CAROLINA NATURALLY: Aug 5, 2011

Friday, August 5, 2011

The Daily Drift

The Daily Drift

Today's horoscope says:
Your social circle is in a state of flux right now -- one or two of your friends feel increasingly detached from the rest of the group and are acting in a downright antisocial way.
Today, when yet another invitation gets the cold shoulder, make a mental note to stop asking them along.
If they aren't interested, they aren't interested, right?
Don't be surprised if they start calling you up, wondering what happened, after a few days.
Give these friends space.

Some of our readers today have been in:

Albury, New South Wales, Australia
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
London, Ontario, Canada
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
London, England, United Kingdom
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Berne, Bern, Switzerland
Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Paris, Ile-De-France, France
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Newbury, England, United Kingdom
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Manchester, England, United Kingdom
Bucharest, Bucuresti, Romania

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 Lindale, Prestonsburg, Langhorne, Roswell and more.

Today is:

Today is Friday, August 5, the 217th day of 2011.

There are 148 days left in the year.

Today's unusual holidays or celebrations are:

National Mustard Day
and
National Fresh Breath (Halitosis) Day.

Don't forget to visit our sister blog!

Bizarre, gigantic sculpture in lake

A four-meter-high model of a woman draws the attention of people at Alster Lake in Germany.

See the artwork

Also:

Can you see

http://bitsandpieces.us/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/imagesgarage.jpg

Mexico, 15 Other Latin American Countries File Suit Against Alabama

You would think the morons in Alabama would be getting the first inkling of a clue by now ... but nooooooo ...

The list of countries and organizations filing legal briefs or lawsuits against Alabama's new tough immigration law continues to grow.

Full Story

View of Congress sinks to Historic low

Approval of Congress hits historic low

After the debt debate, more Americans than ever are unhappy with Washington, a new poll finds.

Incumbents beware

Also:

Why stock market plunged

Why the stock market plunged 4.3%

A European selloff plus U.S. recession fears became a recipe for disaster.

What should investors do?

Also:

Non Sequitur

http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ucomics.com/nq110805.gif

Internet Explorer Story Was Bogus

Earlier we posted about a survey done by a company called AptiQuant which suggested that users of Internet Explorer have a lower IQ than people who chose other browsers. It now appears to be a hoax. The company's website was only recently set up and staff images were copied from a legitimate business in Paris.

The story was reported by many high profile organizations including CNN, the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and Forbes.

AptiQuant - or whoever is behind the hoax - issued a press release saying:

Ok, now that the cat is out of the bag, I agree that this study was a total hoax. There is no company called AptiQuant, and not such survey was ever done. We are really surprised that it took so long for people to figure it out. This was all meant to be a lighthearted joke. We did not mean to insult anyone, but if we have hurt anybody's feelings, we apologize for that.

Ten In the News

2 Fighters Intercept 75-Year-Old Woman's Plane
Two F-16 fighter jets intercepted a plane flown by a 75-year-old woman when it entered restricted airspace during President Barack Obama's Chicago visit.
Police free woman from pig swarm
Police in northern Germany say they rescued a woman and her 2-year-old child whose car was swarmed - by a herd of pigs.
Baby wallaby named 'Frodo' saved by zoo
A baby wallaby who fell out of its mother's pouch at 5 months of age has been successfully rescued by the Budapest Zoo and is developing normally.
'Rent Too Damn High' candidate facing eviction
A candidate who ran for New York governor because "the rent is too damn high" says he's being evicted from his rent-controlled Manhattan apartment because his landlord wants to charge a new tenant more.
Tax owed by Ohio church in spat over atheist ad
An Ohio church that got an atheist billboard removed from its property now has been told it must starting paying taxes on the ad space.
Agents Accused Of Making Suspects Eat Pot
Two Border Patrol agents in Arizona are accused of forcing suspected drug smugglers to eat marijuana and strip down to their underwear before being told to flee into the desert.
Ephrata man faces 6 years in prison for series of bizarre crimes
An Ephrata man will spend up to six years in state prison for a recent series of bizarre criminal behavior.
Pennsylvania man arrested for cutting tree that floods home
A Pittsburgh man has been arrested after police say he cut down a city-owned tree, which the man claims contributes to basement flooding.
Mysterious orange goo washes up in Alaska village
Authorities say a mysterious orange-colored substance has washed up on the shores of a remote village in northwest Alaska.
Bizarre UFO falls from the sky in Amsterdam [video]
Amsterdam was the scene of a strange UFO sighting when an object fell from the sky during broad daylight on August 5, 2011.

A 12,060-year prison sentence

Ex-soldiers get 12,060 years in prison

Four men are sentenced for killing more than 200 civilians during Guatemala's civil war.

Village 'erased from the map'

Also:

Mexico town's police force quits after attack

An entire 20-man police force resigned in a northern Mexican town after a series of attacks that killed the police chief and five officers over the last three months, state officials said Thursday.

Full Story

Reporter looks like wanted man

TV reporter's eerie similarity to mug shot

Viewers do a double take when Mike Hellgren shows a police sketch of a wanted man.

Looks like him

Also:

Hijacker was my uncle

Woman claims D.B. Cooper was her uncle

Marla Cooper recalls the notorious hijacker plotting his caper at a family gathering in 1971.

Why she's talking?

Also:

Dad outraged over son's death

Outrage over man's death after arrest

Grainy video captured officers beating and using a stun gun on schizophrenic Kelly Thomas after he ran.

