the Great Pacific Waste Dump

The dump is more than one floating mass of mostly plastic garbage that some say is as large as the United States. I guess there are no shipping lanes that go through those parts of the ocean. I wonder if there's any connection between all the floating trash and the increase in ocean-bourne MRSA.

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/03/16-6
( some images from the web today )

I think Obamacare is going to pass now

It's going to pass because Kucinich signed on. I've become more amenable to it myself though I still chafe at being required to purchase insurance from any provider. In the current version of the bill I will be coerced to pay a private insurer. But at least Obama is going to strip away some of the tax advantages of insurance companies. Even out the playing field as it were. At this point I hope they get the government insurance "public option" plugged back in, to further strip away the power of the insurance companies. I know it's very unlibertarian of me, but I am a compromiser for the greatest good for the greatest number of people. So mote it be.