All I want for Christmas...

Is a nugget of clean, pleasant-smelling coal in my stocking!

http://action.thisisreality.org/page/invite/RCOALergyTAF

Now, where can I find some? Do barbecue briquettes count?

The Center for American Progress's (many said Obama's policy thinkers -- wonks -- are these guys) conducted an analysis that showed that the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity companies' "paltry" investment in carbon capture storage technology shows that these companies, so publically convinced of being the future in "Clean Coal, America's Power", privately, in the Halls of government, lobby deals knowing they aren't the answer:

The coal and utility industries have spent millions of dollars to oppose mandatory reductions in global warming pollution until CCS is commercialized. Yet their paltry CCS research investment demonstrates that the ads and other public clean coal activities are merely designed to delay global warming solutions without suffering a public relations black eye. Meanwhile, atmospheric greenhouse gas levels grow, ice sheets melt, hurricanes become more ferocious, and the day of reckoning for the Earth looms closer.

And here's our new Vice President, Joe Biden, on renewable energy sources and "clean coal" in Maumee, OH...

That's at least one more Chinese import we can do without.

Merry Christmas, everyone (celebrating it)!

Actually, I am off to buy speakers for the family computer to we can hear these above an occasional whisper, when we get any sound at all. That'll give Sam something to open (he is the main benefactor), since his main present is a week of snowboarding in the l'Alpe d'Huez with a group of friends from his school. Here, check out the webcams.

I volunteered to cook and make their beds, but Sam wasn't having any of that. I'll have to wait for Chamonix in February for my yearly pilgrimage to the rapidly moving glaciers up in Argentières. Scientists have been flying over them, photographing from helicopter to measure the rate of change.

If you don't believe global warming, ask everyone wondering if they are going to enjoy four-season golf, outdoor tennis and hiking in the high alps in 40 years.

....