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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.


Friday, December 4, 2015

The Daily Drift

Welcome to Today's Edition of Carolina Naturally.
Our fourth Xmas Tree of the month ...!
 
Carolina Naturally is read in 205 countries around the world daily.   
  
Yummy ... !
Today is - National Cookie Day

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Today in History

771 With the death of his brother Carloman, Charlemagne becomes sole ruler of the Frankish Empire.
1861 The U.S. Senate, voting 36 to 0, expels Senator John C. Brekinridge of Kentucky because of his joining the Confederate Army.
1861 Queen Victoria of Britain forbids the export of gunpowder, firearms and all materials for their production.
1862 Winchester, Va., falls into Union hands, resulting in the capture of 145 Southern soldiers.
1863 Seven solid days of bombardment ends at Charleston, S.C. The Union fires some 1,307 rounds.
1872 The U.S. brigantine Marie Celeste is found adrift and deserted with its cargo intact, in the Atlantic Ocean between the Azores and Portugal.
1900 The French National Assembly, successor to the States-General, rejects Nationalist General Mercier’s proposal to plan an invasion of England.
1914 The first Seaplane Unit formed by the German Navy officially comes into existence and begins operations from Zeebrugge, Belgium.
1918 France cancels trade treaties in order to compete in the postwar economic battles.
1941 Operation Taifun (Typhoon), which was launched by the German armies on October 2, 1941, as a prelude to taking Moscow, is halted because of freezing temperatures and lack of serviceable aircraft.
1942 U.S. planes make the first raids on Naples, Italy.
1947 Tennessee William’s play A Streetcar Named Desire premieres on Broadway starring Marlon Brando and Jessica Tandy.
1950 The University of Tennessee defies court rulings by rejecting five Negro applicants.
1952 The Grumman XS2F-1 makes its first flight.
1959 Peking pardons Pu Yi, ex-emperor of China and of the Japanese puppet-state of Manchukuo.
1981 Ronald Reagan broadens the power of the CIA by allowing spying in the United States.
1985 Robert McFarland resigns as National Security Advisor. Admiral John Poindexter is named to succeed.
1991 The last American hostages held in Lebanon are released.
1992 George H. W. Bush orders 28,000 troops to Somalia during the Somali Civil War.

Non Sequitur

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8 Ways to Brighten Your Home

Winter can make our homes seem dark and oppressive but if you don't want to deal with a drab, cold-looking house, there are some things you can do. Over at Homes and Hues, we rounded up some great ways to make your home brighter. Most of the tips are even insanely simple -from cleaning your windows and light fixtures to adding some plants and mirrors, it can't be easier to brighten things up at home.
Don't miss the full list over at Homes and Hues: 8 Easy Ways to Brighten Your Home

The World’s Greenest Burgs

Let's look at some cities that take environmentalism seriously ...
 
