The Gulf Oil Spill: One Year Later

If you watched or listened to the news today, you are quite aware that today marks the First Anniversary of the worst offshore oil spill in the history of the United States, following the tragic oil rig explosion on April 20, 2010.  It took scientists and technical advisors over 80 days to come up with a solution to tap the oil leak deep in the Gulf water approximately 40 miles from New Orleans.  Within days, oil began to appear on the water surface, prompting FEMA and other federal and state agencies to swing into action to try to prevent the oil residue and chunks from reaching the shorelines of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.  But to no avail, many outer land segments did, in fact, become the target of the oil, and closed off the fishing season for thousands of Gulf fishermen who relied on fishing for shrimp and oysters for a living.

Now, a year later, many tourist sites along the Gulf are still struggling to attract visitors back; the fishermen and other local businesses are fighting to survive the tragic ordeal -- trying to make a living -- because that's....the way it is.