CAROLINA NATURALLY: Oct 29, 2011

Saturday, October 29, 2011

The Daily Drift

The Daily Drift

Today's horoscope says:

It's time for you to see the world as a big, beautiful ball covered in happy people who want only the best for one another.

Sure, the morning news might poke a few holes in your idealism, but there's no law that says you have to admit that the world isn't as wonderful as you want it to be.

Pretending that things are unwaveringly rosy gets easier the more often you try it -- and although it's not good to live in denial, it's okay to visit it every once in a while.

Some of our readers today have been in:
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Turku, Western Finland, Finland
Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
Bath, England, United Kingdom
Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Seoul, Kyonggi-Do, Korea
Bilbao, Pais Vasco, Spain
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Bandar Sei Begawan, Brunei and Muara, Brunei Darussalam
Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia
Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Canberra, Australian, Capital Territory, Australia
Rome, Lazio, Italy
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Paris, Ile, De-France, France
Khartoum, AL Khartum, Sudan
Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland
Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Jakarta, Jakarta Raya, Indonesia
Crawley, England, United Kingdom
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Budapest, Budapest, Hungary
Valencia, Comunidad Valencia, Spain
Brussels, Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, Belgium
Ankara, Ankara, Turkey
Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
As, Askershus, Norway
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
London, England, United Kingdom
Tweed Heads, New South Wales, Australia

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 Childersburg, Fitchburg, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and more!

Today is:

Today is Saturday, October 29, the 302nd day of 2011.

There are 63 days left in the year.

Today's unusual holiday or celebration is:

World Psoriasis Day

Don't forget to visit our sister blog!

Non Sequitur

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President Obama's Weekly Address

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
Saturday, October 29, 2011

This week, a new economic report confirmed what most Americans already believe to be true: over the past three decades, the middle class has lost ground while the wealthiest few have become even wealthier. In fact, the average income for the top one percent of Americans has risen almost seven times faster than the income of the average middle class family. And this has happened during a period where the cost of everything from health care to college has skyrocketed.
Now, in this country, we don’t begrudge anyone wealth or success – we encourage it. We celebrate it. But America is better off when everyone has had the chance to get ahead – not just those at the top of the income scale. The more Americans who prosper, the more America prospers.
Rebuilding an economy where everyone has the chance to succeed will take time. Our economic problems were decades in the making, and they won’t be solved overnight. But there are steps we can take right now to put people back to work and restore some of the security that middle-class Americans have lost over the last few decades.
Right now, Congress can pass a set of common-sense jobs proposals that independent economists tell us will boost the economy right away. Proposals that will put more teachers, veterans, construction workers and first responders back on the job. Proposals that will cut taxes for virtually every middle class family and small business in America. These are the same kinds of proposals that both Democrats and Republicans have supported in the past. And they should stop playing politics and act on them now.
These jobs proposals are also paid for by asking folks who are making more than a million dollars a year to contribute a little more in taxes. These are the same folks who have seen their incomes go up so much, and I believe this is a contribution they’re willing to make. One survey found that nearly 7 in 10 millionaires are willing to step up and pay a little more in order to help the economy.
Unfortunately, Republicans in Congress aren’t paying attention. They’re not getting the message. Over and over, they have refused to even debate the same kind of jobs proposals that Republicans have supported in the past – proposals that today are supported, not just by Democrats, but by Independents and Republicans all across America. And yet, somehow, they found time this week to debate things like whether or not we should mint coins to celebrate the Baseball Hall of Fame. Meanwhile, they’re only scheduled to work three more weeks between now and the end of the year.
The truth is, we can no longer wait for Congress to do its job. The middle-class families who’ve been struggling for years are tired of waiting. They need help now. So where Congress won’t act, I will.
This week, we announced a new policy that will help families whose home values have fallen refinance their mortgages and save thousands of dollars. We’re making it easier for veterans to get jobs putting their skills to work in hospitals and community health centers. We reformed the student loan process so more young people can get out of debt faster. And we’re going to keep announcing more changes like these on a regular basis.
These steps will make a difference. But they won’t take the place of the bold action we need from Congress to get this economy moving again. That’s why I need all of you to make your voices heard. Tell Congress to stop playing politics and start taking action on jobs. If we want to rebuild an economy where every American has the chance to get ahead, we need every American to get involved. That’s how real change has always happened, and that’s how it’ll happen today.
Thank you.

Super Saturday

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Don't forget to stop and smell the flowers!

