The giant corporation Honeywell Inc. will spend $451 million to help clean New York’s Onondaga Lake under the "Polluter Pays" principle held by federal and state environmental departments.
The lake is a sacred American Indian site where the famous chief Hiawatha once canoed, but after a century of pollution it became one of only three lakes in the country designated a federal Superfund site…
A peace deal was signed between the Sudanese government and Eastern rebels who had been waging a guerilla war against targets in the country for ten years. AP reported that common ground had been reached "on three issues: wealth sharing, division of power and security arrangements." (International Herald Tribune)
The widow of a man who murdered five Amish girls in their schoolhouse sent a letter to the Amish community thanking them for their compassion and support. Marie Roberts said she was “overwhelmed by the forgiveness, grace and mercy” shown to her family following the rampage on October 2, when her husband Charles killed himself and five others.
The devoutly Christian Amish families expressed their forgiveness of the shooter within hours of the tragedy and immediately set about to help Mrs. Roberts and her three young children, bringing them food and eventually setting up a fund at a local bank.
The mother and grandmother of Marian Fisher, one of the young victims, welcomed Mrs Roberts’ aunt into their home the day after the shootings, the local Lancaster newspaper reported on its website.
Mrs Roberts’ grandfather also attended Marian’s funeral. (BBC)
In a letter from the Roberts family and addressed to Amish friends, neighbors and the local community, she shared their feelings of gratitude and aching:
“Your love for our family has helped to provide the healing we so desperately need. Gifts you’ve given have touched our hearts in a way no words can describe.
“Please know that our hearts have been broken by all that has happened. We are filled with sorrow for all of our Amish neighbors whom we have loved and continue to love.
“We know there are many hard days ahead for all the families who lost loved ones, and so we will continue to put our hope and trust in the God of all comfort, as we all seek to rebuild our lives.
“Your compassion has reached beyond our family, beyond our community, and is changing our world, and for this we sincerely thank you.
Bangladeshi Banker to the Poor, Muhammad Yunus, and his Grameen Bank are winners of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to help lift millions of women and men from poverty, nurturing their small business dreams with tiny loans as small as $20 each.
Over the last 30 years, Yunus’ bank has issued more than five billion dollars into the hands of 6 million borrowers yielding phenomenal results. Called micro-financing, low-interest loans are offered that require no collateral, but collect repayment over a period of years after placing people in honor system support groups. Given that opportunity, even the poorest of the poor can — and will — work to create their own well-being and raise their families and communities out of poverty.
“Charity is not the answer to poverty,” Yunus said. “It only helps poverty to continue. It creates dependency and takes away the individual’s initiative to break through the wall of poverty.”
During a famine in Bangladesh, Yunus discovered that very small loans could make a significant difference in a poor person’s ability to thrive. His first loan consisted of $27 from his own pocket, which he lent to women who made bamboo furniture in a rural village near the university where he worked. The woman used the money to buy bamboo, lifting her craftsmanship to a profitable level, breaking the bonds of not only her poverty, but her workers as well. The loan was repaid in full.
30 years and more than $5.7 billion in loans later, Yunus is just getting started helping the poor. His long-term vision is no less than the elimination of poverty from the world. He told reporters he would use part of his share of the $1.4 million award money to create a company that would make low-cost, high-nutrition food for the poor. The rest of his share would go toward setting up an eye hospital for the poor in Bangladesh.
Muhammad Yunus was born in Bangladesh in 1940. He studied Economics at Dhaka University and obtained his Ph.D. at Vanderbilt University in the US when he was 29 years old. Three years later he moved back to his hometown in Bangladesh, where he joined Chittagong University as a professor of economics. In 1976, Yunus founded the Grameen Bank to make loans to poor Bangladeshis.
The success of the Grameen model has inspired similar efforts throughout the developing world and even in industrialized nations like the United States, where the PLAN project is helping people start small businesses in Dallas, Texas.
The Grameen model of micro financing has been emulated in 23 countries and many of the projects have maintained the emphasis toward lending specifically to women. More than 96% of Grameen loans have gone to women, who suffer disproportionately from poverty and who are more likely than men to devote their earnings to serving the needs of the entire family.
