CAROLINA NATURALLY: May 9, 2011

Monday, May 9, 2011

The Daily Drift

The Daily Drift

Today's horoscope says:
Some mysteries can't be solved very easily, but today you'll be able to live with them without much tension -- as they say, 'out of sight, out of mind'.
Think only of the knowns in your life today, and the unknowns will have no power -- stay close to home, stick with the people who know you inside and out.
The right people and the right place will give you crystal clear vision you need and make all the difference -- just like they always do.

Some of our readers today have been in:

Montreal, Quebec, Canada
London, England, United Kingdom
Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Gloucester, England, United Kingdom
Hyvinkaa, Southern Finland, Finland
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Huelva, Andalucia, Spain
Jakarta, Jakarta Raya, Indonesia
Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Berne, Bern, Switzerland
Rome, Lazio, Italy
Paris, Ile-De-France, France

as well as Slovakia, 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 Lamoine, Athens, Tucson, Seattle and more.

Today is:

Today is Monday, May 9, the 129th day of 2011.

There are 236 days left in the year.

Today's unusual holidays or celebrations are:

There are none today

Don't forget to visit our sister blog!

Non Sequitur

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Woman rescued after 7 weeks

Woman stranded 7 weeks found alive

Rita Chretien's family recounts how she survived after her van got stuck on a Nev. forest road.

Husband still missing

Also:

Mississippi River threatens homes

Residents ditch homes as river rises

Memphis officials are going door-to-door warning people of the surging Mississippi.

Latest crest prediction

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Further Proof Religion Is Bullshit

Hasidic newspaper edits Secretary of State out of Situation Room photo.

It is the image that has come to define a pivotal point in history, capturing the moment the deadly raid on Osama Bin Laden's lair was watched in awe by the White House elite.
But it appears for one U.S. newspaper, a couple of the people sat with President Barack Obama in the Situation Room that day were not quite elite enough.
Brooklyn-based Hasidic newspaper Der Zeitung printed a story this week with a subtly manipulated version of the historic image - all the men in the photograph remain untouched but the two women in the picture have been Photoshopped out.

The Der Zeitung newspaper could find itself in serious trouble with authorities because of the way it censored the Situation Room photograph. The White House released the image along with a fierce disclaimer stating that the 'photograph may not be manipulated in any way.'

Donald Trump is a cunt

But we knew that already ...

Michael Forbes (born circa 1952) is a farmer, part-time salmon fisherman and quarry worker from near Balmedie in Aberdeenshire, Scotland who became known after his refusal to sell his land to Donald Trump who is planning to build an extensive luxury golf course complex in the area. Forbes' farm, which is said by Trump to be in a state of disrepair, has the words "NO GOLF COURSE" painted on a shed.

He attracted media attention in the United States for standing up to Trump. Forbes has insisted that he will "never sell" his land to Trump despite being offered a payment £450,000 in addition to a salary of £50,000 per year for an unspecified job. The plans to build the golf complex were rejected in late November 2007 by Aberdeenshire Council but were later called in by the Scottish Government, who gave approval in November 2008. He has been compared to the beachcomber character in the film Local Hero.

The Trump organization is now closing in on Michael's home and have threatened to try to use a compulsory purchase order to forcibly remove him and his family from their land. Trump claimed that Forbes' property was a slum that would spoil the view from his new hotel. Forbes retorted that Trump can "shove his money up his arse. "The Tripping Up Trump Campaign have banded together to challenge the Trump organization on this issue.

Full Story

The repugican Jobs Plan That Wasn't

It’s been over three months since repugicans stole the House of Representatives.

The central premise of the repugican midterm campaign was that it could create badly needed jobs—the repugican nithing cabal even drove a bus through the lower 48 states emblazoned with the slogan: “Need a Job? Fire Pelosi!”

OK. So where are the JOBS?

Full Story

How can you tell when repugicans are lying?

Easily ...

When their lips are moving.

Alabama repugicans voted against tornado warning systems

Sickening, but does this really surprise anyone?

More here.

Odds and Sods

Batman needs new Robin

A 91-year-old crimefighter, who calls himself a modern day Batman, has been told to stay at home until he can find himself a new sidekick.

Woman's bizarre behavior at Waldorf-Astoria blamed on Lyme disease

A Connecticut woman, who was a guest at the Waldorf-Astoria, was taken to a New York area psychiatric hospital Saturday after doing some very unusual things in the hotel's lobby.