GREEN POWER TO THE PEOPLE
Cities put an enormous strain on the environment: They use more than 75 percent of the world’s energy and release more than 75 percent of the world’s carbon dioxide and other pollutants into the environment. More than half the people on earth (over 3.5 billion) live in cities, and by 2050, that number is expected to reach 70 percent. The future could be bleak: more lung disease from more pollution, increased global warming, mountains of waste, and concrete everywhere. But the people who live in the world’s greenest cities are pioneering a future that’s very different.
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK
Population: 1.2 million
How green is it? Copenhagen has been addressing environmental issues for decades. The result is that the water in its harbors and canals is so clean that people actually swim in them. There are also more than 186 miles of bike paths in the metro area, and there are places where residents and tourists can borrow bikes for free. (Really.) Some major streets even have a “green wave” system so bike riders can speed through intersections without stopping— they hit timed green lights the entire way. The result is that nearly 55 percent of Copenhageners bike to work or school.
The city is already filled with parks, but plans are in the works to guarantee that by 2015 at least 90 percent of Copenhagen’s population will be within walking distance of a park or beach. About 20 percent of the city’s electric power comes from wind turbines, hydroelectric power, and biomass (energy from organic matter like wood, straw, and organic waste), but the goal is to stop using coal altogether. The city is encouraging residents to buy electric-and hydrogen-powered cars and is investing more than $ 900 billion so that, by 2025, Copenhagen will have reduced its coal and oil pollution to zero.
VANCOUVER, CANADA
Population: 603,000
How green is it? Often called the greenest city in Canada, Vancouver has more than 200 parks in a region that’s surrounded by spectacular beaches, forests, and mountains. The city leads the world in the production of hydropower, which supplies 90 percent of its electricity. And one of Vancouver’s most famous innovations is the use of solar-powered trash-compactor bins on public sidewalks: The bins can hold five times the amount of conventional trash cans, so they need to be emptied only once a week instead of every night, which saves on the need to use the city’s gas-powered fleet of garbage trucks.
Vancouver has also been adding new streetcar lines and bike lanes, and it has constructed nearly 250 miles of “greenways,” special corridors for pedestrians and cyclists that connect parks, nature reserves, historic sites, neighborhoods, and shopping areas. And 40 percent of commuter and tourist day trips in Vancouver involve walking, biking, or using public transportation.
REYKJAVIK, ICELAND
 Population: 120,000
How green is it? In the 1970s Iceland relied on imported coal for 75 percent of its energy. Today all of its electricity is produced from hydroelectric and geothermal power. The hydropower source is flowing water from melting ice that turns turbines to make electricity. The geothermal power uses the heat and steam of Iceland’s volcanoes to do the same. The only fossil fuel the city uses is for its cars and fishing fleets.
But Icelanders even consider that to be too much: To get down to zero use of fossil fuels, Reykjavik is working on a changeover to cars and ships fueled mainly by electricity and hydrogen. In 2003 Shell opened its first hydrogen filling station in Reykjavik to service hydrogen-powered public buses. By the mid-21st century, Iceland plans to have most of its fishing fleet running on hydrogen and all of its cars and buses powered by alternative fuels.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
 Population: 805,000
How green is it? San Francisco was the first city in the United States to pass a mandatory recycling law, and the first to ban the use of plastic bags. Meant to lessen the amount of garbage that goes into landfills, those 2009 edicts have worked so well that San Franciscans now recycle 77 percent of their waste. (All that recycled garbage weighs about twice as much as the Golden Gate Bridge!) New laws also mean cleaner air: Public transportation runs on 20 percent biodiesel fuel (made from used cooking oil), and a green taxi law has resulted in 92 percent of the city’s cabs running on alternative fuels.
Even though it’s famous for its fog, San Francisco has proved that solar can work in overcast locales: The 60,000-square-foot solar system on the city’s convention center generates enough electricity to power the entire center during events, and 24,000 solar panels atop a reservoir provide electricity for city buildings, including a hospital, the airport, and police and fire stations.
CURITIBA, BRAZIL
Population: 3.5 million
How green is it? Curitiba is the capital of the ParanĂ¡ state in Brazil, and despite facing severe poverty and overcrowding, it consistently wins recognition as one of the most beautiful, livable, and green cities in the world. In 1968 the city had less than 10 square feet of greenery per person, but careful urban planning— minimizing urban sprawl, planting trees, and protecting local forests— has turned that into 500 square feet for each inhabitant. Curitiba now boasts 16 parks, 14 forests, and more than 1,000 green public spaces.
Curitiba is also internationally famous for its Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system. Reliable and cheap, the BRT vehicles run as often as every 90 seconds in dedicated bus lanes. Eighty percent of the residents use the buses— that’s more than two million riders a day. Also famous for its garbage disposal system, the city provides an alternative for low-income families who don’t have garbage pickup: They can bring in bags of trash or recycling, and exchange them for bus tickets, food, school supplies, or toys. The result: A clean city where the poor live better and more than 70 percent of the waste is recycled.
GREENSBURG, KANSAS
Population: 900
How green is it? It’s not a big city, but the small town of Greensburg embodies the spirit of environmentalism. In May 2007 a tornado demolished 95 percent of the town. When the residents rebuilt, they decided that their new buildings would meet internationally recognized standards that would make their town as energy-efficient and environmentally friendly as possible. The winds that once almost destroyed the town now power a wind farm that provides electricity to all of Greensburg’s homes and businesses. This incredible comeback has made the town a center for environmental businesses and ecotourism, and young residents who once vowed to go away to college and never come back now say there’s no place like home. In 2011 Budget Travel magazine put Greensburg on its top 10 list of the “Coolest Small Towns in America.” And we think that’s pretty cool.

