California Beaches Were Less Polluted in 2013

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Jun 2, 2014

95 percent of California beaches earned A or B grades for water quality during the summer of 2013, a 2% improvement over 2012, according to an annual report. (LA Times)

Woman Pays to Bury Homeless Man Who Was Neighborhood Fixture for 11 Years

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Jun 2, 2014

Every work day for the past 11 years, Juanita Vega greeted a homeless man who slept outside the bank where she worked.

Vega developed a friendship with Richard Coleman who was popular among the Upper East Side community, including business owners, who collected $1500 to donate in his honor after his recent death.

She loved the way he called her “Sis” and she personally took responsibility for giving him a proper burial, spending $2,000 of her own money to lay him to rest at Rosemount Memorial Park (pictured above).

(READ the full story, w/ photo, from DNA Info New York)

Helping Family Farmers in Uganda

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Jun 2, 2014

Children of Ugandan Rice Farmers Andy Kristian Agaba-andykristianDOTcom — Healthy Children of Ugandan Rice Farmers by Andy Kristian Agaba (andykristian.com – CC license)

Because they believe that small farmers are the answer to hunger in the developing world, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2012 had already committed more than $2 billion to agricultural development, primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

The grants support research to develop more productive and nutritious varieties of the staple crops grown and consumed by farming families. These include varieties adapted to local conditions that deliver specific benefits farmers seek, such as increased yields, better nutrition, and tolerance to drought, flood, and pests. The Gates Foundation also funds research to discover ways to better manage soil and water resources and reduce crop loss due to spoilage, weeds, pests, disease, and other threats. They believe productivity increase will translate into 400 million people lifting themselves out of poverty.

By 2012, their efforts had supported the release of 34 new varieties of drought-tolerant maize, delivered vaccines to tens of millions of livestock and trained more than 10,000 agro-dealers to equip and train farmers — including more women — in the field.

Learn more at the Gates Foundation

Photo by Andy Kristian Agaba (andykristian.com)

New Pill Helps Leukemia Patients Live Longer

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Jun 2, 2014

A one-per-day pill that targets cancer-causing mutations has been shown in a recent trial to decrease the risk of death by 57 percent in patients with a particularly tough late-stage leukemia.

Called Imbruvica, the pill is already approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use against a different blood cancer called mantle cell lymphoma, as well as for chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

(READ the full story from TODAY)

Cop Buys Birthday Presents for Boy After Mom’s Gifts Were Stolen

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Jun 1, 2014

A Jacksonville Sheriff’s Officer responded to a burglary call to find a mother devastated because her son’s birthday presents were stolen from her car. Purchased with their tax refund, she had no money to replace the gifts.

Officer Derek Pratico wrote up the police report but before moving on to the next case he showed us all what community service looks like.

The next day he went to the store and purchased with his own money a toy police car, a birthday cake and card, and a Spiderman backpack. He brought it to the boy and also handed his mother a $100 gift card to “help her get back on her feet”.

The Sheriff’s office learned of the good deed a month afterward and asked to share Officer Pratico’s photo on its Facebook Page saying that everyone needed to know about his amazing heart.

Pratico said, “I did not do this for any recognition, I just felt it was the right thing to do at that moment.”

The photo tallied more than 7,000 comments on Facebook, mostly thanking him for making a positive impact on the Jacksonville community.

Hit the Buttons Below to SHARE Derek’s Kindness

US Power Plants Reduce Emissions by 13 Percent

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Jun 1, 2014

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The country’s top 100 electricity producers have reduced emissions of major pollutants in recent years, showing that they could likely handle the new limits on carbon dioxide coming soon from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to a new report.

The Wednesday report from corporate sustainability group Ceres found that the major producers reduced emissions of carbon dioxide 13 percent between 2008 and 2012. They’ve also significantly cut nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and mercury.

(READ the full story from The Hill newspaper)

Israeli and Palestinian Presidents to Pray Together at Vatican

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Jun 1, 2014

Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will meet at the Vatican and pray for peace together at an unprecedented gathering on June 8, the Vatican said on Thursday.

In one of his boldest political gestures since his election in March, 2013, Pope Francis invited the two leaders to come to the Vatican and hold a joint prayer meeting with him during the pontiff’s trip to the Holy Land last week.

(READ the Reuters story via Newsweek – Photo by the Catholic Church via Flickr – CC)

Zuckerberg and Wife Give $120 Million to Public Schools

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Jun 1, 2014

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Dr. Priscilla Chan, are donating $120 million to help public schools in underserved communities through their foundation, Startup: Education.

In her first-ever TV interview, Chan told NBC she and her husband felt it was important to invest in the school system where they live, work and volunteer — in the San Francisco Bay Area.

“The Bay Area is one of the most prosperous places in the world, but there are so many schools here that don’t have the resources they need,” said Zuckerberg in an announcement on Facebook. “Students from low income and minority backgrounds are the hardest hit, which means fewer end up graduating or attending college. Improving public education in our country and our community is something Priscilla and I really care about, and we want to change this.”

