Florida Beaches

I saw a piece of television advertising the other day that made me really sad. I don't normally have that reaction, unless of course it's for animal adoption services. But this one really hit me.

It was advertising for the beaches of Florida, including Pensicola, persuading people to come visit this summer. It took me a minute to figure it out and then I realized. No one is going because of the oil spill.

The spot showed the beaches beautiful and untouched, but empty. Like a birthday party that no one showed up to.

The oil spill itself is sad, don't get me wrong. The damage to the environment, to the beautiful coastline, and to the safety of all the wildlife is heart wrenching. But it's also hit people's livelihoods, their ability to take care of their families.

I know that Obama has called for bp to reimburse people for their losses. How could that possibly happen, and how do you even begin to measure it? How will these folks recover? These are the thoughts that immediately ran through my head after the :30 spot was finished.

The fact that the state has to spend even more money to convince people that it's safe to visit is just another side to the devastation and it makes me really sad.

What's your experience? Jim