The Daily Drift

The Daily Drift

Today's horoscope says:

To get better results with a puzzling person, you might want to think about changing your approach. 

If you've been friendly, try being a bit cooler. 

Keep the chitchat to a minimum -- don't give the impression that you're trying too hard. 

If you've been playing hard to get, then it may be time to warm up. 

Smile a bit more, initiate conversations and share a personal secret or two. 

A new tactic will definitely get you noticed today.

 Some of our readers today have been in:
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Athens, Attiki, Greece
Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Bath, England, United Kingdom
Turku, Western Finland, Finland
Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
Bilbao, Pais Vasco, Spain
Paris, Ile-De-France, France
Seoul, Kyonggi-Do, Korea
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia
Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei and Muara, Brunei Darussalam
Canberra, Australian Capital, Territory, Australia
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
Newmarket, Ontario, Canada
Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Khartoum, Al Khartum, Sudan
Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland
Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Jakarta, Jakarta Raya, Indonesia
Crawley, England, United Kingdom
Valencia, Comunidad Valencia, Spain
Budapest, Budapest, Hungary
Cork, Cork, Ireland
Ankara, Ankara, Turkey
Brussels, Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, Belgium
Hanoi, Hanoi, Vietnam
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
As, Askershus, Norway
London, England, 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 Carolina Beach, Holly Springs, Asheville, Charlotte and more!

Today is:

Today is Sunday, October 30, the 303rd day of 2011.

There are 62 days left in the year.

Today's unusual holiday or celebration is:

National Candy Corn Day

  

Don't forget to visit our sister blog!

Non Sequitur

Subtle Sunday

Want to know why, do you?

A lot of Marines are plenty ticked off about Scott Olson being shot in the head by the police

It's interesting to read the reactions from Marines to the news of a fellow Marine, Scott Olson, being critically injured by a police attack during the OccupyWallStreet protests in Oakland, CA. 

Oakland police chief visited Scott Olsen and parents in hospital

The Occupy protesters are taking back the plaza, which requires a lot of courage in light of the recent excessive actions by the Oakland police. Whether or not the Oakland police have had a change in policy is still not clear. The interim police chief made an encouraging first move by meeting the injured vet Olsen in the hospital, but this issue is hardly behind us.

San Francisco Chronicle:

"I expressed my sorrow for what happened to their son," Jordan said at a City Hall news conference. "They were very receptive. ... I also expressed to them the process that's involved in terms of this incident, in terms of a full review and internal investigation."

Olsen's skull was fractured when he was hit by a projectile that apparently came from police lines. Olsen, a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War, was standing at the front of the crowd at 14th Street and Broadway when he fell to the ground.

As other protesters came to Olsen's aid, an officer tossed another canister at the group, video of the incident

Tennessee arrests Occupy protesters despite no legal authority for arrests

Democracy is all fine and good until people actually want to use it. Can't they just make a t-shirt that calls the president a Marxist-Fascist or carry a gun to a speech by the president and be done with it? Clearly that's much more American than demanding a system that is open to everyone and not just the 1%. And as for that pesky detail of having nothing in the books that allows state police to enforce a curfew that doesn't exist, details, details. What red-blooded American doesn't like a governor who acts like he's royalty as he ignores the law and sends in the police to arrest the dirty masses?

Tennessee state troopers for the second straight night arrested Wall Street protesters for defying a new nighttime curfew imposed by repugican Gov. Bill Haslam in an effort to disband an encampment near the state Capitol.

And for a second time, a Nashville night judge dismissed the protesters' arrest warrants.

Early Saturday morning, Magistrate Tom Nelson told troopers delivering the protesters to jail that he could "find no authority anywhere for anyone to authorize a curfew anywhere on Legislative Plaza."

Seven Democratic congressional candidates march on Boehner’s office in support of #OccupyWallStreet

Good for them.  I'm sure the OccupyWallStreet folks are leery of politicians trying to usurp their movement, but I do think it's helpful overall, and to OccupyWallStreet, to have politicians embrace their cause.  And, honestly, anything that gives John Boehner heartburn is never a bad idea.
Here's a CNN segment about the candidates marching to Boehner's office, and here's more from Adam Green and company at the PCCC:

Wednesday, seven congressional candidates brought the energy of the Occupy movement straight to Capitol Hill.

They marched on Speaker John Boehner's office with 35,000 petitions saying "We stand with the 99%" -- and demanded that Congress pass jobs legislation now.

With news cameras from CNN, NBC, and CBS in tow, a fascinating clash with Boehner's staff occurred.

Click here to see the amazing video -- and help their "We stand with the 99%" petition continue to grow.

As you can see from the video, they were stopped at the door of Speaker Boehner's office. Marko Liias, a candidate in Washington's First District, joked that Boehner's "Welcome, please come in" sign should actually read, "Welcome 1%, please come in."

The other bold progressive candidates delivering the petition were Eric Griego (NM-1), Lori Saldana (CA-52), Ilya Sheyman (IL-10), Lois Frankel (FL-22), Franke Wilmer (MT-AL), and Wenona Benally Baldenegro (AZ-1).

