My Senator Has a Spine

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This was the first evidence of spine in any government official I've seen in the weeks since the BP oil spill. I hope its not just smoke and mirrors. Because when the true and full impact on our environment and economy by this disaster is finally known and sinks into the consciousness of the American people, we are going to remember who was buddy-buddy with the oil guys and who stood up to them.

I've been obsessed with the Deep Water Horizon oil spill story for over a week now and am beginning to feel like a hypocrite for not owning up to that in my blog. It's partly because I'm overwhelmed and in shock by the magnitude of this unnecessary disaster.

And angry. So angry. At everybody implicated including government but mostly BP and Halliburton and Transocean.





And there is evidence found by scientists that the bulk of the oil hasn't been rising to the surface but is still sitting under water in several huge plumes the volume of which appear to be many times that of the estimates of either BP or the government (which is calculating based on NASA photos of the ocean surface).

40 photos related to this story here.

Nightmare thots:

• The BP estimate of 5000 barrels per day may be off by as much as 65,000!
• It could take them months to stop the leak.
• Hurricane season starts June 1st.
• The gulf states economies will be disrupted worse than by Katrina for much longer--possibly decades.
• The fragile ecosystems in the Mississippi marshes could be more than decimated.
• Ditto for the marine ecosystems off the coasts of Florida--most at risk being the coral
• The oil could catch a ride on a current and travel up the east coast

All that barely scratches the surface of what we're in for.

Remember the Exxon Valdez? The oil is still sitting in that Alaskan bay, still sliming the coast and shortening the lives of indigenous flora and fauna. Over twenty years later.