CHANGE COMING TO THE UNCLE GNARLEY BLOG

Since 2012, the Uncle Gnarley Blog has posted every Monday and, during much of that time, Thursdays too. Several contributors, notably David Vardy, “PlanetNL”, "JM", Jim Gordon, the “Anonymous Engineer”, “Agent 13”, the “Bard of Pynn’s Brook”  John Tuach — to name some of the most recent and prolific amongst them — have played a major role in offering analysis and opinion on the many facets of the Muskrat Falls Project, in addition to the province's fiscal challenges.  All have demonstrated enormous dedication to a high standard of research and writing, as well as the capacity to explain and simplify exceedingly complex issues.  

I am hopeful that they and others will continue to use this platform to address the many issues plaguing Newfoundland and Labrador. For my own part, however, after an exceptionally busy year working with the other Members of the Muskrat Falls Concerned Citizens Coalition while maintaining the Blog, I plan to post less frequently and, in particular, free myself from the self-imposed requirement to post every Monday morning.

It is gratifying to have nearly reached the 3,000,000 pageview plateau. Although it is just a number, it represents proof that there exists significant interest in public policy issues in Newfoundland and Labrador — something that the mainstream media has ignored, especially in the early years of the Muskrat Falls saga. Hopefully, in addition to Ed Hollett’s Sir Robert Bond Papers and The Independent, others will use the blogosphere for a similar public policy purpose.

Change continues to be necessary in the fiscal arena. Denial of this fact by the public and reckless partisanship on the part of the political leadership constitute the fuel thwarting measured change. An informed conversation around the perils of the status quo and the cost of "rate mitigation" remains an imperative.

As to the Uncle Gnarley Blog, the chief change that readers will notice will be found in the timing and frequency of the posts. Instead of slavishly adhering to a timeline, I will post when I feel compelled by the urgency of specific public policy or political issues — and when time permits — unless, of course, the work of other writers is available.

As always, when a new post is made, I will link it to my Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter pages. All readers are welcome to follow me on those platforms, and to friend or follow me on Facebook for easy notification when a new story — mine or another writer’s — is posted.

But, in case you’re wondering? I'm not going away. I'm just freeing up time to do other things.

Thanks for reading the Uncle Gnarley Blog.