The funds will be used to encourage innovation in the classroom, train principals, and support new district and charter schools that give students more high quality choices for their education.

“We’ve listened to the needs of local educators and community leaders and we’re excited to support them,” concluded the statement.

In 2010, the couple agreed to donate $100 million to the chronically troubled public schools in the city of Newark, New Jersey. One of the positive outcomes of that, Zuckerberg says, is the new performance-based pay bonuses for the district’s best teachers.

(WATCH the video below or READ the story from TODAY)

Wedding Photo by Noah Kalina – NoahKalina.com

Darfur Women Learn English

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Jun 1, 2014

English classes for displaced women — Displaced Women in North Darfur learn English by Albert González Farran, for UNAMID - February 2014

Displaced Women in North Darfur learn English by Albert González Farran, for UNAMID - February 2014 — Displaced Women in North Darfur learn English by Albert González Farran, for UNAMID – February 2014

Women in a refugee camp for Internally Displaced Persons in North Darfur receive English classes conducted by volunteer teachers and facilitated by the UN / African Union peacekeepers (UNAMID).

Nearly 100 women, mostly adult and mothers, attend these classes three times a week in a school in the camp with materials (exercise books, notebooks, blackboards and chalks) provided by the UNAMID police section.

Photo by Albert González Farran for UNAMID – February 2014

Beaches In Europe Get Even Better With Improved Water Quality

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May 31, 2014

Thanks to tougher environmental standards, Europe’s 22,000 beaches are getting cleaner.

In a report released on Tuesday, the European Environment Agency said almost 95 percent of those swimming spots measured adequate water quality.

The number of European bathing areas with “excellent” water quality rose by 3.6 percentage points last year from 2012 levels to 82.6 percent.

(READ the AFP story in the Sydney Morning Herald)

Singer Gives Back to Elderly

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May 31, 2014

Jewish, religious singer/songwriter Naftali Kalfa decided to give back to our elderly.

He went to the local Jerusalem old age home with his dear friends and family, who also had joined him on his audio visual project, “The Naftali Kalfa Project“.

Together they sang and played musical instruments for the elderly seniors. The musician and his friends brought much needed smiles and happiness to the home and they were ever grateful!

Photo courtesy of Nick

Film Shows Women Using Soccer to Battle Homelessness, Addiction

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May 31, 2014

“When I first heard about the Homeless World Cup I was stunned,” said Micha X. Peled, the filmmaker of the new project, GOAL!

“I am a lifelong soccer fan, yet I’ve never heard about this annual event that brings together homeless soccer players from 50 countries around the world.”

Playing sports can change lives, just asks the five women featured in this documentary, subtitled, “The Incredible Journey.”

An innovative program is harnessing the transformative power of sports with organized teams in 18 cities. Street Soccer USA uses soccer to connect players to jobs, education and housing opportunities.

There are only a few days left for Peled, whose films have aired on PBS, to raise the $30,000 he needs for post production. If this story resonates, check out his Kickstarter campaign, which has reached $22,000, so far. He is offering a variety of bonus gifts if you pledge support, and it all goes forward if he tops the 30K goal. So, SHARE the story if you want to help.

UPDATE: June 2- With five days to go, the project is 6500 dollars from “GOAL!”

UPDATE: June 4- Campaign is so close… just $1800 away from their goal of $30,000 raised.

WATCH the inspiring video below

Homeless Teen Named Valedictorian: ‘Never Give Up’

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May 31, 2014

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A Florida student who lost his mother to leukemia and became homeless, has finished every homework assignment on time and finished with a 4.65 grade-point average to become valedictorian of his class.

Griffin Furlong always clung to one belief.

“Just never give up,” Furlong, who has long had that motto written on the bill of his baseball cap, told TODAY.com. “Never let anyone tell you that you can’t do something, because I’ve been told that all my life. People would tell me I wasn’t smart enough, and now I’m here at the top of my class.”

Furlong, 18, will give the speech to his fellow seniors on graduation day for First Coast High School in Jacksonville on June 4.

(WATCH the video below and READ the full story from TODAY *WARNING: Don’t play the video on the page, unless you want to hear about a mass killing)

Photo of the Day – Inuit Women of Greenland

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May 31, 2014

indigenous-women-Uummannaq-Greenland-UNPhoto — Inuit women in Uummannaq, Greenland – UN Photo

Indigenous women in Uummannaq, Greenland await the arrival of the Prime Ministers from Denmark and Greenland who were there to witness the effects of climate change, along with UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.

Israel Solves Water Woes With Desalination

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May 31, 2014

While previous droughts in Israel have been accompanied by impassioned public service advertisements to conserve, this time around it has been greeted with a shrug — thanks in large part to an aggressive desalination program that has transformed this perennially parched land into perhaps the most well-hydrated country in the region.

