Rocking out, meteorite hunters make rare find in Wisconsin

"As dozens of meteorite hunters converged on southwest Wisconsin on Friday, a Lake Forest man and his two teenage sons stumbled upon what all of them had traveled hours to find."


To learn how the hunters made their discovery, click here.

Reasons to keep eyes on the skies: Lunar eclipse, meteor showers, Jupiter closeup are in the lineup

"It's been nearly two years since Marylanders had their last opportunity to watch a total eclipse of the moon from start to finish. But at the end of 2010, they'll finally get another chance.

The stargazers' calendar for 2010 shows the lunar eclipse on Dec. 21 - when the moon slides through the Earth's shadow - will be total from 2:40 a.m. until almost 4 a.m."

Click here for more on what's in store in 2010 in space.

Astronaut John Grunsfeld followed his dream to space

"Like a lot of boys growing up during the space race, John Grunsfeld was fascinated by astronauts. But even then, as a 7-year-old back in 1965, the lengths to which Grunsfeld pursued his dream of space travel set him apart.

There was the canister vacuum cleaner strapped to his back for an air tank. The old ice cream container, tweaked with an innovator's eye to serve as a space helmet. The times spent sitting alone in dark closets, practicing for the isolation of space. And at one point, there was the ill-advised test flight off the kitchen counter of his Hyde Park home in the belief that flapping his arms would keep him aloft, a giant leap born of faith and focus that left the boy dazed but hardly deterred."

Click here to read more about how Grunsfeld's dream came true.

Good News for March 24 (posted by Mary Beth)

Selling The Silver Lining

"When it comes to the news of the day, there are two kinds of people: the Wallowers and the Deniers. Wallowers are the ones who soak up the latest unemployment statistics the day they come out. They actually open up their 401(k) statements rather than just shoving them to the bottom of a drawer and draw pleasure from rants about bloated execs who used federal bailout money to give themselves fat bonuses. The Deniers are the ones who turn their heads, choosing to immerse themselves in the "Back to the Future" trilogy or scrapbooking , turning off the news altogether. As a journalist, I've long been in Camp A."

Another new source discovers what we already knew! Read more about the subject by clicking here.


Mindful Eating, Mindless Sex: Our Inner Sense of Right & Wrong

"Imagine inviting some new neighbors to a dinner party. The first couple tells you they’d love to come. But, they warn, they think it’s immoral to eat animals, so please—vegetarian options only.

The second couple also wants to come, but—they’re almost embarrassed to mention it—they only eat locally grown food. No strawberries from Chili, or shrimp from Asia. Importing food from faraway countries damages the environment, they explain."

Click here for the rest of Chuck Colson's commentary.


Town salutes Illinois guardsman hurt in Afghan blast

"The long trip home from a devastating suicide blast in Afghanistan has felt like a dream for Spec. Daniel Acosta Jr., but none of it so much as his arrival Monday in Chicago.

He met his extended family at a yellow-ribboned gate in O'Hare International Airport. Firefighters and police officers were there to shake his hand. Former Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft happened by and did as well. Someone started singing 'God Bless America,' and everyone within earshot of Gate H6 joined in. A police escort—growing with each state-line town it passed—took him to Whiting, Ind., in a stretch Hummer."

For more on Spec. Acosta's homecoming, click here.


That's Funny? Jews in New Yorker Cartoons

"New Yorker cartoon editor Robert Mankoff tonight (3/24) is kicking off a New Center For Arts and Culture series with a talk on cartoons about Judaism. He was featured in Saturday's Globe talking generally about cartooning, but for the religion blog, I wanted to hear more about his thoughts about making fun of Jews, so I gave him a call."

Click here to read the interview.


Parrot honored for warning that girl was choking

"A parrot whose cries of alarm alerted his owner when a little girl choked on her breakfast has been honored as a hero.

Willie, a Quaker parrot, has been given the local Red Cross chapter's Animal Lifesaver Award."

Read the storyhere.



Spacewalking Teachers Display 'Right Stuff'

"Not everything went their way Monday, but two math and science teachers turned NASA astronauts demonstrated the right stuff as they joined forces for a stroll outside the international space station.

The 6½-hour spacewalk was the second outing each for Ricky Arnold and Joe Acaba, two of the shuttle Discovery's seven astronauts.

But it was their first without a veteran spacewalker alongside."

Read more about the mission by clicking here.

Now for Something Lite

In the Spirit of the 4th of July and all things American, we at Good News Now want to celebrate with this video from the Chicago Tribune. What more can you ask for than Peeps and Space Exploration. This article and clip is well worth your time, so enjoy and enjoy your holiday.

Adler launches a Peep with the right fluff

And in the same vein our humor photo by Flickr Member Shannon Taylor.

I Love Space and Science!!!

I was in grade school when the space program began. It was the first time we actually watched TV in school. I knew it must be important to be on TV. Picture a little black and white portable TV with 25 kids all watching a tiny little blob of light streak across the screen. It left a lot for the imagination.

I will always love space and science. I lived on the Space coast when the Shuttle program was in its infancy. I could watch the launches from my front yard. Much better view, full color with sonic booms that followed 5 minutes after the launch. I saw the first Shuttle go off at the Cape. Night launches are to die for. I lived there when the shuttle exploded and watch all morning as the debris slowly made its way back to earth. When I was a draftsman I worked on a communication systems project for the shuttle and I had friends who worked at the Cape. I will always be interested in the space programs.

People who ask why we are in space really bug me. But it is the question that was raised in my mind when I first saw a Mercury rocket go off. So many technological advancements have come from the space program , you will never be able to calculate them, from the computer to telemetry to Tang. It is all because we have gone into space.

So I had to laugh when I read.

Astronauts 'Home' Again on Space Station

The first woman Space Station commander arrived this week at the Space station and the reporter wrote about WHAT SHE PACKED.

And I thought it was fascinating and just like when I first saw a rocket go off it cause me to ask questions… what would I pack for space? Well I know how I pack for vacations and I know I WOULD EXCEED THE LIMIT. I would probably ask one of my male companions to put a few of my shoes in their luggage.

And I would take my dog.

So if you are like our Flicker friend Daita who lives in Japan and likes to take photos of the stars Keep Looking Up and read Good News Now.

Or as the Trekkies would say Beam Me Up.

How do the Trekkers feel about Abrams’ ‘Star Trek’?