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Good News on this day in History, May 23

Wed, 23 May 2012 04:00:00 +0100

The Who released Tommy, the first rock opera, about a "deaf, dumb and blind kid (who) sure played a mean pinball" (1969) The programming language Java was first released (1995) Mohammad Khatami, a moderate interested in cultural and governmental exchange with the US, was elected President of Iran heavily favored by women and young people (1997)...

Once Bound for Slaughterhouse Horse Becomes Prize Winner

Tue, 22 May 2012 19:02:22 +0100

Can Ace, the reddish-brown, strong-bodied animal with the outsized personality really be the same horse that arrived several months ago, malnourished and afflicted with a variety of maladies? Indeed, in eight short months, Ace has gone from pitiful horse to prizewinning thoroughbred, thanks to volunteers with a new nonprofit organization that wants to train and find new homes for neglected and abused horses....

The Right Way to Try to Buy Happiness

Tue, 22 May 2012 18:04:42 +0100

I always felt like it was a lie whenever I heard people say, "Money can't buy you happiness". Recent research proves my instinct was correct. It's not saying that more money in anyone's pocket will instantly lift them into a blissful nirvana, but rather, it shows that people might not be spending their money in the right way....

Bipartisan Senators Come Together With New Bill to Spur US Job Growth

Tue, 22 May 2012 16:13:17 +0100

Two Republican senators have joined two Democratic Senators to try and bust the myth that nothing can get done in an election year. They launched Startup Act 2.0, a bipartisan bill aimed at jumpstarting small businesses to power the US economy. Senators Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) hope to create an environment in which entrepreneurs from around the world can succeed in creating American jobs. Startup Act 2.0 picks up where the JOBS Ac...

Joplin Citizens Honored by President on Anniversary of Worst Tornado in US History (w/ Video)

Tue, 22 May 2012 14:02:01 +0100

Today marks the one year anniversary of the deadly tornado that ripped through Joplin, Missouri, killing 161 and displacing thousands. President Obama delivered the commencement address to the Joplin High School class of 2012 -- the first group of students to graduate since the storm, students who attended their senior-year classes in a shopping mall. "But here in Joplin, you’ve also learned that we have the power to grow from these experiences," said Obama. "We can define our own lives not b...

Good News on this day in History, May 22

Tue, 22 May 2012 04:00:00 +0100

U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Amnesty Act restoring full civil rights to most Confederate sympathizers (1872) Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, the longest-running US children's television series, aired its first episode (1967) Pacman, the ground-breaking arcade game, was first introduced (1980)...

Teenage Physics Wonder Turns to Nuclear Safety

Mon, 21 May 2012 21:31:17 +0100

It may sound scary for a teenager to be handling radiation, but Taylor Wilson's radioactive rocks are safe. There's never been any reason for concern, until he decided to build his own reactor -- in his garage. He was trying to produce nuclear fission -- because he thought he could. "There's nothing that's impossible to me. You can ask my parents," he said. At the age of 14, the Nevada teen became the youngest person on earth to create fusion. Before he could even drive a car, he unlocked the s...

Teenage Physics Wonder Turns to Nuclear Safety

Mon, 21 May 2012 21:31:17 +0100

Free Bicycles Help Keep Indian Girls in School

Mon, 21 May 2012 14:47:35 +0100

The daily trip to high school was expensive, long and eventually, too much for Indian teenager Nahid Farzana, who decided she was going to drop out. Then, the state government gave her a bicycle. Two years later, she is about to graduate from high school and wants to be a teacher. The government program, designed to help girls in Bihar, one of India's poorest states, has been so successful at keeping teenage girls in school, the bike giveaways have spread to neighboring states....

Son of Actors Bogart and Bacall to Raise Funds for Ohio Farm Where Parents Wed

Mon, 21 May 2012 14:07:58 +0100

Stephen Bogart, the oldest child of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, is planning a visit to the historical Ohio landmark where his parents were married, a farm in need of major repairs. The current administrators of Malabar Farm, owned in 1945 by novelist Louis Bromfield, will host several public meet-and-greet sessions, lunches and dinners with Mr. Bogart, along with Tyrone Power Jr., son of film star Tyrone Power, to raise funds for a building renovation....

Egyptian Orchestra Spotlights All-Blind Female Musicians

Mon, 21 May 2012 13:43:00 +0100

From its musical sounds, it's just like any other professional orchestra. But the assembly of white-veiled Egyptian women in matching black gowns has a startling difference. Every woman in the orchestra is blind. The women in Cairo's Egyptian Blind Girls Chamber Orchestra first study the songs in braille, memorizing every note on their sheet music. The group has already performed on five continents and in 24 countries....

