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Mario Tama / Getty Images
A dead sea turtle is carried out of the surf by Donald Tillman April 14, in Waveland, Mississippi. Local turtle activists Donald and Shirley Tillman say they have discovered 19 dead sea turtles in Mississippi in the month of April alone and suspect they are dying due to the effects of the BP oil spill. Endangered sea turtles and dolphins are still dying in high numbers in Mississippi, which continues to be impacted by tar balls and weathered oil. There have been 67 reported sea turtle deaths through April 11. April 20th marks the one-year anniversary of the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history.
The BP spill hasn't been the environmental nightmare many thought, but it's still a nightmare in terms of the impact on locals trying to recover.
Mario Tama / Getty Images
A dead sea turtle is painted red as marked for removal nearly a week after it was pulled out of the surf in Waveland.
Mario Tama / Getty Images
Shirley Tillman looks on next to what she believes is oil mixed with dispersant in Waveland.
Mario Tama / Getty Images
A dying seagull is pulled away from the surf by Donald Tillman in Waveland.
Mario Tama / Getty Images
Activist Shirley Tillman writes a message in the sand next to dead sea turtle after it was pulled from the surf in Waveland.
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"I saw you walking by today"
"It's been a long while now since I felt pain. It was the first time I saw mama and daddy panic . We tried to swim away, but the black was all around us. Sorrowful cries filled the waters of our home. It was dark for so long...and we swam as far as we could. I got so tired. It was weird, not being able to breathe in deep. There were smaller areas of this blackness before, but we had always been able to find a way out. This time was so different. It even smelled different, a strange sweet yet bitter sting to it.
Other families were slipping farther behind us. We passed a funeral, it was so sad. The youngest was drowned, I never got to meet her. She looked about my age. Daddy went over and nudged the other daddy, they cried together a moment as the little one fell deeper and deeper until I couldnt see her anymore. Later Daddy explained that this is the way of death for our kind.
I was scared. There were many big things swimming above us and other odd shapes that seemed to float in the space over them. A red glow kept flashing off to the west. Mama nudged me, she sensed my confusion and wanted to help. She said those big things were called ships or boats, I didnt understand the difference though, only that some were louder. It hurt my ears. That's when the burning started, first my eyes, then my mouth. Those ships were doing something to the water.
Light from Father Sun was trying to reach us, I couldn't feel His warmth though. Suddenly there were tiny fish swimming all around us. I was so hungry! I caught a few, it was really easy, they didn't even try to get away! This new food tasted awful! It made my belly hurt. Mama was mad at me, she said I should have waited until we got to our regular food...I didnt know better. I'm just a kid! I just wanted to go to sleep.
I saw mama and daddy crying. My whole family was there too. They were swimming all around me. I was still so tired and I couldnt stay awake. I watched through sleepy eyes as they rose higher and higher above me, until I couldn't see them any more.
I saw you walking by today. You stopped and looked at my former body and you cried. Your camera looked at me and blinked. I thought I would be able to tell you what happened to me, but your human form still cannot hear my voice. I wish you could find my Mom and tell her I am ok. Some of my friends are here with me. I even found my Auntie and cousins. It is a beautiful place, this new waters, with plenty of food...still, I miss my family. I want my life back."
© Lana Duncan 3/27/2011
Thanks for getting that on there, Lana. I am so proud of our coastal warriors! Hopefully this is just the beginning of mainstream media realizing that this story is far from over and that this country needs to wake up and realize how horrible it is.
