Observers hailed the inclusion of "Maoist rebels, once branded terrorists, into the country’s interim parliament and the declaration of January 16 as a public holiday to celebrate the new nation that put behind it a decade of conflict," reported the Ecumenical News service in Switzerland. A total of 83 Maoists were sworn in this week as MP’s in the legislature. Most significant is the fact that the new party filled more than one-third of its seats with women — truly breaking ground in Nepal…
Former Terrorists Take Seats in New Nepal Legislature
GNN Archive Updated w/ Business Stories
I took some time recently to work on updating the archives at GNN-i, where all the stories are stored that I published from 1997 through Jan. 2004, before leaving for a two-year sabbatical. There is still much content to be uploaded, but am happy to report a large chunk of the Business stories are now online again! One of the most uplifting stories from Aug. 2001 is about a new sports arena in Dallas where city officials tried to avoid sending sports fans — and tax dollars — to the suburbs, by building the complex where a toxic waste dump once had been…
Police Close Motorway to Rescue Kitten
"Six lanes of full-speed, weaving, Auckland traffic" kept rescuers away from a kitten cowering under the center median strip until, in an unusual move, police blocked off the road for a few minutes to grab the little guy, "which had been stranded for more than an hour." Nice photo, video only shows cat on the desk. (Stuff.co.nz)
A Beggar’s Lucky Day
It was late Saturday afternoon when I went to Cavendish to get movie tickets for that night’s movie. As I walked around the corner at McDonald’s the beggar with no legs was sitting in his wheelchair begging.
He had a beautiful face and toothless smile…
Cancer Deaths Down for Second Year
Fewer people died of cancer in 2004 than in 2003, marking the second straight year that cancer deaths declined in the United States. A new American Cancer Society report says there were 3,014 fewer deaths in 2004 compared to the previous year. Early detection and improved treatment have been credited. (CNN)
Honey Cure Saves Leg From Amputation
"A New Zealand man says his leg was saved from amputation thanks to regular applications of manuka honey. Manuka honey, made by bees that collect pollen from the manuka bush, has been long known as a cure for infections by the indigenous Maori people. Tests in New Zealand are proving successful at clearing infection." (Scotland’s Daily Record)
Muslim Sitcom a Big Hit in Canada
When it comes to creating a funny television show or movie in Canada, producers here have a reliable stable of topics — French-English relations, urban-rural dynamics and anything that involves a bumbling politician or the United States. But Islam — something of a third rail of comedy throughout the Western world — did not make the list, which is one reason the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s new situation comedy, Little Mosque on the Prairie, is attracting such attention here…
Evangelicals, Scientists Join Forces Against Global Warming
Leading scientists and Evangelical Preachers will gather at a joint press conference in Washington Wednesday to describe their recent discussions and evolving action plans for combatting catostrophic climate change, which religious leaders point to as hurting the poor disproportionately. (AP)
U.S. Firefighters to Help Hard-Pressed Australians
Bound by a mutual assistance pact, the U.S. is sending 143 firefighters to Australia this week to battle fires alongside weary Aussie crews, and volunteers from Canada and New Zealand that have already joined the fight. (Reuters)
Company Uses Kite to Propel Cargo Ships
An oversize paraglider-shaped kite could help cut fuel costs for ocean-going vessels while reducing their emissions.
German company, SkySails, is now offering a wind propulsion system based on large towing kites that can reduce a ship‘s fuel costs by 10- 35% annually — and, with strong winds, by up to 50%.
On December 15, 2007, a huge cargo ship outfitted with SkySails will make its maiden voyage for the Beluga Group shipping company.
(READ more from CNET)
Teacher of the Year Takes on Failing Alabama School
Eighty-two percent of last year’s fourth-graders couldn’t read. This year, 73 percent of that same group are reading proficiently. "It should be obvious why a teacher would want to go into a needy school," says Betsy Rogers, National Teacher of the Year in 2003. "I don’t see this as being a big sacrifice or a big thing. I just think it should be the norm." (CS Monitor)
House Passes Plan to Negotiate for Lower Drug Prices
The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday passed a bill that would allow the federal government to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies in order to lower drugs costs for Medicare patients. Democrats were joined by some two dozen Republicans to pass the legislation by a vote of 255 to 170. "It is simply common sense to negotiate for lower prices," said Congressman Bart Stupak (D-MI), who co-sponsored the bill… (photo)
Israel names first Arab minister
"Israel’s Labour party leader has appointed Raleb Majadele as science and technology minister – making him the first Arab Muslim in Israel’s cabinet…
Mr. Majadele said, ‘It’s great news for the Arab public. It’s a correct step in the direction of equality.’" (BBC)
Free Secondary Education Unveiled in Uganda
KAMPALA- Uganda has begun implementing a free universal secondary education program in 700 public and 280 private schools in the first phase of a plan aimed at making education accessible to all, officials said on Monday. Already, since 1997, Uganda has offered free education in all of its public primary schools…
Female Mutilation Declining in Africa
DAKAR – About 150 communities in Guinea collectively abandoned the practice of female genital cutting – a landmark declaration in a country where more than 97 percent of women have undergone the ritual. Other countries are similarly abandoning the tradition…
Giving a Break to Hassled Customer Service People
I was recently traveling during bad weather that had caused cancellations of many flights. I was sitting by the gate, having already changed my ticket and was watching the unfortunate airline rep at the gate counter. She was being bombarded by people who seemed to assume that the poor weather and flight cancellations were her fault. Each one in turn laid all of their grief on her and I could see she was being pushed to the brink…
A little ah-ha light bulb flashed in my mind and since I am apt to follow my instinct, I stood up and took my place in the line of ornery people intent on sharing their bad day with her.
