The Daily Drift

The Daily Drift

Today's horoscope says:

Try to slow down your pace today. Take care not to work too hard or to scatter your energies over many different projects. Pay attention to the needs of your body. You could become sick if you don't heed the warning of your physical self. Solve your anxieties by getting a good night of rest.

Some of today's readers have been in:

Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia

Torres Vedras, Lisboa, Portugal

Milano, Lombardia, Italy

Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, malaysia

London, England, United Kingdom

Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

Ludwigshafen Am Rhein, Rheinland-Pflaz, Germany

Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia

Santiago, Region Metropolitana, Chile

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Paris, Ile-De-France, France

Brussels, Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, Belgium

Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Bremen,Bremen, Germany

Sitiawan, Perak, Malaysia

Madrid, Madrid, Spain

Leeds, England, United Kingdom

as well as Bulgaria, Brazil, and the United States in such cities as Casselberry, Weiser, Goodyear, Pittsburgh, Modesto, Liverpool, Imperial and more

Today is Wednesday, March 24, the 83rd day of 2010. 

There are 282 days left in the year.

Today In History March 24

Today's unusual holidays and celebrations are:

Kick Butts Day

and

National Chocolate Covered Raisins Day

It is also

World Tuberculosis Day

It's a Joan Jett kind of morning.

I Love Rock and Roll

As The World Turns

As The World Turns

Kids take high-altitude zipline to school

Kids in a remote village in Colombia travel to school via a precarious, high-altitude zipline, carrying their younger sibs in hemp sacks and slowing their descent with a wooden fork:

Despite her youth, Daisy is expected to travel down the flying fox at speeds of up to 62km/h with her younger brother attached beside her in a sack. It's a high pressure journey, with a 400m drop into the Rio Negro river facing her if the pulley system gives way.

Children take flying fox to school

From Treehugger:

Will New Zealand allow the Coromandel Peninsula (left) to go the way of Isengard?

Image credit: Sandy Austin/Flickr and New Line Cinema

In a move that could have been cribbed from Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series, the New Zealand government has introduced a proposal that would open 27 square miles of currently-protected conservation land to mining. The discussion paper, authored by Energy & Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee and Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson, claims to offer measures to ensure the "environmentally responsible development" of New Zealand's mineral resources.

Conservationists have voiced strong opposition to the plan, citing the damage such a proposal would do to the fragile ecosystems in question and New Zealand's clean, green, image around the world.

Article continues: New Zealand Considers Proposal to Turn National Parks into Mordor

World's hottest chili to be weaponized

'The chili grenade has been found fit for use'

The Indian military has a new weapon against terrorism: the world's hottest chili.

Full Story

Houses a key part of dispute over east Jerusalem

Houses _ for Israelis and Palestinians _ play a key role in the dispute over the fate of east Jerusalem.

Full Story

Pakistan police: Plot foiled on hotels, diplomats

Two highly experienced Taliban militants were arrested while planning to attack top hotels and kidnap diplomats in Pakistan, and one of the men claimed to have helped plan previous strikes.

Full Story

Man Stabs, Kills 8 Students At China School

Full Story

A former doctor armed with a large knife killed eight children and injured five others Tuesday at an elementary school in eastern China, a local official said.

Man saves 2million babies in half a century of donating rare type of blood

An Australian man who has been donating his extremely rare kind of blood for 56 years has saved the lives of more than two million babies.

James Harrison, 74, has an antibody in his plasma that stops babies dying from Rhesus disease, a form of severe anaemia.

He has enabled countless mothers to give birth to healthy babies, including his own daughter, Tracey, who had a healthy son thanks to her father's blood.

Mr Harrison has been giving blood every few weeks since he was 18 years old and has now racked up a total of 984 donations.

When he started donating, his blood was deemed so special his life was insured for one million Australian dollars.

He was also nicknamed the 'man with the golden arm' or the 'man in two million'. His blood has since led to the development of a vaccine called Anti-D.

 *****

If you ever wanted to know what a real hero is you just read about one in the story above.

