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Grieving Father Offers Teens Money Not to Drink, 140 Take the Challenge

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Jun 21, 2012

Dad creates Mariahs Challenge-CNNHEROvid

Five years ago, Leo McCarthy lost his 14-year-old daughter, Mariah, when a drunken driver hit her and two of her friends as they walked down a sidewalk near her home.

But he refused to let her tragic death become just another statistic.

Knowing that the driver was 20 years old — not even old enough to drink legally — McCarthy made an unusual promise to the teenagers attending Mariah’s memorial service in Butte, Montana.

If they refrained from drinking until the legal age, he’d give them one thousand dollars.

In a state which is notorious for its drunk driving rates, Mr. McCarthy’s offer has inspired abstinence in more than 140 high schoolers who have taken “Mariah’s Challenge.”

(WATCH the video below, or read the CNN Hero story here)

UPDATE: Hero Dog Honored as New Kennels Open at Battered Women’s Shelter

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Jun 21, 2012

dog

Every day, battered women go to domestic violence shelters in this country. But sometimes, they don’t stay because they’re not allowed to keep their pets with them.

That’s what happened earlier this year at a shelter in Kansas City, until one victim and her heroic dog needed help. The dog helped save her from an attack.

“It really made us realize this was something we needed to do,” said officials at the Rose Brooks Center. “We needed to provide this opportunity for women to bring their pets.”

Plasticity Conference Showcases a Green Future for Plastics at Rio+20

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Jun 20, 2012

Plastic Montage-Plasticity conference

This week, 50,000 leaders in government, business and the environment gather for the Rio+20 Earth Summit UN conference. What is new this year is a one-day creative break-out session focused entirely on the future of plastics — how to use bio-waste instead of oil to make them, and how to get more of it recycled.

Called, Plasticity Rio ’12, the forum will showcase pioneering efforts related to plastic, including new initiatives in design, packaging, recovery, and reuse.

Plasticity Conference Showcases a Green Future for Plastics at Rio+20

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By

Good News Network

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Jun 20, 2012

Plastic Montage-Plasticity conference

This week, 50,000 leaders in government, business and the environment gathered for the Rio+20 Earth Summit UN conference. What was new this year is a one-day creative break-out session focused entirely on the future of plastics — how to use bio-waste instead of oil to make them, and how to get more of it recycled.

Called, Plasticity Rio ’12, the forum will showcase pioneering efforts related to plastic, including new initiatives in design, packaging, recovery, and reuse.

‘Water-less Shower’ Invented by African College Student

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Jun 20, 2012

Dry Bath product

With inspiration from a friend too lazy to take a shower and a few months of research on the Internet, South African university student Ludwick Marishane has won global recognition for an invention that takes the water out of bathing.

The 22-year-old invented a product called DryBath, a clear gel applied to skin that does the work of water and soap with wide application in the developing world where basic hygiene is lacking and hundreds of millions of people do not have regular access to water.

‘Water-less Shower’ Invented by African College Student

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By

Good News Network

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Jun 20, 2012

Dry Bath product

With inspiration from a friend too lazy to take a shower and a few months of research on the Internet, South African university student Ludwick Marishane has won global recognition for an invention that takes the water out of bathing.

The 22-year-old invented a product called DryBath, a clear gel applied to skin that does the work of water and soap with wide application in the developing world where basic hygiene is lacking and hundreds of millions of people do not have regular access to water.

Southern Baptists Elect 1st Black President

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Jun 20, 2012

First Baptist Church Charleston, South Carolina

At the end of the day Wednesday, the presidency of the Southern Baptist Convention will pass to an African-American pastor for the first time.

The nation’s largest Protestant denomination voted Tuesday to elect the Rev. Fred Luter Jr. to lead them, an important step for a denomination that was formed on the wrong side of slavery having split with the Baptists over the issue and made a reputation of supporting segregation and racism during much of the 20th century.

