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The place where the world comes together in honesty and mirth.
Windmills Tilted, Scared Cows Butchered, Lies Skewered on the Lance of Reality ... or something to that effect.


Thursday, June 16, 2011

The Daily Drift

The Daily Drift
Today's horoscope says:
Teaching an old dog new tricks isn't hard when the dog wants to improve itself!
You can sense something new starting in your life, so why not go with this feeling and make some personal changes?
In order to take advantage of an upcoming transition, you'll have to let go of a few old habits.
But one glimpse at your possible future will show you that all the effort will be worthwhile.
Today you will be handed a golden opportunity on a silver platter.

Some of our readers today have been in:
London, England, United Kingdom
Gengenbach, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany
Manila, Manila, Philippines
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Paris, Ile-De-France, France
Berne, Bern, Switzerland
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Annecy, Rhone-Alpes, France
Makati, Manila, Philippines
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Stoke On Trent, England, United kingdom
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Lille, Nord-Pas-De-Calais, France
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Manchester, England, United Kingdom
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Chisinau, Chisinau, Moldova
Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

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 New York City, Phoenix, Colorado Springs, Athens and more.

Today is:
Today is Thursday, June 16, the 167th day of 2011.
There are 198 days left in the year.


Today's unusual holidays or celebrations are:
Bloomsday
Fudge Day
and
Recess at Work Day.

Don't forget to visit our sister blog!

United Nations Declares Internet Access a Human Right

The next time your significant other complains that you spend too much time online you can tell them that internet access is a human right. So says the United Nations in a report released this past week citing how the Internet has become vital in ensuring freedom of expression.
As LaRue highlighted, Internet access can be particularly valuable during times of political unrest, as evidenced in the Arab Spring uprisings. LaRue emphasized the power of the Internet as a communication medium and said in his report that, “given that the Internet has become an indispensable tool for realizing a range of human rights, combating inequality, and accelerating development and human progress, ensuring universal access to the Internet should be a priority for all states.”

Classic Humorous Photos From Life Magazine

For many years, Life Magazine signed off with an amusing photograph designed to leave the reader laughing. People and pets by the score, caught by the camera in surprising, side-splitting poses. These rib-tickling photographs were submitted over the years by LIFE's loyal readers.

Getting away from it all

One price covers everything from bungee jumping to butler service at these hotels.  
Also: 
It's possible to enjoy royal treatment on your vacation without having to pay a king's ransom.
Also: 

    How TV hurts your health

    Just a couple hours of TV viewing a night can do serious damage to your body.  
    Also: 

      A Smart Bandage Reveals Healing


      Melbourne researchers have developed smart bandages that change color to reveal the state of the wound beneath. Their invention could reduce the $500 million cost of chronic wound care in Australia. They've created a fabric that changes color in response to temperature - showing changes of less than 0.5 of a degree.

      When incorporated into a bandage it will allow nurses to quickly identify healing problems such as infection or interruptions to the blood supply, which are typically accompanied by a local increase or decrease in temperature. So far the team has created the fabric. Within six months they'll have turned it into a bandage, and then they'll work with industry to trial the new bandages.

      Why Rabies Is Still a Problem

      Rabies
      In light of a spate of rabies attacks, take a closer look at the disease, its risks and how you can avoid it.   

      Yet another Amazon activist killed in Brazil

      This is getting ridiculous. The Brazilian government really needs to step up security.
      Another land campaigner in Brazil's Amazon region has been shot dead, bringing the number of activists killed over the past month to at least five.

      The body of Obede Loyla Souza was found in dense forest surrounding his home in the northern state of Para.

      The 31-year-old had argued with illegal loggers in the area, according to a church group.
      Another take on this story:
      Amazon rainforest photo
      Photo: Wikipedia, Public domain.
      The Stakes Couldn't Be Higher
      Obede Loyla Souza was shot dead, and the most likely cause of his violent killing was a conflict between activists and companies over land and logging in Brazil's rainforest region. This is the fifth murder in a month that is believed to be linked to this situation, and the witness of one of these murders was also killed. "Witnesses who did not want to give their name told Hilario Lopes Costa, a co-ordinator for the watchdog Catholic Land Pastoral [CLP] in Para, said they saw four men in a pickup truck asking for Souza. They and Souza's wife are now afraid for their lives as well," Costa told the media.

      Article continues: Amazon Anti-Logging Activist Murdered, Fifth Time this Happens in the Past Month...

      Bin Laden tipsters arrested

      Five informants who helped the U.S. plot its raid are reportedly swept up by the military.  
      Also: 

      'Iceman' may haunt CIA

      Abu Ghraib's most notorious unfinished investigation could still lead to torture charges.
      Also: 

        Ten Global Businesses That Worked With The Nazis

        This list details how current global brands and companies worked with history’s most hated regime. Some of these businesses were German to begin with, but what I thought was an urban legend about Fanta being made by the Coca Cola company specifically for war time Germany turns out to be true.

