David Duchovny urges support for the million at risk in Myanmar after the cyclone that killed tens of thousands. He says the UN children’s fund, Unicef, has been in Myanmar since the 1950’s and the group is in a position to help. Please support if you are able. (YouTube video)
With current fuel prices high, alternative fuel use is surging among businesses and governments that depend on vehicle fleets to transport their products and services to the public. Alternative fuels, whether biodiesel, propane or electric, provide benefits that go beyond simply saving money. New fuels deliver measureable improvements in air quality over traditional 100% petroleum-based fuels while moving us toward energy independence.
In 2004 the US Environmental Protection Agency reported that the use of biodiesel, which is made from renewable agricultural resources — preferably waste products or non-energy-intensive ones like algae — vegetable oils or animal waste, can reduce emissions of particulate matter by 47% in traditional diesel engine tailpipes. They also verified a 67% reduction in unburned hydrocarbons and a 48% reduction in carbon monoxide. Significant reductions (by 75 to 80%) in the emission of suspected cancer causing agents (PAH and nPAH) were also observed.
A U.S. soldier couldn’t walk past an 11-year-old Iraqi girl who was “in a large decrepit wheelchair, the stumps of her legs crusted with dried blood… He stopped to talk and he came back every day for six months, bringing her toys, gauze for her legs, a new wheelchair… When she asked for legs, that became his mission, too.” (Fantastic story featured in McClatchy Newspapers) Thanks to T. Rodriguez for the link!
What would pedestrians do if they saw a swan family with cygnets trying to cross a busy street? Get off the sidewalk and direct traffic, of course. That’s what happened during Tyneside’s rush-hour traffic on Thursday in England and the BBC has a wonderful photo with the story.
Toyota announced Thursday that worldwide sales of the Toyota Prius—the world’s first mass-produced gasoline/electric hybrid vehicle—have passed the 1 million mark. The company estimates that Prius vehicles through April 2008 have contributed to a reduction in CO2 emissions of approximately 4.5 million tons, when compared with traditional gas-powered vehicles in the same class and of similar size and driving performance.
The Prius was launched in Japan in 1997 and began selling in Europe, North America and other markets in 2000. Since then, approximately 1,028,000 units were sold as of the end of April this year.
Teach For America announced this week a record number of incoming recruits for fall placement in low-income schools across the country. 3,700 new teachers will make a two-year commitment to urban and rural public schools, almost a 30 percent increase over previous years of the organization’s 18-year history. The 2008 corps was selected from a record 24,718 applicants, many of whom graduated from America’s most selective universities.
Low-income communities nationwide urgently need enterprising teachers and leaders committed to giving all students the education they deserve. Teach For America recruits on more than 400 college campuses, seeking applicants from all academic majors, career interests, and backgrounds who demonstrate a record of outstanding achievement, persistence in the face of challenges, and a strong focus on achieving results.
Just like we can choose to take the stairs, rather than the elevator, to strengthen our bodies, we can alter our thinking and create a happier reality. Today, on our Friday Word Fast, we look at JEALOUSY, and what it really is. Jack gives us a helpful acronym to reframe our thinking and a helpful practice to rid ourselves of jealousy…
The feeling of being jealous has been a common occurance throughout my life so much so that I feared the feeling of it and would take actions to avoid it. However the more I resisted being jealous the more it appeared in my life.
The first and foremost place for jealousy was in my relationships. However, I would feel its presence also during conversations about physical appearance and monetary possessions, and while observing others in states of happiness I could never imagine obtaining.
Scientists in Romania and Turkey are seeking ways to remove toxic materials from electronics so these scrap materials can be safely recycled for use in fuel, plastic and other useful consumer products. (Live Science Special) Thanks to Carrie for thinking of us, and sending the link!
