The Daily Drift

The Daily Drift

Today's horoscope says:
Something is definitely getting started right now.
Is it the very beginning hints of a love affair?
Or the rekindling of an existing love that's been smoldering quietly and is ready, now, to burst into flames?
Is it a life-expanding new friendship that's getting started?
It could be a combination of things -- you'll only know once you find out.
So go find out ... and have fun!

Some of our readers today have been in:

Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Sheffield, England, United Kingdom

Paris, Ile-De-France, France

Woensdrecht, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands

Oldenburg, Nierdersachsen, Germany

Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia

Merida, Yucatan, Mexico

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Bremen, Bremen, Germany

as well as Italy and in cities across the United States such as Parkville, Sevierville, Dallas, Chicago and more.

Today is:

Today is Thursday, September 16, the 259th day of 2010.

There are 106 days left in the year.

Today In History September 16

Today's unusual holiday or celebration is:

Beer Day

Don't forget to visit our sister blog!

He Hate Me

He Hate Me finds a new calling

Rod Smart won fame nine years ago for the phrase stitched on his football jersey.

Still making a name for himself 

Also: 

• More on Rod Smart
• CBS hiatus for Sharpe
• Young didn't want honor

I was lovin' it' television ad enrages McDonald's

From the "Who gives a shit what McDonald's thinks" Department:

In a television ad that could  kill your appetite, an overweight, middle-aged man is seen lying dead in  a morgue holding a half-eaten hamburger as a woman weeps over the  linen-clad body. McDonald's ubiquitous golden arches then trace the dead  man's feet with the text "I was lovin' it," a stinging pun on the  fast-food chain's long-running slogan "I'm lovin' it."

A  voiceover says, "high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart attacks.  Tonight, make it vegetarian." Produced by Washington-based health lobby  Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), the commercial is  set to be aired in Washington DC during the popular The Daily Show with  Jon Stewart on Thursday. PCRM says it is also considering running it in  Chicago, Detroit, Houston and Los Angeles

The  ad "takes aim at McDonald's high-fat menu, with the goal of drawing  Washingtonians' attention to the city's high rates of heart disease  deaths and its high density of fast-food restaurants," PCRM said in a  statement. Studies show that people who consume fast food are at a  higher risk for obesity, a factor contributing to heart disease, it  said.

But the ad enraged McDonald's. "This commercial is outrageous, misleading and unfair to all consumers. McDonald's trusts  our customers to put such outlandish propaganda in perspective, and to make food and lifestyle choices that are right for them,"  spokeswoman Bridget Coffing said. PCRM said its survey showed that  Washington has more McDonald's, Burger King, and KFC outlets per square  mile than eight other cities with similar population sizes.

World's most valuable brands

World's most valuable brands named

BP drops off the list of the world's top 100 brands for the first time in nine years.  

No. 1 is 'ruthlessly consistent' 

Also: 

• Worst brand names
• Store vs. name brands
• Things to buy generic

B.C.

Culinary DeLites

Culinary DeLites

10 ways to eat like a nutritionist

The pros know that cooking with spices and seasonal produce adds fat-free flavor.

One dietitian's 'key habit' 

Also: 

• Things chefs never say
• Become a dietitian
• Five ways to eat local

The unhealthiest milkshakes in America

At 2,000 calories and 131 grams of fat, Cold Stone's PB&C shake is chilling.

Six healthier ways to indulge 

Also: 

• Scariest restaurant foods
• Ad targets McDonald's
• Healthy smoothie recipes

Eight fast make-at-home breakfasts

Start the day with fiber, protein, and healthy carbs in no time at all. 

All have three ingredients or less 

Also: 

• 10 healthy breakfasts
• Best and worst cereals
• Ideal fiber intake

Drunk woman cuts friend while eating pig’s feet in bed

A woman who was eating pig’s feet in bed accidentally cut her friend in the arm, police say.
The 52-year-old Rock Hill woman told police she accidentally cut a friend in the forearm with a knife around at 10:30 p.m. on Sunday. Both she and the victim, 50, were intoxicated, according to a Rock Hill police report.

He had a deep cut to his arm. The report did not state if he was hospitalized.

No charges were filed, but the incident remains under investigation.