Summer Myths, Like Don’t Swim for 30 Minutes After Eating, are Bunk

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Jun 19, 2012

family-at-beach-flippers-sun

Have you ever hesitated before diving into a pool, trying to remember if it’s been at least 30 minutes since you ate? Or not itched a mosquito bite for fear that scratching would only make it worse? Health and medical myths abound. It is time to debunk them.

The truth is, you should not lean your head back if you have a bloody nose, and poison ivy is not contagious from a rash on someone else’s body, no matter how oozy.

For Family in Plane Crash, Ring Tone Sets Off Chain of Hope

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Jun 19, 2012

Helicopter rescues family in Idaho

They thought cell phone service would be impossible, stranded on the remote Idaho mountain after their plane crashed.

But then the Brown family heard a voice echoing into the night: “You are the dancing queen, young and sweet, only seventeen…”

The ABBA ringtone meant that somehow the remote location had a glimmer of cell phone service.

“We were in the mountain areas pretty deep, and I’ve never had luck with a cell phone working in the mountain areas really at all,’’ said Mr. Brown, who is a firefighter.

After successfully calling 911, the family waited as National Guard rescuers battled six-foot snowdrifts, white-out conditions and steep slopes for nearly 15 hours before they could be rescued.

An app that creates a strobe light helped rescuers find the family.

(WATCH the video below, or READ the story from TODAY on NBC)

Mom Mistakenly Throws Away Son’s Life Savings, but Recycling to the Rescue

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Jun 19, 2012

Mom, son and computer where money was recovered (TODAY)

A mom racked up some good karma by recycling her son’s old computer — good karma that came in handy after she found out her son had stashed $300 inside the old PC.

12 year-old Max had just returned from Boy Scout camp and instantly noticed the central-processing unit of his old computer was gone. “He started screaming that his CPU was missing. That’s when we realized.”

He had saved more than $300 to go to camp next year, hiding it inside his old computer so his sister wouldn’t find it.

When they learned of the mishap, the facility that collects the used hardware from the New York landfill really wanted to solve the problem. “We were very happy with Max’s mom that she went the distance to recycle, so we wanted to go the distance to try to help out.”

But there were thousands of old computers to comb through.

(WATCH the video below, or READ the story from TODAY on NBC)

Finding Homeless People Living in the Woods Motivates Starbucks Manager

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Jun 19, 2012

Homeless man by-miekaspop-Morguefile

A regional manager at Starbucks in Fredericksburg, Virginia discovered that there were homeless people living in the woods behind the shopping malls, where they stay unnoticed. She decided to help, collecting hotel toiletries, socks, and money, and delivering them, along with other Starbucks employees, to the dozens of people encamped back there.

“For all the customers who come in to Starbucks and buy Ethiopian Fair Trade coffee or water to pay for village wells or mugs to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS, Kelly has provided a cause that’s a little closer to home,” reports the Washington Post.

A lawyer, who is a regular customer in the cafe, also donated his time creating a non-profit organization for the group to work under.

(READ the story in the Washington Post)

Photo by miekaspop, via Morguefile – Thanks to Craig Withers for sending the link!

Brilliant Mr. Rogers Remix: Garden of Your Mind

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Jun 19, 2012

When PBS discovered video mash-up artist John D. Boswell on YouTube, they immediately hoped to collaborate. It turns out that Boswell is a huge Mister Rogers Neighborhood fan, and was thrilled to get the opportunity to pay tribute to the Public Television hero.

The video below uses an auto-tune method of transforming words into musical tones. This is the first in a planned series of PBS icons set to be remixed.

Wounded GIs Build Fancy Cars and New Lives

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Jun 19, 2012

Soldiers rehab with Automotivation-OperationComfort

The “Automotivation” program began eight years ago after the founder of San Antonio-based Operation Comfort talked with a soldier in Brooke Army Medical Center’s burn ward.

Aaron Coates was so badly injured after a rocket-propelled grenade struck his fuel truck that the gear shift knob and steering wheel melted into his hands.

She said to Aaron, “What on earth can I do to make you use what hands you’ve got?” He replied, “If you put an engine block out there on that patio area I’d be working on it 24/7.”

