[Coral-List] BP Oil Spill Response

Alan Strong Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov
Wed May 12 19:10:16 EDT 2010


It is obvious that we are all going to learn way more than we had ever 
hoped to learn about how "blow outs" and our ocean interacts. Let's hope 
that this experience makes us better stewards of our oceans in the long 
run despite our meager track record to date in such endeavors.

Regards,
Al

On 5/12/2010 6:45 PM, Steve Mussman wrote:
> Quenton,
>   Since you are concerned that your comment “that the sky is not falling”
> has offended some on Coral-List and you attached my post as evidence,
> I would like an opportunity to reply.
>
>   Although it appears that you would prefer to keep Coral-List as an exclusive
> gathering of scientists, I have felt welcomed here in the past and the site
> itself describes it's purpose this way:
>   “The list is primarily for use by coral reef ecosystem researchers, scientists
> and educators, but is of course open to everybody.”
> (If it makes you feel a bit more at ease, I was an educator for thirty years
> and I read a lot.)
>
>   As far as being offended by your comments, I wasn’t outraged by anything
> that you said, but I also believe that those that are voicing greater uncertainties
> about the “potential” environmental impact should not feel inhibited to express
> their concerns. I haven’t seen anything posted here that even resembles hysteria.
> (The mass media will do what they do, it is best to apply your own filtering
> mechanisms to such sources.)
>   My previous comments take issue not with what you said, but with any attempt
> to restrain debate, combined with the fact that there appears to be reason to
> question the level of unbiased objectivity you can apply to this situation.
> (I only bring this up because you insist that the science should be more
> objective and impartial and I totally agree.)
>   You claim that it takes a creative imagination to see bias in your advocacy.
> I value creativity, but would prefer to avoid more details that could be
> misinterpreted as the casting of aspersions. That is not my intent.
>    By the way, I see little purpose in focusing on who is to blame.
> There are certainly the obvious suspects to round up. BP, Tansocean and Haliburton
> come to mind, but in reality, we are all culpable. As long as we continue to demand
> more fossil fuels without due regard for environmental impact, situations like this
> will continue to be a fulfillment of our collective destiny.
>
>      Regards,
>      Steve
>
>
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> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
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-- 
****<><  *******<><  *******<><  *******<><  *******
Alan E. Strong, Ph.D.
NOAA Coral Reef Watch, Senior Consultant
...with AJH Environmental Services...
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOAA Coral Reef Watch Program
   e-mail: Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov
URL: coralreefwatch.noaa.gov

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