These candidates were definitely heard -- and they will bring the fight to the halls of Congress if they are elected. We need more Democrats willing to take the fight straight to the Republicans.

The truth be told

Rare storm hits East Coast

Snowstorm wreaks havoc on East Coast

An unusually early and powerful nor'easter leaves more than 2 million people without electricity. 

  Updates 

Also: 

• Scenes from the storm
• Snow tests protesters
• Record in Central Park

The Truth Hurts

Boo: More Than Trees Falling in the Forests

Best places to tell ghost stories on Halloween?

In America's haunted forests.

Read more

Daily Comic Relief

Festival Costume Ideas

Need a costume Idea?

How about Wendy from Peter Pan?

Buzzfeed has 13 more.

Great Pictures From The 2011 Blizzcon

If you missed the 2011 Blizzcon, but are a huge fan of WOW and other Blizzard games, you won’t want to miss Geeks Are Sexy’s wonderful collection of the greatest costumes from the event. Some of the outfits are seriously impressive.

Full Story

Crabby Road

Syrian president warns West

Syrian president issues stern warning

Bashar al-Assad tells the West to mind its own business or risk an "earthquake" across the Middle East.

  Crackdown 

Also: 

• Syrian soldiers killed
• Regime censors websites
• Israel, Gaza clash

Odds and Sods

Late for work, officer accused of going 120 mph

A Miami police officer is accused of driving 120 mph on a turnpike because he was late for his off-duty job working security at a school.

Wisconsin Woman Owes $15K For Not Renting To Single Mom

A western Wisconsin landlord has agreed to pay $15,000 to a single mother after denying her a rental property because she didn't have a man to help shovel the snow.

Ramp up for career change

How to ramp up for a career change

These education programs can prepare you to switch fields in two years or less.

  Health, tech, and business 

Also: 

• Deciphering job ads
• Degrees for 'real world'
• Secrets of early retirees

Culinary DeLites

Hungry Girl Lisa Lillien throws these fast, healthy meals together when she doesn't feel like cooking.

We think they're the perfect on-the-fly dinners for busy weekends or time-pressed weeknights.

Read More

Kitchen Tales

The best all-purpose cookbooks

• How to roast pumpkin seeds
• 20-minute popcorn balls
• Caramel apples: 7 amazing recipes

Ways to help you live longer

Easy habits that help you live longer

Flossing your pearly whites daily can extend your life span by three to five years. 

  How to add a whopping 14 

Also: 

• Foods that trigger stroke
• Sneaky sugar offenders  
• Oldest people in history

Ziggy

Wells Fargo backtracks on monthly debit card

First it was Bank of America and now Wells Fargo. Their timing to slap new fees on customers could not have happened at a worse time.
Keep up the good work Occupy and thanks for your help!

Spending and saving tips

Tips to spend less and save more

Top money bloggers offer their favorite personal advice to help improve your financial life.  

 Plus, 30 extra ideas 

Also: 

• Avoid money mistakes
• Advice to save on taxes
• Stop wasting on food

Woman Fined for Having Car Parked in the Same Spot since 208 AD

A woman in Sicily faced a massive fine for illegal parking when a police officer accidentally noted the year 208 instead of 2008:

Police in Sicily issued a whopping 32,000 euros ($44,500) fine for an illegally parked car after totting up 2,000 years of interest by mistake, Italy’s Repubblica newspaper said Wednesday.
The interest due was calculated from the year 208 A.D. after a policeman dated the fine back to the year 208 instead of 2008.

The lady called in a favor from the Emperor (pictured) and had the fine waived.

Full Story

Tough Choices

Nine worthless collectibles

Collectibles you shouldn't bother buying

Beware of companies that put tons of marketing behind items that have little resale value.

  Expert's take 

Also: 

• Will $1 coin ever take off?
• Getting into gold market
• What not to buy in Nov.

The Creepiest Antiques

Mummies And Monkey Skulls

 

image credit

Halloween is the time of year when people reveal their most ghoulish fears and fantasies, decorating their houses with fake mummies, plastic skulls and skeletons, and eerie contorted faces carved into apples and pumpkins. But for a certain breed of collector, like artist Ryan Matthew Cohn, this sort of decor is just not creepy enough.

Such collectors would rather deck their apartments with specimen jars, real mummified heads, musical instruments made out of human bones, Victorian hair art, and actual skeletons - human or otherwise. Take a look inside Cohn's Brooklyn apartment, decorated with taxidermy.

Lego man to stay in police custody in Florida

Lego man, a 100-pound, 8-foot-tall sculpture, didn't do anything wrong except wash up on a Florida beach.

Full Story

The Ten Deadliest Tsunamis In Living Memory

The idea of the earth tearing itself apart is terrifying enough, but the devastation that earthquakes cause is only intensified by the huge waves that can follow a massive seismic disturbance in the ocean bed. Often, coastal inhabitants have just minutes to flee to higher ground, and any delay can cause shocking casualties.

In the last 50 years our ability to investigate, predict and record tsunamis has reached new heights, but the devastation these unstoppable walls of water can cause has also become ever more evident. A list of the ten most catastrophic tsunamis in recent memory.

