Traveling abroad for a teen, especially to Africa, can “jump-start a lifetime of social and moral awareness.” For a D.C. girls’ soccer team, a trip to South Africa opened their eyes to the poverty and HIV/AIDS epidemic burdening girls their age who faced them on the soccer field. After returning home, the American teens are already thinking about what they can do next year to continue their involvement. (Wash Post) Thanks to Jim S. for the link!
Lawnchair Takes Flight with Helium Balloons (Video)
In 1982 Larry Walters took flight in his patio chair attached to 45 helium-filled weather balloons. He rose to an altitude of 16,000 feet (3 miles) and floated from his home in San Pedro, California, into federal airspace near Long Beach airport, inspiring the romantic comedy Danny Deckchair (Great Australian movie!)
Last week, an Oregon man fulfilled his own dream of flying in a lawn chair.
Kent Couch of Bend Oregon attached 105 helium balloons to his lawn chair and flew 193 miles over two states at altitudes exceeding 12,000 feet. This was his second flight.
WATCH a news report video below:
Baby Panther Adopted and Nursed by Dog (Video)
A rejected baby panther in Serbia was adopted by a dog, who feeds the cub as if she were her own, licking and nursing the panther along with a litter of pups.
Celebrities Whose Babies Use Cloth Diapers
As a follow-up to our Dave Matthews story that he uses cloth diapers for his new son, Celebrity Baby Blog has compiled a list of celebrities whose babies wear cloth. The article also reminds people that cloth diapers, these days, are not the kind used for my son 16 years ago, with clumsy clips, nor the first generation model that used pins…
Endangered Bird Makes Dramatic Comeback in UK
One of England’s most endangered birds — The Woodlark — is making a significant comeback, almost doubling its population in the last ten years. "It shows how important set-aside [land] has become as a refuge for wildlife on our farmland." Conservationists hope the farmland won’t be lost in the rush for biofuel. We hope so too. (BBC) Thanks to Richard for the link!
Seoul Hails North Korea’s Reactor Shutdown
“South Korea on Sunday hailed North Korea’s announced shutdown of a plutonium-producing reactor as an ‘encouraging’ move which will hopefully speed up its nuclear disarmament.” (Forbes)
Third Graders Helping to Stop Childhood Hunger
Baking cookies and selling brownies don’t seem like solutions that could end childhood hunger, yet, thanks to the Great American Bake Sale Campaign, 5.3 million nutritious meals and snacks were served to low-income children paid for by proceeds from the bake sales all across the country. Garrett Wiehler and Damon Halvis, both soon-to-be third graders from Monrovia, Md., are hosting their third annual Garrett & Damon Stop Hunger Now Bake Sale tomorrow. Baking cookies and selling their brownies has already generated a whopping $1,500 for the cause…
The two close friends will be in front of the Green Valley Pharmacy on Fingerboard Road at 7:00 a.m. and welcome your donations of baked goods, as well as your purchases, until they close up shop at noon.
“Kids in our world do not have enough money to buy food. We need your help to make this stop for all of America and the world. We are having a bake sale because of this. We are going to be part of the Great American Bake Sale — their goal is the same as ours. Please bake something like muffins, cookies, pies, cornbread or anything else you can think of and we will sell it at our bake sale.”
Great American Bake Sale is a national campaign created by a phenomenal hunger organization, Share Our Strength, in Washington, D.C., founded and directed by my friend, Billy Shore.
Anyone can host their own bake sale from May 19–August 31 and send their proceeds to Share Our Strength to help groups in their very own community to end childhood hunger.
One million participants so far have helped to:
- Serve more than 5.3 million nutritious meals and snacks to children
- Establish an additional 926 sites where children can get meals
- Reach more than 97,000 low-income children with after-school and summer feeding programs
Watch a touching music video that shows what three years of bake sales can do for the 12 million hungry children in America. Look for the Monrovia, Md., kids in the slide show.
To register, get more information, find a bake sale or start your own, visit www.greatamericanbakesale.org.
Thanks to Ronn Wiehler for the information!
The World’s Fastest Broadband Goes to 75-Year-Old
To show that you can build a low-price, high-capacity Internet line over long distances, a Swedish IT guru has equipped his mother’s PC with the fastest connection on the planet. The 75-year-old will be able to download a full, high-definition DVD in just two seconds. (Sweden’s The Local) Thanks, Andrew!
Take a Look at the GNN-i Team
EDITOR’S BLOG — I wanted to express my gratitude to the people who make my job a lot easier. They are the volunteers who give their time so that GNN-i might flourish. This is a wonderful group: Kerrie, my proof-reader; Michael, our new science writer; Cristina, our summer intern; Andrew, a dedicated viewer who uncovers good news links and sends them by e-mail… Our Team Page is now edited (in the About Us section) to reflect these new faces and tell who they are. If you want to offer your talent and enthusiasm to the group (maybe you’re a tax preparer, or a photographer) we’d love to hear from you. Go to the Team Page for details.
Seven-Part Harmony Live on Paris Subway (Video!)
New York City hip-hop artists N7 were riding the Paris subway when they broke into song — an incredible a capella rendition of Phil Collins’ In the Air Tonight. They treated the commuters to seven-part harmony — beatbox style — and though some were annoyed at first, the beautiful rhythm and vocals warmed their hearts, eliciting applause at the finish. N7’s music is solely created by voices, no instruments whatsoever. (2006) More free Naturally 7 videos
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Dave Matthews Goes Green with Cloth Diapers
This week People magazine reported that Dave Matthews’ new son only uses reusable cloth diapers, out of consideration for the environment.