“An inventor has developed a blend of native Australian herbs that he says functions as an effective preservative for foods and beverages, and can be used to replace artificial preservatives such as sodium benzoate.” (Natural News)
Charles the “Bubble Man” sits in his second-story window blowing soap bubbles to the New York street below. “The miles of smiles from the people who watch the bubbles not only make the Navy veteran a happy man, but his corner a brighter place in the world.” (Buffalo News w/ great photo) Thanks for the submission to David at Light-links.net, links to the lighthearted & enlightening.
ADHD has become such a popular diagnosis these days. It is labeled as a disorder, when in fact many of the symptoms of ADHD can be seen as strengths in adults and children. Just what is ADHD and what does it really mean?
It’s time we set the record straight and get really clear about one thing: Children with ADHD (as well as adults) are just as capable of being successful as the next person.
A mother who lost her own son in a tornado helps other children in devastated towns with her mobile daycare unit, named for the 2-year-old. Her inspiring voluntary group was featured on the CBS Early Show’s week-long series, “Extraordinary People.”
)Watch the video HERE via CBS)
This may surprise you, but some serious-sounding illnesses and injuries don’t require a doctor’s care – and doing nothing is the best thing you can do – including rib fractures, food poisoning, ruptured eardrums, sheared-off nails, and broken blood vessels in the eye. (Article by Dr. Mallika Marshall, medical contributor to the on CBS)
When you enter the networking mixer do you feel like everyone is comfortably settled into clusters happily socializing and no one is aware of your presence? Do you try to make eye contact but not recognizing anyone, give up? Do you head for the food or drinks to make yourself look busy? (Walking determinedly across the room at least makes you look powerful—you hope.) Do you need some tips to make your networking pay off?
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Join me in welcoming a new columnist to the Good News Network who will join us every Wednesday to explore workplace issues. Her weekly column along with a NEW discussion forum here features topics like negativity, stress, leadership, presentation skills, career advancement and networking. Welcome Marlene Chisolm to the Good News Network “Workplace Wednesday”.
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The world’s first real submersible car, the sQuba — a convertible! — made its debut at a Swiss auto show in March. Inspired by the James Bond film, “The Spy Who Loved Me”, a Swiss automobile visionary, Frank M. Rinderknecht, CEO of Rinspeed created an astonishing automobile amphibian — the first car that can drive on land, and in water. sQuba will be unveiled in Asia this September. Visit the company’s website at www.rinspeed.com.
Molly Long decided to take the concept of a childhood lemonade stand to the international relief level last weekend. After seeing a picture of a homeless child in Burma, Molly decided to put her resources to work to help children who were affected by the cyclone in Burma.
“Last week, Molly informed me that she wanted to raise money for underprivileged children by having a lemonade stand”, said Molly’s mom, Gina Mollicone-Long. On the way to school, she happened to catch a glimpse of a picture that was taken just after the cyclone hit in Burma.
This particular chilling photograph showed a child about her age standing amongst the rubble that was once her home. Molly was visibily upset by this and announced that her upcoming lemonade stand would direct all proceeds to Burma.
The response was heart-warming. The stand raised over $40 in about 2 hours on a Saturday morning in the Toronto Beaches area. The customers were passersby on their way to or from the Beach. Many people gave more than the required $1 because of the fundraising effort. Immediately after the stand was closed, Molly and her mom went to the computer to make an online donation to www.avaaz.org, an organization that is sending relief for Burma to monks in the country who are able to bring the aid to the affected regions.
“Molly’s heart is huge,” said Andrew Long, Molly’s Dad. “She has also been saving for months to be able to get her ears pierced. She is about $3 short. Her lemonade stand could have paid for her earrings many times over yet she didn’t even consider running the stand for her own gains. Her heart was set on helping those kids.”
He still has a job in a plumbing shop, but in his spare time the 101-year-old is training for the London Marathon while tipping back a pint of beer. This inspiring YouTube video gives you a look at the training centenarian and his beer breaks. He has quite a twinkle in his eye for life. (Thanks to Judy in Australia for submitting the story!)
