The Daily Drift

The Daily Drift

Today's horoscope says:
One of the most important skills you still need to master is knowing when to ask for help.
It's important to not immediately call out to friends or coworkers if you feel like you're in over your head.
First take a deep breath and assess your situation.
Chances are things are nowhere near as daunting as you think.
Only when details pile up and obscure your route to success should you send up a signal.
The farther you can go on your own, the better.
Every step teaches you something.

Some of our readers today have been in:

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Jakarta, Jakarta Raya, Indonesia
London, England, United Kingdom
Rennes, Bretagne, France
Gloucester, England, United Kingdom
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Wurzburg, Bayern, Germany
Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Cork, Cork, Ireland
Pakanbaru, Riau, Indonesia
Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Moscow, Moskva, Russia
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

as well as Slovakia, Malta, Bulgaria, Israel, Finland, Austria, Norway, Georgia, Mexico, Peru, Kuwait, Serbia, Bangladesh, Latvia, Greece, Scotland, Hong Kong, Denmark, Wales, Iran, Singapore, Poland, Taiwan, Sweden, Afghanistan, Belgium, Tibet, Croatia, Pakistan, Romania, Paraguay, Sudan, Vietnam, Argentina, Cambodia, Egypt, France, Estonia, Puerto Rico, Maldives, Qatar, Brazil, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates, Slovenia, China, Iraq, Ecuador, Nigeria, Colombia, Chile, Honduras, Paupa New Guinea, Moldova, Venezuela, Germany, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Ireland, Czech Republic, Vietnam, Norway, Finland

and in cities across the United States such as Houston, Oakland, Cordova, Buffalo and more.

Today is:

Today is Thursday, May 5, the 125th day of 2011.

There are 240 days left in the year.

Today's unusual holidays or celebrations are:

Cartoonists Day
Martin Z. Mollusk Day
National Day of Reason
Totally Chipotle Day

and
Cinco De Mayo.

Don't forget to visit our sister blog!

Field of Poppies is Most Popular Mother's Day Picture

Photo: artdaily, Poppy Field in Argenteuil, Monet

The people have spoken and Monet's Poppy Field in Argenteuil turns out to be the most popular piece of art for Mother's Day this year.
An online art gallery has taken a poll of the most popular picture for mom and two million surfers of the net responded with a click for this beautiful field of red poppies. Mother and child pictures were popular but nature won.

Article continues: Field of Poppies is Most Popular Mother's Day Picture

The Prettiest towns in America

The prettiest towns across America

Stunning scenery and lots of activities make these must-see places stand out.  

Near San Fran, New York, St. Louis 

Also: 

• Awe-inspiring monuments
• The friendliest countries
• Private island resorts

B.C.

Mozilla tells DHS: we won't help you censor the Internet

The US Department of Homeland Security has asked the Mozilla Foundation to take down the "Mafiaa Fire" plugin, which automatically redirects browsers to the new URLs for sites that have had their .com and .net addresses seized in the latest round of the copyright wars. The Mozilla Foundation has firmly refused.

However, where ICE might have expected a swift take down from Mozilla, the legal and business affairs department of the tech company was not planning to honor the request so easily. "Our approach is to comply with valid court orders, warrants, and legal mandates, but in this case there was no such court order," Anderson explains.
According to Anderson complying with the request without any additional information would threaten open Internet principles. So, instead of taking the add-on offline they replied to ICE with a set of 11 well-crafted questions.

Homeland Security Wants Mozilla to Pull "Domain Seizure" Add-On

Mozilla's questions to the DHS

Looser security rules for fliers

TSA may relax rules for 'trusted travelers'

Some fliers could keep their shoes on during airport security checks.  

Who would be able to speed through 

Also: 

• Calls to raise threat level
• New rules on airline fees
• Flying cheaper than driving

Pro-Gaddafi forces fire on humanitarian ship in Misrata

The UN is going to have a lot more to work with for their crimes against humanity case.

The Guardian:

The Red Star 1, a ferry chartered by the International Organization for Migration, had been forced to wait outside Misrata for four days after loyalist troops planted sea mines and pounded the harbor with missiles.

The port controller has finally given the ship the go-ahead to dock following a lull in shelling. But as containers of food and medical supplies were being unloaded from the ship, up to a dozen missiles were fired into the area of the port where migrant workers were gathered.

Witnesses said one missile hit a Nigerian or Ghanaian family, killing at least two children and their mother. Others said that the father and a third child had also died.

