Joe Manchin needs your help

Estimated WV coal contribution to GDP (4.00 / 1)

Here's one:

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by: Clem Guttata @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 11:36:56 AM UTC

WVa Coal mining employment (4.00 / 1)

I would be even better to use a longer term average (and to see the most recent numbers)... here's some numbers I wrote about back in April:

Back in 1940, West Virginia had its peak employment of 130,457 coal miners (source). In 2006, there were less than 20,000. All mining jobs--Oil and Gas Extraction, Other Mining, and Mining Support Jobs--total 3.34% of 2006 estimated employment in West Virginia.

Despite our long proud history of coal extraction, coal mining in West Virginia now employs less people than most other industries:

   Industry (April 2009 % of WVa workforce employed)
   - Government  (18.8%)
   - Educational and Health Services  (14.9%)
   - Retail Trade  (10.8%)
   - Leisure and Hospitality  (8.9%)
   - Unemployed (7.9%)
   - Professional and Business Services  (7.4%)
   - Other Services  (7.0%)
   - Manufacturing  (6.5%)
   - Construction  (4.3%)
   - Mining and Logging  (3.6%)
   - Financial Activities  (3.6%)
   - Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities  (3.4%)
   - Wholesale Trade  (2.9%)
   - Information  (1.3%)

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by: Clem Guttata @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 11:42:45 AM UTC

WV DEP Sec. Huffman will be there (4.00 / 1)

Huffman still hasn't revealed what additional impacts of mountaintop removal his agency knows about but did not disclose during Congressional hearings.

That's an economic impact of coal. This would be a good time for Sec. Huffman to share that information.

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by: Clem Guttata @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 13:54:28 PM UTC

CONSOL Energy CEO Brett Harvey (4.00 / 1)

CONSOL Energy CEO Brett Harvey is invited. Maybe someone ought to talk with him about the economic impact of the Death of Dunkard Creek.

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by: Clem Guttata @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 13:58:02 PM UTC

Cecil Roberts? (0.00 / 0)

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by: One Citizen @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 15:07:34 PM UTC

Honesty is the only help I can provide Joe (0.00 / 0)

Until Joe understands the true economic impact of coal he is just campaigning for his biggest contributors at the expense of all the other folks who voted for him to represent their interests as well.  Joe is all in for the coal industry and all out for the rest of us.

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by: JBdem4usa @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 16:49:45 PM UTC

stevewvu, psst, that blog DeSmog--I think they're CANADIAN (0.00 / 0)

NFTT: Support My Team or I Will Dance

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by: CA Berkeley WV @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 18:43:06 PM UTC

Partisan is as partisan does... (0.00 / 0)

A sure sign of someone in a deep state of denial is when Sen. Inhofe is the only source partisan enough for them.

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by: Clem Guttata @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 19:08:04 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

i am (0.00 / 1)

really starting to think i am the only one with any sense around here

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by: stevewvu @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 19:34:00 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Sense? ROFL!! (4.00 / 1)

You show up and cite Inhofe (?!?) as your debunker, and you question our sense?

I'm so glad you keep trolling here - I can always count on a good laugh.

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by: blonde moment @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 20:03:36 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Blonde Moment - You got that right NT (0.00 / 0)

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by: wvblueguy @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 20:54:37 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

What do think is going to happen after the SCOTUS decision? (0.00 / 0)

Seriously? The endangerment finding was made UNDER GEORGE W. BUSH. How's that for partisan?  You have no sense of reality.

Need any more cheese ball recipes?

NFTT: Support My Team or I Will Dance

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by: CA Berkeley WV @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 21:05:07 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

give him this too (0.00 / 1)

http://www.worldclimatereport....

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by: stevewvu @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 19:45:04 PM UTC

I'm disappointed in you (4.00 / 2)

The topic at hand is "economic impact of coal" and all you've got is a bunch of random links about climate change?

That doesn't show much confidence about benefits of coal. In fact, it's almost like you're already agreeing that coal is closely related to climate change and you're trying as hard as you can to preempt those even stronger arguments!

