CAROLINA NATURALLY

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

The Daily Drift

The Daily Drift

Today's horoscope says:
You feel a bit out of control and lavish -- and uncharacteristically unconcerned with whether or not you're spoiling anyone.
On the other hand, your penny-pinching nature is screaming desperately in the depths of your mind, begging you to remember next month's credit card bills.
Ignore it -- the devils need to beat the angels, at least for the time being.
Why go halfway?
When was the last time you went all-in?
It's long past time for you to have some serious fun.

Today is:

Today is Tuesday, July 20, the 200st day of 2010.

There are 164 days left in the year.

Today In History July 20

Today's unusual holiday or celebration is:

National Lollipop Day

Don't forget to visit our sister blog!

Forty-one years ago today

Forty-one years ago today: "That's one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind."

NASA: Apollo 11

Bullied 5th grader inspired by Obama reply

A girl writes a letter to the president after suffering years of bullying, and he writes back.

His words

Also:

A History of The Beatles

http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/200/0/5/056df2bc40976394c7e1a93ef4afb092.jpg

As told by their hair.

New Jobs

Report: Charlotte-area businesses created 7,000 jobs this year

New and expanding companies created more than 7,000 jobs and invested more than $1.4 billion in the Charlotte region during the first half of the year, according to a report released Tuesday by the Charlotte Chamber.

Unemployment rate falls in 39 states in June

Medication mistakes you can avoid

10 medication mistakes you can avoid

Over-the-counter drugs and supplements can be as risky as prescription meds.

When a daily aspirin isn't a good idea

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Culinary DeLites

Culinary DeLites

Seven simple dinners for the week

This easy pasta dish features summer's best tomatoes and fresh mozzarella.

More delicious dishes

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Foods you shouldn't feed a baby

Peanut butter, salt, and undiluted fruit juice aren't for infants less than a year old.

Honey poses poison risk

Also:

4 nutrition decisions made easier

Canola or olive oil? Butter or margarine? Dieticians reveal what's in their own grocery carts.

When frozen is better

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Unusual uses for coffee filters

12 unusual uses for coffee filters

Those little pieces of paper can help your flowerpots and protect your china.

Take better photos, too

Also:

Coffee from cat droppings clean enough for Muslims

Indonesia's top Islamic body declared Tuesday that Muslims can drink civet coffee - the world's most expensive coffee, which is extracted from the dung of civet cats.A preacher recently suggested the beverage might not be "halal" - or religiously approved - because its unusual provenance makes it unclean.

Full story

Syria bans face veils at universities

Veiled women in Damascus, Syria (file image)

Wearing the full veil has caused controversy in Europe and the Middle East

Female students wearing a full face veil will be barred from Syrian university campuses, the country's minister of higher education has said.

Full Story

Students' low-tech device may save lives

Two undergrads transform a kitchen gadget into an ingenious tool to aid poorer countries.

Costs just $30

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State alliance to fight ravenous Asian carp

Five states hope the discovery of a 20-pound fish aids the fight against the invader.

Carp will 'ruin our way of life'

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Broom Hilda

The Art of War

Soldiers' paintings of war unveiled

The U.S. Army displays 300 paintings by servicemen and women dating back to World War I.

Hardships of battle

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First (Australian) surfing photo?

Img News 2010 07 20 Surf First Pic 465X288 200710 T325

Is this the first Australian surfing photo? Taken in 1912, the shot depicts surfing pioneer Tommy Walker catching a wave at Main Beach on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia.

From Warwick Daily News:

While there are photos of people with surfboards that predate the shot of Mr Walker in action, (Manly Surf Life Saving Club historian Ray) Moran said they did not show people actually surfing. “There is a 1909 photo taken of Tommy Walker at Manly standing alongside his surfboard on the beach – it's a nice portrait, but he's not surfing. If there is one that is older I would definitely be interested in seeing it,” Mr Moran said.

"Is this surfing's first photo?"

'Great love' led to daring Auschwitz escape

Two miraculous words let a Polish man and his Jewish sweetheart flee in broad daylight.

But fate derailed their plans

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Walls and Fortifications

The Fortified Towers Of Kaiping

image credit

The original fortified towers of Kaiping in China date back to the seventeenth century. Most of the 1800 or so that remain were built in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In structure they seem remarkably un-Chinese, with many architectural features from different parts of the globe.

However, rather than European architects trying to fuse their own styles this is a result of Chinese emigrants to the US and Malaysia returning to Kaiping and blending what they had seen abroad with what they had at home. The result - some quite remarkable buildings.

The Walled City Of Carcassonne In Languedoc, France

image credit

Carcassonne in Languedoc is situated in the picturesque region of southwest France, standing upon ancient trade routes between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. Believed to be a site of significance during the 6th century, Carcassonne may have been a place of commerce and trade.

At first glance, Carcassonne ignites visions of Camelot with conical roofs and medieval soldiers returning from battle. If only the legend matched the history.

Rains test world's largest dam

In China, rains test world's largest dam

Flooding forces officials to close the shipping locks on the Three Gorges Dam.

Millions evacuated

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China takes over as largest consumer of power

The US owned that position for around 100 years.

Wall Street Journal:

China, powered by years of rapid economic growth, is now the world's biggest energy consumer, knocking the U.S. off a perch it held for more than a century, according to new data from the International Energy Agency.

The Paris-based agency, whose forecasts are generally regarded as bellwether indicators for the energy industry, said China devoured 2,252 million tons of oil equivalent last year, or about 4% more than the U.S., which burned through 2,170 million tons of oil equivalent. The oil-equivalent metric represents all forms of energy consumed, including crude oil, nuclear, coal, natural gas and renewable sources such as hydropower.

The figures reflect, in part, how the global recession hit the U.S. more severely than China and hurt American industrial activity and energy use. Still, China's total energy consumption has clocked annual double-digit growth rates for many years, driven by the country's big industrial base. Highlighting how quickly its energy demand has increased, China's total energy consumption was just half the size of the U.S. 10 years ago.