There is a huge blob of stuff floating around, just going with the current. And just how big is this blob of crap?? 15 miles long!

So, of course, people were sent to investigate and try to figure out what the substance is.

Petty Officer 1st Class Terry Hasenauer said "It's certainly biological. It's definitely not an oil product of any kind. It has no characteristics of an oil, or a hazardous substance, for that matter. It's definitely, by the smell and the makeup of it, it's some sort of naturally occurring organic or otherwise marine organism."

So that's good news... it's not harmful oil or toxic waste or anything. So that rules those options out... but still, nobody knows what it is.

Gordon Brower with the North Slope Borough's Planning and Community Services Department also got a good look at the goop. Brower said, "That's one of the reasons we went out, because in recent history I don't think we've seen anything like this. Maybe inside lakes or in stagnant water or something, but not (in the ocean) that we could recall ... If it was something we'd seen before, we'd be able to say something about it. But we haven't ...which prompted concerns from the local hunters and whaling captains. From the air it looks brownish with some sheen, but when you get close and put it up on the ice and in the bucket, it's kind of blackish stuff ... (and) has hairy strands on it."

Samples have been brought in for analization. The large blog could just be a giant algae bloom. I'm curious! 

Photo: North Slope Borough

Remember a few months ago, when we mentioned Microsoft was going to open retail stores? Well, the retail stores are still in Microsoft's big plan, but now there are more details!

Microsoft is planning to open its retail stores very close to Apple's stores, in some cases, possibly as close as right next door! A Microsoft spokesperson said "There will be scenarios where we have stores in proximity to Apple."

And THEN, Microsoft COO Kevin Turner said "We're going to have some retail stores opened up right next door to Apple stores this fall."

Hm. Do you think the Microsoft stores will do well? Many people are having doubts as to whether or not Microsoft can really hold their own in a full on Microsoft-only retail store. Guess we'll find out this fall!

Yeah. For the first time EVER. Wonderful. Great. Super.

This comes after all the money the government spent trying to get the U.S. OUT of the recession. This could make people question the value of the dollar and it could make foreign buyers of our debt a little nervous, causing them to think twice, and possibly not be willing to put their money out there for the U.S. anymore.

Hm. This SUPER SUCKS.

Read more about what exactly is going on with this. Everyone should be informed and understand all the political and economic goings on in this country. Educate yourself!

AND IT'S NOT US! WOOHOO!

It's the FRENCH! According to Expedia's survery of 4500 hotel owners across the globe.

Expedia's Marketing Director Timothee de Roux told the France Info radio station "It's mainly the fact that hey speak little or no English when they're abroad, and they don't speak much of the local language. The French don't go abroad very much. We're lucky enough to have a country which is magnificent in terms of its landscape and cutlure. So when they're on holiday they can be a bit stressed, they're not used to things, and this can lead them to be demanding in a way which could be seen as a certain arrogance."

Hm. And who ranked as the best tourests in this Best Tourist survey? THE JAPANESE! Not surprised. They spend tons of money when they're vacationing. 

I have to tell you, when I read this article this morning, I was a bit baffled. I just don't get it.

David Arquette is going to live in a box in New York City. For 2 days he will stay in a Plexiglas box above the Madison Square Garden marquee. This will be Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, I believe. Anyway, he is doing this to raise $250,000 for Feeding America. Donations can be made via text messages or a Facebook page that Mars Inc. (candy people) set up.

So that's all fantastic and everything, but here are the 2 things I don't understand. 1 - he's not really going to be in the box for 2 whole days. He will be in the box for 8 hours a day for 2 days. So that's not really being in a box for 2 days, is it? 2 - a spokesman for Mars said that David Arquette WILL eat during his non-consecutive 16 hours in the box. Um. I may be wrong here, but don't most people who are doing short things like this to raise money for hunger do a fast of some sort? It's only 2 days. Anyone can fast for 2 days.

Anyway, it's a great thing he's doing and it's great that he and Mars are raising money for such a wonderful organization. I just think it's odd. 

That's right! General Motors, as of today (Friday) has exited bankruptcy protection. They spent the night signing tons and tons of papers authorizing cash transfers, real estate transfers, and the transfers of technology and other property.

So, 61% of this new GM is owned by the U.S. government. And it's coming out of bankruptcy protection and into the insanely competitive auto market that's in a fantasticly terrible sales slump right now. Great.

And at a press conference today, GM CEO Fritz Henderson is expected to announce that GM will cut another 4,000 jobs, 450 of which will be top executives. Bummer. 

So... great they made it to the other side of Chapter 11... super sucks they're letting people go. 

As I mentioned before, Honduran President Zelaya has been dealing with some issues. Like that Congress appointed another President, Roberto Micheletti. President Manuel Zelaya said he was going to finish out his term, which would end in January, but Congress had other ideas.

Zelaya is internationally recognized as the President of Honduras, though it is Micheletti who is backed by the country's congress, courts and military. This is the first military coup in Central America in about 16 years. And currently, Presidents from around Latin America are gathering in Nicaragua for meetings to discuss how to resolve this coup. The European Union has also offered to help with talks between the two sides.

Eurpoean governments, along with the Obama administration, denounced the coup, but Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has another thought on it. Chavez said "If the oligarchies break the rules of the game as they have done, the people have the right to resistance and combat, and we are with them."

Let me quickly explain a bit about one of the issues here. Current President Zelaya was calling for a referendum, which others claimed was his attempt to stay in power longer than the current Honduran constitution limit of one 4-year presidential term. Zelaya's opponents were afraid he would use the referendum results to try to run again... much like Chavez reformed his country's constitution in order to seek repeated re-elections. So, that is where much of this current strife comes from... Zelaya's term is almost over, he's not all that popular, and people are thinking he's trying to figure out a way to be re-elected.

It is everyone's hope that this can be resolved peacefully. So, we'll see what happens... we will be keeping an eye on this. 

And it passed the House! Barely... it was a 219 to 212 vote in the House this past Friday. Now for the Senate. Senate passage of this bill is much less certain, but we're crossing our fingers. C'mon America! Get with it! WE HAVE TO PASS THIS BILL! We HAVE to cut our dependence on foreign oil and coal! NOW is the time! We have to clean up our act and fix this problem... we can't leave this one for our kids and grandkids to deal with... that's just not fair!

That would be the question.

Honduran President Manuel Zelaya claims he was the victim of "a coup" and a "brutal kidnapping" by soldiers. Carlos Enrique Reina told The Associated Press that Zelaya was taken into military custody at his house outside Tegucigalpa and whisked away to an air force base on the outskirts of the city.

The detention of Zelaya comes just before voting was set to beging on a constitutional referendum. One that Zelaya insisted on holding, despite the fact that the Supreme Court had ruled it was illegal. Everyone from Congress to the military, and even members of his own party had opposed it.

In a statement, President Obama said "I am deeply concerned by reports coming out of Honduras regarding the detention and expulsion of President Mel Zelaya. As the Organization of American States did on Friday, I call on all political and social actors in Honduras to respect democratic norms, the rule of law and the tenets of the Inter-American Democratic Charter."

So, what's going on in Honduras? How will this play out? Hopefully peacefully, but I doubt it. Supporters of Zelaya were seen today throwing rocks at the soldiers surrounding the air force base calling out "Traitors!", so only time will tell how this will end...