Why is this only coming up now? Wasn't the DNR aware of Shell's plans? (Haven't they been reading SLOG?!) We're they truly surprised or just waiting for the right time to call out this infraction?
Also, the gender thing isn't surprising since all ships/seagoing vessels are typically characterized as female. Their crews, of course, are referred to as seamen.

("Were," not "we're.")

give me a break. the public waterways can handle being occluded through June.

Any excuse to engage in casual sexist rhetoric is a good one, even if it alienates half my readership. Oh...also the actual story.

@1
"vessels are typically characterized as female. Their crews, of course, are referred to as seamen."

that's awesome

What we need is for that jackass cyclist who posts GoPro videos of his lectures to those who park in bike lanes to get out there on a kayak.

Manspeeading? Sounds like Sat pm at the Cuff!

You ROCK Sydney! Don't listen to these trolls - they are obviously scared of you! I think everything you have contributed to the Stranger is quality. Your Gung Fu is good.

@10:

How brave to put your crush into words. Best of luck!

My only problem with this, as written, is that it seems it was meant to be read by people who agree with the author already. A conscientious effort to educate without belittling the audience who's perspective you wish to shift might be a better approach. This is bad enough as is and doesn't need cutesy put downs that really only obscure the central issue. Keep fighting the good fight.

@12:

In the eyes of Frizzelle and Keck, that's not a bug, it's a feature.

Manspreading ? I guess that's the term du jour around these parts, but really it's like being obliviously overweight (and oblivious to that). FYI, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of 2009-2010 the females are twice as likely to be extremely obese as males.

Maybe the Polar Pioneer just has a badonkadonk that you don't appreciate ?

Serious question:

Does anyone know how long ago The Stranger eliminated all positions with the word "News" in them?

http://www.thestranger.com/masthead

News flash: you consume oil daily. Dare you to exist without it.

@16: that doesn't mean it has to come from the arctic.

The Artic is the best place to get it from. Far lower danger to wildlife than more temperate areas. There was just a spill in Santa Barbara. Should they continue up the West Coast?

These protestors are their own worst enemies.

@11) Well, I got tired of fucking your mother up the ass.

We've got a monstrous drilling rig illegally parked in our port on its way to a (not-yet-approved) drilling mission in the arctic which will (not might, WILL) cause widespread environmental damage, and ya'll wanna quibble about grammar? Apathy will be our undoing.

Apathetic, handwringing environmental regulatory agencies will also be the undoing of th entire planet.

Now is the time to grow our base of allies in this work, not make up catchy eco-feminist lingo. This is not helpful, and rather immature.

I recently read a column about tips for white allies in black movements (Vonn New, AFSC) There was a great point about staying on message. I would like to quote it here:

"If you are part of some other marginalized group, it’s OK to show up as your whole authentic self, just don’t make it all about you. Being queer, I felt OK putting a rainbow on my Black Lives Matter sign as a way to represent my community, but I didn’t make the message Queer Lives Matter Too. Just because something else also happens to be true does not mean it needs to be the focus of this action. You wouldn’t run through an AIDS fundraiser with a Breast Cancer sign. Don’t use the Black Lives Matter actions to push your own agenda, no matter how noble."

http://www.afsc.org/friends/note-to-self…

@19-Do you honestly believe that a spill in the Arctic would be less harmful than one in Santa Barbara? Watch how long it takes to clean up the SB spill in warm water & small waves. Now imagine doing the same in 30 degree water, with 10 foot waves, IN THE DARK like it is for half the year. Never mind if there is ice mixed in. No way a spill there would be anything other than a complete disaster. And don't even think they won't have any spills. Shell can't even manage to tow an exploration ship out of Alaska safely, let alone handle spills with no support from the Coast Guard who would be 100s of miles away.