Some experts are even expecting a double dip in the market, with prices below April 2009's lows.
Also: 
Friday, July 30, 2010
How collection of Facebook data affects you
A security consultant gathered public information from 171 million accounts.
Also: ATM attacks reveal security holes
A hacker figures out how to hijack ATM computers and make them spit out all their cash.
Also: Culinary DeLites
Culinary DeLites
Trends like fancy sea salts and teas with tapioca have had their heyday.
Also: 
A Crock-Pot is ideal in summer for saving energy and keeping your kitchen cool.
Also: 
These snacks are all higher in protein, good fats, and whole grains, and lower in sugar.
Also: 
Since the invention of the corn dog, almost anything that can be dipped in oil has been.
Also: Precious 'black gold' like old socks and sex
Miss Australia's national costume is a 'travesty'
An outlandish outfit designed to represent Australia at the Miss Universe beauty contest has been branded "a national joke" and "a travesty". The costume, which will be worn by Jesinta Campbell at the competition in Las Vegas next month, features high-heeled Ugg boots, a brown one piece swimming costume hand-painted by an Aboriginal artist and a lamb's wool shrug. The ensemble is topped off by a voluminous flamenco-inspired rainbow skirt.
While Miss Campbell, 18, has said that she thinks the costume is "incredible", the pastiche of styles has failed to win many fans in Australia, and has been called eye-catching, but for all the wrong reasons. Melbourne's Herald Sun newspaper said the costume was "a national joke" and members of the fashion industry have agreed.
Clare Maclean, fashion features editor of Australian Grazia magazine, described it as a "travesty", but admitted that bizarre costumes were part of the Miss Universe tradition. "She's bang on trend with the shrug and boots shearling is very hot right now but the skirt looks like it was made for a flamenco dancer from discount fabric bin scraps," Maclean said.
Miss Campbell, who faces having to parade on stage wearing the outfit in front of thousands of viewers has defended the look, which was created by the Sydney designer, Natasha Dwyer, saying she was proud to wear it. "Part of our Australian identity is our indigenous heritage and it was so important that it was included in the national costume," she said. "An Aboriginal artist hand-painted my swimsuit, which is the base of the outfit, which is very special. I have a little sheepskin shrug, which I think is very Australian – very Outback."
While Miss Campbell, 18, has said that she thinks the costume is "incredible", the pastiche of styles has failed to win many fans in Australia, and has been called eye-catching, but for all the wrong reasons. Melbourne's Herald Sun newspaper said the costume was "a national joke" and members of the fashion industry have agreed.
Clare Maclean, fashion features editor of Australian Grazia magazine, described it as a "travesty", but admitted that bizarre costumes were part of the Miss Universe tradition. "She's bang on trend with the shrug and boots shearling is very hot right now but the skirt looks like it was made for a flamenco dancer from discount fabric bin scraps," Maclean said.
Miss Campbell, who faces having to parade on stage wearing the outfit in front of thousands of viewers has defended the look, which was created by the Sydney designer, Natasha Dwyer, saying she was proud to wear it. "Part of our Australian identity is our indigenous heritage and it was so important that it was included in the national costume," she said. "An Aboriginal artist hand-painted my swimsuit, which is the base of the outfit, which is very special. I have a little sheepskin shrug, which I think is very Australian – very Outback."
Altered States
Drunk dad didn't notice his car full of children was on fire
A father was so drunk driving his three children around he failed to spot his car was on fire. Adam Whitehead, 36, had his kids aged just nine, seven and five in the car with him when he was five times the drink-drive limit. A court heard how a woman driving behind Whitehead's car noticed black smoke billowing from his Fiat and sounded her horn.Whitehead failed to stop but when he eventually got caught up in traffic, the worried motorist got out of her car and banged on his window. When he then still failed to act, she and her mother pulled the children out of the car and on to the pavement. Even then, a court heard, Whitehead failed to notice his missing kids and carried on driving - leaving them stranded by the side of the road.
He eventually stopped 70 yards away and was breathalyzed by police who discovered he was five times the limit. He told them he had drunk a bottle of vodka the night before. Huddersfield magistrates spared him jail and sentenced him to 16 weeks in prison, suspended for two years. Chairman Mary Hirst told Whitehead: "Your driving ability was so impaired that you didn't even realize the clutch had burnt out and the car was on fire."
The court heard that one of his children was in the passenger seat with two in the back as he drove to a friend's house in Huddersfield, West Yorks, last month. When he was arrested by police he said he had stayed up drinking alone until the early hours to celebrate a job offer after three months out of work. He had driven a mile. The court heard he had previously lost a "high paid" job and was depressed after splitting from his wife who was in France. The pair still lived in the same house together because of financial constraints. Whitehead pleaded guilty to driving over the limit. He was banned for three years and told he must complete an alcohol treatment course. The dad was also told to do 60 hours' unpaid work and pay £85 court costs.
Marijuana critic paid to get stoned
A Denver man gets paid to smoke pot and write about it as one of the first medical marijuana critics in the US. A decade after medical marijuana was legalized in Colorado, it's estimated about 2 percent of residents - or more than 100,000 people - have applied for medical marijuana licenses.According to one Harvard economist, roughly $18 billion is spent on pot every year in the U.S. Denver's Westword newspaper has capitalized on those numbers - hiring the man known as "William Breathes" to review pot dispensaries and the quality of the medical marijuana they sell. "He has his journalism degree," a Westword editor said. "He was a good writer, and he could also punctuate and he could spell, which was very different than a lot of people who applied for the job."
Breathes has been smoking marijuana for 15 years to ease chronic stomach pains. Now his medicine is paying his mortgage. "Load up a little bit and taste it," he said as he tested a joint he bought at a local dispensary. "Try and taste the smoke as it comes out. It has a really woody finish, almost like a mesquite finish to it. After a few hits, try to see what kind of buzz it is."
Breathes says his job can definitely be fun sometimes, and he still can't get over that he gets paid to take bong hits. But he also believes in the power of marijuana as medicine. "When I'm battling throwing up, pot really helps me the most - it's truly medical," he said.
Impulsive Chemistry
People could be prone to everything from impulse buys to certain mental illnesses.
Also: In Matters Of Health
In Matters Of Health
If a center doesn't see many patients with your condition, steer clear.
Also: 
Even the insured are using fewer medical services as many lose their jobs and health benefits.
Also: 
Dumb Crooks
Dumb Crooks
Job applicant can now add 'shoplifting' to her resume
Don't leave your resume behind at the scene of the crime. Barrie, Ontario, police didn't have to look too hard for an alleged shoplifter who was hunting for a job at the same time over the weekend.The 40-year-old woman was at a Bayfield St. store for a job interview but after meeting the store manager and handing over her resume, the woman was spotted on store security cameras allegedly lifted several items, police said. She bolted with the items and the store manager, who was in the backroom at the time, called the cops.
Police attended the store and, as they say in their press release, "easily identified the thief using her resume." Investigators sifting through security footage also found the woman had been in the store the previous day.
Police allege she is on video stealing the clothing that she wore for her job interview. The unidentified woman has been charged with two counts of theft under $5,000. "It is unlikely that she will be getting an interview in the near future," police concluded.
Fight over half a sandwich leads to assault charges
Police in Chatham, Ontario, have charged 27-year-old Ashley Stowe with assault after an alleged argument over a sandwich. Chatham-Kent police were dispatched to a home on the city’s Queen St. on Monday following a complaint of domestic violence. Officials say just after 2 p.m., Stowe’s boyfriend made her a sandwich, and when she only ate half, he asked if he could eat the other half. She gave him permission. But according to police, a short time later Stowe became infuriated that the sandwich was eaten and allegedly punched her boyfriend in the face.
The police visit to the house just after 10 p.m. Monday night was prompted after a second dispute erupted - apparently unrelated to the sandwich - which resulted in the woman punching the man in the chest. She was arrested and charged with two counts of assault. Const. Michael Pearce, public information officer with the Chatham-Kent police, said he doesn’t recall police responding to other incidents regarding sandwiches.
Pearce said he did not know what type of sandwich the man had made that was worth fighting over. Stowe was granted $500 bail.
They walk among us ...
White man beaten up for listening to rap music
A black, Palm Bay teenager could be charged with a hate crime after being accused of attacking a white man because he was listening to rap music.Joshuah Lamb, 14, allegedly punched 22-year-old David McKnight because he did not think white people should listen to that type of music, Florida police were quoted as saying on WFTV.com.
Mr McKnight had been on the sidewalk listening to Wasted by Gucci Mane on a stereo before the incident.
“The argument involved the black male suspect saying, ‘You shouldn't be listening to rap music because you're white.’" Palm Bay police spokeswoman Yvonne Martinez said.
"The victim said he can listen to whatever type of music he wanted to and then the fist fight was on.”
Hell, he should have been horsewhipped for listening to crap, excuse me, rap and drawn and quartered for calling the obnoxious noise music.
Odds and Sods
Odds and Sods
Funnyman Dan Aykroyd provides Yogi Bear's deep New York accent, while a pop star voices Boo Boo.
Also: Weirdo Toys
Weirdo Toys is the home for all those random toys that most people have left behind. The site is dedicated to showcasing the quirky, neat, bizarre, sometimes forgotten and downright ugly toys.
Whether it's a fleamarket, dollar store, garage sale or a toystore, they all contribute to the ever-growing population of weirdo toys.
Chinese chicken thinks he's a penguin
Meet Mumble - the chicken that thinks he's a penguin. Farmer Lu Xi said that he got the confused bird as a chick - but instead of scratching in the ground and flying up to a perch to roost at night - Mumble walks around the coop just like a penguin waddling from side to side. Lu said: "He only has little wings as well just like a penguin which he sticks out when he walks. I guess that's why he never flies."
Local media at Jiangsu, the province in eastern China where the bird lives, nicknamed the confused chicken Mumble after the main character in the animated classic Happy Feet, about a penguin that can't sing so dances instead. Lu added: "I had not seen the film but I like the name, although my bird can't dance - and I don't think he can swim either.
But he should be happy - my family all like him and so we decided to keep him instead of putting him in the pot."
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
The Daily Drift
The Daily Drift
Today's horoscope says:You need to make a big decision regarding someone special, but you're not quite sure what to do yet.
On the one hand, you're totally ready to get closer to them.
On the other hand, you may be thinking about how much time you already spend at work, and how your constant overtime isn't exactly beneficial to a relationship.
You may not realize yet just how beneficial a relationship can be helping you put off that overtime entirely.
Today is:
Today is Wednesday, July 28, the 209th day of 2010.
There are 156 days left in the year.
Today's unusual holiday or celebration is:
National Chocolate Milk Day
Don't forget to visit our sister blog!
Best secluded beaches in the U.S.
At these off-the-beaten-path spots you'll get not only sun and sea but solitude, too.
Also; Westward Ho
The thriving Amish community is being forced to scout for farmland in far-flung locations.
Also: Riot-plagued capital named world's top city
Fortunate timing helps a spot rocked by violence collect a travel magazine's top honor.
Also: Human Bones Found In Forest May Be 7,000 Years Old
A University of Florida archaeologist says he discovered centuries old bones in a Central Florida forest.
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