It's time to 'Fall Back'

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Where to 'travel back in time'

Five fantastic time-warp places

Travel back to the heyday of a historic Gold Rush town or get a taste of colonial life in America.

Top spots in the U.S.

Also:

How Samhain became Halloween

Top cities for trick-or-treating

America's top cities for trick-or-treating

Hoard-worthy goodies, walkability, and safety make these places perfect for Halloween.

The best neighborhoods

Also:

Crabby Road

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WTF

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We don't EVEN want to know ...

Daily Comic Relief

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Anti-Muslim gun ad spurs probe

Gun ad singles out Obama voters, Muslims

A Texas man's provocative pitch sparks national scrutiny — and an investigation.

'I call it exercising my right to choose'

Also:

Get a load of that overly wide brimmed hat - could it be someone is compensating for a distinct lack of ... ahem, brains?

Banks wary of new card fees

Banks steering clear of new card fees

Most big institutions are reluctant to face the backlash over a recent $5 fee for debit cards.

Who's holding back

Also:

Chase Drops Debit Card Fee, Bofa To Adjust Plans

Chase is joining the list of banks that won't be charging customers to use their debit cards, as the backlash over Bank of America's planned $5 monthly fee continues.

Full Story

Bank of America tries to backtrack on $5 debit card fee

Do you think they now realize how angry they made customers? It's possible that they pushed things too far, too many times and they've lost customers for good. One can only hope that's the case.

Bank of America Corp, after receiving heavy public criticism for a planned $5 per-month debit card fee, is likely to give customers more ways to avoid the fee, a person familiar with the bank's plans said Friday.

The second largest U.S. bank is likely to allow many customers to avoid the fee by taking measures such as maintaining minimum balances, having paychecks direct deposited, or using Bank of America credit cards, the person said.

Under earlier plans, customers might have needed balances totaling $20,000 across all their Bank of America accounts to avoid the fee.

Twins divided over protests

Twins divided by 'Occupy' protests

The fight on Wall Street turns personal as sisters find themselves on opposite sides.

'Inexcusable and immature'

Also:

How Occupy has shifted the national debate

Prior to Occupy Wall Street, the dominant narrative in US politics was about debt and deficit reduction, and the attendant austerity measures that entailed. A study of keywords from network newscasts shows that the national policy discussion has shifted in the wake of the Occupy demonstrations, with an increased emphasis on unemployment and fairness (this shift is also visible in print media).
The debt/deficit discussion was fueled by organizations like Peterson’s Fiscal Times, funded by hyper-rich individuals to promote an economic ideology grounded in cuts to social programs.

This sea-change can’t be attributed only to the Occupy movement – it also correlates with the White House’s “pivot” toward jobs and the economy – but there is no doubt that Occupy Wall Street has played a major role in bringing attention to the plight of working America. Even House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, r-Va., acknowledged the occupiers’ grievances when his office announced that he would be giving an address “about income disparity and how repugicans believe the government could help fix it.” One would be naïve to believe Cantor would ever support such measures, but it nonetheless marked a dramatic departure from the repugican’s usual class-war stance. (Cantor later canceled the speech when he learned he would be greeted by protesters.)

The victory OWS has already won

Cannibals at Work

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Three job interview myths

Three job interview myths debunked

Buying into these popular beliefs could hold you back from your dream job.

Role of qualifications

Also:

The truth be told

Medical Humor

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Gruesome Body Parts Full of Carbs

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Gruesome Body Parts Full of Carbs: Photos

An artist in Thailand is baking up some bloody bread.

Heinz's exotic new ketchup

Heinz launches exotic new ketchup flavor

A limited-edition version adds the tang of balsamic vinegar to the traditional recipe.

Reviewer's verdict on the taste

Also:

Delicious snacks for dieters

Delicious, diet-friendly snack options

Whether you're looking for something salty, sweet, or crunchy, these nine options will satisfy.

Try the freezer

Also:

Ziggy

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Cloud Shadow of Mt. Rainier

Photo: Nick Lippert

Take a look at this: a phenomenal sunrise of Mt. Rainier in Washington state, where the volcano actually casts a sky shadow on the clouds!
From Seattle's Komo News:

Mt. Rainier has quite a few tricks up its sleeve for adding additional beauty to the Pacific Northwest, from the majestic snow-capped peaks, to the mysterious lenticular cloud displays.
But another trick it pulls off during the fall and winter is to cast a big shadow on a brilliant sunrise.
It only happens when the sun rises farther to the south as we head toward the winter solstice and has to be in the exact position to where Rainier blocks the first rays of morning light.

Full Story