Former all-star Texas baseball pitcher Nolan Ryan will be leading the state’s beloved team, the Rangers, for years to come, now that an investment group led by the Hall of Fame hurler won a contentious auction for the team last night, “beating back a nearly $600 million offer from outspoken Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban”.
Officials in federal bankruptcy court announced the winning bid to cheers and a standing ovation in the packed courtroom, shortly before 1 a.m. and some 10 hours after the auction began.
In Colorado Saturday, a coyote grabbed a Chihuahua from the pet’s own back yard and would have gotten away carrying the small dog in its mouth, had not the neighbor’s Pit Bulls come to the rescue.
The coyote dropped the little dog in a field after the Pit Bulls gave chase.
Even more touching, the protective pair remained in the field standing guard over the injured dog until help arrived.
More than three dozen of the wealthiest families and individuals in the United States have committed to giving away the majority of their wealth to charitable causes, since the “Giving Pledge” was launched by fellow billionaires Bill Gates and Warren Buffett six weeks ago.
“We’ve really just started, but already we’ve had a terrific response,” said Warren Buffett, pledge co-founder and chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. “We’re delighted that so many people are doing just that – and that so many have decided to not only take this pledge but also to commit to sums far greater than the 50% minimum level.”
The United States has roughly 400 billionaires, about 40 percent of the world’s total, according to Forbes. The 40 names that have pledged to date have a combined net worth surpassing $230 billion, reports MSNBC.
Wealthy Americans from around the country, from energy tycoon T. Boone Pickens to media tycoon Ted Turner, have taken the pledge. A full list of those 40 families and individuals, along with personal pledge letters submitted by people like Mayor Michael Bloomberg, filmmaker George Lucas, and David Rockefeller, are available online at www.givingpledge.org.
• Michael R. Bloomberg: “If you want to do something for your children and show how much you love them, the single best thing – by far – is to support organizations that will create a better world for them and their children. And by giving, we inspire others to give of themselves, whether their money or their time.”
• George Lucas: “My pledge is to the process; as long as I have the resources at my disposal, I will seek to raise the bar for future generations of students of all ages. I am dedicating the majority of my wealth to improving education.”
• Barron Hilton: “It is my hope that others are inspired by my father’s story, and by our family’s steadfast adherence to his charitable philosophy.”
• Warren Buffett: “Were we to use more than 1% of my claim checks (Berkshire Hathaway stock certificates) on ourselves, neither our happiness nor our well-being would be enhanced. In contrast, that remaining 99% can have a huge effect on the health and welfare of others.”
• Bill and Melinda Gates: “We have been blessed with good fortune beyond our wildest expectations, and we are profoundly grateful. But just as these gifts are great, so we feel a great responsibility to use them well.”
• Jon and Karen Huntsman: “It has been clear to me since my earliest childhood memories that my reason for being was to help others.”
• George B. Kaiser: “I had the advantage of both genetics (winning the “ovarian lottery”) and upbringing. As I looked around at those who did not have these advantages, it became clear to me that I had a moral obligation to direct my resources to help right that balance.”
• Gerry and Marguerite Lenfest: “The ultimate achievement in life is how you feel about yourself. And giving your wealth away to have an impact for good does help with that feeling.”
• Lorry I. Lokey: “There’s an old saying about farmers putting back in to the ground via fertilizer what they take out. So it is with money. The larger the estate, the more important it is to revitalize the soil.”
• Peter G. Peterson: “As I watched and learned from my father’s example, I noticed how much pleasure his giving to others gave him. Indeed, today, I get much more pleasure giving money to what I consider worthwhile causes than making the money in the first place.”
• David Rockefeller: “Our family continues to be united in the belief that those who have benefitted the most from our nation’s economic system have a special responsibility to give back to our society in meaningful ways.”
• Sanford and Joan Weill: “Our Pledge is this: We will continue to give away all of the wealth we have been so fortunate to make except for a very small percentage allocated to our children and grandchildren between now and the time we pass because we are firm believers that shrouds don’t have pockets.”
The Giving Pledge, which does not involve supporting a particular set of causes or organizations, is an effort to help address society’s most pressing problems by inviting the wealthiest American families and individuals to commit to giving more than half of their wealth to philanthropy or charitable causes. While it is specifically focused on billionaires, the idea takes its inspiration from other efforts that encourage and recognize givers of all financial means and backgrounds.
More than three dozen of the wealthiest families and individuals in the United States have committed to giving away the majority of their wealth to charitable causes, since the “Giving Pledge” was launched by fellow billionaires Bill Gates and Warren Buffett six weeks ago.
