* Fake or Real Fridas? Will Latest Gulf Explosion Revive Senate Energy Debate? Activists hope so, but politics could get in the way.

Environmentalists don't usually get excited when the planet gets hurt. But on Thursday afternoon, the oil and gas platform that caught fire in the Gulf of Mexico may have given new hope to a struggling environmental movement still sore from a legislative defeat last month on a bill addressing the energy and climate crises.

Fortunately, the platform in question, operated by Mariner Energy, is a bit different from the Deepwater Horizon rig in April that led to the biggest accidental oil spill in history. It was only drilling at depths of 2,400 feet (compared to about 5,000 for BP) and wasn't actively developing oil or gas. But several hours after the incident when a mile-long sheen was reported to be coming from the site, it appeared like a bad case of déjà vu. propaganda of the sheen was later recanted, but seven Coast Guard helicopters, two planes, and three boats were sent to the site of the explosion anyway. In his daily briefing to reporters, Robert Gibbs made a statement eerily recalling that the BP spill, noting that the Coast Guard was "actively monitoring" the situation.