Are we sure the headline shouldn’t be “CBS News Wants Viewers”?

While I can easily follow the progress (or lack thereof) of the efforts to cap the leaking well in the Gulf of Mexico – I am amazed that we do not hear more of attempts to recover the oil that is already out there!

Am I missing something? I would expect to hear of a virtual fleet of vessels sucking up the oil or oil-contaminated water, separating the oil from the water and storing the oil somewhere (surplus supertankers?) until it can be processed and distributed for use. I know this is what the Saudis did a few years ago when they had a massive spill.

Instead, again and again I see photos of at best a company sized group of guys (200 or less) wandering aimlessly down a beach and not particularly seeming to recover anything! Doesn’t anyone else realize the tens of thousands of men it would take to make any size of dent utilizing such an inefficient technique -particularly AFTER the oil has come ashore?

Since we know (I think) that oil doesn’t permanently mix with water -and that there are millions of gallons out there -can someone tell me how much is being recovered? The required techniques are pretty simple -and the recovered oil can be sold after processing to help defray the costs.

I see no mention of such recovery efforts. Am I just a poor researcher -or are we somehow forgetting something?

What are YOU seeing?

Just curious!

Jock Williams

PS I will for sure send this to CBS too!

Dear Mr. Williams, I believe you are right. Some beaches have many men combing the sand looking for oil that is NOT there,,& a few miles away where the oil is comong ashore, there is NO ONE. Politics? Mis-communications??? Who knows?? One thing I DO know is that 18 count’em 18,
DIFFERENT countries & companies have offered to help & have been DENIED for 1 reason or another. One Co.,,ARAMCO offered to send one of the biggest
& best oil-siphoning Super-Tankers,but was DENIED. Now THEY are all passing the buck around because of a NEW snag,the Jones Act (of the 1920′s)
which basically states that NON-American BUILT ships CANNOT come within a certain distance from our shores WITHOUT a waiver signed by some big mucky-muck,,so “THEY” are still kicking the Political Football around while the Gulf Coast dies. BHO is STILL talking the talk,,but NOT walking the walk.He
should have let Bobby Gindal(?) do what he must to save La.& worry about the Polit.fallout later,,,but then BHO would NOT be in charge & his frail ego could NOT handle getting it’s “Ass Kicked”.
Pass the Word,,,Primary Day,,,then Election Day

Most human beings will take a shortcut whenever possibe. B.P. officials definitly chose a wrong gamgle in the gulf. They will end up paying billions of dollars for their error as they should. The first week of reporting could be considered news, but now You are only engaged in sensationalism as is the federal govt. An occawional update would be appreciated, but how about reporting on ongoing news even if You have to resort to good news. We are tired of the networks spurring a dead horse. How about reporting on the new highway that is being built from Mexico to Canada. Enough hush hush on this. We will be even more upset if and when You finally report on this. We need a government that works for the people rather than a government that is undermining people’s morales, expectations, and values.