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Bush-era Endangered Species Rule Revoked

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bighorn.jpgThe Obama administration last week revoked a rule enacted toward the end of the Bush administration that it said undermined protections under the Endangered Species Act.

Federal agencies must “once again consult with federal wildlife experts at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — the two agencies that administer the ESA — before taking any action that may affect threatened or endangered species,” the Interior and Commerce departments said in a statement.

(Read more in MSNBC)

Quirky Sports Win at Inner City School

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olympian-smile.jpg“Why are you so good?”

The kids like the sound of this question. Here’s a stranger with a notepad, wanting to know how a bunch of third-, fourth- and fifth-graders became one of the greatest Seattle sports stories nobody knows.

But they struggle to explain. We practice three times a day, suggests one. We can run like nobody else, says another.

Yonatan Tadesse, 10, raises his hand. Like most of the others, he’s a refugee in America, arriving from Ethiopia in 2005.

“It’s Mr. Jamshid,” he says. “He makes us play all kinds of sports that aren’t, like, normal.”

(Continue Reading at the Seattle Times)

Photo courtesy of Sun Star

Scientists Document Dancing Birds (w/ Video)

Photo by Sun Star

parrot.jpgPreviously, it was thought that only humans had the ability to groove.

But, some birds have a remarkable talent for dancing, two studies published in Current Biology suggest.

Footage revealed that some parrots have a near-perfect sense of rhythm; swaying their bodies, bobbing their heads and tapping their feet in time to a beat.

(Continue Reading and watch video at BBC)

 

Shelter In A Box Reaches Quake Victims in Italy

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shelter-box-tents.jpgShelterBox tents were erected in the village of Assergi earlier this month, 20kms from the town of L’Aquila, Italy where an earthquake displaced many.

“The old part of the village was badly damaged and last night 200 people had to sleep out in the open,” said ShelterBox Response Team member John Diksa (France) the day ShelterBox erected the first tent. ShelterBox began working in Italy with local Rotarians and the Civil Protection Agency.

Senators Want to Expel Junk Food Vending Machines in U.S. Schools

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soda-machine.jpgU.S. schools with vending machines that sell candy and soda to students could soon find the government requiring healthier options to combat childhood obesity under a bill introduced on Thursday by two senators. While school meals must comply with U.S. dietary guidelines, there are no such rules on snacks sold outside of school lunchrooms.

(Continue reading at Reuters)

Blue Laser Could Lead to Autism Cure

blue-laser.jpgLasers could one day cure, or at least aid in the search for drugs that treat diseases ranging from autism to schizophrenia, according to two new studies from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University and published in the online issue of the journal Nature.

A blue laser shined into a live mouse brain triggered gamma waves, which are a kind of brain wave necessary for concentration and cognition that people with autism and schizophrenia often lack.

(Continue Reading at Discovery News)

The World’s Weirdest Festivals

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canstruction.jpgFrom rolling cheese in Gloucestershire to wife-carrying in Scandinavia, the world is full of quirky, colourful – and downright bizarre – events. They may not be to everyone’s taste, but here is a selection of some of the unusual festivals you can find around the world this year.

(Watch the Slideshow at the UK Telegraph)

 

Students Raise Money to Free 120 Enslaved People

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black-boy-jumping.jpgWhen Eric Ensey traveled to India this year, he shook the hand of a man who was freed from bonded labor by the money his teenage students had raised in Sammamish.

“If you hadn’t helped us,” the Indian millworker told the American middle-school teacher, “we would have died in the rice mill.”

Fundraisers for charity are a staple of school life, but Ensey and his students have taken that work in an unusual direction by raising tens of thousands of dollars to help free enslaved people, many living half a world away.

(Continue Reading in Seattle Times)

Photo courtesy of Sun Star

Scientists See Swine Flu Strain as Relatively Mild

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microscope.jpgScientists studying the recent swine flue virus are coming to the consensus that this hybrid strain of influenza — at least in its current form — may not even do as much damage as the run-of-the-mill flu outbreaks that occur each winter without much fanfare. 

