This is pretty damned upsetting.

I don't believe it actually exists.

Like Dry Land?[/waterworld]

"The Coffee House reported in May about the North Pacific gyre becoming a dead zone for human plastic trash. This is clearly taking hold on the imagination of the public judging by the number of hits received.

People are particularly interested in seeing images of this nightmare but they have proved difficult to find. The Coffee House will endeavour to contact the organisation making these research trips into the Pacific, to see if they can release any suitable photos."

There will be no photos.

Remember, it's continent-sized, twice the size of Texas. Doesn't show up on Google Earth because... plastic is hard to see.

Well, do a Google image search of the Sargasso sea. It's the same idea. The maps all show that it about the size of Texas, but the pictures just show a little scum and seaweed here and there in the water.

Another good writeup of why it's not "visible from space, for pete's sake! twice the size of Texas! Gimme a break" [/skeptic]

The plastic shit that can kill the critters is on the scale of a dime, say. And it is as deep as 50 or 100 feet. It's not like a mound of trash at the local landfill dense and high and dry enough to walk on. It's big. It's sparse. It's there. It's crap. And it's preventable, since the bulk of it came from land anyway.

Should show up on sonar or ultrasound or something, shouldn't it?

I read all the recommendations in Armin's original link.
Now I am happy because I already follow all of them.
But unhappy because if they are this basic, most people obviously don't.

Glatt - re: photo2 - That looks like a line of seaweed. I've seen lots of those off the back of boats for years.
I really don't understand why this thing that supposedly exists can't be seen. Why hasn't any number of environmental groups been able to get one stinkin image of it.

shhhh. it's cuz they don't want us to know that the massive size of this baby is what is really causing the waterline to rise along coastal areas. they're using global warming as an cover up for the massive danger posed by this unsolveable problem! holy crap! :tinfoil:

Because the media has completely misrepresented what it actually is. It is in no way an "island," nor is it floating. It is basically just dirty water, a soup of tiny bits of plastic.

From BigV's link: when you trawl the area with fine mesh (used for catching shrimp,) this is what you get.
http://cellar.org/2007/manta1.jpg
http://cellar.org/2007/manta2.jpg
http://cellar.org/2007/manta3.jpg

The question, just like with global warming, is not whether it "really" exists but what it means. Is it a long-term danger? Is there realistically anything we can do about it? (BigV's link says no, because trawling the whole area would by definition kill all the sea life it scoops up too.) But it's not an "island of trash." That's what we prefer to call Long Island, NY.

I asked Dazza about this and he said that the currents etc do cause rubbish to collect in that general area, but it's not an 'island the size of texas'.

Thanks Clod - I was leaving work and completely missed BigV's link.
Makes a lot more sense now.

So much for my relocating the polar bears to garbage island plan...

That was what I was saying isn't there (an "island"). Some stuff, I don't doubt; but even to call it a stew is hyperbole.

I have water trapped in my ear and I can't shift it.


...ooh there you go. finally managed to shake my head hard enough to dislodge it. of course now my head hurts from all the shaking, and I'm thinking there may be a little trapped in the other ear too. Oh well, it'll have to stay there for now........ :rolleyes:

Oh man, that's what Q-tips are for. I can't stand water or anything else in my ears. You guys swim so much, you should just carry a little packet in your purse.

Q-tips sometimes just don't do the trick. (I do carry them in my swim bag ;) )

Maybe you should get a gazillion little plastic crumbs and squirt them into your ear. At least you wont have any albatrosses or dolphins in your ear canals.

My technique is to twist up a tissue leaving a spiral/helix shape, and drill inwards with that. This reaches pretty deep.

TMI?

was hospitalized for getting paper towel stuck in the ear doing that as a kid.

My mom's ex boyfriend was hospitalized for that as well...bad idea.

This mother-effin' god-forsaken piece of shit job.

2 weeks ago I put in an order for a laptop to take to conference. We take them so we can keep up on emails, and I have scholarships that HAVE to be worked on.

