Thanks, in part, to a million dollar donation from BP last week, watermen and their families are getting the help they need in Gulf coast areas where shrimp boats are docked alongside waters polluted with oil.
Food is being distributed for the people, while animals needing to be cleaned are being rescued. Many fewer birds and turtles than expected have needed assistance, so far.
WATCH the Making a Difference video below, or at MSNBC.
A Seattle-area man who lost his father when he was six months old during World War II has been able to conjure a vision of the man he never knew thanks to what he calls several miracles — including a chance comment made by a nurse at a local hospital which led to a trip to meet his dad’s war buddies.
(READ the story at the Seattle Times)
Operation Heroes & Hounds gives injured or traumatized members of the U.S. armed forces the chance to work with shelter dogs. Using a positive, playful approach called The Loved Dog method the program makes a difference in the lives of homeless animals, while the soldiers get a chance to rebuild their self esteem, sense of purpose, and lives as civilians.
The healing power of dogs is not a new concept. Prison dogs (and other animals) programs have been successful for years in helping rehabilitate inmates and give shelter dogs a better chance at adoption. Having animals around is also known to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, relieve loneliness, and ease depression. And now they’re doing their part to help the men and women who have served our country transition back into society.
Performing artist Jack Johnson began a 35-city tour in Connecticut, during which biodiesel will be used to power all tour buses and generators for the planned concerts.
Johnson told USA Today that he was donating profits from the tour to the Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation, and said “We encourage banning plastic bags, cutting down on plastics, sustainable agriculture, nutrition in schools, supporting local farmers. Who can’t agree on that?”
(READ the Jack Johnson profile at USA Today– via biofuelsdigest.com)
Construction activity in the U.S. surged in April by the largest amount in nearly a decade. The unexpected gains could mean the hardest-hit sector of the economy is starting to recover.
Construction shot up 2.7 percent last month compared to March, the Commerce Department said Tuesday. It was the biggest one-month improvement since August 2000.
(READ the AP story at National Public Radio )
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Searching for a mode of creative expression after losing her camera, Penny Proudfoot began writing messages of inspiration and humor for commuters along the busy 2-lane road outside her home.
“Did you make a difference today?” “Enjoy what you already have.” “Don’t eat the yellow snow.” She estimates she has written more than 200 phrases.
They didn’t go unnoticed. Drivers who were reading the board started writing back.
“Dear Ms. Motivator, Thank you for the daily message. I drive by every day and really enjoy your board. It makes me laugh or think and appreciate the small pleasures in life…”
(READ the story in the Washington Post)
Through Saturday, almost 400,000 games were played in Major League Baseball’s 135-year history.
Twenty of them were pitched perfectly.
But what had been a once-in-a-generation phenomenon has turned into twice-in-a-month lightning.
Of the two latest perfect games, pitched by the Phillies’ Roy Halladay on Saturday and Oakland’s Dallas Braden on May 9, San Francisco reliever Jeremy Affeldt said, “I think it baffles everybody that there were two perfect games in one month.”
(READ the story from Major League Baseball)
Eating cheese boosts the immune system of older people, according to a new study by scientists in Finland.
Researchers found that cheese can act as a carrier for probiotic bacteria, widely regarded as beneficial to immune health.
Scientists at the University of Turku in Finland discovered that probiotic cheese can tackle the age-related deterioration of the immune system known as immunosenescene.
(READ more at CNN.com)
There haven’t been so many bald eagle chicks on the Channel Islands in 50 years — since chemicals contaminated their food supply and destroyed all of the majestic birds on the Southern California island chain.
Fifteen chicks have hatched this year on three of the eight islands bringing to 36 the number of chicks that have survived since recovery efforts started in 2002.
The recovery project is being funded by the chemical companies and cities that dumped the pesticide.
(READ more at the San Francisco Chronicle)
The President made his second trip to the Gulf Coast Friday announcing his administration had tripled the manpower along the shoreline, beefing up a government response effort to contain and remove oil more quickly.
20,000 personnel are currently responding to protect the shoreline and wildlife. The President also stressed that executives from throughout his cabinet are working with people throughout Louisiana and across the region to work night and day to end the crisis.
Approximately 1,400 vessels are responding on site, including skimmers, tugs, barges, and recovery vessels to assist in containment and cleanup efforts—in addition to dozens of aircraft, remotely operated vehicles, and multiple mobile offshore drilling units.
Late last year, after eight months of service halfway around the world, I decided to take stock of myself.
By a conventional definition of being connected to the modern world, informed and up-to-date, I was woefully ignorant.
I was deployed in Afghanistan, and that combat sabbatical taught a completely different regimen of vital knowledge. This is a list of what I have learned…
(READ the column in the Washington Post)
Since October, about a 1,000 North Carolina students have been running laps before school.
The Mighty Milers is part of a New York City student running club and it has grown to include 100,000 students in 49 states and South Africa, logging over 1.6 million miles so far.
While the reduces child obesity rates, teachers see other benefits.
“I think it helps kids with their self-esteem,” said Aquadale Elementary School site coordinator Diane Walker. “I think it gets them excited about getting exercise. They like the social part of it too.”
(WATCH the video at News-14 Charlotte)
36-year-old Jonathan Trappe of Raleigh, N.C., floated across the English Channel Friday, powered only by a colorful cluster of helium-filled balloons.