What's That Mysterious Spot on Uranus?

All right, you can stop laughing now.

In all seriousness, there is a mysterious spot on the gas giant.

No, really.

Discover Magazine explains:

Uranus, like the other giant planets in the solar system (Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune), is made up almost entirely of gas, although it differs in composition to Jupiter and Saturn -- it has higher quantities of water, methane and ammonia ices. Unlike conventional ice, it's a super dense liquid. Uranus, like Neptune, is often referred to as an "ice giant." [...]
An image taken by planetary scientist Larry Sromovsky, with the Gemini 8.1 meter telescope shows a bright patch that is thought to be an eruption of methane ice high in the atmosphere. [...]
Understanding the nature of this spot is important, Hammel explained to Discovery News.
"The reason we care about the clouds on the planet Uranus is that they seem to be seasonally driven," said Hammel. "Uranus spins tipped over on its side, giving rise to extreme changes in sunlight as its seasons progress.
"The changes are therefore much more dramatic than for other planets. Uranus thus gives us unique insight into the energy balance in a planetary atmosphere."

Full Story

B.C.

Upping the cute factor

Hero dog drags owner hit by lightening home to safety

The Mayor of Redruth owes his life to his "best friend" and a pair of wellington boots after being struck by lightning. Ian Thomas made his usual early morning trip to feed his animals last Monday when he was thrown violently to the ground. Stunned and lying in agony, he had to grab hold of Monty, his large black schnauzer, who helped him struggle back to the house. His wife Sharen rushed him to hospital, fearing he had suffered a stroke or a heart attack.

An hour or two later and after a series of check-ups, including an MRI scan and an ECG, he was diagnosed as having been struck by lightning. He said: "I was walking along carrying a metal bowl when I had what seemed like an explosion in my head and at the same moment I heard the dog scream. I saw my legs thrown into the air in front of me and I was thrown into the air. It didn't make any sense. Some time later I came to my senses and found myself curled up in a ball on the ground. I knew I wasn't dead because the pain was so bad."

Photo from SWNS.

Mr Thomas often hangs on to Monty when walking up steep hills. So when he said, "Help me, help me", the dog knew what to do. I grabbed hold of him and stumbled home," said Mr Thomas. Mrs Thomas, who is trained in first aid, knew her husband had left the house at 6.45am. He arrived home at 7.05am so she guessed he must have been unconscious for between ten and 15 minutes. She said: "I thought he had had a heart attack. I didn't want to worry our son Lewis, and I knew it was important for Ian to get help within the hour.

"The consultant said that if he hadn't been wearing wellies, it could have been a different story." Mr Thomas spent four days in the Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro, where he said the treatment was "outstanding". He did feel a bit like an exhibit, though, as medical students and even the ward cleaner wanted to hear his story. All he has to remind himself of the incident are marks on his head and hip – entry and exit marks – and a letter from his consultant signing him off work because of "lightning strike".

'Miracle dog' up for adoption

'Miracle dog' put up for adoption

An unwanted beagle gains celebrity status after coming out alive from a gas chamber.  

 Amazing survival story 

Also: 

• See the dog in action
• Terrier returns home
• Microchips boost reunions

Bedtime Stories

How Woodpeckers Peck Wood without Hurting Themselves

If you routinely and repeatedly bang your head against the wall in the vain hope that doing so will alter reality, then you should know that it’s not as safe as when a woodpecker does it. How can these birds hammer away like they do without suffering brain injuries? Scientists think that they have the answer:

The birds have little “sub-dural space” between their brains and their skulls, so the brain does not have room to bump around as it does in humans. Also, their brains are longer top-to-bottom than front-to-back, meaning the force against the skull is spread over a larger brain area.

Close examination of the birds’ movements permitted researchers to create a computer simulation. It revealed that:

Firstly, the hyoid bone’s looping structure around the whole skull was found to act as a “safety belt”, especially after the initial impact.
The team also found that the upper and lower halves of the birds’ beaks were uneven, and as force was transmitted from the tip of the beak into the bone, this asymmetry lowered the load that made it as far as the brain.
Lastly, plate-like bones with a “spongy” structure at different points in the skull helped distribute the incoming force, thereby protecting the brain.

Full Story

Real Life Imitates The Simpsons

Three-Eyed Fish Caught Near Nuclear Plant

Images: (L) Gentileza Diario Uno/Infobae (R) Simpsons Wiki

A group of fishermen in Cordoba caught a mutant fish off a lake near a nuclear power plant that looked like it came straight out of The Simpsons. Folks, meet the real life equivalent of Blinky, the three-eyed fish:

"We were fishing and we got the surprise of getting this rare specimen. As it was dark at that time we did not notice, but then you looked at him with a flashlight and saw that he had a third eye," said Julian Zmutt, one of the fishermen.

Full Story [Google Translate]

A 16-foot python found in Everglades had eaten deer

Officials in the Florida Everglades have captured and killed a 16-foot-long Burmese python that had just eaten an adult deer.

Full Story

Animal Pictures