Police filmed on zip wire during burglary investigation

Two police officers who took a ride on a zip wire while investigating a burglary at an activity center in Torquay have been reprimanded by senior officers. Chief Inspector Jim Nye, of Torbay police, said the unnamed pair had realized that their actions — caught on film by a witness — were inappropriate. The duo were called to Barton Hall's PGL activity venue in Watcombe on August 23 to investigate the theft of a camcorder from holidaymakers' accommodation the day before.
Their zip-wire ride was snapped on the mobile phone of a member of staff. One officer can be seen disappearing into the distance on the wire. The cameraman claimed the officers involved ordered him to delete his damning footage. But the man, aged 22 and from Paignton, kept his shots by only pretending to get rid of them. The man later quit his job at the site and resigned from the agency which placed him at the holiday center.

He revealed he was taking a late lunch break when he heard police were having a go on the zip wire. "I was gobsmacked at what I saw. They said it was 'community interfacing'. They are paid good money by taxpayers to investigate crime — not enjoy themselves on a fun ride," he said. Police were called to the location on the edge of Torquay to collect details about a break-in which was discovered on August 22.

"The other officer filmed the same sequence on his phone. But I was told to delete my stuff because they said it would look bad if it got out," said the former employee. Mr Nye said: "The officers have realized in hindsight that such actions on duty are not acceptable. They were offered a go on the zip wire and they accepted. They have realized the error of their ways. We now consider the matter closed — and it is time to move on and continue our work to make the Bay a better and safer place in which to live and work."

You can see the wholly underwhelming video footage here.

Just the News

Greeks Find Human Skulls In Luggage Of U.S. Tourists

Greek police charged two U.S. tourists with desecrating the dead on Thursday after they found six human skulls in their hand luggage at Athens international airport, a police official said.

Mystery Bidder Buys Berlin's 'Checkpoint Bravo'

A mystery telephone bidder purchased a piece of history in the form of "Checkpoint Bravo" -- once one of the busiest crossing points between East and West Berlin -- in an auction Thursday.

Adolf Hitler Car Gift To Nepal King To Be Used Again

A car said to have been a gift from Adolf Hitler to a Nepali king will be repaired and used to drive visitors around the grounds of a palace museum, a government official said on Thursday.

New DNA analysis, done on bones dug up from a graveyard in the Dominican Republic, shows that Africans came to the Americas far earlier than anyone previously thought. The skeletons belonged to members of a failed colony set up during Christopher Columbus' second voyage to the New World in 1494.

The 'Happiness gap' is shrinking

'Happiness gap' is shrinking dramatically

A study finds a big shift in African Americans' level of satisfaction with their lives.  

Major change from decades past 

Also: 

• Does richer mean happier?
• Being satisfied with less
• Quotes about happiness

How to know when the recession is over

How to know when the recession is over

Many Americans just aren't feeling the impact of the recovery in their daily lives.  

The single biggest indicator 

Also: 

• Double dip in home prices
• 10 radical money moves
• Double-dip recession

U.S. industries that may never recover

Some sectors of the American economy won't see growing numbers of workers anytime soon.  

Endangered jobs 

Also: 

• Signs of a layoff
• Live in a high-debt city?
• The new global empire

Early Retirement

Pension cuts spark early workforce exit

Many states have rolled back pension benefits, triggering a rush of early retirements. 

A global trend? 

Also: 

• A look at the changes
• Calif. city's pension flap
• The U.S. pension system

American workers are at least $6.6 trillion short of retirement needs

CNBC:

The study, conducted by Boston College's Center for Retirement Research, says savings have been squeezed by declines in stock and housing values.

The study was commissioned by Retirement USA, a coalition of organized labor and pension rights advocates that hopes to use the study to push for a more stable retirement system. The group plans to unveil the study at a news conference in Washington on Wednesday.

The $6.6 trillion figure is based on projections of retirement and income for American workers ages 32-64. The study's authors say they arrived at the amount using conservative assumptions, including a 3 percent rate of return on assets and no further cuts in pension coverage or increases in the Social Security retirement age.

Most repossessions ever

Banks take over record number of homes

More repossessions took place last month than at any other time since the mortgage crisis began. 

Top 10 states 

Also: 

• Two years after Lehman
• More on foreclosures
• Fewer options in future

More Americans now living in poverty

More Americans now living in poverty

One in seven makes less than the poverty rate — set at $21,954 for a family of four.

