FANTASTIC News about Keystone XL Pipeline: No Radioactive Wastes will be Transported across America. Ditto for the Ebola Virus.

I don't mean to be negative about a (slightly) positive news item, but this has been bugging the shit out of me for hours and I'm going to fuckin' RANT!!!

Around mid-afternoon today (meaning yesterday, December 16th), I got this absolutely ecstatic e-mail from the Interior Department exclaiming that President Obama has used his executive authority to stand up to Big Energy interests and protect Bristol Bay, Alaska.  And I became equally ecstatic.  YES!!!  For several years — being on the mailing list of several environmental organizations — I've been kept apprised of the raging battle between protecting Bristol Bay, Alaska and the global rapists mining corporations that are determined to rip open this unique treasure for whatever gold and other minerals they might find.  (Google “Pebble Mine” for more information.)

Robert Redford, among others, has been using his celebrity status to push for the protection of Bristol Bay.  Bristol Bay is not only an incredibly beautiful pristine region; it's also the world's largest salmon spawning ground.  About fifty local tribes are dependent on salmon for their economic survival.  A mining accident of any kind could devastate this pristine environment as well as wreck the livelihoods of thousands of indigenous people.

Needless to say, when I got this exuberant e-mail about President Obama protecting Bristol Bay, I assumed they meant the proposed Pebble Mine was toast.

Ahem, actually, uhh...Not exactly.  But President Obama did promise that there won't be any oil or natural gas drilling in Bristol Bay.  Well that's nice.  Nice to know that something I wasn't even worried about — hey, no worries.  The problem that never existed still doesn't exist.

Whew!!!

Anyway, when I got that bubbling jumping-for-joy e-mail, I googled Obama Bristol Bay just to confirm this fantastic news.  One of the linked articles actually deigned to mention the Pebble Mine, in terms of “oh, Pebble Mine will be a separate decision, probably in a few weeks.”

Oh well, let's stay positive.  Have you heard the great news?!?  The unemployment rate has gone below 12%, the United States is NOT planning to invade Israel, and there will be absolutely no —repeat NO — nuclear reactors inside Yosemite National Park.