Today's Featured Good News
Letters To Haiti Provide A Different Kind Of Help
(Mandalit del Barco, NPR) When they heard I was going to report in Haiti after the massive earthquake, fifth-graders from Amylynn Robinson's class asked if I could deliver some messages to any children I'd meet. Their letters included drawings of flowers, hearts and rainbows. And they began simply: "Hello Haiti, nice to meet you." "Dear Buddy ... " "Hi there, I'm a child as well." "Dear friend, I am your friend. I wrote this letter to tell you I care about you." The children wrote about their school, Balboa Magnet Elementary, a public school in Northridge, Calif., in Northern Los Angeles County, which was the epicenter of a magnitude 6.7 earthquake in 1994. Although these 10-year-olds were not alive then, many say they've heard stories about the damage in California. So they were sympathetic to kids coping with the magnitude 7.0 earthquake in Haiti.
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Today's Top Good News Stories
Why pregnant film fans should stick to happy movies
(David Derbyshire, Daily Mail) Pregnant women planning a night at the cinema might want to steer clear of tear-jerkers. Scientists have discovered that unborn babies respond to their mother's mood while she is watching a movie - and become quiet and still if the film is sad. In a bizarre experiment, foetuses threw their arms around when their mothers watched a feel-good clip from The Sound of Music - but became subdued during a sad scene from The Champ. Researchers have no idea how the babies pick up on their mothers' emotions, but suspect that the rush of hormones triggered by an emotional film are transmitted indirectly to the foetus.
The Original Fly Girls
The first women to fly military aircraft are known as WASPs, an acronym for Women's Air Force Service Pilots. David Martin reports that they are finally getting the recognition they deserve.
Vets discover healing power of hockey
Through the USA Warriors Program, American vets wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan take to the ice to forget about their injuries for a few hours and remember their potential for teamwork. NBC's Norah O'Donnell reports.
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Aussie Archaeologists Find Southernmost Signs of Life
(NewsCore) Australian archaeologists uncovered what they believe to be the world's southernmost site of early human life, a 40,000-year-old tribal meeting ground, an Aboriginal leader said Wednesday. The site appeared to be the last place of refuge for Aboriginal tribes from the cannon fire of Australia's first white settlers, said Michael Mansell of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Center. The find came during an archaeological survey ahead of road construction near Tasmania's Derwent River. Soil dating established the age of the artifacts found there. "When the archaeological report came out it showed that (life there) had gone back longer than any other recorded place anywhere else in Tasmania, dating back to 40,000 years," Mansell said.
‘Gribble’ marine pest may be key to biofuel breakthrough, say scientists
(Times Online) A marine pest could be the key to a biofuel breakthrough, say scientists. Gribble, which resemble pink woodlice, plagued seafarers for centuries by boring through the planks of ships and destroying wooden piers. But now environmental scientists are taking a keen interest in the crustaceans. A team of British researchers has learnt that gribble have a gift for digesting wood not seen in any other animal. Enzymes produced by the tiny creatures are able to break down woody cellulose and turn it into energy-rich sugars meaning that gribble could convert wood and straw into liquid biofuel.
US foreclosures drop 2nd straight month in Feb-RealtyTrac
(Julie Haviv, Reuters) U.S. mortgage foreclosure filings dropped for a second straight month in February, and notched the smallest annual increase in four years as housing-rescue efforts contained activity, a report released on Thursday showed. Foreclosures are by far one of the biggest threats to the U.S. housing market, which remains highly vulnerable to setbacks and heavily reliant on government intervention. If foreclosures keep dropping, it will be one of the strongest signals yet the market is on the path to recovery.
Father Martin: The Priest Who Prays for Stephen Colbert
(David Van Biema, Time) Father Jim Martin did not seek the title of Stephen Colbert's TV priest. All he was doing was waiting in the wings for his third appearance on the comedian's show, on which the ebullient, bespectacled cleric was scheduled to be quizzed on poverty — why Martin embraces it when its allure escapes so many other Americans. Then the priest suddenly heard his host direct the audience to welcome "The Colbert Report chaplain." "I remember being surprised and delighted," says Martin. He shouldn't have been too shocked.
