UK Ends Conflict in Iraq

The United Kingdom has officially celebrated an end to combat operations in Iraq. Click on the link below to get the full story from BBC news:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8026136.stm

Editor of AGNADL

Time to Hum with Hummingbirds in the Pacific Northwest

I guess I should set up a hummingbird feeder or figure out what else to plant in my yard to draw them. Last spring I had a few in my yard, but nothing too noteworthy. In contrast, I used to get buzzed on a regular basis at the last place I lived and I didn't have a single feeder out for them. I would simply sit in my Adirondack chair and write poetry or essays while basking in the water view. A pretty innocuous activity, but apparently I was directly on the flight path of the hummingbirds in that yard. I must have inadvertently positioned my chairs in their air space. Whatever I did, it was pretty hysterical to sit there writing, pretty much just minding my own business, when I would suddenly hear the whir of their wings as they flew within inches of my head.

Maybe it was the poetry that attracted them. Perhaps I should forget the plants and go sit out in my chair and write verse. Who knows? Maybe there were simply some incredibly literary hummingbirds in that neighborhood. It's worth a try anyway, I'll let you know how my experiment works. In the meantime, if you live in the Pacific Northwest and want to draw hummingbirds to your yard, you'd better get out there and get busy setting up feeders and putting out tempting plants.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009149195_hummingbirds30m.html

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First Hundred Days for Obama and This Blog

This blog was begun the day President Obama was sworn in (sort of). Still chuckling over the almost inaugural oath, I launched this site with the objective of reporting all good news items. While it was a challenge on a few days to find something good to report, my helpers and I have managed every day to have something funny, interesting, or heartwarming to report. Except one day when I did look for good news in the morning and didn't find anything, but meant to look again later for something and just plain forgot about the second go around. My bad, but it happened only once in 100 days, so that's a pretty good record, I think.

As for the President's first 100 days, I'd say, "Well done, Mr. President!" I know it's not easy being President, but I do feel now that the folks in the White House are at least in touch with reality. That, I think, is a good thing and gives me great hope for the future.

To celebrate this 100th Day Blog (okay, so really just because I wanted to), I took a stroll along the beach right below my house and took a few photos to pass on to you to share the peace of my evening walk down to the Brownsville marina where I get my mail. I even included a shot of the mailboxes. To give you an idea about the size of this little village I reported on in Sunday's blog, the mailboxes in the photo are for every house that is in what is considered Brownsville. Enough said.

I'm still looking for input from people who have good news to report from their community: fundraisers for charities, heartwarming stories, travel photos from trips with interesting anecdotes, photos of spring flowers blooming, etc. Send an email to allgoodnewsalldaylong@gmail.com, and I'll let you know if we can use the link, article, information, photos, etc.


The beach directly below my front yard.


The Brownsville Marina at Sea Level


The Covered Picnic Area


World Famous Brownsville Deli


Brownsville Residents' Mailboxes (and my shadow)

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Hidden Orangutan Population Uncovered

I was delighted to learn about the hidden population of Irawaddy dolphins that had been discovered in South Asia. I am ecstatic now about another recent find, a previously unknown population of rare orangutans. These were found in the forests of Borneo. As many as 5000 endangered Bornean orangutans are believed to be living in the mountains in the East Kalimantan province. Surveyors found over 200 orangutan nests, which could indicate several hundred to several thousand orangutans living in the nearly 1000 square mile area. For more information, click on the link below:

http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/39680

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Growing Green Job Market

Green Manufacturing is the future and we need to embrace it so we can get people back to work and improve the state of the earth at the same time. One plan in the United States is to transition to using renewable energies to generate electricity. 2.5 million jobs could result from moving the U.S. to using renewables to generate 25% of our electricity, so the campaign states. The Green Manufacturing Action Plan is being promoted by the Apollo Alliance, a national coalition of business, labor, environmental and community leaders.