Culinary DeLites

A week’s worth of delicious dinners

Try this easy-to-make, tasty grilled-cheese-and-kale sandwich with tomato soup.

Finger-lickin' BBQ chicken

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FDA Issues First Rules Under New Food Safety Bill

Photo: Natalie Maynor

It was a game changer and a surprising one at that. Folks on Capitol Hill pronounced the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act dead, but in an end of year surprise, it unanimously passed the Senate. The bill gave the FDA power to recall tainted food. Until recently, only private companies had the right to recall and pull their own products. And most recently, according to Food Production Daily, the FDA has issued its first regulations under the Food Safety Modernization Act.

Article continues: FDA Issues First Rules Under New Food Safety Bill

Sugar Sues High Fructose Corn Syrup

Photo: colros

It's about the lesser of two evils, isn't it? But when push comes to shove, how different is sugar from high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)?

The Western Sugar Cooperative is claiming that the two are in fact very different. It recently filed suit against sugar refiners for misleading consumers in calling HFCS corn sugar, according to the Des Moines Register and as discussed on Food Politics. "The lawsuit names as defendants Archer Daniels Midland Co., Cargill Inc., and other major corn syrup processors as well as the Corn Refiners Association."

Article continues: Sugar Sues High Fructose Corn Syrup

Study in South Korea finds higher rate of autism

A study in South Korea suggests about 1 in 38 children have traits of autism, higher than a previous U.S. estimate of 1 in 100.

Full Story

Exercise addiction signs

Could you be addicted to exercise?

Chronic injuries, fatigue, and depression could all be signs of "overtraining syndrome."

Other red flags

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From the New Yorker

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How lies lead to debt woes

Four lies that lead to debt problems

If you think racking up purchases will make your life better, think again.

Common traits of overspenders

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Five degrees with potential

Degrees with high earning potential

Any of these five college majors can help prepare you for a great career.

Fast-growing professions

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Job openings at big businesses

Fortune 500 firms with job openings

Best Buy and JPMorgan Chase hope to hire over 29,000 people combined.

Who the companies want

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Aircraft carriers having boom

Surprising boom in massive aircraft carriers

Despite high costs and questionable relevance, nations invest more in floating fortresses.

$9 billion per ship

Also:

Internet boom is back?

The tantalizing prospect of finding the next Facebook, Groupon or Twitter is driving the biggest rush of venture capital into the internet start-up arena since dot-com mania first boomed and then fizzled more than a decade ago.

More than $US5 billion of venture capital investment flowed into young web companies globally in the first four months of the year, data from Thomson Reuters Deals Intelligence shows.

Though small compared with the boom years, the sum puts 2011 on track to be the busiest in dollar terms since 2000, when more than $US55 billion was deployed to back nascent technology firms.

Full Story

Ziggy

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Bahrain to end emergency rule

It's not clear if this also means the government is going to back off of the extreme charges against protesters though it is still a sign of movement in the right direction.

Al Jazeera:

State media in Bahrain sayshttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa has ordered an end to the emergency rule imposed in mid-March to quell a wave of anti-government protests in the Gulf Arab country.

Bahrain state TV said the state of emergency will end on June 1 in line with a royal decree issued on Sunday.

The announcement came as 14 out of 21 opposition leaders and political activists were charged with attempting to overthrow the Sunni monarchy in a special security court set up by the emergency rule. The remaining seven are being tried in absentia.

Jamal Fakhro, deputy president of Bahrain's Shura Council, the upper house of the National Assembly, which is directly appointed by the king, welcomed the announcement on lifting emergency rule.

Arizona seeks online donations to build border fence

What a bunch of idiots!

Arizona lawmakers want more fence along the border with Mexico - whether the federal government thinks it's necessary or not.

Full Story

Iran assisting Syria with violent crack down

It has been a bloody yet efficient process so far in Syria. The White House suggested the same earlier though without any proof. A foreign diplomat now has more details.

The Guardian:

The diplomat pointed to a "significant" increase in the number of Iranian personnel in Syria since protests began in mid-March. Mass arrests in door-to-door raids, similar to those that helped to crush Iran's "green revolution" in 2009, have been stepped up in the past week.

Human rights groups suggest more than 7,000 people have been detained since the uprising began. More than 800 people are said to have died, up to 50 during last Friday's "day of defiance". Last night two unarmed demonstrators were reportedly killed during a night rally in the eastern city of Deir al-Zor.