My boss, the big bucks, got one to borrow today. She could afford her own. My co-worker, when told they might not have one for her, said "Oh, that's OK I'll just bring my own."

I do not have a laptop. If they paid me right, I could probably get my own.

They lend them out to Joe Schmo's Community Emporium and say that me getting one is "iffy." They told me that today, just now...no time to borrow one from a family member...no recourse.

No one gives a shit, it doesn't affect them.

I need to get out of this hell-hole piece of shit place.

Shawnee-
The hotel you are staying in probably offers a computer and internet access, lots of places do. Well, if it's a major chain....Ask at the front desk. They will find something for you, or an alternative.

You might get some work done on the town too, by finding an internet cafe that offers comps. and not just wi-fi. And it might be good to get out on the town and grab some coffee or wine or beer or get lay-..........
:D
I know that isn't much help...but that's all I've got. Certainly not as convenient as a lap-top...

:)


Outside of all that- yea...that sucks...people that expect you to do your job without the proper tools and low wages just fu**ing suck!

My little sister(at about age 4) stuck a pea up her nose and had to go to the emergency room:greenface

Thanks, Cic. I really needed to blow off, and I appreciate your words. Boss is trying to nudge them as I type, but it's still BS. Like I said, they could have told me...I probably could've borrowed from someone.

I know the hotel has a business center, but those are pretty booked. It's just so maddening...esp when you hear all the time that one of our mantras (that's what I call it, I'm sure they have another name for it but when it's all lip service let's call a duck a duck) is "Valuing People."

So they found one. Maybe I just need to remember I'm an idiot. But when you hear the word "iffy" followed with a slow head shake...Of course boss getting in on it didn't hurt. I just get to be the bad guy.

Back to your regularly scheduled programming.

She was power-tripping, and yanking your chain to make you cry. "iffy".

How's that for value?
:D

Now back to whatever you were doing.

Sounds like a wasted ER trip to me. I mean, if it were stuck in her ear, that would be something for a professional to get out because the eardrum is not something you want to endanger... and maybe if the item were up her nose and sharp, you wouldn't want to risk scraping up her sinuses trying to get it out... but a pea? The nose just dumps out into the back of the throat, just stick a Q-tip up there and push it up and out.

I agree - they are right up there with all the idiots that brag about their kid's perfect attendance at school and send them with green snot running out of their noses. Then their classmates, not to mention the employees get sick and it is big old fucking vicious circle for a month!! :mad2: Whew i feel better now.

I am having trouble holding my head up, and even after brushing my teeth, my mouth still tastes horrid.

Yes, I'm hungover. Yes it's self inflicted. No, those two statements combined don't make me feel any better.

Now I have to go buy a couple of fucking xmas presents! I tell ya, the things I do for some people...

Hmmm...that reminds me...I should go have a beer!

:D

duh

The technical term is "Bullshit." I'm taking a MSc. in business, I can provide authoritative references. [/bitterness]

Ali,
I sympathize. I was drinking from about noon Friday until 2 AM Saturday, then had to get up at 7 to catch a plane. I wanted to tell the taxi driver to slow down, but I couldn't think of the Spanish translation.

What were you doing to get in this condition?

Perry-
That's why it's more of a mantra a.k.a "spin" like these:

We are beautiful. People like us. We respect you. We would never ever eat you. We are a family company.

The luck of the Irish. (you just always assumed it was good)

:)

I only had a glass and a half of white wine then two vodkas. I was a bit pissed when I went to bed. In fact, far more pissed than I thought I should be. I was just having a few quiet drinks at home while I was cooking dinner etc. Nothing flash at all. No wild partying or anything. I'm putting it down to the fact that I didn't eat much yesterday because when it was vomit o'clock this morning there was nothing but bile coming up. I should know better than to drink on an empty stomach, but I guess it's true. I really am stupid. ;)

It's amazing how memories of the last time only hold our hand for so long, then here we are again thinking this is the last time we'll be so stupid.

I said exactly that to my husband when I went to meet him for lunch today. lol I really mean it this time though!

I'm very worried I'm developing a nasty crush on a straight boy.

