How Much Longer will the Empire Mine Run?

Ahh, to be a miner in the Marquette Iron Range.  I have been employed with Cliffs Natural Resources for over eight years now and have seen a lot of the ups and downs in the industry.  Luckily I have been able to avoid every layoff that has occurred during my employment, but all it would take is one major downturn and all of us miners would be laid off.  That is how volatile the iron industry can get.  Ten years ago, I was a summer student at the Empire Mine, the same facility I am employed at today.  There was a major flooding event that year that ended up closing a nearby power plant that supplied the energy needed to run the mines in the Marquette Range.  I missed out of a month's worth of employment that summer.  When the mine resumed production, I remember being at a meeting with a room-full of other hourly employees, discussing the future of the Empire facility.  In 2003, it was discussed that the mine would probably only run another three or four more years and then close.  Ten years later, the facility still operates.  But how much longer will it keep going?

Back in March of this year, the former President and CEO of Cliffs Natural Resources, Joseph Carrabba, spoke at a meeting of business and economic leaders in the Marquette area to discuss the state of the company and specifically, business interests in the Marquette Iron Range.  It was stated at that meeting that the Empire mine would be slowing down and would cease production at the end of 2014.  So far the company maintains that stance and nothing else has been released officially stating otherwise.  ArcelorMittal, a prominent steel-making company in the United States and world-wide, owns a percentage of the Empire Mine and has a contract to take a portion of the pellets that the Empire produces, a contract set to expire at the end of 2014.  Earlier this year, ArcelorMittal signed a new ten-year contract with a different supplier, Essar Steel in Minnesota.   They are set to produce the exact same type of pellet that the Empire mine produced for years.  However, there is a significant problem with that mine in Minnesota; it's not even built yet and far from producing any sort of iron ore pellets.

The Essar Steel plant is a completely new facility that is trying to get itself off the ground but has faced various problems in getting things up and running.  Supposedly one of the contractor's building the facility poured some of the footings for the main processing facility wrong, and that contractor went into bankruptcy.  So a new contractor had to be brought in to rip the old footings out and prepare new ones.  I am not going to get too in depth with the problems occurring with this facility in Minnesota, because I am unsure what is the truth and what is just hearsay.  What I will say is that there are many challenges that remain for the Minnesota facility in getting things up and running.  Initially they were hoping to begin production at the end of 2014, when they were supposed to take over our pellet contract.  Now that seems to be delayed much further.  That is one of the factors involved in potentially keeping the Empire going a little longer.  But there are other issues that remain in shuttering the facility for good.

The big issue that exists in keeping the Empire running is the lack of ore reserves.  The facility first opened in the 1960's and has been producing magnetite ore since.  After over 50 years of production, one can understand how a mine such as ours is starting to run out of ore to produce.  Supposedly there's still three years of exposed ore that we can process.  Which, if ArcelorMittal can't get any pellets from their new partner, the Empire could get an extension on its existing contract until the new mine is ready to ship pellets.  Some are speculating that it could end up being a two to four year extension.  Beyond that, the future of the Empire definitely looks bleak.  Don't get me wrong, there is still ore out there to mine.  However, it would take a lot of digging and stripping to get at, meaning it wouldn't end up being very cost effective for Cliffs to do on their own, unless another partner stepped up and put the money up front needed to retrieve that good magnetite ore.  There would be a ton more of blasting needed to loosen up the material, then the equipment would have to travel farther to get to it, resulting in higher energy and fuel costs.   If the iron industry is in fantastic shape and there is a huge demand for ore, then by all means it could happen.  However I don't think the demand is quite at that point, although it does appear to be rebounding somewhat from earlier this year.

So as you can imagine, a lot of speculation and rumors are being spread across the Marquette Iron Range about the future of the Empire Mine.  The end of mine life is a real distinct possibility as ever before.  But as I discussed earlier, that end of life could be extended a little bit longer if the circumstances end up being favorable for the venerable facility.  Me personally, I hope the Empire keeps going for a little while longer yet.  There are a lot of good people I work with who could be negatively affected by a long-term layoff if the Empire closes.  The longer they can work, the longer they can save up their earnings and prepare for the eventual outcome.  It's simply not a matter of if the Empire closes, but when now.  Like I have been talking with a few people out there, the remaining year is going to be an interesting one for everybody involved.  It's just part of the ups and downs of working in the Marquette Iron Range, and has been that way for years.  Certainly never a dull moment.

