A website, called PaddyPower.com, is now offering bets on whether the Deepwater Horizon-oil spill will cause the extinction of any animals currently residing in the Gulf of Mexico. It’s a legitimate question, though betting on the issue certainly serves to cheapen the concern many have for that very issue.

Odds are the Kemp’s ridley turtle, and endangered species that migrates to the Gulf this time of year, would go first. A $5 bet on the turtle would win $9 if it’s listed as extinct at any time because of the spill. Less likely species — the gulf sturgeon, smalltooth sawfish and elkhorn coral — have payout rates of 20-to-1.

In a statement announcing the extinction pool, the Irish bookmaker said it hoped the betting would “highlight the environmental catastrophe” and the “sure bet” that it would lead to the loss of some marine species.

“We kind of have a very simple philosophy at Paddy Power — within reason if there is a very newsworthy event that are people are talking about, people should be allowed to back up their opinion with some cash,” said Ken Robertson, a company spokesman.

Expect environmental groups to be up-in-arms about this within hours, but it seems like a legitimate claim. Other issues being bet on at PaddyPower.com are who will win the hit TV show Britain’s Got Talent, who will play Carrie in the prequel to Sex and the City, and which airports might close due to volcanic ash.

Google, which has long censored its searches in acquiescence to Chinese censorship laws, has decided to stop the self-censoring and live with the consequences. The move is likely to make Google more popular with…well, everyone outside of China…but make them a bit of a pariah in China for a while. Google-China relations are about to get much worse, it seems:

It means one of the world’s most prominent corporations is saying it is no longer willing to co-operate in China’s censorship of the internet, our correspondent says.

China has moved to further limit free speech on the web – Google’s own websites and the e-mail accounts of human rights activists have recently come under cyber attack.

China, for its part, has suggested that this shouldn’t affect US-China relations unless the U.S. seeks to politicize the controversy.

The day after Thanksgiving is known here in America as “Black Friday”–probably because it is the scene of so much violence. No, it’s not the anniversary of a rebellion or anything, it’s a huge day for shopping. Yes, that’s right, the day after we Americans celebrate by over-eating (which we do virtually every day anyway), we celebrate the end of that holiday by over-spending (which we do virtually every day anyway). All jokes and cynicism aside, this is the biggest day for shopping throughout the entire year.

However, last year the event was marred by the death of a Walmart employee (by trampling) and a shooting at Toys’R'Us. This year, stores are taking no chances–they are beefing up security in anticipation of large crowds and possible disturbance or outbreaks of violence or chaos. Walmart intends to keep it’s stores open on Thanksgiving and through the night in order to avoid any sort of rush–a luxury which most stores simply cannot afford–but a good idea for those that can.