The Daily Drift

The Daily Drift

Today's horoscope says:
Once again, you'll be asked to take charge of a situation that's been left unmanaged.
Fortunately, you just love that sort of thing, and with recent successes under your belt, you'll be even more confident.
The best part is that you're also going to be in the mood to undertake a task like this.
The kind thing to do, however, would be to remind everyone who wants some of your recreational time that you won't have any, since duty calls.
They'll understand.
They know how you get.

Some of our readers today have been in:

London, England, United Kingdom
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Stratford Upon Avon, England United ingdom
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Venice, Veneto, Italy
Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Quezon City, Manila, Philippines
Poznan, Wielkopolskie, Poland
Manchester, England, United Kingdom
Paris, Ile-De-France, France
Inverness, Scotland, United Kingdom
Annecy, Rhone-Alpes, France
Stoke On Trent, England, United Kingdom
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands
Lille, Nord-Pas-De-Calais, France
Birmingham, England, United Kingdom
Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
Copenhagen, Kobenhavn, Denmark
Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Colchester, England, United Kingdom
Bilbao, Pais Vasco, Spain
Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Sheffield, England, United Kingdom
Florence, Toscana, Italy
Reutlingen, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Erlangen, Bayern, Germany
Orange, Provence-Alpes-Cote D'Azur, France
Jakarta, Jakarta Raya, Indonesia
Milan, Lombardia, Italy
Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Rome, Lazio, Italy

as well as Slovakia, Malta, Bulgaria, Israel, Finland, Austria, Norway, Georgia, Mexico, Peru, Kuwait, Serbia, Bangladesh, Latvia, Greece, Scotland, Hong Kong, Denmark, Wales, Iran, Singapore, Poland, Taiwan, Sweden, Afghanistan, Belgium, Tibet, Croatia, Pakistan, Romania, Paraguay, Sudan, Vietnam, Argentina, Cambodia, Egypt, France, Estonia, Puerto Rico, Maldives, Qatar, Brazil, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates, Slovenia, China, Iraq, Ecuador, Nigeria, Colombia, Chile, Honduras, Paupa New Guinea, Moldova, Venezuela, Germany, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Ireland, Czech Republic, Vietnam, Norway, Finland and in cities across the United States such as Fort Huachuca, Sparks, Angola, Little Neck and more.

Today is:

Today is Wednesday, February 16, the 47th day of 2011.

There are 318 days left in the year.

Today's unusual holidays or celebrations are: 

There are none.

Don't forget to visit our sister blog!

The Sun unleashes huge solar flare

Sun unleashes huge solar flare 

The Sun has unleashed its strongest flare in four years, observers say.

• Are solar flares a real threat? Watch
• GPS to suffer from awakening sun

Non Sequitur

Kansas repugican can tell who is 'illegal' due to 'the olive complexion'

Welcome to the modern repugican party.

ThinkProgress with the ugly details.

REP. O’BRIEN: My son who’s a Kansas resident, born here, raised here, didn’t qualify for any financial aid. Yet this girl was going to get financial aid. My son was kinda upset about it because he works and pays for his own schooling and his books and everything and he didn’t think that was fair. We didn’t ask the girl what nationality she was, we didn’t think that was proper. But we could tell by looking at her that she was not originally from this country. [...]

REP. GATEWOOD: Can you expand on how you could tell that they were illegal?

REP. O’BRIEN: Well she wasn’t black, she wasn’t Asian, and she had the olive complexion.

Teacher's blog strikes a nerve

Teacher's 'lazy whiners' blog strikes a nerve

A high school teacher suspended for her colorful remarks on students becomes an overnight sensation.  

Defenders 

Also: 

• Hidden cameras in schools
• Teacher fired over cross
• Teen politician sworn in

Biggest U.S. brain magnets

Where America's college grads are going

The idea that the nation's smartest are heading to the big coastal cities isn't exactly correct.  

'Brain magnets' 

Also: 

• Jobs outside the cubicle
• Top places to relocate to
• Best cities for home values

More US Blacks Moving South

The nation's blacks are leaving big cities in the Northeast and Midwest at the highest levels in decades, returning to fast-growing states in the once-segregated South in search of better job opportunities and quality of life.

Full Story

Ten islands you should visit

Ten islands you really should visit

Bali, the "Island of the Gods," is an ideal place to explore your spiritual side.  

Isle with 500 unique native species 

Also: 

• Islands full of romance
• 10 beautiful beaches  
• Places to find inspiration

The 10 most annoying parenting tips

The 10 most annoying parenting tips

Family, friends, and even strangers seem to think they know when your child is hungry.  

'Relish every moment' 

Also: 

• Is your car seat safe?
• Best budget birthday gifts  
• Cool school accessories

What counts as exercise?

