The Daily Drift

The Daily Drift

Today's horoscope says:
For way too long, the misconception that you have to fit in has been dictating your behavior.
Even if you haven't realized it, you've been subtly editing yourself and altering your attitude, thinking that will get you farther.
What you may fail to realize is that who you are is defined in part by how you're different from everyone else.
Do things your own way today -- you'll meet little, if any, resistance.
Strike out and show everyone the real you.

Some of our readers today have been in:

Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Bremen, Bremen, Germany
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Paris, Ile-De-France, France
Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
London, England, United Kingdom
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Martigny, Valais, Switzerland
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Oviedo, Aturias, Spain
Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei and Muara, Brunei Darussalam

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 Lake Mary, Lake Norman, Lake Murray, Lake Mead and more.

Today is:

Today is Monday, April 4, the 95th day of 2011.

There are 270 days left in the year.

Today's unusual holidays or celebrations are:

Tater Day
Vitamin C Day
and
World Rat Day.

Don't forget to visit our sister blog!

Something wicked this way comes

If the weather prognosticators are anywhere close tonight is going to be interesting.

Thunderstorms and winds to beat the band.

At least around these parts that is ...

Seven secrets of thin people

Seven secrets thin people swear by

White and green teas have the most catechins, an antioxidant that helps burn fat. 

Weekly habit that keeps weight off 

Also: 

• What are catechins?
• Habits that pack on pounds  
• 10 ways to fight ab fat

Non Sequitur

Libyans have a plan

Libyans envision Libya after Gadhafi

Foes of Moammar Gadhafi have created a plan for a new government to lead the country.  

Opposition leader speaks 

Also: 

• A tale of two Libyas
• Rebels make small gains  
• U.S. pullback criticized

Libyans rebuff Gadhafi sons

Libyans reject offer from Gadhafi's sons

Seif Gadhafi's rumored plan to remove his father from power rankles Libya's opposition. 

Regime snubbed abroad 

Also: 

• Bill Clinton's Libya advice
• Survivors tell of 'massacre'
• Rebel boot camp big draw

Captured bomber in Pakistan vows attacks

His accomplices brought carnage to a Sufi shrine, but the 14-year-old suicide bomber who was captured after his explosives failed to detonate was unrepentant.

Full Story

China blocks well-known artist from boarding plane

China blocked one of its most famous contemporary artists from taking a flight to Hong Kong on Sunday and police later raided his Beijing studio, the man's assistant said.
The artist, Ai Weiwei, is an outspoken government critic and has been barred from going abroad before.
China has launched a massive crackdown on lawyers, writers and activists, ...

Full Story

Two more Southwest jets show cracks

Two more Southwest jets show cracks

Inspectors locate subsurface cracks similar to those on the jet that made an emergency landing.  

Flights canceled 

Also: 

• Inspections continue
• Travelers fall ill on plane
• House passes aviation bill

Repugican's idotic 'budget'

repugicans unveil a farce for a 2012 budget plan

The repugican's spending blueprint calls for more than $4 trillion in cuts, including social programs.

Skeptics sound off 

Also: 

• Deepest cuts in history?
• At odds over shutdown
• Obama wants to curb oil

On The Job

Five career strategies for women

Earning the right degree is key for finding work in the field you plan to pursue. 

Tips from an expert 

Also: 

• Find work-life balance
• Quick-start careers  
• How to get hired

Watch out for scam emails

Watch out for dangerous phony emails

Hackers may contact millions of bank and credit card customers due to a huge security breach.  

'Phishing' attacks 

Also: 

• Secrets of an ID thief
• Hacker stock-fraud arrest 
• Cell phone security tips

Tax excuses the IRS won't buy

These excuses won't fly with the IRS

If you file a “frivolous" tax return, you could be socked with a $5,000 penalty.  

Three red flags to avoid 

Also: 

• Yahoo! tax center
• Overcome filing fears 
• Don't miss these write-offs

Bank Takes Swipe at Proposed Debit Card Rules in South Dakota Court Fight

Lawyers for Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke and a regional savings and loan association are squaring off over debit-card fees in a South Dakota courtroom 1,075 miles from the debate in Congress on the same issue.

Full Story

Banks spark foreclosure ire

Bank tricks spark foreclosure outrage

A new report accuses lenders of engaging in fraudulent practices to create more profit.  

Evicted by SWAT 

Also: 

• Mortgage crisis report
• Construction dropping
• Finance giants criticized

Awesome Pictures

Karma is a bitch ...

Wisconsin state supreme court justice David Proesser loses his campaign co-chair to his opponent.

The great repugican bait-and-switch

The 2010 midterms? 

Everybody knows what happened: disenchantment with Obama, tanking economy, soaring unemployment, tea party, Founding Fathers, jobs-jobs-jobs. 

It was a sweep! 

A landslide! 

A shellacking! 

A mandate! 

And now 1 million cervical cancer screenings every year are in jeopardy.

Full Story

Repugicans call for privatizing Medicare

That's right. The repugicans are looking to privatize Medicare.

From TPM :

One of the fun little tidbits in the repugican 'budget' roll out today is here:

The substitute gradually converts the current Medicare program into one in which Medicare beneficiaries choose the most affordable coverage that best suits their individual needs. For individuals 55 or older, Medicare will not be changed (other than income-relating the prescription drug benefit): the budget preserves the existing program for these beneficiaries. To make the program sustainable and dependable, those 54 and younger will enroll in a new Medicare Program with health coverage similar to what is now available to Members of Congress and Federal employees.

In other words, privatized insurance. Note the exemption for those (voting while) 55 or older.

The Professor makes three points and counts them as two:

1. Privatizing and voucherizing Medicare does nothing whatsoever to control costs. We’ve seen that from the sorry history of Medicare Advantage. I’m sure that the Republicans will claim savings — but those savings will come entirely from limiting the vouchers to below the rate of rise in health care costs; in effect, they will come from denying medical care to those who can’t afford to top up their premiums.

And:

2. ... This will be Obama’s defining moment. Will he stand up for the principle that society takes care of those in need? Or will he cave in? I wish I had confidence in the answer.

His third point is a word "for all those older Americans who voted repugican last year because those nasty Democrats were going to cut Medicare" — suckers!

Harvey