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Peregrine Falcon Returns From Brink of Extinction in Canada

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peregrine falcon

peregrine.gifThe widespread use of pesticides had virtually wiped out the peregrine falcon population in North America by 1970, with only one nesting pair found in Canada east of the Rockies and south of the Northwest Territories.

But, thanks to a ban on DDT and an aggressive recovery effort, the peregrine is making a big comeback. Today, there are between 50 and 60 breeding pairs in Alberta, and the numbers keep on growing.

“It’s very gratifying,” says Edmonton biologist-photographer Gord Court, who is part of a second generation of scientists involved in the recovery effort.

(Continue reading in the Edmonton Journal)

Thanks to Cam, the Edmonton Journal’s good news reporter, for emailing me about their ‘Bright Side’ news focus…

The Elders Announce Visit to Middle East

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The Elders

the-elders.jpgA delegation of six Elders, from the independent group of eminent global leaders brought together by Nelson Mandela, will visit Israel, the West Bank and Gaza at the end of August.

Former Brazilian President Fernando Cardoso will lead the group of fellow Elders, Jimmy Carter, Mary Robinson, Desmond Tutu, Ela Bhatt and Gro Brundtland. Two business leaders supportive of the Elders, Sir Richard Branson and Jeff Skoll, also plan to attend.

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Rocket-battered Israeli Border Town Enjoying Calm

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monkey-bar-smiles.jpgSix months after Israel ended its bruising offensive against Gaza Strip militants, the people of the rocket-scarred border town of Sderot are enjoying their calmest stretch in recent memory, reports the AP.

Playgrounds are filled with children, stores are bustling, and the town’s public swimming pool is open for the first time in five years. The fact that the attacks have all but ended has improved the atmosphere and set the stage for possible talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

(Continue reading AP article in the Wash. Post)

Photo courtesy of Sun Star 

 

Elephant Car Wash Raises Zoo Cash (Video)

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elephant-car-wash.jpg

elephant-car-wash.jpgOne of the highlights of the Wildlife Safari in Winston, Oregon is a pay-for-service elephant car wash.

Mom Magazine described it this way:

The boys roared with laughter when, time after time, the elephants dipped their trunks in the water and then squirted it all over our van! Then one of the elepants actually picked up a sponge and scrubbed the car.

And, just like any good car-wash…they followed with a rinse!

Watch a YouTube video below, or watch a BBC video report…

 

Giving Hate a Bodycheck

By
Michelle Buckley
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former-skinhead-hockey-player.jpg
former-skinhead-hockey-player.jpgA former racist skinhead who inspired Ed Norton’s character in the film American History X, now runs Harmony Through Hockey, a program that encourages racial harmony through sport.
Frank Meeink turned to hockey after a prison term during which he met some African-American ball hockey players and realized they had a lot in common…

Dog Found After 9 years, 1,200 Miles Away

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poodles have been hailed as heroes before like this one

poodle-hero.jpgA flea-bitten dog rescued from a squalid Melbourne backyard is to be reunited with her overjoyed owner – nine years after disappearing from its Brisbane home 1,200 miles away.

And 17-year-old Chloe Rushby, who was only eight when her best mate disappeared, can’t wait to have Muffy back in her arms.

Continue reading from the Australian Herald Sun, or watch the video below…

Thanks to Trig for submitting the story from Down Under!

 

Small Cars Get Good Marks in Crash Tests

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crash-test-dummies.jpg

crash-test-dummies.jpgSmall in stature, a group of 2009 two-door cars are providing good safety value to car shoppers, according to crash tests released last week.

The Ford Focus, Volvo C30, Chevrolet Cobalt and Honda Civic all received high marks.

Watch the AP video below, or read the story at Seattle P-I.

 

Pakistanis Breaks Guinness Record Planting 500,000 Trees in One Day

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planting-mangroves-ci-photo.jpg

planting-mangroves-ci-photo.jpgA Pakistan team set the Guinness World Record for tree planting, beating India in an international competition this month. Just 300 volunteers from the local fishing communities planted more than a half million young mangroves in one day, breaking the previous record of 447,874 held by its Indian rivals.

Covered in mud and sweating, the 300 volunteers who have been trained to plant record numbers without using any mechanical equipment, worked all day in a temperature of up to 99° (37°C) before breaking the record some 150 km south east from Karachi.

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Philly Rolls Out Solar-Powered Trash Compactors

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solar-powered-trash-compactor.jpg

solar-powered-trash-compactor.jpgPhiladelphia has replaced 700 downtown trash bins with 500 high-tech compactors, which use solar energy to condense trash — cutting down collection trips by 75 percent.

Facing a billion dollar budget deficit, the city estimates it will save $875,000 a year with the compactors, bought with state grant money. Cities from Vienna to Boston to Vancouver have tried the devices in smaller numbers, but Philadelphia put them along four collection routes in its heavily traveled downtown area.

