A squirrel has built up a close relationship with a builder who found him when he was only a week old.
Nutty even showers with his surrogate “mum”, Tony in the UK, and goes to work with him.
Watch the video from the BBC, or on YouTube below…
Squirrel and Builder Friend are Inseparable (Video)
Crime is Plummeting Across N. America, Yet No One Knows Why
Four years after the “Summer of the Gun”, Toronto police Chief Bill Blair is celebrating a nearly 30 percent overall drop in crime.
“We have experienced crime reduction numbers in this city that are without precedence anywhere in North America,” Blair said.
But, this downward trend in crime statistics is being documented in cities across Canada and the United States. The most recent study by Statistics Canada shows double-digit declines in Criminal Code offences in Winnipeg, Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto, while Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton showed decreases of more than 5 per cent.
In the United States, the Bureau of Justice has recorded steady decreases in both property and violent crime in New York, Detroit and Chicago over the past 10 years.
A score of scholars have produced a wide variety of theories to explain the drop, but none explain why Canada also has seen such improvement…
(Read the story in the Toronto Sun)
(READ this GNN feature story for more success stories in the US: Crime in US Drops Significantly, Despite Economic Downturn
Nation’s Capitol Takes Stand Against Plastic Bags
The mayor of Washington, DC signed a bill this week that will establish a 5 cent fee charged to the consumer for every plastic bag used at a grocery store, or other retailer. The nickel fee will go into effect January 1 and will pay for cleaning up the Anacostia River (with a penny of it going to the retailer).
Mayor Adrian Fenty described the change as a simple step and said in a statement, “Disposable bags are a menace to our waterways, and dramatically cutting down on their use will have a measurable impact almost immediately.”
Passenger on Faulty Jet Steps Forward to Fix the Problem
After airline passengers were told an engineer was needed to fix a technical glitch on their flight, thus causing an 8-hour delay, one of the passengers announced he was a qualified engineer and offered to help.
He managed to solve the problem and the Thomas Cook airliner took off, landing in Glasgow just 35 minutes late on Saturday.
Retired Man Fights Armed Robber (Video)
A 68-year-old pensioner fights a knife wielding robber who attempted a raid on a bookmakers in Farnborough, England. He came to the aid of two women cashiers and despite getting stabbed twice, he fought on. Due to his efforts, police were able to identify and charge the man.
Video may take a moment to load, or watch it at ClipSyndicate.
Michael Jackson Memorial Fit for a King (Video)
Celebrities, fans and family gathered in a 20,000-seat Los Angeles arena to pay tribute to the late Michael Jackson in a two-hour public memorial.
The biggest surprise and most touching moment came at the end when his 11-year old daughter, Paris, spontaneously clutched the microphone to tell the world how much she loved her father.
Speeches by Brook Shields and Magic Johnson, along with moving performances by Stevie Wonder, John Mayer and Jennifer Hudson, portrayed superstar Michael Jackson not only as a creative genius, but a human being, loving family member and friend.
Video below may take a moment to load…
S. Korean President Gives His $26M Fortune to Youth Scholarship Fund
South Korea’s president will donate about 33.1 billion won ($26 million) — almost all of his personal fortune — to establish a new youth scholarship program, his office said Monday.
Obama and Medvedev Cut Nuclear Arsenals
President Obama and President Dmitry Medvedev of Russia reached a preliminary agreement yesterday to cut the American and Russian nuclear arsenals by as much as a third while exploring options for cooperation on missile defense.
They hammered out agreements on a range of concerns including health issues.
“President Medvedev and I made progress on negotiating a new treaty that will substantially reduce our warheads and delivery systems,” said Mr. Obama. “We renewed our commitment to clean, safe and peaceful nuclear energy, which must be a right for all nations that live up to their responsibilities under the NPT. And we agreed to increase cooperation on nuclear security, which is essential to achieving the goal of securing all vulnerable nuclear material within four years.”
(Read more in the Boston Globe)
In this White House photo, President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev sign documents on nuclear arms reduction before their news conference at the Kremlin in Moscow Monday, July 6, 2009.
Beach Town Gives Free Holidays to Aussie Fire Victims
Fifty families who were victims of the terrible Australian bushfires last year will enjoy all-expense-paid holidays on the Gold Coast beaches of Queensland.
