September 6, 2006: Oil spill in Philippines

Undertoad · 09-06-2006, 11:35 AM

This oil spill in the Philippines is a disaster, but that doesn't stop us from appreciating one thing about it: the color. Its rainbow-like sheen is unlike anything else, the beauty in this bad thing.

And the oddity in this bad thing: in this WaPo day in pics image caught by xoB, a prison inmate is donating his hair so that it can be used in an effort to clean the spill.

This full story explains that, along with the inmates, 500 hair salons are donating hair to this cause. It's kind of experimental; apparently a researcher found that when hair is dragged through the oil in permeable bags, some oil will cling to it, making for a low-tech cleanup approach.

No word on how well that's going. Off-hand, it sounds like a feel-good public effort that may be more effective at rallying the people than actually cleaning the spill. Others aren't waiting for the hair treatment; this story about prosecuting the captain of the oil tanker mentions (at the bottom):

Quote:

Science and Technology Secretary Estrella Alabastro, for her part, said a Coast Guard boat is also set to arrive in Guimaras to bring in more coconut husks from Romblon to help absorb the oil slick.

Alabastro also said the coconut husks are better than human hair, which would be more difficult to contain.

Cruz defended the use of chemical sprayers or dispersants to stop the oil sleek, saying it was ensured to be safe before it was used.

He said the Japanese Coast Guard, in its initial report, said the use of dispersants is effective and safe and without any side effects to marine life.

Flint · 09-06-2006, 12:36 PM

I'm confused about the forehead tattoo... Is that how you spell "bitch" in their language?

glatt · 09-06-2006, 12:41 PM

He sold it as advertising space to Nestle. At first they thought it was a great deal, until he went to jail for kiddi porn.

capnhowdy · 09-07-2006, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flint

I'm confused about the forehead tattoo... Is that how you spell "bitch" in their language?

Even if it is how you spell it, wouldn't it be on the back of the head?

The 42 · 09-06-2006, 01:01 PM

My god, did they shave all those heads with a dull razor!? Hasn't anyone heard of electricity?

glatt · 09-06-2006, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The 42

My god, did they shave all those heads with a dull razor!? Hasn't anyone heard of electricity?

Well, you can't allow inmates near sharp objects.

barefoot serpent · 09-06-2006, 01:45 PM

so did he shave any time off his sentence by this donation?

Tomtheman5 · 09-06-2006, 02:38 PM

Quote:

so did he shave any time off his sentence by this donation?

I've been lurking here for about a year now, but that joke was so wonderful, that I can no longer hold my tongue... :p congrats!

On a sidenote, do you think the prisoners actually volunteered for this? Or was it more like a "shave your head or else clean the floors with your toothbrush" sort of thing? (I'm scared of how much power prison guards potentially possess...)

Spexxvet · 09-06-2006, 02:43 PM

I wonder if they accept donations of "other" body hair.

maninthebox · 09-06-2006, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spexxvet

I wonder if they accept donations of "other" body hair.

hahahaha In the name of science, I'm sure they would.

Oh nevermind, that's just disgusting!

xoxoxoBruce · 09-06-2006, 07:43 PM

Welcome to the Cellar, Tomtheman5

OK, one free lunch in the commissary to barefoot serpent, for flushing a lurker out into the open.

Elspode · 09-06-2006, 09:03 PM

I would have expected the person doing the shaving to be wearing gloves for this procedure. I mean, seems like a good chance someone is going to get nicked, and God knows what diseases this lot might have. Philippine jail? Ick!

zippyt · 09-06-2006, 10:16 PM

I would have expected the person doing the shaving to be wearing gloves for this procedure.

My friend you know LITTLE about the PI ,
if it is logical and makes sence and costs a penny or two ,,,,
it don't happen .

tulzscha · 09-06-2006, 10:28 PM

I'm skeptical of the rainbow effect. Seeing as the photo was taken from a jetliner (wing and engine in evidence), my argument would be thus: Airliner windows are plexiglass, and any picture shot through plexi with a polarizer will give you a nifty rainbow (it reveals the internal stresses of the window plastic).

Like this guy ( http://cinemazement.com/blog/?p=1028 ) found out...

The dense bits (say, the lower-right-central smear) looks more like i'd expect oil slick to appear -- small swirly rainbows, rippled and wavy like water. The large swathes of even rainbow colors (like the extreme lower-right) I'd argue are not because of the oil, but some other, more benign, influence.

xoxoxoBruce · 09-06-2006, 11:18 PM

Tulzscha, the photographer in your link was on a pressurized commercial airliner at considerable altitude.
Didn't you see the pictures of New Orleans with the oil slicks on the water? Alaska's prince William sound when the Exxon tanker ran aground? Those types of pictures are in the news all the time.

09-06-2006, 12:36 PM	#2
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	I'm confused about the forehead tattoo... Is that how you spell "bitch" in their language? __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

09-06-2006, 01:45 PM	#7
barefoot serpent go ahead, abbrev. it Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Lawrence, KS Posts: 2,623	so did he shave any time off his sentence by this donation? __________________ Chooses rowing vs. wading

09-06-2006, 02:43 PM	#9
Spexxvet Makes some feel uncomfortable Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 10,346	I wonder if they accept donations of "other" body hair. __________________ "I'm certainly free, nay compelled, to spread the gospel of Spex. " - xoxoxoBruce

09-06-2006, 07:43 PM	#11
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Welcome to the Cellar, Tomtheman5 OK, one free lunch in the commissary to barefoot serpent, for flushing a lurker out into the open. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

09-06-2006, 09:03 PM	#12
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	I would have expected the person doing the shaving to be wearing gloves for this procedure. I mean, seems like a good chance someone is going to get nicked, and God knows what diseases this lot might have. Philippine jail? Ick! __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

09-06-2006, 12:41 PM	#3
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	He sold it as advertising space to Nestle. At first they thought it was a great deal, until he went to jail for kiddi porn.

09-06-2006, 01:01 PM	#5
The 42 I'm not lurking, I'm stalking YOU! Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Somwhere over the rainbow Posts: 70	My god, did they shave all those heads with a dull razor!? Hasn't anyone heard of electricity?

09-06-2006, 10:16 PM	#13
zippyt LONG LIVE KING ZIPPY! per Feetz Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arkansas Posts: 7,661	I would have expected the person doing the shaving to be wearing gloves for this procedure. My friend you know LITTLE about the PI , if it is logical and makes sence and costs a penny or two ,,,, it don't happen . __________________ "Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get. " Brother Dave Gardner

09-06-2006, 10:28 PM	#14
tulzscha Cantankerous Incantonator Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 57	I'm skeptical of the rainbow effect. Seeing as the photo was taken from a jetliner (wing and engine in evidence), my argument would be thus: Airliner windows are plexiglass, and any picture shot through plexi with a polarizer will give you a nifty rainbow (it reveals the internal stresses of the window plastic). Like this guy ( http://cinemazement.com/blog/?p=1028 ) found out... The dense bits (say, the lower-right-central smear) looks more like i'd expect oil slick to appear -- small swirly rainbows, rippled and wavy like water. The large swathes of even rainbow colors (like the extreme lower-right) I'd argue are not because of the oil, but some other, more benign, influence.

09-06-2006, 11:18 PM	#15
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Tulzscha, the photographer in your link was on a pressurized commercial airliner at considerable altitude. Didn't you see the pictures of New Orleans with the oil slicks on the water? Alaska's prince William sound when the Exxon tanker ran aground? Those types of pictures are in the news all the time. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

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