In fact, I'm even more worried that I already have.

I'm worried today to. My boss didn't call me all day yesterday, and there's been news that someone with her job title has been abducted and robbed.

I wouldn't worry but she usually comes into the office on Mondays (yesterday) or responds to my various phone calls, or calls at least to say she's not coming in. She usually calls in the morning at about 11:00 a.m. to tell me she's up, and crawling out of bed, and how cute her dog is, and what he is doing...I'm going to her house if she doesn't call by 12:30. She's flaky sometimes, but she usually calls to say she's going to flake, and not come in...which is acceptable because I can do a lot of transactions here for her from here....I wish she would call me!!

Caution *Too Much Information*
 

Last night I had garlic mushrooms for tea.
Now my Dad sometimes gets a bad reaction from mushrooms, so I wasn't all that surprised when I felt a bit achy and bloaty this morning.

First thing I did, before breakfast was go to the bathroom. Aside from the smell of garlic everything proceeded as normal.
About an hour later I feel another visit coming on. I left it as long as possible, hoping to get it all out this time.
I was in there a while and seemed to pass a vast amount! I mean goodness, I wondered where it was all coming from.

None of this made me unhappy.

It was when I went to flush. The handle broke. Turns out some vital connection in the cistern had expired.

I broke it at approx 10.45. HM is trying to fit the replacement part now. At 20.30. My stinky poo has been upstairs all this time and I am so ashamed.

SG - when I was visiting the home of friends in Mexico last week the handle on the toilet broke. I had to open the tank and reach in up to my elbow to open the flap.

Then I remembered that the sink was also broken and there was no soap.

Fortunately we were going to a restaurant for dinner and I was able to wash up there before we ate.

I know that the tank water was clean, but I still had the mental image of toilet water on my hands.

Just imagine fishing about fruitlessly for the best part of ten minutes.
Then confessing to your best (opposite gender) friend and have them work and curse and make calls and curse and go and buy superglue for him and hear him curse... all the time in the bathroom where you laid a toxic load.

Although you win on the fact it was someone else's house - at least I pay to stay here!

SG - couldn't you just reach in to the tank and open the flap by hand (what I did at my friend's house)? Or is it a different toilet design?

this whole goddamned thread is out of order!

SG, that's a really shitty break. Hope it's all working again now though. :)

oh, and you know what would have made it worse?

If you'd had to do another poo on top of the old one that didn't get flushed the first time.

Thanks the heavens for small mercies huh? ;)

i just really screwed the pooch. i don't know what i was thinking but i just shredded a REALLY important file that i'm supposed to keep for, like - FOREVER! this is not good.:thepain:

Can you put it back together like those Qing vases?

Get out the scotch tape...

Hell, just pull all the pieces off the top of the shred pile and mail them to me, I'll put them back together for a modest fee.

If not, you can get in line at the Chinese Job Fair.

see, the problem there is that i once had a client freak out about the normal little shredder i was using. so i got one of those fancy shredders so that it would take the whole cast of CSI a season's worth of episodes to unravel...

Pah! You haven't met my OCD. Now it's a challenge! It's cross-shredded at what, like a half-inch long? I mean it, I could put that shit back together.

I've always wondered about the shredders that don't "chad" the paper to death. I mean, given enough time, someone could repair the strip shredder kinds, couldn't they?

That's what I love about you, clod! :) I know you could do it.

Actually, you made me doubt. I've never heard of one that "chads" the paper. I'm assuming there are still flat pieces to work with, otherwise I retract my cockiness. :)

I'm just throwing words out there that don't mean anything, trying to be clever. 5th beer and all...but I really have thought about how it wouldn't be that hard to repair shreds if you were really meticulous, loved puzzles, and were OCD. We have that in common!

please don't mention beer :greenface or any other alcoholic beverage

ooops, sorry. ;)

Got word from chaperone (this can't be good, right?) on SonofV's field trip to the roller rink. He fell. He's ok, but when he got up, he left part of his tooth on the deck. Emergency dentist appointment in three hours.