The pint-sized 2008 Smart car evokes the simple question: ‘How safe is it?’ The micro car, the smallest car for sale in the U.S., offers a good level of safety, according to crash tests conducted by the insurance industry.
Tiny Car Provides Big Safety in Crash Tests (Video)
CeaseFire Group Successful at Stopping Violence on City Streets
The anti-violence program CeaseFire is successful at stopping shootings in Chicago, a Northwestern University study has found. “Their heavily focused intervention was surprisingly effective and reflects the power of thinking of violence as a public health problem.” The 3-year study also found CeaseFire was effective in directing gang members toward jobs, education and help with severing their ties to their gangs. Let’s hope, then, that Illinois reverses the cuts the group’s state funding. (Chicago Sun-Times)
One Million Voices for MidEast Peace Hold Global Town Hall Today
Join a Global Town Hall Meeting webcast from East Jerusalem linking Israeli and Palestinian youth leaders with young people from around the world, today, May 19, at noon Eastern time to find out what these courageous students and youth are doing to bring change. Also find out what should be our role as citizens of the world by joining Empower Peace and OneVoice today.
The three Israel and three Palestinian youth leaders you’ll be hearing from are youth leaders in the OneVoice Movement, a 640,000-person strong Israel-Palestinian conflict resolution organization.
In February 2007, these mideast youths used an amazing video to tell their leaders, ‘Enough!’ Watch it on the Good News Network here and read the report from Davos, where the activists talked to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Israeli Vice Premier Shimon Peres and demanded a new spirit for change.
Watch This Stress-Busting Sardine Ballet (Video)
Sardine Ballet swirls and pivots for guests of Japanese Aquarium.
The perfect screen saver, able to reduce stress with a single glance: mesmerising sardines and their choreographed movement. (Video)
Billion Tree Campaign Sets New Goal of 7 Billion Trees by ’09
Since meeting its goal in 2007 of planting 1 billion trees, a grassroots effort to green the globe has announced that it is raising its target to 7 billion new trees.
The Billion Tree Campaign, founded in 2006 by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Kenyan Green Belt Movement founder Professor Wangari Maathai and Prince Albert II of Monaco, also announced last week that in 18 months it has seen two billion trees planted, double its original target.
Burundi Rebels Return Home for Peace Deal
Burundi’s last holdout rebel group returned to the capital on Friday to begin implementing a delayed peace agreement, reported Reuters. “We thank God that we are back in Burundi. We have come to sort out all the obstacles to implementing the peace deal.” (Reuters-Africa)
Kindness Tornado Rips Through Town
Without warning Biddeford, Maine experienced a tornado of kindness on Thursday. Residents were lifted up and spirits were tossed into unfamiliar territory as Michael Chase of the Kindness Center churned up a whirlwind of “100 acts of kindness in 100 minutes.”
At ground zero, the back of his truck parked behind city hall in the small downtown area, Michael dispensed from a large board 100 kindness cards containing action items for the volunteers to complete. Young kids handed out flowers and balloons to strangers and passers-by, who, often wanted to help with the kindness challenge themselves.
“Give me #56,” demanded a new recruit. When he turned the card over, it instructed him to go collect 12 non-perishable items for the local food pantry. He dutifully returned with a bag of groceries which the Kindness Center later donated.
Founder Michael Chase at his Kindness Center board
Two young men were just coming from a meeting with their probation officer and asked what was going on. They immediately volunteered, but added a caveat, “But first, can I tell my probation officer? Let him know we’re doing something good?”
In the small town of 30,000 Michael Chase has become known as the “Kindness guy”. It fits. Though he was a professional portrait photographer for 16 years he gave it up recently, he says, to “pursue a career in kindness”. Chase, 38, wants to get the message out to schools and businesses about the benefits of doing something good for the community, but also of being kind to yourself.
It acted like a gentle breeze, kindness card #32, which directed the volunteer to do just that: Take 30 minutes to do something good for yourself – go have a cup of coffee and read a book!