The State Of The Nation

The State Of The Nation

From Treehugger:

Photo via the Political Elite

Yesterday I noted that though it would likely to be a pretty tough slog, there are still a number of factors working in favor of the bipartisan effort to bring about clean energy reform. Key among those factors was momentum--Democrats, after all, scored a major victory with the passage of health care reform. Fresh on the heels of the bill's passage, 22 moderate and progressive senators have drafted a letter specifically petitioning Majority Leader Harry Reid to take up the cause of clean energy reform this year.

Article continues: Following Health Care Victory, 22 Dem Senators Call for Clean Energy Reform

Racism simmers below surface on health care

Full Story

So blacks were not surprised that the health-care debate went from fear-mongering to blatant obstinacy.

Blacks weren't the only ones not surprised.

Idaho Leads State Revolt Against Naked Body Scanners

New law limits use of x-ray devices, mandates pat-down alternative, and forces feds to disprove health concerns.

Idaho has set the example for others states to follow in the continuing revolt against naked body scanners, by passing a law that limits the use of the x-ray scanning devices in airports and government buildings and also forces Homeland Security to disprove health concerns.

Full Story

U.S. population winners and losers

Texas claims the two cities with the biggest population gains in 2009.  

Which cities are losing the most 

Also:

• Biggest population gainers
• U.S. census news
• Most 'underwater' markets

Judge rules on high-profile prom case

The ruling backs lesbian Constance McMillen's rights but stops short of forcing the event.  

Her sudden fame 

Also:

• Gay marriage ruling appeal
• Constance McMillen
• $30K presented to teen

It is still horseshit ... Let her go to the Prom.

Local Hospitality

Local Hospitality

Only one North Carolina city currently has a ban on digital billboards.

More Cities Consider Ban On Digital Billboards

Scientific Minds Want To Know

Scientific Minds Want To Know

Dinosaur rise linked to volcanism

Massive volcanic activity may have helped dinosaurs rise to prominence more than 200 million years ago, a study argues.

Were volcanoes behind the dinosaurs' rise?

New discoveries suggest dinosaurs were the only survivors of massive global eruptions. 

Studying chemical fossils 

Also:

• Ancient dinosaur eater
• Extinction theories
• A new kind of museum

Dinosaur Buried Alive By Collapsing Sand DuneA plant-eating dinosaur was likely devoured by a collapsing sand dune 185 million years ago.

Now for something other than dinosaurs:

• Super Bug! World's Strongest Insect Revealed 
• Red River Flooding Seen From Space
• History's Most Destructive Volcanoes

Lunatic Fringe

Lunatic Fringe 

The wingnut's impotent and faux rage over health insurance reform continues: It "will do more damage than 9/11"; “Are we now in a world where there is absolutely no recourse to the tyranny of the majority?”; America is “hanging by a thread” and “our freedom has been assaulted" ...

Damn, it must be difficult to be powerless and full of phony angst ... then again they always have been that way.

Canada gives man Coulter a warning (excuse me Ann Cuntler) before she heads north for a college speaking engagement.

"Don't go spreading your hatefilled vile verbal bile up here...or you could be in a little legal trouble."

"....you will realize that canadian law puts reasonable limits on the freedom of expression. for example, promoting hatred against any identifiable group would not only be considered inappropriate, but could in fact lead to criminal charges. outside of the criminal realm, canadian defamation laws also limit freedom of expression and may differ somewhat from those to which you are accustomed. i therefore ask you, while you are a guest on our campus, to weigh your words with respect and civility in mind."

From: Think Progress

This ought to be  fun seeing as how repugicans don't know what the word civility means...let alone how to spell it.

Va. AG Sues Over Federal Health Care Overhaul

Virginia's wingnut-birther attorney general has filed a lawsuit challenging the federal government's health care overhaul law.

Meanwhile: Md. AG: Too Soon for Reform Lawsuit

A spokeswoman for Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler says it's premature to contemplate a legal challenge to national health care legislation.

