Georgia Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox proved she is smarter than a 5th grader by winning $1 million for her school system on the third season debut of “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” on Fox Friday night. The good news is the decided to donate her winnings to three schools for blind and deaf students. (Read the blog and story at USA Today)
Georgia Superintendent Proves She is Smarter Than a 5th Grader, Donates $1M Prize to Schools
Nine Reasons to Love the United Nations
The Nations of the world can gather this week with pride on the occasion of the 63rd session of the General Assembly of the UN in New York City, having together achieved great progress this summer in bringing peace, stability, fun, and health to millions of the least fortunate people around the world.
Take a look at this impressive handful of beneficial programs launched and conducted this year by the UN to help women create jobs, aid hurricane victims, fight malaria, preserve ancient Egyptian history, broker peace deals and spread laughter, as well as school lessons), to child refugees (thanks to Clowns Without Borders).
US Supreme Court Stays Execution of Georgia Death Row Inmate
Vigils around the state of Georgia were cancelled and replaced by celebrations as the US Supreme Court granted a last-minute stay of execution to Troy Davis, an inmate on death row in Georgia who was due to be put to death tonight. Seven out of nine witnesses who gave evidence at Davis’ original murder trial had recanted or changed their testimony — the backbone of the prosecution’s case. which could produce no murder weapon, fingerprints or DNA. (More at Yahoo News)
Giant Mirrors Tap Sun, Subsidies in Europe’s Clean Power Bid
Solar power, properly harnessed, could solve the world’s energy problems. In the race to produce energy from the sun’s rays, Europe’s first commercial solar-thermal-electricity plant is at the forefront of a growing movement for green power. In Seville, in the south of Spain, 624 moving mirrors reflect sunbeams onto a 115-meter-high white tower that uses the concentrated heat to boil water, making steam that spins an electric turbine 97 times a second. (A Bloomberg Exclusive)
Thanks to Sun Star for the tip!
Cheap Cervical Cancer Test is Boost for Poor Countries
A simple and affordable test for cervical cancer, designed for countries that don’t have the money for expensive labs, could strike a massive blow against the disease called the “silent killer” of women, doctors said on Sunday. In rural China the test was 90% effective.
Tyler Perry Donates Food for More Than 1,000 Families
Tyler Perry, the writer-director-actor of popular films aimed at black audiences, volunteered at a homeless shelter and food pantry, unloading and packaging food he donated to feed more than 1,000 Atlanta area families. (Read the full story at USA Today)
A ‘Miracle Tree’ That Could Feed Sub-Saharan Africa
The moringa’s leaves and seedpods deliver extraordinary nutrition: Ounce for ounce, a Red Cross official said, moringa leaves contain more beta carotene than carrots, more calcium than milk, more iron than spinach, more Vitamin C than oranges, and more potassium than bananas. Its protein content is comparable to that of milk and eggs, and its leaves are still available for harvest at the end of the dry season, when other food may be scarce. (Read the full story in the Christian Science Monitor)
Global Warming Law Will Boost California Economy, Study Finds
Two years ago California passed a landmark law requiring a 25 percent cut in industrial greenhouse gases by 2020, and some critics said the move would hurt the economy. Now, two studies released this week by the California Air Resources Board, claim that implementing the emission-cutting measures under the pioneering law would actually benefit California’s economy as well as the public health. (Full story at Christian Science Monitor)
Mexico Combats Police Corruption with Mortgages
What are the benefits of sub-prime mortgages on the culture of bribery south of the border? Give the Mexican police force access to home mortgages to help fight widespread corruption in its ranks. So goes the thinking of a new pilot program designed to “keep them out of the pockets of organized crime”. Officers and prison guards in Michoacan state can now benefit from special deals to finance new home ownership. (Associated Press via Yahoo News)
Mexico Combats Police Corruption with Mortgages
What are the benefits of sub-prime mortgages on the culture of bribery south of the border? Give the Mexican police force access to home mortgages to help fight widespread corruption in its ranks. So goes the thinking of a new pilot program designed to “keep them out of the pockets of organized crime”. Officers and prison guards in Michoacan state can now benefit from special deals to finance new home ownership. (Associated Press via Yahoo News)
Watch Good News TV Show Featuring ME!
The Good News Network was featured in a recent episode of a TV show that aired in 14 markets last weekend. The show is called American Crossroads. They focused the entire 60 minutes this week on GOOD news, and it began with a nice long profile of me, the TV crew having come to my home a few weeks back. Watch the excellent the show on this link!
Chicago Outlines Climate Plan to Cut Greenhouse Gases
Chicago became another in a long list of U.S. cities taking the lead in the fight against climate change.
