I'm thinking more of subsides to buyers than to producers. It was just that I was told absolutely that while the sale price to homeowners was publicly availbable, the sale price to industry was a deep dark secret. But I agree that externalites in coal production are much more important. It just seems that if the sale price to industry is a secret something going on. Of course I shoujld have considered that what is going on may simply be the stupid keeping of absolutely worthless secrets.

I'm thinking more of subsides to buyers than to producers.

True, though this generally works through support for development agencies, which being not simply coal-specific makes them a rather inefficient way to support local industry - and of course, whether and by how much it benefits Australian coal producers isn't immediately apparent (they do actually have to have the technology and clean coal to compete in any case). The claim is that said agencies support the development of cleaner coal plants and use of cleaner coal, which is then less polluting than the cheaper and dirtier coal plants said countries would operate left to their own devices, which is--well, true, pollution is more of a developed nation concern; but still rather convenient, and while it may be better than the situation without such subsidies, it still passes up the opportunity to develop renewable energy capacity in developing nations, as long as these agencies are offering the subsidies.

But again, the Australian coal industry was competitive prior to this policy initiative, and whether this benefits producers to any great extent is dubious. It essentially would increase the premium on cleaner-burning coal to some extent.

It seems to me to be more connected to Australia attempting to deflect flak from its (lack of) greenhouse gas policy, by claiming that this counts as doing something about it.

Coal isn't something I normally expect to get TMI on.

But then, maybe I'm just not used to Buffistas yet.

That big tower thing is the coolest thing in the world. Typo Boy (fuck it, Gar, can I call you Gar, still?) Gar, do you get the Viridian newsletter? It turned up there a while back, and I think you'd like it.

Sure - call me Gar. "Typo Boy" is just a joking way of dealing with the fact that my posts end up with a lot of typos I don't always catch. And I do think that the tower is cool. And I read the viridian newsletter online, cause I get enough stuff in my e-mail box. The particular style of presentation is such that things don't seem to stick as well with as stuff from other sources. (This is not a criticism, because I think that it is an artefact of the way my mind deals with that style rather than the style itself, which is rather cool.)

There was a guy at my band tonight who is from Melbourne. He's just visiting his boyfriend (who's in band) for a few weeks.

So of course, I had to ask if he knew Angus. Just to see. He pointed out that Melbourne is a city of 3 million people. And I told him I just HAD to ask. Cause if he did know him? How cool would that be? (Plus, if you were from Australia, but happened to know a lesbian in her 20s from DC, it's quite possible I'd know her. I mean, quite possible I wouldn't, too, but...the whole demographic thing, ya know?)

Plus, if you were from Australia, but happened to know a lesbian in her 20s from DC, it's quite possible I'd know her.

Possible? From what I saw, highly probable.

Was his name Gideon? I've got a friend matching that description over there atm.

Um, no. I think it was Tony. But now I'm forgetting. It was some normal type name like Scott or Tony or Matt or something. He didn't have a nametag, see....

He looked very gay. Thin, cheekbones, earring, gayboy hairdo, starting to gray...

Ok, I need some help. I was just watching "Inca Mummy Girl" again and I need to know if I have to clean my crack pipe or not. Did anyone else notice the steering wheel on Oz's zebra-striped van is on the right side of the vehicle? What's up with that? t /Not So Obsessed He Now Has To Know Everything