Good News on this day in History, May 21

Mon, 21 May 2012 04:00:00 +0100

The nation of Colombia abolished slavery (1851)
Clara Barton established The American Red Cross (1881)
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association, FIFA, was founded in Paris (1904)

15 California Parks Rescued by Generous Donation

Sun, 20 May 2012 19:00:31 +0100

Last year, when the California Department of Parks and Recreation announced that one quarter of the state's parks would be shut down due to budget cuts, concerned citizens across the state were galvanized to action. Now, a month before parks around the state are scheduled to close their gates, a private, non-profit foundation has come to the rescue, offering money that would keep 15 of those parks open for at least a year....

15 California Parks Rescued by Generous Donation

Sun, 20 May 2012 19:00:31 +0100

For 50th Annv. of United Farm Workers, Navy Christens USS Cesar Chavez

Sun, 20 May 2012 14:03:07 +0100

This weekend, the United Farm Workers is holding its fiftieth anniversary. In 1962, Cesar and Helen Chavez and Dolores Huerta began their struggle to improve the life of farm workers. Last week, on Cinco Mayo, the United States Navy christened and launched the USNS Cesar Chavez, continuing the Navy's rich tradition of naming supply ships after pioneers, explorers and visionaries by honoring the man who worked tirelessly to promote fair working conditions for all Americans....

Good News on this day in History, May 20

Sun, 20 May 2012 04:00:00 +0100

Levi Strauss received a US patent for blue jeans with copper rivets (1873) The Saturday Evening Post published its first cover with a Norman Rockwell painting, "Boy with Baby Carriage" (1916) Amelia Earhart began the world's first solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean by a female pilot, taking off in Newfoundland and landing the next day in a pasture in Derry, Northern Ireland (1932)...

90 Percent of Endangered Species Recovering on Time

Sat, 19 May 2012 18:59:13 +0100

A new Center for Biological Diversity analysis of 110 endangered species finds that 90 percent are on track to meet recovery goals set by federal scientists. The review examined population trends of plants and animals protected by the Endangered Species Act in all 50 states, including wolves, sandhill cranes, terns and Tennessee coneflowers. Again and again, the analysis finds species on a positive trajectory toward recovery — and in some cases, exceeding expectations....

90 Percent of Endangered Species Recovering on Time

Sat, 19 May 2012 18:59:13 +0100

Class of 1987 Asks Forgiveness for Bullying

Sat, 19 May 2012 16:54:51 +0100

A woman says a Facebook poem she posted about bullying has brought pleas for forgiveness from former classmates who tormented her at a California high school 25 years ago. Now, some of those classmates want to make amends and have asked Lynda Frederick, 42, of Rochester, N.Y., to attend her 25th high school reunion in Escondido, Calif., this summer, compliments of the Orange Glen High School Class of 1987....

Class of 1987 Asks Forgiveness for Bullying

Sat, 19 May 2012 16:54:51 +0100

Canada Records Best Two-month Jobs Gain in 30 years

Sat, 19 May 2012 15:56:21 +0100

Canada booked its best two-month employment gain in three decades with news Friday that the economy churned out 58,200 new jobs in April. The report was far stronger than anyone anticipated with Canadians able to find net new jobs in seven provinces across the country, many full-time and in the high-paying manufacturing, construction and resource industries....

Number of Happy Russians Breaks Record

Sat, 19 May 2012 15:46:08 +0100

The number of happy Russians rose to a record 82 percent in April, eclipsing the previous high of 77 percent recorded in March 2008, All-Russia Public Opinion Research Center reported on Monday.

Roadside Raw Milk Vending Machine Offers Cow-venience

Sat, 19 May 2012 14:07:45 +0100

"Village Milk", a New Zealand dairy farmer has installed a roadside milk dispenser that serves it raw. Today is Global Food Revolution Day, which encourages steps toward a healthier lifestyle. Maybe raw milk is one alternative you might want to try. The Golden Bay family farm, with its twenty-two cows, invested in a state of the art milk machine to sell fresh, hygienic, raw milk 24 hours a day. Customers can buy up to five liters of unpasteurized milk, and even get change....

Good News on this day in History, May 19

Sat, 19 May 2012 04:00:00 +0100

The electric fire alarm system was patented in Boston, Mass., the first city to adopt the system (1857) Oscar Wilde was released from Reading Gaol prison having served 2 years hard labor for "gross indecency" (1897) Apple, Inc. opened its first "Genius Bars", where customers can go get free tech support, in Tysons Corner, Va., and Glendale, Calif. (2001)...

Maternal Deaths Drop By Nearly Half Worldwide Over 20 Years

Fri, 18 May 2012 19:40:36 +0100

The number of women dying of pregnancy and childbirth related complications has almost halved in 20 years, according to a new joint U.N. report released yesterday. From 1990 to 2010, the annual number of maternal deaths dropped from more than 543,000 to 287,000 – a decline of 47 percent....