I patiently waited my turn and when I was finally standing in front of her, her weary eyes looked up to me, her forehead creased with stress and she asked “May I help you, sir?” I said “Yes you can”.
I then suggested that she act busy while I spoke to her. I told her I stood in line to give her a 5 minute break. While she typed (I have no idea what she typed), I explained to her that while all of these people were intent on ruining her day, the fact that she had other people in her life that really cared about her and that she had passions in her life that gave her life meaning was far more important than what was happening here today. In circumspect, what was happening here wasn’t important and shouldn’t stress her out.
We chatted back and forth for a few minutes as she continued to look busy. After seeing her regain her composure, I knew she had to get back to her work and I wished her a great day, telling her it was time for the next customer.
She looked up at me and I could see that her eyes were slightly welling up. “Thank you so much”, she said, “I don’t know how to thank you for this”. I smiled and told her the best way to thank me was to pass on the kindness to someone else when she had the chance.
If you ever find yourself faced with a similar opportunity to give someone a break and a minute to recharge, you might think of this story. Take care and be well. Harry
New Orleans Lifted by Cinderella Saints’ Miracle Football
In their hour of greatest need, New Orleans is lifted by their National Football team, the Saints, who head to the championship playoffs! "The team spirit is captured in players such as receiver Marques Colston, who, after scoring a touchdown doesn’t celebrate, but gently hands the ball to the official. Coach Payton has rewarded the team’s spirit of selflessness by spreading the ball around to a variety of players, often leaving defenses dazed and confused." (CS Monitor)
Gratitude: Becoming Grateful Enough to Miss the Negative
Most of us live in a part of the world blessed with abundance on every level – food, water, shelter, life’s frills, employment opportunities, and nature’s beauty. Who could deny that we aren’t incredibly blessed?
Who hasn’t walked into a supermarket at some point and looked around in wonder and gratitude for the incredible blessings of abundance found there. We not only have our choice of what we want but in many variations and infinite quantity. We have what 85% of the world cannot even dream of.
Yet there are people out there who complain about this, that, or the other thing. It is my experience that the people who complain the most haven’t experienced the rest of the world, which they perceive as so much better — the classic, “the grass is always greener on the other side”. Perhaps if they saw more of the world, they would appreciate what they have.
If you listen to the talk radio programs, you would swear that where we live is a place filled with political corruption, incompetence, oppression, lost opportunity, unacceptable healthcare and a hopeless education system. You name it and we suffer from it. Yet, if we could somehow send those people to another part of the world, I don’t think it would take long before they came to appreciate this beautiful place that we call home. That’s not to say everything is perfect – but we have a pretty good head start.
A Man Who Never Complained
He was considered by many to be of pure spirit. By pure in spirit, I mean that he saw the best in every situation and looked for the best in every person he ever met. When a negative situation was put in front of him, he was incapable of seeing anything negative, no matter how it appeared to others. His mind was focused on seeing the beauty in everything and anything that didn’t fit his perception of beauty and wonder in life was literally invisible to him. To give you an idea of how he literally couldn’t see that which didn’t fit his outlook, allow me to share a short story.
For fun one time, we put a small porno movie in the upper corner of the software application we were building and we asked him to review our software to find a “problem” that we had discovered. As he stared at all the screens, we stood behind him almost shaking with laughter, waiting for him to see the movie. All of a sudden he turned around with pride and said, pointing to the screen, “this word is not spelled correctly”. He was right. He never even noticed the porn movie until we pointed it out and then we all had a good laugh.
Losing Didn’t Matter, People Did
We organized a corporate chess tournament and he signed up with many others. It wasn’t until the tournament started that I discovered that he didn’t even know how to play the game. So we patiently taught him. Despite our best efforts, he was soundly trounced in every game.
I noticed that the more soundly he was beaten, the more he laughed. At one point, I took him aside and congratulated him for such a healthy outlook and I asked him how he was able to be so happy as he was beaten over and over.
His response summed up thankfulness perfectly. He told me that he didn’t care about winning or losing. Spending time in the chess tournament was his way of learning something new and spending quality time with people he enjoyed and respected. He also enjoyed taking his chess stories home and sharing them with his wife. This, he said, was the secret of life – making the most out of every moment and appreciating every opportunity.
On the morning of September 11, 2001, Narender was on the impact floor of the north tower of the World Trade Center. A person who lived such a pure, positive life was physically taken from us.
For about a week afterward, we struggled with trying to understand the meaning of this, how something like this could happen to someone we considered a perfect human being. I then realized that I wasn’t going to remember Narender in the way he died – it was how he lived that was important for his memory.
So we organized an annual charity chess tournament and named it in his honor. To enter the tournament, players pays an entry fee and name a children’s charity that they are playing for. Players from around the world have competed. The top 4 players in the tournament divide 100% of the prize pool between their charities. Since then, our tournament has donated thousands of dollars to children’s charities. Narender’s spirit of eternal thankfulness continues to make a difference every year in the lives of sick and needy children.
Narender’s attitude was that we should accept that life is filled with good and bad. It’s how thankful we are for everything we’re given, and what we do with that which we are given, that determines the quality of our life and the lives of those around us. He was right. Take care and be well.
-Harry Tucker
Havana’s Operation Miracle Helps the Blind See Again
"I can see again," shouted a newspaper headline describing Cuba's new "Operation Miracle." The brainchild of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Cuban President Fidel Castro, this extraordinary humanitarian program has restored sight to 100,000 patients from poor villages of Central and South America. It offers free treatment while delivering successful eye operations. (Scotsman)
This Bicycle Can Charge a Cellphone
Motorola Inc. will release a new, bicycle-powered cellphone charger aimed at Third World residents who lack regular household power supplies. (Canada.com)