Oil slick in the Keys?

[DebbyDiver]

Forwarded to me this morning:

You’ve heard–and with absolute horror, certainly–about the oil slick gurgling onto pristine Gulf of Mexico-border states. Louisiana , Mississippi , Alabama , and Florida residents–and everyone who fishes, swims, boats, and vacations in those locales–are seething mad. Astute geographers out there, please don’t call, email, or fax to remind me that Texas sports a long Gulf coastline or that Texans are mad too. Although the former is absolutely true, and the latter arguably true, Texans are definitely not “angry” about the situation. Not the Texans I knew anyway. Heck no, they’re delighted to see an oil boom on their shores!

Texans remain on the frontier of hardiness and live the spirit of “make hay while the sunshines”. As you languorously read, your Texan counterpart loads a couple of barrels into a canoe, a rowboat, skiff, or even the family pleasure boat with a cabin that sleeps 4 (6 in a pinch) and heads out to sea. He–or she–drops a length of 1.5 inch ordinary garden hose into the heaving swells, rigs it up to a lawnmower motor attached to a household vacuum cleaner, which in turn connects to a barrel, and within moments there’s one less barrel of oil in the Gulf. Next the Texan fills barrel number 2 and then heads back to shore where the whole family awaits to begin processing the “crop”. Family is very important to Texans.

Sure, a bit of salt water mixes with the crude, but that’s easily eliminated. After a few hours of sitting on the beach crude rises like fine dairy cream. The denser salt water finds its way back into the Gulf when a Family Member depresses a small release button near the bottom of the barrel. Family Members are (oil)well-trained and instinctively release the button just as the first dark drop oozes onto the beach. Since there’s already tons of oil embedded in Texas beach sand, no one flits an eyelash at one more drop.

Resourceful Texans make much of the current bounty. They’re getting rich on this lately oil boom. What are we doing? Whining, blaming the oil company’s greed, and whimpering about our beaches and lost revenues from fishing (oil required for those big boats). Whimpering about lost revenues from tourism (oil required for cars, planes, and trains to bring in the tourists). Whimpering about drilling off the Florida coast (almost, but reversed for now). Hoping that “someone” is “doing something”. Here’s a thought: Texan-up, cow boys and girls. Get on down to the slick and get busy collecting oil. If oil collection isn’t your cup of ( Texas ) tea, park your car some of the time. Walk more, car pool more, run, skate, bicycle. If we won’t buy it, “they” won’t drill it.

 

[ktomlinson]

Well I heard today that weather is keeping the oil west for now, so that is good news for the keys. I also read today on radio netherlands website that there is a big difference in the oil coming out of the gulf and refined oil like was spilt from the exxon valdez. It seems that oil straigt from the well has a lot more carcinogens that readily dissolve into the water and cause major damage. I am in the car now but anyone that wants to read the article can google radio Netherlands, it should still be on the front page.

 

[DebbyDiver]

Underwater oil disaster underestimated | Radio Netherlands Worldwide

 

[ktomlinson]

Thanks DebbyDiver!

 

[deeper thoughts]

Well I heard today that weather is keeping the oil west for now, so that is good news for the keys. I also read today on radio netherlands website that there is a big difference in the oil coming out of the gulf and refined oil like was spilt from the exxon valdez. It seems that oil straigt from the well has a lot more carcinogens that readily dissolve into the water and cause major damage. I am in the car now but anyone that wants to read the article can google radio Netherlands, it should still be on the front page.

I wonder, some scientist said just the opposite. This is above my pay grade.

 

[ktomlinson]

I know only what I read, not my field either would be nice to hear from someone that knows something about this

 

[deeper thoughts]

I know only what I read, not my field either would be nice to hear from someone that knows something about this

I know!!!.Some are saying it is definitely coming/not coming to the Keys. What we do know is that the Gulf Coast states in the immediate area are in a world of hurt

 

[deeper thoughts]

If you go to Monroe County website ch76, they are showing a meeting pertaining to the slick
today at 1pm. BP,coast guard,FWC,EOCs etc are going to be there