DISASTER IN THE GULF - There is no question that the oil spill in the Gulf is a massive ecological and economic disaster. However, this massive tragedy is like a gigantic octopus, its numerous tentacles reaching out in every direction. and one of the groups this destruction will devastate is the photographic community. I was just watching James Carville and Mary Matlin on the news. They toured the Louisiana wetlands today. Their assessment is that the wetlands are already dying. And it is also their assessment that nobody is doing anything to halt the advancement of the sludge. The ecological and economic consequences are almost unimaginable. However, and I recognize that this is a lesser concern, we in the photographic community will be among the losers. The wetlands were a photographer's paradise. Now, because of greed, ineptitude and, most likely, criminality, these exquisitely beautiful national wonders are in dire jeopardy. Shame on us. Shame on all of us. Shame on the "Drill baby, drill" crowd, Shame on the federal bureaucracy, and shame on the corrupt corporate interestS who place their greed above the good of Planet Earth. I honestly don't know how the average person can act effectively. But even the first small step begins the journey, So I publish this post. LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY