It's good to see Readership up - and on the President's SOTU Address...

http://gl-zephyr.blogspot.com/ - Great Lakes area Wind Power & Hydrogen, renewable energy news.

I'm seeing readership up to 28 people per day average incoming site hits, and 31 feed subscribers for the GL Zephyr. Even the old site, which refers visitors here is getting an average of 29 hits per day.

These visitors come in from all over the world - I've seen visits from every continent, including South America, which has been rare for my other blogs. (I think that's due to the language barrier.)

It's good to know that at least some people value what I'm doing here, because it's strictly a one-person voluntary thing. I've never made a cent off this blog, but the news I share here gives me great hope, because I see POSITIVE environmental stories every day.  People all over the world are working hard to make new technologies succeed, technologies that protect the environment AND preserve our technical capabilities and quality of life. I see a future where people all over the world live in relative abundance, have safe, clean transportation and homes, and sustainable places to work. It IS happening, and entrepreneurs from across the globe are doing it, despite all the naysayers and people invested in the status quo.

Speaking of positive news, I saw President Barack Obama's State of the Union address last night. To me it was filled with positive rhetoric and ideals. The things that he was saying are things that many Progressives and independents voted for. I only hope that he really makes the moves toward clean and sustainable infrastructure in the United States in a timely fashion. He will need steady hard pressure on the Congress to get those intiatives done.

To be honest, I've heard by far the widest support for the infrastructure upgrades he mentions. The rank-and-file out around the country really want to see that done. I think the overwhelming focus on health care reform, while necessary, has held up infrastructure work that has far more popular support. People really do understand that infrastructure investments pay huge long-term dividends.

Many people I've talked to would have loved to see the entire second half of the $1.4 trillion-dollar "stimulus package" go into infrastructure upgrades and education instead of banking. I think that if the President had made THAT his first priority, he would be running on the top of a wave of huge popular support with a great success at his back right now. Maybe even enough to help him plow into the mountain of resistance on health care reform.

My advice to the president, for what it's worth: Switch focus to infrastructure and education in a BIG way right away. People get it on this one. They will support you.

Still, the speech was candy to the ears seeking to hear fairness, understanding, and support from Washington in difficult times. The speech had all the trimmings of great leadership potential. But we're past wanting candy. We're hungry for steak and potatoes, Sir.

Thank you, as always, for taking the time to read my efforts.

Dan