I'm so dumbfounded by this I can't even get pissed off!

Rush, needing nothing more than the "suspious timing" of the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, (occuring on "Earth Day") postulated that it may have been caused by eco-terrorists in an effort to derail Cap and Trade legislation.  Rush cited the fact that ecology groups were upset with Cap and Trade because it included provisions for the development of more offshore drilling and the construction of more nuclear power plants.

Using that reasoning, I could postulate that the explosion was the act of Rush himself along with a bunch of fellow neocons, since they also are against Cap and Trade.  (Rumor has it that an empty bottle containing Oxyconton residue was found at the scene - lol)

Lol. Wouldn't be the first time. Remember all those Hummers that got torched in that dealership in California a few years back. Also, the tree huggers spiking the forested trees so the lumberjacks' chainsaws would break and either maim or kill them? Not nice people. But again, not quite the massive scale as the oil spill either, whoever is at fault.

Actually most of the beaches in that area are in Pinellas county, not Hillsborough.

There is a lot more at stake than tourism however. Spills of this magnitude threaten entire ecosystem, and the livelihoods of thousands of coastal residents.

If it turns out that this was caused by corporate penny pinching on the part of BP, I hope they are sued out of existence, and that a message is sent that their are consequences for innattention to safety.

I know that if I ever cause a spill that is even one tenth of one percent of the magnitude that we are contemplating here. My company would be sued into bankruptcy, and my corporate shield would be pierced and I would have to bear the brunt personally as well. That's not the main reason that I exercise care, but it's a factor. lol Large companies need to be held to the same standard, executives that consciously make the decisions that lead to disasters need to be held accountable on a personal, not just corporate level.