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Banks Start to Make More Loans

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Oct 18, 2011

Citi and Wells Fargo banks

Guess what’s been happening in the financial industry over the last few months? The banks have quietly turned on the lending spigot.

After several quarters of having their loan balances plunge or flatten out, several of the nation’s biggest banks are reporting increases.

Wells Fargo executives said new loan commitments to small businesses were up 8 percent, while loans issued from bigger companies in Scandinavia like Sambla, which dominates Finland, Norway, Sweden, and most recently Denmark has been growing for 14 months in a row.

French Get Back Famous Painting Stolen During World War I

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Oct 18, 2011

French painting, Fishermans Daughter-Mender of Nets

A famous French painting stolen during World War I by the German Army was returned to the government of France by U.S. officials on Thursday. The 1876 Jules Breton work is translated as “A Fisherman’s Daughter/Mender of Nets.”

“One of the very few ways that we are able to redress the awful legacy of war is to return stolen art to its rightful owners so it can be shared and enjoyed,” said a U.S. Attorney for New York who worked on the case.

What Cancer Patients Want Most – To Laugh (Help Them do it)

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Oct 17, 2011

grandkids-in-yellow-w-gramps

It’s not just an “old adage” that tells us laughter is the best medicine these days. Scientists, doctors, mental health professionals, and patients themselves call humor a remedy for any ailment — at least temporarily.

Several studies show that humor builds hope, and hope is particularly crucial to people with cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

An acclaimed author and journalist, Lori Hope, utilized a very personal challenge — her own cancer diagnosis — to create a practical guide for people who want to comfort and support a friend with cancer, but don’t know what to say. After extensive interviews, she wrote a book, 20 Things People with Cancer Want You to Know.

Newsweek Ranks the World’s Greenest Companies

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Oct 17, 2011

Green Rankings Newsweek 2011

Even in this weak economy, many of the world’s largest companies are tackling green projects — emissions, energy efficiency and recycling — with increasing tenacity.

Corporate sustainability, it seems, is here for the long haul. It makes sense not just for the sake of the planet, but for business: The more energy and resources saved or reused, the more profit for the company.

Newsweek has partnered for the second year to come up with a Green Rankings list that measures companies on their environmental records.

U.S. computer technology companies lead the way with seven of the top 15 Green Giant slots. Worldwide, not only technology companies top the field, but insurance companies, financial firms, and even banks measure up as global green leaders.

Newsweek Ranks the World’s Greenest Companies

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Oct 17, 2011

Green Rankings Newsweek 2011

Even in this weak economy, many of the world’s largest companies are tackling green projects — emissions, energy efficiency and recycling — with increasing tenacity.

Corporate sustainability, it seems, is here for the long haul. It makes sense not just for the sake of the planet, but for business: The more energy and resources saved or reused, the more profit for the company.

Newsweek has partnered for the second year to come up with a Green Rankings list that measures companies on their environmental records.

U.S. computer technology companies lead the way with seven of the top 15 Green Giant slots. Worldwide, not only technology companies top the field, but insurance companies, financial firms, and even banks measure up as global green leaders.

Hong Kong Harbour Swim Resumes After 33 Years

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Oct 17, 2011

Swimmers in Hong Kong Harbor - BBC video snip

Hundreds of swimmers took part Sunday in Hong Kong’s iconic harbour race, which had been suspended for 33 years until water pollution could be cleaned up.

Hong Kong has been engaged in a major effort to restore the harbour, which is one of the world’s most beautiful ports.

Swimmers were pleased with the water quality.

Londoners Earn Rewards for Recycling and Being More Physically Active

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Oct 17, 2011

cyclist and pedestrians by Michael Pickard - CC

Would you bike to work or recycle more often if it meant you got free stuff at stores? Recyclebank offers rewards for recycling, and gives London commuters fresh incentives to walk or ride.

Recyclebank has reached millions of people with its environmental social platform, awarding points that can be exchanged for deals and discounts at nearby stores.

Paraplegic Skier Walks Again, Helps Others do the Same

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Oct 16, 2011

paralyzed skiier on eLEGS

After surviving a storm of slings and arrows over the course of her life, Amanda Boxtel could never have imagined that a paralyzing skiing accident would change her life… for the better.