Also: 13 misguided attorneys general sue over health care overhaul

All repugicans ... OK, one blue-dog.

repugican mormon bigot now trying to use health care reform to take marriage rights away from gay couples

All the ugly that is the repugican party, and the mormon church, fully unleashed. All because the Democrats had the temerity to help provide health care to 30 million Americans in need, take away the pre-existing condition exclusion, and let parents add their adult-age kids on their insurance policies. Maybe David Dreier, Lindsey Graham, and Aaron Schock will come to our rescue.

Now Coburn, another wingnut repugican, is offering inane amendments to waste more time

You'd think we had no problems in America that needed to be addressed. 

I guess John McCain was telling the truth (who knew?) - the repugicans aren't interested in doing any more real business this year.

Here are Coburn's amendments.#3556 -- To reduce the cost of providing federally funded prescription drugs by eliminating fraudulent payments andprohibiting coverage of Viagra for child molesters and rapists and for drugs intended to induce abortion.

#3557 -- To require that each new bureaucrat added to any department or agency of the Federal Government for the purpose of implementing the provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act be offset by a reduction of 1 existing bureaucrat at such department or agency.

#3558 -- To revoke the powers given the Sec. of HHS under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

#3559 -- To help the President keep his promise that Americans who like the health care coverage they have now can keep it.

#3566 -- To require all Members of Congress to read a bill prior to casting on a vote on the bill.

In Matters Of Health

In Matters Of Health

Obama signs historic health overhaul

A broadly smiling President Barack Obama on Tuesday signed a historic $938 billion health care overhaul that guarantees coverage for 32 million uninsured Americans and will touch nearly every citizen's life, presiding over the biggest shift in U.S. domestic policy since the 1960s.

Full Story

Key elements of health reform would start soon

Full Story

The health care reforms President Obama signed into law today would unfold slowly for the most part, with a few provisions kicking in this year, such as extended dependent coverage for young adults up to age 26 and an end to insurers' practice of placing lifetime spending limits on policies .

13 misguided attorneys general sue over health care overhaul

Attorneys general from 13 states sued the federal government Tuesday, claiming the landmark health care overhaul bill is unconstitutional just seven minutes after President Barack Obama signed it into law. Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum is taking the lead and is joined by attorneys general from South Carolina, Nebraska, Texas, Michigan, Utah, Pennsylvania, Alabama, South Dakota, Idaho, Washington, Colorado and Louisiana. All are repugicans except James "Buddy" Caldwell of Louisiana, who is a blue-dog.

Herbal Remedies Can Treat Ailments

Full story

Symptoms of bipolar disorder may vary from person to person. Learn how to spot periods of mania and depression.

Foods that help fight stress

These eight foods can help beat back anxiety while also reducing hunger.  

Chocolate, other goodies on the list 

Also:

• Hunger vs. cravings
• Most fattening sandwiches
• Healthy snacks

• How To Keep the Muscle Cramps of Age at Bay  Like many things in life, cramps get worse as we age. They become more frequent, and they begin to appear with only the slightest provocation, like lying on one's back in bed. What can be done?
• Music Equals Massage for Relief from Anxiety  It's easy, inexpensive, and doesn't require another pair of hands. Listening to music, it turns out, is just as good as massage for relieving anxiety.
• You Really Are As Young As You Think You Are  The Boston Globe kindly rounded up three reputable studies suggesting that thinking old can make us old. And sick.
• Acetaminophen May Double Risk of Hearing Loss  If you had the choice between hearing more and feeling more pain or hearing less and feeling less pain, which would you choose?
  

Harry Smith's Colonoscopy

Top Ten Things going through Harry Smith's mind during his televised Colonoscopy.

It's The Economy Stupid

It's The Economy Stupid                                                         

How to size up your next job interviewer

Get an advantage by identifying common types of interviewers and adjusting your approach.

Traits to watch for 

Also:

• Build your self-confidence
• Networking on the job
• Interview prep questions

5 things that can drive you to bankruptcy

Faced with one of these dire situations, bankruptcy may be your only shelter.  

Job loss isn't the biggest problem 

Also:

• High cost of growing older
• Saving enough to retire?
• How to negotiate debt

False fears about higher taxes?

Rate hikes are coming for the rich, but don't expect a doomsday stock market crash.  