Muhammad Yunus, the author of Banker to the Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty, is the first Bangladeshi to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
FURTHER READING
Times Online tells the story of one Grameen borrower who, with her $50.00 loan, bought a cow. Now she owns a restaurant and three shops and her family no longer goes to sleep hungry
An NBC News story, Richly Deserved Prize for Banker to the Poor, has some great storytelling describing Yunus’ work.
Bono announced today the U.S. launch of (RED), the inspiring initiative that allows Americans to help fight AIDS in Africa by doing what they do best: Shopping! Famous brands like Apple will now be selling special edition products, like iPod, in RED with portions of sales going directly to help AIDS survivors in Africa.
Oprah joined Bono to shop for new RED products along Chicago’s magnificent mile. Bono will help help launch the campaign on Winfrey’s show.
Gap, Motorola, Converse, Giorgio Armani and Apple all launched an array of RED goods in the U.S. this week and will be donating up to fifty percent of profits from sales of the items. MTV has signed on as a media sponsor to help build brand awareness…
“AIDS in Africa is an emergency. When you buy a RED product, the company gives money to buy pills that will keep someone in Africa alive,” Bono said. “The idea is simple, the products are sexy, and the campaign is consumer friendly because you can help just by shopping.”
Kennedy clan member, Bobby Shriver, is the chief executive officer of (RED). “With (PRODUCT) RED, consumers can tap into the power of commerce to do something amazing and unprecedented. Our partners have created incredible products that consumers will want and need, which is the beauty of (PRODUCT) RED. We’re not asking anyone for a donation or for them to change their behavior. People buy things every day. But now, when they buy RED, they will look good and do good — and that’s good business.”
Gap is donating fifty percent of the profits from sales of their RED items, a collection of t-shirts, hoodies, jeans and accessories — 40 items — displayed in an all- RED corner of the store. One vintage-style T-shirt from the collection is being manufactured in Lesotho, Africa from 100 percent African cotton. The T- shirt is made for both women and men and will be available in red, as well as a range of other classic colors. (GNN story on RED textile maker)
Additionally, Gap is launching a powerful new advertising campaign featuring an incredible cast of celebrities photographed by renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz. The campaign consists of compelling images of Steven Spielberg, Jennifer Garner, Chris Rock, Penelope Cruz, Christy Turlington, Don Cheadle, Mary J. Blige, Dakota Fanning and Apollo Ohno.
Motorola is donating $17 from each combination RED mobile phone and Bluetooth RED headset purchased, to benefit The Global AIDS Fund, which is the specific program PRODUCT RED will benefit.
The Converse (PRODUCT) RED Collection includes four exclusive, limited edition shoes designed by U.K. designer Giles Deacon, including a Chuck Taylor® All Star® Hi-top with 10 percent of net wholesale sales going directly to the Global Fund. In addition, Converse will be introducing MAKE MINE RED, a unique feature only available online offers shoppers the unique option to custom design their Chuck Taylor shoes to support the (RED) initiative.
Giorgio Armani is contributing an average of 40 percent of its gross profit margin from sales of its RED clothing and accessory line.
And, today Apple introduced its (PRODUCT) RED iPod nano Special Edition in a beautiful red aluminum enclosure. Apple will contribute $10 from the sale of each iPod nano sold and will also offer a $25 iTunes (PRODUCT) RED gift card for purchase at Apple’s retail and online stores next month. Apple sales alone are expected to raise millions of dollars for the campaign that has already contributed multiple millions to the Global Fund initiative.
The (PRODUCT) RED collections are designed to be compelling parts of the brands’ overall offerings and are not priced at a premium, making it easy for consumers to choose (RED) over non-(RED) items. RED products and services, like American Express cards, were launched in the UK earlier in 2006. (See May 17 GNN story on RED activity in UK)
For more information about (RED) please visit www.joinred.com.
