I should have warned you to "Get Ready."

Sorry. Bad joke, but I couldn't resist it...

:-)

-CW

Al Gore, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama go to heaven...

God addresses Al first... ''Al, what do you believe in?"

Al replies: "Well, I believe that I won that election, but that it was your will that I did not serve. I've come to understand that now."

God thinks for a second and says: "Very good. Come and sit at my left."

God then addresses Bill. "Bill, what do you believe in?"

Bill replies: "I believe in forgiveness. I've sinned, but I've never held a grudge against my fellow man, and I hope no grudges are held against me."

God thinks for a second and says: "You are forgiven, my son. Come and sit at my right."

Then God addresses Barack. "Barack, what do you believe in?"

Obama replies: "I believe you're in my chair."

:D

Michale.....

I guess that could be considered a GOOD thing...

If the area is already laid waste, chances are there isn't any endangered wildlife that would have to be protected, thereby frak'ing up the mining operation...

"Endangered dirt?? That's a new one.."
-Christian Slater, BROKEN ARROW

:D

Michale.....

I was referring to the kind of environmentalist who wants to ban use of an area 800 miles in diameter just so one owl can get their Hoot on... :D

Michale......

Actually, in this case the radical environmentalists seem to be running the mining company. Read that TR article...

This mine in years past did some bad things environmentally (see that photo link in my previous comment -- that lake is where lots of radioactive wastewater was pumped by the mine), but they seem to be serious about cleaning up their act. We'll see...

-CW

One, it was more fun to write than I had originally thought, because I didn't know any of the Mountain Pass stuff when I began researching it (the way I originally intended the article, it would have ended in a very grim way).

Two, while I don't know the town of Mountain Pass very well, I do know the area. Coming home from Vegas (Netroots Nation) this year, our car broke down out in the desert about 10 miles from Mtn. Pass. We spent hours enjoying the 115 degree heat, waiting for a tow truck. There is NOTHING out there, which is why I didn't need to look up whether there were "services" at Mtn. Pass, I did that part from personal knowledge.

Here's where our car broke down. See the bridge over the freeway? We managed to get off on the exit ramp, and that's where we sat for hours. The point of view of the photographer of this shot is actually close to Mtn. Pass, which (no surprise, really) is in a pass over a mountain ridge. You are looking back east towards Nevada (the photo was taken during a rare rainy year in the desert -- that lake is normally a dry lake). The Nevada border is easy to spot, on the far side of the lake, as that is where the casinos begin.

Anyway, just wanted to share that.

-CW

Assuming the radical environmentalists don't get a seat at the table.. :D

Very good read CW.. I had known of the Japan/China incident, but didn't know how it tied in to a soon to be resurrected ghost town here in the US..

I can check LEARN SOMETHING NEW TODAY off my list.. :D

Michale.....

I can dig out the bill's particulars, but from the MIT article:

A bill pending in the House and the Senate would offer loan guarantees for Molycorp and other investors in rare-earth mines. And the company has applied for loan guarantees through the U.S. Department of Energy, which will give a final decision next summer.

That's all I've got at this point...

-CW

That was a fascinating read. You know, the possibilities are endless and there is no good reason why the US can't be a leader in all of this, nothing against China.

Have you heard anything about whether Molycorp Minerals will receive the "appropriate federal assistance" they will need to get the job done?

After all, this seems to be exactly what Obama/Biden keep talking about in their effort to move the country forward on a green energy/green tech national initiative.