Early Chemo - Less Benefit

Black women less likely to benefit from early chemotherapy
Black women less likely to benefit from early chemotherapy
It is well documented that black, Hispanic, and Asian women typically develop advanced-stage breast cancer more often than white women. As a result, black women are more likely to receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy, or chemotherapy prior to surgery, in hopes of...

Archival Footage Of British Soldiers Tripping On LSD

We now know how risky it can be to try and do anything dangerous while on LSD, but back when the drug was still young it was tested on all kinds of people in all kinds of situations, from relaxed in a room to soldiers in the middle of a war.
One particular group of British soldiers were captured on film back in 1964 while they fell apart in the field after being dosed with LSD-25, proving that acid trips and military manoeuvres don't mix.
It's hard to see through the grainy footage, but the squad's sergeant is named Pepper...or maybe his dog tags says Pfeiffer...

Felon accused of shooting up house full of kids with AK-47 in Oregon county whose sheriff vows to ignore gun laws

The Klamath County sheriff has vowed not to enforce the Oregon Firearms Safety Act, which requires background checks for almost all private firearm sales.

Pottery Barn Terrorists: You Broke 'Im, You Bought 'Im

Pottery Barn Terrorists: You Broke 'Im, You Bought 'Im

This Is What Happens When A Country Takes Abortion Restrictions Way Too Far


Author lists on Twitter all the ‘acts of terrorism’ she lived through as a Planned Parenthood worker

Bryn Greenwood (Facebook.com)
Author Bryn Greenwood revealed on Twitter over the weekend the “acts of terrorism” she had experienced while working at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Kansas.

Former wife says Planned Parenthood terrorist is a lunatic fringe religio-wingnut and anti-choice

“He was the kind of person you had to watch out for,” a neighbor told The Washington Post.

Planned Parenthood Killings Put Anti-Choice Agitators On Defense

Planned Parenthood Killings Put Anti-Abortion Advocates On Defense American journalism has always been reluctant to call a white man a terrorist, even if actions clearly point to it.

You’re 7 Times More Likely To Be Killed By A Wingnut Terrorist Than A Muslim Extremist

You’re 7 Times More Likely To Be Killed By A Conservative Terrorist Than A Muslim Extremist
In other words, Trump rallies are a scary place to be…
Read more 

This Hilarious Video Shows That 'Christian' And Islamic Fundamentalists Are Made For Each Other

Image via ScreenshotA four-minute video making the rounds on social media is hilariously demonstrating just how much 'christian' fundamentalists have in common with Islamic fundamentalists.

'Christian' Terrorists Burn Accused ‘Witches’ At The Stake; Where’s The Outrage?

Featured image credit: Pixabay CCO public domain imageMuslim Sharia? Meet “Anti-balaka,” Africa’s 'christian' terrorist network that burns suspected “witches” at the stake or buries them alive.

Fox hack on clinic shooting: Liberals are ‘indicting an entire religion — 'christian' white Republican’

Fox News host Andrea Tantaros (screen grab)
Fox News hack Andrea Tantaros added that “the left” wanted to stop all talk about “the illegal harvesting of baby parts."

Ziggy

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Man standing behind target at shooting range shot

A 62-year-old man was injured after being accidentally shot at a shooting range on Friday in St. Johns County, Florida, according to the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office.

Bad Santa hunted following theft of helicopter

Police in Brazil are hunting for a Santa Claus who stole a helicopter.
The thief rented the aircraft late on Friday from an air taxi service at the Campo Marte airport in Sao Paulo for a "surprise," the state security secretariat said.
During the flight, the Santa forced the pilot to fly to a small farm outside of Sao Paulo city, where they were met by a third person, the secretariat said.
The pilot was tied up and the two perpetrators flew away. After several hours, the pilot managed to escape and alert police. There has been no sign of the helicopter, a Robinson model 44, authorities said.
There's a news video in Portuguese here.