        It’s scary just how efficient the Nazis were at directing an entire country, including its population and industry, towards their evil goals. Everyone knows about the big three corporations that worked with the Nazis. Hugo Boss designed the intimidating uniforms of the SS (as well as the drabber brown shirts of the SA and the the Hitler Youth); Volkswagen designed the Beetle at Hitler’s behest and churned them out using slave labor; and IBM designed the punch cards that were used to systematize the extermination of people by race and class.

        Universal Nightmare

        http://www.bartcop.com/palin-nightmare-11.jpg
        Well, I'll be damned! Faux News got it correct for once!

        Scientist who once said global warming "not significant" now says new data shows it is

        Another wingnut 'data' point gone with the increasingly warm wind.

        From the BBC:
        Climate warming since 1995 is now statistically significant, according to Phil Jones, the UK scientist targeted in the "ClimateGate" affair.

        Last year, he told BBC News that post-1995 warming was not significant - a statement still seen on blogs critical of the idea of man-made climate change.

        But another year of data has pushed the trend past the threshold usually used to assess whether trends are "real".

        Dr Jones says this shows the importance of using longer records for analysis.

        Qaddafi Sends Nice Thank-You Note

        Boehner gets "thank you" letter from Qaddafi
        Oops.

        The man may be an evil dictator, but he has good manners: Qaddafi Thanks U.S. Lawmakers for Challenging Obama on Libya.
        Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi has written to members of Congress thanking them for criticizing President Obama last week over his involvement in the NATO-led military campaign in Libya.
        “I want to express my sincere gratitude for your thoughtful discussion of the issues,” Colonel Qaddafi wrote in the letter, a copy of which was supplied to The New York Times by a person seeking to defend the administration’s policy. “We are confident that history will see the wisdom of your country in debating these issues.”
        thank you

        Odds and Sods

        A Mason City man who faces up to 10 years in prison for robbing a convenience store says he wishes he'd listened to his mother.

        500-year-old book for sale in Utah for $35,00. Yeah but is it worth reading?

        Wal-Mart Loses Appeal

        Labor news: Wal-Mart loses $187.6 million appeal over worker breaks.
        walmart-greeter Wal-Mart Stores Inc has lost its appeal of most of a $187.6 million verdict for Pennsylvania hourly workers who accused the world's largest retailer of denying them meal and rest breaks.
        A three-judge panel of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania on Friday said there was sufficient evidence for Philadelphia jurors in 2006 to conclude that Wal-Mart's practices violated state wage and hour laws. It also said Wal-Mart's own internal review uncovered violations regarding "off-the-clock" work.
        The case was brought on behalf of about 187,000 current and former Wal-Mart workers in Pennsylvania from 1998 to 2006.
        The original settlement included $45.6 million in legal fees, but that will probably be reduced. Let's call it $30 million. That leaves $157.6 million for 187,000 workers. If it's divided evenly, it amounts to $843 each.
        ***
        Damn, that means they have to actually pay their employees now!

        The most outrageous wills

        Some of the world's richest people snubbed their families in favor of pets — and total strangers. 
        Also: 

        Non Sequitur

        http://d.yimg.com/a/p/uc/20110616/largeimagenq110616.gif

        Obama pushes jobs plan in N.C.

        President Barack Obama promoted job creation Monday in politically important North Carolina, trying to assure Americans he's focused on their Number One priority

        On The Job

        Workers may be thinking these things, but they definitely won't tell their managers.
        Also: 
          Enrolling in one of these programs can make you a stronger candidate.  
          Also: 
            Use these techniques to help yourself get around common roadblocks at work. 
            Also: 
            Providence educators get a chance to win back their jobs in a process akin to speed dating. 
            Also: 
              Though the employment landscape is tough, not all news is bad for graduates.  
              Also: 

                What lowers a home's value

                The wrong types of renovation and landscaping are big turnoffs to potential buyers.
                Also: 

                Consumer prices rise by smallest in 6 months

                Americans paid more for food, cars and clothing in May.
                But overall consumer prices rose by the smallest amount in six months, slowed by the first drop in energy costs in nearly a year.

                Is it safe to bank online?

