You might think fraternities are all about partying. Not this one.
With hundreds of homeless people in their Alabama city, many of them veterans, this group of college guys have started a project to get some of them off of the streets.
The men of Phi Kappa Psi at the University of Alabama in Huntsville have created an initiative called Foundations for Tomorrow to create a communal village of tiny homes somewhere in Huntsville.
The young men plan to build the homes themselves, with help from the future resident, and are currently raising funds to buy the land.
Today is the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall that divided East and West Germany for 28 years.
The East German lieutenant colonel who gave the fateful order to throw open the gate he guarded 25 years ago said he wept in silence a few moments later as hordes of euphoric East Germans swept past him into West Berlin to get their first taste of freedom.
“Harald Jäger said he spent hours before his history-changing decision trying in vain to get guidance from superiors on what to do about the 20,000 protesters at his border crossing on Bornholmer Street who were clamoring to get out,” reports Reuters.
Finally he just threw the doors open, giving in to protestors’ ridicule and dares.
The headline of Friday morning’s jobs report shows payrolls expanding by 214,000 jobs in October.
“But dig a little deeper and you find a much sunnier story. When read carefully, today’s report provides more evidence that the labor market is improving quite rapidly, and that the recovery has gained momentum over the past year,” explains Justin Wolfers a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and professor of economics and public policy at the University of Michigan.
North Korea released from prison two American citizens who had been sentenced to years of hard labor.
Kenneth Bae and Matthew Miller are in route to the United States after the “surprise involvement” of a top-ranking U.S. intelligence official.
In a statement The Department of State welcomed the release of U.S. citizens Kenneth Bae and Matthew Todd Miller from the D.P.R.K., where they have been held for two years and seven months, respectively.
“The United States has long called on D.P.R.K. authorities to release these individuals on humanitarian grounds.”
“We are grateful to Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, who engaged on behalf of the United States in discussions with D.P.R.K. authorities about the release of two citizens. We also want to thank our international partners, especially our Protecting Power, the Government of Sweden, for their tireless efforts to help secure the freedom of Mr. Bae and Mr. Miller.”
LinkedIn held its second annual ‘Bring In Your Parents Day’, an idea that was born when the company realized that one-third of their employees’ parents had no clue about what their offspring did for work.
At LinkedIn’s Mountain View headquarters Thursday, CEO Jeff Weiner told the parents in his welcome speech, “You should be incredibly proud of your kids.”
Speakers included a sales associate, company wellness guru, communications staffer and engineer — all explaining their roles, while parents sat paying rapt attention.
Parents exclaimed, “I had no idea how valued my daughter was at work”, and “I always knew I was proud; now I know why.”
The annual event (#BIYP) has become a worldwide initiative to help bridge the gap between professionals and their parents. This year more than 50 other companies around the globe participated by holding their own events.
John Clinton, CEO at Edelman CA said, “Parents were proud their kids wanted them here.”
Anne Ripley, pictured above, put her mom to work, helping her run the social media team for Red Door Interactive in San Diego.
LinkedIn had commissioned a study this year that showed 60% of young professionals believe their parents have valuable skills that they have not yet to shared. Perhaps that’s why one company set up a “Parental Advice Station” where parents could answer queries about life or work.
One of the theme’s this year was thanking parents for all their guidance and advice over the years.
A year-long $2.1 million study by the federal government agency, Health Canada, found no link between wind turbine noise and migraines, dizziness, or chronic illnesses like high blood pressure and diabetes.
The expert committee for the study, which surveyed 1,238 adults living near wind turbines in Ontario and Prince Edward Island, included over two dozen government, academic and industry experts in various fields and four international advisers.
Another study on wind turbines and health effects, in Australia in March 2013, said that “wind turbine sickness” is far more prevalent in communities where the anti-wind farm activists have been active and appears to be a psychological phenomenon caused by the suggestion that turbines make people sick, according to the Toronto Star.
When Legends Of The Knight was first released in a handful of theaters in February, all the proceeds were donated to local charities. On November 18, the documentary will be released on DVD, capable of inspiring the rest of us with the power of Batman’s heroic, and human, story.
