the death of the gulf

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The Big Lie...The Oil Is Gone

So they tell you it is gone? Nothing left to see? No news here? Ya Sure - see for yourself!

 

All images from the last 2 weeks in the Mississippi River Delta.

Source

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So You Think the Oil and Gas Are Gone? Guess Again!

          (Please bear with the commercial - not my choice to put it there!)

Fishermen question Gulf seafood safety [h/t RealityZone]


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'the love of my life has brown liquid leaking out of his ears'

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I'll Have a Side of Arsenic With That!

So, you're planning on going out to a nice dinner tonight at your favorite seafood restaurant. Well, you might think again. Where did that seafood come from? Despite the claims of the Obama administration and the FDA, that the gulf seafood is perfectly safe to consume, evidence casts a much different image.

COREXIT
First there is the issue of the dispersant Corexit which was used extensively by BP to "manage" the leak, thereby hiding the true amount of oil leak and avoiding greater fines based on that amount. Currently there is no test being used for the presence of Corexit in the sea food in spite of the fact that oil and Corexit have been found in blue crab larvae. NOAA and the FDA claim to be working on a test, but also claim there is no problem from the highly toxic dispersant.

“They don’t expect to find dispersant in fish but are operating out of an abundance of caution,” says Christine Patrick, a spokeswoman for fisheries programs at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. Link

Abundance of caution my ass!

“It’s because people need more reassurance and confidence ... (which are) not as controllable as you would hope.”

Do I smell the stench of propaganda?
In addition to contamination of the seafood, Corexit is having dire affects on the cleanup workers and those living along the Gulf Coast. More on that HERE.

HEAVY METALS
Also there is no testing being done for heavy metals. These include highly toxic cadmium, lead, mercury and arsenic.

Both National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and FDA officials told Raw Story that fish and shellfish being tested for the purpose of reopening waters to commercial and recreational fishing are not being tested for heavy metals. Link

This is particularly worrisome for several reasons:

“We know that heavy metals are linked to the development of cancer over the course of time,” said Edward Trapido, the Wendell Gauthier Chair of Cancer Epidemiology at the Louisiana State University School of Public Health. “So if there is no testing, then that’s a problem for sure.”

Trapido testified in June at a House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment hearing on the spill and is heading a research group at LSU that will look at a range of health effects, including psychiatric and behavioral effects, chronic diseases and cancers.

He pointed out that heavy metals also have associations with Alzheimer’s disease and birth defects. Link

ARSENIC
Arsenic in low levels is common in the gulf. Occurring from the natural oil seeps in the sea floor, it is normally filtered out by the sediments in the sea floor, but the sea floor is now saturated with oil.

Professor Mark Sephton said arsenic, which is found in seawater, was normally filtered out of the ocean when it combined with sediment on the sea floor.
“But oil spills stop the normal process because the oil combines with sediment and it leads to an accumulation of arsenic in the water over time,” he said.
“Arsenic only needs to be a 10th of a part per billion to cause problems.” Link

A recent survey done by the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of Georgia has found the seafloor of the Gulf covered with a layer of oil from the blowout:

The Research Vessel Oceanus sailed on Aug. 21 on a mission to figure out what happened to the more than 4 million barrels of oil that gushed into the water. Onboard, Samantha Joye, a professor in the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of Georgia, says she suddenly has a pretty good idea about where a lot of it ended up. It's showing up in samples of the seafloor, between the well site and the coast.

"I've collected literally hundreds of sediment cores from the Gulf of Mexico, including around this area. And I've never seen anything like this," she said in an interview via satellite phone from the boat.

Joye describes seeing layers of oily material — in some places more than 2 inches thick — covering the bottom of the seafloor. Link

Above photo on the left is of a core sample showing a 2" layer of oil soaked sediment, on the right is a control sample of clean sediment.

This layer of oil in the sediments will surely hinder the absorption of arsenic causing the levels to rise in the water and within the invertebrates upon which other sea life feeds. This in turn will lead to a bio-accumulation of arsenic as it works its way up the food chain and into our food stock. This and other chemicals associated with the oil have already become an issue in the mullet which are being used as hog feed:

... mullet are bottom feeders so you don't know what they've been eating ... because of their migratory nature, you also don't know where they've been eating. This fisherman, nicknamed "Red," who talked about the oil not being visible on the surface because the dispersants have made it sink down into the water, explained how mullet eat, sucking just about anything into what he called their "gizzard,"...

With the very unsurprising revelation reported by NPR last Monday that the oil from the BP oil spill isn't gone, but has merely sunk to the sea floor, it's no big leap to assume that the diet of these bottom-feeding, migratory fish is likely to include just about anything in that "fluffy and porous" layer of oil and "recently dead" things reported by Samantha Joye from the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of Georgia... Link

Another bottom foraging fish, menhaden, is used extensively in the production Omega-3 fatty acid supplements for human consumption:

The fish used by Omega Protein Corporation is menhaden, a forage fish which, like the mullet, has a filtering system. Prior to the BP oil spill, the biggest concern about menhaden was that their numbers were becoming so depleted because of their use in Omega-3 fish oil and livestock feed. In short, menhaden are a natural water filter, with each adult fish capable of filtering several gallons of water per minute, clearing the water of excess algae to allow the sunlight to get to oxygen producing undersea plant life. One can only guess what the menhaden in the Gulf are now filtering out of the water there.

