Monday, March 2, 2009

Shot of the Day for March 2, 2009

Botanic Garden - Cluj Napoca (Romania )


By Flickr Member Bortescristian

Good News for March 2, 2009 (posted by Mary Beth)

The British vs. Darwin: The Intelligence of Design


"Judging by church attendance, it seems the British have lost their religion. Although 71 percent of Brits identify themselves as Christians, only 10 percent go to church weekly. Only one in four attends church even once a year."

Read the rest of Chuck Colson's commentary here.


In Afghanistan, the idea of women's rights starts to take hold

"Mariam was 11 in 2003 when her parents forced her to marry a blind, 41-year-old cleric. The bride price of $1,200 helped Mariam's father, a drug addict, pay off a debt."

Click here to read the rest of the story.


Microsoft mapping course to a Jetsons-style future

"Meet Laura, the virtual personal assistant for those of us who cannot afford a human one.

Built by researchers at Microsoft, Laura appears as a talking head on a screen. You can speak to her and ask her to handle basic tasks like booking appointments for meetings or scheduling a flight."

Step into the future here.


Tiger trappers rushing to rescue: Indonesians race to protect animals from humans, extinction

"Indonesia's tiger catchers have a double job—protecting humans from tigers and tigers from humans.

The elite teams of rangers and conservationists rush to the scene every time villagers report attacks or sightings of endangered Sumatran tigers. If there are signs the animal is nearby, they return with steel cage traps, live bait, heat-sensitive cameras and other equipment to capture the magnificent beasts."

Learn more about the situation here.


Kenner gets professional help for its Rivertown museums

"The fist-sized holes in the 8-foot papier-mache king cake at Kenner's Mardi Gras Museum suggest a recent visit by a hungry giant. But Csilla Felker-Dennis has a more plausible explanation.

'This is the kind of thing that happens when children climb up on an object,' she said."

Get more on the story here.



How Do You Choose a Biblical Translation?


"Prior to 1881, when Protestants went to 'Ye Ole Christian Bookstore,' it would be very easy to choose a Bible for purchase. You had the option of the King James Version and… the King James Version. Today’s trip to the local bookstore would create a bigger challenge with the numerous translations of the Bible available. King James is still there, but along with it is the New King James Version, New International Version, the New American Standard Version, the New Living Translation, the English Standard Version, the New English Translation, the Amplified, the Message, and many more."

Click here to learn more about Bible translations.

Good News from Mary March 2, 2009

40-Day 'Love Dare' Launches Marriage Movement

-Paula and John Thomas had been married 24 years when they separated.

She wanted forgiveness and peace for both of them. He wanted a divorce.

"Our marriage was in shambles and my husband believed that even God couldn't put our marriage back together," Paula said. "Yet, after a six-month separation, the Lord put a halt to our divorce proceedings."

That was five years ago. Today, the Thomases help couples in crisis realize God's plan for their marriage.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

Is it finally time to use the dreaded D-word?

A Depression doesn't have to be Great — bread lines, rampant unemployment, a wipeout in the stock market. The economy can sink into a milder depression, the kind spelled with a lowercase "d."

And it may be happening now.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

Going gray? Scientists uncover the root cause

Attention parents: It's not your kids that are making you go gray. Your hair is simply building up too much hydrogen peroxide.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

ReKindled: Amazon's Second-Generation Electronic Reader The Kindle is the electronic book reader first brought to market by Amazon in December of 2007. It was so successful (or Amazon so dramatically underestimated demand) that it sold out during the holiday periods of both 2007 and 2008.

Now, only 14 months after its introduction, Amazon has rolled out the Kindle 2. Even before this new and very much improved version, the pundits were speculating that the Kindle could do for digital books what Apple's iPod has done for digital music.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

New spin on vinyl: Bundled MP3s

Like many music retailers, Nathaniel Bernier was getting squeezed. His store, Wild Rufus Records, in the seaside town of Camden, Maine, was selling fewer CDs. It was suffering as a result of the music industry's broader woes - CD sales nationwide were down a steep 17.5% last year. To make matters worse, the local Wal-Mart (WMT, Fortune 500) was beefing up its music section and drawing customers away.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

Monday, March 2, 2009 Good News Stories

From Tons of Manure, a Growth Industry

"IN almost-spring, as itchy gardeners drag out grow lights and seed-starting flats, it seems a fitting moment to trace the germ of a new and very green gardening idea. It first took root beside a reeking, unspeakable lagoon in the northwest corner of Connecticut and is blossoming sweetly nationwide. Kindly summon a gardener’s tolerance for earthy subject matter as this gritty tale unfolds:"

Click to read more about this.


Avoiding the Top Ten Mistakes Taxpayers Make

"Knowing the pitfalls of many is often the best step to ensure that you do not fall prey to otherwise might be an easy to make common mistake. By staying away from these most often repeated mistakes you will avoid much of the pain which will otherwise will be created. The most frequently committed mistakes are:"

Click here to read more.


Report: Lead levels in kids drop

"In a stunning improvement in children's health, far fewer kids have high lead levels than 20 years ago, new government research reports - a testament to aggressive efforts to get lead out of paint, water and soil.

Click here to read more.


12 Ways to Thrive in This Economy

"The economy is down the tubes and things are looking bleak. The mood in the U.S. hasn't seemed this gloomy since the early 1980s. Three of my friends have been laid off recently, and several more fear for their jobs. Just yesterday my wife learned that her workplace will see layoffs, and she's worried.

Lately, conversations seem to revolve around three themes: controlling career, managing money, and selling stuff. People are getting serious about financial responsibility — but is it too late? I don't think so. Here are some effective ways to deal with each of these concerns."

Click here to read more.


Researchers find new gene responsible for ALS

"A group of scientists funded by the ALS Association have discovered a new gene responsible for cases of familial, or inherited ALS, known as Lou Gehrig's disease. "

Click here to read more about the research.

Shot of the Day for March 1, 2009

By Flickr Member Photographybyleah