In addition to the government subsidies, the companies also make money when Lifeline customers spill over their monthly pool of minutes.

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BP's offer to settle quickly might be a savvy move if Kenneth Feinberg, the special master hired by the Obama administration to oversee the fund, can obtain ironclad releases from the shrimpers, hotel owners and thousands of other people who claim they've lost money because of the spill.

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The two groups will administer the money to fund Gulf restoration and oil spill prevention projects.

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However, researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) say they have found a method of recovering oil after a spill using magnets, potentially saving companies like BP money in clean up bills.

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The spill also highlights the question of whether NGOs should accept money for the advice they give to companies.

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In a TV business that has lost money for eight consecutive years, that is 30 ways to spill red ink.

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Others at the town complained that income they've received from BP for helping respond to the spill would be deducted from their payments, pointing out that those who stayed home would be eligible for more money.

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