From Rocky Kirstner’s blog at the NRDC: “David is not optimistic. He sees too many signs that things are not right with the shrimp catches so far. But what worries David even more is what he’s seeing—or not seeing—in the waters 20 miles offshore. He’s not seeing many small bait fish that snapper and mackerel–all predator fish–depend on. David says many fish bellies he sees are often empty, … Continue reading The quotes that scare me…
Well, what do you know? Turns out that Feinberg previously admitted the GCCF had received health claims, but they had all been denied due to lack of documentation. “Feinberg says that the GCCF, which was set up by BP to compensate those impacted by its disaster in the Gulf, would theoretically grant health claims related to the cleanup effort. But he said he has, “reservations about whether … Continue reading Wait…didn’t he say there were no health claims?
A recent film, originally airing April 22nd on Discovery Planet Green, documents the impact of the oil spill on Gulf residents… “You go out in the water and think everything’s okay, but it’s not. You close your eyes and you don’t hear any seagulls, there’s no fish jumping.” “I’ve been in the bayou my whole life, and I ain’t ever seen so much dead stuff as … Continue reading Stories From the Gulf: Living with the Oil Disaster
For over a year now, ever since the oil spilled, the Gulf Coast has suffered from a deluge of promises that have been left unfulfilled. We hear talk of making things right, of actions not words, various members of Congress and a President declare their disgust with British Petroleum but all the same, pass no bills to change the unfortunate status quo and make it any safer. Ken … Continue reading 100,000 Cheri Foytlins…
So, here we are… Almost six months after the Deepwater Horizon exploded and the Macondo Well became a petroleum free for all, the Gulf Coast has become a crazy mix of truths, cautions and hopes, a petri dish, much like the aftermath of Katrina where agendas did battle inside the square circle with the winner this time to be given the British Petroleum Federation belt … Continue reading The Government, The Press and The People…
Scientists, fishermen, activists…all across the Gulf Coast have been speaking out against what many of them believe to be unrealistic numbers from the government and with the news of two recent studies, the news media appears to once again be listening as the NOAA, state officials and in one particular instance, a seafood factory owner was forced to go on the defensive. First the Georgia … Continue reading And the Dam Began to Crack…Two Studies and the Fishermen Speak Out
Ever since the Deepwater Horizon exploded on April 20th and the Macondo Well started gushing into the Gulf of Mexico, the fight began on three fronts; the well had to be sealed, the oil had to be cleaned and the story had to be controlled. The Government had to come up with the narrative, find the storyline that painted everyone in the best light, or … Continue reading Let the New Narrative Fly On…
A funny thing has happened in the Gulf of Mexico these past couple weeks…that oil spill? It’s over, the oil spill is more or less over, all taken care of so you can switch the channel now. The fisherman will be back at work soon, the oil isn’t in the marshes, it’s not on the beaches and it certainly isn’t flowing out of the Macondo … Continue reading Wanna know a secret? Shhh…there’s still a ton of oil in the Gulf of Mexico
On the Gulf Coast, the oil spill is taking another toll, one not as obvious as oil covered pelicans or slicks on the water: “The mental health impact here…and the level of uncertainty is taking a toll on people and that’s a huge concern,” Kindra Arnesen says, “Stress? Dude my clothes are falling off me (because of weight loss) The level of stress here is … Continue reading The State of Mental Health on the Gulf Coast…BP Hasn’t Given a Dime
Gulf Coat residents are heartbroken…yes, desperate…yes, but willing to stop fighting? Not a chance. Corporate jackass’s like BP and Obama all play the same game at every tragedy. They promise to make everything right, right up until the cameras disappear, then they slink away into the shadows cast by their ridiculously large egos. But as Kathleen Koch reminds, the residents of the Gulf Coast fought back after Katrina…and … Continue reading Shouldn’t Underestimate the Gulf Coast Residents
Drake Toulouse: Photography and Words 