HOPE AND CHANGE — NO, LITERALLY, HOPE AND CHANGE: Federal Judge Throws Out Obama Drilling Rules. “U.S. District Judge Nancy Freudenthal ruled in favor of a petroleum industry group, the Western Energy Alliance, in its lawsuit against the federal government, including Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. The ruling reinstates Bush-era expedited oil and gas drilling under provisions called categorical exclusions on federal lands nationwide, Freudenthal said.”

UPDATE: She’s an Obama appointee.