Reasons it's not higher 

Also: 

• World poverty falling
• Jobless claims drop
• Global average incomes

US ranchers brace for limits on antibiotics

Just part of the story:

Mr. Rowles says he keeps his pigs fit by feeding them antibiotics for weeks after weaning, to ward off possible illness in that vulnerable period. And for months after that, he administers an antibiotic that promotes faster growth with less feed.

Now, after decades of debate, the Food and Drug Administration appears poised to issue its strongest guidelines on animal antibiotics yet, intended to reduce what it calls a clear risk to human health. They would end farm uses of the drugs simply to promote faster animal growth and call for tighter oversight by veterinarians.

Mexican Independence Day

The truth about Mexican Independence Day

Mexico celebrates its bicentennial on Sept. 16. So why is it more important than Cinco de Mayo? 

Web confused 

Also: 

• Hope for peaceful fiesta
• More on Mexico's day
• Storm hits Yucatan

Russian official fired for making boys kiss his feet

A regional Russian official sacked for forcing a group of teenagers to kiss his feet has defended his actions, claiming he was merely repeating a lesson he had learned in the Red army. The official, Difkat Khantimerov, was fired over the weekend after a video posted on YouTube exposed the bizarre incident. The official took charge of a PE lesson and ordered a basketball squad to perform a series of arduous press-ups. He then stuck out his right shoe and ordered the boys to kiss it.

With the teenagers struggling to carry out his request, Khantimerov barked out a series of military-style commands, including "Harder!" "One, two!" and "Kiss!". The clip shows him withdrawing his foot. He then crouches down, and lays his hand flat on the gym floor to be kissed instead. The extraordinary episode took place in Bashkortostan, a largely Muslim region of southern Russia in the Urals. On Saturday the republic's president, Rustem Khamitov, said he was "relieving the official of his duties" after watching the video on the internet.

"This looks like an outrage, an insult against schoolchildren," the president said. The president was "indignant to the bottom of his soul," his press secretary, Airat Murzagaleev, said. Muzagaleev said the official had given "a strange and not very convincing" explanation for his behaviour: "He told us he had experienced the same thing in the Red army. He said he believed today's youth weren't disciplined and needed to be properly educated." Khantimerov was the head of the Ermekeyev district, Muzagaleev said.

The dismissal represents another victory for Russia's vigilant and politically active blogosphere. Faced with a hostile judicial system that sides with the rich and well-connected, bloggers have taken to posting compromising material online, forcing the authorities to take action. Russia's presidential children's envoy, Pavel Astakhov, also condemned the foot-kissing incident, describing it as "another case of cruel treatment of children". A few commenters, however, defended him. One, valet176, said that he had done nothing wrong, and noted that the basketball court had recently been renovated.

Trapped Chilean miner becomes a father

Trapped Chilean miner becomes a father

The wife of one of the 33 men surviving underground delivers the couple's first daughter.

Why they changed her name 

Also: 

• Search: Chilean miners
• 1,000 job offers to miners
• Movie in the works

French parliament confirms burqa ban

While many people are offended by the burqa, it's hard to see how this political move will help the women or help the country around the world. Many French travel extensively so it they could easily be put in harms way with this move.

The Senate passed the bill by 246 votes to one Tuesday and, having already cleared the lower house in July, the bill will now be reviewed by the Constitutional Council, which has a month to confirm its legality.

The text makes no mention of Islam, but President Nicolas Sarkozy's government promoted the law as a means to protect women from being forced to wear Muslim full-face veils such as the burqa or the niqab.

Once in force, the law provides for a six-month period of "education" to explain to women already wearing a face veil that they face arrest and a fine if they continue to do so in any public space.

Photoshop - Got ya

Egypt's paper under fire for doctored photo

State-run Al-Ahram draws criticism for altering a picture of President Mubarak and President Obama.

Their version

Also:

• More on the controversy
• Egypt's role in peace talks
• S.C. senator defends pic

Repugicans unveil plan to add $4 trillion to deficit

Haven't they added enough economic problems to the US economy to last a few lifetimes?

Once again the repugican plan is to rally 'round the richest Americans and then stick the bill with the shrinking middle class. This is insane.

From the Washington Post.

Even as they hammer Democrats for running up record budget deficits, Senate repugicans are rolling out a plan to permanently extend an array of expiring tax breaks that would deprive the Treasury of more than $4 trillion over the next decade, nearly doubling projected deficits over that period unless dramatic spending cuts are made.