As a motivational speaker and author, Amanda is now helping others overcome similar challenges, having founded her own successful non-profit, Challenge Aspen. She even returned to the slopes, becoming a ski instructor using special adaptive equipment.

Best of all, thanks to new technology, Amanda is walking again, with the use of eLEGS, a wearable, battery-powered exoskeleton walking device.

“To take my first step in the eLEGS was just astounding because I bent my knee for the first time in 18 years…it was so natural,” said Boxtell, the new spokesperson for eLEGS. “I’m not meant to be in my wheelchair, sitting down and rolling, I want to be tall in my body.”

Paraplegic Skier Walks Again, Helps Others do the Same

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Oct 16, 2011

paralyzed skiier on eLEGS

After surviving a storm of slings and arrows over the course of her life, Amanda Boxtel could never have imagined that a paralyzing skiing accident would change her life… for the better.

As a motivational speaker and author, Amanda is now helping others overcome similar challenges, having founded her own successful non-profit, Challenge Aspen. She even returned to the slopes, becoming a ski instructor using special adaptive equipment.

Best of all, thanks to new technology, Amanda is walking again, with the use of eLEGS, a wearable, battery-powered exoskeleton walking device.

“To take my first step in the eLEGS was just astounding because I bent my knee for the first time in 18 years…it was so natural,” said Boxtell, the new spokesperson for eLEGS. “I’m not meant to be in my wheelchair, sitting down and rolling, I want to be tall in my body.”

King’s Legacy Honored At Memorial: A Symbol of the Best in America

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Oct 16, 2011

MLK Memorial photo by Something Original - CC Wikipedia

Thousands attended the formal dedication Sunday of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall – an emotional day for those, including President Obama, who came to honor the slain civil rights leader.

There were tears on the faces of some in the crowd.

“For this day, we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s return to the National Mall,” President Obama said. “In this place, he will stand for all time, among monuments to those who fathered this nation and those who defended it; a black preacher with no official rank or title who somehow gave voice to our deepest dreams and our most lasting ideals, a man who stirred our conscience and thereby helped make our union more perfect.”

Congressman John Lewis attended the dedication. As the last surviving speaker who appeared on stage with King during his “I Have A Dream” speech on the National Mall in 1963, Lewis welcomed him home:

“King’s aspirations for this nation were “deeply rooted in the American dream.” And it is because of his unwavering commitment to the cause of justice, the principles of peace and non-violent activism, because of his insistence on the equal dignity of all humanity that he has found his place on the National Mall. Martin Luther King Jr. represents the very best in America. It was his moral voice that helped this nation turn the corner and lay down the burden of a grave injustice.”

“Thus it is fitting and so appropriate that we honor Martin Luther King Jr. in what I like to call “the frontyard of America”. He must be looked upon as one of the founders of the New America. He must be looked upon as one of the founders of a nation more prepared to meet its highest destiny. And that is why the image of this humble Baptist minister from Atlanta, Georgia, a man who was never elected to any public office, can be seen today standing on the National Mall between the monuments to two great presidents—Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson.”

(LISTEN to — or READ — an article from NPR)

Racers Carve Out Giant Pumpkins for Annual Boating Regatta

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Oct 16, 2011

pumpkin boat by Wendy Schotsmans -CC

Last weekend, folks in Nova Scotia hauled their giant pumpkins from the pumpkin patch into the water, carving them into boats for the annual Pumpkin Regatta competition.

The tiny town of Windsor proclaims itself the World Pumpkin Capital. Each year 50 to 60 pumpkin boats — designed, carved, and decorated by each contestant — race across the 500-meter Lake Pisiquid to the delight of onlookers lining the shore.

(WATCH a video below, or Read more from CBC News) – Photo by Wendy Schotsmans, CC

Click to SHARE the Autumnal Fun…

Racers Carve Out Giant Pumpkins for Annual Boating Regatta

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Oct 16, 2011

pumpkin boat by Wendy Schotsmans -CC

Last weekend, folks in Nova Scotia hauled their giant pumpkins from the pumpkin patch into the water, carving them into boats for the annual Pumpkin Regatta competition.