Maternal Deaths Drop By Nearly Half Worldwide Over 20 Years

Fri, 18 May 2012 19:40:36 +0100

Passion for Artisan Bread Puts Wind in the Sails of Britain's Mills

Fri, 18 May 2012 13:26:10 +0100

A growing appetite for artisan bread produced by Britain's burgeoning army of small independent bakeries has set the wheels turning again in previously defunct windmills that have stood forlorn for decades. Thanks to Britain's changing appetites, a new generation of millers is surging to meet the demand for traditional flour. Britons flock to visit mills, as hundreds -- wind- and water-powered -- open their doors to the public....

Musician Passengers Break Out in Song on Delayed Airliner (Top Videos)

Fri, 18 May 2012 12:56:27 +0100

Airline passengers were lucky to be stuck on the tarmac last week when 7 members of a folk band erupted with a lively impromptu 4-song set aboard the packed Air Canada flight. The Toronto-based Lemon Bucket Orkestra, which plays traditional jigs and energetic Eastern European folk music, was setting off for Romania to play a festival in Bucarest....

Japanese Consumers Lead Economic Rebound in First Quarter

Fri, 18 May 2012 10:53:08 +0100

Japan's economy bounced back in the first quarter from a year-end lull, powering ahead of other major industrial nations thanks to rebuilding of the tsunami-battered northeast, solid private spending and some improvement in exports. The first-quarter rise in gross domestic product translated into an annualized rate of growth of 4.1 percent....

Good News on this day in History, May 18

Fri, 18 May 2012 04:00:00 +0100

Rhode Island passed the first law in North America making slavery illegal (1652) In the midst of the Great Depression, U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt created the Tennessee Valley Authority to establish navigation, flood control, electricity generation and economic development in the Tennessee River Valley, one of the poorest regions in the country at the time, covering parts of seven states (1933)...

New Zealanders Knit Colorful "Cosy" for Ugly Shipping Container

Thu, 17 May 2012 15:43:04 +0100

Strangers from around the world have sent hand-knit squares of wool to help Christchurch, New Zealand beautify their ominous earthquake protection barrier. Hundreds of giant shipping containers were placed at the bottom of cliffs to protect homes and cars below from falling rocks in the wake of aftershocks in June 2011 that shook the area and damaged homes. A local woman had the idea of creating a "shipping cosy" to cover one of the ugly containers, and invited the community to donate color...

New Zealanders Knit Colorful "Cosy" for Ugly Shipping Container

Thu, 17 May 2012 15:43:04 +0100

Kentucky Man Buys Out K-Mart Store, Donates it All to Charity

Thu, 17 May 2012 14:32:31 +0100

A business owner realized, "It's time to give back," after years of seeing needy people selling their stuff in his jewelry-exchange business. Rankin Paynter, who was shopping at a Kmart store that was closing its doors in Winchester, Kentucky, decided on-the-spot to buy the rest of its contents and give it away to charity....

Kentucky Man Buys Out K-Mart Store, Donates it All to Charity

Thu, 17 May 2012 14:32:31 +0100

UK Joblessness Falls Unexpectedly, Pointing to Economic Resilience

Thu, 17 May 2012 14:22:11 +0100

The number of Britons out of work fell at the fastest pace in nearly a year in the three months to March, official data showed on Wednesday, pointing to some underlying resilience in the economy. The number of people claiming jobless benefit unexpectedly fell last month by 13,700—the largest drop since July 2010. (Analysts had forecast an increase of 5,000 on the month.)...

Hawaii Becomes First State to Ban Plastic Bags at Checkout

Thu, 17 May 2012 13:45:01 +0100

By now, it’s hardly news when a city bans plastic bags at checkout counters -- but an entire state? That’s happened in Hawaii, where Honolulu County has joined the state’s three other counties to give Hawaii a first-in-the-nation title. "Passing the bans did take an effort -- change always does -- but people seemed to understand the need for such an effort," said the Sierra Club's Hawaii spokesperson about the two-year campaign....

Good News on this day in History, May 17

Thu, 17 May 2012 04:00:00 +0100

The saxophone was patented by Adolphe Sax (1846) Watergate hearings began in the United States Senate and were televised (1973) Lebanon and Israel sign an American brokered agreement on Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon (1983) The World Health Organization takes Homosexuality out of its list of mental illnesses (1992)...