The measure, introduced by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (retard-Ky.) this week, would permanently extend the shrub-era income tax cuts that benefit virtually every U.S. taxpayer, rein in the alternative minimum tax and limit the estate tax to estates worth more than $5 million for individuals or $10 million for couples.

Dimblub falls for hoax

And are we surprised the idiot fell for it? 

In a word ... No.

Lush Dimbulb falls for strange hoax

The talk-radio host repeats wild tales about a U.S. district judge that he read online. 

Brown bears vs. flowers 

Also: 

• Popular Internet hoaxes
• Dimbulb on Karl Rove
• Broadcaster avoids jail

Dimbulb, Palin, Rove and wanna-be-senator-who-opposes-masturbation gnaw on each other

Just me, or is "balls to the wall" not the expression you'd use to defend this woman?

Add Lush Dimbulb to the list of prominent conservatives tearing into Karl Rove's hide today. As Rove continued his tour slamming freshly minted Delaware repugican Senate nominee Christine O'Donnell over the considerable number of skeletons in her closet, Lush was almost literally beside himself with frustration at the idea that anyone -- much less The Architect -- would dare violate the 11th Commandment so brazenly.

O'Donnell's nomination has created deep divisions between the repugican party and wingnut agitators. Last night, Rove bashed O'Donnell -- and her chances of being elected -- and insisted that she's said a lot of "nutty things." He was attacked by some wingnuts for those comments. O'Donnell whacked him back in a televised interview this morning. And then Rove responded to O'Donnell and his wingnut critics, daring them to 'prove me wrong'. Then Palin slammed Rove. Now it's Dimbulb's turn.

"If 51 seats was really the objective -- if getting the majority is really that important, then let's go balls to the wall for Christine O'Donnell!" Dimbulb screamed on his radio show today after playing a clip of Rove's already infamous anti-O'Donnell interview on Hannity last night.

Don't you just love it when the wingnuts fight amongst themselves!

Terror memos

Gov. 'deeply embarrassed' by terror memos

A bulletin distributed by Pa.'s homeland security office sparks outrage, even from Gov. Ed Rendell.  

Unlikely targets 

Also: 

• Institute behind reports
• State's capital gets sued
• How cell phones track you

Ziggy

Fifteen tons of squid lands in broccoli field

A big rig hauling 30,000 pounds of squid spilled its load at about 3 a.m. on Tuesday after the driver lost control south of Soledad.
The driver, a 71-year-old Oxnard man, was uninjured in the crash and no other vehicles were involved, the California Highway Patrol said.

The truck was travelling south on Highway 101, south of Los Coches Road, when the driver allowed the truck and trailer to go off the road, overturning on a dirt frontage road adjacent to the highway, CHP officers said.

As the truck and trailer flipped, the load of squid spilled onto the frontage road and into a broccoli field. Officers said the highway was not blocked and crews were called to clean up the squid and remove the wrecked truck and trailer.

Orphaned otter learns to swim in bath tub

A three-month-old otter is being taught how to swim and socialise with other animals after he was found alone on a building site in Wales. Staff at Secret World Wildlife Rescue in Highbridge, Somerset, are rehabilitating the orphaned mammal in preparation for his release back into the wild.
The pup, named Garaint, is living at the home of Pauline Kidner, the founder of Secret World, where he has struck up a friendship with her eight-month-old black labrador puppy called Mollie. Pauline Kidner, 60, said the otter's interaction with other animals is be vital to the mammal's rehabilitation.

"Otters are highly sociable animals and I'd much rather Garaint was socialising with a puppy than humans," she said. "Fortunately, we have some older dogs who are a bit too grumpy for fun and games, so they are teaching Garaint that not all dogs are approachable for her future back in the wild.

"As a pup eight-month-old Molly is just as playful as the otter, so it's great that they can both enjoy a bit of rough and tumble together." Ms Kidner has also welcomed six-week-old otter Snuffles to her home, and hopes that she and Garaint will become playmates as the pup gets older.

Video. There are more photos here.