All you can say is ... Idiots

Man Buys Cocaine, Calls 911

A South Carolina man who called police to complain that his cocaine dealer gave him the wrong change was in custody Thursday.

A Texas teacher is suspended after teasing Muslim student about bin Laden's death.

Man jailed for cowbell assault

A man alleged to have assaulted a Mississippi State student with a cowbell in 2009 was sentenced to 45 days in jail and a $500 fine after pleading guilty to a reduced assault charge on Monday in Oktibbeha County Circuit Court.

Brent Vowell withdrew his original not guilty plea and pleaded guilty to misdemeanor simple assault, a reduced charge from felony aggravated assault. A six-month sentence was reduced to 45 days based on future good behavior, according to a sentencing order signed by Circuit Judge Jim Kitchens. He will serve his sentence on weekends for the next two years starting on May 13.

Vowell was arrested and charged with aggravated assault after William Matthew Brasher suffered a head wound during an incident that occurred at the Egg Bowl on Nov. 28, 2009. Brasher and Vowell were students at the time of the incident. Brasher claims he suffered a 4-inch laceration when struck in the head with a steel cowbell, according to court documents related to a civil lawsuit. The separate civil suit is in the process of discovery.

Oxford attorney Doug Foster received approval from the court to add Mississippi State University and Event Operations Group to the suit as defendants last month. The lawsuit also lists the Southeastern Conference and Vowell as defendants. The suit seeks unspecified damages from the SEC and commissioner Mike Slive because the league had a "knowing refusal," the suit says, to enforce its own rule on artificial noisemakers.

Do you remember ...

41 years ago today ...

An article at the National Press Photographers Association provides context and an update on the current lives of John Filo, the photographer who would win the Pulitzer Prize, and Mary Vecchio, a 14-year-old girl whose reaction was captured on Tri-X film that day.

On The Job

Six careers that get you out of the office

Train for jobs in these fields and you won’t be squeezed into a cubicle.  

One occupation expected to grow 35% 

Also: 

• Upgrade your career
• Outlook for teen jobs
• Chipotle probe widens

I'm afraid of my paycheck: The most feared workplace phobias

"I'd love to accept the position," says Laura Walker, the eager, well-qualified 20-something you've just hired.

Full Story

A 1,000 Miles and $9.00 a Gallon

Volt goes 1,000 miles between fill-ups

The fuel numbers on GM's electric car are impressive, but there’s one catch.  

How Volt and Prius compare 

Also: 

• Research green autos
• Electric vehicle FAQs
• 40-mpg gas-powered cars

$9.00 Gasoline

In the U.S.: Rental car gas prices hit more than $9 a gallon.

The price of gasoline has reached more than $9 a gallon for drivers who don't pay ahead of time and who return their rental cars without a full tank.
A USA TODAY survey of auto rental gas prices at 13 big airports on April 25 found Hertz was charging $9.29 a gallon at all 13. Dollar and Thrifty were charging $8.99 a gallon at two.
At $9.29 a gallon, Hertz customers renting a Ford Club Wagon, which has a 35-gallon fuel tank, would owe Hertz $325.15 for gas if they returned the wagon with a nearly empty tank and hadn't prepaid for the gas.

But don't forget:

Renters who pay ahead of time for a tank of gas from Hertz or another car rental company, though, may find the per-gallon price cheaper than at many local gas stations.

So you'll want to return the car with only 7-8 drops remaining.

Fortune 500 surprises

Surprises among the Fortune 500

It's no wonder oil refiners are prospering, but one mortgage company managed to crack the top 10. 

Who's No. 1? 

Also: 

• Job market rebounding
• Corporate tax loopholes
• Best firms to work for

State pensions in worst shape

Where state pensions are running dry

These ten public funds face the most trouble, according to a new study.

One can pay just 51% of benefits 

Also: 

• California budget woes
• Debt ceiling battle
• Buying versus renting

Big shift in U.S. millionaires

Major shift in number of U.S. millionaires

Despite the recession, experts predict a doubling in the number of seven-figure families.  

Which country will be No. 1 

Also: 

• How to be a millionaire
• World's top billionaires
• Middle-class crisis

There's homes and then there's homes

The most expensive homes for sale in U.S.

Mansions such as a 123-room estate with a barbershop list for more than $50 million apiece. 

