A CNN news anchor briefly joining the resistance movement against celebrity-centered gossip-portrayed-as-news by asking publicly for a Lindsey Lohan story to be jettisoned from his teleprompter script. (12 seconds of conscience) Read about the Paris Hilton protest here.
Lost with Harry Potter
EDITOR’S BLOG —
I’ve just emerged from three days curled up with the latest (and greatest ) Harry Potter book, The Deathly Hallows. This final chapter of the seven-book epic delivers a masterpiece of plot and emotion. I’m not generally a reader of fiction. Next to my bedside usually stands a small stack of non-fiction books. The exception is any summer weekend when a new Potter book is released. At our home, my son and daughter and I compete for possession of the heavy tome in a rush to become enthralled by the latest harrowing escapade of the magical wizard and his crew. This final book does not disappoint…
Paris Launches Green Transport Citywide (Video)
Electric trams, low-cost bicycle rentals, dedicated bus lanes and, before long, commuter buses. Paris has pulled out all stops in its efforts to offer environmentally friendly ways of getting around town. The left-wing city government has made transport reform one of its top priorities. Bikes for rent in Paris offer cheap one-way transport citywide (photo and video by AFP)
Twin Pandas Born in Panda Baby Boom
A Chinese research facility welcomes its second set of panda twins this month. (Video)
India Prisons Inject Culture to Reform Inmates
Prison authorities in southern India are planning to introduce thousands of inmates to poetry, literature and music in a novel rehabilitation program that also sheds some light into their lives…
Hundreds of Latinos Hit the Streets to Clean Them
Five hundred mostly Latinos cleaned up litter on Charlotte streets to show their good citizenship and lift spirits in a community going through some tough times. (Charlotte Observer) Thanks to SG for the link!
Layoffs at Lowest Level in Ten Years
Washington D.C. – U.S. Workers experienced fewer lay-offs in 2006 than at any period over the past ten years. The positive trend of continued employment indicates an economic cycle of strong growth and the fact that businesses may be better accounting for peaks and valleys.
The Food Dudes: Making Kids Want Their Veggies
The UK has one of the lowest fruit and vegetable intakes in Europe, and as a consequence, Britain now has one of the worst heart disease records in the world. Obesity is also on the increase. Children, in particular, are eating too much junk food, and now the government is trying to do something about it.
Schoolkids are being inspired to eat more fruit and vegetables by new cartoon superheroes, called "Food Dudes," who get their powers whenever they eat their greens — or choose fruit over fries.
Can a television program be far behind?
Federal Court: U.S. Must Disclose Info on Guantanamo Detainees
A federal appeals court unanimously ruled on Friday that Guantanamo prisoners have the right to access all evidence against them to challenge their designation as "unlawful enemy combatants." (Reuters)
Kids Against Hunger Stems Starvation for 20 Million
Kids who volunteer with Kids Against Hunger learn that no matter how young they may be, they can make a difference. They help to create and distribute nutrition-packed meals for hungry children all over the world.
Richard Proudfit, a Minnesota businessman, founded the organization after traveling to Honduras on a hurricane relief mission where he witnessed widespread starvation. He came back home determined to do something. Since then, he and his volunteers have delivered 20 million meals…
Proudfit gained the support and know-how of food scientists at Cargill, Pillsbury, General Mills, and Archer Daniels Midland to develop nutritionally hefty meals that would combat malnutrition as well as hunger. The chosen ingredients included protein, rice and vitamins. Approximately 20 million of these meals have been shipped to 32 countries so far.
The Kids Against Hunger program began as a small locally based effort to help package the meals for Proudfit’s Feeding Children International. However, before long, the idea of kids helping other kids to combat hunger grew in popularity and local branches of Kids Against Hunger have sprung up all over the country.
One local group is based in Brighton, Iowa, and was founded by Don Fields. Fields says that the children in the program are being positively impacted by making a difference in others’ lives. Fifteen-year-old Brianna, a member of the Iowa branch of Kids Against Hunger, says, “It’s really fun to know you are making a difference in the world” (MSNBC).
Currently, there are more than 20 packaging groups for Kids Against Hunger across the country who help to ship meals to starving children. There are more than 40, 000 volunteers for Kids Against Hunger who have packed approximately 9 million servings of food that will be sent to people in need.
