Two WYO threats: volcano and Cheney

We keep hearing rumblings about a troublesome volcano at the bottom of Yellowstone Lake. I know, there are plenty of worrisome things in the world right now. We have Bush and Cheney waging war on Iraqi insurgents and Congressional Democrats. We have terrorists hiding behind almost every bush. Behind the remaining shrubs are illegal aliens threatening to replace you at your state government job. Bridges and mines are collapsing from one end of America to another. The entire state of Montana is on fire. And ‘tis the season for West Nile Virus!

But what about the volcano? There’s some good news in a Casper Star-Tribune story by Cory Matteson:

Out of 148 American volcanoes, the U.S. Geological Survey ranks Yellowstone's as the 21st biggest threat, Yellowstone Volcano Observatory geologist Hank Heasler said Friday in a speech to the Wyoming Geological association.

The 21st biggest threat? Shouldn’t we be alarmed? Where is FOX News when you really need an alarmist?

Consider the facts. Last year, the park experienced 1,202 earthquakes. The park's newest safety inspector evacuated his office after steam vents shot 4.5 percent carbon monoxide-level gas up through the floor cracks. Five bison dropped dead in 2004 from toxic gasses emitting from the surface of the park.

They’d looked like they’d been "cow-tipped," Heasler said, adding that "you really don't want to use one of these [signs] as a canary."

But never fear. All these events are not happening in the same area of Yellowstone National Park.

Though many geologic events and indicators happen at Yellowstone -- the world's most active volcanic system -- they aren't happening in such a confined area or at a rate alarming enough to predict that there's going to be a supervolcanic eruption anytime soon, Heasler said.

Heasler told the geologists that data streaming in from the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory is available on the Internet at http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/yvo.

I don’t know about you, but I’m going to check this site periodically for more worrisome geological trends.

And here’s something else. Is it a coincidence that Vice President Dick Cheney’s Wyoming redoubt and the simmering Yellowstone volcano are an hour’s drive from each other? You be the judge.