Breast cancer patients should be given a diet of Brussels sprouts and cabbages, along with chemotherapy, according to new research showing that a particular molecule in the vegetables can make tumours more vulnerable to chemotherapy drugs. And, it could mean lower doses of chemotherapy drugs for women... (The Daily Mail)
A VAN driver is being hailed a hero after saving the life of a motorist who had a fit while driving along a busy highway. Thanks to Tony Smith’s quick thinking, the driver escaped possible death after Tony used his van to slow the car to safety. (Dorset Daily Echo, England)
For the first time, a major study has shown that a high percentage of patients with Borderline Personality Disorder can achieve full recovery and emotional health. The disorder is found in 1–2.5 percent of the general population — about 5.8 to 8.7 million Americans, most of whom are young women, and until recent years has been considered untreatable…
A rural Kansas woman is lucky to be alive, after a stranger goes to great lengths to rescue her after her home catches fire… Rachel says what scares her most, is that she did not wake up. Meanwhile, a complete stranger stopped on her way to work when she saw the fire from the road, to make sure no one was inside… (KAKE) “I did what anyone would do.”
Ted Turner is a TV titan having launched CNN, the world’s first live, 24-hour global news network, along with TNT, Cartoon Network and Turner Classic Movies. Nearly a decade ago Turner shocked the world by donating one billion dollars to the United Nations to spend on women and children’s health, the environment, and peace and security, creating the Nuclear Threat Initiative.
This week he spoke before the National Press Club with his usual forthright manner saying, "War is not the way to get things done in the world today." He sees the bombing of countries as just plain "goofy." His advice to Bush is to sit down and talk with the leader of North Korea, and NOT to bomb the millions of immigrants invading our country. Ted is always down-to-earth and speaking his mind, which is why they call him "Mouth of the South" — a title he earned again on Monday. Good News Network brings you the video (6:24):
Researchers believe nuts are rich in protection from hardening of the arteries and suggest eating an ounce of the nuts every day… The study, by a Barcelona team, also showed walnuts had more health benefits than olive oil. Take that, fatty foods!
A new study by doctors is calling for changes in kids’ over-scheduled lifestyles with more time in the school day for recess. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says free and unstructured play is healthy and — in fact — essential for helping children develop into resilient young adults…
A recent poll found that 61 percent of pet owners say that in an emergency they would refuse to evacuate their home if they could not take their pets with them.
On Friday President Bush signed the PETS Act (Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards) to help ensure that Americans will never have to confront the choice between personal safety and that of their animal companions…
Bighorn sheep have flourished in the rough and dry West Texas mountains going back to prehistoric times. But unregulated hunting and exposure to disease from domestic sheep had almost wiped out the desert sheep by the 1960’s. Now, after years of restoration efforts led by the Texas Bighorn Society, there are close to 1,000 of the agile animals occupying the high ground of the Trans-Pecos region, according to a helicopter count this August. (Bighorn history)
How miraculous that Kathy Stein found herself caring about a young man who tried to rob and kill her.
On the first day of court testimony, April 9, 1998, Stein waited in an adjacent room, still afraid to see the boys who nearly killed her.
The Ashville Citizen-Times featured her story with the unusual twist that by the end of the trial she’d started down a “tumultuous journey on a path less chosen — one toward forgiveness instead of rage…”
One year later, she had taken up a cause: reparative justice, promoting healing for all victims and offenders by addressing what they referred to as wounds born of racial, ethnic and socioeconomic injustice and oppression; advocating for such offenders to receive counseling, concern and rehabilitation.
The young boy felt Stein’s concern, received her many phone calls and perhaps it made a difference in the way he thought about himself while spending two and a half years in an adult prison.
Madonna is visiting the African state of Malawi where she is building an orphanage and child care centre and is involved in other initiatives geared toward helping children orphaned by AIDS. She recently launched the new project called Raising Malawi, which aims to set up an orphan care center to provide food, education and shelter for up to 4,000 children who have lost parents to AIDS.
Madonna and her husband, film director Guy Ritchie, traveled Friday to the small village of Mchinji near the Zambian border where she distributed copies of her children’s book “The English Roses” and listened to children sing.
AP reports that “Just over 14 percent of the 12 million population are infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, and an estimated 1 million children have been orphaned.
Photo: YouTube
Many people believe that animals can predict natural disasters, and we know service animals or household pets can forewarn their owners of imminent seizures or illness—like the service beagle who saved his owner’s life, a diabetic, by smelling his dangerous blood sugar levels.
Lately, several reports in the news highlighted cases of dogs or cats sniffing out cancer in unsuspecting owners. They stick their noses or paws into the afflicted area and won’t stop nudging until the owner is moved to do something about it. It turns out, there is scientific data to support the notion that not only can pets smell cancer, but dogs can be trained to find it.