(Continue reading AP story at MSNBC)

The Amazing Benefits Of Sleep

By
Terry Weber
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sleeping-boy.jpg

sleeping-boy.jpgIn the modern world, most of us live in a supercharged society where energetic activity always seems to take precedence over the simple common sense awareness of our basic need to get enough sleep. In fact, our active lives can be so enticing, so interesting that we get to the point where we actually begrudge the need to slow down – and simply – get enough sleep.

Consider for a moment some of the negative results of a constant habit or way of life where you never get enough sleep: a malfunctioning of the brain occurs; reaction time slows down; ability to focus attention is impaired; memory lapses; the ability to think creatively suffers; you feel drowsy and lack good judgment in both minor and critical situations.

Studies show that most adults require six to eight hours of sleep in every twenty-four hour day, totaling one-third of our entire life. It has also been demonstrated that people who get enough sleep are more productive and happier than those who do not get enough sleep. In short, the people who decide to be well-rested by getting enough sleep, are the people who become more productive as well as better companions to family, friends and business associates.

When you pause long enough to think about sleep and it’s many benefits, you’ll soon realize sleep is just as important to your overall health as exercise and eating fruits and vegetables.

Let me give you a personal example: As a creative person, I find myself in the role of one who is constantly thinking about, coming up with and generating brand new ideas. Because my waking hours are so interesting and exciting I used to think sleep was a waste of time. There was a time when I almost hated to go to bed. The result of my lack of sleep was that my work suffered, and my good ideas became fewer. Then, by trial and error I must admit, I became aware of the many benefits of sleep. For instance, some of my most creative thoughts come to me while I am – you guessed it – sleeping. When I am asleep, I’m relaxed and my creative subconscious thoughts can intertwine and mingle with my conscious thoughts using no effort on my part. Amazing!

Thinking can require hard work but when I am fresh and rested, after a good night’s sleep, my thoughts are usually clear and right on target.

terry-weber.jpgSo, if you want to live a more productive, happier life you need to pay attention to the many benefits that can be yours during the hours you invest in getting the right amount of sleep. It is a fact that instead of a waste of time, sleeping can be some of the most productive hours of your whole life.

If you have trouble turning off the cares of the world and getting to sleep, you might want to consider some of the sleep aids offered to help you on my website, www.OriginalsByWeber.com.

A Million More Americans Volunteered in 2008

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kids-against-hunger.jpg

kids-against-hunger.jpgA million more Americans took time out of their schedules to volunteer in 2008 than they did the year before. 61.8 million Americans volunteered last year, the largest number since 2005, giving 8.1 billion hours of service, according to the government-run Corporation for National and Community Service.

(Continue reading the AP article here)

June New Home Sales Soar 11 Percent in US

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sold sign

sold_sign.jpgNew US home sales rose by the largest amount in more than eight years last month, in another sign the housing market is finally bouncing back from the worst downturn in decades.

“The worst of the housing recession … is now behind us,” said David Resler, chief economist at Nomura Securities. “We’re turning the corner toward increased activity in housing.”

(Continue reading AP report)

Buy an Electric Vehicle at Best Buy, Plug it in at McDonalds

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mcds-car-recharging.jpg

mcds-car-recharging.jpgBest Buy will soon roll out electric vehicles they hope will zoom off the showroom floor, including the Brammo Enertia, an all-electric motorcycle that retails for just less than $12,000.

After exiting Best Buy with your green vehicle, stop by the McDonald’s in Cary, N.C. and plug in your electric vehicles at their new charging station. The fast food giant opens the new store with its EV charger, on July 14, reports the blog HybridCars.com.

(Read more on GreenBiz.com)

Taiwan, China, Exchange Historic Messages of Hope

By
Michelle Buckley
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taipai-101.jpg

taipai-101.jpgThe presidents of Taiwan and China exchanged direct messages Monday for the first time since the two sides split 60 years ago – the latest sign of their warming relations.

Chinese President Hu Jintao congratulated Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou on his election Sunday. “I hope both our parties can continue to promote peaceful development in cross-strait relations, and help bolster mutual trust between the two sides in political affairs,” Hu’s telegram said. 

(Continue reading the AP Story)

Skyscraper, Taipai 101, free photo – GNU license

Bankruptcy Forsaken Adoptions Restored

By
Michelle Buckley
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black-boy-jumping

black-boy-jumping.jpgA Toronto-based mining company has donated $100,000 to keep an Ethiopian orphanage afloat, giving hope to Canadians in the process of adopting children living there. Many companies have offered donations to help would-be parents, left heartbroken when Imagine Adoption filed for bankruptcy July 13.

However, the large donation given by Yamana Gold Inc. should be enough to keep the Addis Ababa facility afloat. It currently houses 43 children already matched with potential Canadian parents.

