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The place where the world comes together in honesty and mirth.
Windmills Tilted, Scared Cows Butchered, Lies Skewered on the Lance of Reality ... or something to that effect.


Sunday, August 28, 2011

The Daily Drift

The Daily Drift
Today's horoscope says:
Are you having money woes? 
There may never be a time when you sit back and feel 100 percent at ease with your financial situation, but that can be a good thing. 
Why? 
It keeps you on your toes, looking for smarter options. 
Today if you're feeling the pinch, follow a tried-and-true strategy: Save more, spend less. 
Take a good, long look at your budget, and you'll see some painless cuts you can make. 
Pennies a day add up to hundreds a year -- every little bit helps.

Some of our readers today have been in: 
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Paranaque, Manila, Philippines
London, England, United Kingdom
Florence, Toscana, Italy
Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia
Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Prague, Hlanvi Mesto Praha, Czech Republic
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Perth, Western Australia, Australia
 
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 Sparta, La Crosse, Racine, Green Bay and more.

Today is:
Today is Sunday, August 28, the 240th day of 2011.
There are 125 days left in the year.


Today's unusual holidays or celebrations are:
Race Your Mouse Around The Icons Day
and
Crackers Over The Keyboard Day.
  
Don't forget to visit our sister blog!

Subtle Sunday

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Al-Qaida's No. 2 is reportedly killed by U.S. in Pakistan


Al-Qaida’s second-in-command, Atiyah Abd al-Rahman, has been killed in Pakistan, U.S. and Pakistani officials said Saturday, delivering another big blow to a terrorist group that the United States thinks is on the verge of defeat.

A Libyan national, al-Rahman never had the worldwide name recognition of Osama bin Laden  ...

Perspective

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So much for due process

New law in China allows police to hold suspect for 6 months 
The Olympics sure changed a lot and China remains very concerned about its public image.

The Guardian:
Chinese police will gain new legal powers to detain suspects for up to six months without telling their families where or why they are held, according to a state newspaper's account of planned reforms.

Human rights activists and legal scholars warned that the change would legitimise an alarming pattern of detentions under the residential surveillance law, which was initially intended as a less punitive measure than formal detention.

Most of those who went missing in a crackdown on activists, dissidents and lawyers this year were taken to secret locations chosen by police. They were held for weeks or even months under residential surveillance. The law does not specify that relatives must be informed, presumably because it was assumed suspects would be held at their homes. In comparison, police must inform relatives within 24 hours of detention and must seek prosecutors' approval for arrest within 30 days.

And I Quote

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***
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The typical repugican voter

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Storm expected to break record

The hurricane could turn 2011 into the year with the most billion-dollar disasters.  
Also: 

More repugican bullshit

Boehner and Cantor unsure about emergency aid for hurricane without budget cuts

If you're not part of the super rich or a corporate interest, you really don't count with the repugicans.

Huffington Post:
Cantor raised some eyebrows on Wednesday when, in the aftermath of the 5.8 magnitude earthquake that rattled the East Coast and originated in his district, he said Congress will help those hurt by the earthquake but will require finding offsets for any federal aid.

"When there's a disaster there's an appropriate federal role and we will find the monies," Cantor said during a news conference in Mineral, Va. "But we've had discussions about these things before and those monies will be offset with appropriate savings or cost-cutting elsewhere in order to meet the priority of the federal government's role in a situation like this."

Cantor spokesman Brad Dayspring on Friday declined to say where repugicans would look to make cuts to pay for a potential storm aid package.
Boehner's office punted when asked about this. Is it really that difficult to answer?

Non Sequitur

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“Stalwart Workers”: The neglected backbone of the firm

Writing in a Harvard Business Review blog, professor Thomas J. DeLong talks about "Stalwart Workers," a neglected part of the workforce who don't live to work, don't crave promotion, but constitute the backbone of the organization:
Myth #1: Stars are smarter than Stalwarts. Stalwarts are not necessarily less intelligent than Stars. Achievement is a complicated blend of intelligence, motivation, and personality. Research confirms that insight; dozens of psychological studies have demonstrated that Stars and Stalwarts differ at least as much in temperament as intelligence. Myth #2: Everybody is the same. Not every employee wants to give his all (or even his best) to the organization, leaving little time and energy for people and passions outside the workplace. Stalwarts place a high premium on work-life balance, and they highly value the time they spend with family and friends. In fact, many of the most productive Stalwarts are recovered Stars who, for a variety of personal reasons, have made a conscious decision to drop off the fast track.
Myth #3: Everybody wants the same thing out of work. Leaders often assume that all of their followers share their drive for power, status, and money. That's just not so. Many Stalwarts want to influence others in their jobs. Others value autonomy, creative opportunities, or the chance to develop unique expertise.

The Right Body Language for Every Situation

When faced with a tense situation, you may have learned the right words to smooth things over and appear confident—but what about your body

How to Buy a Foreclosure Home at Auction

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A foreclosed home can offer you a bargain basement price as a homebuyer, but what about the pitfalls that comes along with buying these types of homes? There are risks associated with buying a home in foreclosure and when you buy the home at an auction, the risks tend to increase. Learn what you are getting into before you to take the leap and how to recognize red flags, so you can avoid common mistakes.

Great suburbs for retirees

These spots are ideal if you find big cities overwhelming and small towns dull. 
Also: 

Daily Comic Relief

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Confirmation

From the "We knew this already, but it is nice to have confirmation" Department: