Latest Dangers of Oil Spill.

Bird Group Warns that Oiled Birds Found Onshore May Be a Fraction
of the Total Toll on Birds From Gulf Spill

(Washington, D.C. - May 4, 2010)
“While the weather is restricting rescue efforts, I know that rescue groups are prepared to do  everything humanly possible to capture and save as many oiled birds as they can find, but there are problems well beyond our abilities to mitigate or even count.  In addition to the potential catastrophic losses to shorebirds that we know to be at risk on their breeding grounds and in the wetlands around the gulf, the oil spill poses a serious threat to seabirds,” Fenwick said. 
“ Luckily, in this case, most of the adult gannets have already headed north to their breeding grounds, so the juveniles are the ones that are likely to get affected in the Gulf right now.  In addition to these plunge-diving birds, surface foragers such as terns and gulls that alight on the water are vulnerable, particularly this time of year,” he said.
“Further, what is difficult to measure is the loss of future generations of birds when birds fail to lay eggs or when eggs fail to hatch.  Many of the birds are incubating eggs right now, and we know that even small amounts of oil on the parent’s feathers will kill the young,” he said.
“And bird prey bases are also impacted. The very fisheries that sustain the economy of the region also sustain the seabirds along the coast.  The impacts to fish stocks may have substantial, long-lasting effects on seabird,” he said. "
More at: http://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/releases/100504.html
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Oil spill's human impact: Oil and fish define south Louisiana's working life

Whether it's fish and shrimp or oil and gas, working on the water is a way of life for many people. But that life could change now with the massive Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

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Charter and commercial fishermen listen to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration administrator Jane Lubchenco, not pictured, in Venice, La., Friday. Local fishermen are worried about how their industry will withstand a growing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico near the coast of Louisiana.
Article at: http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0501/Oil-spill-s-human-impact-Oil-and-fish-define-south-Louisiana-s-working-life
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Ray painted some more of the pergola lattice while Jay and I went into the next town.

We stopped at a couple of thrift shops on the way to that town's Post Office.  It is closer to Houston, so I hoped that my parcels would get to their destinations quicker than if I mailed them in our little town. 

We hardly ever visit St. Marks Thrift Shop without buying something, their prices are so great, and today Jay bought a belt, shirt, and some fabric to recover his barstools, and I bought two pairs of pants.
 
Sparky is so good when I leave, and he is overjoyed to see me when I get back.  Some dogs tear stuff up or scrape at doors, when left alone, but he doesn't.  Even if I had a seat-belt harness for him, I can't take him shopping, as the van gets too hot.  But I take him in the little station wagon when I pick up Jay in the mornings, so he gets to ride around in the subdivision then.  He doesn't care much for Maddie, the Yorkie, she is too much of a flibbertigibbet.  But he doesn't seem to want to have anything to do with any other animals, anyway.

The weather is definitely getting more like summer, so we had to run the AC today.