(Continue reading in Toronto Star)

Photo courtesy of Sun Star 

 

 

Detroit Project is Giving $100 Dollars to 100 People Over 100 Days

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project-100.jpg

project-100.jpg Project 100 in Detroit is randomly distributing $100 dollars to 100 people over 100 days. Believing that even the smallest act of kindness can bring significant change, the founders of Project 100 want to make a positive impact by sparking a renewed sense of hope in the community.

There are no requirements or no strings attached except that recipients are asked to think about what they can do to make their community a better place, whether it’s volunteering for a community event, helping out a neighbor, or making a donation. Project 100 believes that one kind act will lead to another, creating a ripple effect for change.

One woman (photo, right) said she immediately wanted to give the money – or part of it – to someone else.

Watch below as the Project 100 surprises Brian, an off-duty police officer, with a 100 dollar bill. He says he wants to spend it on his friends.

At their website, you can learn more about the initiative, which is ongoing through September, and how you might become a pawn in their game of hope: www.whatisproject100.com. Project 100 is a non-profit organization as well as an educational resource on the subjects of volunteering and saving money.

Well-preserved Angel Mosaic Uncovered in Turkey (Video)

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mosaic-face-istanbul.jpg

mosaic-face-istanbul.jpg Workers doing restoration work to a former Byzantine cathedral in Istanbul uncovered a remarkably well-preserved mosaic of an angel’s face. The angelic image was likely covered in the 1400s when the cathedral was transformed into a mosque.

Watch the video below, or at Clip Syndicate… 

Bank of Canada says Recession Over, Growth Returning to Economy

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canada-button

canada-button.gifThe Bank of Canada is declaring the recession essentially over, saying Canada’s economy will begin growing this summer and lead most of the industrialized world next year.

Driving growth will be sharper improvements in consumer spending and housing sales for this year, one paper reported. Other favourable economic indicators are increased consumer confidence and improved retail sales.

(Continue reading story by Canadian Press)

 

Ex-Fighters Build New Businesses Under UN Reintegration

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fisherman-ivorycoast-un.jpg

fisherman-ivorycoast-un.jpgFrom raising chickens and growing tomatoes to washing cars and renting out party equipment, combatants emerging from the civil war in the Ivory Coast are finding jobs in hundreds of new enterprises and projects under a pilot United Nations initiative that aims to reintegrate ex-fighters into their former communities.

The $4 million disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) program, which is being jointly run by the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Côte d’Ivoire and the UN Development Program, has helped between 3,000 and 4,000 ex-combatants since it began in August last year.

The initiative has been so successful that it should be introduced across all UN peacekeeping efforts, said the director of its West African operations. “We are recommending that $1 million be given to each peacekeeping operation… the extra money could come from the UN Peacebuilding Fund,” Y. J. Choi told the UN News agency.

Some of the former combatants in Côte d’Ivoire have never held jobs before, Mr. Choi said, but thanks to these so-called “microprojects” they now have the opportunity to operate a small business and try to expand it.

Chicken farms, a car wash, vegetable market gardens and an event rental business (tents, chairs and sound systems are hired out for public events and parties) are just some of the enterprises that have emerged under the program.

The projects are not funded indefinitely in the hope that they will eventually become self-sustaining, Mr. Choi explains, saying “you can’t be permanently dependent… This is a supplementary program. Our target is to help people build their own livelihoods that will keep going.”

Unlike traditional reintegration schemes, which give participants a small sum of money and a package of basic tools and equipment so they can resume life in their former communities, the pilot initiative focuses on giving jobs and helping ex-fighters to fund small businesses and short-term projects, deterring them from taking up arms again.

He notes that the initiative has been helped by the increasing security in Côte d’Ivoire over the past 18 months, which has allowed businesses to flourish and given ex-fighters a greater incentive to participate.

UNOCI and UNDP are currently analyzing the microprojects that have been supported so far to evaluate their success and determine whether they need further support. (UN News)
Photo credit: UN/Ky Chung

Purple Means Complaints Stop Here

By
Michelle Buckley
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purple-bracelets-complaint-free.jpg

purple-bracelets-complaint-free.jpgIn the darkest hour of her life, real estate agent Arnie Renda made the soul-saving decision to stop complaining.

“My mother died, my husband died, the market was crashing,” Renda says of 2008, “and I was like Teflon. I let it roll off me.”

She’d read a little book, A Complaint Free World, written by a Missouri pastor whose sermon about the negativity of complaining became a worldwide phenomenon.

Pastor Will Bowen urged people to keep track of how much they complain by moving a little purple wristband from arm to arm each time they groused.

“Life is better without complaining in spite of everything that has happened to me,” says Renda. “I feel so good.” (Continue reading in Toronto Star)

Almost six million purple bracets have been distributed globally via the Complaint Free World website, where you can get 3 bracelets sent to you for free — more, if you represent a school, church, prison, drug rehab group or other organization that is taking the lesson of positivity to their wider audience.

(Thanks to Diana Jenner for earlier submitting this idea as a possible story)

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