The Backlash Against Paula Deen

I am breaking out of my blogging hiatus to discuss one of the bigger hot topic items that has been in the news lately.  It is regarding the Paula Deen situation, where she admitted that in her past, she has used the n-word. First and foremost, I will say that I do not condone the use of the word.  It's a derogatory word that is not used in a positive light in the African American community.  However let me say this; aren't we being rather harsh on Paula Deen?  I agree that it was wrong of her to say the word, yet it was in her past and she apologized for doing so.  When is it that an apology just isn't enough anymore?

Everybody's immediate reaction is to fire her and boycott everything that she was involved in.  Can't we all just take a step back and analyze the situation, and then come to a resolution?  I believe that anti-Paula Deen people are out to make an example out of her; that whomever has uttered the n-word in the past must be banished and never see the light of day again.  Deen lived and grew up in the south, where slavery was once a big problem in the early 1900's.  The carryover from that era is around the time when she grew up.  Like all things in life, it's hard to change a stereotype that has existed over many decades.  It's kind of like how gay marriage is becoming ore accepted.  For awhile, saying the n-word was accepted.  Eventually it became to be frowned upon and now, it's just plain wrong to say.  Deen admitted her mistake and she never said she said it recently.  Why can't we just let bygones be bygones?

I will say this, I had heard of Paula Deen before and she most notably made news for her success at losing weight, in addition to her success at making a living preparing wonderful food dishes.  But I just can't believe that all of that could come crashing down, just over an admittance of saying the n-word during her younger years.  Does that mean we should go back to the era when stoning a person, or cutting off their heads in a guillotine are accepted ways of punishing a person for their crimes?  Why is it accepted when African American rappers can used the n-word in their lyrics over and over?  To me, if they get away with saying it, why can't all of the races?  It's just a puzzling issue to me.

Typically I don't comment on hot button topics such as this one, but I felt I had to say something.  I believe that Paula Deen is getting a bum rap here.  Everything that she prided herself on, everything that she has built her success upon is being destroyed and judging from the backlash, she may never recover.  I feel bad for her to be in this situation because she seems to be a nice person.  She said she was sorry for her mistakes, why can't that be good enough?  What more can Paula Deen do to improve her public image?  Like I asked before and I'll say it again; why did it become that an apology just isn't good enough anymore?

A Not-So-Perfect Life

I found myself watching the movie "American Reunion" tonight and it really began to make me feel nostalgic. Yes I know, it's probably not the type of movie that most would find nostalgic. But every time I've watched it (tonight was the second time), it reminded me of my high school days. The movie centers around the cast returning to attend their high school class reunion. They graduated in 1999 and there are many times throughout the movie where 90's music plays and boy, it really hits home for me listening to those songs. At the end of the movie, they show flashbacks of the cast when they played their roles in the first film of the series, "American Pie." It's amazing how much younger they looked compared to the present. It really is incredible how time flies.

"American Reunion" was released in 2012, and considering the original cast graduated from high school in 1999, the reunion was held 13 years later (yes I know, we're not supposed to focus on that stat). However, to make a connection to my life, I graduated in 2000 and we are now into the year 2013. So, just like the class featured in the movie, this year is my 13th year away from high school. In some ways it feels like it's been forever, yet in other instances it doesn't seem that long ago. To be honest, I have moved on from my high school days (as I'm sure most have). As you may remember from my blog in the past, I did not attend my ten year class reunion three years ago. At the time, I did feel bad about missing it, but work kind of complicated things. There were a few people I would have genuinely liked to have seen and caught up with. However looking back at things now, I think it was for the best that I did not attend. A lot of my former classmates I really hold no connection with anymore. Most are spread out around the country. We all have basically moved on, formed friendships with new people and our high school lives are fading more and more with each passing year.

And now 13 years later, it's time to look at where my life has gone so far. The only thing I am really struggling with right now is my love life. Once again I am single, but am trying my hardest to remedy it. It's a situation that will take time to resolve. It seems that when you date people on-line, it's never a quick plunge into finding that special someone. There were a couple of times where I thought things were going on the right track earlier this winter, but things have gone off the rails lately. I know she's out there somewhere but it's often hard to wait patiently for her to walk through that proverbial door. I am beginning to wonder if things might go faster if I check out the bar scene or not. The simple fact is that I don't have that many opportunities to meet single women. At work, the male gender far exceeds the amount of women that work there, and I'm certainly not going to meet anybody sitting around at home. I have set a goal of 2013 being the year that I find the love of my life and so far it hasn't happened. But there's still a lot of the year left.

