Notice the wall of ads these days promoting the burning of coal, oil and natural gas? Me too. Lots of money is being thrown at the media these days in contrast to the hard times most of us are enduring. These ads have a sinister side if we depend on the “lamestream media” for help in times of trouble.

My theory on this avalanche is that the coal lobby is aggressively purchasing blocks of ads for broadcast at all times of the day and night for two reasons. Besides spreading their lopsided message, these ads represent a gift into the media coffers. It is like the creeping and creepy political payoffs into election campaigns that have mushroomed since the Citizens United decision by the Supreme Court. The coal lobby is hoping that the media will restrain their pens on the obvious reluctance of the energy lobby to include environmental factors in their blather. This media blitz not only promotes the mining and production of their main product, but it indirectly hinders open discussion on the obvious flaw with the burning of all fuel in the atmosphere.

More than pushing their product, the energy lobby wants to keep this issue out of the up coming election like they did last time. Remember 4 years ago about this time when both McCain and Obama came out somewhat surprisingly in unison endorsing “clean coal?” This dual support by the candidates swept any discussion of the issue "off the table."

Unfortunately until November we will have to endure a legion of attractive and sincere sounding actors preaching the vast benefits and urgent necessity of our indiscriminate burning of lots of coal, oil and gas. My local power company smugly refers to this behavior as “keeping the lights on.” It is as if they are in charge of protecting us from our fear of the dark.

Personally I am tired of being lectured to as if I am a child. I would rather watch endless ads about “liquid rubber in a can.”