In 2006 alone, Kids Against Hunger sent meals to 11 countries, and in recent months, it has sent meals to Niger, India, Haiti, Honduras, the Philippines and local food banks in Minnesota. Also in recent months, Project Handclasp (a partnership with the U.S. Navy) has distributed meals to Central and South America.
If you know a group that can help with the Kids Against Hunger project, please visit the Feeding Children International Web site. For a list of domestic and international satellite branches of Kids Against Hunger or to start your own local branch, please visit www.feedingchildren.org.
Global Shipping Ban on Toxic Paints
Environmental groups finally achieved, after ten years of lobbying, a global ban on the use of tributyltin (TBT) as a cleaning agent for ships, due to its harmful effects on marine wildlife. Shipping states within the 167-member International Maritime Organization (IMO) ratified the legislation that sealed the ban on all anti-fouling paints which contain TBT, effective next year.
Puppy Born with Heart-Shaped Mark Brings Luck and Celebrity
A chihuahua puppy has become Japan’s latest heartthrob after he was born with a heart-shaped mark on his coat. The dog, named “Heart-kun,” was born in May to a breeder and pet shop owner, who believes the puppy has brought her luck. She’s even won the lottery.
(Read article at Reuters) Thanks to Christophe in France for the link!
Water Hope for Darfur
Boston University researchers have discovered a massive underground lake in the arid Darfur region of Sudan. By digging 1000 wells they hope to quell much of the violence arising over water scarcity. (AP) Thanks to GNN-i member Anna W. for the link!
High School Dropout Succeeds, Proving Them Wrong
“Basketball player Jerri Taylor is about to begin her Junior season on the Xavier University women’s team, but her journey to becoming a Division-1 player was not an easy one. She was kicked out of high school and her father was sent to prison. But by taking his advice, she overcame the odds stacked against her. ‘People wrote her off,’ Jerri’s dad said. ‘But I kept writing her letters and at the end of every one I said ‘prove them wrong,’ and she did.’ ” (WSJV South Bend) Thanks, Andrew!
(Note. Source material has been removed by the source.
The Elders – Veteran Diplomats Unite to Save the World
Imagine a group of famous retired diplomats forming an alliance to solve the world’s most intractable problems. Meet The Elders: Nelson Mandela, Kofi Annan, Desmond Tutu, Jimmy Carter, Muhammad Yunus, Mary Robinson, and others have already convened and agreed to combine their wisdom, independent leadership and integrity, and together be a force for good.
The group was conceived in 1999 by Virgin billionaire Richard Branson and musician/activist Peter Gabriel as a new way to deal with the difficult conflicts facing the world. For their model they looked to traditional village elders, trusted by their people to resolve conflict within their communities. In 2001 they took their idea to Nelson Mandela — which even led to an agreement of Mandela and Kofi Annan to travel to Baghdad and meet with Saddam Hussein with the request for him to stand down (too late as it happened). The idea remained to form a small, dedicated group of leaders, working without any vested personal interest on the problems of humankind and, with the help of Graça Machel, they set about to make it happen.
Nelson Mandela announced the formation of this new group, The Elders, yesterday in a speech he delivered on the occasion of his 89th birthday.
“This group can speak freely and boldly, working both publicly and behind the scenes on whatever actions need to be taken,” Mandela commented. “Together we will work to support courage where there is fear, foster agreement where there is conflict, and inspire hope where there is despair.”
Desmond Tutu, Chair of The Elders remarked, “Despite all of the ghastliness that is around, human beings are made for goodness. The ones who ought to be held in high regard are not the ones who are militarily powerful, nor even economically prosperous. They are the ones who have a commitment to try and make the world a better place. We — The Elders — will endeavor to support those people and do our best for humanity.”
The Elders will use their unique collective skills to catalyze peaceful resolutions to long-standing conflicts, articulate new approaches to global issues that may cause immense human suffering, and share wisdom by helping to connect voices all over the world. They will be working together over the next several months to carefully consider which specific issues they will approach. The Elders’ criteria are not only the magnitude and importance of the challenge, but a deliberate view that their role could contribute significantly to solving the problem.
“I see The Elders as a small but independent group that may fill an existing void in the world community,” said Jimmy Carter. “Almost impervious to the consequences of outside criticism, the group will conduct unrestrained analyses of important and complex issues and share our ideas with the general public and with others who might take action to resolve problems.”
