The Daily Drift

Editor's Note: We did get posted on time but it was a bit dicey ... the playoff tailgate party started early, the in-game party was intense and the after party is still going on as we post this today.
Also, we have a special section of the first ten posts highlighting the latest wingnut meltdown over the weekend.

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Today in History

1486		Henry VII marries Elizabeth of York.
1701		Frederick III, the elector of Brandenburg, becomes king of Prussia.
1778		Captain James Cook discovers the Hawaiian Islands, naming them the ‘Sandwich Islands’ after the First Lord of the Admiralty, Lord Sandwich.
1836		Jim Bowie arrives at the Alamo to assist its Texas defenders.
1862		John Tyler, former president of the U.S., is buried at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond.
1902		The Isthmus Canal Commission in Washington shifts its support from Nicaragua to Panama as a favored canal site.
1910		Aviator Eugene Ely performs his first successful take off and landing from a ship in San Francisco.
1916		The Russians force the Turkish 3rd Army back to Erzurum.
1942		General MacArthur repels the Japanese in Bataan. The United States takes the lead in the Far East war criminal trials.
1945		The German Army launches its second attempt to relieve the besieged city of Budapest from the advancing Red Army.
1948		Ghandi breaks a 121-hour fast after halting Muslem-Hindu riots.
1962		The United States begins spraying foliage with herbicides in South Vietnam, in order to reveal the whereabouts of Vietcong guerrillas.
1964		Plans are disclosed for the World Trade Center in New York.
1978		The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) isolate the cause of Legionnaire’s disease.
1991		Iraq starts firing Scud missiles at Israeli cities.

Obama Triumphs Over Crushed Republicans As 4 Americans Detained In Iran Are Freed

The Obama administration scored a huge victory as 4 Americans who were being detained in Iran were freed, thus depriving wingnuts of another excuse to start a war with Iran.
The Washington Post reported:
Iran released Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian and three other detained Iranian Americans on Saturday in exchange for seven people imprisoned or charged in the United States, U.S. and Iranian officials said, a swap linked to the imminent implementation of a landmark nuclear deal between Tehran and six world powers.
….
The official said that the “Iranians wanted a goodwill gesture” as part of the release, and that led to the exchange. The list the Iranians submitted to U.S. authorities was “whittled down” to exclude any crimes related to violence or terrorism,” said the official, one of several who spoke on condition of anonymity under administration ground rules.
The release comes less than 24 hours after White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest blasted
wingnuts for being unhappy that Iran released 10 US sailors. Earnest also pointed out the value of mature presidential leadership that doesn’t go around starting wars.
The press secretary said, “I also think it underscores the value of responsible, mature presidential leadership. The President didn’t start a war over this. The President pursued diplomatic engagement through his Secretary of State, who had an open, diplomatic channel of communication with his Iranian counterpart. And because of that important diplomatic work, our sailors were released, unharmed, 14 hours after being taken into custody, in their own boats. Again, as I said earlier, I think wingnuts would be quite hard-pressed to make the case that a better outcome was possible here.”
Wingnuts have been trying to use the 4 detained Americans as an example of “weak Obama leadership,” and as a reason to go to war with Iran. The wingnut pretender candidates are aching for a war with Iran.
President Obama scored another great diplomatic victory. Wingnuts have lost one of their major shrieking points while pushing for war with Iran. There is no doubt that wingnut politicians are unhappy.
The entire wingnut foreign policy view has been proven wrong by President Obama. Successful diplomacy is a triumph for Obama, and another nail in the coffin of the invade first ask questions later cowboy foreign policy of the Republican cabal.

President Obama Humiliates Wingnuts As Iran Releases WaPo Reporter Before Nuclear Deal Goes Into Effect

Republicans have once again been made to look like the fools they are as Iran releases the Washington Post reporter they attempted to use as a bargaining chip in an effort to sabotage President Obama’s nuclear deal.

Read full story

Quick Hits - Special Edition

Iran releases Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian

Obama administration stands by Iran deals that freed prisoners and lifted sanctions

US sanctions against Iran lifted after country succeeds in complying with nuclear deal: report

Iran Proves Republicans Are Full Of Crap As United Nations Says Nuclear Deal Has Been Honored

Iran is fulfilling their obligations under the nuclear deal reached with the Obama Administration, and Republicans can’t handle being proven wrong by those they consider enemies.

Read full story

Why Wingnut Pretender Candidates Are Angry Iran Released Hostages

This is why Republican pretender candidates are very angry that Iran-held hostages are safely coming home.

Read full story

Wingnuts Slam Obama For Deal That Led To Release Of Four Americans

Wingnuts Slam Obama For Deal That Led To Release Of Four Americans

Fox News Is SUPER Bummed They’re Forced To Report Iran Released Prisoners

On this edition of Traitor TV, Fox News seems rather upset President Obama and his administration are actually getting the job done.