US Industrial Output Rebounds Strongly in April, Jobs Returning from China

Wed, 16 May 2012 20:17:34 +0100

Industrial production in the U.S. surged in April, with the data from factories, mines and utilities rising 1.1 percent, the strongest gain since December 2010 and well above expectations. The Federal Reserve said Wednesday there were gains across the board. Factory activity alone rose 0.6% in April, boosted by the robust auto industry, which increased 3.9%. Production of high-tech goods rose 2.3% Over the past 22 months, if you dive into the numbers, you'll notice several positive manufacturin...

US Industrial Output Rebounds Strongly in April, Jobs Returning from China

Wed, 16 May 2012 20:17:34 +0100

Boy who was Saved at Sea by Coast Guard Joins Their Ranks 18 Years Later

Wed, 16 May 2012 16:56:35 +0100

A 6-year-old boy and his mother probably would have died of starvation at sea had the Coast Guard not found them and their fellow migrants, lost and out of food after leaving Haiti on a crowded wooden dinghy destined for America. The gratitude he felt as a boy led Orlando Morel to eventually join the Coast Guard. Today, 18 years later, he graduates as a cadet....

Woman Overcomes Bus Crash and Coma to Make Olympic Run

Wed, 16 May 2012 16:35:18 +0100

Just one year ago international athlete Stacy Sykora lingered in a medically-induced coma after her volleyball team's bus flipped and she was knocked unconscious. She staged a recovery that stunned her doctors and placed her on the road to a triumphant comeback. She is battling to earn a spot on her fourth Olympic team, feeling unconditional gratitude for each day....

Students in Tornado-hit Town Gifted a Personal Concert by Grammy Stars Lady Antebellum

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:10:15 +0100

Tornadoes battered their school and their homes. Their spring break was filled with cleanup and recovery work that has only just begun. But for one night, students at a southern Indiana high school will put all that aside to enjoy a personal evening one of country music's biggest acts. Tomorrow night, Lady Antebellum will perform in Henryville, Ind., where the trio will stage a "mini-prom" bash for students, followed by a benefit for the devastated community....

Good News on this day in History, May 16

Wed, 16 May 2012 04:00:00 +0100

Charles Hires introduced his root beer, a drink of over 25 herbs, berries and roots (1866) A single vote in the United States Senate saved President Andrew Johnson from impeachment (1868) In Rome, Pope Benedict XV canonized Joan of Arc as a saint (1920)...

Never Give Up! Disabled Vet Walks Again, Loses 100lbs With Yoga (Top Videos)

Wed, 16 May 2012 01:13:21 +0100

A disabled veteran for many years, he could only hobble with a cane. In desperation and overweight, he found help from a special yoga instructor. Watch how, through sheer force of will, he became an inspiration of perseverance for all who strive for improvement and success. ...

6 in 10 Americans Optimistic That Economy is Looking Up, Happier Than at Any Time Since 2008

Tue, 15 May 2012 13:33:47 +0100

Two-thirds of Americans are optimistic that they will be better off financially next year than they are now, according to a new USA Today/Gallup poll. Though most Americans say the current economic conditions are poor, "58 percent say they believe the economy will be good in 2013, while two-thirds predicted that their personal finances will be better by next year," reports Politico. In a separate Gallup poll, fewer Americans are experiencing daily worry or stress....

6 in 10 Americans Optimistic That Economy is Looking Up, Happier Than at Any Time Since 2008

Tue, 15 May 2012 13:33:47 +0100

Blind Chihuahua has a Guide Dog and Best Friend

Tue, 15 May 2012 13:20:36 +0100

Seeing eye dogs usually help blind people get around, but at one Florida Humane Society, there's one little dog who's actually helping out a four-legged friend. Max and Sarah are best friends. When you see one, the other is bound to be close by. Sarah is visually impaired and Max acts as her seeing-eye dog....

Military Families to Get Free Passes to National Parks

Tue, 15 May 2012 13:10:19 +0100

Members of the U.S. military and their families are being given free annual passes to national parks and iconic national monuments as part of an ongoing effort by First Lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden to show appreciation to service members and help them wherever possible. As part of the Joining Forces initiative to support our nation’s military families, several U.S. government agencies will be issuing the passes to active duty service members and their dependents, granting free access to ...

George Lucas Proposes Building Affordable Housing on his Ranch

Tue, 15 May 2012 13:03:37 +0100

After years of trying unsuccessfully to develop a movie facility on his expansive property in Northern California, Filmmaker George Lucas has proposed building affordable housing, instead. The Marin Community Foundation has stepped in to work with Lucasfilm to explore options to develop the site for people who otherwise couldn't afford to live in super-wealthy Marin County....

Good News on this day in History, May 15

Tue, 15 May 2012 04:00:00 +0100

Paraguay declares independence from Spain (1811) Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton form the National Woman Suffrage Association campaigning for a woman's right to vote (1869) Mickey and Minnie Mouse first appeared in the animated short, Plane Crazy (1928) Nylon stockings first went on sale in the U.S. (1940) The Beatles last LP, Let It Be, was released in the U.S. (1970)...

