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Two Surprising Heroes in Libya’s Quest for Freedom

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Aug 25, 2011

Libya thanks the Fantastic 4 NATO and UN leaders

A billboard erected in the middle of the square in Benghazi gives thanks to the “Fantastic 4” — Obama, Sarkozy, Cameron, and UN Ambassador Susan Rice — the NATO and UN leaders who vowed to keep the Libyan people safe during government attacks.

But the sign-makers need to add another name. It was revealed this week that one NATO country’s foreign minister personally traveled to Libya delivering piles of cash to the National Transitional Council for use in paying salaries and providing basic services during these weeks leading up to the historic ouster of Muammar Gaddafi.

Bypassing any bureaucracy, the country of Turkey delivered cash to the Libyan rebel leadership just when they needed it most — $100 million in currency and another $100 million as “a gift,” for humanitarian projects, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Also notable this week was the story of a surprising “hero” for many Libyans who backed the overthrow of the military dictatorship: The Governor in charge of the notorious Boslin prison in Tripoli suddenly surprised his captives with their release.

Two Surprising Heroes in Libya’s Quest for Freedom

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By

Good News Network

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Aug 25, 2011

Libya thanks the Fantastic 4 NATO and UN leaders

A billboard erected in the middle of the square in Benghazi gives thanks to the “Fantastic 4” — Obama, Sarkozy, Cameron, and UN Ambassador Susan Rice — the NATO and UN leaders who vowed to keep the Libyan people safe during government attacks.

But the sign-makers need to add another name. It was revealed this week that one NATO country’s foreign minister personally traveled to Libya delivering piles of cash to the National Transitional Council for use in paying salaries and providing basic services during these weeks leading up to the historic ouster of Muammar Gaddafi.

Bypassing any bureaucracy, the country of Turkey delivered cash to the Libyan rebel leadership just when they needed it most — $100 million in currency and another $100 million as “a gift,” for humanitarian projects, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Also notable this week was the story of a surprising “hero” for many Libyans who backed the overthrow of the military dictatorship: The Governor in charge of the notorious Boslin prison in Tripoli suddenly surprised his captives with their release.

Last Surviving Ellis Island Ferry Transformed Into Historic Houseboat

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Aug 25, 2011

Ellis Island ferry is now a houseboat

The last surviving Ellis Island Ferry is now a beautiful residence for one New York couple.

Christened the Yankee Ferry, it was used to transport immigrants from their incoming ships to Ellis Island, giving many their first sight of the new world.

Registered as an historical vessel with the National Register of Historical Places, the Yankee is a truly special piece of New York history that we are incredibly grateful to still have, and to see in good hands.

Delta Confirms Purchase of 100 Fuel-Efficient Planes

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Aug 25, 2011

Delta Air Lines on Thursday confirmed its plan to buy 100 Boeing 737 jets that not only offer perks for travelers including a roomier cabin, less engine noise and more room in overhead bins, but also offer more fuel-efficiency, requiring less maintenance and less fuel.

Surprise Increase in US Durable Goods Orders Sends Dow Up 1.3%

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Aug 25, 2011

stocks graph shows gains

A rise in orders for long-lasting goods like cars and aircraft in July eased fears that the U.S. was headed for another recession.

US stocks rose for a third straight day, up 1.3%.

Overall orders for durable goods rose 4% last month, biggest increase since March, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. Demand for autos and auto parts jumped 11.5%, the most in eight years.

8,000 Afghan Schools Built So Far, 13 More Over Next 6 Months

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Aug 24, 2011

Afghan Education Minister, Dr. Farooq Wardak

The Afghanistan Minister of Education, Dr. Farooq Wardak, has been very busy since taking office three years ago.

More than 8,000 school buildings have been constructed in the country since the end of the Taliban regime in 2001. And, contracts were signed this week, for constructing 13 more schools in eight different provinces over the next six months.

The new classrooms will help nearly 8,500 students, many of whom study in the open air or under tents. Funding for the $1.6 million will come from the education ministry, the World Bank and Denmark.

8,000 Afghan Schools Built So Far, 13 More Over Next 6 Months

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Aug 24, 2011

Afghan Education Minister, Dr. Farooq Wardak

The Afghanistan Minister of Education, Dr. Farooq Wardak, has been very busy since taking office three years ago.