The 100 minute kindness spree started at 6:00pm and was set to end at 7:40. People were taking a card and completing the kindness, then racing back to say ‘Give me another one!”
One volunteer joined a tree planting group at the cemetery to help them beautify the landscape, another bought coffee for someone. One picked up trash, another bought ice cream.
“Some people had such a hard time stopping,” Michael told the Good News Network by phone yesterday.
“One girl was really scared. She drew a card that said, ‘Go up to 8 strangers and give them a kindness card’.” These cards were to be handed out with a flower and they ask the person who receives the kindness to ‘pass it on’.
“She was invited by a friend and I don’t think she wanted to be there,” Chase recalled. “But then, after giving out a few flowers, she became a kindness junkie. She was just glowing.”
Another guy was thrown into unfamiliar territory when he picked a card that required someone to volunteer to call out BINGO numbers at a local nursing home.
“This guy was not into it, his girlfriend made him come,” said Chase. “We never expected that he would go.”
But he did not refuse, or, ask for another assignment. He returned after playing BINGO with the seniors, and he said, “That was awesome.” He really enjoyed it.
Each month, The Kindness Center is dedicated to projects that promote a spirit of kindness throughout our community.
On April 15-16, The Kindness Center ventured out on a non-stop day of performing spontaneous acts of kindness. Joined by his kindness crew, Michael Hallahan and Tracy Chaplin, Michael Chase spent a full 24 hours on the streets of Southern Maine (without sleep) looking for anyone that could use a hug, helping hand, or a dose of kindness. Random acts included everything from buying coffee for strangers, paying for people’s movie tickets, free city bus rides, handing out balloons, flowers and cookies, visiting schools and nursing homes, working in soup kitchens, and helping the homeless. Over 200 acts of kindness were performed.
Sign up for the Living Kindness newsletter on Michael’s lovely website here, at TheKindnesCenter.com.
Kindness Tornado Rips Through Town
Without warning Biddeford, Maine experienced a tornado of kindness on Thursday. Residents were lifted up and spirits were tossed into unfamiliar territory as Michael Chase of the Kindness Center churned up a whirlwind of “100 acts of kindness in 100 minutes.”
At ground zero, the back of his truck parked behind city hall in the small downtown area, Michael dispensed from a large board 100 kindness cards containing action items for the volunteers to complete. Young kids handed out flowers and balloons to strangers and passers-by, who, often wanted to help with the kindness challenge themselves.
Airline Workers Show True Moral Fabric (Video)
Delta employees are using some of their downtime between flights to create quilts for sick kids — thousands this year alone. At the end of this video, it shows all the quilts laid out together in a basketball arena, a patchwork covering the entire floor and two-thirds of the seats. Nice work!
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David Duchovny Supports Unicef in Myanmar (Video)
David Duchovny urges support for the million at risk in Myanmar after the cyclone that killed tens of thousands. He says the UN children’s fund, Unicef, has been in Myanmar since the 1950’s and the group is in a position to help. Please support if you are able. (YouTube video)
Top Tailpipe Polluters Clean Up Their Act
With current fuel prices high, alternative fuel use is surging among businesses and governments that depend on vehicle fleets to transport their products and services to the public. Alternative fuels, whether biodiesel, propane or electric, provide benefits that go beyond simply saving money. New fuels deliver measureable improvements in air quality over traditional 100% petroleum-based fuels while moving us toward energy independence.
In 2004 the US Environmental Protection Agency reported that the use of biodiesel, which is made from renewable agricultural resources — preferably waste products or non-energy-intensive ones like algae — vegetable oils or animal waste, can reduce emissions of particulate matter by 47% in traditional diesel engine tailpipes. They also verified a 67% reduction in unburned hydrocarbons and a 48% reduction in carbon monoxide. Significant reductions (by 75 to 80%) in the emission of suspected cancer causing agents (PAH and nPAH) were also observed.