Wild Animals Gather Inexplicably to Mourn the Death of The Elephant Whisperer

Mon, 14 May 2012 14:57:57 +0100

Author and legendary conservationist Lawrence Anthony died March 7. His family tells of a solemn procession on March 10 that defies human explanation. For 12 hours, two herds of wild South African elephants slowly made their way through the Zululand bush until they reached the house of the conservationist who had died suddenly, the man who saved their lives. But how did they know he had died?...

Wild Animals Gather Inexplicably to Mourn the Death of The Elephant Whisperer

Mon, 14 May 2012 14:57:57 +0100

She Found Her Passion Reuniting Tornado Victims With Lost Photos

Mon, 14 May 2012 14:13:07 +0100

After a massive tornado hit Joplin, Missouri last year, thousands of families whose homes were destroyed lost their most treasured mementos. But thanks to the dedication and hard work of Abi Almandinger, tornado survivors have been reunited with thousands of old photographs that were blown away in the wind and found by strangers....

She Found Her Passion Reuniting Tornado Victims With Lost Photos

Mon, 14 May 2012 14:13:07 +0100

Church Leaders Forgive, Offer Funeral Services for Homeless Man Who Killed Priest

Mon, 14 May 2012 12:07:15 +0100

The Episcopal Diocese of Maryland is offering forgiveness and a funeral service for a homeless man who killed himself after fatally shooting a priest and church secretary last week. Bishop Eugene Taylor Sutton and an academic expert on forgiveness likened the diocese's attitude to that of the Amish community in Lancaster County, Pa., that forgave the man who fatally shot five school girls there in 2006....

Twitter Users Prevent 'Real-time Suicide' Using Social Media

Mon, 14 May 2012 11:27:03 +0100

A Twitter user who threatened to commit a "real-time suicide" with live commentary was rescued by social media followers who became concerned by her online messages. The Tweeter claimed to be a transsexual video producer, and told followers at around 7pm: "Stockpiled my meds - tonight is the night..."...

Good News on this day in History, May 14

Mon, 14 May 2012 04:00:00 +0100

Jamestown, Virginia became the first lasting English settlement, establishing the American Colonies (1607) In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, delegates first meet to write a new Constitution for the United States (1787) The Lewis and Clark Expedition began their historic journey by traveling up the Missouri River (1804)...

Son Defies Odds to Walk into Returning Soldier's Arms

Sun, 13 May 2012 14:17:44 +0100

U.S. Marine Staff Sergeant Jeremy Cooney had been told that his son, Michael, born cerebral palsy, would never walk. But when the soldier returned home from Afghanistan, his 6-year-old son had a big surprise for him. While Jeremy was deployed, Michael discovered how to stand up unassisted. His teachers then began trying to teach him how to walk with a cane. Michael did them one better: he took several steps on his own. When the soldier returned home to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, he didn't ...

Son Defies Odds to Walk into Returning Soldier's Arms

Sun, 13 May 2012 14:17:44 +0100

Heartbroken Man Giving Away Holiday for Two After Break-up - You Can Win

Sun, 13 May 2012 13:33:54 +0100

Tom Frankenburg wants to give away a holiday trip for two to Malta. He booked the $1,600 trip before he and his girlfriend split, and is now hoping to pay it forward. "I genuinely want to get rid of this holiday and after a lot of thought, I thought this would be the best way to do it," said the young British bloke on his YouTube page. "It's going to be something I'll remember forever and I think it's going to be fun."...

Heartbroken Man Giving Away Holiday for Two After Break-up - You Can Win

Sun, 13 May 2012 13:33:54 +0100

Chinese Researchers Quantum Teleport Photons Over 60 Miles

Sun, 13 May 2012 13:20:45 +0100

Since 1997, researchers have been able to quantum teleport photons. In 2010, a team from the University of Science and Technology of China in Shanghai successfully teleported a photon over 16km. Now that same team has released new findings, in which they claim to have teleported photons or over 60 miles (nearly 100km)....

Sewage-Sniffing Dogs Locate Trouble Spots Along Milwaukee River

Sun, 13 May 2012 13:09:39 +0100

Canines have a sense of smell 1,000 times better than humans. So, you might imagine how amazing a dog could be at finding unwanted sewage draining into urban storm sewers. Such discharges usually come from failing infrastructure or illegal connections in sewage systems and result in nasty point-source pollution being flushed into area rivers. Now, Milwaukee Riverkeepers has partnered with Environmental Canine Services to sniff and test over 50 manholes around Milwaukee....