One Inmate's Perspective on Cooking in Prison

Uncle Paulie slices garlic for a prison feast in Goodfellas
When one thinks of inmates cooking in prison, an image that often comes to mind is the scene in Scorsese's Goodfellas, in which the gang on the inside gathers to cook a large, delicious meal complete with wine, Italian bread and the works.
But obviously, no one eats well in prison besides the "VIP" inmates. What's the experience of most? Esquire makes a list of eight from a detailed feature in Thrillist, based on an interview with former inmate Daniel Genis, who gives us the nitty gritty. With the emphasis on gritty:
1. The most common food inmates eat in prison is instant ramen, which is called "crackhead soup" because it's the cheapest thing you can buy in the commissary at 10 cents a pack. Turns out prison isn't all that different from college.
2. It's not like prison cells come equipped with a stove, though, so in order to cook the ramen, inmates rely on a little trick called "the stinger." To make one, all you need is cold water from the tap, an electrical outlet, nail clippers, a power cord, and "the courage to drop a live wire into a cup of water."

Paella thieves led police to their home with trail of rice, seafood and chicken

Three supermarket thieves in France were caught after they left a trail of rice, seafood and chicken from their stolen paella that led police to their home. They had grabbed an eight kilo dish of paella worth €150 (£105, $155) from a store in Nantes before running out into the street at about 8.30pm on Thursday.
Police were called in and searched the neighborhood for the shoplifters. During their patrol the officers came across rice, seafood and pieces of chicken outside an apartment building. They followed the trail inside to one of the flats.
Once inside they discovered the three intoxicated men, enjoying their purloined dinner. The thieves had little choice but to admit their guilt. The store are pressing charges and the investigation is ongoing.

Archaeological News

An ancient Greek temple in Sicily was built to face the setting full moon near the winter solstice.

Dog missing for over a year rescued from storm drain

Cookie, a dog first who was reported missing more than a year ago and was rescued from a storm drain on Friday in Bethesda, Maryland, has returned home to his family. It took Montgomery Co. Fire & Rescue and Police Animal Services about three hours to get Cookie out of the drain pipe.

This Woman Is Facing 10 Years In Jail For Giving Water To Thirsty Pigs

This Woman Is Facing 10 Years In Jail For Giving Water To Thirsty Pigs
No, this is not an Onion headline. This is actually happening.
Read more 

Brothers Rescue Bald Eagle, Take Selfie


Neil and Michael Fletcher, brothers from Sudbury, Ontario, found a bald eagle with one foot stuck in a hunting trap. They approached the skittish bird and draped a sweater over its head. The eagle eventually calmed down enough so that the brothers could open the trap and remove the bird.
"The eagle was actually holding on to [the trap] and we were having a hard time getting him to let go," [Neil Fletcher] said.
Once the eagle's foot was out of the trap, Neil suggested they take a selfie with it.
"I knew this would never happen again, so before we let it go, I told my brother Michael, 'we should take a picture with it.' The bird had its mouth open, but he never tried to fly or bite or do anything," he said.
"It made it pretty easy [for us to] take a picture with it."
After documenting the rescue, they released the eagle. Chris Blomme of the Sudbury Ornithological Society said it was a brave thing to do. The story at CBC News has videos of the rescue and the release.

Bird Songs

Neuroscientists identify neural patterns birds use to learn their songs.
Neuroscientists identify neural patterns birds use to learn their songs.
Male zebra finches, small songbirds native to central Australia, learn their songs by copying what they hear from their fathers. These songs, often used as mating calls, develop early in life as juvenile birds experiment with mimicking the sounds they hear. MIT...

Paleontological News

A look at dinosaur eggs suggests most dinosaurs buried their eggs in nests covered with dirt and vegetation, a tactic also used by modern crocodiles.
A bizarre animal that looks like nothing alive on Earth today probably used its unique shape to collect drifting particles from the ocean to feed on.

Arachnid News

Knowing which species of spider built a web in a certain area, as well as what it feasted on, are important pieces of information for researchers.
Researchers marvel at the evolutionary convergence, even as they're not sure what purpose the color serves.

Animal Pictures