More than 8,000 school buildings have been constructed in the country since the end of the Taliban regime in 2001. And, contracts were signed this week, for constructing 13 more schools in eight different provinces over the next six months.

The new classrooms will help nearly 8,500 students, many of whom study in the open air or under tents. Funding for the $1.6 million will come from the education ministry, the World Bank and Denmark.

35 International Chefs Jet to South Africa for Food Tour to Support Needy Children

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Aug 24, 2011

photo by Scott Liddell, via Morguefile

Pans sizzling, steam rising and the tantalizing smells of foreign delicacies will delight the public during food demonstrations and gala dinners provided by 250 chefs from 44 countries, in Cape Town this week for a 10-day culinary tour to aid hungry children.

700 local chefs also plan to participate in the World Chefs Tour Against Hunger, sponsored by the largest foodservice business outside North America, Bidvest.

Squash Prodigy Flees Taliban, Finds Refuge in Toronto

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Aug 24, 2011

Junior Squash champion, Maria Toorpakai

At 20, Maria Toorpakai is the best female squash player in Pakistan. But she can’t play there.

Her family began receiving death threats from the Taliban, a group that equates a woman wearing shorts as an obscenity, an offense to Islam.

Since March, she has been living in Toronto, training with Canada’s own squash legend, Jonathon Power. He says Toorpakai will soon be the best in the world.

Coming Soon: Batteries That Run On (And Clean) Used Toilet Water

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Aug 24, 2011

toilet photo by Dee Golden - via Morguefile

A new fuel cell feeds on bacteria in the dirty water from our drains and toilets while generating power at the same time.

Environmental engineer Bruce Logan is developing microbial fuel cells that take advantage of the natural desire of wastewater bacteria to munch on organic waste. When these bacteria eat the waste, electrons are released as a byproduct that can be directed into a circuit to power everything from light bulbs to ceiling fans.

Anderson Cooper’s Uncontrolled Giggling Fit on CNN

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Aug 23, 2011

Anderson-cooper-giggle

Anderson Cooper, the serious and white-haired reporter and host of AC 360 on CNN fell into a giggling fit during a humorous story about a French actor, Gerard Depardieu. Depardieu, stuck on an airport tarmac and told he could not use the toilet, peed into a bottle and spilled some on the carpet.

Watch as Cooper survives pun after pun while recounting the story, but finally loses it…

Nobody can watch this and not laugh during Cooper’s contagious giggle.

Strangers Unite Online to Save Barbershop Ransacked in Riots

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Aug 23, 2011

KeepAaronCutting photo

89 year-old Aaron Biber’s barbershop has been a mainstay in his Tottenham neighborhood for 41 years, but it took one night of rioting to nearly destroy it.

But some kindhearted strangers launched a fundraiser online to help restore the shop to its former condition.

A group of interns from a London advertising agency who read about Biber’s story, decided to set up a website to collect donations.

Thanks to social media and generous hearts, $57,000 (£37,000) was raised.

Mr. Biber was at a loss for words but wanted to thank everyone from the bottom of his heart. With any funds left over he would like to help other victims of the riots in the Tottenham area.

The interns, Björn, Sophie and Omid, will be recording the progress of repairs on the shop at their blog, Keep Aaron Cutting.

“This project has proved that social media can be a powerful force for good,” the trio concluded when closed the donation link. “It’s been the most heartening experience to be involved with all of you.”

(Source: BBC)

Strangers Unite Online to Save Barbershop Ransacked in Riots

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Good News Network

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Aug 23, 2011

KeepAaronCutting photo

89 year-old Aaron Biber’s barbershop has been a mainstay in his Tottenham neighborhood for 41 years, but it took one night of rioting to nearly destroy it.

But some kindhearted strangers launched a fundraiser online to help restore the shop to its former condition.

A group of interns from a London advertising agency who read about Biber’s story, decided to set up a website to collect donations.

Actor Ryan Gosling Stops New York Street Fight (Video)

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Aug 23, 2011

ryan-gosling-stops-fight

Ryan Gosling posed as a hero in real life, stopping a New York City street fight over the weekend. He was walking down the street in the East Village when he came upon an escalating scuffle and immediately intervened.

The 31-year-old actor wearing a baseball cap, stood taller than any of the other men, his muscles bulging from a striped tank top. He dropped his bags on the ground and pulling an aggravated man to the side.

