The Daily Drift

The Daily Drift

Today's horoscope says:
How well do you know your ancestors?
Understanding where you came from will help you understand where you can go.
Try an Internet search to satisfy your curiosity.
Who knows?
You might discover that you have a knack for genealogy and may want to start working on a family tree.
Older members of your family are a great resource, so why not drop them a line to catch up?
Find out how they lived when they were your age.
You'll have a great time comparing notes.

Some of our readers today have been in:

Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Brescia, Lombardia, Itly
London, England, United Kingdom
Paris, Ile-De-France, France
Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia

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 Rio Rico, Gowrie, Virginia Beach, San Jose and more.

Today is:

Today is Sunday, May 1, the 122nd day of 2011.

There are 233 days left in the year.

Today's unusual holidays or celebrations are:

 Lei Day
May Day
Penguin Day
World Laughter Day
and
Mother Goose Day.

It is also the Beltane Festival!

Don't forget to visit our sister blog!

Did you know ...

Did Ye Know that on this day, May 1st, 1707, the Act of Union between Scotland and England came into force.

Scottish church bells played the tune "Why am I so Sad on my Wedding Day?" - the Union was brought about in spite of opposition by the majority of Scots.

Can Psychedelic Politics Ride Out The Coming Storm?

Sudden storm. 

Image credit:Flickr, allspice1, "...entry into the Leave It To Me Challenge #30."

The radical right has been fighting a successful culture war against all things 60's and 70's. Earth day and its legislative outcomes are under especially intense attack, for example. An hallucinatory contact high among these Warriors has them attempting to spin the clock back far enough to re-ignite a Cuyahoga River fire, thereby reconstituting 1969 unemployment levels (approximately 3.5%). Fabulous bit of magical thinking, eh?

Article continues: Can Psychedelic Politics Ride Out The Coming Storm?

Buffett admits to 'big mistake'

Warren Buffett admits to making mistake

The CEO shoulders some blame for the way his top lieutenant handled company business.  

'Inexcusable' situation 

Also: 

• First-quarter profit drops
• More on Warren Buffett
• Nasdaq still rides high

President Obama keeps up push to end gas, oil tax breaks

President Barack Obama says oil companies are profiting from rising pump prices and he wants Congress to end $4 billion in annual tax breaks for the oil and gas industry.

Full Story

The truth be told

Three Ways To Save Medicare Paul Ryan Doesn't Want You To Know About

Across the country, Main Street Americans are speaking out against the repugican budget plan that would effectively end Medicare

Full Story

Failure to raise debt ceiling "asinine"

Warren Buffett said he expects the Congress to raise the nation's debt ceiling before it expires in mid-May, and said it would be that body's "most asinine act" ever if it failed.

Full Story

And with the most aisnine gaggle of lunatic fringe kooks ever in congress it's even money they'll do the most asinine thing possible.

Wizard of Id

PSN users see fraudulent credit card use, despite Sony assurances

Although admitting that personal information was stolen during the PlayStation Network (PSN) and Qriocity, Sony has said 1) that it is unsure if any credit card data was stolen, and 2) that even if they had been, the numbers were encrypted.

However, a number of PSN users are coming forward, saying they have seen fraudulent charges on the credit cards they have linked to their PSN accounts, damning evidence against Sony's statements.

Full Story

Credit Card Overuse Changes Consumer Expectations

Many consumers who are heavy spenders are more likely to believe that items they purchase will make them happier.  

 Read more 

Family budget cuts off limits

'Family budget cuts I just won't make'

One work-at-home mom believes her relationships are more important than trimming costs.  

Cable bill untouchable 

Also: 

• Cash in on spring cleaning
• Consumer spending up
• How to use 'good debt'

Five easy ways to save on groceries

Groceries represent a large part of the overall monthly budget for most families.

Full Story

Ziggy

Unusual causes of bad moods

Six unexpected reasons you’re cranky

Your bedroom lighting or anticipation of an upcoming party can leave you feeling edgy.

Deflecting a grumpy co-worker 

Also: 

• Sleep’s powerful effects
• Ways to boost immunity
• Tech items' dangers

Pinky and The Brain

One is a genius and the other is insane - but which is which?

Yemen dictator refusing to sign exit document

Dictators always have a hard time moving on. That's why they were dictators in the first place.

Al Jazeera:

The Yemeni president has refused to sign a Gulf Arab-led agreement to give up power in exchange for legal immunity, sources say.

Saturday's development was a new blow to efforts to mediate the months-old crisis between Ali Abdullah Saleh and demonstrators inspired by protests sweeping through the Arab region to demand his overthrow.

Abdul-Latif al-Zayyani, secretary-general of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC), which brokered the agreement, had flown to the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, on Saturday to urge Saleh to sign the deal.

Instead, he met high-level leaders of Saleh's governing political party and parliamentary bloc, where he was informed that Saleh had some reservations over the deal.

Gadhafi's son killed by missle

Gadhafi survives airstrike that kills son

Libyan officials say Seif al-Arab Gadhafi, Moammar's youngest son, was killed by a NATO missle.  

Other family fatalities 

Also: 

• Libyan unrest photos
• Libya's 'Freedom Radio'
• Syria protests continue

Can you say oops?

Police discover hidden arsenal in Ciudad Juarez

An arsenal containing grenades, grenade launchers, assault riffles and other high-powered weapons are stored inside a basement warehouse in the city of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico Friday April 29, 2011.

Full Story