OTHER ISSUES
Among the other issues pertaining to the leak and use of Corexit are high levels of Natural Gas dissolved in the sea water, local residents with high levels of oil and Corexit associated chemicals in their bodies and massive fish kills.

COVER-UP
Much needs to be done to determine the safety of the seafood coming from the Gulf of Mexico but at the present time all we are getting is one big cover-up of the deadly serious situation.

Evidence of the cover-up begins with the use of Corexit to sink the oil that reached the surface as well as prevent it from even getting to the surface and continues with threats to reporters and ridiculous regulations being created out of nowhere. The Coast Guard is also involved, as shown in the last portion of the Truthout article.

All of this is to lessen British Petroleum's liability for damages as those damages are based on the amount of oil which was leaked. Another ploy BP has used is to shift the liability of contaminated seafood onto the shrimpers, oyster-men and fishermen whose livelihood depends on a viable source of seafood. A source which is now seriously in question. Livelihoods which have been disrupted if not destroyed.

We need the truth and we need it now!


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The Coverup Continues!

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we're shocked, shocked

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[click image]

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WTF Is Going On?

This is unreal! At first I thought it was a changing camera angle, until the floor dropped. Upon a second viewing it is obvious it is not the camera angle. The ROV on the left remains stationary as does the the other probe on the right. Only the seafloor changes.

Days After Tar Balls Hit New York Beach Massive Fish Kills Stretch From New Jersey to Massachusetts

Tar balls in New York? Looks like this animation was right on the mark!

So it is capped - right? Guess again:

Static Kill - Fail

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Toxocology of the Gulf

Grab your coffee for this one, lots of good information, but her speaking style, to say the least, is not very stimulating...


Video 17:14

Independent scientists being kept from investigating the effects of the spill.

Matt Simmons silenced - an accident?

The BP Cover-Up


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You're Doing One Heck of a Job BP!

BP's Oil on Louisiana's Barrier Islands - FOX8 Story @ Yahoo! Video

Now BP wants to scale back the cleanup, but as shrimper ERIC ABAIR points out

We've got way too much oil in the Gulf not accounted for, and basically the way we feel out here, until it's all gone in the Gulf, nothing should be cut back.

What BP and US Government Don't Want You to Know - Democracy NOW!


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Corked!

UPDATED 7/20/10 - See below

As of last Thursday BP claims to have plugged the leaking well. This could be good news except have they really stopped it?

According to oil industry insider and former energy adviser to President George W. Bush there is in fact another massive hole seven miles from the BP leak which is pouring up to 150,000 barrels per day into the gulf: VIDEO LINK

Also there is evidence of leaks from a fracture in the sea floor: VIDEO LINK

This article postulates that all of this is in fact a calculated attempt by BP to limit its liabilities by hiding the real damage done through the use of dispersants as well as keeping reporters and scientists away from the spill and subsequently polluted areas:

BP’s Strategy to Limit Liability in Regard to Its Gulf Oil Gusher

This strategy includes, but is not limited to, intentionally underestimating the rate of flow of oil that’s being released into the Gulf of Mexico, prohibiting independent measurement of the BP oil gusher by unbiased third party scientists and engineers, the excessive and unprecedented use of dispersants (both on the surface and underwater), systematically and intentionally collecting as small an amount of oil as possible from the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and controlling and restricting media access to the areas affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil gusher.

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As McClatchy has reported, it’s been obvious from the start that BP has looked at the oil spill through the lens of legal risk, not
reputational risk – BP moved quickly to hire all the best oil spill experts, to make sure they couldn’t testify against the company in coming litigation. They’re not really concerned about the truth; they’re more concerned about ensuring the complete destruction of the proof!

In fact BP as launched a program of buying up scientists to work on their defense team: VIDEO LINK

And what of the dispersants, what are the consequences of their use? VIDEO LINK

Now today we hear of a new strategy supposedly to seal the well which they call a Static Kill.

But what is the motive in that maneuver?

Kenneth Feinberg, who manages BP's 20-billion-dollar compensation fund, said capping the well would allow compensation claims to move forward more quickly as the extent of the damage becomes clearer.

He urged fishermen, oyster collectors and hotel owners and other businesses to come forward with claims, including emergency payments to cover the first six months of damages.

Residents face a tough choice: whether to accept compensation from the fund or pursue legal action against BP or the other companies involved.

"I'll be much more generous than any court will be, and at the same time you won't need to pay lawyers' costs," urged Feinberg.

"I'll be much more generous than any court will be..."

Give me a break, so far the payouts they have given equal little more than $3,000 per claim!

The company said it has made payments totaling $207 million to settle claims for damages. Almost 116,000 claims have been submitted and more than 67,500 payments have been made.