Protests

Also:

New Orleans shootings verdict

Officers convicted in Katrina shootings

The high-profile event in the wake of the devastating storm left two New Orleans residents dead.

Danziger Bridge

Also:

Bad Cops

NJ State Trooper Suspended Without Pay for a Year After She was Caught Drinking, Driving Three Times

State Police Trooper Sheila McKaig, who was caught drinking and driving three times without getting a ticket, has been suspended without pay for a year.

Full Story

One in the same

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWwdRagq8cVCPAt8RepJh-BCY_jqZWWfBY8dXMJ5KIua4L_Mxk6CoqlUCAwu1bmm9xYOuJZeOo_gSavgpm_paV-5pQ2lOez6iJXeOeySr1OnSkGSAmBTFzdDt4R1NE9Pa4kQxqAzGxEVY/s1600/Bundaberg%252C+Australia.jpg

Apparently

Job skills that are in demand

Skills that can land you a new career

Employers are always looking for people who have any of these transferable talents.

Six potential positions for them

Also:

What not to share with HR

Things you should never share with HR

Avoid confusing staff as substitutes for friends and work on building trust slowly, experts say.

Don't count on privacy

Also:

Sisters' odd fight over numbers

No digits, big problem for two sisters

Siblings in Kentucky are taking extreme measures to get their Social Security numbers.

Why they're being denied

Also:

Proper Etiquette

http://img.ffffound.com/static-data/assets/6/766c866764d7ea7eb57e861d29694125e4c63eed_m.png

Surprising ways to boost sleep

Surprising ways to encourage sleep

Tart cherry juice, a foam roller, and even your smartphone can help save you from another restless night.

What works

Also:

Feeling Anxious?

5 Scientifically Proven Relaxation Techniques

Everyone gets anxious from time to time: there's public speaking, job interviews, the dentist and all the rest. For about one in six of us this will cross over into what psychologists term a disorder at some point in our lives. This is when people are almost continuously anxious and find it difficult to concentrate, have trouble sleeping and become irritable and restless.

For the rest of us anxiety will come and go as part of the normal human condition. Whether it's a constant or occasional affliction, dealing with anxiety effectively is important. Learn how to achieve a relaxed and focused state.

Detox your whole life!

Ready to breathe easier, sleep better, and feel fabulous in every part of your day?

These 8 quick fixes will sweep the toxins out of your bedroom, garden, and even your closet for a healthier you.

Read More

Cutting junk food purchases

An easy trick to buy less junk food

How you pay for snacks affects how much you purchase, a study says.

What goes into the cookie decision

Also:

Daily Comic Relief

http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lpgfrjBc6v1qhi5qbo1_500.jpg

Snag the best deals at thrift stores

You can routinely save up to 80% off retail prices on one type of household item.

Finding $60 jeans for $6

Also:

Castles for sale in America

U.S. castles that are Hogwarts-worthy

One abandoned New York fortress needs work but can be yours for $5 million.

See photos of five stunners

Also:

Record number of Americans on food stamps as "Luxury Goods Fly Off Shelves"

One America:

Nearly 15% of the U.S. population relied on food stamps in May, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.

The number of Americans using the government's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) -- more commonly referred to as food stamps -- shot to an all-time high of 45.8 million in May, the USDA reported. That's up 12% from a year ago, and 34% higher than two years ago.

The other America:

Even with the economy in a funk and many Americans pulling back on spending, the rich are again buying designer clothing, luxury cars and about anything that catches their fancy. Luxury goods stores, which fared much worse than other retailers in the recession, are more than recovering — they are zooming. Many high-end businesses are even able to mark up, rather than discount, items to attract customers who equate quality with price.

Ziggy

http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ucomics.com/zi110805.gif

Scary look at storm clouds

Frightening moment in storm captured

A courageous photographer gets a close-up view of clouds spinning into a furious funnel.

Photos of the week

Also:

What Lives Inside Your Navel?

An in-depth investigation of what lives inside the human belly button uncovers hundreds of organisms. If a person has an 'innie' belly button, this moist, warm space can be home to well over 100 different organisms. Bacteria, fungi and yeasts are among the different types of belly button organisms.

The findings, to be presented on Aug. 12 at the Ecological Society of America's 96th Annual Meeting in Austin, Texas, demonstrate how a belly button can become a haven for complex biodiversity.

NASA Spacecraft Data Suggest Water Flowing on Mars

NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is sending back data that may indicate that the red planet has some flowing water during part of the Martian year. The streams are small, short-lived, and must be salty -if it is what they think it is.

Dark, finger-like features appear and extend down some Martian slopes during late spring through summer, fade in winter, and return during the next spring. Repeated observations have tracked the seasonal changes in these recurring features on several steep slopes in the middle latitudes of Mars’ southern hemisphere.
“The best explanation for these observations so far is the flow of briny water,” said Alfred McEwen of the University of Arizona, Tucson. McEwen is the principal investigator for the orbiter’s High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) and lead author of a report about the recurring flows published in Thursday’s edition of the journal Science.
Some aspects of the observations still puzzle researchers, but flows of liquid brine fit the features’ characteristics better than alternate hypotheses. Saltiness lowers the freezing temperature of water. Sites with active flows get warm enough, even in the shallow subsurface, to sustain liquid water that is about as salty as Earth’s oceans, while pure water would freeze at the observed temperatures.
“These dark lineations are different from other types of features on Martian slopes,” said Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project Scientist Richard Zurek of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. “Repeated observations show they extend ever farther downhill with time during the warm season.”

NASA has a multimedia presentation in which you can see how the images change over time here.