Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Good News Now for February 24 (posted by Mary Beth)

Obama assures United States: 'We will rebuild' and 'recover'

"President Barack Obama called on Congress to address energy, health care and education programs, while warning that more money might be needed to aid banks."

Read the story and access the full text of President Obama's speech and LA Gov. Jindal's response here.


Chilling Free Speech: Mapping Political Persecution

"Dotting the streets on a certain online map are hundreds of red teardrops. Click on a teardrop at a particular address, and come up with the words, 'Patricia Greenwood. Insurance agent. $100.'

Miss Greenwood had better watch her back. Angry supporters of same-sex 'marriage' are using Google Maps to tell the world exactly where she lives, and that she donated money to support Proposition 8—the California initiative banning same-sex 'marriage.' Now, I made up the name Patricia Greenwood, but the names and addresses on this map belong to real people."

Click here to read the rest of Chuck Colson's cautionary commentary.


In education, furniture matters, too

"From the hallway, Abby Brown's sixth-grade classroom in a little school here about an hour northeast of Minneapolis has the look of the usual one, with an American flag up front and children's colorful artwork decorating the walls.

But inside, an experiment is going on that makes it among the more unorthodox public school classrooms in the country, and pupils are being studied as much as they are studying."

You'll find more on this experiment in education here.


Chicago to own landmark lighthouse

"The City of Chicago is set to become the official owner of the last surviving lighthouse in the Chicago area, a landmark previously owned by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Originally built in 1893, in time for the World's Fair, the Chicago Harbor Lighthouse will be transferred to the city under the auspices of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar initiated the transfer on Tuesday."

The rest of the story awaits you here.


The Slaughter of Innocents: An Excerpt From Pastor's Blog

"The king cakes we are enjoying in this season have a hidden baby inside because Joseph and Mary hid the infant Jesus from the evil King. According to the Gospel of Matthew, Herod was jealous of the baby and sought to destroy him. Thus unfolds the slaughter of the innocents when King Herod murdered all baby boys in Bethlehem who were two years old or younger."

Read a pastor's perspective on Mardi Gras King Cakes here.

Shot of the Day for February 25, 2009

Spring

By Flickr Member catherineforbes

February 24, 2009 Good News From Mary

Breaking Free From Worry by Knowing Jesus

Have you ever been gripped by fear? You know the feeling. A shiver downs your spine. Your stomach has a sinking sensation. Your mouth goes dry. Maybe it happened when you were in a life-threatening situation, or at least you thought you were.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

Research Makes Progress in Fight Against Flu

It has been the Holy Grail of influenza research -- how to create just one vaccine that will protect against the hundreds of different flu strains that exist every year. With a new scientific discovery, researchers are now a major step closer to that goal.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

Music, memory connection found in brain

People have long known that music can trigger powerful recollections, but now a brain-scan study has revealed where this happens in our noggins.

The part of the brain known as the medial pre-frontal cortex sits just behind the forehead, acting like recent Oscar host Hugh Jackman singing and dancing down Hollywood's memory lane.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

Coupons Are Hot. Clipping Is Not

Before heading to the grocery store, Miranda Wilcox jumps online, where she scours for coupons on half a dozen Web sites bookmarked on her computer.

Ms. Wilcox, a 32-year-old mother of two from Greenville, N.C., prints out some of the coupons. Others she uploads directly onto her supermarket rewards card. Recently, Ms. Wilcox shaved nearly $50 off a $120 shopping bill with the help of coupons she found on the Internet.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

Fitness Isn’t an Overnight Sensation

Carl Foster, an exercise physiologist at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, was amused by ads for a popular piece of exercise equipment. Before-and-after photos showed pudgy men and women turned into athletes with ripped bodies of steel. And it all happened after just 12 weeks of exercising for 30 minutes three times a week. Then there was the popular book, with its own before-and-after photos, promoting a program that would totally change your body in six weeks with three 20-minute exercise sessions a week.

There are many examples of people who took up exercise and markedly changed their appearance. But how long does it take? And how much time and effort are required? Six weeks sounded crazy to Dr. Foster.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009 Good News Stories (Margaret)

Early steps, healthy habits lower risk of heart disease in women

"According to the American Heart Association, it is estimated that one in every three women die of heart disease. The choices we make each day impact our health in so many ways, including the amount of exercise we get, the number of hours we sleep and how well we handle stress. Some choices may not result in serious consequences, while others are life-changing. But what if the seemingly unimportant choices were the ones that mattered most, such as opting to take the stairs and not the elevator, or choosing baked instead of fried?"

Click here to read more.


Low Vitamin D Levels Linked to Colds

"A walk in the sun may be better than popping a vitamin C tablet for boosting your chances of preventing the common cold or flu.

A new study adds to mounting evidence that vitamin C may have been stealing the spotlight all these years from the real cold fighter, vitamin D."

Click here to read more.


Coping with Your Husband’s Job Loss

"My cell phone rang on Monday morning while I was working at a client’s office. 'Lori, can you meet me at home? I’ve just been let go from my job.' I packed up and got in the car and started to drive, my heart pounding, my mind racing…then the tears started, and I began to pray.'

Click here to read more.


Good Health: Body, Soul and Spirit

"Did you know that our bodily, emotional and spiritual health are closely connected? Well, they are. If we guard our bodily health, it helps promote clear thinking and good emotional health, which are beneficial to our soul. If we seek to have good spiritual health, the resultant peace and joy will keep our bodies well and our emotions in line."

Click here to read more.


Signs of life

"Although you wouldn't know it from the behavior of the stock market, the economic outlook is turning just a bit less gloomy."

Click here to read more.

Shot of the Day for February 24, 2009

Aloha from Hawaii
By Flickr Member Babasteve