Good News on this day in History, May 13

Sun, 13 May 2012 04:00:00 +0100

In 1914, the U.S. Congress passed legislation establishing the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. Anna Jarvis finally fulfilled her mother's longing for a holiday that commemorated all mothers. Starting in 1905 after her mom's death, she campaigned tirelessly toward that end and launched a letter-writing campaign aimed at congressmen. Mother's Day honors the uncompensated — and sometimes unappreciated — work of mothering. (A 2006 survey by Salary.com showed that if stay-at-home...

Kindness Challenge Winner Makes Handmade Toys to Give Away

Sat, 12 May 2012 19:35:14 +0100

A retired man in California is one of three winners of the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation's Kindness Challenge. The wood-working carpenter is bringing smiles to the faces of hundreds of kids with handmade toys created in his workshop garage. His wife died 10 years ago and he needed something to keep him busy. "I just love making things for people."...

Kindness Challenge Winner Makes Handmade Toys to Give Away

Sat, 12 May 2012 19:35:14 +0100

Gold! Haiti Finds Potential $20 Billion of Precious Buried Ore

Sat, 12 May 2012 17:16:15 +0100

Exploratory drilling in Haiti has uncovered gold and silver deep inside the country's northeastern mountains that may help relive centuries of poverty in the Caribbean nation. Now, a Haitian engineer and his firm, SOMINE, is drilling around the clock to determine how to excavate the precious metals, potentially worth $20 billion....

Teen Driving Deaths Tumble 64 Percent Across US

Sat, 12 May 2012 12:45:10 +0100

Traffic deaths for all age groups continue to plunge at a record-shattering pace across America. But the drop among teen drivers is especially important, given that traffic accidents are the leading cause of death for teens. Teenage driving deaths, registering a historic decrease, dropped 64 percent since 1975....

'Dead' Man Wakes at Funeral

Sat, 12 May 2012 11:25:59 +0100

The funeral of a 28-year-old waiter in southern Egypt turned into a celebration when he woke up after being declared dead. Hospital officials had pronounced dead Hamdi Hafez al-Nubi, after he suffered a heart attack while working. The burial ceremony was about to begin when a doctor was called in to sign the death certificate....

Good News on this day in History, May 12

Sat, 12 May 2012 04:00:00 +0100

National University of San Marcos, the oldest university in the Americas, was founded in Lima, Peru (1551) Florence Nightingale was born in England and came to prominence for her pioneering work in nursing, tending injured soldiers, and laying the foundation of professional nursing with the establishment of St Thomas's Hospital in London, the first secular nursing school in the world - International Nurses Day (1820)...

Town Rallies to Deliver One Last Gift to Fallen Soldier's Wife

Fri, 11 May 2012 16:42:04 +0100

The community of Laramie, Wyoming came together with strangers across the country in a touching tribute to a US soldier who never got the chance to finish a project which was to become a significant gift for his wife. Before being deployed to Afghanistan with the National Guard, Captain Bruce Hays paid an auto mechanic $17,000 to transform the rusty shell of 1959 Chevy truck into a surprise gift that would remind his wife of fond memories with her father, who drove the same model....

Town Rallies to Deliver One Last Gift to Fallen Soldier's Wife

Fri, 11 May 2012 16:42:04 +0100

Happiness for Scotland's Saddest Dog

Fri, 11 May 2012 14:17:21 +0100

Scooby, the two-year-old bull terrier of Staffordshire, dubbed Scotland's saddest dog, was back to his bubbly best yesterday after being found a new home. Last week, the Daily Record revealed how Scooby had been in kennels for so long she was “dying of depression”....

New Ad Gives Olympic Moms (and Regular Moms) Their Due

Fri, 11 May 2012 13:49:11 +0100

When you think of Olympic heroes, you think of those gold-medal winning performances. That record-setting swim race. The lightning-fast relay. The winning gymnastic routine. But a new video ad from Procter & Gamble puts the spotlight on an entirely different hero: The Olympic mom. They are the ones who got up earlier than everyone else to feed and drive their little athletes to pre-dawn practices for all those years. The ones who logged millions of miles chauffeuring to games and competiti...

US Panel Approves Pill to Prevent HIV Infection

Fri, 11 May 2012 11:14:56 +0100

"We are in an era now, for the the first time, when we can foresee the end of the AIDS epidemic." said an expert speaking about the new pill, Truvada, a drug to prevent HIV infection in healthy people that was just recommended for use by a US advisory panel. Studies from 2010 showed that Truvada reduced the risk of HIV in healthy gay men - and among HIV-negative heterosexual partners of people who are HIV-positive - by between 44% and 73%....

Good News on this day in History, May 11

Fri, 11 May 2012 04:00:00 +0100

Andrew Carnegie donated $1.5 million to build the Peace Palace (right), near the Hague and home to the Permanent Court of Arbitration, peace library and grounds (1904) An act of the U.S. Congress established Glacier National Park in Montana (1910)...