Eye-popping photos 

Also: 

• Trump's luxury homes
• 'Real Housewife' moving
• Renovate for under $500

The Crop Circle House

The Aliens may have been trying to tell us something by leaving those crop circles all those years; crop circles would be a neat design for a house. Jolson Architecture in Australia got the message by designing the Earth House. See link for gallery images.

Full Story

Non Sequitur

Savings moves that don't pay

When cost-cutting goes horribly wrong

Good intentions can become brutally expensive if you set unrealistic expectations.

Dangers of DIY 

Also: 

• Saving $14K in a year
• Vacations for under $500
• Trimming wedding bills

Simple fixes for tech problems

Simple solutions to annoying tech problems

Extend battery life, find deleted photos, and improve your Wi-Fi with these easy tips.  

Cheap screen fixes 

Also: 

• Gadgets' secret powers
• Take better photographs
• Tech thieves hit Starbucks

What Is The Hardest Language To Learn?

The time it takes to learn a language depends on a number of factors: How close the language is to your native language or other languages you know. How complex the language is. How many hours you devote to learning the language. The language learning resources available to you. And of course, your motivation.

Here's a look at which languages are easiest and most difficult for English speakers to pick up.

Dewey, Cheatem & Howe

Some background on one of the world's most famous companies: Dewey, Cheatem & Howe.

Dewey, Cheatem & Howe is the gag name of a fictional law firm or fictional accounting firm, used in several parody settings. For example, a popular Three Stooges poster features the Stooges as bumbling members of such a firm (although the name was never used in an actual episode, "Dewey, Burnham, and Howe" was used). Similarly, mention of a firm by this name is employed by comic figures such as Johnny Carson, Groucho Marx, and Daffy Duck.
The name pokes fun at the perceived propensity of some lawyers to take advantage of their clients (as in the hypothetical question, "Do we cheat them, and [if so] how?"). Many law professors perversely work "Dewey, Cheatem & Howe" into the hypotheticals presented on final exams, especially in professional responsibility and legal ethics courses. The name is also used more broadly as a placeholder for any hypothetical law firm.

Their office, shown here, is in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Stealth and Secret

Boeing Phantom Ray Makes Maiden Flight

The US military is making ever more use of unmanned fighters and intelligence
gathering aircraft. The great thing about this type of aircraft is that they can loiter over some far away battlefield for a long time, and if they are shot down, no lives are at risk. The Being Phantom Ray Stealth UAV made its first flight this week and is on its way to becoming the first stealth UAV in the arsenal. The Phantom Ray is the size of a fighter aircraft, and its maiden voyage took it to 7,500 feet and a speed of 178 knots.

“The first flight moves us farther into the next phase of unmanned aircraft,” said Craig Brown, Phantom Ray program manager for Boeing. “Autonomous, fighter-sized unmanned aircraft are real, and the UAS bar has been raised. Now I’m eager to see how high that bar will go.”

Full Story

Did bin Laden raid reveal new helicopter?

Some experts believe a previously classified stealth craft went down in the compound assault.  

The evidence 

Also: 

• Obama: No photo release
• U.S. yearns for SEALs
• The case for gloating

New York co. to brew Washington's beer

George Washington is famous for many things.
Yet it's safe to say few know the nation's founding father created a recipe for beer.

This photo from the New York Public Library shows George Washington's handwritten recipe for beer.

Full Story

Last WWI vet dies at 110

Last known WWI combat veteran dies at 110

Claude Choules, who watched the Germans surrender in 1918, joined the navy at age 14.

His surprising stance 

Also: 

• Claude Choules photos
• WWII pilots reunite
• Hungarian war crimes trial

Seven Grimm’s Fairy Tales That Would Make Great Movies

We are all familiar with the classics like Snow White and Hansel and Gretel but what are some of the original Grimm Fairy Tales that would make great (Non Disney) movies? My favorite from the title alone is “The Devil’s Smelly Brother.”

Full Story

Odds and Sods

German mayor rescues man trapped in women's prison 

A mayor in Germany helped rescue a man who became trapped in a women's prison after mistaking it for a shortcut to a nearby park, police in the northern city of Hildesheim said on Wednesday.

Culinary DeLites

Why some people can't stand cilantro

A flavorful ingredient often used to perk up salsa may be the world's most polarizing herb.  

'Tastes like soap' 

Also: 

• Cinco de Mayo
• How to make salsa
• New hottest pepper

The tastiest supermarket olive oil

These best buys are affordable, widely available, and please even the most gourmet palates.  

