The Daily Drift

The Daily Drift

Today's horoscope says:
You are entering a very inventive phase of life right now, and as soon as this morning begins, you will start to see things in a new way.
You've been looking at your normal routine from a fresh perspective for a while now, which is enabling you to think more creatively.
Try to think up new approaches that can replace old methods that just weren't cutting it.
So if self-improvement is one of your goals (and it should be), it is more attainable than ever.

Some of our readers today have been in:

Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand

Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland

Lons-Le-Saunier, Franche-Comte, France

Paris, Ile-De-France, France

London, England, United Kingdom

Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand

Sittard, Limburg, Netherlands

Puchong, Selangor, Malaysia

Daganzo De Arriba, Madrid, Spain

Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

as well as Mexico, Peru, Serbia, Bangladesh, Latvia, Greece, Scotland, Hong Kong, Denmark, Wales, Iran, Singapore, Taiwan, Sweden, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Belgium, India, Croatia, Pakistan, Romania, Finland, Korea,  Argentina, Vietnam, Egypt, Russia, South Korea, Indonesia, Puerto Rico, Brazil, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates, China, Iraq, Ecuador, Nigeria, Morocco, Chile, Honduras and in cities across the United States such as Long Beach, Dunedin, Iron River, Greer and more.

Today is:

Today is Wednesday, December 8, the 342nd day of 2010.

There are 23 days left in the year.

Today In History December 8

Today's unusual holiday or celebration is:

There isn't one.

Don't forget to visit our sister blog!

A turn of a phrase

The darkest hour is just before the dawn

Meaning

There is hope, even in the worst of circumstances.

Origin

This is one of those improving proverbs that are the stock in trade of the contemporary glut of self-help manuals and talking therapies. The darkest hour has long been used figuratively to mean 'the lowest ebb' and there are many such examples of it in print dating from the late 1700s.

The English theologian and historian Thomas Fuller appears to be the first person to commit the notion that 'the darkest hour is just before the dawn' to print. His religious travelogue A Pisgah-Sight Of Palestine And The Confines Thereof, 1650, contains this view:

It is always darkest just before the Day dawneth.

The source of the proverb isn't known. It may be Fuller himself, or he may have been recording a piece of folk wisdom. In 1858, much later than Fuller of course, Samuel Lover attributed the notion to the Irish, in Songs and Ballads:

There is a beautiful saying amongst the Irish peasantry to inspire hope under adverse circumstances:- "Remember," they say, "that the darkest hour of all. is the hour before day."

Pretension

Shoe

Bad Cops

Kentucky cop is charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, assault 3rd degree on a police officer, assault 4th degree

'Gladiator school': Shocking video shows prison guards stand by and watch as prisoner is beaten into a coma by inmate

California deputy charged in on-duty sexual assault of teen

"Jones said the use of force — breaking open her door and throwing a “flash bang” device past her niece’s head — was unnecessary, considering that the search warrant was for a cell phone used by her brother, who had moved out four months earlier and was in police custody"

South Carolina deputy arrested for domestic violence hired by another department

Father-in-law of disfigured Afghan teen arrested

The father-in-law of a young Afghan woman who said her nose and ears were sliced off to punish her for running away from her violent husband has been arrested, the Afghan Interior Ministry said Wednesday.

Full Story

We're Number One

English-only rule challenged

Workers sue over English-only rule

Dozens of Filipino employees say they were the only ones being targeted by a hospital.  

Even when on breaks 

Also: 

• Filipino languages
• Hospital quality misleading
• Shrinking DREAM Act?

You can not suppress the truth

Startup helps Wikileaks continue to receive donations

With its access to donations and financial resources being taken down, Wikileaks has a startup to thank for continued support. Considering the founder, it's not a surprise: it's Flattr, created by Peter Sunde, co-founder of The Pirate Bay.

Hackers take revenge against sites that banned Wikileaks

The forces of 4Chan and Anonymous have combined to attack the websites several companies (PayPal, Swiss bank Postfinance, etc.) that booted Wikileaks earlier. You may recall these groups as being involved in the takedowns of several anti-piracy sites, earlier.

***

We haven't posted much about the brouhaha over Wikileaks because we know the truth will always win out.

Repugicans are Nazis by another name

Even Hollywood knows repugicans are Nazis by another name.

The truth be told

It's Poll Time

Are all religious conservatives completely stupid?
Yes 84%
Most Likely 16%
No 0%
Not Likely 0%

Well, that answers that.

We would have used 'wingnuts' in lieu of 'religious conservatives' but as this poll of the man on the street tells us ... no matter what you call them they are all viewed as idiots.

Ziggy

Ozzy to Release New Book, Ask Dr. Ozzy

Need some health advice? Have any questions about your sex life? Interested in knowing how Ozzy Osbourne managed to take as many drugs as he did, and live to tell about it? Check out Ozzy's new book, Ask Dr. Ozzy.

Full Story

John Lennon Legend Lives on 30 Years After Death

John Lennon was killed 30 years ago today but he has left behind a distinct legacy.  

Read more 

Helter Skelter

Paul McCartney

Paul gives the thumbs up

Major office party don'ts

How not to behave at the office party

Your company's annual celebration isn't the time or place to let loose and speak your mind.  

Five big don'ts 

Also: 

• Choose the right outfit
• Frugal holiday party tips  
• Yummy party food ideas

On The Job

High pay without advanced degrees

Earn as much as $87,000 a year without a master's or PhD in these growing fields.  

Don't spend years in school 

Also: 

• Job openings on the rise
• 50 best careers for 2011  
• Find the worst degrees

Are depressed people too clean?

In an effort to pinpoint potential triggers leading to inflammatory responses that eventually contribute to depression, researchers are taking a close look at the immune system of people living in today’s cleaner modern society.

Full story