(Continue Reading in LA Times)

 

 

Disney Joins Forces with The Nature Conservancy to Plant 2.7 Million Trees

Image from the film EARTH

earth-film-sunrise.jpgWalt Disney Studios Motion Pictures has arranged with The Nature Conservancy to plant 2.7 million trees in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, one of the planet’s most endangered rainforests. The studio had volunteered to plant a tree in honor of every moviegoer who saw the film EARTH, during its first week of release. The motion picture grossed an impressive $16.1 million at the box office during week one and broke an opening day record as well as an opening weekend record for a nature documentary. The film also garnered the highest praise from critics and moviegoers alike.

Dick Cook, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios said, “We’re proud to be working with The Nature Conservancy, one of the world’s most effective conservation organizations, in planting trees in the endangered Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Through the Conservancy’s Plant a Billion Trees campaign, we have an opportunity to honor those who supported ‘EARTH’ by making a tangible and lasting contribution to conserving globally-significant wildlife habitat. Our goal with Disneynature is to entertain and inform moviegoers about the wonders of our planet, and encourage them to learn more about what they can do to conserve nature.”

Oil Companies Suspend Seismic Activities to Protect Gray Whales

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gray_whale-noaa.jpgA major oil and gas consortium has agreed to suspend planned seismic testing off Sakhalin Island in the Russian Far East, a crucial feeding area for the critically endangered Western Gray whale.

The Western Gray is one of the world’s most endangered whales, with only 25 known breeding females remaining.

During an April 24 meeting of international whaling experts and Russian government officials, Sakhalin Energy – a partnership between Shell, Gasprom and others – agreed to cancel its proposed 2009 seismic activities, despite having already put plans in place for the work.

After Tornado, Town Reinvents Itself as Green Model

tornado photo by NOAA

tornado-noaa.jpgTwo years ago, a devastating tornado wiped out most of Greensburg, Kansas, including the City Administrator’s home and everything he owned. But Steve Hewitt believes the tornado had a silver lining, for it gave this town of  1,400 people a clean slate from which to reinvent itself.

Today the town is rebuilding as a model green community. City leaders are using solar and wind technology to harness power and geothermal to heat. A new nonprofit is building 12 houses with energy-efficient features.

(Read the inspiring story in CNN)

Thanks to Aaron Fein for sending in the link!

Global Love Day Offers Virtual Hugs May 1

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globalloveday.jpgUsing the theme, Love Begins With Me, Harold Becker is leading the sixth annual celebration of humanity known as Global Love Day. 40 participating events are listed around the world and Free Music Downloads offered to honor the May 1 Love Day.

Together, over 25 music artists are offering special music downloads for free on Global Love Day as a gift of love and inspiration for all. Today only, enjoy free access to participating artists beginning at 12:01AM (GST) on the Light Euphoric website with the following link:  www.lighteuphoric.com/links


How to Participate:

Join the Global Love Day on social networks like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Care2, Gaia, and others. The organizers made a special website on here www.globalloveday.ning.com where you can share your pictures, videos, blog ideas or simply interact with people from over 111 countries.

Text, Tweet, Blog, and Chat your messages of unconditional love to friends and family and let them know you love them – and tell them about Global Love Day too.  Email and tweet us throughout the day to let us know how you are sharing the love.

With the people nearby, share your hugs, smiles, forgiveness and compassion, letting them know that love is indeed possible and present right here and now.

Links, ideas and updates can also be found at www.thelovefoundation.com.

(Note, some of the source material has been removed by the source)

Worship Spaces Go Green- for God

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green-synagogue-ill.jpgReligious groups like this Jewish congregation in Evanston, Illinois are looking to build environmentally friendly spaces, like their new ‘green’ synagogue.

AP Video may take a moment to load…

Swine Flu: Sound Advice to Calm the Fear and Keep us Healthy

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Stethoscope2.jpgThe word that’s being tossed around with gay abandon in the news, and that seems to be causing so much concern, is PANDEMIC. So let’s get to the question; are we in a swine flu pandemic?

