A reader wants someone to explain why the Deepwater Horizon sank. Where was the damage control? Were all the compartments open below the waterline at the same time? Since the Deepwater Horizon is a flagged vessel are there not some requirements concerning floatation, de-watering, etc.?

I have received a number of emails and calls from readers asking me to review their ideas about how to stop the flow of oil from the deep water well following the explosion and sinking of the Deepwater Horizon. I have no where near the right qualifications to pass judgement on these ideas. What I can do is bring them here to start a discussion among the professionals in the field.

Stories about the "Ocean Therapy" centrifuge oil recovery machine, whose development was funded by actor Kevin Costner, have been floating around the press shortly after the BP oil spill began. A couple days ago a reader took issue with a New York Times article we cited regarding this story. Here is his take on what the real scoop is:

Raoul A. Galan, Jr. of Research & Development Group is in search of more vessels to employ in his work cleaning up the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.