Happy News

What a novel idea!

Tue, 01 May 2012 08:09:54 GMT

Disciplining with kindness makes suspensions drop 85%.

Sunbathers in Brazil rescues 30 beached dolphins within minutes!

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 04:47:21 GMT

Pick your links:

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2112618/Brazil-beached-dolphins-Amazing-video-captures-moment-sunbathers-rescue-30-beached-dolphins.html?ITO=1490

newsfeed.time.com/2012/03/09/watch-30-beached-dolphins-rescued-by-brazilian-beachgoers/

www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/09/brazil-dolphin-rescue-internet-sensation_n_1333632.html

The videographer was filming the beautiful ocean when a pod of dolphins were washed ashore by the strong waves - within minutes, without seeming stopping to plan, a troop of beachgoers simply went up to the stranded dolphins and dragged them back into deep waters where they swimmed off. Hooray!

103 year old woman saved from foreclosure

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 06:21:43 GMT

This is a really touching story! foreclosure stopped

Anonymous donors pay layaway accounts for poor families

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 01:09:10 GMT

Around the country, anonymous donors are paying off layaway accounts at K-Mart for poor families.

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:02:19 GMT

Bon Jovi in his own words, bringing Soul to those in need

By Courtney Hazlett

On the eve of the opening of Jon Bon Jovi's new community restaurant, Soul Kitchen in Red Bank, N.J., I got the chance to sit down with the singer and talk about his new project.

And what a great project it is: Bon Jovi created a place where people can come and eat fresh, often organic and locally sourced food, regardless of whether they can pay. That's right: there are no prices on the menu, just pay what you can, if you can (if you can afford to eat, the suggested minimum is $10 per meal). If cash is an issue, the Soul Kitchen will gladly take an hour of volunteering in exchange for the three-course meal.

Check out the video and see for yourself, the project Bon Jovi is excited about, and hopes that you'll "steal" for your own community.

Man lassos pair of dogs trapped in canal

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 14:28:52 GMT

Good Samaritan lassos pair of dogs trapped in canal
By Phil Ferolito
Yakima Herald-Republic

MOXEE -- Noya Deats' routine walk along the Roza Canal turned disastrous Wednesday when her two dogs, Fawn and Nia, decided to take a swim.

Despite signs warning folks to stay out of the canal, she said she's let her dogs off their leash before without any problems.

But once in the water, neither dog could get out because of the swift current. Unsure what to do, Deats ran alongside the canal to keep up with them while she called her husband, Matt, and the police.

Read the entire article

Man turned heartfelt emails into works of art - for free!

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 13:10:37 GMT

"It's not inherently a bad thing when you have things [such as email] that are so quick and so immediate happening all the time, but there's a certain numbing effect that's created versus taking the time to sit down and be very deliberate and thinking about someone, choosing your words very exactly and hand-writing them," Ivan Cash says. "It forces us to have more intention."

Cash created Snail Mail My Email, a service where you can send a message to his website, and a handwritten letter will be created and mailed to a designated person for free. Cash and his 200 volunteers across the globe spend anywhere from two minutes to two hours crafting letters for people.

Read more: http://www.wtop.com/?nid=41&sid=2494394

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 13:02:42 GMT

BBC News - England riots: What are the Post-it note 'love walls' all about?

Rowenna Davis, a councillor in the London borough of Southwark, which includes Peckham, says the spontaneous "wall of love" was "about the silent majority expressing themselves in colour, words and community - rather than violence and destruction".

"It was quite cathartic for people to know that other people felt the same, that they were not alone, that people loved their community, and there was pride in the area."

Davis's messages included "Peace in Peckham", "I'm so proud", and "Let's keep joining hands".

Another sticky note advocate is 35-year-old advertising manager Lynsey Saker, who has lived in south-east London for four years.

She says her friends went out in Crystal Palace armed with them "in order to show the community that we will repair it, we will rebuild it, but most importantly that we care about it".

"It upset me to see shops vandalised, I know how much passion people put into their businesses, this is a lovely community, it was a way of expressing how we felt, of showing we appreciated them," she says.