And the answer is definitely not…

In the United States, we have seen less than 100 cases of swine flu sofar, with no deaths and, for the most part, only mild symptoms. There are some indications that large numbers of people may have SOME built in resistance, which would keep the symptoms far milder as the body fights the flu. Giventhat scenario, this strain of swine flu is no different than regularflu in terms of mortality rates.

But, more importantly, the word pandemic doesn’t mean what most people seem to think it means. All a pandemic means is that a new infectious disease is spreading throughout the world. That’s it. Symptoms associated with a given pandemic can be mild… In fact,  it is quite possible to have a pandemic that kills very few people.

WHAT TO DO:

  1. Do not panic.
  2. Only wear a mask if you want to (it probably won’t do anything because flu is spread via direct contact.
  3. Do wash your hands with soap and water.
  4. Don’t rush to the hospital if you get the flu – only if symptoms get bad, like trouble breathing.
  5. And, finally, know that if you do need help, a hospital can provide the care you need.

(Read more from Baseline of Health Foundation, by Jon Barron)

EDITOR’S NOTE: Jon’s foundation sells health products that he recommends. The Good News Network simply wants you to learn the facts and hear some of the good advice (rather than the scary scenarios offered by the mainstream media. (They can’t help themselves…)

Parking Amnesty Nets $28K and Truckload of Food

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food-pantry-w-mayor.jpgLots of delinquent drivers in Salem, Massachusetts redeemed themselves last month by paying off their overdue parking tickets and donating canned foods to a local food pantry.

The city’s parking amnesty program  waived late fees in an attempt to close a midyear budget gap  and raised $28,333 while filling at least one truck full of food for St. Joseph Food Pantry.

(Read about the innovative idea in the Salem News)

Photo: Mayor Kim Driscoll, right, visits St. Joseph’s Food Pantry to see the food donated by residents paying overdue parking tickets. Courtesy photo

Arctic Nations Say Will Cut Soot that Helps Thaw Ice

ice thaw NASA photo

ice-thaw-nasa.jpgArctic nations agreed on Wednesday to crack down on soot that is darkening ice around the North Pole and hastening a thaw that they also blamed on global warming.

The eight-member Arctic Council set up a ‘task force’ to examine ways to cut down on soot along with two other short-lived greenhouse gases.

(Read full story in Reuters)

Chihuahua Blown-away by 70-mph Winds Reunited with Owners

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chihuahua-gnu-samuel-carlid.jpgTinker Bell has been reunited with her owners after a 70-mph gust of wind picked up the six-pound Chihuahua and tossed her out of sight. They credit a pet psychic for guiding them to a wooded area nearly a mile from where they last saw their precious 8-month-old pup.

(Read details and see photo from AP at Yahoo News)

Duke Ellington Band Celebrates by Playing Literally on the ‘A’ Train

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subway-car-behind.jpgIn honor of the jazz man’s 110th birthday, the Duke Ellington band was standing on the platform of the 125th Street subway station in Harlem, about to board an A train — and perform — as the train sped toward the other end of the line, in Queens, picking up regular passengers along the way.

A vintage subway car with ceiling fans brought out of retirement for the occasion served as the ‘A Train’ commemorating the famous song, born when Ellington scribbled-out directions to his apartment, for a young composer and arranger named Billy Strayhorn… (the song’s co-composter).

(Read the full story – with photos – in the New York Times)

Pixar to Release ‘Up’ Funniest Animated Film Yet (Video)

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pixar-old-man-up.jpg Catch a sneak peek of Pixar’s latest animated sensation, ‘Up’, about a grouchy old man who tries finally to achieve his most longed-for adventure. He ties thousands of balloons to his house and “Up” he goes. What he didn’t realize was the arrival of a pesky boy scout once again at his doorstep as the building was launched.

Watch the Pixar sneak peek below, or at Clip Syndicate…