts once inspired by the sun setting on the now contaminated horizon.

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…