The whole scene was captured on video, thanks to a bystander who began squealing after she learned of the actor’s identity.

Actor Ryan Gosling Stops New York Street Fight (Video)

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Good News Network

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Aug 23, 2011

ryan-gosling-stops-fight

Ryan Gosling posed as a hero in real life, stopping a New York City street fight over the weekend. He was walking down the street in the East Village when he came upon an escalating scuffle and immediately intervened.

The 31-year-old actor wearing a baseball cap, stood taller than any of the other men, his muscles bulging from a striped tank top. He dropped his bags on the ground and pulling an aggravated man to the side.

The whole scene was captured on video, thanks to a bystander who began squealing after she learned of the actor’s identity.

When Not To Quit: Man Revived After 96 Minutes Thanks to New Technology

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Aug 23, 2011

Administering CPR, Photo by jdurham, morguefile

Last January, a Minnesota man’s heart stopped beating for an amazing 96 minutes. Emergency room doctors thought he was dead. But first responders who gave CPR on the scene decided not to give up, in part because of technology that allowed them to see their efforts were working.

It’s called capnography, and it measures how much carbon dioxide is being expelled with each breath.

Martin Luther King Memorial Opens Today on Washington Mall

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Aug 22, 2011

MLK memorial design drawing

The first memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC, dedicated to a non-president, or a black American, opens today in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Standing between the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and Jefferson Memorial — alongside the water and the cherry trees — the granite statue stands more than 30 feet tall.

Another element of the memorial that truly captures Dr. King’s legacy is the Inscription Wall.

Fourteen of Dr. King’s most notable quotes are engraved on a 450-foot crescent shaped granite wall. The quotes span the too-short career of Dr. King, the earliest taken from his rise during the Montgomery Bus Boycotts in Alabama, 1955. The latest quote, appropriately, was taken from his last sermon delivered in Washington, DC at the National Cathedral in 1968, four days before his assassination at age 39.

The official dedication for the memorial takes place Sunday, August 28 on the 40th anniversary of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. President Obama is scheduled to speak, and Aretha Franklin to sing, for the thousands who will flock to the nation’s capital.

Take a virtual tour of the four-acre site, and donate to help sponsor the project, at the MLK Memorial website: www.mlkmemorial.org.

Martin Luther King Memorial Opens Today on Washington Mall

Most Popular

By

Good News Network

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Aug 22, 2011

MLK memorial design drawing

The first memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC, dedicated to a non-president, or a black American, opens today in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Standing between the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and Jefferson Memorial — alongside the water and the cherry trees — the granite statue stands more than 30 feet tall.

Another element of the memorial that truly captures Dr. King’s legacy is the Inscription Wall.

42 Year Reign of Terror Ends in Libya as Rebels Pour into Tripoli Without Opposition

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Good News Network

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Aug 22, 2011

Libyan rally al Jazeera video

The Libyan people are one step closer to their dream of a better future, freed last night from a tyrant leader, Muammar Gaddafi, whose brutal policies ruled the country for 42 years.

Sunday evening, euphoric Libyan rebels flowed into the capital Tripoli without opposition, gathering to celebrate in the city’s square.

Gaddafi’s two sons were captured, and are being handed over to authorities, wanted for crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court.

[UPDATE: (Aug. 23) Rebels stormed the Gaddafi compound, seizing control of the expansive group of buildings, after hours of fighting, but Gaddafi’s 2 sons are still at large along with their father.]

42 Year Reign of Terror Ends in Libya as Rebels Pour into Tripoli Without Opposition

Most Popular

By

Good News Network

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Aug 22, 2011

Libyan rally al Jazeera video

The Libyan people are one step closer to their dream of a better future, freed last night from a tyrant leader, Muammar Gaddafi, whose brutal policies ruled the country for 42 years.

Sunday evening, euphoric Libyan rebels flowed into the capital Tripoli without opposition, gathering to celebrate in the city’s square.

Gaddafi’s two sons were captured, and are being handed over to authorities, wanted for crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court.

[UPDATE: (Aug. 23) Rebels stormed the Gaddafi compound, seizing control of the expansive group of buildings, after hours of fighting, but Gaddafi’s 2 sons are still at large along with their father.]

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