Gas exploration and five other things the residents of South Park have been upset about

Even when you're talking about the real actual place called South Park, which is not really a town, but rather a 1,000-some square-mile area of grasslands southwest of Pikes Peak, the phrase "gas exploration" sounds like a set-up for a Terrance and Phillip joke. Nevertheless, the people of South Park have a very real reason to be concerned today, as the energy company El Paso Corp revealed that it is drilling for natural gas in the area: The practices of that drilling could affect groundwater in the area and even have real consequences for water in Denver, which has reservoirs there.

It wouldn't be the first thing the residents of South Park have gotten up-in-arms about.

Indians In "The Red Man's Greed," the townspeople must fight an Indian casino that wants to raze South Park to make way for a superhighway from Denver to the casino to raise profits -- which also makes way for some hilarious racial satire involving Indians who laugh in chant and a plan to infect South Park residents with SARS by rubbing down blankets with Chinese people. The South Park adults nearly ruin a bid to save the town by taking a miracle and "letting it ride," but later redeem themselves by inventing a cure for for SARS that's pretty much just DayQuil and Sprite.

The Economy
Confused by the economy as a concept, the people of South Park turn it into a pseudo-religion after Kyle says they should have faith in it. Meanwhile, Stan tries to return a "Margaritaville"-themed blender by tracking down the holder of the payment plan it was bought on all the way to the U.S. treasury, where he finds officials deciding economic policy by way of a system based on chicken-sacrifice and the 1963 Boots Randolph single "Yakkety Sax." The South Park automotive community responds to the crisis with cries of "they took 'er jobs" and, perhaps more meaningfully, "dooker-doo."

"Wall-Mart"
In one of the the greatest poop jokes of all time that also involves suicide -- God, these guys are great -- the manager of the local Wall-Mart hangs and then shits himself (confirming an earlier Cartman bet) after explaining to the townspeople, who can't resist Wall-Mart's bargains in spite of the box store's destroying their town, that it's too late: Wall-Mart is in fact a sentient parasite -- which, as it turns out, feeds on the townspeople's own evil desires. Eventually, the boys find its "true heart" and destroy it, which then destroys the Wall-Mart building, which implodes while spraying out money.

Cat Piss
An alarmist news expose reporting that kids are using cat urine to get high results in a charge led by Kyle's mom to ban cats, setting the stage for Cartman to take on the Schindler's List-like role of hiding the town's refugee cats in his attic, which is maybe the only time Cartman has ever been the good guy. Meanwhile, Kenny and Kyle's dad get addicted to "cheesing" and hallucinogenically fight over a giant-boobed space goddess in the best parody of Heavy Metal ever.

Canada Kyle's mom leads the charge against the scourge of Canada after Terrance and Phillip poison children's minds with fart jokes. "Gas exporation." Heh. Heh, heh.