What really counts as exercise?

Switch up your dog-walk routine to burn calories even on short strolls.

Turn other activities into workouts 

Also: 

• Walk off extra pounds
• 6 best calorie burners  
• Low-intensity workouts

Hollywood’s best skin tips

Hollywood skin secrets revealed

Skip the pricey treatments by tackling common problems yourself with these simple steps.  

Fight oil with oil 

Also: 

• Acne prevention tips
• Diet tips for better skin 
• Healthy desserts to try

Why Van Gogh's Yellows Turn Brown

Scientists have discovered a chemical reaction that has caused the artist's once-vivid yellows to turn brown.

Read more 

Seven bizarre drink flavors

Seven truly bizarre beverage flavors

Jones Soda Co. is known for its odd specialty drinks, including Tofurky and Gravy.  

A classic celery-flavored soda 

Also: 

• Odd potato chip flavors
• Sodas without corn syrup  
• Unhealthiest coffee drinks

Wizard of Id

The Freedom Genie can't be put back in the bottle

Mubarak ordered Tiananmen-style massacre of demonstrators. 

The Army refused!

Buried in this Robert Fisk report for The Independent is a startling account of the Egyptian army refusing to move with tanks against the Tahrir Square protesters on January 30. If this is true, it must be the defining moment in the history of the movement that toppled Hosni Mubarak's 30-year reign. My emphasis below:

Last night [Feb 10], a military officer guarding the tens of thousands celebrating in Cairo threw down his rifle and joined the demonstrators, yet another sign of the ordinary Egyptian soldier's growing sympathy for the democracy demonstrators. We had witnessed many similar sentiments from the army over the past two weeks. But the critical moment came on the evening of 30 January when, it is now clear, Mubarak ordered the Egyptian Third Army to crush the demonstrators in Tahrir Square with their tanks after flying F-16 fighter bombers at low level over the protesters.

Many of the senior tank commanders could be seen tearing off their headsets – over which they had received the fatal orders – to use their mobile phones. They were, it now transpires, calling their own military families for advice. Fathers who had spent their lives serving the Egyptian army told their sons to disobey, that they must never kill their own people.

Thus when General Hassan al-Rawani told the massive crowds yesterday evening that "everything you want will be realized – all your demands will be met", the people cried back: "The army and the people stand together – the army and the people are united. The army and the people belong to one hand."

Robert Fisk is a seasoned journalist and Middle East expert with a long history. Though this event has not been widely reported (and Fisk does not give his source), I did find some corroboration, for example here. And Fisk's claim is repeated here, with Fisk cited as the source. Given his history (Fisk is one of the few journalists to have interviewed Osama bin Laden three times), it's unlikely he's wrong.


Meanwhile ...

Iran calls for death penalty for opposition and Egypt-style protesters

Same old, same old.

Members of Iran's parliament have called for opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi to be tried and executed.

Some 50 conservative MPs marched through parliament's main hall on Tuesday, chanting "Death to Mousavi, death to Karroubi", shown on state TV.

Thousands of opposition supporters had protested in Iran's capital on Monday.

King Tut Statues Stolen From Egypt Museum

Following the exit of Egypt's President Mubarak, the minister of antiquities reverses an earlier statement and reveals valuable objects were stolen during a recent break-in.  

Read more

Nine Latin America Countries Call on Japan to Stop "Scientific Whaling" in Sanctuary

This is the beginning of a new "scientific whaling" season in Antarctic waters.
The governments of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru and Uruguay made public a release stating "their strongest rejection to the announced 'scientific whaling' hunting of almost a thousand whales included some in the threatened species ...

Full Story

And in a companion story:

Japan halts Antarctic whale hunt  

Japan suspends its annual Antarctic whale hunt after activists from a US-based environmental group chase the mother ship.

Bad Cops

Fired Georgia police officers charged with lying to FBI

California police officer arrested on suspicion of engaging in sex acts with prostitutes

Massachusetts police officer long embroiled in controversy over allegations of police brutality and misconduct, resigns over yet another allegation of a domestic violence incident

Cops beat crap out of Rutgers students

27-year veteran Kentucky cop received vacation, holiday pay during suspension

Ex-NASA worker's suit alleges excessive force by Texas cops

In The News

Fugitive Killer Found Working In Hospital

A convicted killer on Australia's most wanted list spent most of his 15 years on the run working at a hospital, it has been revealed.

New York cop cleared in shooting of Easton man

The Easton family of Danroy "D.J." Henry Jr. is dumbfounded, but vows to persevere after a New York grand jury brought no charges against a police officer who fatally shot the popular Pace University football player.

Odds and Sods

Just in time: NC couple claims $1M

A North Carolina couple has claimed a $1 million lotto prize just a day before it expired.