The Daily Drift

The Daily Drift

Today's horoscope says:
Your old habits have grown to become like a worn, fuzzy blanket -- something that gives you comfort even though it might not be very good for you.
You need to make sure that the blanket you cling to won't actually end up suffocating you.
So today, take a passive look at the things you do in your life, and ask yourself whether they are necessary or productive.
If they are neither, then it's time to get rid of them!
Refocus on improving your health.

Some of our readers today have been in:

Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Perth, Western Australia, Australia
London, England, United Kingdom
Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Rio De Janeiro, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Paris, Ile-De-France, France
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Annecy, Rhone-Alpes, France
Helsinki, Southern Finland, Finland
Santander, Cantabria, Spain
Budapest, Budapest, Hungary
Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
San Salvador, San Salvador, El Salvador
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Lille, Nord-Pas-De-Calais, France

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 Beaverton, Kirkland, Portland, Salem and more.

Today is:

Today is Tuesday, March 1, the 60th day of 2011.

There are 305 days left in the year.

Today's unusual holidays or celebrations are: 

Pig Day
and
Re-fired, Not Retired Day.

Don't forget to visit our sister blog!

Big quake puts state on edge

Biggest quake in 35 years unnerves Ark.

The strongest in a swarm of more than 800 unexplained quakes sparks new fears among locals.

Search for culprit 

Also: 

• Texas fire razes homes
• Midwest tornadoes, floods
• Wildfire grows in Florida

Preliminary magnitude 4.7 earthquake in Arkansas

Four earthquakes have been recorded near Greenbrier in central Arkansas- including one with a preliminary magnitude of 4.7 that was reported felt on four other states.

Full Story

Frank and Ernest

Amazing amateur photos

Stunning amateur photos highlighted

An image from one of the world's most colorful festivals is among a magazine's top reader submissions.

  More photos 

Also: 

• More on the festival
• Documenting child soldiers
• Telescope's record night

The Way

Fastball

US House passes bill to avert shutdown

The House passed emergency short-term legislation Tuesday to cut federal spending by $4 billion and avert a government shutdown.

Full Story

Pretty much says it all

Government watchdog IDs billions in federal waste

A new study by a federal watchdog agency finds that overlapping and duplicative federal programs waste billions of taxpayer dollars each year, adding fresh targets as lawmakers in both parties seek opportunities to cut spending.

Full Story

Non Sequitur

A public union employee, a teabagging agitator and a CEO are sitting at a table ...

A public union employee, a teabagging agitator and a CEO are sitting at a table with a plate of a dozen cookies in the middle of it.
The CEO takes 11 of the cookies, turns to the teabagger and says, "Watch out for that union guy he wants a piece of your cookie."

Anti-American (pardon, anti-union) vote moves to Ohio

This anti-union attack looks even worse than the repugican-proposed legislation in Wisconsin. Once again, why are repugicans blaming the unions for what we know was a Wall Street economic crisis?

The Ohio Senate is expected on Thursday to consider a revised version of a bill to end collective bargaining for public-sector workers, and union members gathering outside the Statehouse here Tuesday morning said they were bracing for the worst.

“This is going to get passed and people will sit back and say, ‘What happened?’ ” said Mark Horton, a retired firefighter who is treasurer of the Ohio Association of Professional Firefighters. “Once it’s done, there’s no putting the genie back in the bottle.”

Unlike similar legislation in Wisconsin, which exempts police officers and firefighters, the Ohio bill includes them — and is controversial for that reason.

In Wisconsin, police now blocking entrance into State House

The AFL-CIO claims there have been windows welded shut (where is the fire marshal?) to block supplies being handed over to protesters. There have been a few photos floating around online showing what looks like bolted shut windows rather than welded, but bolted windows sound as dangerous as well. Blocking access to the state capital is a violation of state law, if the law means anything. More from David Dayen at FireDogLake.

As you can see, they are really cracking down on access, and particularly what can be brought into the building. They have tried to make it very uncomfortable for people to stay, forcing them to sleep on jackets or the bare floor. They have restricted medical supplies and slowed the supply of food. But according to the CCLC, they are going well beyond these rules and basically blocking access to the building. And this comes after the police told protesters that they would be allowed back in at 8am.

