shep? shepard: mike to be blin to be blin live on planet blago tonight. the feds tried to silent their findings about the underwater oil plume in the gulf of mexico. those findings made headlines in the erlg days of the gulf s disaster. the researchers from the university of south florida claimed the oil leaking into the gulf formed a six mile wide plume deep below the surface. according to the santd petersburg newspaper the national oceanic and atmospheric association told scientists they should hold off talking about that plume at all. researchers told the paper they had rock solid evidence and that, quote, we expected that noaa would be pleased because we found something very, very interesting. noaa instead responded by trying to discredit us. it was just a shock to us. according to the report, the feds claim the researchers were speculating at the time. a claim the scientists vehemently deny.