Well, I wasn't planning on turning this blog into one highlighting my relationship struggles. But it is what it is. I wish time would slow down a bit so I can learn to enjoy things more and not be in so much of a rush to find that special someone. I'm 30 years old now and I am not getting any younger. I know my parents are hoping for more grandchildren and I am hoping I am able to fulfill that desire for them. But it's pretty difficult to accomplish that when there's no significant other. As I look back, I made my fair share of mistakes when it came to women. I was often too shy to ask any of them out when I had the right opportunities. I sure wish I could go back in time and correct some of the mistakes I made in that regard. Maybe things would be a lot different than they are now. The rest of my life I really have no complaints about. So let's hope that 2013 ends up being a significant year where my life becomes truly perfect.

What Has Become of American Idol?

Once upon a time, I used to be a huge American Idol fan. And I really mean HUGE. All you have to do is look back in this very blog to see how big of a fan I was. I recapped every performance show and gave my opinions on who I thought did the best and the worst of each week. But somewhere along the way, there was a disconnect. It just no longer appeals to me like it once did. It has become the same old show year in and year out and no matter what they try to do, they just can't capture the magic the show once held. Here are a few reasons why I think the show has slipped the way that it has.

The loss of Simon Cowell...It was after season nine where Simon bid adieu to the venerable singing show. At the time I thought it was a welcome change for the show to be Simon-less. But I quickly changed my opinion once I heard the critiques from newcomer-judges Jennifer Lopez and Stephen Tyler. They never could say a bad thing to any of the contestants unless they were really, really bad. Simon certainly had a way of letting people down on that show. He didn't mince words and he pulled no punches. He was honest when he needed to be and when a contestant gave a brilliant performance, he gave it its proper credit. To me, the show has yet to find that personality to be as harsh and honest as Simon was on the show. Randy tries to be harsh, but it isn't the same. You know, there will never be another Simon Cowell. He's just so irreplaceable. The show has tried to press on without him, but it hasn't had the success that it once did.

Winners not as successful on the charts...When you think of previous Idol winners, you think of Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. They are the two biggest stars of the Idol franchise. And I have a feeling that will remain the same until Idol goes off the air once and for all. The show doesn't bring in the kind of ratings that it once did, thus it isn't drawing as many viewers in to watch the top ten contestants duking it out for the top spot. It doesn't have as much exposure to as many people, and the contestants that have been winning in recent years have been focused more towards a specific genre of music (i.e. gospel, soul) rather than being totally mainstream. People have tuned away from the show more than ever before, thanks to programs on other networks and cable channels. Idol just isn't as appealing as it once was.

The show has been on for too long...We are now upon the 12th season of Idol; 11 years in total. That's a long time to be on the air, especially these days. To maintain the 30 million people that it once was able to draw in for ratings would have been difficult for any TV program to do. Popularity for TV shows eventually wanes as the years go by. Now, it's lucky to draw 16 million viewers. But, the show still does quite well for the FOX network, so I doubt it'll go away anytime soon. It seems that reality/game based shows tend to lose ratings quicker in time than other genre of TV programs. Most comedy and dramas that are popular typically maintain 20+ million viewers. But 30 million is certainly not an everyday feat. I think Idol producers are trying every way they can to keep people glued to the set while Idol is on. And so far, it hasn't worked.

Those are just a few of the reasons why I think Idol's popularity has taken a hit, particularly after season eight wrapped up. For me, the greatest years of American Idol were seasons seven and eight. Season nine has been referenced as being Idol's worst of all, which just so happened to be Simon's last. And you could tell he was bagging the last season in as he seemed so disinterested in what was going on. Will Idol ever be able to retain the ratings death hold it once had? It likely never will. I think Idol producers were hoping that this season's star-studded judges panel would fix the ratings issue. But even Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj can only do so much. As for myself, I still watch it when I can, but I am no longer interested like I once was. Maybe I am getting too old, as all of the contestants are mostly in their late teens and early 20's. I am now 30 and even if I wanted to audition, I no longer can. So I am starting to get out of the demographic that the show desires. And as I mentioned earlier, it just isn't the same without Simon.