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by: Clem Guttata @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 20:55:42 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

clem (0.00 / 1)

i am disappointed in you...read the whole intitail post...clearly you all want to discuss with manchin the impact on climate change...my point is theres no reason for that to even come up given the mythology of it all

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by: stevewvu @ Tue Nov 10, 2009 at 13:02:19 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Hey Steve Wake Up (4.00 / 3)

I have lived in WV for over 20 years and have watched this area move up 2 climate zones in that period of time. The horrendous winters we used to have in Appalachia are long gone... global warming is fact not fiction as you and an insignificant group of other folks that choose to ignore the reality based world seem to believe. Here in southern West Virginia the home of many mountain top removal sites there are folks that think just like you do, and most of those are employees of coal companies. I choose to live in the real world where the preponderance of scientific evidence demonstrates the danger of continuing to base our future on fossil fuels.

Interesting to note that World Climate Report is described as follows in Wikipedia...

World Climate Report, a newsletter edited by Patrick Michaels, was produced by the Greening Earth Society,[1] a non-profit organization created by the Western Fuels Association.[2].

Early editions were paper based; it then transferred to a web-only format, having ceased publication as a physically based report with volume 8 in 2002. It continues to exist in blog form at http://www.worldclimatereport.com

World Climate Report presents a scientific skeptical view of populist anthropogenic driven mass global climate change, or as it describes 'Global Warming Alarmism'. However It does not reject the concepts of global climate change or greenhouse theory (or other well established and widely accepted scientific theories or empirical studies)^[1][2], in general attempting to engender itself as giving a well balanced and scientific view of the sources (though often at a contrary expense of its perceived adversaries: the aforementioned alleged 'Global Warming Alarmists').^[3]

 So who is the "Western Fuels Association"?  They evidently spend a lot of their time growing astroturf.  They are described as follows in Wikipedia...

The Western Fuels Association is a not-for profit cooperative that supplies coal and transportation services to consumer-owned electric utility in the Great Plains, Rocky Mountain and Southwest regions. It is based in Westminster, Colorado.

[edit] Controversy

The Western Fuels Association has played a controversial role in the debate over global warming. Their 2005 Annual report[1] refers only to 'environmental and regulatory uncertainty', but they have been more outspoken in past annual reports. They have established groups such as the Greening Earth Society which promote various forms of climate change skepticism and have funded individual skeptics, such as Patrick Michaels[2], Craig D. Idso and Sherwood Idso. Groups established by industry bodies like the Western Fuels Association have been criticized as Astroturf organizations, since they appear superficially to be grassroots initiatives.

Just some points about your source.  

 

 

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by: wvblueguy @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 21:30:25 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

check this (0.00 / 0)

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/...

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by: stevewvu @ Tue Nov 10, 2009 at 13:00:12 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

sour cherry picking (4.00 / 2)

Sour Cherry Strudel

I'll tell you what you can put there:

   * 1 large jar of sour cherries in light syrup or 1 pound fresh sour cherries
   * 1 Tbs butter
   * 1/2 cup of bread crumbs
   * 1 egg for the egg wash
   * puff pastry dough (see recipe)
   * Spices: sugar!

I'll tell you what you can do:

Sour cherries are one of my favorite fruits, and they are certainly one of the best for making desserts. This strudel recipe is made from my puff pastry dough. Admittedly, strudel dough is a little different, but I find that this one is easier to make and sooo tasty!

Take out your puff pastry and allow it to thaw a little. It doesn't need to reach room temperature, but you should be able to work with it. While that's happening, preheat your oven to 375ºF and prepare your other ingredients.

To make this delicious sour cherry dessert, you'll first want to drain your cherries. Place them in the collander and save the juice for another purpose. Sprinkle the cherries with about 1-2 tablespoons of sugar and leave them to drain for about 30 minutes, pushing out the extra juice with a fork every once in awhile. Also, make sure the sour cherries are pitted! You don't want any nasty surprises.

Meanwhile, in a sauté pan melt your butter and then add the bread crumbs, stirring them around until they are toasted. Remove from the flame, mix in a tablespoon of sugar, and allow to reach room temperature.

