h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Oilly thumbs are hard to twiddle.

Yeah, so they need to finish the job and wash their hands.

I was sure -at least fairly sure-that I had heard something about a west coast contingent of Canadians who'd helped out with the shorebirds affected by the Exxon Valdez tragedy. But a Google search did turn up this(as per Google search, among So many other things) -

http://www.intbirdrescue.blogspot.com/2010/05/day-7-gulf-oil-spill-response-update.html

And I should've added that I'd hope something of that nature is in progress in Louisiana as well by now.

There has been more on our news about how bad it could be than what is being done to clean it up. The local seafood is a big part of the economy here. I hope someone is capturing and cleaning the birds.

Yes I've seen numerous fishermen interviewed. Even Canada's seafood consumption will be impacted to some extent, as Blue Fin Tuna are curently spawning in the gulf.

http://blog.wwf.ca/blog/2010/05/06/gulf-of-mexico-oil-spill-how-you-can-help?

'?' ...I suppose you have to ask yourself whether or not you want to continue eating bluefin tuna.

I prefer salmon to tuna.

Farm raised catfish aren't too bad, either.

Actually I rather prefer salmon too & I've had catfish( http://www.louisianapurchase.ca/dinner.html gotta get bak there sometime soon!) - although it was quite some time ago, I seem to recall it was very nice.

I didn't know that there were people who cleaned oil off birds after oil spills.

Jaz'd, that restaurant menu looks really good.

Paul, it's not easy washing a bird.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a8WdwEO2hM

Here's a link that shows how close BP is getting to being barred from doing business in the U.S.:
http://www.propublica.org/feature/epa-officials-weighing-sanctions-against-bps-us-operations

When I was young and foolish, I was on my aunt's farm, and was given a duckling. I put the critter in what I thought was a pail of water. it turned out to be kerosene. The bird didn't make it. I get morbid at the mention of birds covered in oil, because of this experience. If there are people who can save birds from oil, they are wonderful. I wish I could have done that....

Pictures of this ongoing disaster.

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/05/oil_reaches_louisiana_shores.html

Paul, I'm not sure what else they use on the birds, but Dawn dish detergent is one of the things used. I would assume it's diluted to begin with because I can't imagine fully sudsing a bird with that undiluted. Probably any non toxic (to birds) detergent would work.

I kind of wonder if Ecover or BioKleen products would do the same.

Those pictures are pretty grim.

http://www.facebook.com/dawnsaveswildlife

This was on the news last night.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/cleaning-oil-drenched-pelicans-10844628

Those pictures are ghastly.

It is heartbreaking that so many birds, fish, and other wildlife are being killed or injured.

It is a bit of hope that some of the birds are being saved. The brown pelicans are not long off the endangered species list and I'd really rather the state bird not end up back on that list.

Aside from all of that, the economy has taken a big hit with the beaches being closed, the oysters and shrimp unavailable and so on.

Your problem is becoming our problem, Evangeline, due to the currents and the spreading of the slick. Today I read that Obama said he would have fired Hayward long ago if Hayward had been working for Obama. This had to be very frustrating for Obama, who would surely prefer to be dealing with trustworthy people.

The Huffington Post is said to be the best site to go to for credible reports on this crisis.

The people who live along the Gulf coast are beginning to go through hell now, and I am so sorry for them. People with beachfront condos find that oil is staining the floors of their homes because it sticks to the undersides of their shoes when they walk on the beach. The sight of so many oil-covered birds and sea turtles must be heartbreaking (it's bad enough to see pictures of them).

BP has been on and off probation more than once in the past ten years, and risks the loss of all future government contracts in the U.S.

Here's a link to an interesting article:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bradford-kane/bps-egregious-conflict-of_b_604064.html