Virus that 'kills off' prostate cancer cells: Volunteer patients injected with 'tame' bug
(Daniel Martin, Daily Mail) Scientists have discovered a virus they hope could be used as a weapon against prostate cancer. They have injected six volunteer patients with the 'tame' virus - and found it killed off cancer cells while sparing normal tissue. And they believe it could also work against other tumours, such as breast, ovarian, pancreatic, lymph and some brain cancers. Each year around 35,000 men in Britain are diagnosed with prostate cancer and 10,000 die from the disease. The virus is called the respiratory, enteric, orphan virus - shortened to reovirus. It is widespread but causes no significant illness in humans.
NFL players visit Bagram Airmen
(Staff Sgt. Richard Williams, AF.mil) Four National Football League players visited Bagram Airfield servicemembers March 5, as part of a USO tour of the U.S. Central Command area of operations. Mario Williams, a defensive end for the Houston Texans; Jason Whitten, a tight end for the Dallas Cowboys; Vernon Davis, a tight end for the San Francisco 49ers and Joe Thomas, an offensive tackle for the Cleveland Browns, were welcomed by the servicemembers. The signed autographs, posed for pictures with the troops and learned about the mission in Afghanistan.
The Louvre of leprechauns
(Rosita Boland, Irish Times) What do Mars and Ireland have in common? Both of them over time have had fervent advocates who claim they are home to little green men. On Mars, these small emerald-coloured males go by the name of aliens. In Ireland, they are of course leprechauns. Today, the doors open on a brand-new museum in Dublin – the Leprechaun Museum. On Monday, The Irish Times arrived for a preview at the former Fás building on the corner of Jervis Street and Middle Abbey Street, which now houses Ireland’s newest tourist attraction. The place was still without signage, the shutters were down, and from within the building came a distinctive sound of tap-tap-tapping, like a thousand industrious leprechauns engaged in shoe-mending.
This fish story is true: Buttkiss the oversized black pacu is now 43 years old
(Edgar Sandoval and Bill Hutchinson, New York Daily News) He's been a big fish in a little tank for more than four decades, and Buttkiss the black pacu is finally swimming in well-deserved fame. The oversize Queens fish is now 43 years old - earning him bragging rights as the oldest pet fish in town. "He brings a lot of people into the shop, but I wish they would buy something, too," said Steve Gruebel, 60, owner of Cameo Pet Shop in Richmond Hill. Gruebel said the fish's head hasn't gotten any bigger since National Public Radio broadcast a feature on him over the weekend.
3-D TV coming to a lounge near you
(New Zealand Herald) Samsung and Panasonic will start selling 3-D TVs in American stores this week, beginning what TV makers hope is the era of 3-D viewing in the lounge. Samsung Electronics announced yesterday that it was selling two 3-D models. With the required glasses and a 3-D Blu-ray player, the prices start at about US$3000 ($4250) for a 46-inch (116cm) screen. Panasonic has said it will sell its first 3-D set today.
Jimmy Wayne Reunites With Soldier on 'Halfway' Trek
(Alanna Conaway, TheBoot.com) Jimmy Wayne is approaching Oklahoma City on his project Meet Me Halfway walk across America. And this week, the singer was reunited with Lt. Col. Jason Garkey who took a special leave of absence from duty to walk with the singer in January. "Having him out again is awesome," Jimmy tells The Boot. "We're going to walk 20 miles per day except for one day we're going to try to walk 30 miles." "It's nice to get back out and pick up where I left off," Lt. Col. Garkey adds. "I told Jimmy that it's similar to what you run into with your military friends when you don't see them for a long time ... you sit down and talk to them like you talked to them last week."