Jonathan

I feel as if I never really knew you, even though we were related; cousins to be exact.
And now you are gone, a life ended much too soon.
You were a troubled soul, crying out for help.
But nobody was there to lend a hand, to lift you up.
And now there is nothing to remember you by.
Just sad memories.
It's as if you never even existed.
I look in the newspaper, search on-line.
There's no obituaries, no tributes.
All I can say is that I know you once existed.
But now you are gone.

We were never all that close.
Yet, you are still family.
But there is nothing to remember you by.
Except for a few pictures in a photo album from a time long ago.
It was a much happier time, when things were so much more care free.
These days, life seems so hectic and lost.
I wish we could regain those innocent times.
And at least try to start over; to be more of a family than we ever were.
But that will never happen now.
It's a dream that will never come true because, you are gone.

You had a lot of potential, but were lead down the wrong path.
Perhaps if you lived in a less chaotic environment.
You could have been successful at life.
Instead, your life is categorized as a failure.
But it certainly wasn't all your fault.
You lived in chaos during your childhood, teenage years, and right into your adulthood.
Your upbringing was less than spectacular.
Yet you were never steered straight down the right path.
And we'll never truly know what might have been.
So dear cousin, this is my small attempt at a remembrance for you.
Because there really isn't much else to remember you by.
No obituaries, no funeral.
Just a lost soul, gone way too soon.
May you rest in peace.

A New Year

And so here we are again, another new year was just ushered in last night. To me, it seems like we just rang in 2012 six months ago. I'm sure I've said it before and I'll say it again but my elders are right. Time really does go by faster and faster with each passing year. And it actually kind of makes me a little bit sad. I mean, I am trying to make the most of every opportunity that arises, yet some days I feel like I am missing important things. Life was so much more carefree and exhilarating as a child. Now it's like I've gotten into that same familiar rut: Work, sleep, eat, work, eat, sleep, etc, etc. I think 2013 will usher in all sorts of new opportunities for me. I am going to start making the most of my life while I still can.

2012 wasn't exactly a great year by any means; it was just more or less okay. Firstly, there was a decent amount of turmoil that surrounded work. Would I be laid off, would I be working? It was a challenging year in the work department but I am happy to say that I was only laid off for one week. I mean sure, one side of you could think that getting laid off and receiving unemployment would be nice for awhile. But then awhile turns into too long. That wasn't the case for me in 2012. That's not to say that if I were laid off for a longer period of time that I'd be struggling from the get go. But it's always nice to know that you have a job to go to regularly. So all in all, everything in the work department turned out okay. Still, there were plenty of rumors and hearsay surrounding my place of employment, and we may be heading down a similar road in 2013.

The nearly three year relationship ended with my girlfriend in July. Honestly it was inevitable and it probably should've ended sooner. But I think I was holding on for as long as I could to see if our relationship really could be for the rest of our lives. It didn't end up being so. It ended rather abruptly and pretty foolishly on my part. Instead of confronting her and calling it off in a civil way, she had to find out in a way that still shames me to this day. I didn't cheat on her by any means; I am not that kind of man. But I wasn't upfront with my feelings from the get-go and it's something I truly regret. It's unfortunate that we weren't able to make things work, however life does move on. I am hoping that 2013 is an improvement in my relationship status.

I've brought this up before in the blog and it's still an ongoing issue. My mental health still isn't where it needs to be. I've been dealing with a form of anxiety for a couple of years now and I am on two different medications for it. Believe me, it's a lot better than what it initially was, but I still have some work to do. I have a doctor's appointment later this week that will hopefully correct these anxious feelings that I have once and for all. In 2013, I also look to be more up front about my anxiety than I have been. For one thing, I've never told my parents what I've been going through. I don't normally make resolutions, but one that I am making this time around is to tell my immediate family of what's been going on. It's going to be a struggle and I truly have let this "secret" go on for too long. I guess I am anxious to talk about my anxiety. I know I shouldn't be, but a part of me thinks that I'm going crazy and that once everyone else knows this, then they'll think the same. I know that's a foolish thought and it's one thing I look to correct in the new year. I also am hoping to improve my physical health as well, seeing as how I gained nearly 10 pounds from one year to the next. It's time to start cutting back on the sweets, working out at home, and to eat more fruits and veggies.

So, with 2012 out of the way, things can only get better in 2013. Like I said, it's not like the past year was all that terrible; it was more or less just average. I am hoping 2013 proves to be an exciting year with many great memories to cherish. Here's hoping that you and yours has a wonderful 2013. See you next time on the blog...