LINK

The Gulf way of life and culture are being destroyed and taken over by a Police State run by BP. Video Link

If the cork holds, if the sea floor doesn't blow out, if, if, if, this is one small victory, but the damage is done, BP has put up a smoke screen, and with the full cooperation of the US Government and the National Gaurd is hiding its true liabilities and quite literally getting away with murder!

UPDATE 7/10/20:

EPA Whistleblower Accuses Agency of Covering Up Effects of Dispersant in BP Oil Spill Cleanup

BP trying to legally ‘contaminate’ Gulf scientists: report

Gulf oil disaster could destroy over 100,000 jobs

Oil-spill victims on Grand Isle post protest

BP Oil Poisons the Gulf of Mexico's Food Chain

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As the Gulf Fills With Oil...Obama Administration Twiddles Its Thumbs

[click to enlarge]

Who's in Charge?

As an unprecedented amount of oil fouls the Gulf of Mexico, research scientists and ocean experts say the Obama administration's efforts to discover the magnitude of the damage are surprisingly uncoordinated.

If the government's higher estimates are accurate, the BP oil blowout already is the world's worst accidental oil spill ever.

Despite a spill that may already total more than 150 million gallons of oil, however, neither federal officials nor BP has mounted a speedy, focused inquiry to understand its impact.

The result:

-There's no comprehensive strategy for scientific inquiry in the Gulf. Therefore, there's no central system for organizing the research, sharing information or avoiding duplication.

-Two and a half months after the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded and sank, little is known about the present location of the plumes of oil and dispersants, where they're heading or how toxic the brew will be to creatures in its path. [editor's note: this is a leak, not a spill! It will only be a spill when the leak has stopped!]

Shrimpers Poisoned by the Dispersant/Oil Mixture

BP Medical Unit leader first claims they are looking at long term health studies of the Exxon Valdez responders then admits there are no such studies available.

BP and Coast Guard Finally Admit Mysterious Second Pipe in BOP

1,500 square mile Methane dead zone discovered - entire area surveyed so far

Despite concerns that the integrity of the well and BOP are compromised...

BP intends to put a cap on the well to stop 100% of the flow.

My questions regarding that procedure are:

What will they do if they remove that cap and the well pipe and the second pipe, which some reports claim has shot up through the BOP, come shooting out?

Do they know the volume of oil coming out and at what pressure?

If not, how can they be sure they can remove the oil and natural gas fast enough so as not to apply back pressure to the system which we know is already leaking into the rock strata and up through the sea floor?

With pressures estimated by some to be far beyond our technical capabilities, how will they do this?

What will they do in the event of a hurricane or even a storm with high seas?

Oil Slicks reach Miami

Loop Current predicted over leak site by July 15th

Dispersant/Oil mix penetrates cells and organs of organisms swimming through it

No test available for dispersants in sea food - currently the testing is for oil only!

Arsenic levels on the rise in the Gulf

Oil Slick at Mississippi Barrier Islands

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it's official

The silver lining, here, is that maybe a bunch more media whores will become frightened enough to start doing their jobs, whether or not it gets them fired.

Of course, the truth is: It's too lethal to be near the spill at all. They should be evacuating the whole Gulf Coast and forcing cleanup workers to wear respirators and hazmat suits.

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What Have They Done to the Rain?

Crops, weeds, lawns all damaged by mysterious "disease" - toxic rain?

Volatile Organic Compounds in the air around the gulf

Media blackout hiding extent of the damage

Obummer complicit?

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Nature's Way

Cry For The Fishermen

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BP Oil Leak with Dr. Steven Greer

Gulf Coast residents taking courses to receive HAZMAT cards so they can return to their homes and businesses after a hurricane strikes spreading the toxic mess inland.

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Abstact Art - NOT!

    [click photo of oil off the coast of Alabama]

THE OIL SONG - Full Version

LIBERATED OIL

What are we doing?
EARTH SONG

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BP Hiding Damage and Destroying Evidence

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

i know! i know! i know whose ass to kick!

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A real no-brainer.... No, really.

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Tophat - FAIL

This morning it is claimed that BP is retrieving 6000 barrels (252,000 gallons) through their "Top Hat" device. If the leak were being 100% recovered this figure is in line with the total daily amount we have been told was coming out for the last month or so. As can be seen in this screen shot from around 9:30 AM PDT this morning, most of the oil is still coming out. Estimates range in the neighborhood of 20% of the oil being captured. BP has yet to close vents in the apparatus which were open to facilitate the placement of the device. This would then indicate that the leak is generating 30,000 barrels per day or 1,260,000 gallons per day - much closer to the high end estimates by specialists outside of BP and the Government!

Since the surface sheen estimates are in the 252,000 gallon per day range, this leaves over 1-1/4 million gallons per day drifting in the underwater plumes created through the use of dispersants!

Is New Offshore Drilling Worth It?

               [click chart]

 BP is still using dispersants - the white fluid - to keep the oil from reaching the surface.

Jean-Michel Cousteau regarding the use of dispersants

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