The Daily Drift

The Daily Drift

Today's horoscope says:
Someone has caught the scent of victory coming from your direction, and they're sidling up with an offer that you probably can't refuse.
Still, you should try to examine the offer much more closely -- taking all the time you need -- before committing yourself.
You're quite shrewd, and you know that the ideas that seem too good to be true almost always are.

Some of our readers today have been in:

Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

Cairo, Al Qahirah, Egypt

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Neuchatel, Neuchatel, Switzerland

London, England, United Kingdom

Paris, Ile-De-France, France

Bucharest, Bucuresti, Romania

Bradford, England, United Kingdom

Vienna, Wein, Austria

Mechelen, Antwerpen, Belgium

Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India

Coffs Harbor, New South Wales, Australia

Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Bergen, Hordaland, Norway

Surabaya, Jawa Timur, Indonesia

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Nice, Provence-Alpes-Cote D'Azur, France

as well as Finland, Thailand, Germany, and the United States in such cities as Albemarle, Hockessin, Levittown, El Cajon and more

Today is Wednesday, June 2, the 153rd day of 2010.

There are 212 days left in the year.

Today In History June 2

Today's unusual holidays or celebrations are:

Leave Work Early Day

National Bubba Day

and

Yell "Fudge" At The Cobras In North America Day

Noise Pollution Harms Fish Populations, Locations, Habits

Photo by Puliarf

Whales aren't the only marine species negatively affected by human-generated noise pollution in the oceans. Sound is an important, and well developed sense in many fish, more species of which are being threatened by the increase in noise made by oil and gas rigs, ships, boats and sonar. In a new review, scientists look at how the rise in sounds over the last hundred years as humans have taken to the oceans has impacted fish species, from their locations to their reproduction.

Article continues: Noise Pollution Harms Fish Populations, Locations, Habits

The State Of The Nation

The State Of The Nation

Candidate's historic bid fails in Alabama

Artur Davis loses by a wide margin in his attempt to become the state's first black governor.  

Results of the primary 

Also: 

• The odd campaign ads
• More about Artur Davis
• Primaries may yield clues

Lunatic Fringe

Lunatic Fringe

When dealing with wingnuts ... Remember the rule: 

If they accuse someone of something, then they're already guilty of it.

Rand Paul blew off MTP, and instead talked to Kremlin-backed 9/11-conspiracy-embracing Russian 'news' outlet

From Attytood:

It's amazing what gets lost in the vortex of long holiday weekend -- not just Roy Halladay's perfect game but of course Obama and Sestak and Clinton in THE SCANDAL OF THE CENTURY and then there was also this from Rand Paul and his quixotic GOP Senate campaign in Kentucky, in which he questioned the 14th Amendment (also a slavery thing, but I digress...) and its interpretation that it grants citizenship to children of undocumented parents born within the United States.

That's an interesting and important debate, but what was really amazing was where he made his comments -- particularly since this was the same time frame in which he cancelled an appearance on NBC's "Meet The Press," when it was clear that the dons of the GOP wanted to reduce the exposure of libertarian Paul and his unorthodox views on matters like the 1964 Civil Rights Act or President's Obama's "un-American" treatment of British petroleum.

So instead of talking to NBC News, Paul talked to a venue in which he clearly felt more comfortable: The Kremlin- linked, conspiracy minded Russia Today.

Um, wait, who's anti-American?

It comes as no surprise that Palin uses Nazi tactics - she is a Nazi after all!

McGinniss says Palin used Nazi-like tactics to vilify him

In his first TV interview since moving next door to Sarah Palin , author Joe McGinniss defended himself and compared her tactics in stirring controversy against him to tactics employed by Nazis.

Bad Cops

Bad Cops

Texas cop pleads guilty in sexual assault of young girl who was assisting in police "sting"

Illinois cop gets probation for beating handcuffed man

Ohio sheriff charged with theft in office

Former Indiana police officer facing felony charges over prescription drug theft

Ohio police officer arrested after reportedly assaulting coach at Little League game

Do you recognize the 'Granddad Bandit'?

A bald, heavyset man who has robbed 21 banks in the eastern and central U.S. is proving to be so elusive that the FBI has given him a name a ' the "Granddad Bandit" a ' and the agency announced plans Tuesday to post a digital picture of him on billboards in several states in hopes of catching him.

Full story

Non Sequitur

Einstein's brain

Einstein's brain unlocks a mystery

For decades, scientists have tried to figure out what made the professor so smart.

'A whole other brain'  

Also:

• E = mc2 on display
• 'Spooky' particle discovery
• Famous Einstein quotes

In Matters Of Health

In Matters Of Health

Link Between Tanning Beds, Melanoma Grows Stronger

Strong evidence now links tanning beds to melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer that afflicts nearly 69,000 Americans a year.

