Air Date: Week of July 9, 2010

We asked our listeners to suggest words or phrases to describe the BP Gulf disaster and the results are in. How about: Oil vey, we’re in a drill pickle?

Transcript

YOUNG: Last week we talked about the inadequate terms we have to describe the oil mess in the Gulf – spill just isn’t quite right. We asked you for something better, and you came through …

FILEMEO: My phrase that best describes the BP Gulf disaster is “crudal wave,” or “crunami.”

SUTTER: This situation is so much worse than a spill it’s a horrific oil spew.

MEADER: It’s a volcano eruption, an oil eruption. It’s not a spill, that’s for sure.

KOMISAR: It’s not a spill it’s a deluge.

KIRATZIS: The one word that I think describes the oil spill situation is slippery.

MINKOFF: The Gulf of Mexico is suffering an oil bleed.

ROTAS: Mother earth is hemorrhaging. Hemorrhage, hemorrhaging.

BLACKMAN: Hemorrhaging into the Gulf.

STEVE: A human induced tear in the biological fabric.

KOMISAR: Call this the gulf oil tragedy.

YOUNG: Thanks to Len Filemeo, Linda Sutter, Abbott Meader, Donnee Komisar, Stephanie Kiratzis , Seth Minkoff, Gena Rotas, and Bea Blackman. Contributions on our Facebook page, PRI’s Living on Earth, include these gems from Michael Weinberg: Drill Pickle and Oil Vey. And Lorraine in Jacksonville emailed us at comments at loe dot org with my personal pick: "pernicious petroleum propulsion of pandemic proportions."

[MUSIC] The Meters “It Ain’t No Use” from Rejuvenation (Atlantic Records 1974).

YOUNG: Just ahead - climate change and the California contest for the US Senate. Keep listening to Living on Earth!

[MUSIC] Wayne Shorter/Milton Nascimento “Ana Maria” from Native Dancer (Sony Music 1975).