“We’ve really just started, but already we’ve had a terrific response,” said Warren Buffett, pledge co-founder and chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. “We’re delighted that so many people are doing just that – and that so many have decided to not only take this pledge but also to commit to sums far greater than the 50% minimum level.”
The United States has roughly 400 billionaires, about 40 percent of the world’s total, according to Forbes. The 40 names that have pledged to date have a combined net worth surpassing $230 billion, reports MSNBC.
Free dental care drew thousands last week to the 11th annual open-air health clinic organized by Remote Area Medical, which specializes in helping impoverished communities.
2,643 teeth were extracted from 2,347 patients who slept overnight in their cars to ensure they would receive the care they normally cannot afford.
Sad stories abound in this rural community but we can be inspired by the doctors, dentists and hygienists who care enough to offer their very best service for free. Help out at Remote Area Medical website.
The New York Landmarks Preservation Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to deny landmark status to the building at 45-47 Park Place located two blocks from ground zero, paving the way for the construction of a mosque and community center that has been the center of heated debate due to its proximity to the site of the 9/11 attacks.
All nine commissioners weighed in on the historical and artistic significance of the building and agreed that the building did not meet the requirements for a landmark designation. (A move that would have raised hurdles for the Community Center’s progress.)
Issac Luria, communications director for J Street, an organization that advocates and lobbies for “pro-Israel, pro-peace Americans,” was there to submit over 10,000 signatures collected in support of the mosque.
The New York Landmarks Preservation Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to deny landmark status to the building at 45-47 Park Place located two blocks from ground zero, paving the way for the construction of a mosque and community center that has been the center of heated debate due to its proximity to the site of the 9/11 attacks.
All nine commissioners weighed in on the historical and artistic significance of the building and agreed that the building did not meet the requirements for a landmark designation. (A move that would have raised hurdles for the Community Center’s progress.)
Issac Luria, communications director for J Street, an organization that advocates and lobbies for “pro-Israel, pro-peace Americans,” was there to submit over 10,000 signatures collected in support of the mosque.
Low-income and unemployed Floridians can get free mobile phone and voice services to help them in an emergency or find employment.
The service, called Assurance Wireless, recently launched offering the cell phones pre-programmed with 200 free minutes.
“Programs like Assurance are so important for helping individuals and families stay on — or get back on — their feet and succeed in these difficult financial times.”
A cybercrime report released in July 2010 revealed a 50 percent drop in the number of attacks on retail stores in 2009, with 143 million stolen records, down from 360 million the year before. (CS Monitor)
Professor John Burland has spent the last two decades striving to save – and understand – the Leaning Tower of Pisa. After defying gravity, Italian bureaucracy and accusations of corruption, it seems he’s finally cracked the case.
“Without our intervention, any local storm or earth tremor could have finished it off,” Burland said of the freestanding bell tower, adjacent to the cathedral of the Italian city of Pisa.
Burland, 72, an emeritus professor of soil engineering at Imperial College London, helped solve one of the most fascinating riddles in architectural history.
Two decades ago, when a committee of experts drawn from every discipline was assembled, they couldn’t even find a computer program that would accept the fact that a building tilting 4.7m could still be standing, according to the UK’s Telegraph.
Professor John Burland has spent the last two decades striving to save – and understand – the Leaning Tower of Pisa. After defying gravity, Italian bureaucracy and accusations of corruption, it seems he’s finally cracked the case.
“Without our intervention, any local storm or earth tremor could have finished it off,” Burland said of the freestanding bell tower, adjacent to the cathedral of the Italian city of Pisa.
Burland, 72, an emeritus professor of soil engineering at Imperial College London, helped solve one of the most fascinating riddles in architectural history.
Two decades ago, when a committee of experts drawn from every discipline was assembled, they couldn’t even find a computer program that would accept the fact that a building tilting 4.7m could still be standing, according to the UK’s Telegraph.
The tide is turning for whole grains as American grocery shoppers are choosing more healthy sliced bread. A report in July showed whole wheat edging out the empty-calorie white bread in total sales for the first time.
Flooded with messages about heart health and the need for fiber, breads with “natural” in the name, or grains visible through the packaging are among the best performing at grocery stores — even though they cost a little more. Among the most popular: Nature’s Own, Nature’s Pride, and Arnold.
First Lady Michelle Obama urged Congress to pass current legislation that calls for higher nutritional standards for school meals.
In an op-ed article appearing in Monday’s Washington Post, Mrs. Obama applauded the Child Nutrition Bill which would require more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and less fat and salt in school lunches and breakfasts.
“Our prosperity depends on the health and vitality of the next generation,” she wrote.
