[Rich Z]

Originally Posted by Shadow

What I find downright silly, is all the "end is near" rhetoric I've been hearing since this thing started, from professionals and lay people alike.

We've heard everything from a resulting totally dead sea, to the end of seafood as we know it, to the start of a major earth clamity that will likely spark the destruction of the planet

Jesus Christ!
No wonder the tourism and restaurant business is down in some parts of the state

I have no problem with a logically based decision.
So let's look at this for a moment.

Since dispersant is also spread via aircraft, and I'm sure some is carried away by the wind, and rain cycles, not all of it necessarily went into or remained in the contaminated area.

As well, our GUlf feeds in and out of the mouth of many of the rivers of our state, going from salt to brackish to fresh water via tidal exchanges).

This 'contaminated" water will then find it's way into the aquifer, and on to the homes, farms and gardens of our state.

As well, seabirds will eat some of the now contaminated fish, dive into the now contaminated waters, and walk along the now contaminated shoreline and seagrass.
They then migrate to who "uncontaminated areas", die on the land, get eaten by other animals or birds, and/or crap on the grass and grain that "may" ultimately be used to feed the chickens, and BINGO!! Contaminated chicken! (and beef, and vegitables, and fruit and.....
We are all so fawked! We can't even be safe vegitarians!

And lets not forget the fish that will also migrate to various ares of the Gulf not yet contaminated, spawn, be caught, etc., and thier meat, or that of thier offspring, and thier offspring, ad nauseum, will again contaminate the food chain.

Finally, the tourist and workers that handled the contaminated oil/dispersants.

Any likelyhood that they could spread the contamination?
Not likely, but God knows, we don't want to rule that out either, right?

Now, I'm not saying to believe the government or BP (I've already made my opinion clear on those two groups previously). My suggestion is form a valid conclusion based upon research and understanding, not fear.

My point being, using one's "gray matter" is a great idea; however, if one is controlled by fear, paranoia, and overthinking a problem, then one becomes part of the problem rather than the solution.

Stockpiling seafood was probably a good idea (wish I'd though of it, but I'm not that concerned.

See, again, I generally couldn't tell you the difference in taste, between a gulf shrimp caught in the Mississippi Gulf region from that caught elsewhere in the Gulf. For that matter, just about anywhere else they're caught.

I ieat them, not study them

Same with most fish (there are a few). Some people can tell the difference between a trout caught locally and one caught elsewhere. A salmon from Alaska vs. some stream in the hills?

Me, it's fish, and it all tastes like.....nah, I'm not going there...oh hell, why not? ....CHICKEN! (what did you think I was going to say? You buncha perverts!!~

Yes, I would think people would use their brain when faced with this situation and taking as much data as is available into consideration to make rational and studied decisions about not only their own health and welfare, but those people around them that may not have expended as much effort to try to see what MAY really be going on.

You mentioned above,

My suggestion is form a valid conclusion based upon research and understanding, not fear.

That's all well and good, but what research and understanding have you personally relied on to make statements like this:

Originally Posted by Shadow

Haven't changed my seafood eating habits and I'm not plannin on it.

If I see hard evidence of contamination, then I'll change. Until then, no way

As far as where the shrimp and such come from, it simply doesn't make that much difference to me as a consumer.

I feel bad for the commercial fishermen and restaurants along the Gulf though.

The paranoia over tainted seafood has had an effect on thier business. You'd really think people would be more intelligent and less tin hat typical

Research and understanding may actually be hard to come by when it is apparent that both BP and the government MAY have the incentive as well as the power to make research and understanding a stacked deck in the mainstream media.

http://www.businessinsider.com/bp-is...reement-2010-7

Let's see you are scientist and BP comes to you with an offer like this. Hmm, $205 per hour times 8 hours per week times 52 weeks equals $85,280 for a year of basically just turning a blind eye to this issue. How many scientists, especially in today's economy, are going to let scruples get in the way? How many scientists can BP afford to pay off in a program like this? What else may be going on that we just haven't heard about because the people who know CAN'T or WON'T say a thing about it?

Yeah, research and understanding can sometimes be hard to come by, but with some time and effort, they can be achieved via reading between the lines from the information that IS available.

Am I wrong for taking the stance that I am? Maybe. Can you be wrong? Maybe. But given that my or your health and welfare might be hanging in the balance of making a decision on what to eat, I think I have far less to lose than you do if I am wrong. I just miss out on some fresh Gulf seafood for a while. How's things looking from your perspective if YOU are wrong? What are you going to possibly be missing out on in the future?