A 60-year-old woman can see again after a tooth was implanted into her eye in a historic Miami surgery.
The months-long procedure had never been performed in the United States before, CNN reported yesterday, but was successful in reversing her vision loss due to Stevens-Johnson syndrome.
Ozone, the main component of air pollution, or smog, also infiltrates indoor environments like homes and offices. Ozone can be released by ordinary copy machines, laser printers, ultraviolet lights, and some electrostatic air purification systems, all of which contribute to increased indoor ozone levels.
Now, researchers are touting the use of common houseplants as a cheap way to improve indoor air quality and help people breathe easier.
(Read more in Pollution Online)
Thanks to Fred Werner for submitting the link.
The FBI estimates the number of violent crimes in the U.S. declined for the second year in a row, according to figures released Monday. Overall property crimes also dropped in 2008, marking the sixth straight year of decline.
The estimated number of violent crimes overall declined 1.9 percent, while the number of offenses per 100,000 people declined 2.7 percent from 2007.
The estimated volume of property crimes decreased 0.8 percent in 2008 when compared with 2007 estimates — a drop of 1.6 percent per capita for the year.
For each of the four violent crime offenses, the 2008 estimates declined when compared with estimates for 2007. The murder and nonnegligent manslaughter estimate dropped 3.9 percent; aggravated assault declined 2.5 percent; forcible rape declined 1.6 percent; and robbery was down 0.7 percent.
Lady Di is a lovely purebred collie with a pleasant disposition, just like many of dogs dumped at shelters which euthanize animals by the dozens every week because they lack enough would-be owners. But she is one of the lucky dogs. She got a plane ride away from death row when shelter workers knew she stood a better chance somewhere else.
Donating their time, planes and fuel, volunteers in Pilots N Paws fly these pets away from overwhelmed shelters to communities where they’ll stand a better chance of adoption.
This week, Pilots N Paws is seeking to transport 5,000 animals to safety in a flurry of flights designed to raise awareness of the charity and draw attention to the importance of spaying and neutering. (Their website is down right now, but try back later and look at the photos and donate a bit if you can…)
(Continue reading at WTOP News)
Thanks to Maxine Hillary for submitting the link!
Cows producing electrical power? On six farms in Vermont, cow manure is used to produce methane, which in turn runs engines that generate power. Vermonters are even willing to pay a premium to use this home grown, total green electricity.
Video below may take a moment to load…
In Philadelphia a man makes a great catch of a foul ball, leaning over the rail in the upper deck. After receiving high-fives from those nearby, he hands the ball to his little daughter. The toddler promptly throws the ball back on the field.
The reaction of her dad was priceless — a perfect role model for parents everywhere…
David Byrne is an avid cyclist and an artist too. The musician who formed the Talking Heads band back in the 1970’s submitted designs to the New York City Department of Transportation for nine bike racks to reflect the character of the neighborhoods where they are installed, like a dollar sign for Wall Street.
They will brighten the streets of Brooklyn and Manhattan for one year, after which they will be sold through Pace/MacGill Gallery, which represents Byrne’s artistic endeavours.
(Read more and see the slideshow at Wallpaper.com)
Made too much coffee? Got extra grounds? Before you throw it in the sink, consider one of these ideas.
It even keeps away ants. I will have to try that… Brought to you by AltUse.com.
One upstart nonprofit is giving hope to “end stage” patients by providing assistance to defray the costs associated with the patient’s participation in FDA clinical trails.
“Unfortunately, most trials aren’t in someone’s backyard. So we fly them or we pay for their apartment or their gas or whatever it is they need.”
To fatten their checkbook and help more people, the Lazarex Cancer Foundation, founded in 2006 by Dana Dornsife after her brother-in-law was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, throws major events almost monthly, like the marathon yesterday in Oakland.
“We help patients take advantage of medical breakthroughs today, because they may not have a tomorrow.” (image, right, Lazarex Cancer Foundation logo)
(Continue reading report by Times-Herald)
On September 17th, 2009, a Fresh Farm Market will open by the White House in Washington, D.C.– just weeks after President Barack Obama wished for a market during his national forum on health care.
Recognized as a benefit for farmers, consumers and ultimately the health of the community, the growth of farmers markets has been slow and steady.
In 1994, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recognized 1,755 fresh produce markets across the United States. Now, there are more than 4,685.
Here is a featured slideshow of lovely and famous plus-sized models. One has written a book about her love/hate and finally triumphant relationship with the fashion industry… A real encouragement for all women.
