The Daily Drift

The Daily Drift

Today's horoscope says:
Someone who either stood you up or outright left you in the lurch has decided to pop back into your life, asking for a second shot at the title.
You may be a bit tongue-tied, which is odd, but don't worry about it.
It's the universe's way of insisting that you think before you smile, hug them and ask them to come back for good.
Be smart -- as smart as you are when it comes to business.

Some of our readers today have been in:

Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Catania, Sicilia, Italy

Rome, Lazio, Italy

Paris, Ile-De-France, France

Jakarta, Jakarta Raya, Indonesia

Bremen, Bremen, Germany

Edithvale, Victoria Australia

London, England, United Kingdom

Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia

Madrid, Madrid, Spain

Gelsenkirchen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

Sittard, Limburg, Netherlands

Stockholm, Stockholms Lan, Sweden

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Sofia, Sofiya, Bulgaria

Gatineau, Quebec, Canada

Preston, Victoria, Australia

as well as Argentina, Scotland, Wales, Ukraine, China, Guadeloupe, Bahrain, South Africa and in cities across the United States such as Milaca, Albany, Durham, Yakima and more.

Today is:

Today is Sunday, October 24, the 297th day of 2010.

There are 68 days left in the year.

Today In History October 24

Today's unusual holiday or celebration is:

There isn't one.

Don't forget to visit our sister blog!

On brightening dim stars

Trick to making dim stars appear brighter

What's the reason light from distant objects is more visible when not looking directly at them?  

People give details 

Also: 

• Tips for stargazers
• Universe's oldest thing
• Black hole spews X-rays

A helping hand

Novelist Jane Austen had a helping hand

The popular English author frequently flubbed her grammar and spelling, new research discovers.  

Her editor 

Also: 

• Jane Austen biography
• Judy Blume's first film
• Very late library return

Boredom Defined

The very definition of boredom

U.S. open-water swimmer dies during race

U.S. open-water swimmer dies during race

Fran Crippen, a member of the U.S. national swim team, dies in warm waters south of Dubai.  

Frequent medaler 

Also: 

• More on Crippen
• Sacramone gold in return
• New events for Olympics?

Refs face punishment for charitable act

Refs face punishment for charitable act

High school refs in one state donated paychecks and used pink whistles to help fight breast cancer. 

The problem 

Top Ten Weirdest Ex-Olympic Sports

OK, if you say so ...

Wizard of Id

Seven cold and food myths debunked

7 cold and food myths debunked

Culinary Delites

Cool recipes to make with Halloween candy

Making our own Halloween candy sounds daunting, but cooking with candy sounds pretty awesome. Peppermint Patty brownies, Sweet Tart shakes, and Twix cheesecake pie seem like good reasons to put some time in the kitchen.

Read More

Ten healthier baked-potato toppings to try

A nonfat way to spice up your tater: yogurt, scallions, salt, and curry powder.  

Greek, Italian, and Tex-Mex options 

Also: 

• More baked potato ideas
• Luxury mashed taters
• Microwaving spuds

Banana Machine

Creating a vending machine for bananas

The food industry is tackling the challenge of delivering fresh produce — from a machine. 

It isn't easy 

Also: 

• U.S. diabetics could triple
• Parents' money errors
• Fall fruits and vegetables

Murphy Laws For Frequent Flyers

 

1. No flight ever leaves on time unless you are running late and need the delay to make the flight.
2. If you are running late for a flight, it will depart from the farthest gate within the terminal.
3. If you arrive very early for a flight, it inevitably will be delayed.
4. Flights never leave from Gate #1 at any terminal in the world.
5. If you must work on your flight, you will experience turbulence as soon as you touch pen to paper.
6. If you are assigned a middle seat, you can determine who has the seats on the aisle and the window while you are still in the boarding area. Just look for the two largest passengers.
7. Only passengers seated in window seats ever have to get up to go to the lavatory.
8. The crying baby on board your flight is always seated next to you.
9. The best-looking woman on your flight is never seated next to you.
10. The less carry-on luggage space available on an aircraft, the more carry-on luggage passengers will bring aboard.

Why they leaked info

WikiLeaks founder: It's 'about the truth'

Julian Assange says an ongoing "attack on the truth" made it vital to release the secret documents  

More to come 

Also: 

• The press conference
• Info shows a divided Iraq
• In Iraq, little surprise

'King of Heroin'

The man accused of being Mexico's alleged "King of Heroin" has pleaded not guilty in California to a drug smuggling charge.

 Alleged 'King of Heroin' enters not guilty plea

The most frightening jobs in America

The most frightening jobs in America

The scariest professions put workers in close contact with infectious diseases, insects, and explosives.  

Crazy heights 

Also: 

• Most dangerous jobs
• Careers for next decade
• Give yourself a raise

Real-life haunted, historic houses

Real-life haunted, historic houses

A New England inn and a New York museum are among the places where ghosts are seen. 

Bedroom apparitions 

Also: 

• World's heaviest pumpkin
• This year's hot costumes
• More haunted houses

Police question roadside 'ghost'

A motorist called police after being spooked by an apparent ghost on Thursday along a Brevard County roadway.
Authorities with the Titusville Police Department said a man covered in a sheet was walking along state Road 405 at about 8:45 a.m.

Three officers surrounded the man and asked about his appearance.

Investigators said the man explained that he didn't want to get sunburned and was allowed to continue his walk.

B.C.

US Air Force Academy: We are ready for The Witches (The Gays, not so much)

Noah Shachtman reports on changes at the U.S. Air Force Academy, where Evangelical Christianity was once so dominant that 55 complaints were filed in 4 years alleging discrimination against non-Christians. But...

Today, the Academy is boasting of its thriving pagan community -- and its friendliness towards spell-casters. In a press release issued Thursday, the Academy features Tech. Sgt. Brandon Longcrier (pictured), "the lay leader for the Academy's Earth-Centered Spirituality community, which includes Wiccans and Pagans from various traditions." (It's part of a larger effort by the school to promote an image of tolerance.)
During an inter-faith discussion group, the release notes, one cadet asked Longcrier "whether Wiccans or Pagans practiced 'black magic.'"
Sergeant Longcrier responded by citing the Wiccan credo, or Rede: "An it harm none, do what ye will." That would seem to preclude harmful spellcraft. However, the Rede "would not apply to a battlefield," according to the Academy release.

For more on the new, pagan-friendly Air Force, and how earth magick can heal you from "pizza poisoning," go read Noah's piece with the best headline of the week: "Air Force Academy Now Welcomes Spell-Casters."

Muslims Wearing Things

The Tumblr blog Muslims Wearing Things was launched as a reaction to former NPR analyst Juan Willams saying he gets nervous when he sees people in Muslim garb on planes. Looking through the pictures of the things Muslims wear, I was reminded of a neat bit of casting I knew about but had forgotten.

Prince Abdullah (now King Abdullah II) of Jordan, wearing a Starfleet uniform in a 1996 episode of Star Trek: Voyager.

Then there’s reality.

US Army Specialist and Muslim Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan wore camouflage, up until the day he was killed in combat in Iraq, fighting for his country.

Full Story