Read more 

Reality Bites Fox's Prerecorded Spin On Iran In The Backside

Reality Bites Fox's Prerecorded Spin On Iran In The Backside

Oh the irony. You've gotta' love it when reality steps all over Fox's prerecorded negative spin on the Iranians.

Fox 'Guest': We’d Be Better Off Letting The U.S. Sailors Remain As Hostages In Iran ‘Forever’

We'd really be better off if Fox News went dark.

Ryan Promises House Will Do Everything Possible to Sabotage Peace with Iran

Ryan dwells on the capture of 10 American sailors while ignoring their release, seeming to dismiss the possibility of peace with Iran…

Ryan isn’t happy about improved relations with Iran.
Secretary of State John Kerry released the following statement, which has resulted in a very distraught Ryan, because nothing scares wingnuts more than rapprochement with an Islamic state:

I hereby confirm that the International Atomic Energy Agency has verified that Iran has fully implemented its required commitments as specified in Sections 15.1-15.11 of Annex V of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The U.S. sanctions-related commitments described in Sections 17.1-17.5 of Annex V of the JCPOA are now in effect.

In fact, he released the following statement on implementation of the Iran nuclear agreement:

Today, the Obama administration will begin lifting economic sanctions on the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism. As the president himself has acknowledged, Iran is likely to use this cash infusion—more than $100 billion in total—to finance terrorists. This comes just weeks after Tehran’s most recent illegal ballistic missile test, and just days after the IRGC detained ten American sailors. A bipartisan majority in the House voted to reject this deal in the first place, and we will continue to do everything possible to prevent a nuclear Iran.

However, speaking from Vienna Saturday, Kerry said,

To get to this point, ladies and gentlemen, Iran has undertaken significant steps that many – and I do mean many – people doubted would ever come to pass. And that should be recognized, even though the full measure of this achievement can only be realized by assuring continued full compliance in the coming years. In return for the steps that Iran has taken, the United States and the EU will immediately lift nuclear-related sanctions, expanding the horizon of opportunity for the Iranian people. And I have even tonight, before coming over here, signed a number of documents over those sanctions that the State Department has jurisdiction over in order to effect that lifting.
In the words of the agreement itself, today – January 16th, 2016 – we have reached implementation day. Today marks the moment that the Iran nuclear agreement transitions from an ambitious set of promises on paper to measurable action in progress. Today, as a result of the actions taken since last July, the United States, our friends and allies in the Middle East, and the entire world are safer because the threat of a nuclear weapon has been reduced. Today we can confidently say that each of the pathways that Iran had toward enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon has been verifiably closed down.

None of this is good enough for Ryan and his wingnut allies. It is not simply the United States and the Obama administration that are satisfied, but, as Kerry points out, China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, plus Germany. With as much as wingnuts love Vladimir Putin, you would think Russia’s inclusion would, by itself, be enough to assuage their fears.
Steven Benen, while not specifically addressing Iran, writes on The Maddow Blog about the “dystopian nightmare that only Republicans can see.” And if not talking about Iran, his point certainly holds true where the JCPOA is concerned. Wingnuts want so badly to attack Iran over one pretext or another, and it’s quite clear they are very unhappy things are currently going so well.
As you can see, Ryan forbore to mention that Iran actually released those ten sailors, not to mention an additional four hostages. For Ryan and for wingnuts in general, the situation is one of unremitting doom and gloom.
It certainly won’t help Ryan’s mood that Hillary Clinton Saturday took a stern but un-warlike approach to Iran’s release of four American hostages and future compliance with the JCPOA.
What Ryan is actually promising here is that wingnuts will do everything in their power to bring about a war with Iran. They’ve created a bogeyman all out of proportion to reality and their unwillingness to base their responses to facts rather than ideological fantasies means that they’ve left themselves no room to maneuver when it comes to what they think of as their “principles.”

Wingnut Hack Tries To Declare War On Iran On Behalf Of America

She is as stupid as she is dangerous.
Read more 

Nestle's Child Slave Labor

Supreme Court will not dismiss child slave labor lawsuit against Nestle

To Enter This Speakeasy You Have To Go Through An Adult Bookstore

The speakeasy trend is still going strong, but nowadays these "secret" drinking spots don't need to hide because of Prohibition laws- they're just using a gimmick to attract adventurous patrons.

But don't get me wrong, gimmicks can be fun as long as they enhance the experience, and a fun gimmick can really set the mood!

A new speakeasy in Los Angeles called Adults Only requires patrons to make their way through a video store to the adult section, where they can head behind the curtain and drink in the lap of old time luxury.