“We use cloth diapers for our new baby because I think diapers might be the number three piece of garbage [in terms of environmental damage],” Matthews said at a Live Earth press conference on Saturday.
His new son’s name is August Oliver Matthews.
(Ed. note: I used cloth diapers for our first child — they were great and I felt good about it… Coincidentally, his middle name is August.)
Scientists Discover Square Red Star
Stars are some of the most ubiquitous and wondrous celestial bodies we see when looking up at the night sky. Those round pinpoints of light appear far more interesting when viewed through powerful telescopes such as those available at observatories. In fact, sometimes they don’t appear round at all. Scientists recently stumbled upon a star formation that was perfectly square.
Square? They described it as a hidden jewel, appearing like a ruby, and have dubbed it the “Red Square.”
Peter Tuthill from the University of Sydney leads the team that discovered the formation. A few other nebulas, strangely shaped formations of gas or material around stars, have been found to be similar, but the high degree of symmetry of the Red Square is particularly astonishing.
“If you fold things across the principal diagonal axis, you get an almost perfect reflection symmetry, making the red square nebula the most symmetrical object of comparable complexity ever imaged.” said Tuthill. “Discoveries as beautiful as this one don’t come around very often and it took some of the world’s most advanced telescopes, together with a good dose of luck, to find this jewel hidden among the myriad stars in the galaxy.”
One of the stars is losing matter which is then held in a dense disc by the combined gravity of the two stars. Light and material can only escape from the poles of the disc by being blown by the stellar wind of the central star. This gives the appearance of two cones that are touching at their tips creating a bipolar nebula and the square shape. Its name implies a relation to its close cousin, the “Red Rectangle Nebula.”
Another interesting feature is the radial spokes pointing away from the center which is rarely seen in nebulae. These may be related to periodic ripples on the surface of an inner disk of material close to the central star.
Acquiring images of such clarity is due to the use of new imaging technology called adaptive optics which keeps objects in focus like a pair of glasses does for myopic vision. The technology makes use of a mirror capable of being deformed in order to adjust its focal point in order to correct distortions introduced by the Earth’s atmosphere.
“A system as complex and fascinating as this is bound to keep us guessing for years to come,” exclaimed Tuthill.
Michael Little is an analytical chemist currently working at a research centre for an international pharmaceutical company. Originally from Nova Scotia, Michael now resides in Laval, Quebec with his wife and two children. Michael joined the GNN-i team as a science writer in May 2007.
Malawi Youth Builds $16 Windmill to Power Village
"Malawi youth William Kamkwamba, without formal education or training, and having dropped 
out of school for lack of funds, constructed a windmill that could generate enough energy for a few light bulbs and a radio, changing his family’s life forever." No more expensive paraffin candles, with the smoke that burned his eyes. The household is bright and clean even on non-windy days since William rigged a car battery to store the energy. Blogs carrying his inspiring story led to an American speaking engagement and funds for his education. (Inhabitat)
Florida to Introduce Tough Greenhouse Gas Targets
Florida is setting new emissions targets for power companies, cars and trucks and will toughen conservation goals for state agencies while requiring government vehicles to use alternative fuels. (Reuters)
Young Scholars Tell the President “No” on Torture
141 Presidential Scholars were being honored recently at the White House. After the president told them that it was important in their future careers to treat others as they would like to be treated and to make choices they would be able to live with, they handed him a letter signed by close to 50 of the students that read…
“As members of the Presidential Scholars class of 2007, we have been told that we represent the best and brightest of our nation. Therefore, we believe we have a responsibility to voice our convictions. We do not want America to represent torture. We urge you to do all in your power to stop violations of the human rights of detainees, to cease illegal renditions and to apply the Geneva Convention to all detainees, including those designated enemy combatants.”
The mother of one of the students was also a Scholar, and she has forever regretted not speaking up to President Johnson regarding the war in Vietnam, when she had her chance. (Column by Amy Goodman)
Link submitted by Christophe Bedeaux
In Clubby France, a Muslim Woman as Justice Minister
A Muslim woman, who grew up in public housing, was recently appointed Justice Minister of France. A success story of determination and hard work, she is considered a role model for other minorities living in the suburbs of Paris, proving that high achievement is not only reserved for others.
(Christian Science Monitor)
Baseball Team Rescues Grounds Crew Engulfed by Sudden Storm
The best scene in Major League Baseball this year. In Colorado, watch the visiting team swarm onto the field to rescue a grounds crew in big trouble when a storm rolls in. The Philadelphia Phillies: not a prima donna in the bunch.
Saudi Minister Challenges Imams to Stand Up
Imams and khatibs must play a greater role in the fight against terrorism. This was the message of Saudi Interior Minister Prince Naif to 600 imams and khatibs who deliver Friday sermons in mosques across Saudi Arabia. He urged them to expose the falsehood of deviant ideology that continues to dupe Saudi youths…
NJ Enacts Anti-Global Warming Law
"New Jersey became the third state in the nation to enact a comprehensive greenhouse gas reduction law Friday, requiring the Garden State to significantly cut emissions of global-warming gases." (AP)
Editor’s Blog: Contact Form Out of Order, July 4-9
For the few people who used my contact form to send me a message between July 3-July 9, I didn't receive it. The mail server on my isp was "acting up", bouncing e-mail messages and, then, deleting some mail while I watched the screen in disbelief. (Have you ever heard the song by Todd Rundgren, I Hate My Fricken' ISP?) Anyway, I'm moving to a different hosting company within the week and will make a special announcement regarding the fact. For now, resend your messages!