Roll out the puff pastry dough into a nice rectangle. If you used my puff pastry dough recipe, you'll need just half. About 3 inches from the edge start scooping in the bread crumb mixture along the long side of the rectangle. Place heaping spoonfuls of the drained and pitted sour cherries right on top of the bread crumbs (the bread crumbs help absorb excess water from the cherries as it cooks). Fold the dough from the edge to cover the cherries, and then fold the whole thing over one more time like a jelly roll. Pinch to seal all along the dough's edge.

Place on a baking pan and do two last things before placing it in the oven. First, brush the top with egg wash (egg mixed with a bit of water or milk). Next, cut some slits along the top. This will allow steam to escape while it cooks. Place it in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until it's a golden brown color.

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by: Clem Guttata @ Tue Nov 10, 2009 at 14:30:48 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Clem, I have a suggestion to better fit Stevewvu's personal sensibilities. (4.00 / 3)

In this dish trolls traditionally prefer substituting grapes for cherries, then serving it half-baked.

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by: One Citizen @ Tue Nov 10, 2009 at 16:39:54 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

LOL. (4.00 / 2)

You should have put a spew warning on that comment. :-)

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by: Clem Guttata @ Tue Nov 10, 2009 at 17:20:05 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

OMG! There was weather in October (0.00 / 0)

that was cool and wet. OMG!
And September was hot and wet. OMG!

NFTT: Support My Team or I Will Dance

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by: CA Berkeley WV @ Wed Nov 11, 2009 at 00:01:47 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Greed summit (4.00 / 4)

The meeting is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Tuesday.  So far, I haven't been able to find out exactly where. It seems the public isn't invited - and you'll notice that nobody from the environmental community is on the list, either.

That an award-winning journalist can't find where its going down signals almost as much as what will likely be covered by the participants.  Could Manchin's secret seminar be a local version of Dick Cheney's now infamous pre-Iraq invasion secret Energy Summit?

I hope not.

Cheney's deal preceded the unnecessary deaths of countless innocent victims apparently just so that his transnational fossil fuel industry pals could cash in

Perhaps I'm wrong. Maybe Manchin's minions aren't meeting to consider ways of driving locals off their precious fossil fuels, although it's not that far of a stretch, considering that the coal industry already terrorizes rural communities by injecting toxic coal slurry into their aquifers, destroying all hope for future industry. Poisoning the aquifer also keeps coal property taxes lower while driving more of the locals off their precious coal.  So it is at least fair to compare the activity of coal operators to the marauding hordes during the middle ages which poisoned the wells of those they conquered, terrorizing anyone they couldn't immediately slaughter.  

Whether or not the poisoning of rural WV community water supplies was contrived as a strategy is really immaterial to the economic outcome, which is that even more environmental destruction will be made possible as marauding transnational mercenaries lay waste to our state, primarily because fewer folks will be left to care about those silly old "original contours" federal requirements. Not to mention the preservation of the sanctity of the local family burial plots.

We've already seen the evidence that the coal industry has effectively bought off the leaders of WV's ruling party .  If the locals can't be run off from their homes and the treehuggers who are hellbent on protecting them aren't willing to be bought off, then what's left but to push the lawmakers into political action?

As shocking as it may seem to some, to me Manchin's meeting seems to be right out of Dick Cheney's playbook. Doesn't his secret summit make it more than obvious that the financiers of our governor's re-election are part of a rich tradition of greed-driven coal operators continuously buying off WV political leaders for over a century? And just why should anyone believe that today's politicians aren't any less prone to sell his constituents short for outside corporate interests?

I'd be willing to bet that they'll be distributing at least a condensed version of the long-winded lies and misleading statements which Ohio Coal Association Mike Carey made during his recent testimony before the Senate Committee on Environment an Public Works just back in October. It can be found at this link (82 page PDF).

One document they likely won't be distributing is the report at this link, which is also a pdf document. But since it is only 25 pages long, this Sierra Club-commissioned study is much more focused, and appears to be much better documented than the Ohio Coal Association's super-sized senatorial shit sandwich.

Which reminds me. I just got a message from a pretty reliable source that Shelley Capito has been invited to be in on the coalfield county pow-wow, and that Kirkendall is main person who is really pushing for this meeting.

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by: One Citizen @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 23:46:35 PM UTC