The juxtaposition of cheeky entrance and classy interior makes for a memorable speakeasy experience, and the video store isn't actually in operation so you don't have to feel like a pervert walking into the place!

Naked man charged after trying to fight with traffic

A drunk man who stripped naked and allegedly started threatening to fight cars on the seafront at Southend in Essex, has been charged.
Tom O'Neill, 32, of no fixed address, has been charged with criminal damage to a vehicle, being drunk and disorderly and assaulting a police officer.
The police were called to deal with him at about 12.40am on Friday morning. A police spokesman said: "Police were called to reports that a man was damaging cars in Marine Parade, Southend.

YouTube link.

"Officers attended and a man was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage to a vehicle, being drunk and disorderly and assaulting a police officer. He has been charged with these offenses. He has been bailed to appear before Southend Magistrates Court on Monday, February 8."

Mayor led Sheriff on wild car chase

A wild car chase ensued through the streets of Portsmouth, Virginia, on Tuesday night as Sheriff Bill Watson pursued Mayor Kenny Wright. It happened moments after the city council meeting ended. Sheriff Watson was at City Hall to hear about Council member Bill Moody being fined $1,500 for speaking about council happenings outside of a closed door meeting.

Woman attacked fiance for giving her the same engagement ring he had given his ex

After discovering that her fiance had presented her with an engagement ring that he had once given to an ex-girlfriend, an unhappy Florida woman struck her beau on the head with a metal object, according to police. Investigators allege that Inga Daftartiene, 43, battered Bengt Nyquist during a confrontation on Friday night in the master bedroom of their Vero Beach home.

As detailed in an arrest affidavit, Nyquist was lying in bed while Daftartiene was downstairs watching TV and drinking wine. At some point, Daftariene began “looking through old photos of Nyquist and noticed a picture of Nyquist and his ex-girlfriend,” officers noted. The photo apparently showed Nyquist’s ex wearing the same engagement ring that sat on a Daftartiene finger.
Nyquist told police that, “Inga stormed upstairs and began screaming" at him about the engagement ring. While Nyquist denied regifting the ring, Daftariene allegedly “grabbed a metal object that was attached to the bed” and “threw it at Nyquist’s head, striking him on the left side of the face.” Nyquist said that Daftartiene became angry when he called 911, and that she chased after him and sought to punch him in the face.
Police officers responding to the couple’s residence noted that Nyquist had “minor bruising” on his face and “bruises and minor abrasions on [his] arms from defending himself during the attack.” Daftartiene was arrested for misdemeanor battery after police determined that she was the “primary aggressor” during the encounter. Daftartiene, a licensed real estate broker, is free on $500 bond and has been ordered by a judge to have no contact with Nyquist. She is scheduled for arraignment on February 9. The whereabouts of the the engagement ring is unknown.

The "Tree Of Death" Is Every Bit As Scary As It Sounds

The name "Tree Of Death" conjures up images of skull shaped fruit and gnarly faces forming in tree trunks, but more often than not trees earn morbid nicknames for less obvious reasons.

In the case of the Manchineel tree has earned the nickname "Tree Of Death" by growing highly toxic fruit dubbed "death apples" that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, seizures and even death.

People who make the mistake of touching the Manchineel tree receive chemical burns from the caustic sap it exudes, and the apples are so dangerous Caribbean nations have taken to posting warning signs to protect tourists.

Scientists believe most of the Manchineel tree's deadly power comes from the organic compound phorbol, which can be found in every bit of the tree, from leaf to bark to fruit.

Read more about the "Tree Of Death" here

Oetzi Has No Living Female Relatives

Oetzi Has No Living Female Relatives

The 5,300-year-old mummy's maternal line appears to have originated and died out in the eastern Italian Alps.

Man v. Mammoth

Man v. Mammoth Battle Reveals Prehistoric Arctic Life

A frozen hunted mammoth provides a graphic snapshot of Arctic life 45,000 years ago.

Ancient tools show mysterious humans occupied Indonesian island

Stone-age tools dating back 118,000 years discovered -- but no sign of people who made them

by Will Dunham

The diminutive prehistoric human species dubbed the "Hobbit" that inhabited the isle of Flores apparently had company on other Indonesian islands long before our species, Homo sapiens, arrived on the scene.

Scientists on Wednesday announced the discovery of stone tools at least 118,000 years old at a site called Talepu on the island of Sulawesi, indicating a human presence. The scientists said no fossils of these individuals were found in conjunction with the tools, leaving the toolmakers' identity a mystery.

"We now have direct evidence that when modern humans arrived on Sulawesi, supposedly between 60,000 and 50,000 years ago and aided by watercraft, they must have encountered an archaic group of humans that was already present on the island long before," said archaeologist Gerrit van den Bergh of University of Wollongong in Australia.

