`Like tracking a serial killer': First columns of oil scar life

[highplainsdem]

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/05/20/1640387/like-tracking-a-serial-killer.html

`Like tracking a serial killer': First columns of oil scar life
By Fred Grimm

VENICE, LA. -- A flotilla of shrimp boats skimmed the waters of Brenton Bay at the mouth of the Mississippi Thursday in a desperate attempt to limit the damage to coastal marshes from the long, snaking tendrils of oil snaking in from the giant spill.

At least three dozen erstwhile shrimp boats, with oil-absorbing booms hanging from their outriggers instead of nets, sopped up oil the color of burnt sienna off the bay. All day, boats soaked up what crude they could, then headed to a mother ship, the engorged booms hanging from the outriggers like dead serpents. Then headed back to capture more oil.

Despite the operation, the escalating destruction caused by the encroaching oil was obvious. Just one day after the first waves of oil washed into the coastal marshes, stands of Roseau cane had turned black at the base and brown farther up the stalks. Just one day and these grasses were dying.

``This is killing the marsh almost instantly,'' said P.J. Hahn, the clearly disheartened director of coastal management for Plaquemines Parish, a rural peninsula south of New Orleans jutting into the Gulf of Mexico. ``Everything this touches, it kills.''

-snip-

[HCE SuiGeneris]

1. It is just the tip of the iceberg.

The limited response so far will prove beyond catastrophic.

[Angry Dragon]

2. The 3 oil companies need to be tried for murder, kidnapping, destruction of

public and private property, crimes against humanity.

[LakeSamish706]

3. Don't; kid yourself, the Federal Government is complicit in this as well.

They rule the roost and in this case they have sat on their hands and let these Aholes do whatever the F*** they want.

[Angry Dragon]

4. I have a feeling that if jail time,

huge fines, and some break-up is not seen from this, Obama will not get elected again. I would not vote for him.

[LakeSamish706]

5. I agree, but I also wonder how deep he is into donations from these corporations. n/t

[voteearlyvoteoften]

6. rec

[Cetacea]

7. kicking

We know it's not a "leak". This is far more important at this point.