Jun
25
2010
Rambler
Happy Weekend to you! Can you believe June is almost over already? Unreal how quickly the time flies. So far, so good. No baby yet to report in our household, but it shouldn’t be long now.
Ready for some good news?
Missouri Pooper Scooper Finds $58 in Doggie Doo
An employee of DoodyCalls Pet Waste Removal in St. Louis recently found $58 packed in dog poop. He returned the cash to the pooch’s owner after sanitizing the money.
Wilson didn’t know what to do when he first noticed money sticking out from the waste. After pulling out the cash and cleaning it, he put it in a plastic bag and gave it back to the customer.
Test Could Detect MS Nine Years in Advance 
Doctors presently have no way of detecting MS markers before symptoms develop. For this reason, patients are frequently diagnosed quite late.
A team of Israeli doctors and scientists have found “chemical markers” on blood that should lead to a test for the disease.
By examining blood samples of 20, 19-year-old Israelis soldiers, and then nine of them who later developed MS, researchers were able to examine thousands of genes for markers that showed a difference in those who developed MS and those who didn’t.
Those who will develop MS will show a different blood signature from those who will not develop the disease.
Car Tires Fuel Green Shoe Revolution
Imagine a business making shoes from old rubber tires and tubes with each one cut by hand into soles. This business comes from the original old car tire shoes worn by soldiers who fought off Italy’s invading forces.
Ethiopia is not known for its innovation. Ethiopia is Africa’s second largest city and one of its poorest. The country is dependent on foreign aid and millions receive food assistance every year.
SoleRebels provides the perfect scenario for the system. It is a family-run business using fair trade practices and building itself with sustainable growth.
Jun
24
2010
Rambler
Worthy fodder for poster printing here, I tell you!
A community bike shop in Virginia is extending low-cost repairs to its customers as well as high-value education to young mechanics.
Pheonix Bikes is a non-profit organization and over the years it has grown to be a social hub for the local bike community. Here are the details. After earning a bike, young mechanics can keep participating in shop activities. They have the option of working to upgrade their ride or working to purchase a bike for a family member. As they reach leadership levels in the shop, these mechanics can become community mechanics.
They work with customers, teach peers and neighbors at outreach events, lead rides, mentor to younger mechanics, and eventually they become eligible to join special projects and trips.
Jun
24
2010
Rambler
Taking a break from searching for sears coupons to bring you this bit of good news.
A Maine man who lost his high school class ring 27 years ago while he was swimming in a quarry found it when the owner of the Granite Hill quarry in Hallowell began draining the quarry to restart mining.
The man found it on a ledge that had been 35 feet under the waterline. In the precise spot he and his friends used to swim. He also found other jewelry, clothing, four pairs of glasses, some loose change and a safe with a hole cut in the side.
Jun
18
2010
Rambler
Happy Father’s Day weekend to you! We are experiencing a front passing through as I write this with some severe storms; however, on the other side of this front the weatherman has promised a gorgeous weekend! We’ll take it, for sure!
On to the good news!
Girl Raises Thousands for Gulf Birds
An 11 year old girl from Islip, N.Y has raised $80,000 by sending her artwork of birds to people who donate to organizations. Her efforts have helped with relief in the Gulf of Mexico spill disaster.
Olivia Bouler thought of the idea four days after the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded. She wrote a letter to the National Audubon Society saying she would like to help by doing drawings and donating any money she raised.
IKEA Stores Swapping Incandescent Bulbs for Energy-Efficient Lighting
IKEA hopes to remove all incandescent bulbs from of its U.S. and Canadian stores by January 1. It will only sell longer lasting bulbs–ahead of federal legislation mandating a phaseout beginning in 2012.
IKEA says customers will have more efficient options including CFL bulbs, LED and halogen lamps. The company’s voluntary phaseout is an environmental initiative directed at increasing energy efficiency and reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
Billionaires Extend $600 Billion Challenge
Bill Gates and Warren Buffett have begun a billionaire challenge – their goal is to get the 400 wealthiest Americans to pledge at least half of their net worth to charity during their lifetimes or at death.
Over the past couple of months Fortune has interviewed the three principals as the project has unfolded, as well as a group of billionaires who have signed up to add their names to the Gates/Buffett campaign.
Jun
11
2010
Rambler
Weekend greetings to you! Staying cool? We are trying…but it’s becoming increasingly challenging lately. No complaints, though!
On to the good news!
Yosemite Hits Peak of Beauty
People are visiting Yosemite National Park this spring in record numbers due to an abundance of water coming down the magnificent falls.
Tioga Pass reopened to vehicles for the first time in almost six months recently.
