Some clients of mine are driving me nuts... very slowly. Death by indecision. Argh.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

Coal's costs outweigh benefits, WVU study finds

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Coal mining costs Appalachians five times more in early deaths as the industry provides to the region in jobs, taxes and other economic benefits, according to a groundbreaking new study co-authored by a West Virginia University researcher.

In the latest in a series of papers, WVU researcher Michael Hendryx questions the idea that coal is good for West Virginia and other Appalachian communities, and recommends that political leaders consider other alternatives for improving the region's economy and quality of life.

"Coal-mining economies are not strong economies," Hendryx said in an interview last week. "[Coalfield communities] are weaker than the rest of the state, weaker than the rest of the region, and weaker than the rest of the nation."

Writing with co-author Melissa Ahern of Washington State University, Hendryx reports that the coal industry generates a little more than $8 billion a year in economic benefits for the Appalachian region.

But, Hendryx and Ahern put the value of premature deaths attributable to the mining industry across the Appalachian coalfields at -- by their most conservative estimate -- $42 billion.

Coal power is cheap for its buyers, just like Chinese toys are cheap for their buyers - because someone else pays the bill.


In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

Numbers On Welfare See Sharp Increase

Welfare rolls, which were slow to rise and actually fell in many states early in the recession, now are climbing across the country for the first time since President Bill Clinton signed legislation pledging "to end welfare as we know it" more than a decade ago.

But it's good news!

The recent rise in welfare families across the country is a sign that the welfare system is expanding at a time of added need, assuaging fears of some critics of Mr. Clinton's welfare overhaul who said the truly needy would be turned away.

 "To me it's good news," says Ron Haskins of the Brookings Institution, who helped draft the 1996 welfare-overhaul law as a Republican congressional staff member. "This is exactly what should happen."

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

for fans of Bill Maher, enjoy!

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid6555681001?bctid=27017295001

I love the smell of roast chicken in the morning!

The Proxy Fight for Iranian Democracy - Renesys Blog

If you put 65 million people in a locked room, they're going to find all the exits pretty quickly, and maybe make a few of their own. In the case of Iran's crippled-but-still-connected Internet, that means finding a continuous supply of proxy servers that allow continued access to unfiltered international web content like Twitter, Gmail, and the BBC.

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.

Did someone lose some warm but inordinately humid weather? Is so, we found it and you can come and collect it whenever you like. I want a nap.

Holy crap, what's going on with oil prices today?  Someone find a few billion barrels lying around?

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

BBC NEWS | Politics | Chairman urges public Iraq probe

The chairman of the Iraq inquiry, Sir John Chilcot, has said as much evidence as possible should be held in public.

In a letter to Gordon Brown, Sir John said it would be "essential" to conduct a mainly open process.

Mr Brown faced criticism for announcing that it would take place in private and later said Sir John could decide to hold public sessions.

Jack Straw, foreign secretary in 2003, has said that he has "no problem" with giving evidence in public.

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.

Today, Kodak announced they will retire Kodachrome Film, concluding its 74-year run.

It was a difficult decision, given its rich history. At the end of the day, photographers have told us and showed us they've moved on to newer other Kodak films and/or digital. KODACHROME Film currently represents a fraction of one percent of our film sales.

We at Kodak want to celebrate with you the rich history of this storied film. Feel free to share with us your fondest memories of Kodachrome.

Some interesting thoughts and photographs from professional photographers that used the film make up the remaining part of the article.

I'm trying to post a picture from another website, specifically this one, to illustrate a story, but I can't get it to embed.

I'm using the code from the new user guide, ie a href="http://www.eurotrib.com/"> < img- src="http://www.eurotrib-.com/images/eurotb-logo.png"></a<p> but it doesn't work (code error introcued to display code not picture.)

keep to the Fen Causeway

...the Musical. (Now doing the rounds by email.)

I want a floating duck house
I want to clear my moat
I need to mend my tennis court
That's why I need your vote.

I have to build a portico
My swimming pool needs mending
My lovely plants need horse manure
And the Aga needs much tending

A chandelier is vital
Mock Tudor boards are great
My hanging baskets won awards
And I've earned a tax rebate.

I need a glitter toilet seat.
My piano so needs tuning
Maltesers help me stay awake
And my orchard must need pruning

I could have said the rules were wrong
And often thought I should,
But somehow it was easier
To profit all I could

The public really have to see
That the rules are there to test
And by defrauding taxpayers
We were just doing our best

The Speaker of the House has gone,
Our sacrificial beast,
But the public are still braying
For our corpses at the feast

What do the public want from us,
Those vote-wielding ingrates?
They really should be grateful
To be financing our estates.

The message is so very clear,
(we're merely learning late)
That the British way of living well
Is to screw the bloody state.

Any EuroTribbers in DC, take note: Two trains have collided head-on on the Red Line.  Probably not going anywhere any time soon if you're on one of the Red stops, and I imagine the rest of the system will go to shit, too.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

Yesterday I talked about how this city is so incredibly alive late at night. Today I take that back, at least on Mondays. Wandering through La Latina around 11, 1130, tonight, I was struck by how few people there were. It had the energy and crowds of the main drags in my area of town in Brooklyn. Except that here we're talking about one of the main (the main?) bar and tapas district in a multimillion metropolis, while De Kalb and Fulton Avesthe are the local center for an area of maybe fifty thousand people, nobody from outside the area, let alone tourists (who made up a good half of the people out here). Go over to the East Village, say, and between the locals, the tourists, and folks from various parts of the City meeting up for a night out, and it is hopping. Madrilenos, I'm disappointed in you.

Second observation. Guernica - so much more impressive in person. I always was a little bemused at why it was so admired, and chalked it down to historical significance and good PR. Having just seen it, nope, it really is amaying.

Finally: Dear Madrid authortities,

I understand that renovation is important, and that it will occasionally mar the tourist experience by covering pretty buildings and views with construction stuff. However, surely one wants to minimize that problem, not, say hang huge ugly placards  on historic buildings with the city and construction company proudly announcing past or future work.

Thank You,

MarekNYC

European Tribune - Monday Open Thread

count and be raised

raise and be counted???

A man of words and not of deeds is like a garden full of weeds; a man of deeds and not of words is like a garden full of turds — Anonymous