Now, a cadre of war-wounded veterans are determined to rebuild lives through the assembly of unique vehicles.

(READ the story in the Houston Chronicle)

Viet Nam Ranks Second on the Happy Planet Index

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Jun 18, 2012

Beach joy splashes-Photo by SunStar

Despite complaints of traffic jams and overcrowded hospitals and schools, Viet Nam is considered the second happiest country in the world in terms of sustainable well-being — behind Costa Rica.

The ranking, called the Happy Planet Index, was compiled and released by the New Economics Foundation, a UK independent think tank that wanted to create an index that measured the sustainability of a country and the happiness of its people (summing up how efficient is their happiness).

Deal Between Rival Candidates Keeps Attack Ads Off the Air in Mass.

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Jun 18, 2012

Elizabeth Warren - US Government photo

In the tight Massachusetts Senate race, GOP incumbent Scott Brown and his Democratic challenger, Elizabeth Warren, have signed a deal to discourage third party groups from running television, radio and online ads in Massachusetts.

At this point, at least, their pleas seem to have been heard.

And the two are leading by example: Voters are not hearing any caustic negative advertising because each of the candidates is airing a variety of positive ads, instead.

Red Carpet Dreams Come True for 14-year-old Fashion Designer with Cancer

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Jun 18, 2012

purple dress on stand

When MTV host Aliya-Jasmine Sovani walks the red carpet at the MuchMusic Video Awards this Sunday night in a one-of a-kind sparkly purple number, she’ll be making dreams come true – those of the 14-year-old dressmaker who’s long aspired to be a designer to the stars.

In just seven days, Hiba Allam, the student designer diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia last July, brought to life one of the the many sketches she made during long and sometimes lonely hospital visits, along with the help of Ottawa-based designer Richard Robinson, to create Sovani’s red carpet look.

(READ the story in Elle Canada)

Thanks to Anne Corke for sending the link!

‘Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish’: The Best Quotes From Graduation 2012

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Jun 17, 2012

El Dorado's Promise photo

Steve Jobs, Winston Churchill, and J.K. Rowling have all lit fires in the bellies of graduates with their words.

Whether or not you’ve walked across that stage, commencement speeches can be helpful, no matter your age.

HLNTV.com posted their 12 favorite graduation quotes here, which can inspire any graduate.

More poignant, NBC Nightly News edited their annual homage to college graduates, featuring some of the best moments from the season of 2012 on video.

(Watch that video below)

‘Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish’: The Best Quotes From Graduation 2012

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Good News Network

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Jun 17, 2012

El Dorado's Promise photo

Steve Jobs, Winston Churchill, and J.K. Rowling have all lit fires in the bellies of graduates with their words.

Whether or not you’ve walked across that stage, commencement speeches can be helpful, no matter your age.

HLNTV.com posted their 12 favorite graduation quotes here, which can inspire any graduate.

More poignant, NBC Nightly News edited their annual homage to college graduates, featuring some of the best moments from the season of 2012 on video.

Aung San Suu Kyi Finally Claims her Nobel Peace Prize, 21 years Later

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Jun 17, 2012

Aung San Suu Kyi - CC photo by Htoo Tay Zar

Aung San Suu Kyi received two standing ovations inside Oslo’s city hall as she gave her long-delayed acceptance speech 21 years after she received the Nobel Peace Prize for her unflagging support for democracy in the face of arrest and imprisonment in her military-controlled homeland of Myanmar.

The 66-year-old champion of political freedom praised the power of her 1991 Nobel honor both for saving her from the depths of personal despair and shining an enduring spotlight on injustices in distant Myanmar.

Father’s Day 2012: The Most Awesome Dads Of The Year

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Jun 17, 2012

Photo by Sun Star

The Huffington Post has compiled some of the best stories of creative dads, selfless dads, supportive-of-their-gay-son dads, and funny dads.

In celebration of Father’s Day, they put together a slideshow of ten of their favorite dads from the last six months.

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