News of yesterday's explosion of a second oil rig in the Gulf sent a wave of stomach cramps through America, and anxiety that America was getting something she doesn't need -- Gulf Oil Spill 2.

Now, America is relaxing a little. The Associated Press reports this morning that no one was killed and there is no crude oil gushing into the water.

But there is the matter of the appearance and the disappearance of an oil sheen. Quote the AP -- "The Coast Guard initially reported that an oil sheen a mile long and 100 feet wide had begun to spread from the site of the blast, but hours later said crews were unable to find any spill."

Owners of the rig, Mariner Energy officials said, "there were seven active production wells on its platform, and they were shut down shortly before the fire broke out. The Coast Guard said they would continue to monitor the platform to make sure (that there are) no leaks."

There was an explosion, then a fire. There was oil in the water, then no oil in the water? I wonder?

Environmental groups are saying that now is the time to shut down all off shore drilling. Industry groups are saying: Are you nuts! There are 3,400 oil platforms operating in the Gulf, according to the American Petroleum Institute, supplying about a third of America's domestic oil.

It is all political, economic, and the environment is given the rear seat on the bus.

Allen Verret, executive director of the Offshore Operators Committee, the AP reports, said,  "We have on these platforms on any given year roughly 100 fires."

A hundred fires? Nothing to get excited about, right?