Possum v chainsaw...doesn't turn out as bad as you might think.

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 10:25:20 GMT

Possum and joey survive chainsaw

A possum and her joey who survived a round with a chainsaw are expected to make a full recovery to the astonishment of vets.

It was a terrible case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time for the hapless pair, dubbed Chainsaw and Two-Stroke by carers at the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital.

The possum was asleep with her joey in her pouch when workers began felling a tree at Thornlands, south-east of Brisbane, on Tuesday.

But she was so well camouflaged they didn't see her and the chainsaw slashed her across her chest, leaving a horrible wound.

Panicked workers rushed the animal to the wildlife hospital on the Gold Coast, where staff soon discovered the joey tucked safety away in her pouch.

Senior vet Michael Pyne said mum and baby were doing well, and Chainsaw had been extremely lucky.

"She basically had a 20-centimetre wound that extended from up near her spine to down the front of her chest and that wound was about eight centimetres wide as well," Dr Pyne said today.

"She's just very fortunate it didn't actually get into her chest cavity at all. So really it's just nasty external wounds and a heap of stitches."

As staff carefully stitched up Chainsaw, they found the joey.

"He's very lucky. If the wound was another 10 centimetres further south towards [the mother's] back, little joey would have been really chewed up," Dr Pyne said.

The possums will stay under observation for two weeks before they are released back into the wild.

"Mum's eating well and producing plenty of milk, still a little stressed but that's not surprising," Dr Pyne said.

"But the main thing is they're not stressed so much that they're not eating."

9-year-old's memory inspires thousands of charity donations

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 01:30:45 GMT

Perhaps a little bittersweet, but a positive impact all the same.

Rachel Beckwith had wanted to give back for her birthday. Instead of the bicycles and charm bracelets on which most 9-year-old girls fixate, the Seattle-area child wanted to provide clean water to 15 people. She asked that friends and family donate money to a fundraising page she created through Charity Water.

As of Monday afternoon, a little more than a week after Rachel Beckwith's death, her online fundraising page has drawn more than $745,000 in donations, affording clean water to almost 40,000 people.

Read the full story here:
edition.cnn.com/2011/US/08/01/washington.girl.death.donations/index.html

Married Lesbian Couple Rescued 40 Teens from Norway Massacre

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 07:46:18 GMT

Let's see those opposed to gay marriage put a biblical spin on this married couple!

Good Samaritan donates house to couple who lived in storage shed with 6 kids

Sat, 09 Jul 2011 11:35:26 GMT

Good Samaritan donates house to couple who lived in storage shed with 6 kids

by Rucks Russel / KHOU 11 News
khou.com
Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:51 PM
Updated yesterday at 12:25 AM

The donation came just days after the couple was featured on KHOU 11 News because Child Protective Services had taken custody of their kids. The parents said they believed they were being punished because they’re poor.　

"You shouldn’t take our kids because we’ve fallen on hard times," said Prince Leonard.

The Leonards moved in three years ago after the father, an unemployed welder, was hired as a maintenance worker.　

The family had already lost an apartment and believed the homeless shelter wasn’t safe enough.

A passerby spotted the children outside and reported them to Child Protective Services. A caseworker investigated, and the state took custody of the kids.　

According to CPS, the children were removed because the storage shed was a dangerous living environment. The shed, which lacked running water, was about 12 feet wide and 25 feet long. It had an air conditioner, a refrigerator and two personal computers.

Someone who saw their story donated a four-bedroom donated the house, which the Leonards plan to move into this weekend.

A CPS spokesperson said they could get their children back as early as next week.

"Now they can be here and there, and they can play. And they have the space that they need," their mother said.

The house has indoor plumbing, unlike the storage shed they lived in previously.

"Compared to what I come from, this is the Taj Mahal," Prince Leonard said. "I'm just glad to be able to get my children back when they come look at this place."

http://www.khou.com/news/Good-Samaritan-donates-house-to-couple-who-lived-in-storage-shed-with-6-kids--125255159.html?%3F

Austrian Youths Find and turn in money

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 09:17:42 GMT

VIENNA (Reuters) - Two youths discovered more than 10,000 euros ($14,550) in an envelope and handed the money in to the Salzburg lost and found bureau on Monday, officials in the Austrian city said.

