The Daily Drift

The Daily Drift

Today's horoscope says:
If you focus on the underlying foundation of circumstances, you'll gain key insight toward crafting a healthier, happier life.
Think about what's behind the recent actions of the people you care about -- any strange behavior may begin to make a lot more sense.
A long lost friend will soon reappear on the scene.
Things may be different for a while, but again -- if you focus on the foundation of your relationship, things can grow the way you want.

Some of our readers today have been in:

Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Edinburgh, Scotland, United kingdom
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Kuala Lumper, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
London, Ontario, Canada
Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Reykjavik, Reykjavik, Iceland
Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
Manila, Manila, Philippines
Cork, Cork, Ireland
London, England, United Kingdom

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 Albuquerque, Honeoye Falls, Wasilla, Daytona and more.

Today is:

Today is Friday, June 3, the 154th day of 2011.

There are 211 days left in the year.

Today's unusual holiday or celebration is:

Doughnut Day.

Don't forget to visit our sister blog!

Sustainable Community Cut Off From the World Almost 40 Years Ago

While a group cut off from the world for forty years might sound like a cargo cult in these environmentally minded folks live this way on purpose and with purpose. They cut themselves off from technology  and the modern world in an effort to live green and for the most part it’s working.

It sounds like something out of a fairy tale or a children’s book, a community deep in the wild jungle of Colombia, cut off from society almost 40 years ago. Then, after the rest of the world turned their back on them, they suddenly take great interest as it turns out this community has found something the rest of the world needs. Energy. And not just a new supply source but something even better. They’ve figured out how to be sustainable without outside influence or resources.

Full Story

Most snapped landmarks

Most photographed landmarks in the world

A look at 35 million snapshots reveals the 10 most recorded cities, landmarks, and angles.  

U.S. spot takes No. 1 

Also: 

• See Flickr gallery
• Coolest tourist attractions
• Stunning new hotels

Big changes for next Corvette

Next Corvette to offer Ferrari-like engine

General Motors is hoping that a major redesign will help lure fans of exotic European sports cars.  

What's different 

Also: 

• May auto sales dip
• Ford plans smallest engine
• Fewer summer car deals

Wizard of Id

Clearing the Heads

Attorney general promises to clarify medical pot position

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder promised Thursday to clarify the Justice Department's position on state medical marijuana laws after federal prosecutors warned they might prosecute everyone from licensed growers to regulators.

Full Story

Just in case you didn't know ...

The original and still official Pledge of Allegiance goes like this:

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America

And to the republic for which it stands,

One Nation indivisible,

With Liberty and Justice for all.

No other words are to be recited when making this pledge.
Doing so is a violation and is considered a repudiation of the United States of America.
Want to bet that the religious wackos aren't aware of this fact.

The truth be told

And I Quote

It's sad that we, the American people, tolerate all of this. From the TSA fondling people at the airport to the Wars that make us less safe as a country. America's bravest and best go to die in a far off land when the real enemies of the Constitution are here at home

~ Adam Kokesh

House repugicans Scoff At The Fact That Taxes Are Lower Under Obama Than Under Reagan

repugicans are not equipped to accept the truth and the facts as they are: they are too stupid and ignorant.

President Obama met with House repugicans today at the White House to discuss ways to move forward on negotiations regarding the nation’s debt ceiling and the budget.

During the discussion, talk evidently turned to taxes, and when Obama noted that taxes today are lower than they were under President Reagan, the repugicans, according to The Hill, “engaged in a lot of ‘eye-rolling’“

Full Story

The truth be told (part Deux)

Shrinking Social Security checks

How Social Security checks will shrink

Little-known changes in the program will have a big effect on many people's retirement.  

Benefit cuts in disguise 

Also: 

• When to collect benefits
• Retirement calculator
• Medicare reform needed

Cities that are on the brink

Five cities where the bubble may burst

These communities could take a hit because they lean so heavily on one employer or industry.  