It’s still a little too soon to hit the hiking trails. There is so much water, some campsites are at risk of flooding. All the campgrounds along the pass are still closed because of snow.
Smart Clothing Responds to Wearer’s Emotions
High-tech clothing with embedded sensors could respond to your mood and help you get survive the day.
The new “smart” clothing contains wireless sensors that measure heart rate and temperature. Using small speakers and other electronics, data from the sensors is sent to the handheld and then converted into one of 16 emotional states. This cues a database to send the wearer some inspirational message.
New Evidence Suggests Coffee May Reduce Risk of Diabetes
Scientists have new evidence that drinking coffee can prevent diabetes–it’s the caffeine that may be the key ingredient.
Researchers fed either water or coffee to a group of laboratory mice. Coffee consumption prevented the development of high-blood sugar and also improved insulin sensitivity in the mice. Coffee also caused other beneficial changes in areas related to a reduced diabetes risk. Caffeine may be “one of the most effective anti-diabetic compounds in coffee.”
Jun
11
2010
Rambler
Instead of worrying about such things as thermogenic fat burners, this teen has other things on her mind.
Taylor Spencer of Pennsylvania hosted her own birthday party and instead of the traditional gifts, instead she asked her friends to give donations to Haiti. The response was overwhelming.
Over 200 people came to her party and many gave $10 donations. Others gave whatever they could afford. Spencer raised more than $8,000.
Jun
11
2010
Rambler
Not quite as exciting as a new Samsung product, but have you ever wondered exactly how bubbles pop?
Researchers have stumbled upon a universal behavior in how bubbles pop.
A force acting on a bubble causes the film to fold in on itself. This traps a pocket of air in the shape of a donut. Next, surface tension breaks this donut of air into a circle of smaller bubbles. The small bubbles no longer form a circular cap and they reintegrate into the liquid. This stops the popping action.
Jun
04
2010
Rambler
How’s this sound? Take a quick trim off the rear end and thighs, please!
“The Biggest Loser’s” trainer Jillian Michaels returns to NBC with her very own show, “Losing It With Jillian.” Michaels is expected to whip families into shape but the only prize these new participants will receive is a healthier lifestyle. Talk about a welcome change for the health and wellness expert!
While Michaels appreciates the opportunity she’s had on the game show, this new no-frills approach appeals more to her sense of health and wellness.
Will the show succeed? Only time will tell!
Jun
04
2010
Rambler
Came across this tidbit on my Internet wanderings looking for info on dietpilldiscounts.com.
Anyway…
Yasuni National Park in Ecuador’s Amazon region may be the most biologically diverse forest in the world.
It covers approximately 1 million hectares of rainforest in eastern Ecuador’s Amazon region and it is home to an abundance of plant and animal life.
Nearly 1 billion barrels of crude oil are under the northwest section of Yasuni, at a net worth of $10 billion. In 2007, the Ecuadorian government made an offer that the oil would not be extracted on the condition that other nations compensated them half of the money they would have earned from the oil.
The money will go toward social services for the local and indigenous populations of the area.
Jun
04
2010
Rambler
Happy weekend to you! First weekend of June – life moving along at breakneck speed. Any big plans for June? Kids out of school yet? June should be relatively quiet around here – taking care of last minute things before the baby makes her debut in July.
On to the good news!
Sisters Find $18,000 in Duffel and Give It Back
Two sisters found almost $18,000 in an abandoned duffel bag outside a Spanish Fort store.
Twenty-one-year-old Michelle Pientka and 16-year-old sister Jessica found the bag at a Macey’s parking lot. They took it home but didn’t look inside until the next morning. Car salesman Ben Hunstman called the police the night before when he realized he had lost the bag containing cash from recent sales.
The car salesman demonstrated his gratitude by giving the sisters each a $250 reward.
Supermarkets Court Diners As Well As Shoppers
The hugely popular grocery store salad bars have given way to a more sophisticated approach. Shoppers now can dine in on a number of different delicacies and beverages.
Many supermarkets now create an eating space as inviting as possible with cozy chairs, wood floors and soft lighting. They are hiring chefs and the variety ofeat-in or takeout food is huge.
Destiny: Pair Born in Same Maternity Ward Now Marry
An engaged eastern Pennsylvania couple were born on the same day in the same hospital. Their mothers even shared a room in the hospital.
Amy Singley and Steven Smith were born at St. Luke’s Hospital in Fountain Hill on April 17, 1986.
Smith and Singley had their first date at the movies when they were sophomores in high school. Singley says she knew Smith was the right guy for her after their second date. They will marry June 12.
