Building The Oil Spill Crisis Map

Texts, tweets and e-mails from those who have felt the effects of the Gulf Coast oil spill will be mapped out with new crowdsourcing technology, giving the federal government another look at the impact of the crisis.

The map was created using the Ushahidi open source software by students at Tulane University in conjunction with the site host Radical Designs and the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, a New Orleans-based justice and environmental nonprofit.

Many of the red dots generated by observers for the map highlighted concerns about oil odors, but an overwhelming majority of the reports filed were pleas from fishermen who have lost their livelihoods.

In Venice, La., a fourth-generation shrimper reported being out of work.

In Jesuit, La., an observer said, "Andrew daigle with miss. kennedi towing. Has a six hundred hsp.tug boat for hire. 504 912 6707."