A young mother visiting a zoo saved a four-month-old tiger by giving it mouth-to-mouth resuscitation while fully grown adult tigers prowled nearby. The zoo agreed that “the tiger would be dead if not for her.” (The Age, Australia)
Wind Power in U.S. Grows by 45 Percent in 2007
“Overturning all previous records, the U.S. wind energy industry installed 5,244 megawatts of power in 2007, expanding the nation’s total wind power generating capacity by 45 percent in a single calendar year and injecting an investment of over $9 billion into the economy, according to the American Wind Energy Association, AWEA. The new wind projects will power the equivalent of 1.5 million American households annually.” (Environmental News Service)
I read some research on the effects of bad news…
My daily habit a year ago was to read the news with my morning coffee. I felt the entire world was falling apart and getting worse day by day. Then I read some research on the effects of bad news, and made a conscious choice to read uplifting stories… Now I’m excited about all the wonderful things around the world, instead of feeling helpless. When I read the stories on GNN I feel empowered, included, and encouraged to get involved. – Kerrie S., OK
NASA Beams Beatles Tune ‘Across the Universe’ Into Deep Space
U.S. space officials said The Beatles song Across the Universe will be blasted directly into deep space tonight.The tune will be beamed toward the North Star to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the day The Beatles recorded the song, as well as the 50th anniversary of NASA’s founding.
Gates Donates $20M to Help Rice Farmers
Bill Gates, the world’s richest man, is to donate nearly 20 million dollars for research into helping rice farmers deal with global warming, the International Rice Research Institute said last week, specifically to harness scientific advances that address major unsolved problems in agriculture.
Wild Elephants on Increase in Kenya
Kenya’s population of elephants is increasing thanks to successful protection measures and a ban on ivory trade, wildlife officials said. (Associated Press via PR Inside)
Scientists Discover Way to Reverse Loss of Memory
Improve the memory — even in Alzheimer’s patients — by providing a “pacemaker” for the brain. Electrodes applied have been shown to improve memory. Trial studies have commenced to provide the proof. (Belfast Telegraph)
Waiter’s Flawless Service Rewarded With Full College Scholarship
A full scholarship to a $34,000-a-year private college for an excellent waiter! Always doing your best pays off… (Boston.com) Thanks to Linnea for the inspiring link!
George Clooney Visits Peacekeepers in Sudan as New UN Ambassador (Video)
Follow George Clooney as he visits refugee camps and uplifts UN peacekeepers in his new role as UN Peace Ambassador. CBS’s Harry Smith interviews the star about his journalist father and the hope he feels when he visits Darfur refugees.
Kenyan Parties Agree to Peace Plan
Rival political parties in Kenya locked in a deadly dispute over December’s elections said Friday they had agreed to take immediate action to end the political and ethnic violence that has ravaged the country. Former UN secretary general Kofi Annan said the two sides signed an agenda covering both short-term fixes and long-term solutions.
Blind Golfer Hits a Hole-in-One
A 92-year-old golfer hit a hole-in-one even though he is legally blind. Leo Fiyalko has been playing the sport for 60 years but now suffers from a degenerative condition leaving him with only peripheral vision in his right eye. The feat was his first ever hole-in-one. (Thanks to Ed Smith for the tip which leaves us all hopeful about our own games!)
The Healing Power of Pets
Pet owners have better health, many experts believe, because animals lower stress levels in humans who interact with them. One study found “pet owners made 30 percent fewer visits to doctors,” and another found owners had “lower cholesterol, blood pressure and heart attack risk compared with people who didn’t have pets.” (New York Times – You gotta see their photo!)
Better Diet Could Prevent Criminal Violence
“Improving the eating habits of would-be criminals could cut rates of crime and antisocial behavior by as much as a third, scientists have suggested. Simple measures to make sure that prisoners, including murderers, get a recommended daily dose of vitamins and minerals could make them less impulsive, reducing violence both inside prison and in the wider community, according to researchers at the University of Oxford.” (TimesOnline)
Revoked Patent on HIV/AIDS Drug Could Bring Cheap Generics to Developing World
In a move that could lead to the availability of cheap generic HIV/AIDS medicine manufactured without restrictions to benefit the developing world, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office on January 23, 2008 revoked four key patents held by the pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences on the drug tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF). (Doctors Without Borders)
Surfers Split Cash Prize in Maverick’s Surf Contest
After the Mavericks Surf Contest (the most prestigious of the sport) was whittled down to six finalists, leader Greg Long, 24, and his five fellow finalists decided to split the $75,000 prize purse evenly, six ways, and simply ride the giant 40-50 foot waves for the fun of it. Surfer and filmmaker Grant Washburn discusses how they agreed to split the money. (NPR Audio interview)
Virtual World Online Helps Move Agoraphobics Into Real World
One woman can shop for groceries now for the first time in years, after learning to interact in a virtual world on the Internet called Second Life. She became virtually phobia-free by visiting with others like herself online and even sharing in a support group there through her animated alter ego. The website is SecondLife.com. (Read a related story: How ‘Second Life’ therapy helps Asperger’s patients – WFAA-TV)
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Boy’s Autism Unlocked By Singing
David Militello, 8, says music, especially singing the National Anthem, helps to unlock his mind from the grip of Asperger’s, a milder form of autism.
(Read full text at CBSNews , or watch the video report below, w/ 30-second ad)
Donor Gives $130 Million to Bangladesh
An anonymous donor has given $130 million to the nation of Bangladesh to help rebuild after a cyclone destroyed schools and homes along the southern coast. The donation, which came through the Saudi Arabia-based Islamic Development Bank, is being called by Bangladesh, the single largest donation ever made by an individual to the country. (Associated Press)
Glimmer of Hope for Botswana’s Decimated Rhino Population
Africa’s white rhinos were driven to the brink of extinction in the early 20th century as poachers hunted the animal for its horn. A breeding program launched in Botswana just over 10 years ago has been successful in bringing the white rhino back to Botswana’s bush and it gives hope that black rhinos, which are still seriously endangered, may also survive.
(Photo by Renaud Fulconis, rhinos-irf.org)
Cuba Throws Lifeline to Sea Turtles
Cuba has thrown a lifeline to the Caribbean’s endangered and critically endangered marine turtles with a government resolution ending all harvesting of marine turtles.
Such a resolution, ending Cuba’s long standing harvest of 500 critically endangered hawksbill turtles a year, has been sought by conservationists for more than a decade. It will benefit turtles hatching on beaches throughout the Caribbean and coming regularly to feed in Cuban waters.