The next Vegas? 

Also: 

• Economy getting weaker
• Cities with highest incomes
• Nine firms hiring now

On The Job

What employers want in job candidates

Surprisingly, having the right skills isn't the key to landing an offer, an expert says.  

Learn the '3 Gs' for job seekers 

Also: 

• How to boost a career
• Switch fields to be happy
• Common 401(k) goofs

Less Frustration and Lumen

Packaging to get a lot less frustrating

The nearly impenetrable container known as the "clamshell" may become a thing of the past.  

Surprising reason 

Also: 

• What to do with packaging
• Get cash for electronics
• U.S. shoppers spend less

How to prepare for the big bulb changeover

With incandescent light bulbs being phased out, shoppers now have some choices to make.  

What's a lumen? 

Also: 

• Halogen bulbs
• Home energy wasters
• 10 days without spending

Managing your life

About to lose your job? Here's what to do with your money

• Easy space-saving tricks for kitchens
• User Post: Frazzled? It won't last forever
• Will that salvaged container make a good planter?

Can you really have it all?

• 10 craziest backyards in the world
• Cooking in a hotel room...with an iron?
• 3 ways to trick yourself into saving money

Ziggy

Culinary DeLites

The tastiest, healthiest gluten-free foods

There are cereal, pasta, and bread options that retain their nutritional value without losing flavor. 

Kid-friendly, too 

Also: 

• Energy-boosting snacks
• Is food TV making us fat?
• Foods that cause bloating

Is your food safe? 4 rules for the grocery store

And:

• Step aside Chipotle: Mexican takeout makeover

 

Summer pasta salad

Foods to boost brain power and Cereal's lost love

Eating advice to boost your brain power

Foods high in iron and protein can help you stay alert, focused, and improve memory.  

Memory-boosting vitamins 

Also: 

• Goodbye, food pyramid
• Can fish boost your mood?
• Secrets of skinny people

Cereals that Americans no longer love

Consumers are losing their taste for these six well-known breakfast brands. 

The new morning food 

Also: 

• Great guilt-free cereals
• Tasty breakfast recipes
• Secrets of fast-food firms

"Operation Cupcake"

Spy hackers leave al-Qaida a tasty treat

A magazine's online bomb-making instructions are replaced by something different. 

Inspired by Ellen 

Also: 

• Secret CIA documentary
• New photos of Area 51
• Ex-Mossad head speaks

Soldier fought off 30 Taliban

Soldier who fought off 30 Taliban — alone

Under fire from all sides, a 31-year-old corporal realized he had nothing to lose by fighting back.

Incredible feat 

Also: 

• Spies hack al-Qaida recipe
• Soldier foils bank heist
• Sergeant to get top honor

Situation in Yemen degrades

President injured in rocket attack

 

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh was wounded when opposition tribesmen determined to topple him hammered his palace with rockets Friday in a major escalation of nearly two weeks of fighting with government forces.

Full Story

Epic Fail

With a friend like this ...

James Arness dies at 88

'Gunsmoke' actor James Arness dies at 88

The TV star leaves a touching note to fans of his hit western, which ran for 20 years.

Actor who declined role first 

Also: 

• More on 'Gunsmoke'
• 'Cosby' grandmother dies
• Big plans for Monroe dress

Banana Boat Song

Harry Belafonte sings the Banana Boat Song for the first time on TV ever and it's with the Muppets

Power of spirited kids' play

Why roughhousing is good for children

A spirited pillow fight or some energetic wrestling can help instill flexibility and joyfulness.  

Watch the 'Houdini move' 

Also: 

• Ways to keep kids learning
• Tips to nurture a reader
• Common home dangers

High School prank could lead to felonies

School prank could lead to felony charges

Police in Nevada are searching for suspects after a huge sports rivalry goes too far.

See the extensive damage 

Also: 

• HS team's odd fundraiser
• Prep star's inspiring return
• Wild inning in HS game

Is the Yellow Brick Road in Peekskill?