Stephen Wiltshire is an autistic savant. He is also an extraordinary artist, able to draw an entire city skyline in detail (and perfectly counted windows) after seeing it only once from a plane.
As I mentioned in the new GNN-i Forum, the CBS Early Show is running a series this week called “Extraordinary People,” and Stephen along with his London art gallery (visit his cool website) was the first to be featured. To be continued tomorrow with another next extraordinary individual.
Watch the CBS video report HERE
(Want more? See another video featured in GNN-i last July: Autistic Savant Draws Rome After Viewing it Once)
[MON. UPDATE Still 2 memberships and 1 tee left!] The first 3 moms to sign up for our FREE 30-day trial, AND send me a digital photo of themselves with a child, will win a free 12-month membership to GNN-i, including the 4 free bonuses offered to every paid member! (Excludes ‘early bird bonuses’.) By sending me the photo you agree to allow the Good News Network to publish the image today in its Mother’s Day article, “Moms are Miracles”.
I also have 3 free maternity t-shirts to send to three moms who are expecting a child. To win, all you need to do is be the first three qualified participants to claim the tee in the COMMENTS BOX below this article.
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Given so much bad press about teens beating each other up, getting pregnant at 15 and going to rehab, or the fears that small kids are being poisoned from toys in China, mothers need some good news on Mother’s Day! Here are 7 reasons to be RELIEVED if you are a parent in 2008. These positive trends should calm your worries, and give you seven reasons to be happy on Mother’s Day.
7 Positive Trends for Teens, Moms and Kids:
1) Domestic Violence has Plummeted to a 30-year low. Domestic violence against spouses and intimate partners in the U.S. fell by nearly two-thirds in recent years, reaching a 30-year low. Government figures show the marked declines began in 1994.
2) What Makes Teens Happy? Family Ties. “Spending time with family,” was the top answer to what makes teens happy, according to an extensive survey of people ages 13-24 conducted by The Associated Press and MTV on the nature of happiness among America’s young people.
3) Teen Pregnancy Rates are way Down. Since 1991, U.S. teenage pregnancy, abortion, and birth rates have all declined steadily in every age, racial and ethnic group, and in every state. And, they’re having less sex than their peers did 15 years ago.
4) Lower Lead Levels in Kids – Levels of lead have dropped dramatically. In 1976, 88.2 percent of U.S. children had elevated blood lead levels compared to 1.6 percent today.
5) Less Smoking, Alcohol, and Drug Use for Today’s Teens – Teen drug use has declined by 23 percent since 2001, with reductions in the use of nearly every drug, including alcohol and cigarettes — approximately 840,000 fewer youth using illicit drugs in 2006 than in 2001. High school students who had smoked one cigarette in their lifetime dropped to 54 percent, compared with 70 percent in 1991. The number of teens who had at least one alcoholic drink dropped from 81 percent in 1991 to 74 percent last year.
6) The number of moms breastfeeding is the highest it’s been in 20 years – Gving more health benefits to the child, a closer bond for the mother, and hundreds of dollars in grocery savings for families on tight budgets, the Centers for Disease Control noted that breast feeding also conveyed health benefits to women, including decreased risk for the most common form of diabetes, ovarian cancer and breast cancer.
7) The Divorce Rate has hit a 37-Year Low. America’s per capita divorce rate has declined steadily since its peak in 1981, dropping by one-third to its lowest level since 1970.
Knowing these 7 positive trends, mothers can throw away their worries and enjoy a hopeful Mother’s Day in 2008.
Geri Weis-Corbley is the founder and managing editor of the Good News Network, in its 11th year providing positive news from around the world at https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org – #1 on Google, the Good News Network, offers fresh inspiring news and videos every day, and is giving away prizes and free gifts on Mother’s Day and throughout the month of May. Join the Good News Network as a charter member or sign up for the free newsletter, Top 10 Good News of the Week. (To share this story with mom or sister or daughter, use the PDF or print icons next to the headline at the top of the page.)
