The Daily Drift

The Daily Drift

Today's horoscope says:
Someone you haven't seen in a long time -- someone who may actually have moved or been away -- seems to have been making trouble for you from behind the scenes.
You may be right, but before you say or do anything that will put you in an irreparably bad position with them -- and with your public -- make absolutely sure.
Make a long-distance call and check your sources.

Some of our readers today have been in:

Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Boulogne-Billancourt, Ile-De-France, France
Bilbao, Pais Vasco, Spain
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Paris, Ile-De-France, France
Maastricht, Limburg,Netherlands
London, England, United Kingdom
Sheffield, England, United Kingdom
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Madrid, Madrid, Spain

as well as 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 Bottineau, Pekin, Bronx, Cheyenne and more.

Today is:

Today is Monday, January 24, the 24th day of 2011.

There are 341 days left in the year.

Today's unusual holidays or celebrations are: 

Belly Laugh Day
Beer Can Day
National Compliment Day
and
Talk Like A Grizzled Prospector Day.

Don't forget to visit our sister blog!

Culinary DeLites

New ways to spice up dinner this week

Hawaiian pineapple salsa gives a tropical flavor to these unique tacos.  

Ideas for chicken, steak, and tofu, too 

Also: 

• More options for tacos
• Make mango-kiwi salsa  
• Hopes for 2011 menus

Arizona shooting suspect pleads not guilty

Yeah, right!

Arizona shooting suspect pleads not guilty

The move by Jared Loughner's defense sets the stage for a drawn-out legal battle.

Details 

Also: 

• Delay in Giffords rehab
• Intern to attend SOTU
• Mayor urges gun-law fix

Deadly blast at Moscow airport

Deadly blast rocks Moscow's busiest airport

Russian officials report 31 dead and 130 injured after an explosion rips through the arrivals hall.  

Likely 'terror attack' 

Also: 

• Flight diverted over threat
• String of car bombs in Iraq
• Blame for Egyptian attack

Dozens dead in explosion at Moscow airport

A suspected suicide bomber creates a horrific scene and puts Russia on edge.

Obama condemns 'outrageous act' 

Also: 

• Timeline: Attacks in Russia
• Adds to issues at Davos
• String of car bombs in Iraq

Fitness Guru Jack LaLanne Dies

Legendary body builder, fitness expert, entrepreneur and model Jack LaLanne has died.

Jack LaLanne, the fitness guru who inspired television viewers to trim down, eat well and pump iron for decades before diet and exercise became a national obsession, died Sunday.

He was 96.

LaLanne died of respiratory failure due to pneumonia Sunday afternoon at his home in Morro Bay on California's central coast.

Random Photos

Bus Drives Over Waterfall

Crazy or not? When flooding turns a roadway into a raging river and waterfall, an old school bus full of people crosses a river in Nicaragua.

I'll go with, Crazy, man!

It's a Blond World

As a trucker stops for a red light, a blond catches up. She jumps out of her car, runs up to his truck, and knocks on the door.
The trucker lowers the window, and she says “Hi, my name is Heather and you are losing some of your load.”
 The trucker ignores her and proceeds down the street. When the truck stops for another red light, the girl catches up again.  She jumps out of her car, runs up and knocks on the door. Again, the trucker lowers the window. As if they’ve never spoken, the blond says brightly, “Hi my name is Heather, and you are losing some of your load!”
Shaking his head, the trucker ignores her again and continues down the street.  At the third red light, the same thing happens again.  All out of breath, the blond gets out of her car, runs up, knocks on the truck door. The trucker rolls down the window. Again she says “Hi, my name is Heather, and you are losing some of your load!”
When the light turns green the trucker revs up and races to the next light.  When he stops this time, he hurriedly gets out of the truck, and runs back to the blond.  He knocks on her window, and after she lowers it, he says…  ”Hi, my name is Mark.  It’s winter in W.Va and I’m driving the SALT TRUCK!”

The truth be told

The Founders were in favor of socialized French-style government run health care

Well isn't that a wee bit inconvenient.

