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A ship billed as the world's largest skimming vessel has arrived in the Gulf of Mexico and was awaiting approval to begin cleaning, according to a spokesman for the Taiwanese company that owns it. The A Whale arrived in the Gulf on Wednesday and was anchored in Boothville, Louisiana, about an hour south of New Orleans.

The vessel -- estimated to be able to skim up to 21 million gallons a day -- is awaiting testing. That capacity is at least 250 times the amount that the modified fishing boats currently conducting skimming operations have been able to contain, the company says.

Built this year, the A Whale was initially designed to be one of the largest cargo vessels afloat. It was completed at a South Korean shipyard for transporting crude oil and iron ore. However, Maisano said in the statement, when the disaster unfolded, TMT modified the vessel to become the world's first large-scale skimmer.

"We're anxious to find out how effective it will be," Allen said. He cautioned that the area of the slick in which the ship will be most effective is a "congested" site above the ruptured BP well, which could make it harder to operate the 1,000-foot-plus vessel, but added, "Anything that's effective we're looking forward to using."

Researchers have estimated that between 35,000 barrels (about 1.5 million gallons) and 60,000 barrels (about 2.5 million gallons) of oil have been gushing into the Gulf every day since April 20, when the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded and sank off the coast of Louisiana.

In other efforts, the U.S. Navy said Thursday it was sending a silver-colored blimp to aid in oil disaster efforts. The blimp, known as the MZ-3A, will fly slowly over the region in order to view the area where the oil is flowing and how it is coming ashore. It can also direct oil skimming operations. It was on the way to the Gulf region from Arizona on Thursday, the Navy said.

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Hippie Operative Nikovich Nikita Nicovna Talibani,
signing off

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governors are afraid that activating more troops would be politically harmful, charging taxpayers a high...

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Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal sent letters to federal officials asking them to approve funding to activate up to 6,000 Guardmembers to assist in the response to the oil spill.

In two letters addressed to Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates and Janet Napolitano, the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Jindal said the Guard “will provide security, medical capabilities, engineers and communication support in response to this threat.”

“Currently, our Soldiers and Airmen are staging for and are engaged in the planning of the effort to evacuate and provide security and clean up for the coastal communities expected to be impacted by the oil spill,” Jindal wrote. “They are engaged in the protection of vital infrastructure to include medical facilities, fuel distribution, interstate highways, water-ice distribution and power facilities, which are all vital to the recovery of coastal Louisiana.”

Jindal went on to say that he “believe[s] these National Guard operations are necessary and appropriate to protect this region of our nation from a significant national event with potential catastrophic loss of natural resources.”

Other Gulf Coast states, including Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Texas, reported they are in close contact with state and federal officials and are ready to respond with Guard personnel and equipment, if called out to assist in their communities.

“Right now, we are taking a look at the assets that are available and the possible missions that our Guard forces could receive, as far as dealing with an oil spill,” said Army Maj. Christian Patterson, Mississippi Guard spokesman. “We are looking at everything and waiting to see what happens, to be ready to do whatever we are called on to do.”

Patterson said the Mississippi Guard has a number of assets that can be used in such an emergency, including security forces to support police at checkpoints, aviation assets for aerial reconnaissance missions and civil engineers.

Army Maj. Cynthia Bachus, the state public affairs officer for the Alabama Guard, said her state is also monitoring the situation. “We have drill this weekend … so if something does occur we will be here,” she said.

Air Force Lt. Col. Ron Tittle, the state public affairs officer, said the Florida Guard is prepared to support the state’s Division of Emergency Management.

Although it is hard to speculate on missions they might perform, if called out, Tittle said they typically look at how they respond to natural disasters, like hurricanes, with engineering assets and serving at points of distribution for those affected in their communities.

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First Sgt. Kevin Giroir directed about 50 soldiers of the 2225th Multi-Role Bridge Company sent to the far reaches of St. Bernard Parish to assemble a 300-foot floating pier near Campo's Marina in Shell Beach so local fishers could load boom onto their boats and rush it out to marshes.

During the task last week, Giroir urged the troops to be wary of private property and wildlife. He also offered praise. In a series of convoys from Marrero, the soldiers hauled 12 Army work boats and 14 bridge sections without a hitch.

"I want you to know I appreciate the fact that you didn't wreck anything and got here safely," Giroir told them.

A full-time Guardsman from Destrehan, Giroir is among 1,100 Louisiana National Guard troops Gov. Bobby Jindal mobilized April 29 to try to protect the state's fragile coastline from the encroaching oil.

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Hippie Operative Nikovich Nikita Nicovna Talibani,
signing off


“Mr. President--you're a god damn, mother fucking liar. Fuck you, you cock sucking community activist piece of shit.... oh, go fuck yourself, Mr. President” ”Anthony--go fuck yourself...make no mistake. I want you to go fuck yourself long and hard” ”Frem--You miserable piece of shit” ”Niki--My guess is it won't just be your ugly face you dislike....if you had a soul.” ”Kwicko--You're the putrid slime which oozes between troll's toes, you're so low.” ...sayeth Raptor

”Niki--condescending arrogant fat old bi-polar hag....You are an asshole...one does not need a sockpuppet to tell you to fuck off" ...sayeth Kane

...Remember, remember, the ugliest members