Being Grumpy is Hazardous to Your Health

We’ve all heard about the Type A personality, but did you know that there are Type B,C, and D?
T Goodman of InventorSpot explains the difference between the personality types, and why it’s bad to be the grumpy Type D:

Now, Type D’s have been described as anxious, irritable, and pessimistic. They are the grumps and the grouches of the world. They are not necessarily clinically depressed; negativity is just an overwhelming feature of their personalities.
Though some early studies had shown that Type A’s were at the greatest risk for cardiovascular disease, later research found fault with that data. Now an in depth literature research of 49 previous studies involving 6000 patients, found that it’s Type D personalities who are the most likely to have cardiovascular disease and are those most likely to have another cardiac incident after experiencing the first one. They
are three times more likely than other personality types, according to this research, to experience peripheral artery disease, heart failure, and heart attack.

Full Story

Nose ring is religious

Suspended teen: Nose ring is religious

A 14-year-old's piercing ignites a fierce battle over her right to exercise her religion.

ACLU: School on shaky ground 

Also: 

• More on her religion
• France bans Muslim veils
• College blocks Facebook

Age Defying Drug Discovered

 

A Russian scientist named Vladimir Skulachev says he's come up with an anti-aging drug.  Inhuman Experiments discusses it: 

It appears that Skulachev has synthesized a  mitochondrially targeted antioxidant. There's no detailed information in  the article, but based on the papers Skulachev's group has published in  the past, it looks like the compound in question is SkQ1, an  antioxidant attached to a positively charged ion. Experiments have shown  that SkQ1 prolongs the lifespan of a variety of species, including mice  (link, link).  Clinical trials on humans are underway, and if everything goes  smoothly, the drug will be out in a few years. After successful results  from animal studies using eye drops, Skulachev tried it on his own  cataract. After six months, his cataract was gone. 
So what's the catch here? Well, looking at the lifespan data from  mice, they're not talking about an increase in maximum lifespan but in  median lifespan. The oldest mice receiving the drug did not live longer  than the oldest mice in the control group, they just had a squared  mortality curve. In other words, the mice that got SkQ1 made it to old  age more often than the control mice.

Russian Scientist Claims to Have Found Cure for Aging

Old people give most honest advice (also, harshest)

Apparently, as your ability to control impulses declines with age, so does your ability to smooth over other people's feelings via white lies and omissions. The upside to this: Advice from old people is more likely to be honest ... if a little on the painful side.
Scientific American reports on a recent study that's supposed to show how dwindling executive function can simultaneously impair your social graces and improve your Dear Abby skills.

Researchers recruited 19 undergrads and 32 adults in their 60s and 70s. They split the older adults into two groups, based on the adults' abilities to control their behaviors and impulses--called executive function, which naturally declines with age. Then the researchers showed all three groups a photo of a visibly obese teen, along with a list of her complaints, like trouble sleeping and lack of energy--symptoms associated with childhood obesity.
What advice could they offer this girl? Well, only half of the higher functioning adults and a third of the college kids brought up the girl's weight as the possible source for her problems. But 80 percent of the adults with cognitive declines mentioned weight. They also gave twice as many helpful tips, like more exercise, a better diet, and delivered them with more empathy.

Sadly, I'm not sure we can declare this an unequivocal win for cognitive decline. After all, "honesty" is a relative thing, dependent on your own beliefs. The same process that might prompt your Grandma to offer useful and empathetic weight-loss advice is probably also the driving force behind somebody else's Grandma's tendency to yell racist epithets at the mailman.
Both old ladies are telling you what they really think—which seems to be what this study is actually about. But being willing to tell people what you really think doesn't necessarily equal good advice.

Fining the Cable Guy

Cable guys to face fines for being late

Customers in New York may soon get justice for a familiar inconvenience.  

Payoff for consumers  

Also:

• Cable horror stories
• Set top box scrutinized
• Cable giants talk swap

Damn, this traffic jam

Where is the worst traffic in the world?

Your commute may seem tame compared to drives in China, where cars didn't move for days.  

Worst cities 

Also: 

• Longest commutes
• What your car type says
• Toyota's 6 new hybrids

A Traffic Light With A Mind Of It's Own

Decides When It Wants to Turn Green

Detailed studies of traffic flow allow cities to adjust the timing of changes on traffic signal lights. But according to a trio of researchers in Germany, Switzerland, and the United States, it may be better to simply allow individual lights to switch as local demand changes:

If each traffic light responds to its immediate demands, then all the lights will just react to the traffic coming from nearby intersections, which defeats the purpose of a smart network.