One expert's prediction 

Also:

• Income tax FAQs
• Getting your tax refund
• U.S. vs. Warren Buffett

*****

Interesting In General

Interesting In General

From the Macabre

Dr Joseph Mengele's food coupns: Auschwitz documents reveal Nazi doctors' lives

Bizarre insight into the lives of Nazi death doctors unearthed in Auschwitz house Food coupons for some of the notorious Nazi doctors at the Auschwitz death camp - including Josef Mengele - have been found in the attic of a nearby house.

To the Cute and Cuddlely

World's first set of male twin elephants born in Thailand

Thong-Kum and Thong-Tang, believed to be the world's first set of male twins, are just two-weeks old and are reported to be in a healthy condition in the rural area of Tha Lad in Surin, Thailand.

Elephant twins occur very rarely, and due to the nutritional needs placed on the mother, their survival rates are often low.

Video.

Albino wallaby hanging out at wildlife park

A rare albino wallaby has been born at a British wildlife park — despite the owners having no adults with the skin-altering condition.

The tiny joey is still tucked away in its mother Erin’s pouch but will start to venture out on its own when it reaches six months old.

Staff at Seaview Wildlife Encounter say the joey is a ’genetic throwback’ because albinism is most commonly passed from parents to their offspring.

And they hope the young marsupial will prove a huge attraction when the park, which is near Seaview, in the Isle of Wight, re-opens after the winter in ten days’ time.

“We haven’t been able to determine whether the joey is male or female yet because it is still in its mother’s pouch.

“We can only see its little head and front paws when it decides to have a look outside.”

To Culinary Delights

Dubai bans restaurants from cooking with alcohol

Food lovers in Dubai are up in arms after reports that dishes such as coq au vin and rum-laced tiramisu could be banned from hotels. Authorities plan to step up the enforcement of a 2003 law prohibiting restaurants from using alcohol in food preparation.

Inspectors are said to be hunting for illegal alcohol inside sauces, soups and desserts. The Dubai Municipality sent out a circular to hotel managers "strictly enforcing the ban on use of alcohol in food items and their sale," an official said.

"Though most regulations under the local order have been enforced properly, Article 15, which bans the use of alcohol in food preparations, their display and sale was not implemented effectively," said Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al Ali, head of food inspection for the municipality. "Some hotels also store chocolates containing liquor in refrigerators that are accessible to children. Alcohol is not good for children be they Muslims or non-Muslims."

Alcoholic drinks are widely available in Dubai, and the 2003 law has been mostly disregarded. But the latest move appears aimed at easing worries from Muslim restaurant-goers about wine or liquor being used to prepare their meals. Fines for violators can be up to $5,500 (£3,670).

Common cooking errors you can easily fix

Dull flavors and soggy food textures often result from small oversights or assumptions.  

Can butter be too soft? 

Also:

• Tips for meat-buying
• Comfort-food shortcuts
• Low-fat dessert recipes

Continuing with Joan Jett

Fake Friends

Odds and Sods

Odds and Sods

In Cop News

Unarmed, autistic, black man shot and killed by Los Angeles Police

Woman accuses New Jersey police of secretly videotaping her in bathroom

Texas drug officer's cases re-examined after credibility questioned

Retired Michigan police sergeant claims officers used excessive force

Tapes suggest Colorado detective fabricated injuries

Utah officer charged with assault of accused cop shooter

Connecticut ex-cop charged with embezzling funds from Police Benevolent Association

Oklahoma "Officer of the Year" sentenced to four years in $4 million Ponzi scheme

Wyoming woman sues, alleging that police used excessive force in breaking down her door, setting off an explosive that started a fire, and using her as a "human shield" while searching her home for illegal drugs

New Jersey detective says he was shocked, shocked that crime ring was led by three officers of the law

Man jailed for duct-taping girlfriend's mouth so she would listen

Full story

A Florida man was sentenced to 90 days in jail and a year probation for binding his girlfriend's hands and taping her mouth shut "so she would listen."

Former inmate gets 15 years for breaking into jail

A judged sentenced 25-year-old Sylvester Jiles of Cocoa on Monday. He was convicted in January of trespassing on jail property and resisting an officer.

Full story