The 2004 announcement of the discovery in a Flores cave of fossils of Homo floresiensis, a species about 3 feet 6 inches (1.1 meter) tall that made tools and hunted little elephants, jolted the scientific community.

"Like on Flores, where Homo floresiensis evolved under isolated conditions over a period of almost 1 million years, Sulawesi could also have harbored an isolated human lineage. And the search for fossil remains of the Talepu toolmaker is now open," van den Bergh said.

Scientists have been eager to unravel the region's history of human habitation. Sulawesi may have served as a stepping stone for the first people to reach Australia roughly 50,000 years ago.

"Major islands such as Flores, Sulawesi, Luzon, and perhaps others as well, could have served as natural experiments in human evolution, and could throw new light on human evolution in general," van den Bergh added.

The species that made the tools may have reached Sulawesi by drifting over the ocean on tsunami debris, he said.

The researchers described 311 stone tools, most made of a very hard limestone. Archaeologist Adam Brumm of Australia's Griffith University said they were produced by humans striking one stone with another, fashioning smaller pieces with knife-like sharpness.

"They mostly comprise simple sharp-edged flakes of stone that no doubt would have been useful for basic tasks like cutting up meat, shaping wooden implements, and so on," Brumm said.

Found nearby were fossils of an extinct elephant relative and extinct giant pig with warthog-like tusks.

The research was published in the journal Nature.

Malaysia Aircraft Search Turns Up 1800s Shipwreck

Malaysia Aircraft Search Turns Up 1800s Shipwreck

An autonomous underwater vehicle spotted the early 1800s-era ship, likely made of steel or iron, in the Indian Ocean.

World's Largest Canyon

World's Largest Canyon Could Be Under Antarctic Ice

The previously unknown canyon is buried under a layer of ice that's more than a mile deep.

A Rare Glimpse of NASA’s Otherworldly Treasures

At Johnson Space Center, south of Houston, Texas, there’s a nondescript building that contains things you won’t find anywhere else in the world. And some things you might find, but you wouldn’t know their significance. Building 31 has laboratories containing a curious and carefully curated collection of objects from outer space. There are rocks brought back from the moon by Apollo astronauts, meteorites from Mars, particles from the tail of a comet, and a precious but tiny amount of solar wind particles.

NASA keeps some of its most sensitive samples in the “Genesis” lab, which has the most rigorous cleanliness protocols of any facility at the space center. The Genesis lab houses particles from the solar wind, essentially tiny bits of the Sun which hold clues about the composition of the solar nebula at the time when the planets formed.

That morning we had been instructed to not wear wedding rings, nor scented deodorant. In the anteroom we had donned gloves, booties, and hair nets. In the “gowning” room, we had put on masks, full-body polyester suits, head covers, boots over the body suit and booties, and a second pair of gloves. Also, they’d taken my notepad and given me “clean” paper—once inside I’d receive a clean Sharpie pen. Nor did our photography equipment escape the cleanroom regime: we had to spend several minutes rubbing down cameras and lenses and tripods with alcohol wipes until the scientists were satisfied that the devices were reasonably dust-free.

After this entire process, we asked if the lab gets a lot of visitors. “I don’t take people in,” Allton, the lab's curator, said. “You guys are special. The main reason is, people are dirty.”

The general public doesn’t have access to those samples, but we can see them anyway. Ars Technica took plenty of photographs and notes on their exclusive tour to share with us. While the photos are fascinating, the best part of the article are the stories of how these outer space samples came to be there.

Uber-Bright Supernova Is a Stellar Mystery

Uber-Bright Supernova Is a Stellar Mystery

A network of small, ground-based telescopes hunting the night-time skies for transient supernovas fished out a whopper -- a one-of-a-kind cosmic explosion that at its peak blasted out more light than 50 times all the stars in the Milky Way galaxy.

Football-Shaped Head Won Dinosaur Mates

Football-Shaped Head Won Dinosaur Mates

The sex lives of dinosaurs are starting to come to light, and it looks like at least one species loved the look of football-shaped heads.

Chimps Reveal Defining Element of Friendship

Chimps Reveal Defining Element of Friendship

Do you trust all of your friends? If not, then those without your trust really aren’t your buds, new research on chimps suggests.

The Wolf Code

THE WOLF CODE: The first 3 are older and / or sick. They will set the pace for the pack. If it were reversed, they would stay behind and lose contact with the group. After being ambushed they were sacrificed.

Then row 5 follows in, the strongest, are in the front of the group. In the center is most of the herd, and behind them, the second group following them, comes another 5 strong.
Coming in last, he moves alone, the Alfa Wolf. From that position you control everything, can see everything and decide the direction to move. The Alpha Wolf can see the entire herd.
The herd moves according to the directions of the elderly, to help each other, to care for each other.

Animal Pictures