Who profits most from coal? Answer: R...

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Monday July 16, 2007 · 10:25 AM PDT

2007/07/16 · 10:25

Ask some American consumers who profits most from the nation's use of coal, and you may get different answers. Most people would probably say it's the coal mining companies, or the coal-using electric utilities. Neither is close to being the correct answer - but of course, it depends on how we define profit.

This diary takes a look at where coal profits end up, what it means for environmentalists and Democrats, and what we as consumers can do about it.

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Tuesday July 03, 2007 · 12:34 PM PDT

2007/07/03 · 12:34

The Libby issue isn't something I know a lot about and I didn't expect I would ever write a diary on it from nine thousand miles away. But I thought the following foreign perspective opinion piece was worth sharing.

George W. Bush's latest actions on the Libby case are not exactly making a lot of front pages (print or internet) where I live. As I type this (around midday 3 July US time), I've just checked the web sites for two of the most widely read and respected newspapers in the country where I live (The Press and the New Zealand Herald) and could not find the word Libby on the front page or the opinion page at either site.

However, for neighboring Australians who want commentary in their local news, Greg Sheridan at The Australian has come to the rescue.

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Saturday June 23, 2007 · 1:00 PM PDT

2007/06/23 · 13:00

After reports of child abuse and neglect amid appalling living conditions for native Australian people in some Northern Territory communities, Bush-supporting right-wing Prime Minister John Howard has awoken from a decade of barely recognizing these people's existence with a sudden crackdown on rights and liberties. The new policies are designed more to increase the governments poll numbers than to improve anyone's living conditions. This racism proves there is nothing Mr Howard and clan will not exploit for political gain.

News stories and commentary below the fold.

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Thursday June 14, 2007 · 9:53 AM PDT

2007/06/14 · 09:53

There are a lot of misconceptions about the impact of air travel in climate change. The aviation contribution to global warming is hard to quantify, since there are key differences in the effect of each greenhouse gas dependent on the altitude at which it is emitted.

Air travel generates more polarized heated debate and misuse of facts than most other industries that produce greenhouse gases. In this diary I'll use recent news articles and statistics in an attempt to provide an objective summary of the current state of aviation emissions and possible future changes.

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Wednesday May 30, 2007 · 6:05 PM PDT

2007/05/30 · 18:05

Coal is the mainstay of American electricity generation. Half the nation's electrical supply comes from burning coal. A common argument that shows up in energy discussions, both on Daily Kos and elsewhere, is that coal mining employs many people. Some claim this as a defense for using coal. Others claim it as a reason why the coal industry has political support.

Like so many things people believe about coal, often with the best of intentions, this is simply another lie the industry has spun. Political support for coal comes from profits and the illusion of jobs.

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Tuesday May 29, 2007 · 10:40 AM PDT

2007/05/29 · 10:40

I was surprised to see a diary with what I believe to be an incorrect and easily refuted claim about rising gas prices briefly make the Recommended list yesterday. Site outages hampered discussion then, so here's my take on the diary and where it fell short.

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Sunday May 27, 2007 · 12:15 PM PDT

2007/05/27 · 12:15

With a flurry of new articles in the media over the past few days, it's about time for another one of those diaries wherein I round up news from down under relating to climate change. In this edition:

Drought threatens Australian electricity supply
Howard govt spending millions on climate change ad campaign
Australia finds a nuclear waste dump site
Coal mining company infiltrating protest groups with spies

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Thursday May 24, 2007 · 12:59 PM PDT

2007/05/24 · 12:59

As an example from overseas of how far coal-burning companies will go to protect their cheap dirty fuel, and how successful environmental group action can be, this diary chronicles the ongoing battle down under between a company that stands alone in clinging to coal and its most vocal opponent.

The company is going to court hoping to prevent local government authorities from being allowed to even think about climate change as a factor when deciding on permits for fossil fuel burning power plants.

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Wednesday May 23, 2007 · 1:50 PM PDT

2007/05/23 · 13:50

This time last week, I posted the diary US gas prices: are you being gouged? It showed that unlike all other post-Katrina price fluctuation which has been very closely matched to world crude prices, the May 2007 gas price rise is a uniquely American event that has broken this correlation.

New prices have now been added to the weekly data sets I used for my graphs and analysis, so here is an update. Since my diary last week, the new weekly mean pump price from the DOE shows a further 4.6% rise in one week, from $3.07 per gallon of May 14 to $3.21 now - but oil prices remain on a par with last year. In short, the May rise continues to be all-American.

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Sunday May 20, 2007 · 10:07 AM PDT

2007/05/20 · 10:07

Australian citizen and former Guantanamo detainee David Hicks is now back in Australia, at a cost to Aussie taxpayers of more than half a million dollars just for the flights. But the political cost may be far greater for the current Australian government, when voters go to the polls later this year.

How long will it be before the other detainees at Guantanamo, those without western nation passports, can expect fair treatment?

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Friday May 18, 2007 · 4:04 PM PDT

2007/05/18 · 16:04

If you have doubts about the potential of wind energy to play a significant role in the transition away from fossil fuels, you may find the following interesting. Below the fold...

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Wednesday May 16, 2007 · 11:48 AM PDT

2007/05/16 · 11:48

The recent rise in the average American gas price seems unusual and out of line with international trends. I've generated a few graphs to investigate, but have no real answers. Is there a legitimate basis for the increase, or are consumers being gouged? Please read on and have your say.

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Who profits most from coal? Answer: R...

Libby commutation: what they're reading down under

Australia or Apartheidstralia

Climate change and air travel

Coal and jobs: enough with the lies already

Disputing oil and gasoline claims on the rec list

Climate change news down under: Drought and spies edition

Coal burner wants court to ignore climate change

The Great All-American Gas Hike continues

$500,000 one way flight: a detainee goes home

Wind energy shows its potential

US gas prices: Are you being gouged?