Model Nicole Lebris, right, has appeared in ad campaigns for Fruit of the Loom, Lane Bryant and Marina Rinaldi. She is also a professional makeup artist.
On approaching the flying eye hospital, it looks like any of the other passenger jets on the runway waiting to take off to exotic destinations. But this DC-10 jet is exceptional – it houses the only airborne operating facility for eye treatment in the world. Its mission is to tackle avoidable sight loss in developing countries where 90% of the world’s 45 million blind people live.
The flying eye hospital, called Orbis, was the vision of one man, Dr David Paton, an eminent eye surgeon at the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas, US.
Since its first flight in 1982, Orbis has directly treated more than 9.7 million people for blindness-related diseases and conditions. Millions more have received the gift of sight as a result of the new skills that ORBIS volunteers have shared. (Continue reading at BBC)
RELATED: Operation Blessing Flying Hospital Tours the World
(WATCH the video from the Orbis trip to Uganda)
Belgian tennis star Kim Clijsters made history Sunday night, achieving perhaps the best comeback ever after taking two years off to become a mom, winning the US Open.
She become the first unseeded woman to win the Open – and the first mom to win a major since 1980 – beating both third seed Venus Williams and defending champion Serena Williams en route to the final.
18 month-old Jada joined her on center court in celebration.
Watch video below, or read story w/ photos at CBS News…
Norman Borlaug, 95, who died Saturday night in Dallas, is credited with saving 1 billion lives from famine. His work creating high-yield crop varieties and improving agriculture in the Third World earned him a Nobel Prize.
“Many experts credit the green revolution with averting global famine during the second half of the 20th century.”
(Read this tribute at Dallas Morning News)
Photo from www.normanborlaug.org
Elton John and longtime partner David Furnish are interested in trying to adopt a Ukrainian toddler named Lev they met during an AIDS tour of orphanages.
The 14-month old boy had “stolen their hearts.”
Watch the video below, or at Clip Syndicate…
How great is late?
“I like it – I feel more rested,” says 16-year-old Tiffany Gerro.
“I feel so much better. It’s awesome, I love it,” adds Grade 11 student Mike Stuckless.
This year, the teens at Toronto’s Eastern Commerce Collegiate Institute are starting classes an hour later than everyone else in the city as part of a pilot project to determine if getting some extra sleep actually improves not just their attendance, but their grades. And so far, so good.
You might wonder how several big-name musicians came to appear on a recording by a 16 year-old ukulele player from upstate New York. Levon Helm sings, Todd Rundgren plays guitar, and Dr. John, John Sebastian and Kate Pierson of the B-52s make guest appearances.
The album was the dream of Killian Mansfield, who worked to complete it during the past year while battling a rare form of cancer. He died last week after receiving the finished album.
At his memorial service today in West Shokan friends and family will break out their ukes for a sing-along of Big Rock Candy Mt., Killian’s favorite song.
Somewhere Else is a mix of songs — eclectic, uplifting, fun and funky — performed by Killian, with help from singers, musicians and producers from the Woodstock, NY music community rallying to make a kid’s dream come true. Part of the proceeds will go to a cancer foundation which supports and promotes integrative therapies for children with cancer.
(Read more on Wall Street Journal blog)
Definitely check out Killian’s funky, bluesy voice on Kiss, and If I Can Dream. Buy it on Amazon…
The Environmental Protection Agency announced Friday it will put the brakes on 79 pending permits for mountaintop removal coal mines in Appalachia because they likely pose environmental problems in violation of the Clean Water Act.
Also called surface mining, the technique often results in the burying of streams with blasted debris from mountaintops, and high levels of toxic metal runoff into adjacent valleys and community watersheds. EPA’s initial review concluded that all of the projects would likely cause water quality impacts and require additional scrutiny under the Clean Water Act.
Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida is under heavy pressure in its strongholds in Pakistan’s remote tribal areas and is finding it difficult to attract recruits or carry out spectacular operations in western countries, according to government and independent experts monitoring the organisation.
Speaking to the Guardian in advance of tomorrow’s eighth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, western counter-terrorism officials and specialists in the Muslim world said the organisation faced a crisis that was severely affecting its ability to find, inspire and train willing fighters. (photo, Pakistani flag)
UNICEF this week released new figures that show the rate of deaths of children under five years of age continued to decline in 2008.
The data shows a 28 percent decline in the under-five mortality rate since 1990 — from 90 deaths in every 1000 births, down to 65 deaths in 2008.
“Compared to 1990, 10,000 fewer children are dying every day,” said UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman.