The tiny town of Windsor proclaims itself the World Pumpkin Capital. Each year 50 to 60 pumpkin boats — designed, carved, and decorated by each contestant — race across the 500-meter Lake Pisiquid to the delight of onlookers lining the shore.

U.S. Heart Disease Rates Continue to Fall

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Oct 16, 2011

image by imelenchon via Morguefile

The percentage of Americans with the nation’s number one killer, heart disease, continues to fall, according to new research from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Overall, 6 percent of adults had heart disease in 2010, down from 6.7 percent in 2006. Better treatments for high blood pressure and high cholesterol, as well as declines in smoking, may explain the trend, experts said.

10 U.S. Industries Still Manufacturing at Home

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Oct 15, 2011

sneakers and pianos made in USA

For most of the last century, the United States dominated global manufacturing. Recently though, the nation has lost many factories to cheaper labor markets overseas. But there are heroic holdouts.

There are still US manufacturing plants scrappy enough to compete in the face of overseas competition. From compact disks to bowling balls, from sparklers to pianos, and even sneakers, here’s a look at 10 companies worth celebrating.

Making Change Happen for Child Brides

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Oct 15, 2011

Elders Child Bride campaign photo

The Elders, a group of notable statesmen brought together by Nelson Mandela in 2007 and currently chaired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, has decided to elevate the problem of child marriage, a harmful tradition that robs 10 million girls every year of their childhood.

As Desmond Tutu says, we know from our own experience that great change can happen in a single generation. That’s why The Elders were inspired to launch Girls Not Brides, a new global partnership that brings together grassroots, national and international organizations committed to ending child marriage.

Retail Sales Post Biggest Gain In Months, US Economy Seen Accelerating

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Oct 15, 2011

dollars-hand-giving-cohdra-morguefile

There was positive corporate news reported Friday alongside U.S. retail sales gains.

Consumers spent more on autos, clothing, and furniture last month to boost consumer spending 1.1 per cent — the largest gain in seven months, the Commerce Department said.

The news indicated to some that the world’s largest economy might not be in as much trouble as feared earlier.

Business inventories also increased suggesting companies were confident enough in the economy to keep stocking their shelves.

(READ the AP story in NPR)

Photo by Cohdra, via morguefile.com

Inspired by Steve Jobs, Stanford Business Grad Follows her Heart to Help the Poor

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Oct 15, 2011

Stanford grad Kamael Sugrim follows her heart

At her Stanford commencement ceremony in 2005, Kamael Sugrim listened intently to Apple CEO Steve Jobs.

A year after he was first diagnosed with cancer, Jobs told the graduates that death is life’s change agent.

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And, most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.”

Sugrim, a business grad, had her future life of prosperity assured, but Jobs’ words never left her. She took them to heart and changed her life to follow her bliss and help poor kids excel in Asia.

WATCH the video from MSNBC…

(You can see the inspiring commencement address at bottom, or read it at the Guardian)

Inspired by Steve Jobs, Stanford Business Grad Follows her Heart to Help the Poor

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Oct 15, 2011

Stanford grad Kamael Sugrim follows her heart

At her Stanford commencement ceremony in 2005, Kamael Sugrim listened intently to Apple CEO Steve Jobs.

A year after he was first diagnosed with cancer, Jobs told the graduates that death is life’s change agent.

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And, most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.”

Young Indonesians Green Their Concrete City

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Oct 14, 2011

Urban agriculture Chicago City Farm CC Linda Flickr

Young Indonesians are breathing new life into their polluted concrete capital city with little more than buckets of soil and seeds.

A group of mostly young professionals, known as Gardening Indonesia, has joined the global urban farming movement, converting vacant patches of land between Jakarta’s skyscrapers into lush green vegetable gardens.

Hugh Jackman Launches Coffee Company with All Profits to Charity

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Oct 14, 2011

Hugh Jackman with coffee grower

On Hugh Jackman’s 43rd birthday Wednesday, the actor followed in the footsteps of Paul Newman launching a food and beverage company with 100% of profits going to charity.

It was the Australian actor’s visit to Ethiopia with World Vision that planted the seed for a new coffee/chocoalate import business.

He struck up a friendship with Dukale, a local coffee farmer, after meeting his family and friends and working on the farm. Jackman saw how a community could benefit from the growth of a single entrepreneur.

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