Have some “oil” humor with a Joel Pett cartoon. He’s based in Kentucky, and he gets it.

McClatchy says that Tar balls, new forecast raise fears oil spill reaching Florida

KEY WEST, Fla. — Park rangers discovered 20 “tar balls” on a Key West shore and spotted oil residue farther west in the Dry Tortugas Tuesday, stirring fear that the first sign of the massive BP oil spill had washed up on a Florida shore.

NOAA and the Coast Guard say “don’t worry, be happy, this doesn’t prove anything” to avoid getting into a screaming match with BP lawyers. The problem is that BP will use any excuse to slow down court cases and to cast doubt, which is why no one is going to say anything until they have evidence that can be introduced in court to support their statement.

McClatchy also announced that Bill Nelson, my generally useless Democratic Senator [as opposed to my totally useless Republican Senator] has teamed up with Barbara Boxer and “convinced” BP to release more video – Gulf oil spill videos: See all four views released Tuesday.

Of special interest are the third and fourth videos as they represent the same leak, but number three was before the tube was inserted, while four is after. You can see the huge difference the tube makes… well, maybe if you squint… try inverting your screen…

In other news, Robot subs deployed in search for oil under gulf’s surface

MANATEE, Fla. — Scientists at Sarasota’s Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium on Monday were in the process of launching the first of three torpedo-shaped robots equipped to hunt for oil underwater in the Gulf of Mexico.

The robots, measuring about six feet long and with little wings, have in the past been used to search for red tide, but now will be hunting for oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill, according to Gary Kirkpatrick, a Mote senior scientist.

Monday, Mote was in the process of launching one called “RU22.” It is on loan from Rutgers University, he said.

Its findings will be reported to the U.S. Coast Guard, NOAA, the U.S. Navy and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, which are tracking oil spilled from the runaway Deepwater Horizon oil well.

In addition to oil, the instruments are designed to look for the dispersants that BP is using, because it is also a dangerous chemical. The microsubs are semi-autonomous, not remotely operated. If you are a Florida car owner you can support Mote by buying the “Reef” license plate.