Unemployed Man's Luck Changes Finding Signed Picasso Print

Thu, 10 May 2012 21:14:46 +0100

An unemployed man down on his luck was browsing in a Columbus thrift store for items he could restore and resell when he spotted a Picasso poster with the word "Exposition" written across the front, some French words, and the image of a warped round face. He paid $14.14 for what he saw as a nice commercial print. Some Internet searches later — and a closer look at markings on the lower right area — and he sold what's believed to be a signed Picasso print for $7,000 to a private buyer....

Columbia University Janitor Graduates With Honors

Thu, 10 May 2012 13:45:37 +0100

A Yugoslavian-born custodian at New York's Columbia University will be trading in his uniform for a cap and gown this weekend when he graduates with honors after working on his degree for 12 years. Gac Filipaj, 52, will graduate with a bachelor's degree in classics with honors from Columbia's School of General Studies. He fled to the United States from war-torn Yugoslavia in 1992, leaving behind his parents and siblings. Arriving in New York speaking virtually no English, he asked where the bes...

Columbia University Janitor Graduates With Honors

Thu, 10 May 2012 13:45:37 +0100

Hero Pit Bull Pulls Unconscious Owner From Train's Path

Thu, 10 May 2012 11:53:02 +0100

A pit bull named Lilly is being hailed a hero after she pulled her unconscious owner from the path of a freight train last week, and was severely hurt in the process. An engineer of a westward-bound freight train saw a dog pulling a woman away from the tracks in the early hours of May 3. The dog had been adopted to help the woman with her alcohol addiction....

Microsoft Pledges to Become Carbon Neutral by July 1

Thu, 10 May 2012 10:23:28 +0100

Weeks after coming under fire for using excessive energy for cloud computing, Microsoft announced it will become carbon neutral across all of its operations starting July 1.

The software giant pledged to turn green all of its data centers, software development labs, air travel, and office buildings.

Good News on this day in History, May 10

Thu, 10 May 2012 04:00:00 +0100

The First Transcontinental Railroad, linking the eastern and western United States, is completed at Promontory Summit, Utah using a golden spike (1869) The first Southern Sociological Congress ended after addressing social, civic and economic problems of 16 southern states, an example of government, social agencies and churches working together for social betterment (1912)...

Orangutans Use iPads to Communicate and Have Fun at Zoos Around the US

Wed, 09 May 2012 20:35:50 +0100

Joining several zoos experimenting with computers and apes, a Miami zoo is letting its six orangutans use an iPad to communicate as part of a mental stimulus program to keep them from getting bored or depressed. Orangutans are extremely intelligent but limited by their physical inability to talk. The devices help them communicate with humans who don't know their sign language, but they also provide fun and enrichment, especially favorite apps like DrawFree and Flick Kick Football....

Orangutans Use iPads to Communicate and Have Fun at Zoos Around the US

Wed, 09 May 2012 20:35:50 +0100

Highway Deaths in 2011 Reach All Time Low

Wed, 09 May 2012 20:00:07 +0100

US highway deaths declined again last year, reaching their lowest rate, when compared to miles driven, since record-keeping began in 1921, according to government data.

With Help of a 'Bionic' Suit, Paralyzed Woman Finishes London Marathon (Video)

Wed, 09 May 2012 14:00:35 +0100

A 32-year-old British woman paralyzed from the chest down has finished the London marathon after 16 days of walking with the help of a "bionic" suit. Although Claire Lomas was not eligible to receive a medal, more than a dozen runners donated theirs, in a touching tribute after an Olympic rowing champion launched a Twitter campaign to get her one....

Good News on this day in History, May 9

Wed, 09 May 2012 04:00:00 +0100

First political cartoon appears in a newspaper: America as divided snake (8 colonies pondering revolution) "Join or die" -- by Benjamin Franklin (1754)
Czechoslovakia liberated from Nazi occupation National Day (1945)

Company Hits Milestone With $1Billion Spent on College Degrees for Employees

Wed, 09 May 2012 04:00:00 +0100

Sometimes big companies actually do good things for their employees during bad times. And keep on doing it, quietly, without making a fuss. United Technologies Corp., a hard-nosed industrial conglomerate that makes things like aircraft engines and elevators, reached an unusual milestone: spending $1 billion on a program to send its employees to college....

Holocaust Survivor at 108: "I was Thankful and Happy" (Top Videos)

Wed, 09 May 2012 03:48:49 +0100

At 108 years old, Alice Herz-Sommer is the world's oldest survivor of the holocaust. During WWII she survived a Nazi concentration camp in Prague while most of her family was exterminated. But through it all she was smiling and thankful and looked for the good. She still plays piano every day, a lifelong talent she credits as saving her from the war....