As a reward for working so hard during the economic slump, owners of a popular Nashville restaurant are taking 48 employees on an Alaskan cruise.
At the end of a staff retreat last September, Puffy Muffin owners Lynda and Jack Stone unveiled the trip plans and told employees that if they met some aggressive sales goals for the next 10 months their deck chairs — as a group — were awaiting them on a Holland America cruise line bound for Alaska.
“We have the most wonderful people working here,” Lynda Stone said. “This was a way to really motivate everyone and to have a different attitude during the crunch.”
Expect to find the doors at each of their locations closed and locked until August 9.
As a reward for working so hard during the economic slump, owners of a popular Nashville restaurant are taking 48 employees on an Alaskan cruise.
At the end of a staff retreat last September, Puffy Muffin owners Lynda and Jack Stone unveiled the trip plans and told employees that if they met some aggressive sales goals for the next 10 months their deck chairs — as a group — were awaiting them on a Holland America cruise line bound for Alaska.
“We have the most wonderful people working here,” Lynda Stone said. “This was a way to really motivate everyone and to have a different attitude during the crunch.”
Expect to find the doors at each of their locations closed and locked until August 9.
A new study claims that more DVDs are borrowed from libraries each day than are rented via Netflix, Redbox or Blockbuster.
According to the survey released by the Online Computer Library Center, public libraries in the U.S. lend an average 2.1 million videos/day, which edges out the 2 million discs shipped by Netflix…
Another recent report says that libraries have doubled the size of their movie collections over the last decade — and library users have taken notice.
“Friday nights, the hour before we close, it’s like a video store… People are running to get their movies before the weekend.”
Last week, Chicago’s own Smashing Pumpkins played a benefit concert to raise money to pay the hospital bills for a local musician who was badly beaten after he stepped in to help a woman fighting off an attack by her husband. Matthew Leone was rushed to the hospital in June after incurring broken bones and head trauma when he heroically intervened in the domestic dispute near his home.
After several brain surgeries, the Good Samaritan bass player for Madina Lake is in stable condition but the medical bills for the uninsured musician are topping $250,000.
The concert and related auctions have raised around $80,000, after lead-singing Pumpkin, Billy Corgan, auctioned a signed guitar, band poster and an opportunity for fans to meet him, adding $16,000 to the tally.
Last week, Chicago’s own Smashing Pumpkins played a benefit concert to raise money to pay the hospital bills for a local musician who was badly beaten after he stepped in to help a woman fighting off an attack by her husband. Matthew Leone was rushed to the hospital in June after incurring broken bones and head trauma when he heroically intervened in the domestic dispute near his home.
After several brain surgeries, the Good Samaritan bass player for Madina Lake is in stable condition but the medical bills for the uninsured musician are topping $250,000.
The concert and related auctions have raised around $80,000, after lead-singing Pumpkin, Billy Corgan, auctioned a signed guitar, band poster and an opportunity for fans to meet him, adding $16,000 to the tally.
Here’s a new dieting tip for producing happiness in the brain – eat more fat. It needs to be the right kind of fat, however.
Omega-3 fatty acids, found abundantly in fish, can enhance your mood and build your brain.
In countries where people eat very little seafood, people have a 50% higher risk for depression. Indeed, studies show these fats are at least as good for treating depression as anti-depression drugs. (More scientific studies also show that consuming fish while pregnant is more beneficial, than risky, for baby and mother, even given the amounts of mercury.)
But the other Omega fat, Omega-6, found in various oils, can negate the positive effects of Omega-3’s by actually depleting the amounts already in the body. Unfortunately, in today’s Americanized diet, Omega-6 ingredients have been on the rise for decades, particularly from “seed oils” that were unheard of 100 years ago.
Here’s a tip: If you don’t have enough money to buy more fish or fish oil supplements, you can increase your body’s Omega-3 intake for free, simply by switching the types of oils you use in cooking, baking, and condiments:
OUT: Omega-6 rich soybean oil, corn oil, safflower seed oil, mayonaise, and margerine IN: Oils like olive oil and butter. Many grocers now provide generic brands of olive oils, which are less expensive.)
Former all-star Texas baseball pitcher Nolan Ryan will be leading the state’s beloved team, the Rangers, for years to come, now that an investment group led by the Hall of Fame hurler won a contentious auction for the team last night, “beating back a nearly $600 million offer from outspoken Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban”.
More than three dozen of the wealthiest families and individuals in the United States have committed to giving away the majority of their wealth to charitable causes, since the “Giving Pledge” was launched by fellow billionaires Bill Gates and Warren Buffett six weeks ago.
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