Govt to look at options to keep Pike River workers on West coast as Aussies try to poach them; Could include Solid Energy expansion, Arnold Hydro

Well -  Minister, considering the timing, what an arrogant statement (see below) for the poor West-Coasters having now the most difficult time around Christmas/ New Year. More sympathy for the community with urgent encouraging and supporting actions would be appreciated.

As a minister not performing to high standards again (see above 8:04pm) – as the PM, I would sack you for your sluggish behaviour before Christmas !

The government will take the next two months look at options to keep workers affected by the Pike River mine disaster on the West Coast, with many workers already receiving relocation offers from Australian mines, Minister for Energy and Resources Gerry Brownlee announced this morning.

Brownlee would not elaborate much on what options would be considered, although expansion of Solid Energy's West coast mining operations, and TrustPower's Arnold River Hydro plans could feature.

Government will make an announcement in January on what options it would consider.

Bollocks. You, I recall, are the believer here.

Those who seek to save forests (and I am one of them), and those who create forests (and I am one of them too) do so for carbon-cycle saving-from-depletion reasons.

It;'s not a religion, it's science. Some of us seek facts.

And - there is no such thing as 'sustainable logging' of a Westland Beech forest. That was spin. Take a look at any slip in the area - how thin is the humus? There's b-all there. Remove it in volume (and I'll bet your bottom dollar you'd argue there is no need to replace nutrient, right?) and you deplete it.

And anyone who thinks "just a little bit and it won't show", is a self-centred, short-term twit.

Interestingly, trashing places for 'wealth'  it doesn't seem to make people happier - is that perhaps what the eye-of-the-needle bit might have been about?

What's your real problem? Lose money through a silly  investment and trying to convince yourself it was somebody else's fault?

There's a lot of it about.

I wonder how viable that really is?  Even if there weren't legal restrictions in place, and it was purely dependent on technical and engineering capability, how would it come out of a cost/benefit analysis?  I don't know how much it costs to dynamite and bulldoze the best part of a mountain, but expect it would be a very expensive long term project.  How long would it take to recoup the costs?  Any geologists or engineers who could fill in some of the details?

Where are the statistics on particulates (soot, smoke) from coal fired electricity generation in modern economies, that cause this murderous atmosphere you are talking about?

Funny thing, but in the 1950's, electricity was advertised as "coal by wire". It finished the deadly annual London smogs.

It is incredible how many ignorant people THINK "coal fired" energy puts smoke into the air. While well informed Greenies like PDK are aware of the facts, they are quite happy to tale advantage of the ignorance of thousands of their constituents on things like this.

Canada? Is this a trick question. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada#Economy