5-Year-Old Leukemia Patient, Uses 'Make-A-Wish' To Serve Needy Kids

Tue, 08 May 2012 20:28:27 +0100

Leland Camara, a 5-year-old battling leukemia, was far from selfish when he requested two wishes from the Make-A-Wish Foundation instead of just one. His first wish was to go on trip to Disneyland with his parents, his twin brother and their older sister. His second wish: To serve hungry kids in his Anchorage, Alaska community, "because I wanted to help out."...

"Hangover" Producer Brings College Program to Juvenile Inmates, Changing Lives

Tue, 08 May 2012 13:45:32 +0100

The film producer responsible for the Hangover films teamed up with a young inmate to create an innovative college program that allows hundreds of prisoners to study and live together in prison. It rewards good behavior and those who want to learn. So far 75 inmates have graduated and those who finish the program are far less likely to return to their troubled ways -- a three percent recidivism rate, compared to the average 60 percent....

Free Food, Caring and Sharing: New Spirit of Community in Yorkshire

Tue, 08 May 2012 11:32:15 +0100

There is an extraordinary sign on the outside of a well-tended West Yorkshire vegetable garden: "Help yourself." It is part of the expanding "sharing revolution" across the UK. Sweet corn grown around town is for all to take, orchards planted to bear fruit is free for the taking. Commuters can snip fresh herbs from pots outside the railway station. It's all kept weeded by an army of local people who give up an hour or so on the occasional Sunday....

Once an Urban Landfill, Now a Rowing Paradise

Tue, 08 May 2012 11:09:20 +0100

Near the junction of the New Jersey Turnpike and Interstate 80, not far from the conga line of traffic grinding toward New York City, lies a body of water that was once a garbage dump, a murky soup of stinking refuse and plastic bottles. But after a recent renaissance, that body of water, Overpeck Creek, and the new park abutting it have become a destination for rowers from New York City....

Good News on this day in History, May 8

Tue, 08 May 2012 04:00:00 +0100

Churchill waves to crowds as the war with Germany had been won, May 8, 1945 Paramount Pictures was founded (1914) Mohandas Gandhi began a 21-day fast in protest of British oppression in India (1933) V-E Day (Victory in Europe Day) proclaimed when the Allies finally defeated Nazi Germany; For Germans "a day of liberation" from the Nazi government (1945) The Beatles album "Let It Be" was released (1970) ...

Dog Nobody Wanted is Honored as National Lifesaving Hero

Mon, 07 May 2012 23:03:30 +0100

Three years ago, Bear was a 100-pound Shiloh German shepherd nobody wanted at a Texas shelter. Monday, he was given the 30th National Hero Dog award by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for rescuing Debbie Zeisler from numerous seizures since his adoption. Even without formal training, the dog can sense each and every episode before it happens. The 5 year-old dog from Milsap, Texas is a living testament to how being kind to animals can deliver the ultimate reward....

Dog Nobody Wanted is Honored as National Lifesaving Hero

Mon, 07 May 2012 23:03:30 +0100

Paralyzed Girl Succeeds in Getting Out of Wheelchair

Mon, 07 May 2012 11:13:21 +0100

Vanessa Cantu considers herself an incredibly optimistic person. When she was a freshman in high school she was involved in a serious car accident. Her seat belt didn’t work and without its support her spine broke and she suffered severe, internal injuries. She was kept in an induced coma for weeks. When she woke up she wanted to know why she couldn’t feel her legs....

Paralyzed Girl Succeeds in Getting Out of Wheelchair

Mon, 07 May 2012 11:13:21 +0100

Turkish Leader is Hero for Opening Doors to Syrian Refugees

Mon, 07 May 2012 10:50:48 +0100

Treated to a hero's welcome, Turkey's prime minister met Syrian refugees Sunday for the first time since his country opened its doors to tens of thousands of Syrians fleeing their government's crackdown on a popular uprising. Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to defend the rights of the Syrian people, saying they were close to achieving success. He was greeted by joyous Syrians at the largest refugee camp near the border....

Sudan: All We Are Tweeting is Give Peace a Chance

Mon, 07 May 2012 09:38:57 +0100

As Sudan and South Sudan sink into full-scale conflict and hostile rhetoric nine months after the country split in two, people from both sides of the border are tweeting a very different message, one of peace, solidarity and frustration with their leaders. These voices are galvanized around the hashtag '#NewSudans' and includes Tweets like, "I'm not Arab, I'm not African, I'm not Afro-Arab, and I don't belong to any tribe, I'm just Sudanese. I'm not from Khartoum, nor from Omdurman, I'm from Sud...