The feel-good film weaves together uplifting true stories of individuals who have embraced their inner superhero to overcome obstacles — or unselfishly given to their communities — because of their love for the Caped Crusader.
In additional to the more personal stories, the film features interviews with people who have been involved with Batman’s rise to dominance over the years, including Michael Uslan, executive producer of the blockbuster Dark Knight films.
Through the deeply personal tales of Batman fans, writers and filmmakers, this 76 minute film encourages viewers to find their own uniquely courageous paths — like Lenny Robinson did. The Baltimore man regularly dons full costume and visits sick kids in children’s hospitals, arriving in a black sports car resembling the Batmobile.
5-year-old Texan Kye Sapp is an example of the downhearted who can gain strength by identifying themselves with Batman. After being diagnosed with leukemia, he was given a chance to save his city, as Batman would, through the organization Wish with Wings in 2012.
Because the Gothem City comic book character has no actual superhero powers, Rabbi Cary Friedman was profoundly impacted since childhood. It motivated him to write the book “Wisdom from the Batcave: How to Live a Super, Heroic Life”, which expresses the life lessons & moral teachings in Batman tales.
As a professor, Dr. Travis Langley has even taught a Batman course that illuminates the field of psychology through the characters & stories of Batman.
Meet these and other Batman fans and heroes by pre-ordering a DVD copy of Legends of the Knight, the film that was funded by more than 1100 people from around the world as a way to keep alive our childhood dreams of becoming a hero.
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Comedy stars like Jon Stewart and Louis CK took the stage at Madison Square Garden Wednesday night for the 8th annual Stand Up for Heroes comedy benefit.
Following the comedy stand-up performances, the audience was treated to a surprise acoustic performance by Bruce Springsteen. Afterward, the group auctioned off his guitars, dinner at his house, a guitar lesson, and a motorcycle ride around the block.
All that, plus his shirt, brought in $300,000 from bidders in the audience to benefit a veterans group, the Bob Woodruff Foundation, which raises funds for returning soldiers.
We don’t see flying cars yet, although they are in production, but you can own a fleet of fantastic vehicles that can drive right off the highway and into the water, thanks to a self-made mechanical genius named John Giljam.
An ideal portrait of the American story, Giljam grew up on a farm in upstate New York, but in ninth grade scored 98 on a college aptitude test for mechanical engineering. His father, Harold, was good at fabricating fixes for broken equipment, which sparked John’s interest in creative design. As farmers flocked to pay them, father and son went into business together.
The small welding and fabrication shop soon began building custom firetrucks and ambulances with special apparatus that John, as a volunteer fire fighter, would design and teach to the pros.
“I love the problem-solving,” John said in a telephone interview. “After enrolling in college, I quit after one semester because I was always teaching the professors.”
15 years ago, about a decade after his dad died, he started a new company — Cool Amphibious Manufacturing International (CAMI) — to build amphibious vehicles for the worldwide tourism trade. If you’ve ever been to the Charles River in Boston you’ve seen his vehicles used on the Super Ducks tours.
The South Carolina company, based near Hilton Head Island, has built 75 of these Hydra-Terra tour buses, which are currently whizzing down boat ramps in 17 countries.
Hydra-Terra in Taiwan
“The fun side is that my wife Julie and I get to go to all these countries. Tokyo was beautiful. We’ve been to Dubai three times; they bought a fleet of five.”
Ingeniously unparalleled, the Hydra-Terra is the only Coast Guard approved “T” Vessel in its class, according to the CAMI website. “It’s foam-filled compartments make it unsinkable even with the drain plugs removed and the full engine room flooded!”
But it was the couple’s luxurious motor home that won CAMI internet fame after an amazing video was posted on YouTube last year showing off their one-of-a-kind Terra Wind. (Watch the video above)
Luxuriously appointed teak and granite cover every inch of their RV that contains a full kitchen, full bath and queen bedroom.
Such a vehicle is for sale, costing upwards of $1.2 million, but after a decade, and two million hits on YouTube, they are still the only ones to own one.