"Tehran has upped the level of technical support and personnel support from the Iranian Republican Guard to strengthen Syria's ability to deal with protesters," the diplomat said, adding that the few hundred personnel were not involved in any physical operations. "Since the start of the uprising, the Iranian regime has been worried about losing its most important ally in the Arab world and important conduit for weapons to Hezbollah [in Lebanon]," the diplomat said.

Security forces fire on Yemeni protesters

Two Dead

A Yemeni opposition activist says security forces backed by army units opened fire on some of tens of thousands of protesters demanding the ouster of Yemen's longtime president, killing two.

Full Story

Thousands of Moroccans call for reforms

Thousands of Moroccans have demanded political reforms in this Muslim kingdom during an anti-violence march in Marrakech, where 17 people died in a cafe bombing last month.

Full Story

Thousands march against violence in Mexico City

An anti-violence march that began in a central state with a few hundred people and gathered thousands over a four-day trek reached Mexico's capital Sunday, led by a poet whose son was killed by suspected drug traffickers.

Full Story

An unlikely Chinese spy

Profile of an unlikely Chinese spy

A businessman in the U.S. for almost 40 years represents a new kind of espionage.

'Pure and simple greed'

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Australian police seek Buzz Lightyear lookalike after glassing

A Buzz Lightyear lookalike is being hunted by Sydney police as they investigate the glassing of a woman at an inner-city beer garden.

In an appeal for information in connection with the Saturday night assault, police described a man "seen near" the victim before she was injured.

"He is described as wearing a white, green and purple astronaut costume similar to the cartoon character 'Buzz Lightyear,'" police said in a statement.

The 27-year-old woman who was hit by a glass while sitting at a licensed venue on Crown Street, Surry Hills, at about 11.45pm local time suffered a cut to the forehead and was taken to the Sydney Hospital for treatment.

Galactic Time Lapse

Nice

Matchbox Masterpieces

Way back in the 1890s match-manufacturers, Messrs. S. I. Moreland and Sons, of Gloucester and Birmingham, issued a challenge to their customers to construct a model made with no fewer than 1000 of their matchboxes. Many marvelous creations were submitted and judged by a panel mostly composed of architects. Mr. G. W. Roberts, of 2 Wenman Street, Birmingham made the full size piano above using 3,200 matchboxes, 576 boxes that had contained small wax-vestas and 51b. of glue. His effort won first prize in the third competition. In 1898 The Strand magazine of London published an article on the contest complete with photographs of submissions.

Full Story

Awesome Pictures

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Human Activity is Causing Wildlife to Shrink

Photo: puuikibeach / cc

In a world increasingly dominated by humans, it seems there's less and less room for just about everything else -- so to cope, animals and plants across the globe are gradually getting smaller. For centuries, human activities such as hunting and encroachment have made life difficult for the largest species, from mammals and fish to insects and trees, leading to an evolutionary trend towards the miniature. And researchers suggest that unless countermeasures are taken to ensure 'big' makes a comeback -- we may be heading towards a world of tinier and tinier creatures.

Article continues: Human Activity is Causing Wildlife to Shrink

B.C.

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Amazing Up-Close Footage Shows the Birth of an Ant

Screenshot from YouTube

Raising a child is a full time job, even with one mouth to feed -- so just imagine all the work it takes to rear hundreds of thousands of them. Ants can be found nearly everywhere on the planet, but behind each one of those six-legged crawlers is a mother who tenderly brought it into the world, just like yours did. In this amazing up-close footage of an ant nursery, we see the great care given to birth a member of the colony. Though they may be numerous (and occasionally unwelcome), it's important to remember that even ants have a mother, too.

Article continues: Amazing Up-Close Footage Shows the Birth of an Ant (Video)

Lizard in Saudi Arabian restaurant causes uproar

The unexpected visit of a huge desert lizard at a restaurant caused uproar among diners and waiters and made them run into the street in the city of Al-Rass in Qassim province on Thursday.

The three-kilogram reptile escaped from the wheelbarrow of passing municipality cleaners who had found it at a nearby cemetery, and headed for the restaurant, apparently attracted by the smell of food.

Customers fled the restaurant in panic before a local man seized the lizard. The lizard was later sold at auction for SR30 ($8).

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Monday, May 9, 2011

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