40% Of US Virgin Island Corals Died In 2005 - Another Hot Summer Coming

[hatrack]

CHARLOTTE AMALIE, U.S. Virgin Islands - Warming sea temperatures have scientists worried that the Caribbean could see a repeat this year of the widespread coral death that swept the region in 2005.

About 40 percent of coral died around parts of the U.S. Virgin Islands last year, and the coral that survived likely isn't healthy enough to survive another hot summer, U.S. Geological Survey biologist Caroline Rogers told The Associated Press. "It worries me. It's looking so similar" to last year, said Rogers, who has studied coral in the U.S. Virgin Islands for 22 years. "It's impossible to overstate how important this is."

Bleached by warmer waters and infested with disease, coral in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands was especially hard hit last year.

"You don't know how scary it looks down there," said Zandy Starr, who monitors coral and sea turtles in St. Croix's national parks. "All of us thought that by now, with all the cooler temperatures in January and February, we would have seen recovery, but they're still sick."

EDIT

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12475917/

[phantom power]

1. GE assures me we've got nothing to worry about.

And they've got a commercial with a CGI dancing elephant to prove it.

[Dead_Parrot]

2. What the-

No, actually I don't want to know.

[hatrack]

3. Well, isn't that sweet!

I feel all cozy and safe now! If only I had some happy flipper-flapping seals & "Ode to Joy" to make me feel all better about oil tankers!

Don't think about environmental issues - just feel what you see on TV - it's much easier and happier that way!!!

:puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke:

[hatrack]

4. BTW, you aren't serious, are you?

This is in a commercial highlighting how "concerned" they are about the environment?

[phantom power]

5. Yes, it's a real commercial, featuring..

a CGI elephant dancing to "Singing in the Rain."

The point of the commercial is to explain how GE applies lots and lots of ecomagination(tm), to save us all. And make elephants dance, presumeably out of pure ecological joy.

And it must be true, because coral bleaching is... never mind.

:puke:

[Dead_Parrot]

6. Dammit, I read that by accident.

Now I'm going to have to drink a litre of vodka and hope I forget.

[phantom power]

7. Did I mention that it's a cute baby elephant?

(I'm just trying to see if I can make you drink 2 litres)

[Dead_Parrot]

8. ....!

http://www.ge.com/en/company/companyinfo/advertising/eco_ads.htm

I'm off to the liquor store. BRB.