Free Republic

Machines that separate oil from water—even allowing the oil to be refined later—can be on-site in the Gulf of Mexico within days, Jean-Michel Cousteau, president and founder of the Ocean Futures Society, told CBNC Thursday. Cousteau, who is backing the use of the machines, or units, is on the advisory board of Ecosphere Technologies, which makes them. Cousteau, the son of legendary sea explorer and ecologist, Jacques Cousteau, said there are 24 to 26 units that are ready to go and in the region. The units are mobile water treatment plants, which use a nonchemical oxidation process, Michael Vinick, chairman...

-- Marine explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau said Tuesday that while he...had "a lot of respect" for Irwin...Irwin would "interfere with nature, jump on animals, grab them, hold them, and have this very, very spectacular, dramatic way of presenting things...You don't touch nature, you just look at it. And that's why I'm still alive...I don't mess with nature."

Bill Maher has made another stab at career suicide. The Bush-bashing comic stunned some of Hollywood's most powerful liberals by joking about Bill Clinton's sexual indiscretions at a benefit honoring Sen. Hillary Clinton. New York's junior Senator was accepting an Oceana Partners award in Los Angeles last Wednesday for her work on environmental issues. Maher emceed the event, which also honored marine explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau, as well as Ron Howard and his Imagine partner, Brian Glazer. Among the unamused in the audience were Oceana board member Ted Danson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kiefer Sutherland, Diane Lane, Josh Brolin, Jake Gyllenhaal and Kirsten...