OSE II the non toxic Alternative
There was a non toxic Alternative to clean up the spill that has been successfully tested by BP after 10 months of spill damages. The Coast Guard sent a letter from headquarters stating to the FOSC to take action with OSE II, and the EPA, Lisa Jackson stopped the Coast Guard from allowing BP from implementing OSE II. In fact the EPA stopped the application of OSE II 11 times denying State Senators direct request for use of OSE II from Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. La Department of environmental requested the use of OSE II as well, EPA's Sam Coleman denied their request without reason. Governor Jindal tried to get OSE II demonstrated on the Chandelier Islands on May 6, 2010, and the EPA stopped the Governor as well. The EPA in fact stopped the use of OSE II 11 times, without a reason given. Had the EPA allowed Governor Jindal to allow the demonstration of OSE II on May 6, 2010, it is possible a significant portion of the environmental damages, including the shorelines and the seafood industry would have been spared. The toxicty test comparison between OSE II and corexit really cannot be compared since with corexit, the label states it can cause red blood cells to burst, kidney, and liver problems if a chemical suit and respirator are not worn. OSE II in contrast can be used to wash your hands and is non toxic. The BP Deep Horizon spill has proven that corexit only sinks oil and causes the same oil to be addressed a second time when it comes ashore as under water plumes, or tar balls, while OSE II has a substantiated end point of converting oil to CO2 and water. See Coast Guard letter below
U. S. Department
of Homeland Security
United States
Coast Guard
Commanding Officer 1 Chelsea Street
U. S. Coast Guard New London, CT 06320
Research and Development Center Staff Symbol: Contracting Office
Phone: (860) 271-2807
July 10, 2010
OSEI Corporation
P.O. Box 515429
Dallas, TX 75251
Attn: Steven Pedigo, President/Owner
DEEPWATER HORIZON RESPONSE BAA HSCG32-10-R-R00019, TRACKING #2003954
We are pleased to inform you that the initial screening of your White Paper submitted under Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) HSCG32-10-R-R00019 has been completed. It has been determined that your White Paper submission has a potential for benefit to the spill response effort.
Your White Paper has been forwarded to the Deepwater Horizon Response Federal On-Scene Coordinator (FOSC) for further action under its authority. Subject to the constraints and needs of the ongoing oil spill response, you may be contacted by the FOSC or the responsible party.
We appreciate your interest in supporting the Deepwater Horizon Response effort.
Contracting Officer /s/
USCG R&D Center
like i said, BP LIES,go figure
Didn't the GOP apologize to BP - unbelievable.
And if you think for a second that anyone will be held accountable for this then think again.
Paul - You've got to be kidding! Please provide reference.
Rep. Joe Barton Apologizes to BP's Tony Hayward for White House "Shakedown" (Video)
BP CEO Tony Hayward is in the midst of a harsh grilling today on Capitol Hill, where he is testifying House Committee on Energy and Commerce hearing on "The Role of BP in the Deepwater Horizon Explosion and Oil Spill."
But not long after the hearing began, Hayward got something not many expected from lawmakers: An apology.
Rep. Joe Barton of Texas, the top Republican on the committee, apologized to Hayward for what he described as a "shakedown" at the White House yesterday. He was referring to the deal worked out between the Obama administration and BP to set up a $20 billion fund administered by a third party to pay for damages from the catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
"I'm ashamed of what happened in the White House yesterday," Barton said. "I think it is a tragedy of the first proportion that a private corporation can be subjected to what I would characterize as a shakedown, in this case, a $20 billion shakedown."
He complained that "the attorney general of the United States, who is legitimately conducting a criminal investigation and has every right to do so to protect the interests of the American people, [is] participating in what amounts to a $20 billion slush fund that's unprecedented in our nation's history, that's got no legal standing, and which sets, I think, a terrible precedent for the future."
"I apologize," Barton told Hayward. "I do not want to live in a country where any time a citizen or a corporation does something that is legitimately wrong is subject to some sort of political pressure that is -- again, in my words, amounts to a shakedown. So I apologize."......
June 17, 2010 11:00 AM on cbsnews.com
Lana - thank you for responding. Richard - I'm not kidding.
BP isn't paying a penny for what they are responsible for. We are all going to pay for BP.
Richard in Florida-809880, here's the YouTube video:
My message was unfortunately truncated by MSNBC, who deleted the reference to the YouTube.com video; search for it under "Joe Barton apology BP" -- I recommend the TPMTV version.
I don't know why MSNBC edited out the URL I tried posting.
At the bottom of the "Leave a Comment" is a highlighted area saying "As a new user, you may notice a few temporary content restrictions. Click here for more info." When you click you will see:
To help curb the proliferation of these accounts, all new users begin in a "New User" state. In this state, you have all privileges except the following:
They don't want you to send readers off their pages and onto others which is what spammers try to do.