150-200 fire victims will be provided with the free, five-day holidays, including flights courtesy of Virgin Blue.
27 hotel and apartment operators across the Gold Coast will provide free accommodation and the city council will fund entry to theme parks, transfers and meals during their stay.
(Read the story at Gold Coast Mail)
Thanks to Adriana Volona for submitting the story from Down Under!
Virgin Music Festival Gives 35,000 Free Tickets: Just Donate or Volunteer for the Homelsss
An innovative charity concert twist rewards volunteerism with free concert tickets. The Virgin Mobile FreeFest music festival already gave away 35,000 tickets for free, scooped up in minutes by people willing to donate $5.00 to the cause of youth homelessness. Now, it is giving away 3,000 additional free tickets and VIP passes to fans who are willing to volunteer for the homeless.
Thirteen hours of volunteer service at select homeless organizations gets a VIP pass to the festival, which runs all day Aug. 30 at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Md. Eight hours earns you a general admission pass.
Those who grabbed one of the 35,000 tickets to the gig, headlined by Blink-182 and Weezer, are being asked to donate $5. Get volunteer details at virginmobilefestival.com.
Vets Without Borders Bringing Relief to Animals in War Torn Africa
Two American veterinarians are heading off to Liberia this month to help the animals who have suffered because of a 14-year civil war in the West African country.
The two will be the only practicing veterinarians in the entire country.
Dr. Arlene Gardsbane and Dr. Beth Miller are part of Veterinarians Without Borders and their mission is to establish the Veterinarians to Liberia Project.
“War wiped everything out,” said Dr. Gardsbane.
Dr. Gardsbane DMV is an expert in small animal medicine and surgery while Dr. Miller DVM specializes in livestock production in developing countries. Together the focus of their visit will be to “assess the country’s needs and develop a plan to promote the health of the people, their pets, livestock and wildlife.” It’s a tall order to fill in a short three week trip.
Big Drop in Truck Fatalities on U.S. Highways
A steep decline in car-truck crash fatalities shows that the trucking industry is making serious strides when it comes to safety improvements.
Crash data compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicates that the truck-involved fatality rate on the nation’s roadways declined 12% in 2008.
Africa Alone Could Feed the World
Doom-mongers have got it wrong – there is plenty of unused, fertile land available in the world to produce the extra food needed to feed a growing population. And contrary to expectation, most of it can be grown in Africa, say two international reports published this week.
Getting Back On Course: Golf Pro Serves Wounded Veterans
After golf professional Jim Estes met some wounded veterans, he was moved by “tremendous guilt”.
“I started thinking about how these young kids have been so traumatized. I kept thinking that I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t do something to help their lives. It was just something that touched me, and I knew I had to get involved.”
Over the past two years, Estes, 43, has devoted his talents for golf toward positively influencing the lives of dozens of young vets — even helping to design better prosthetics.
Watch the video below, or read more the story at the Washington Post
Online Therapy: A New Way to Get Help
Online therapy is one of the newest trends in mental healthcare. Although many clients still choose in-person therapy, online counseling has become an important option for some clients in certain situations. It is not intended for serious mental health issues or illnesses requiring medication, but it can be successful in helping people through difficult life issues like divorce or interpersonal conflict.
A Mental Health Minute by Cristina Frick
Electronic therapy is often conducted through e-mail. Clients ask therapists questions about a situation or express their thoughts and feelings, and the therapist will respond. Internet chats are sometimes used as well, allowing clients to have a “real-time” fifty-minute session on-line. Therapy using web cameras is currently being developed as well.
This method of counseling is surprisingly effective when used in addition to other treatment. One study found that clients who received on-line therapy as a follow-up to inpatient treatment fared better than those who did not receive it. The study made no comparison of on-line follow-up with face-to-face follow-up to see which would be more effective, or which would lead to greater participation by patients.
Another study concluded that on-line therapy is an important source of support for those struggling with addiction.
There are good reasons why someone might seek on-line therapy, like being homebound or wanting anonymity. Other reasons on-line therapy is succeeding include the following:
- People living in rural areas who do not have easy access to a psychologist can receive therapy.
- People who could not normally afford therapy can get e-Therapy, via e-mail for as little as $25, or for a flat rate, which is usually cheaper than traditional therapy.
- People who would not normally seek traditional therapy because of stigma might choose the on-line option.