                The recent Citibank hacking shows why you need to take these precautions.  
                Also: 

                  Credit, Credit and No More Credit

                  A downgrade by credit agencies could have big implications if you want to get a loan or credit card.  
                  Also: 
                    Paying your credit card bills before their statement dates can boost your rating.  
                    Also: 

                      Ziggy

                      http://d.yimg.com/a/p/uc/20110616/largeimagezi110616.gif

                      Manage Your Life


                      Also:

                      Healthy Living

                      What happens when you drink soda for years

                      Also:

                      Culinary DeLites

                      Avoid extra pounds by skipping these concoctions, including a monster 1,920-calorie milkshake.
                      Also: 

                        Cicada Ice Cream? A Big Buzz That Was Short Lived

                        cicada on blades of grass photo.jpg
                        When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. When life gives you cicadas, make ice cream? It may not make sense to many of us, but that is what the owners of Sparky's Homemade Ice Cream in Colombia, Missouri did. Cicadas are back and buzzing in many states this year, including Missouri. Millions of these insects, which appear every 13-years, have been swarming vast stretches of the South and Midwest, noisily searching for mates. The owners at Sparky's, always up for a new flavor challenge, decided to try adding some extra crunch and protein to a brown sugar and butter flavor ice cream base by adding boiled cicadas. The flavor had a big debut on June 1st and was an immediate hit, and sold out its initial and only batch. The flavor had a short lived run after the owners called the health department.

                        Photographer Series

                        5833665378_d3f969cab7_b.jpg
                        Nicholas Longtin took this photo in Norway and he explains:
                        The fjord town of Flom has beautiful farm lands. Many of the farmers have their land defined by these very old stone walls. Because of the incredible moisture, moss and other plants grow on everything.

                        Entire city on threatened list

                        A preservation group makes the unusual move of calling a popular Southern city imperiled.  
                        Also: 

                        Eerie images of old warships

                        After serving in multiple wars, the scores of abandoned vessels now form a floating ghost town.  
                        Also: 

                        Dead Sea threatened both by shrinking and flooding

                        The Dead Sea is dying, goes the conventional wisdom: The water level of the fabled salty lake is dropping nearly 4 feet a year.

                        Awesome Pictures

                        http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lmeh4sv5X11qeft5ho1_500.jpg

                        Iceman Had Bad Teeth

                        oetzi
                        The 5,300-year-old mummy suffered from cavities, possibly brought on by a high-carb diet.  

                        Iron-Age French were beer brewers

                        Pint of beerIron-Age French were beer brewers

                        Archaeologists have uncovered the first evidence of the home-brewing of beer in southeastern France - from some 2,500 years ago.

                        B.C.

                        http://d.yimg.com/a/p/uc/20110616/largeimagecrbc110616.gif

                        Secret Lives and Extinction

                        A badger, SPLThe secret life of badgers
                        Magnetic fields and sensors are helping zoologists map what badgers do when they go underground

                        Forest elephant in a national park in Congo (Image: Stephen Blake) Elephant extinction Africa's forest elephants follow the mammoth

                        Eagles attack at post office

                        A pair of unfriendly birds create a difficult — and ironic — situation in one U.S. town.
                        Also: 

                        Worries Over a Misspelling Doomed Bird to Extinction

                        great indian bustard photo  
                        To the natural world, the words we use to name things are largely arbitrary, so who could have guessed that a single vowel will likely lead to the demise of an entire species? Great Indian Bustards, among the largest flying birds, were once widespread throughout their native India, though now they number around 250 with extinction looming. There was a time, however, when bustards were the obvious choice for India's national bird, promising with it the strict protections that title entails -- but bustards lost out. It seems officials were concerned that 'bustard' could be too easily misspelled and mispronounced as 'bastard', so they basically doomed it to extinction.

                        Upping the cute factor

                        http://www.bartcop.com/wildlife-110613.jpg
                        I want mine medium rare.

                        Dogs And Sprinklers

                         
                        On a hot summer day, there is nothing that a dog likes better than a lawn sprinkler. Dogs can have more fun with a lawn sprinkler than anything else. It will provide them with a lot of exercise and also keep them cool.

                        Czechs return rare wild horses to the wild

                         An army transport plane flew Tuesday from a military airport to take four rare wild horses to Mongolia as part of the Prague Zoo's efforts to reintroduce the endangered species to its native habitat.

                        Animal Stories

                        Cross-Eyed Opossum And Other Animal Oddities 
                        Opossum
                        Explore some unusual creatures in this slide show and find out just how wild the animal kingdom can get. Read more

                        Dogs Likely Born with 'Canine Telepathy'
                        Dogs Likely Born with 'Canine Telepathy'
                        Dogs are so in tune with us that they can read our minds, according to a new study.  

                        Diving Bell Spider Uses Bubble Like Gills
                        diving bell spider
                        A bubble of air inside an underwater silk sack allows one species of spider to remain underwater for hours at a time.  

                        Ducklings Following Dog Explained
                        yogi and ducklings
                        Why are these adorable ducklings following this dog around? An avian expert explains.