The solution is a decentralized approach that lets the traffic lights work together by figuring out how changes at each individual intersection would affect the entire system. Instead of being stymied by natural fluctuations in traffic, the system takes advantage of them, using random gaps to help improve traffic flow. Traffic lights could request green time only when there is a definite demand for them, the researchers write. This acyclic approach could eliminate the particularly annoying problem of sitting at a red light while there’s no traffic.

Full Story

Wine Filling Station

Fill'er-up

Buying wine in bottles and boxes is so old-fashioned. In select supermarkets in France, customers can now fill up containers with gas station-style pumps:

Bring your own resealable bottles, Poland Spring containers, jerrycans, whatever. Or you can get one at the store. Select your grade (red, white, or rosé). Pump. Print receipt.
Astrid Terzian introduced this concept that hearkens back to a bygone era when wine would arrive in Paris shops in tonneaux and consumers would bring their own flagons to fill. But today, Terzian says, she started this scheme in fall 2008 to fill a niche, tapping into two key themes, environmental awareness and the economy.

Full Story

Disappearing Airplanes

Largest aircraft ever to have vanished

The 727 was last seen taking off without clearance, its lights and transponder turned off.  

In 2003 

Also: 

• Cruise disappearance
• Find: Bermuda Triangle
• Airline's money-back offer

Linothorax

Alexander the Great's Kevlar-like Shirt

Stab- and slash-resistant clothing might seem to be a modern innovation, but there is evidence that Alexander the Great and his army utilized similar technology.

Presented at the annual meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America in Anaheim, Calif., the study suggests that Alexander and his soldiers protected themselves with linothorax, a type of body armor made by laminating together layers of linen.  Indeed, Aldrede and co-investigator Scott Bartell discovered that linothorax was widely mentioned in ancient records.  “Currently we have 27 descriptions by 18 different ancient authors and nearly 700 visual images on objects ranging from Greek vases to Etruscan temple reliefs,” Aldrete said.  The main visual evidence for Alexander wearing linothorax is the famous “Alexander Mosaic” from Pompeii, in which the Macedonian king is depicted with this sort of armor.
“Our controlled experiments basically dispelled the myth that armor made out of cloth must have been inferior to other available types. Indeed, the laminated layers function like an ancient version of modern Kevlar armor, using the flexibility of the fabric to disperse the force of the incoming arrow,” Aldrete said.

Full Story

False Dawn: The Zodiacal Pyramid of Light

Photo: Kwon O. Chul, TWAN 

The gorgeous pyramid of light above is called the zodiacal light. Andrew Fazekas of the National Geographic News explains the elusive celestial phenomenon:

Unlike the stars and gases of the Milky Way, which stretch away from Earth for light-years, the source of the zodiacal light lies between the inner planets of our solar system.
There, billions of dust grains orbit the sun in a flattened disk spread out along the ecliptic—the plane of the solar system, which also contains the paths of the 12 constellations of the zodiac.
The dusty disk, also called the zodiacal cloud, radiates from near the sun out beyond the orbit of Mars, toward Jupiter. The dust reflects and scatters sunlight in such a way that it creates a visible glow for observers on Earth.
"Because the dust in the solar system is concentrated along the ecliptic plane, the zodiacal light is likewise concentrated," Gyuk said.

Full Story

Two to Tango

Rare duo of strong hurricanes roils Atlantic

A frenetic burst of storm activity creates a situation not seen in more than a decade.  

Third system slams Mexico 

Also: 

• See storm photos
• 2010 hurricane names
• Why Category 5 is so rare

Rapid Decline of Oldest, Thickest Arctic Sea Ice Tracked in New Study

Photo via Sustainablog

Though a recent study called into question the current estimated rate of ice loss at the poles, there's no question as that ice loss is a major problem, and a harsh reality in the Arctic. Case in point: a soon-to-be-released study scooped at Climate Progress reveals further evidence that the oldest, thickest see ice is currently undergoing a sharp drop off, and is being filled in by more ephemeral, seasonally occurring ice. What's more, is that judging by the data, it looks highly probable that 2010 brought the lowest levels of ice volume the Arctic has ever seen.

