Travels etc.

Situation Coal in Africa: An opportunity is available to invest in a coal mine in West Virginia. The mine’s value is less than in past years because of actual and anticipated restrictions on coal-fired power generation in the United States. However, the mine has a chance to sell its coal on contract to a public utility in West Africa. The utility is working through the World Bank for financing to build a number of coal-fired power plants. If they obtain World Bank financing, then a customer for the coal mine is assured, at least for the duration of the contracts. The power plants will employ the best current technology for burning coal, which exceeds all current air quality standards for the region. However, the power plants will not be designed to attempt carbon capture. The area of Africa the plants will serve suffers from extreme energy poverty, with some of the lowest per capita energy consumption in the world. Overview of the Region West Africa is the westernmost reg...

Let's look at the February 2014 information about Australian retail trade and check what the trends are in comparison with the same period last year in the major and minor industries of that trade and the most recent quarter. Turnover includes: retail sales;  wholesale sales;  takings from repairs,  meals and hiring of goods (except for rent, leasing and hiring of land and buildings);  commissions from agency activity (e.g. commissions received from collecting dry cleaning, selling lottery tickets, etc.);  and the goods and services tax. Will start with NSW.  Here's the top 2 industries - Supermarket and grocery stores & Food retailing ($ Millions): What is obvious - food retailing follows the trend of supermarket and grocery stores. In comparison with same period last year both industries have grown by 0.1% Two others from top 5 industries in NSW retail - Household goods retailing & Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food service...

Now here's where "Invisible Hand" comes into play:  "As every individual, therefore, endeavours as much as he can, both to employ his capital in the support of domestic industry, and so to direct that industry that its produce maybe of the greatest value; every individual necessarily labours to render the annual revenue of the society as great as he can. He generally, indeed, neither intends to promote the public interest, nor knows how much he is promoting it . By preferring the support of domestic to that of foreign industry, he intends only his own security ; and by directing that industry in such a manner as its produce may be of the greatest value, he intends only his own gain ; and he is in this, as in many other cases, led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention. Nor is it always the worse for the society that it was no part of it. By pursuing his own interest, he frequently promotes that of the society more effectually ...