CAMI has also designed an all-terrain search and rescue Amphibious Responder, for helping those in need. The Responder was built to give search and rescue crews a mobile ambulatory that can go over land and water in some of the toughest terrain imaginable.
John’s love of speed inspired him to design a beautiful sports car powered by a Corvette V8 engine, the Hydra Spyder, which can whip through small waves at 46 knots.
California YouTuber Daniel Fernandez surprised a hard working clerk at a store, giving her $500 just for being cheerful and enthusiastic toward everyone she meets every day.
“Debi is the cashier at my convenience store,” wrote Fernandez on YouTube. “She continuously works double shifts with such a positive attitude that I decided to do this.”
In the video he pretends to be buying a greeting card for his girlfriend. When Debi opens it to read the message, five one hundred dollar bills spilled out.
She then notices the card is made out to her, and he explains, “Debi, every time I come in here, you’re always smiling… Every time you ask other people how they are.”
“You deserve this because you are awesome.”
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Justin Brown and his sister Serena didn’t benefit much from traditional therapies to help autistic children. But when they were 8 and 7 years-old, they met Rutgers University instructor Karen Kowalski who teaches piano to kids with special needs.
“I’ve seen my children mature and grow,” said Monica Brown of the alternative therapy. “They’re much more open and much more focused.”
Justin, who was previously mute, has found his voice through music: “I love how music is comforting, because there are some parts of the piece that are happy. That’s when I smile.”
“Piano brought my children back to me,” says the grateful mom from Somerset, New Jersey.
Florida voters have overwhelmingly passed a measure that designates billions of dollars to conservation efforts over the next 20 years, without raising taxes.
The Water and Land Conservation Amendment will funnel up to a billion dollars per year to preservation projects, by using 33 percent of the fees already collected on real estate transactions.
More than 4,000 volunteers worked to gather the 700,000 signatures needed to place Amendment 1 on the ballot Tuesday. It passed with 75% of voters approving.
“Passage of Amendment 1 is a historic victory for protection of Florida’s drinking water sources, the water quality of our rivers, lakes, and springs, and conservation of our state’s wildlife habitat, beaches, and natural areas,” read a statement by Florida’s Water and Land Legacy, a coalition of conservation and civic organizations, businesses, and concerned citizens who spearheaded the campaign. “Floridians overwhelmingly voted Yes on Amendment 1, clearly showing that Florida voters understand the importance of water and land conservation to our state’s environment and to its economy.”
About half of the money will fund Florida Forever, a conservation land purchasing program that saw its budget slashed by 97 percent since 2009.
“Our state leaders, who have been busy starving and dismantling environmental programs for years at the behest of corporate polluters, should take notice of this very clear message from the public they are elected to serve,” said David Guest of Earthjustice, a member of the coalition. “The public wants Florida’s environment protected.”
Florida legislators will now choose which water and land projects to fund, under provisions specified in the Amendment’s text.
Two new U.S. Ebola treatment facilities are opening in Liberia this week. One is a 25-bed field hospital near Monrovia’s airport, specifically to treat local health care workers who get infected. The other is a 100-bed Ebola treatment unit north of Monrovia.
Five more facilities are under construction, and work will begin on 12 more if health organizations provide personnel to run them.
Meanwhile, there were signs in October that the Ebola epidemic may be weakening in Liberia.
After seeing a documentary about huge increases in premature births in Syria brought on by the stress of war, a university student started designing an incubator that could be deployed cheaply in the developing world.
This week, James Roberts’ inflatable incubator called MOM won the 2014 James Dyson Award. With $45,000 in prize money, the 23-year-old graduate from Loughborough University will perfect his prototype for market.
Incubators that the western world takes for granted cost upwards of $45,000 and waste energy. The collapsible units are one hundred times cheaper and designed to meet the challenges of the developing world and disaster zones.
Costing $400, it can be easily transported, inflated manually and runs off a battery which lasts 24 hours, in case of power outages. The MOM is kept warm using ceramic heating elements and a small computer to set and regulate any temperature and humidity. An alarm will sound if the desired temperature changes and a lamp is provided for babies that suffer from Jaundice.
