There's Oil in them thar Hills!

Whether you believe John Dalton's technique really could get oil from shale, or if you'd be better off burning a box of cornflakes, the gov't feels we've reached a point where environment be damned, we need to try. As usual, the oil guys say everything will be fine, while everyone who isn't labeled as a line item in their ledgers says there's definitely not been enough research done to see what effects their work will have on the local wilderness.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15712936/

From msnbc.com via AP

Of course lost in the discussion is that since we need to get the oil from the shale and the ground will no doubt have to be torn up, we'll need to take down those forests and remove those minerals. But that's ancillary really and not worth worrying about...