"We were surprised ourselves by the size of the find," bureau head Kurt Hinteregger said. "That doesn't happen every day."

The youths -- described by the Austria Press Agency as 15-year-old pupils from Feldkirch in western Austria who were on a school trip -- get to keep the money if the rightful owner does not show up within a year.

Even if the owner can claim the money by giving the exact amount and describing the envelope, the finders get to keep 10 percent of the first 2,000 euros and 5 percent of the rest as a reward.

($1=.6872 Euro)

(Reporting by Michael Shields; Editing by Michael Roddy)

Austrian Youths

Blind woman wins national photo award

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 01:40:28 GMT

Blind woman wins national photo award

WINNIPEG - A legally blind Winnipeg photographer has taken top prize in a national photo competition.

Tara Miller, 39, found out Tuesday she has been awarded the grand prize in the Canadian National Institute for the Blind's Eye Remember national photography competition.

Miller's striking photo of lightning over a sunflower field during sunset taken last summer near Starbuck, Man., earned her top spot.

"I was so excited to get home and see what I got and praying that it worked out," she said of the photograph.

The competition was open to all photographers across the country, not solely the visually impaired. Miller was the only entrant of the five who were shortlisted for the grand prize who has sight loss, and the CNIB was unaware of her limited sight until her image was selected for the final five.

Miller has less than 10% of her eyesight due to glaucoma, the disorder the CNIB was raising awareness about with the photo contest.

"It feels wonderful and it's unbelievable for me," she said of her win. "It's a great feeling. I entered the contest because it was about glaucoma awareness and I've had it for 20 years."

Miller also regularly volunteers for the CNIB.

"It's part of my life," she said.

The five finalists were selected by a trio of celebrity judges and were then voted on by the general public worldwide.

Miller and her husband Jeff work as commercial photographers who specialize in agricultural and food photography.

http://www.torontosun.com/2011/07/05/blind-woman-wins-national-photo-award

Woman missing 41 years found alive in Florida, police believe

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 01:20:23 GMT

Woman missing 41 years found alive in Florida, police believe

How would it feel to hold a memorial service for your mother, only to find out she's still alive?
Ask Grace Kivisto. "I'm in shock," the Galesburg, Ill., woman told local TV station WQAD after hearing the astonishing news from a detective last week.
Back in 1970, Kivisto's mother, Lula Cora Hood, disappeared amid a family feud. Hood, who had 14 kids, suffered from mental health problems and had split several times before, but always returned eventually.
This time, however, she didn't come back. "We never heard a thing," said Kivisto.
Fast forward more than a quarter century to 1996, when police called the family to let them know that human remains, believed to be Hood's, had been found in a Galesburg brickyard. The family buried the remains.
Fast forward again to 2009. By this time, DNA technology had greatly improved. So the family gave DNA samples to investigators, in order to confirm that the 1996 remains were indeed a match.
Last week, they got the results: The remains weren't Hood. "We were back to square one," said Kivisto.
But the story doesn't end there. The DNA results prompted police to reopen their investigation into Hood's disappearance. Using her name and date of birth, it didn't take them long to find a match, to an 84-year-old woman now living in Florida. They're now convinced that the woman is Hood.
It's not clear whether Hood has been contacted by police, or by her family, and what her response will be. But Kivisto is eager to reunite. "I'm going to see her as soon as I can," she said. "I can't believe it!"
As for those remains found in the Galesburg brickyard, police are once again faced with a mystery.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/woman-missing-41-years-found-alive-florida-police-142953331.html

Texas students seek Quidditch as an official high school sport

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 16:02:56 GMT

"It's about getting people who may not have played sports before to play sports, and be physically active."