Roberts says he endured many challenges along the way. “I had to sell my car to fund my first prototype!”
“The dream would be to meet a child that my incubator has saved – living proof that my design has made a difference.”
Two days after her owner’s home was engulfed in a massive mudslide and all hope was lost in the devastated neighborhood, a dachshund named Tinkerbell emerged alive.
Heavy rains on Halloween night in Ventura, California, triggered the mudslide that trapped Henry Needham waist-deep so that he had to be rescued by firefighters.
His home was a disaster but the worst part was his thought that the 5-year-old dachshund likely died in the torrent of earth.
When the dog was pulled out, there were dozens of neighbors, whose homes had also been ruined, “rooting and cheering,” the man told KTLA. “It was so fantastic, you cannot believe it.”
Dedicated to the goal of preserving the open road for future generations of riders, Harley-Davidson is mobilizing its riders worldwide to help plant 50 million trees by 2025. The initiative, called Renew the Ride and announced last week, is the latest global mission and call to action for Harley riders.
The Milwaukee-based motorcycle company is rallying its owners and dealers to dedicate time, donations and organizational efforts to help a new partner, The Nature Conservancy, reach the ambitious goal of its global Plant a Billion Trees program.
As part of this initiative, The Harley-Davidson Foundation has committed to contributing a series of annual grants totaling $550,000.
“A central part of motorcycling is experiencing the great outdoors; to see the world from behind the handlebars is unlike anything else,” said Mark-Hans Richer, the company’s chief marketing officer. “We are dedicated to preserving the open road for future generations of riders. Our partnership with The Nature Conservancy gives us an opportunity to mobilize our global community to help achieve this mission.”
The Nature Conservancy is a natural fit for Harley-Davidson since nearly one-third of U.S. Harley owners already belong to or support a conservation organization.
“They are an exceptional community that prides itself on banding together and supporting organizations like ours,” said Geof Rochester, managing director, The Nature Conservancy. “Harley-Davidson has made a major commitment to helping restore some of our planet’s most important places. We are grateful for their assistance and support as we expand the Plant a Billion Trees campaign to restore forests across the globe, one tree at a time.”
Since 2008, The Nature Conservancy’s Plant a Billion Trees program has reforested more than 14,000 acres of land and planted and restored more than 14 million trees in Brazil’s Atlantic Rainforest. The focus has been to restore the world’s most critical forests with special focus in Brazil, and the Yunnan and Sichuan provinces in China and the United States.
To launch the partnership, Harley-Davidson riders and dealers planted 1,000 longleaf pine trees in South Quay, Virginia. Renew the Ride has immediate plans to plant 110,000 trees (approximately 200 acres) over the next few months.
The Harley-Davidson community is known for its prowess at local fundraising. Also, nationally it has raised more than $91 million for the Muscular Dystrophy Association since 1980 and more than $1.3 million for breast cancer support organizations more recently.
Photos by Luc B (top, via CC license) and Harley-Davidson (bottom)
Voters in four states approved measures Tuesday to raise the minimum wage for workers. The ballot initiative in Alaska received 69 percent of the vote; in Arkansas, 65 percent; in Nebraska, 59 percent; and in South Dakota, the margin was 53 percent.
10 other states have already enacted minimum wage increases this year.
At just 12 years old, a San Jose, California middle-schooler received funding last month from Intel Capital, the company’s venture capital arm, for his prototype low-cost Braille printer.
Shubham Banerjee , now 13, used legos to create a science project that would slash the cost of $2000 braille printers so that families or schools could educate blind children at a fraction of that cost — using materials currently costing $350.
Through his new company, Braigo Labs, Inc., the youngster offers the printer’s software in Open Source code and makes the design readily available for public consumption free of charge, so that potentially millions of people worldwide can use it and improve it.
Intel was so impressed with the idea that they decided to invest to bring a consumer oriented braille printer to market. The price point for Braigo 2.0 or its launch date cannot be disclosed, since development using Intel’s new Edison chip is still ongoing, but it has the capability of being used with batteries in remote locations of the world.