 

When L. Frank Baum wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, could the yellow brick road have been inspired by a road in Peekskill, New York? City historian John Curran thinks so, and has done the research. Baum attended Peekskill Military Academy in 1868, when he was 12 years old. He did not enjoy the experience.

Mr. Curran believes the ordeal shaped the Wizard of Oz. “Whenever Baum had an emotional experience, such as his two years at Peekskill Military Academy, it showed up in the book,” Mr. Curran says during his Oz presentation at the museum. “Whenever the characters get off the yellow brick road, they get into trouble.”
In 2005, a Fulbright scholar and artist persuaded John Testa, who was the mayor of Peekskill at the time, to conduct an authenticity study on the road. Mr. Curran uncovered maps showing that West Street, which leads from the steamboat dock up a hill to the military academy, was indeed made of Dutch pavers, a common yellow-hued brick in the Dutch-settled area.
The maps showed Mr. Baum had to have walked along the road to get to school, Mr. Curran said.

Only a small part of the road is still brick. Curran would like to restore the road, or build a monument of some sort to Oz, but the city does not have the money for such a project.

Full Story

Awesome Pictures

Scientists Create Tiny Artificial Brain

It’s not going to be beating anyone at Jeopardy any time soon, but scientists have created an artificial brain derived from rat cells. The brain is capable of 12 second short term memory and will be used to study how neural networks store data.

Developed by a team at the University of Pittsburgh, the brain was created in an attempt to artificially nurture a working brain into existence so that researchers could study neural networks and how our brains transmit electrical signals and store data so efficiently. The did so by attaching a layer of proteins to a silicon disk and adding brain cells from embryonic rats that attached themselves to the proteins and grew to connect with one another in the ring seen above.

Full Story

Meteor puts on big show

Brilliant fireball blazes across night sky

NASA cameras catch a chunk of comet barreling through Earth's atmosphere at 86,000 miles per hour.  

Brightest yet 

Also: 

• Asteroid zips by Earth
• Odd twist to solar eclipse
• Galaxy bent like sombrero

B.C.

Roman Ship Carried Live Fish Tank

Roman Ship Carried Live Fish Tank

Remains of the second century ship show signs of an ancient pumping system designed to suck sea water into a tank.

Read more 

How a Roman Ship Carried Live Fish

 

See how ancient Romans engineered an ancient pumping system to transport live fish at sea.   

Read more 

Animal News

Photo: hermanusbackpackers/Creative Commons

You'd think a bloody chunk of meat would do the trick, but no, sharks are more likely drawn to hard rock music.
We also have oceans acidification making clownfish deaf, birds flying crazy long record-breaking flights, troubling news on the koala front, billions of bugs on car bumpers, ancient tortoises in love, and more in the Week in Animal News.

Article continues: The Week in Animal News: Sharks Like AC/DC, Clownfish Going Deaf, and More 

Great white sharks’ rocking taste in music

A cage-diving operator in Australia finds that sharks in his region are drawn to a certain type of music.  

Favorite band 

Also: 

• Great white sharks
• Dolphins help freediver
• Rivers excite kayakers

Dinosaur Sex and Mammoth Crossings

How to Tell Male, Female Dinosaurs Apart

Since dinosaurs aren't around to politely correct us, this new method of identifying dino gender is the next best thing.  

Read more 

Hybrid Mammoth DNA Found

Woolly mammoths may have interbred with other ancient elephants that crossed their paths.  

Read more 

Gynandromorph and 'Mephisto'

A Gender-bender Colored Cardinal

An extremely rare bilateral gynandromorph cardinal makes a surprise visit to a backyard feeder in Texas.

Read more 

Deepest-Dwelling Creature Could Be 'Mephisto'

If you were to dig down about 2.2 miles, you might encounter this creature and its other nematode relatives. Read more

Cat's Hugs and the Cute Factor

What's Really Happening in the Kitten Hugging Video?