The Elders will invite new members who share the attributes of the original ten: trusted, respected worldly-wise individuals with a proven commitment and record of contributing to solving global problems. Elders will step down if they are elected to public office. Fill in a form on their Web site to receive updates or give your ideas on possible new Elders.
Founder Peter Gabriel said, “In traditional societies, the elders always had a role in conflict resolution, long-term thinking and applying wisdom wherever it was needed. We are moving to this global village and yet we don’t have our global elders. The Elders can be a group who have the trust of the world, who can speak freely, be fiercely independent, and respond fast and flexibly in conflict situations.”
Independently funded by a group including Branson and Gabriel, the Elders also attracted support from Ray Chambers; Michael Chambers; Bridgeway Foundation; Pam Omidyar; Humanity United; Amy Robbins; Shashi Ruia; Dick Tarlow; and The United Nations Foundation.
“This group of Elders will bring hope and wisdom back into the world. To play a role in bringing us together to stop unnecessary human suffering and to celebrate the wonderful world that we are so privileged to be part of,” said Founder Richard Branson, at TheElders.org.
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Actor Jude Law in Afghanistan Promoting UN Peace Day
“Jude Law traveled and filmed in treacherous areas of eastern Afghanistan” to help promote the annual worldwide United Nations Peace Day, celebrated on September 21. His interviews with children, governors and community leaders will be compiled in a film to mark the day. “I think the message of peace is for everyone,” Mr. Law said at a press conference in Kabul, where he was joined by the founder of the “Peace One Day” project, filmmaker Jeremy Gilley.
Mr. Law, who is also an ambassador for Peace One Day, and Mr. Gilley are in Afghanistan to film a documentary as part of the annual observance of Peace Day, an initiative of the world body to promote one day of ceasefire and non-violence throughout the world.
Mr. Gilley, who for eight years now has been working in conjunction with the UN and a host of other organizations and individuals to promote Peace Day, said the film is meant to inspire and empower individuals to mark the Day and to become “the driving force behind the vision of a united world.”
“So in order to inspire people, we need to see action and we have come to Afghanistan to ask organizations and individuals to carry out that action so that what happens in Afghanistan inspires the world, gives them hope,” he stated.
The film will focus on some of the life-saving activities carried out by UN agencies working in Afghanistan, “where the people are full of pride and courage, where there is hope, where there is beauty,” Mr. Gilley added.
“The message has always been the same… to recognize and celebrate Peace Day, a single day,” said Law. “Obviously, the hope is that this will affect the other 364 days of the year.”
Visit PeaceOneDay.org to see a video of Jude Law and details on other activities to help countdown the days to September 21.
Photo: Peace One Day Twitter
You Get What You Expect: Attracting Thieves
EDITOR’S BLOG — A perfect example of the Law of Attraction was presented to me last night when my new neighbor came to our door sullen and cross. In spring when we introduced ourselves to Alan, standing in a woodland between our homes, he mentioned with pride that he was going to install a security system in his cabin, which is at the end of a gravel road, a half mile from the main street. I was surprised that he’d assumed such a location would need security and explained that in 15 years I’d had no trouble here. "The only thing that’ll bring crime down this road is you installing a security system."…
CEO Gives Fortune Away: £1 Billion to Charity
Ten years after CNN founder Ted Turner announced that he would donate one billion dollars to U.N. efforts “to help the poorest people of the world,” Sir Tom Hunter, a billionaire businessman, has become Britain’s most generous philanthropist. He told The New York Times today: “My wife and myself are going to leave this world as we came into it — pretty much with nothing. I don’t want to take £1billion to my grave with me.”
UK Readers Donate Thousands to 3-Year-Old Ethan for Treatment of Rare Condition
Three-year-old Ethan is readying for the first of several operations in Germany to remove disfiguring cysts on his face and head from a rare disease. Warrington Guardian newspaper readers have donated many thousands to Ethan’s campaign because his family fears the taunting from other children, and also because the condition poses serious health problems for the boy. (Warrington Guardian) Andrew sent this one.
Light Bulbs Made from Aluminum Foil
"Cheap, skinny aluminum foil lamps may be a mercury-free alternative to big, bulky light bulbs. University of Illinois researchers made the low-cost lamps by treating ordinary aluminum foil bought at the grocery store with an acidic bath. The new light source is lighter, brighter and more efficient than incandescent light." From the June issue of the Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics. (LiveScience) Thanks to Andrew for the link!
