President-elect Barack Obama is sending former Republican congressman Jim Leach of Iowa and ex-secretary of state Madeleine Albright to meet on his behalf with delegations attending the global economic summit this weekend. (Read more from Reuters News)
American Idol Gives Back – $67 Million
Celebrities like Bono and David Beckham were on hand to thank viewers of American Idol who helped them to raise $64 million U.S. dollars for charity. Checks of $10 million each were presented to the Global fund for AIDS, and other good causes. (Video below, or read story from AP)
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Man Follows His Dream of Twine
James Frank Kotera wants to make his town of Highland, Wis., famous. He heard a voice one night that told him to make the world’s largest ball of twine. Steve Hartman asks him why.
Music to your Ears? Music for your Heart, Too
Songs that make our hearts soar can make them stronger too, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday. They found that when people listened to their favorite music, their blood vessels dilated in much the same way as when laughing or taking blood medications.
Israel Lauds Saudi Peace Plan Before King Abdullah
Israeli President Shimon Peres seized the rare opportunity of being in the same hall as Saudi King Abdullah on Wednesday to praise a Saudi peace initiative that he said had brought hope to the Middle East.
Addressing a special high-level U.N. General Assembly meeting on dialogue between different religions, Peres termed some of the language in an Arab peace proposal based on the Saudi initiative “inspirational and promising — a serious opening for real progress.”
It was a rare moment — an Israeli head of state speaking directly to the Saudi Arabian leader, whose country does not recognize Israel. (Reuters News report)
Parrot Saved Girl’s Life With Warning
A babysitter’s parrot is being credited with helping save the life of a 2-year-old girl who was choking at a Denver area home while the sitter was in the bathroom. The parrot started screaming and flapping his wings and saying ‘mama baby’ “over and over and over again.” (w/ video at CBS4Denver.com)
Al Gore Details Five-Step Plan to Clean Electricity
As speculation mounts over the shape of president-elect Obama’s energy policy, Al Gore laid out a multifaceted plan to rebuild a green and clean U.S. electricity system within 10 years. In an opinion column published Sunday in the The New York Times, Gore said the federal government should fund projects to upgrade the nation’s aging power grid and install renewable-energy sources. (Read the excellent report on Gore’s 5-point plan, and watch clips from his talk at the WEB 2.0 summit last week here, on C-Net)
A Running Friendship Saves Life of One Pal
Friendly teasing by a boss helped an obese man shed 151 pounds and get in shape. This unlikely friendship (one McCain supporter, one Obama) saved a life. It kept a boss from giving up — or letting up — on a man he considered not only a business investment, but a personal challenge. (Full story at MSNBC.com)
Ethiopia Signs Deal to Build Largest Wind Farm in Africa
Last month Ethiopia signed a deal to construct Africa’s biggest wind farm. The 300 million dollar contract with the French company, Vergnet, to complete the facility within two and a half years promises to yield 15 percent of of all electricity in Ethiopia, the second most populous country in Africa.
Central Union Mission Honors Homeless Vets
In Washington, DC on Veterans Day, the Central Union Mission paid tribute to homeless and other veterans with a special luncheon to draw attention to the plight of the more than 150,000 veterans nationwide who are without a home on any given night. A grateful Leon Jones is one of those veterans… (WashingtonTimes.com)
Citi Will Halt Some Foreclosures, Rework Thousands of Mortgages (w/ Video)
Citigroup has announced a plan to try and keep homeowners at-risk for foreclosure to stay in their homes. As part of the plan, Citi has announced it is imposing a moratorium on most foreclosures. (Read the story at Reuters or watch video below)
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George Carlin Honored in Washington With Mark Twain Prize
Jon Stewart, Lewis Black, Bill Maher and Joan Rivers were among the comedians who honored George Carlin last night with the Mark Twain Prize for Humor at the Kennedy Center.
Carlin, who died two days after being informed of the honor in June at the age of 71, was represented at the gala by his daughter, Kelly Carlin McCall. “He would have loved the show,” she said. “It was great.”
Full-length MGM films on Free YouTube Channel
YouTube, the largest video-sharing website, will show full-length films from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s archives. It will result in the launch of a free video-on-demand channel called Impact, dedicated exclusively to action films, TV shows and clips. (Read more at BBC News) Thanks to Bill F. for the tip!
Train’s Conductor Cat Brings $10 Million in New Business (Video)
A cat wearing a conductor’s hat has boosted a small Japanese town’s local economy by 10 million dollars through increased tourism. People are now flocking to see the train’s new “super station master,” Tama the cat.
– Thanks to Hugh for the story tip
Obama Win Inspires Push to End Racism in France
Inspired by Barack Obama, the French first lady and other leading figures say it’s high time for France to stamp out racism and shake up a white political and social elite that smacks of colonial times. (Associated Press reports on comments of Carla Bruni-Sarkozy)
Italians Grow ‘Greener’ Olives, Wine (Video)
A range of new technologies are being used at an Italian olive farm in a bid to cut CO2 emissions and also save money on energy. From electric farm vehicles to sun-reflecting paint, BBC reports on the many sustainable techniques adopted by a famous olive oil company and vinyard.
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Marines Credited With Rescue at California Motel Fire
A half-dozen off-duty Marines who raced through a burning motel on Sunday warning sleeping guests that it was on fire were hailed as lifesaving heroes. Everyone escaped the motel, despite no smoke alarms sounding, including one elderly man who required oxygen after he was carried to safety by one of the Marines. (AP story via Sacramento Bee) Thanks to Emily H. for the news tip!
Six Steps for Raising a Charitable Child
While the culture of giving may be foreign to most children, it’s easy to train your own little ones to be compassionate. Here are six shortcuts for raising a charitable child, from birth and beyond. (Read the article at Razoo.com)
Helping A Stranger for One Year (Video)
A Chicago entrepreneur has gone out of his way to help a perfect stranger get off the street and back on his feet. Something inside of him melted when he heard Troy’s story of injury and joblessness. He set up a website and raised $10,000 to pay for food, housing and medical care for one year. He is also helping Troy get job training to secure his future.
Next year he wants to help 10 more ‘Troys’. Get inspired and contribute at SaveTroy.com.
Websites Help to Stretch Your Holiday Budget
In an economic downturn the internet is especially effective as a tool to help you stretch the value of your dollars this holiday season. Here is a list of websites that can help you research products, compare prices and find bargains that fit your budget.
Leading the way is ConsumerWorld.org, author of the following list of “Top 5 Shopping Tools for Sore Wallets”. The website, www.consumerworld.org, is a public service, non-commercial guide that receives no compensation from any of the sites listed, with over 2000 of the most useful consumer resources. Visit often and find lots of deals and helpful comparisons.