It's not my money - Why should I care?

[Vincentc]

Took a morning walk / run for about a mile west the condo on East Perdido Key Beach. On the run back I counted 23 workers, perhaps 1/3 resting and 2/3 working with plastic shovels, rakes, and clear plastic bags. Some were simply riding down the beach in gasoline powered golf carts.

Most were just looking, but I found a group that appeared to be picking something up. I stopped, said good morning and watched them rake up something. I walked a little ahead of them and noticed some scattered "tar balls" each no larger than a nickel. I stopped and picked up one of the tar balls, felt it and tossed it into one of the workers shovels. I assume it was oil related, but it did not leave any kind of residue on my hand.

Walking a little further I examined one of the clear plastic bags used by the oil clean up people that had been sealed with duct tape. It contained about 10# of sand and interspersed were small tar balls. Best I could estimate, the tar to sand ratio was less than 5% tar and 95% sand.

My walk took place before 08:00 and I expect reflected the condition of the beach after a night of no clean up. 23 x say $10 is $230 per hour per mile plus overhead plus golf cart rental plus what ever, times the number of miles of shoreline which only have nickel sized tar balls is a lot of money. On the other hand it is probably "a drop in the bucket" compared to the overall oil spill clean up expense. Not to mention the $20 billion that I understand BP will be paying to the president.

Good thing I'm not paying for it and big oil is . . . and I don't pay big oil's cost of operation and clean up every time I buy diesel for my boat.

I need to keep telling myself this before it interferes with our vacation.

Regards,

 

[JimmyB]

I went on a fishing trip from Shell Beach Thursday. We limited out early and were at the dock by 11 am. A steady stream of boats were returning from a days work. Most boats had every family member on board. It was easy to tell the spillers as they have to wear life jackets.

The oyster houses are shutting down because no one wants to harvest if they can make more money riding around and be home at 11.

There are thousands doing a good job, but like Katrina , many are making out.

By the way we had 125 trout, many from 2.5 to 4 pounds. 2 48 Qt Igloos of fillets. What a day

Jimmy

 

[Vincentc]

Jimmy,
Good to hear; however why did you take the time to filet oil tainted trout? Your wouldn't eat them, would you? I will be glad to dispose of them for you.
Regards,

 

[JimmyB]

They were delicious.

Jimmy

 

[Fanfare]

Best of all, I hear that you only have to drop them in the pan to cook them--no oil needed.

 

[Vincentc]

The fried fish comment should be funny; however, the perception of damage from the spill has prevented a lot of people from being able to fish either for a living or for fun and caused much more damage to date than the spill itself.
Regards

 

[JimmyB]

Vincent, you are absolutely right. Just as in the recession , perception is as big a factor as reality. I have had many people who should know better ask if the fish were ok.

The best thing to do, is if you are able, go boating , Fishing or to the beach and let your friends know what you did.

It would be better if people went and saw what is going on rather than getting information from the media, some of whom can be rabid.

Jimmy