In 1989, there was a published case of a Doberman-border collie mix belonging to a British woman sniffing out a malignant mole on the woman’s thigh, once even trying to bite it off.
Today, a woman in Westminster, Colorado, is thanking her dog for finding her breast cancer. The pooch, Tess, relentlessly sniffed around her chest and persisted, even while the woman tried to ignore it. Heidi Robertson said, “She would put her nose, push her nose into my right breast.” Next week she goes in for surgery, the doctors having confirmed finding cancer there, according to CBS News.
Researchers say a dog’s nose can be more accurate than any current cancer tests. Last month, a woman’s cat began kneading her left breast insistently. “Unbeknownst to Lynda, the exact placement of her cat’s affection was a cancerous tumor,” reports a Denver community Web site.
Lynda was relieved to be living with an early detection system built into her cat, so she decided to pay her good fortune forward by helping others who are not so fortunate. She began to see that cancer can present an enormous financial burden for survivors who are unable to work or left with inadequate insurance, so, as owner of Café Cartago — a specialty coffee company in Denver — Lynda decided to create a blend of coffee to raise money in support of women who are financially burdened by breast cancer, and called it Bald Lady Coffee.
In 2004, scientists in the U.K. reported that trained dogs could sniff out bladder cancer in patients’ urine. A leading medical journal there published the results of the first ever meticulously controlled, double-blind, peer-reviewed study on the subject and concluded, “The results are unambiguous. Dogs can be trained to recognize and flag bladder cancer.”
A 60 Minutes report in 2005 featured researchers in California and in Cambridge, England, who are studying this phenomenon. It told of dogs identifying the appearance of undetectable cancer bits.
“One of the three breast cancers, which we’ve had picked up by dogs, turned out to be a very, very small focus of malignancy, undetectable unless screened. And this was removed, and the dog immediately lost interest. But three months later, it began sniffing, snuffling and becoming agitated again when sitting on her lap. So, she shot back to the hospital, and lo and behold, they had missed a tiny bit of cancer.”
The dogs even provided a correction for the researchers, flagging a urine sample scientists had thought to be cancer-free. When the sample was triple checked, they found it had been mis-diagnosed.
In January, a study featured in National Geographic showed trained dogs could detect lung and breast cancer by smelling people’s breath. One of the Cambridge researchers recalled Hippocrates 2,400 years ago: “He was describing fruity smells associated with people with diabetes. And musty smells associated with liver disease.”
60 Minutes summarizes:
If dogs can recognize such odors, the implications for medicine could be enormous. Those noses might provide early detection that science cannot yet achieve… especially for… disease like prostate cancer, for which current detection through blood tests is notoriously inaccurate.
(Featured Photo by Rburtzel, CC)
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EDITOR’S BLOG
Linda needs help. Rather, 15 cats she’s rescued need help. Her e-mail plea arrived yesterday:
Help! I have rescued about fifteen cats and their kittens. After contacting every cat group I can think of I am still no closer to finding homes for them. Since I do not own my own home I must place these lovely cats soon or give them up to be killed. I am in the northern CA area. Please help in any way you can. I can help pay for their care. I just can’t have them in my home any more.
Email her at cats30 (at) volcano dot net (take out the spaces and add the symbols @ and . )
I’ve written her back asking for photos. I will post at Care2Network, where animals are beloved.
Photographer Danny Goldfield said, “A lot of other socially conscious art projects show atrocity, but this is something that touches people in a profound way. It’s positive.”
Check out the list of some 60 countries (like the Bahamas) from which Danny seeks to photograph a child and read features articles on NYChildren from Life magazine Photo, and peruse the gorgeous photos on Danny’s web site, NYChildren.org
Quotes and photo montage from GOOD, submitted by Vernon Sim, Singapore
Tommy, a volunteer firefighter was driving down route 81 in Virginia when he saw a Subaru strike the guard rail and go up in flames. He said, “At that point after seeing exactly what happened, I didn’t feel that there was gonna be any survivors.
But, both the passengers did survive, thanks to Tommy.
One recalls, “The car was on fire, I couldn’t get out and here this guy comes with a big, long wrecking bar and started chopping the front end apart…”