(READ the story in the Dayton Daily News)

Told He Couldn’t Run a Race With a Walker, He Started His Own 3K

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May 30, 2014

Sebastian, who is a very determined 19 year-old living with Cerebral Palsy, tried to enter a race as a contestant in 2009 but the organizers wouldn’t allow it. He then decided with his therapist and 30 other special needs children to organize their own all-inclusive race.

The hardworking young man trained with his walker for three years until he finally achieved his goal of walking 1.5 miles.

“It bothers me to be told I can’t do anything,” says Sebastian, who is quadriparesic (has muscle weakness affecting all four limbs).

Watch this inspiring video to see what happened when the whole community cheered him on, especially in those final steps:

Three annual races so far have raised money for a summer camp funded by Centro María de los Ángeles (CMA), a non-profit organization in Puerto Rico founded in 2001. It began as an effort by parents whose kids have functional disabilities caused by diseases like CP or spina bifida. Its goal was to organize a summer camp that offers individual assistance and group participation in structured recreational activities adapted to their conditions. These include art, dance, swimming, gymnastics, and field trips — like the experiences that most children enjoy in a summer camp.

The camp, named VIDALEGRE, is probably the only summer recreational option for these 30 kids who work hard through therapies during the entire year. They also go to school to maximize their potential and achieve some degree of functional independence. VIDALEGRE improves quality of life in all of Puerto Rico by giving these kids the opportunity to go out and share in a protected environment, so they can be part of their communities, contributing with their unique skills and talents.

“We’ve been doing this race for three years now and it’s been very inspirational for everybody involved,” Sebastian’s mother, Nora Vallejo, told the Good News Network. “This year was very important for us because after trying for two years, Sebastian finally achieved his goal of walking the entire 3K.”

Ford Motor Co. sponsored the race and created a website where you can see that the video has been viewed in 96 countries, so far. The site www.endlessrace.com collects donations for virtual miles run in a never-ending contest they are calling the Endless Race.

Ducklings Take Leap of Faith to Follow Mom (WATCH!)

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May 30, 2014

Ducklings will normally follow their mother anywhere. But students at the University College in Dublin became concerned that these babies might remain stuck on a brick wall, facing a sheer one meter drop-off to solid cement.

The onlookers worried whether the ducklingd could make it, with one student throwing down his backpack as an optional soft landing.

But, all it took was one brave sibling to lead to a sweet outcome — and it may be the best thing you’ll see all day.

If This Made You Smile, Use the SHARE Buttons and Multiply the Happiness

U.S. House Votes to Halt Federal Meddling in Medical Marijuana

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May 30, 2014

For the first time ever, Congress has taken action to protect medical marijuana users and the legal dispensaries where they get their prescriptions filled.

In the wee hours of last night, the Republican controlled House of Representatives passed legislation that would prohibit the Drug Enforcement Agency from raiding medical marijuana activities in states where it is legal.

In a bipartisan vote of 219-189, 170 Democrats joined 49 Republicans and the bill’s sponsor Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA).

The law would block the Justice Department from using federal dollars to interfere with medical marijuana operations that are legal in almost half of states in the country.

(READ more from MSNBC)

Photo by Dank Depot – via Flickr – CC license

Peace in North Darfur

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May 30, 2014

Sports for peace — Peace in North Darfur by Albert Gonzalez Farran, (UNAMID) – 20 May 2014

People from El Sereif, North Darfur, cheer during a cultural and sports event organized by UNAMID (The UN/African Union Mission in Darfur) as part of the campaign “We need peace now”.

Fighting in the region that began in January 2013 resulted in a mass displacement of more than 100,000 people, but on 23 July, 2013 the two tribes signed a peace agreement and, since then, no more clashes have been reported, according to the UN.

[Photo by Albert Gonzalez Farran, UNAMID – 20 May 2014]

Minnesota Bans Anti-bacterial Agent in Soaps as Pressure on Industry Grows

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May 30, 2014

triclosan hand soap fitsugarDOTcomWebsite

Minnesota this month became the first state in the country to ban the germ-killer triclosan from antibacterial soaps, toothpastes, body washes and other cosmetics.

Taking effect in 2017, this ban is good news because, while triclosan hasn’t been proven to be hazardous to humans, studies and scientists have raised concerns that it can disrupt thyroid gland function and hormones critical for reproduction and development, at least in lab animals, and contribute to the development of resistant bacteria.

There are environmental effects too, with the chemical being flushed down millions of Americans’ sinks. A University of Minnesota study last year found increasing levels of triclosan in lakes can break down into potentially harmful dioxins.

Additionally, its use is unnecessary since using plain soap and water is no less effective in preventing disease.

Already some manufacturers have advertised triclosan-free products or voluntarily eliminated the chemical as an ingredient. Procter & Gamble cited consumer preference in 2013 as the reason it will cut triclosan. In 2012, Johnson & Johnson did the same, first with baby products, then, in it’s adult line too.

(READ the AP story from the Minn. Star-Tribune)