Moderators? :)

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 08:53:31 GMT

Hello, everyone! I'm sorry I haven't been attentive to the community lately. I haven't been as active in LiveJournal, and leaning more to Facebook, I admit. I know a few of you have volunteered to help moderate this community in the past -- anyone still interested? :)

"Wake Up" with Kyle Cease

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 08:44:40 GMT

Kyle Cease makes a lot of great points, but I think he really touches on the negativity of the news in the beginning of this video. It's true, we get so caught up in bad news and so many of succumb to the terror of what's being shown to us, we forget a large part of this world is not disaster, but CREATING. Interesting to note is that he was at an event raising money with other acclaimed acts, and he's right - that kind of story doesn't get the press. I wish the media would take more time to cover something that would increase our utility. The news is something that reaches EVERYONE, so it would seem that we ought to get more enjoyment out of it. They have the power to inspire, and yet we're given nasty stories. I wanted to share this because I'd love to hear your thoughts and discuss it with you further. :)

Panera Bread lets diners 'pay what you can'

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 08:44:09 GMT

The café chain now has three 'Panera Cares' locations where people pay as much or little as they can afford. After one year, the idea seems to be working. 'People ... do the right thing,' says the company's founder.

Most patrons, it finds, drop the entire retail cost, or more, into the voluntary donation box, in essence subsidizing a meal for somewhat who can't pay the full amount. Panera says about 60 percent leave the suggested amount; 20 percent leave more; and 20 percent leave less. The largest single payment so far? One person paid $500 for a meal.

Few people seem to be taking unfair advantage of the system. Most know that wouldn't be fair. Not paying when you could "is like parking in a handicapped spot," Mr. Shaich says.

"The lesson here is most people are fundamentally good," he says. "People step up and they do the right thing."

Read the full store here: http://bit.ly/mDPliQ

"Miracle berry" to end famine?

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 06:16:14 GMT

Could the "miracle berry" end famine worldwide? This recently discovered berry contains a chemical that binds to the sour and bitter receptors in the tongue, making such foods edible for humans. Which enables people to eat things like grasses that they couldn't have before.

'Underheard In New York' Helps Homeless Use Twitter To Tell Stories

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 13:45:02 GMT

For most of the homeless who live on New York's cold streets, Web 2.0 is probably the last thing on their minds. But a select few have been introduced to a whole new world on Twitter -- and are, in turn, sharing their stories.

Three interns at New York creative advertising agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty developed Underheard in New York, to give the city's homeless a way to tell their stories. They then provided four homeless men prepaid cellphones and Twitter accounts and basic Twitter training in hopes that offering the public a true glimpse of homelessness would encourage help for the men in turning their lives around.

All four men have each gained about 2,000 followers on Twitter and are being offered words of encouragement and even job leads.

Read the full story: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/17/new-york-homeless-twitter_n_824691.html

Donate to New York City Rescue Mission: https://www.servicenetwork.com/olg/nycr/donate.asp

Video: "Skin gun" can completely heal burn victims' skin in a matter of days.

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 04:52:39 GMT

Video: "Skin gun" can completely heal burn victims' skin in a matter of days:

Ben & Jerry’s goes green by powering factory with... Ice Cream!

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 09:56:06 GMT

Ben & Jerry’s has installed a bio-digester in their Hellendoorn ice cream factory in the Netherlands. The new bio-digester will take excess food product that is wasted during the making of ice cream and turn it into power to provide energy for the factory, covering 40% of the factory’s green energy requirements.

The new bio-digester is a win-win because it makes use of surplus food product that would otherwise go to waste and it’s a cleaner alternative to powering the factory with oil or coal.

Read more: http://inhabitat.com/ben-jerrys-factory-in-the-netherlands-to-be-powered-by-ice-cream

South Sudan

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 09:55:42 GMT

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=132733517&sc=tw&cc=share

As part of a treaty to end a civil war in Sudan, the North Sudan let South Sudan vote on their secession. And it was approved with 99% of the votes. South Sudan becomes a country in July and it did so peacefully.

This makes me extremely happy.

Daughter snatched from hospital reunited with mom 23 years later

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 17:56:37 GMT

http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/01/20/new.york.missing.reunion/index.html