Gulf Coast Oil Spill

[A Thing of Eternity]

yeah, seems like a pretty f-n gigantic economic hit potentially, and certainly devastating for a lot of individuals if not the whole. I'd agree that the ecological disaster is the worst part of this though, by far.

[A Little Galach]

Yeah, those states' largest sources of revenue were based on the gulf. Tourism, fishing and oil/gas mining are all big employers and revenue generators. Energy prices will increase and those states will have a hard economic time due to the loss of revenue. That'll be the worst part, I think nature will get clean from human and natural efforts in a shorter period of time than projected. The fishing is the part that worries me.

Does anyone have any knowledge (hard or anecdotal) of how fishing bounced back after the mexican oil spill in 79/80 or whenever it was? I know if affected Texas' coast and people went to the beach there in the 80's and 90's, I just don't know about the fishing.

[A Thing of Eternity]

Yeah, those states' largest sources of revenue were based on the gulf. Tourism, fishing and oil/gas mining are all big employers and revenue generators. Energy prices will increase and those states will have a hard economic time due to the loss of revenue. That'll be the worst part, I think nature will get clean from human and natural efforts in a shorter period of time than projected. The fishing is the part that worries me.
.

Seriously - no. They'll get some help until it's fixed and then eventually recover just like the environment will - but FASTER. The worse lesson here by far is the environmental damage that's going to come of this. Nature "getting clean" isn't the same as "nature recovering".

[Mandy]

Meh, the only disaster is the ecological one. The residents of those clapped out states with their already dying industries are in for a bonanza.

I'm looking forward to the bonanza of dead fish and cancer!

Srsly, clapped out states? WTF does that even mean? Millions of people live and work down here.

[Freakzilla]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_Coast ... ted_States" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There's about 14 million people in the top 15 Gulf Coast Metro Areas.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/05/ ... 274902129/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

WASHINGTON, May 26 (UPI) -- The population of the Gulf Coast grew 150 percent between 1960 and 2008, twice the national rate, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Wednesday.

The Naples area in southern Florida led the way, with Collier County's population soaring 1,900 percent from 15,753 in 1960 to 315,258 in 2008. While population growth was slower along the Pacific coast at 110 percent and the Atlantic at 56 percent, by 2008, 87 million people or 29 percent of the U.S. population lived near the ocean.

"Coastline counties along the Atlantic and Gulf, as well as the Hawaiian Islands, account for nearly two-thirds of the nation's coastline population and are home to four of the nation's 10 most populous counties," said Steven Wilson of the Population Division, who co-authored the report. "As hurricane season begins, this report should put into perspective the number of Americans living along the coast who might be affected."

Overall, population grew 179 percent in the 11 counties hit by at least 11 hurricanes between 1960 and 2008. Only one in the group, Hyde County in North Carolina, had a net loss. Louisiana's St. Bernard Parish lost housing units, although its population remained stable.

[Serkanner]

I have only one thing to say to all of this: it's human greed that caused it.

[chanilover]

Meh, the only disaster is the ecological one. The residents of those clapped out states with their already dying industries are in for a bonanza.

I'm looking forward to the bonanza of dead fish and cancer!

You might want to cut down on the topless sunbathing for a while. And stay away from the beach.

Srsly, clapped out states? WTF does that even mean? Millions of people live and work down here.

The oil slick hasn't reach Disneyland yet.

[chanilover]

Yeah, those states' largest sources of revenue were based on the gulf. Tourism, fishing and oil/gas mining are all big employers and revenue generators. Energy prices will increase and those states will have a hard economic time due to the loss of revenue. That'll be the worst part, I think nature will get clean from human and natural efforts in a shorter period of time than projected. The fishing is the part that worries me.
.

Seriously - no. They'll get some help until it's fixed and then eventually recover just like the environment will - but FASTER. The worse lesson here by far is the environmental damage that's going to come of this. Nature "getting clean" isn't the same as "nature recovering".

Yeah, a huge big fat cash injection. It might even compensate for the pre-existing dead zone in the Gulf!

[Mandy]

Who's getting the cash? BP is already balking at paying claims, I don't think this oil mess is going to be a bonanza for anyone. BP will come out of it just fine, though.

Disneyland is in California, I don't think they have anything to worry about

[SandChigger]

Yeah, a huge big fat cash injection.

I read that as "a huge catfish injection."

Mmmm... gots me a hankerin' for some blackened catfish now. Mmmmmm!

[Robspierre]

Yeah, a huge big fat cash injection.

I read that as "a huge catfish injection."

Mmmm... gots me a hankerin' for some blackened catfish now. Mmmmmm!

Fried catfish and hush puppies!

Rob

[SandChigger]

Oooh, HURT may!

[Mandy]

Looks like they may have finally stopped the oil from gushing into the gulf!