Vladimir Putin, Hugo Chavez and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad all smiling. Scary right? Well, that's what Peabody Energy wants you to think. The Kansans for Affordable Energy (an Astroturf group for Peabody) has submitted an advertisement (see file: PutinEtAlAd) warning that unless we build coal-fueled power plant near Holcomb, Kansas, we'll have to rely on using gas imports from countries such as Russia, Venezuela and Iran. There's just one problem with this: the U.S. does not currently import gas from any of these countries. It's interesting that Peabody would use such a scare tactic, hoping American disdain for Putin, Chavez and Ahmadinejad would help sell the ad's authenticity. It would seem like some poorly researched xenophobia, but the language of the ad is very clever to avoid being called on for being false. You see, they say "countries LIKE Russia, Venezuela, and Iran." (emphasis mine) In other words, from the "bad" countries with leaders similar to the Three Stooges named in the ad, but not them in particular. Very slick, Peabody. –Stephen Payne, Editor, Oil and Gas Investor This Week; spayne@hartenergy.com