Article continues: Rapid Decline of Oldest, Thickest Arctic Sea Ice Tracked in New Study

Daily Comic Relief

Yoga Bear

The Guardian has a photo gallery of Santra, a female brown bear, doing what looks an awful lot like yoga stretches one morning at the Ahtari zoo in Finland.
A human visitor named Meta Penca took the photos.
Her asana series went on for about 15 minutes.

In an accompanying story, a yoga teacher guesses that she's probably doing this "to stay sane" in the unnatural, crazy-making captive zoo environment. I'd have preferred to hear from an animal behavior expert in the article, but I do have a hunch he's right.




*****

Animal News

Squirrel adopted by cat learns to purr

Full story

You've heard of cats chasing squirrels. But how about a cat mothering a squirrel? That's what one mama feline in Mississippi is doing after her owner put an abandoned baby squirrel in with her litter.

Scientists Fight Contagious Face-Eating Tasmanian Devil Cancer

The wild shrieks and grunts made by Tasmanian devils as they fed on their prey terrified early English settlers in the 19th century, an experience that inspired the small carnivores' common name. Today, however, it's the devils that are being tormented—by an epidemic so horrific it seems otherworldly.
It's a parasitic cancer called Devil facial tumor disease, and since it first appeared in 1996 it has been responsible for a 70 percent decline in the Tasmanian devil population.

Article continues: Scientists Fight Contagious Face-Eating Tasmanian Devil Cancer

The liger is greater than the sum of its parentage

Ligers and wolphins and zorses, oh my!
The New York Times has a great story about hybrid animals and plants, and why those hybrids are sometimes better adapted to survive than the pure species that gave birth to them.

Because species hybrids create new combinations of genes, it is possible that some combinations might enable hybrids to adapt to conditions in which neither parent may fare as well. ... Two widespread species, the common sunflower and prairie sunflower, have combined at least three times to give rise to three hybrid species: the sand sunflower, the desert sunflower, and the puzzle sunflower.
The parental species thrive on moist soils in the central and Western states, but the hybrids are restricted to more extreme habitats. The sand sunflower, for instance, is limited to sand dunes in Utah and northern Arizona and the puzzle sunflower to brackish salt marshes in West Texas and New Mexico. The species distributions suggest that the hybrids thrive where the parents cannot.

That's got implications for humans, as well, given the mounting bits of evidence suggesting that we are not purely Homo sapiens, and, instead, the result of sapiens dalliances with neanderthals and other related species. It's possible that we owe our success as a species to a hybrid nature as hardy as that of any beefalo.

Being Jane Goodall

Jane Goodall has studied chimpanzees in Africa since 1960. She arrived in Tanganyika with no training but a lot of enthusiasm for the work ahead. Fifty years later, she is still working for the benefit of the chimpanzees she loves. National Geographic has an extensive retrospective of her life and work in the new issue, with plenty of photographs as well.

Full Story

In addition, NatGeo has digitized and archived all the articles they’ve done on Jane Goodall and her work since 1960 here.

Small World

Meet the world's smallest dog

The petite pooch has her own entry in the "Guinness World Records" book.

Plus, see the longest cat 

Also: 

• Animal world records
• Dog, family reunite
• Dog does the merengue

33-inch English cow world's smallest

A minuscule cow with a taste for contemporary music has been named the world's smallest by the Guinness World Records book.

Full story

How Do You Steal a 350-lb Inflatable Gorilla?

Missing from a Simi Valley, California, car dealership: an inflatable gorilla – which inevitably brings up the question of how the heck does one steal a 350-pound inflatable primate from the roof?

On Tuesday, the gorilla was reported stolen from the roof of First Kia, 2081 First St., said Sgt. Ritchie Lew, a Simi Valley police spokesman. It was last seen Friday afternoon.
The gorilla is sometimes deflated when it’s windy, and the dealership’s employees assumed that’s what had happened until someone climbed onto the roof Tuesday and discovered it was missing, said Yehuda Riess, a used car manager there.
Riess said he has no clue why thieves targeted the gorilla, or how they made off with the roughly 350-pound inflatable primate.
“It’s not something you can just go up on the roof and steal it,” he said, adding the gorilla was tethered down by cables. “It would take at least a few people to carry it.”

Full Story

The Traveling Goose

Giant cement goose returned to owner

Willetta Cagle's 75-pound gift from her late husband mysteriously vanishes from her yard.

How she found it 

Also: 

• Garden gnome prank
• Camel rescued from hole
• Goose's happy dance