Four winners 

Also: 

• Top-rated kitchen gear
• Stylish small kitchens
• Cooking with olive oil

Nine of the most unhealthy soups

One restaurant serves a broth that packs nearly twice the recommended daily sodium.  

Worst supermarket pick 

Also: 

• Tasty soups to make
• Saltiest restaurant foods
• Smart treats from store

Ziggy

Surprising sleep problems

Sleep problems you may not know about

Morning breath or dry mouth could be signs you're not getting as much sleep as you think.  

What to watch for 

Also: 

• Natural sleep remedies
• Tips to recharge faster
• Why you're cranky

Germs lurk in odd places

Germs' unexpected public hiding places

Break out the hand sanitizer after pushing a grocery cart or reading a menu.  

Elsewhere bacteria lurk 

Also: 

• 7 spring allergy myths
• Sleep's impact on brain
• Guilt-free Mexican food

Australian woman the first to be saved with synthetic blood

An Australian woman's life has been saved using a radical synthetic blood substitute made from cow plasma.

In a world first, doctors at The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne brought 33-year-old Tamara Coakley back from the brink after a car crash left her with severe blood loss and close to heart failure.

She was barely alive when she arrived at hospital. "I had one liter of blood left in my body," she said.

In a last-ditch effort to save Ms Coakley's life, 10 units of the haemoglobin-based oxygen carrier HBOC201 were flown in from the US.

Full Story

Science News

• Rice crops 'have single origin'

  Scientists have shed new light on the origins of rice, one of the most important staple foods today.
  

• Scientists turn 'bad fat' good

  Scientists believe they have found a way to turn body fat into a better type of fat that actually burns off calories and weight.

NASA probe proves Einstein correct

Huge objects in the universe distort space and time with the force of their gravity, scientists said today after a NASA probe confirmed two key parts of Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity.

"Einstein survives," chuckled Francis Everitt, Stanford University physicist and principal investigator for Gravity Probe B (GP-B), one of the US space agency's longest running projects.

The physics experiment was more than four decades in the making, and finally launched in 2004.

Full Story

Telescopes snag Meathook Galaxy

This picture of the Meathook Galaxy was taken by the Wide Field Imager on the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at La Silla, Chile.

Full Story

Photopic Sky Survey

Open your eyes to the hidden night. What do you see? This was the anthropic question of a year-long photographic project dubbed the Photopic Sky Survey, meant to reveal the entire night sky as if it rivaled the brightness of day. In it we see tens of millions of stars, the glowing factories of newborn ones, and a rich tapestry of dust all floating on a stage of unimaginable proportions.

The Photopic Sky Survey is a 5,000 megapixel photograph of the entire night sky stitched together from 37,440 exposures. Large in size and scope, it portrays a world far beyond the one beneath our feet and reveals our familiar Milky Way with unfamiliar clarity.

Peanut Dance

Extinct 'wolf' hunted like a cat

Extinct 'wolf' hunted like a cat 

The extinct Australian carnivore known as a thylacine was an ambush predator that could not outrun its prey over long distances, according to a new analysis.

Animal Babies

This Pudu is adorable ...

The Southern Pudu is the smallest species of deer in the world, and one was recently born at a zoo in Belfast, UK. When fully grown, Pudu are about 17 inches tall. This baby weighs only as much as a pint of milk! You can view more pictures at the link.

Full Story

And so is this baby Aardvark

Cute alert! Meet Busch Gardens Tampa Bay’s newest addition: a baby aardvark!

The young male aardvark was born at Busch Gardens on April 10. Busch Gardens’ animal care experts stepped in when they saw that the mother was not attentive.
There are only about 35 aardvarks in zoos in North America.With fewer than a dozen successful births each year, aardvark births are not common. They are solitary by nature, only Busch Gardens is home to a male and female, with the cub making three. He will be raised in Jambo Junction – located in the Nairobi area of the park – and will become one of the park’s educational Animal Ambassadors.

More photos at the official webpage: here.

Show-Stealing Critter Poses With Tourists At Table Mountain

It may have got in the way of this tourists' photo, but at least this little creature was polite enough to show its best smile for the camera. The rock hyrax (Procavia capensis) popped into view just as Briton Nadine Dougherty posed with her Spanish friend Laura Molina on top of Table Mountain in South Africa.

Guido Del Solar, who took the picture, said: I was taking the picture and suddenly this animal appeared right in front of the camera just as I pressed down on the button. I thought it would keep in running past but it stopped and looked at the camera.

Animal Pictures

Yes, there is an animal in this picture.

Can you see it.