U.S. Soldier Fulfills His Mission of Getting Iraqi Girl New Legs
A U.S. soldier couldn’t walk past an 11-year-old Iraqi girl who was “in a large decrepit wheelchair, the stumps of her legs crusted with dried blood… He stopped to talk and he came back every day for six months, bringing her toys, gauze for her legs, a new wheelchair… When she asked for legs, that became his mission, too.” (Fantastic story featured in McClatchy Newspapers) Thanks to T. Rodriguez for the link!
Swan Family Ushered Through City Traffic
What would pedestrians do if they saw a swan family with cygnets trying to cross a busy street? Get off the sidewalk and direct traffic, of course. That’s what happened during Tyneside’s rush-hour traffic on Thursday in England and the BBC has a wonderful photo with the story.
One Millionth Prius Hybrid Sold
Toyota announced Thursday that worldwide sales of the Toyota Prius—the world’s first mass-produced gasoline/electric hybrid vehicle—have passed the 1 million mark. The company estimates that Prius vehicles through April 2008 have contributed to a reduction in CO2 emissions of approximately 4.5 million tons, when compared with traditional gas-powered vehicles in the same class and of similar size and driving performance.
The Prius was launched in Japan in 1997 and began selling in Europe, North America and other markets in 2000. Since then, approximately 1,028,000 units were sold as of the end of April this year.
Non-Profit Teach for America Sees Big Growth
Teach For America announced this week a record number of incoming recruits for fall placement in low-income schools across the country. 3,700 new teachers will make a two-year commitment to urban and rural public schools, almost a 30 percent increase over previous years of the organization’s 18-year history. The 2008 corps was selected from a record 24,718 applicants, many of whom graduated from America’s most selective universities.
Low-income communities nationwide urgently need enterprising teachers and leaders committed to giving all students the education they deserve. Teach For America recruits on more than 400 college campuses, seeking applicants from all academic majors, career interests, and backgrounds who demonstrate a record of outstanding achievement, persistence in the face of challenges, and a strong focus on achieving results.
The Art of Word Fasting: Today’s Word is ‘Jealous’
Just like we can choose to take the stairs, rather than the elevator, to strengthen our bodies, we can alter our thinking and create a happier reality. Today, on our Friday Word Fast, we look at JEALOUSY, and what it really is. Jack gives us a helpful acronym to reframe our thinking and a helpful practice to rid ourselves of jealousy…
My acronym today is: J.E.A.L.O.U.S. Judging Everyones Actions Luminates Our Unfulfilled Self
The feeling of being jealous has been a common occurance throughout my life so much so that I feared the feeling of it and would take actions to avoid it. However the more I resisted being jealous the more it appeared in my life.
The first and foremost place for jealousy was in my relationships. However, I would feel its presence also during conversations about physical appearance and monetary possessions, and while observing others in states of happiness I could never imagine obtaining.
Junk Computers Could Fuel Cars
Scientists in Romania and Turkey are seeking ways to remove toxic materials from electronics so these scrap materials can be safely recycled for use in fuel, plastic and other useful consumer products. (Live Science Special) Thanks to Carrie for thinking of us, and sending the link!
Australian Herbs Could Replace Dangerous Sodium Benzoate in Foods, Beverages
“An inventor has developed a blend of native Australian herbs that he says functions as an effective preservative for foods and beverages, and can be used to replace artificial preservatives such as sodium benzoate.” (Natural News)
Man Spreads Bubbles and Cheer From City Window
Charles the “Bubble Man” sits in his second-story window blowing soap bubbles to the New York street below. “The miles of smiles from the people who watch the bubbles not only make the Navy veteran a happy man, but his corner a brighter place in the world.” (Buffalo News w/ great photo) Thanks for the submission to David at Light-links.net, links to the lighthearted & enlightening.
Let’s Set The Record Straight on Childhood ADHD: 5 Things No One Else is Telling You
ADHD has become such a popular diagnosis these days. It is labeled as a disorder, when in fact many of the symptoms of ADHD can be seen as strengths in adults and children. Just what is ADHD and what does it really mean?
It’s time we set the record straight and get really clear about one thing: Children with ADHD (as well as adults) are just as capable of being successful as the next person.