Blocking access to the Capitol building is illegal under the Wisconsin state Constitution:

Article I, §4 – ANNOT.
The legislature cannot prohibit an individual from entering the capitol or its grounds. 59 Atty. Gen. 8.

Article I, §4
Right to assemble and petition. Section 4. The right of the people peaceably to assemble, to consult for the common good, and to petition the government, or any department thereof, shall never be abridged.

Wisconsin governor faces backlash

Support for Scott Walker has eroded as his fight with public unions has dragged on. 

Reversal of election 

Also: 

• Will announce steep cuts
• Poll shows union support
• What state workers cost

Bad Cops

Kentucky cop allegedly assaults, points gun at wife

Louisiana cop convicted of attempted aggravated rape and second-degree kidnapping

Kansas police chief gets life in prison for bad-touching children

17 Baltimore police officers arrested in corruption probe

Massachusetts city pulls plug on police legal bills

What's next for disgraced Seattle Police officer Ian Birk?

School employees tried to poison coworker

Police say two South Stanly High School employees tried to poison a coworker.
Eileen Hallamore, 64, and Angela Johnson, 38, are charged with distributing food containing poison.

Full Story

Driver Who Hit Cyclists Indicted for Attempted Murder

 

Photo: Tarlo Schneider via Terra

As Ricardo Neis, a bank official from Porto Alegre, Brazil, was driving with his teenage son early last Friday evening, he found himself having to share the street at the pace of a group of cyclists -- everyday folks of all ages and walks of life who gather together once a month for a leisurely group ride, presumably safe enough in numbers to enjoy the public roads normally dominated by cars. But Ricardo Neis didn't want to 'share' the road at all. Instead, he placed his foot on the gas and proceeded to run over the sea of humanity before him, nearly killing dozens of innocent cyclists whose only fault was getting in his way.
Now Ricardo Neis is facing charges of attempted murder.

Article continues: Driver Who Hit Cyclists Indicted for Attempted Murder

Ziggy

End of real estate crash?

End in sight for housing crash?

Analysts see two hopeful signs of an impending real estate turnaround in 2011.  

Cautionary advice for buyers

Also:

• Where prices may rise
• Picking a neighborhood  
• Richest small towns

Where you can find houses for under $145K

For that price, you can buy a new 2,257-square-foot home with a pool.  

Best deals in 20 years 

Also: 

• Find local homes for sale
• Real estate half-truths  
• Buffett keen on housing

On The Job

Smart careers for intelligent people

Put your brainpower to use in one of these great-paying and challenging fields.

Average salaries of up to $90K 

Also: 

• Happy cities for workers
• Six satisfying jobs  
• Career comeback stories

The worst cities for finding work in 2011

Jobs that pay $50,000 or more are scarce in these metropolitan areas.  

Some on the list may surprise you 

Also: 

• Happiest cities to work in
• Careers with dim futures  
• Richest small towns

Entrepreneurs who quit the corporate world

David Kostman traded a high-powered financial job to open a chain of hummus restaurants.

Why he and 2 others left 

Also: 

• Top jobs outside the cube
• Great career comebacks  
• Best top-paying companies

Income Growth Chart

Here's a pretty good interactive chart: When income grows, who gains?Use the two sliders to select a beginning point and an ending point. Then, find out what happened during that period.

For example, between 2002 and 2007:

Average incomes in the U.S. grew by $8,358. The richest 10% got 87% of that growth. The bottom 90% shared 13%.

It's all about the Benjamins

Six ways to a better credit score

Paying off certain types of debt can lift your score much more than others. 

Follow the 7 percent rule 

Also: 

• Hit a perfect credit score
• Tips for secured cards 
• Savings myths debunked

Bad money habits to drop before retirement

Trying to avoid tax gains today can bring higher long-term costs down the road.  

 'I'd ... like to pay significantly more' 

Also: 

• Is an annuity for you?
• Bargain retirement spots
• Retirement calculator