Carl Crossman

The giant oil company BP has come out with numerous reports saying that the oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico has dissipated. They say that time and microbes have eaten away the oil and that underwater life will return to normal soon. The problem is that some scientists don’t agree with that theory at all.

Samantha Joye is a marine scientist with the University of Georgia. She has studied the gulf in-depth and says the oil has not degraded to the extent that is suitable. Marine life has not recovered in large areas of the gulf and there are signs that the impact of the spill will last for years to come.

New reports have come out saying that the federal budget ran a deficit of $80 million dollars for the month of December. While this number is down from last December, it is still worrying for many economists. The total deficit is projected to be around $1.3 trillion dollars for the coming year.

The deficit is staggering and has many worried that the financial security of the U.S. is in danger. Efforts to close the gap have largely failed and there seems to be no end in sight. The economy is slightly improving though and some hold out hope that this will improve the situation. I sure hope it does.

One little known American hero is named Oliver Hazard Perry. He was the hero of the battle of Lake Erie against the British. His mantra was “Don’t give up the ship” that remains the standard of the U.S. Navy today. The problem was that his ship was wrecked and sunk when he hit a reef off the coast of Westerly.

The remains of the ship have finally been found. By two divers named Charles Buffin and Craig Harger. The divers have found numerous cannons as well as metal objects, shot, and an anchor. I herald this discovery as a great piece of American history has been brought back to life.

I must say that I was very incredulous when I heard the T.V. evangelist Pat Robertson told his “700 Club” that the penalties for marijuana possession were to harsh. Pat made the statement on air to his audience. He said that treating offenders would be a better option.

Some people claim that he was endorsing the legalization of pot but his spokesmen denied the claim. He was simply saying that using pot was wrong but that spending years in jail was not correct. I believe we will have to wait for further clarification on the issue.

One of the most fascinating events that can happen is the total eclipse of the moon. The event will happen for millions of interested people on the night of Dec. 20 to Dec. 21. The moon will pass though the earth’s shadow and will be visible to nearly everyone. The only question is whether the skies will be clear so the event can be seen.

Safety is always an issue and it’s good that an eclipse of the moon is totally safe to watch. The event will take approximately 3 and half hours to complete. I am sure that I will have my kids outside to view this spectacular event.