It's The Economy Stupid

It's The Economy Stupid

Who's to blame for student's $97K debt?

For years, Cortney Munna has been deferring payments on nearly $100,000 in loans.  

Meanwhile, interest grows 

Also: 

• Artsy jobs that pay $40K+
• The hardest jobs to fill
• Tuition-free colleges

U.S. cities facing their own debt crisis

U.S. cities facing their own debt crisis

Seven American cities have had their municipal bonds downgraded to below investment-grade.  

Junk status 

Also: 

• Economy's brightest spots
• Can EU survive crisis?
• Easy ways to cut debt

Broom Hilda

Debt collection agency owes $1.5 million after leaving racist, vulgar messages

Sounds like an expensive way of trying to collect $200. Especially when even the $200 was being disputed. When you think about the credit problems in the US, this is probably one of many similar abusive situations. Owing money is one thing but the collection agency went too far and got what they deserved.
Compare this to the gentle touch treatment for Wall Street who made off with slightly more than $200 after causing a global crisis.
Oh, and it could not have happened to a 'nicer' bunch of folks - debt collectors are lower than lawyers on the loathsome scale.

Man Told He's Been Dead 9 Months

Full story

A Hermitage man is trying to prove he's still alive. While applying for college, he found out the government said he died last summer, and it has created even more problems.

Helpful Hints

Helpful Hints

Fliers go to extremes to avoid bag fees

Airlines ramp up their policing of carry-ons, and passengers are fighting back. 

Clever tricks

Also: 

• Rules for carry-on bags
• Bumped fees may rise
• Time-saving packing tips

Culinary DeLites

Culinary DeLites

Refresh your iced tea

While we all enjoy our favorite brand of tea, we'd like to suggest you broaden your iced tea horizons.

World's Largest Land Art Exhibit Opens in Turkey's Super-Scenic Cappadocia Region

"The Gift" sculpture in Cappadocia, where hot-air balloon tours are a popular way to see the region. Photo via Andrew Rogers.

The surreal natural formations of Turkey's Cappadocia region, where soft volcanic rocks have eroded over the eons into fanciful cones and spires, now have some serious man-made competition for tourist attention: The world's largest contemporary land art park, comprising 10 giant sculptures made out of more than 10,500 tons of stone.

Article continues: World's Largest Land Art Exhibit Opens in Turkey's Super-Scenic Cappadocia Region

Artist completes 700 hour stare

A Serbian artist has completed the world's longest ever piece of performance art by staring at members of the public for 700 hours.

Marina Abramovic sat for seven hours a day, six days a week, on a chair for her installation, entitled The Artist Is Present at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Visitors were invited to sit in a chair facing her and simply return her silent gaze.

Celebrities including Bjork, Lou Reed, Marisa Tomei and Isabella Rossellini were among the 1,400 people who came and sat opposite the artist, who always dressed in a long cassock.

Some spent an entire day sitting opposite Abramovic while others managed just a couple of minutes.

Interesting In General

Interesting In General

Bees swarm Wall Street hot spot

The city's so-called "bee man" says there's a common problem behind the buzz in New York.  

See the invasion 

Also: 

• Third swarm in a year
• Urban beekeeping
• Grasshopper outbreak?

Twist of fate creates unlikely millionaire

Twist of fate creates unlikely millionaire

A chance encounter and a life of loyalty turn a man from a poor Nepal village into an NYC media sensation.

Big windfall 

Also: 

• Rags-to-riches stories
• Prince Harry heads to NYC
• Bus driver's mystery man

Australian vets treat hundreds of lorikeet parrots for 'drunkenness'

A mystery illness resembling human drunkenness has caused hundreds of native birds to fall out of the sky in the tropical Australian city of Darwin. The brightly-colored lorikeets are receiving treatment at an animal hospital with symptoms similar to alcohol abuse in people.

It is unclear what is causing Darwin's inquisitive and gregarious lorikeets to unceremoniously fall to Earth. Vets say it could take some birds several months to recover.

The mystery ailment often strikes these small parrots at the end of the wet season in Australia's rugged Northern Territory. About 200 birds are being looked after by vets suffering what appears to be a giant hangover.

The splendidly-colored birds with blue faces, red beaks and green wings are a sorry sight. Bleary-eyed and disheveled, the cantankerous patients are suffering from headaches and a lack of energy. Many seem to want just a good lie down.

Tests have failed to reveal the cause of their distress and their rehabilitation could take a few months.

When the groggy lorikeets do finally emerge from this debilitating fog, they will be released back into the wild, where they roam in large, noisy flocks.