- It is convenient for those with difficult schedules.
- It allows people who are disabled or cannot leave the house to receive treatment.
Although it shows promise in many situations, if you suspect you may have a serious mental illness, such as major depression, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder — and certainly if you are feeling suicidal, you should seek a therapist’s help in person rather than using the online approach. Here are some other cautions about this treatment type:
- The therapist may not even have the client’s real address or contact information should an emergency arise.
- The Internet poses confidentiality issues.
- Many insurance policies do not cover it.
- If web cameras or Skype/voice systems are not used, it may be impossible for therapists to read a client’s vocal tone or body language in order to decipher whether the client is telling the truth.
- It is much harder to build a trusting relationship, which is one of the hallmarks of effective treatment. It may also be harder to build positive regard and empathy for the client. Less attention may be given to the online client.
- Therapist credentials need to be checked carefully.
While it shows promise for clients who might not otherwise receive therapy, it is important that it be conducted ethically and that clients educate themselves about its appropriate use. Learn more about online therapy from USA Today.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are feeling depressed or think you might be suffering from a mental illness, find a therapist in your state. If you are feeling suicidal, or if you know someone who is, please get help. Call the Suicide Hotline at 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433) or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
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Cristina Frick is a contributing writer and volunteer editor at the Good News Network since 2006. She is currently completing her Master’s degree in Clinical and Community Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and plans to gradute in December.
iPhone App Suggests Doing One Good Thing Daily
Now there is an iPhone app that can make you feel a little better about yourself and the world around you.
Called DoGood, the free app is the creation of a group of University of Michigan students who hope to spread random acts of kindness.
The app sends a suggestion once a day, such as, “Use less water”, and you can track how many other people in the world are being green along with yourself.
(More in the New York Times App of the Week column)
EDITOR’S NOTE: I want someone to build me an app for Good News Network headlines!
From Rare Friendship, a Book Club for the Homeless is Born
The book club, now in its 10th month, began with a stunningly unlikely friendship, between two men from different worlds: a high-powered lawyer on his way to work, and a homeless man guarding a friend’s shopping cart.
Through months of daily conversations, that began with jokes and sports talk and gradually delved deeper, they found a common interest: literature. And when they saw the bridge that they had built, they recognized its potential for others.
Last Tuesday, the weekly book club met in a church to tackle O. Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi,’’ mulling the idea of objects as identity…
(Read about the inspiring men on Boston.com)
Thanks to Jim Schneider for the story tip!
Rare Original Declaration Of Independence Copy Found In British Archives
A rare print of America’s Declaration of Independence has been found in England among files at The National Archives outside London.
Printed on the night of July 4, 1776, it is one of only 26 known copies in the world, called the Dunlap broadside prints, named after John Dunlap, the 29-year-old printer who was charged with the task of printing the document by the Congressional Committee that had drafted its language.
An American carrying out research at The National Archives found the newly discovered print in very good condition while cataloging a box of documents labeled as correspondence from American colonists intercepted by the British in the 18th century.
As of 1989, only 24 copies of the Dunlap broadside were known to exist, until a flea market shopper bought a framed painting for four dollars. While inspecting a tear in the lining behind the painting, the owner discovered a folded Dunlap broadside. It was authenticated by Sotheby’s as the 25th copy of the Declaration and sold at auction for $8.14 million.
Italy Unveils Antiquities Returned by US Museum
Italian officials on Thursday unveiled 14 artifacts spanning from antiquity to the Middle Ages that were looted or stolen from Italy and recently returned by The Cleveland Museum of Art (photo, right).
Culture Ministry officials trumpeted Italy’s latest victory in its campaign to recover antiquities stolen over the years.
The U.S. museum agreed to hand over the treasures in exchange for long-term loans of other artifacts and joint work on future exhibitions.
China Wind Companies Poised for Green Boost of Historic Proportion
China’s ambitious stimulus package to increase wind power capacity could attract up to $150 billion in investment, and raise its wind power capacity to 100 gigawatts (GW) by 2020, eight times its current level and more than Britain’s entire current power capacity.
The threat of climate change is driving Beijing to take a series of initiatives to restrain the country’s greenhouse gas emissions and move toward renewables.
Analysts expect China’s wind industry to grow at up to 24 percent a year through 2020.