Achieving every child’s dream, the trained pilot was suspended by nothing more then 54 helium filled-balloons, and at the mercy of channel winds, as he made his historic voyage landing in a lettuce field on French soil.
(READ the story w/photo in the Telegraph — or LISTEN to the story at NPR)
RELATED STORY, Oregon, 2007: Lawnchair Takes Flight with Helium Balloons
The 2010 World Series Of Poker, which started yesterday, is encouraging players to donate one percent of their winnings to help find a cure through its Put A Bad Beat On Cancer campaign.
The event’s host, Harrah’s Entertainment, will feature a payout program for players cashing in to donate by checking a box that would safely transfer the funds.
Since its inception six years ago, Put A Bad Beat on Cancer has raised over $2 million for cancer prevention research and has grown to include other major poker tournaments, leagues and home games.
Also part of the 41st annual tournament, the third annual Ante Up For Africa celebrity poker match, has so far raised in excess of $1.5 million for groups working in Africa.
(READ more at OnlineCasinoNews.com)
WATCH the video below about Ante Up For Africa…
A junior varsity girls’ softball team from inner city Indianapolis was playing their first-ever game with only scant equipment and no experienced coaching staff.
Losing 50-0, they were determined to finish the game, until the opposing team offered to forfeit the win in order to spend the rest of the time helping the new players improve their skills.
The scene that broke out next, was a demonstration of true compassion: The all-white Roncalli High School team began teaching the kids from the Marshall Community team the right batting stance, throwing them soft-toss in the outfield, teaching them how to play catch. They showed them how to put on catching gear, how to pitch, and how to run the bases. Even the umps stuck around to watch.
Check Out: Teen Track Star Carries Fallen Opponent Across Finish Line
It was the end of the night, but the affluent Roncalli team wasn’t done helping. The coach asked all the parents of his players and anybody else he knew for more help for Marshall — used bats, gloves, helmets, money for cleats, gloves, sliders, socks and team shirts.
(READ the story at ESPN Sports)
A junior varsity girls’ softball team from inner city Indianapolis was playing their first-ever game with only scant equipment and no experienced coaching staff.
Trailing badly, they were determined to finish the game, until the opposing team offered to forfeit the win in order to spend the rest of the time helping the new players improve their skills.
The scene that broke out next, was a demonstration of true compassion: The all-white Roncalli High School team began teaching the kids from the Marshall Community team the right batting stance, throwing them soft-toss in the outfield, teaching them how to play catch. They showed them how to put on catching gear, how to pitch, and how to run the bases. Even the umps stuck around to watch.
It was the end of the night, but the affluent Roncalli team wasn’t done helping. The coach asked all the parents of his players and anybody else he knew for more help for Marshall — used bats, gloves, helmets, money for cleats, gloves, sliders, socks and team shirts.
(READ the story at ESPN Sports)
John Finn, the oldest living Medal of Honor recipient, whose modest demeanor belied his legendary status as an American hero, died Thursday at age 100.
Assigned to Naval Air Station Kaneohe Bay on Dec. 7, 1941, he was believed to be one of the first Americans to take up arms against the Japanese when they bombed the air base at Pearl Harbor, securing a .50-caliber machine gun mounted on a training stand in an exposed area of the parking ramp, which was under heavy machine-gun fire from Japanese planes. He continued for more than two hours despite being hit 21 times by bomb and bullet fragments.
His Medal of Honor citation credited him with “extraordinary heroism” and “devotion above and beyond the call of duty.”
The citation read, “Although painfully wounded many times, he continued to man this gun and to return the enemy’s fire vigorously and with telling effect throughout the enemy strafing and bombing attacks and with complete disregard for his own personal safety.”
(READ the full tribute at San Diego Union-Tribune)
Apple, Inc. shot past Microsoft, the computer software giant, on Wednesday to become the world’s most valuable technology company. This changing of the guard caps one of the most stunning turnarounds in business history.
As of Wednesday, Wall Street valued Apple at $222.12 billion and Microsoft at $219.18 billion. The only American company valued higher is Exxon Mobil, with a market capitalization of $278.64 billion.
A little more than a decade ago, Apple was widely believed to be on the path to extinction.
Michael Dell, the founder and chief executive of Dell computer, went so far as to suggest that Apple should shut down and return any money to shareholders. (Dell is now worth about a tenth of Apple.) Around the same time, Microsoft’s chief technology officer called Apple “already dead.”
(READ the story at the New York Times) Thanks to my Mac pal, Liz, for the link – Love it!
Coast Guard Cmdr. Thad Allen, who is in charge of overseeing the federal response to the BP oil leak, announced yesterday that BP’s “top kill” is working, halting the flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico since last month’s Deepwater Horizon explosion.
Allen was tapped to run the Obama administration’s response to the environmental crisis. And with good reason. Allen has played a major part in many of the nation’s recent crises from September 11th to Hurricane Katrina. After Michael Brown was removed as head of FEMA, Allen ran the government’s response team.
“He performed magnificently in a crisis,” said Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, according to USA Today. “Nobody could have done it better.” (Read the rest of the profile at Politics Daily)
Meanwhile, “President Barack Obama is encouraging Americans to visit the Gulf Coast despite the huge offshore oil spill, reports the AP.
At a White House news conference Thursday, Obama said while three beaches in Louisiana have been fouled by oil, the rest of the region’s beaches are clean and safe. He says Gulf state governors have asked him “to remind everybody” the beaches are open.