Forbes writer Rick Ungar is getting some attention for a piece arguing that history shows that John Adams supported a strong Federal role in health care. Ungar argues that Adams even championed an early measure utilizing the concept behind the individual mandate, which tea party wingnuts say is unconstitutional.

I just ran this theory past a professor of history who specializes in the early republic, and he said there's actually something to it. Short version: There's no proof from the historical record that Adams would have backed the idea behind the individual mandate in particular. But it is fair to conclude, the professor says, that the founding generation supported the basic idea of government run health care, and the use of mandatory taxation to pay for it.

Maybe Sarah Palin will put a target on John Adams now too.

House repugicans take credit for jobs gains, only 19 days on the job

Yes, House passage of the health care reform repeal bill, which didn't even pass the Senate yet (and won't), somehow has already created jobs. (Maybe it was the reading of the Constitution on the House floor, I'm sure that created at least half a job.)

Ben Smith has the ridiculous brag (Senate members are claiming it too). And Dave Weigel has an economist ripping the claim.

The problem is, repugicans lie. 

The danger is that this mantra of "we've created jobs" may eventually stick (death panels anyone?), regardless of whether they've created a single one.

If Palin comes to Australia, she will be arrested

Funny how some people take offense to what many consider to be death threats.

Hey, Palin go to Australia, why don't you

Assange vs Zuckerberg

Yep, that about sums it up.

So that's how it's done

On The Job

How to get one of the most satisfying jobs

Professions that involve helping others, like nursing, rate highest for happiness.  

Another favorite pays $90K 

Also: 

• Best firms to work for
• Improving your resumé  
• Job interview tips

That's Corporate America For You

MasterCard and Visa will process donations for an organization that supports the KKK and which requires you to sign a statement confirming that you are a white racist.

But they will not process donations to Wikileaks.

The message from Corporate America

 Work Longer, Harder, Faster

(So we can ship your job overseas and manufacture goods for less cost and then turn around and sell the goods back to you at higher prices.
Oh, wait, you don't have a job, now do you ... never mind - we'll go sell our goods elsewhere, sorry to have bothered you.)

USPS eyes huge closures

U.S. Postal Service eyes massive closures

Half of the nation's existing post offices are being reviewed — eliciting fears in rural America.  

 Burden 

Also: 

• Testing gift cards
• J.C. Penney closing stores  
• New chief for CVS

Teenager hit with own golf ball sues for millions

A 15-year-old boy is suing a Hillsboro, Oregon, golf course for $3 million after he was hit in the eye by his own golf ball. Alex Good was a member of the Liberty High Golf Team and was practicing last April at the Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club when the accident happened. His lawyer, Terrance Lee Hogan, said Good has had several surgeries and may have lifelong problems with his vision. Good is suing the golf course for negligence.

According to court documents, Good and his teammates were using the practice range. It was raining and the staff at Pumpkin Ridge put up an awning. When Good teed off his ball hit a metal post that was holding up the awning just inches in front of his driving mat. The ball ricocheted off and hit him in the left eye. Good’s lawyer is claiming Pumpkin Ridge should have known that metal pole was a danger and is therefore liable. Another lawyer, Geordie Duckler, looked at the case and said Good’s lawyer has an uphill battle and most cases like this are settled out of court.

“As a person goes up to address the ball with their golf club and strike the ball, what are the known dangers around them? If they see a known and obvious danger and yet they go ahead and strike the ball anyway, then they’ve assumed the risk – what a lawyer would call an assumption of risk,” Duckler said. “Even if it’s a 15-year-old, we hold 15-year-olds to certain levels of responsibility.” But he said his age could come into play.

“If this were the same facts, but the plaintiff was an experienced golfer in a tournament and knew all sorts of things about golf courses, and the risk of balls being hit, (there) probably would be no claim,” he said. Duckler said the word “accident” is not a legal term. Something can be an accident but still caused by negligence. That’s why some supermarkets put warnings on pumpkins that say, “Please lift carefully.” Representatives at Pumpkin Ridge said they can’t comment on the case until the lawsuit is over.

Ain't it the truth