 

The one minute video from last week we called In Mommy’s Arms has been watched 18 million times on YouTube! Most folks thought it was adorable, while a few warned us not to anthropomorphize animals. National Geographic asked Dr. Nicholas Dodman, director of the animal behavior clinic at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, whether the behavior of the kitten and the mother cat was really what it appeared to be. Is the kitten dreaming? Is the mother hugging the kitten out of love? And why was the kitten twitching like that?

Humans and cats both have certain muscles that are for precision, as well as what are called larger “anti-gravity muscles” like those that lift your legs. Those larger ones are activated by a neurochemical called serotonin. During REM sleep, the brain’s serotonin system is shut off, which means the anti-gravity muscles are shut off. What’s not switched off are these highly-tuned muscles in things like eyes and extremities—what for us would be fingers and toes, but for them it’s paws and whiskers. This kitten is in the state of sleep some people call “the sleep of the body,” because the body is totally relaxed except for these tips of things twitching, while the brain is active and dreaming.

Dr. Dodman has plenty more to tell us about the cat and kitten, at NatGeo Daily News.

Upping the cute factor

Pit Bulls and Friends

Pit bulls' surprising past revealed

A series of vintage images reveals the infamous breed's domestic role.  

They were once known as 'nanny' dogs 

Also: 

• History of the breed
• Hospital can keep dog
• Eastern wolf hybrids

Friends

Animals and more animals

Animals Crossing The Road

 
image credit

We all know why the chicken crossed the road. As Aristotle already discovered: To actualize its potential. But it's not just chickens that cross the road. Other animals also do it. Here's a site with pictures of all sorts of animals crossing the road.

Also:

Of Mice and Pigs: 

Plague Threatens Australian Livestock

 

Farmers in Adelaide, Australia are having a bit of a rodent problem. The mouse population has grown to epic proportions due to recent heavy rains and booming crop yields–perfect conditions for an infestation. It’s so bad that one farmer, John Gregory, has caught the mice attacking his pigs.

Since he first saw them dining out on his prized stock he has been at his wit’s end about how to get rid of them, the (Adelaide) Sunday Mail reported.
Now, as a desperate last resort, he is covering his pigs at a farm property in Wynarka, 80 miles (130km) east of state capital Adelaide, in engine oil to protect them from the mice — with the rodents apparently turned off by the taste.
“The mouse problem got really bad in April,” the 50-year-old father of four said.
“We went away in the school holidays and when we came back we drove up the driveway and it looked like the ground was moving — there were hundreds of thousands of them.”

Mouse bait isn’t cheap, though, so farmers are utilizing homemade methods of pest control; aside from rubbing his pigs in engine oil, Gregory mixes confectioner’s sugar with cement. “The icing sugar attracts the mice, they eat it and then the cement clogs them up.”

Full Story

Turkey - Deer

Troubled turkey chases buses 

For the past year and a half a turkey has showed up at a bus stop in Charlotte, North Carolina and chased buses. Now people there are starting to wonder why.

Some residents simply believe the turkey just does not like the bus. However, others have a much more romantic theory.

YouTube link.

"He did have a mate and she just kind of disappeared," said one resident.

"So we thought that one morning she hopped on the bus. And he's been waiting for her ever since."

Also:

Deer runs in and out of bank 

A deer ran into a bank at the Suntrust Building in downtown Roanoke, Virginia on Tuesday.

YouTube link.

And then it ran out again

Moles and Cicadas

What Made this Marking in the Sand?

It was a golden mole, which can be found in the desert of Sperrgebiet National Park, Namibia. It survives the heat by tunneling around just under the surface of the sand.
Here's a video of one being captured and examined by researchers.

Full Story

Speaking of burying themselves ...

13 year cicadas return with ear-piercing vengeance

I don’t know how they are in your area, but they’re plentiful here and oh so annoying.  They’ll be around for a couple of weeks.  Here’s a local television stations report.