On Thursday, Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley unveiled a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 — and continue to cut even faster beyond that.
“I believe that when you do such things as planting trees and creating open space, when you invest resources to remove pollution from the air and encourage the construction of buildings that are smart for the environment, then you enhance quality of life for all the residents of the city.”
But, this is about more than cleaning up our environment, the Mayor said. “At the same time, when we make these improvements we’re greening our economy for the future and creating the jobs of tomorrow,” Daley said.
Treasure Trove of New Marine Species Found Near Great Barrier Reef (Video)
Australian scientists have discovered hundreds of new types of coral and marine species during an expedition off the Great Barrier reef. Three expeditions to the barrier reefs over four years have discovered 300 soft corals of which 130 are new species, the discoveries will help scientists understand more about global warming and overfishing.
Navy Ship Arrives in Texas for Hurricane Cleanup
Navy sailors on the Norfolk-based amphibious assault ship Nassau answered the call of aid for Galveston shorelines, devastated by Hurricane Ike, arriving on the beach Friday. “Much of the ship’s work will involve supplying and manning disaster relief centers on shore and using heavy machinery to clear debris along the beach and in the port.” (Full story at the Virginia-Pilot)
Don’t Panic: 20 Reasons for Brits to be Cheerful
After months of relentless gloom in the economy and one of the worst summers on record, the stock markets are recovering and the sun has come out. So says Jonathan Brown on the British news site, The Independent. Some of his reasons: We are living longer; youth testing grades are higher; and skinny jeans are back!
(Mostly for Brits, but also hopeful for the rest of us.) Thanks to Bill F. for sending the tip!
Put the Doom Merchants on Notice: There is Good News!
For the past seven days, there has been no getting away from the incessant drum beat of bad news… “Everything is collapsing around our ears,” so says the television reporter. But the journalists’ world is not the only world. There are also rescues, innovations, breakthroughs and happy endings. These stories — many of which were featured on the Good News Network — were listed and promoted on Sunday in the British newspaper The Independent. . . Check out the barrage of good news.
Thanks to Bill F. for submitting the news tip!
Both NATO And Taliban Halt Fighting Today On Peace Day
Military operations by both NATO and the Taliban have been halted today in honor of International Peace Day. In Afghanistan, NATO’s top general has called a ceasefire in all offensive operations by international troops and the Taliban militants have pledged to lay down their weapons for the remainder of a three-day polio vaccination campaign.
Today is the 26th anniversary of the International Day of Peace, a United Nations-backed day of nonviolence and global cease-fire.
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UPDATE- (Monday, Sept. 22) “The UN said tens of thousands of international and Afghan soldiers as well as Taliban militants ‘all stood down from offensive military operations in support of International Peace Day,” reported Reuters News. “Government officials around the country reported no violence.”
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(Image courtesy of Sun Star)
Help Animals Suffering in the Wake of Hurricane Ike
As Gulf Coast residents face the aftermath of the massive Hurricane Ike, animals face just as much bewilderment and peril as the humans they love, if not more. Animal rescue teams are performing land and water rescues, recovering companion animals who had to be left behind during evacuations, treating injured animals, running emergency shelters, and reuniting animals and their families.
As of September 15, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has been on the scene working to assist people and animals in need. In some cases, staff members are working 12-hour shifts, and sleeping in cots on the floor.
Two IFAW teams are facilitating emergency pet shelters in Austin and Beaumont, Texas, helping care for hundreds of animals. A third team has been working in the Lake Charles/Calcasieu Parish area to ensure the safety of stranded herds of horses and cattle, and to help save injured deer, opossums, and rabbits that were trapped at a wildlife rehabilitation station.
You can help. Donate $25 towards IFAW’s relief efforts and help provide a happy ending for some of the voiceless survivors of this natural disaster. Your purchase is tax-deductible in the U.S.A., and you will receive a receipt from GreaterGood.org for your taxes. 100% of this gift goes to IFAW as a grant from GreaterGood.org
(Thanks to Leslie Sanchez for the story tip via Twitter)
Italy Bans Pesticides Linked to Bee Devastation
The Italian government banned the use of several pesticides that are blamed for the deaths of millions of honeybees. They issued an immediate suspension of the seed treatment products that have somehow contributed to recent bee death and are launching further investigations. (Environmental News Network)
Stressed Plants Create Aspirin to Lessen Damage
Plants are known to emit chemicals that signal one another of attacks by insects. Now, researchers have discovered an aspirin-like compound emitted by trees under stress that actually reduce their damage and possibly warn nearby plants, a study released Friday found.