To learn more and get ready for the wave of the future, click the link below:

http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/39733

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More Flowers Springing Forth

I've had these photos in my possession for a couple of weeks, so I need to post them before I lose track of them again. They are all from Flo Harrah and are taken in British Columbia near Vancouver. The first one is the lowly dandelion, which has been much aligned as a weed, but I always welcome them in my yard. Once the rains in the Seattle area are a thing of the past, and summer is dragging on without much moisture to speak of, these hardy flowers hang in there long after the green grass has gotten totally brown. Many times the dandelions are the only beautiful thing left growing in my yard. So sneer at them if you like, but I like the happy, sunny flowers and so does my young cat, Anjolie. She thinks they're yummy to eat, and so do some people I know. Apparently my grandparents used to eat dandelion greens. They'd have a feast of it in my yard.

Flo told me a story about dandelions from when she was growing up. "We kids on the block always snapped up a dandelion and in the sunshine held the bloom under a chin. The sun cast the yellow from the dandelion under the chin which only proved that you loved butter. No margarine in those days. Never played the game on a dull day, no reflection on that kinda day. What else could it denote but butter?"

So go play the dandelion game, eat dandelion greens with your kitty, or make some dandelion wine, but don't bother to tell me they're just a weed. The definition of a weed is a plant you don't want growing in your yard, and since I've known people who dug up rose bushes and got rid of them, I'd conclude that one person's nuisance plant is another one's joy.



Two-toned Daffodil



Rhododendron



Rockcress




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Hometown: Brownsville Marina, Washington

I'm going to start this weekend hometown series with my hometown. This is not where I'm from originally. We'll get to that town later. But it is my home at this time, and it has been for nearly two years. Brownsville is not its own city. It is part of East Bremerton, and my address reflects that, sadly enough. Brownsville, with its unique character and flavor, is light years away from East Bremerton, even though it is only a few miles away. Brownsville is a very small village really, consisting mainly of a marina, which also houses what I am told is a world famous deli, a fire station, and a general store of sorts. I walk down to the deli sometimes for a quick sandwich or snack of some sort. I also walk down to the marina to get my mail, since Brownsville residents (and there aren't many of us) have our mailboxes all together right at the marina. In fact, in at least one of the photos and website links, you'll be able to see my mailbox. You'll also be able to see my house on the water, if you know exactly where to look. The Brownsville volunteer fire station is in nice condition, although I've never actually ever seen a firetruck of any kind there. It is a well-maintained, if not often used, building.

The first link is the official Port of Brownsville website. The top photo on the home page shows my house plain as day, if you know where to look. It's a little hard to explain where it is, so you can just trust me on this. It also shows, in the backdrop, the Olympic Mountain range. Before I moved here, I lived on the other side of Kitsap Peninsula on Hood Canal in unincorporated Poulsbo. I had a nice view of that mountain range from my cabin there. I can still see the mountain range from many places around this area, and nearly always do see it if I'm running errands, so I'm never far from it. I have a small view of a piece of the Cascade Mountain range at the very edge of my front yard along the water's edge. The view from my living room windows is of Puget Sound. Burke Bay is the name of the small protected harbor that Brownsville marina calls home.

http://www.portofbrownsville.org/

The Port of Brownsville website also contains numerous links to the history of Brownsville, as well as an event calendar, so you can stay up to date with whatever is happening around here. There are two events that happen yearly here, which I like the best. The first is when the tall ships come for a stay in Brownsville marina during Brownsville Appreciation Days (BAD) in August. The Lady Washington sailed into port the day I signed the lease papers to move into my little rental here. I think it was an auspicious event to mark my arrival in this unique little spot in the world. My second favorite event is the parade of the Christmas ships, when the members of the Brownsville Yacht Club decorate their boats with Christmas lights and sail along the waterfront, circling around in front of the marina and then finally settling back into port for the night. The yachts generally stay lit up for about a month during the holiday season.

One of the neatest things about living on the water at Brownsville is that the view changes constantly. Varying weather and light changes, as well as tidal shifts, provide a nonstop array of light and rippling effects on the water. My favorite times are sunrise and tidal changes, when it appears that the tide is both coming in and going out all at the same time. Natural changes are exciting, but even the change in what sort of vessels are passing by provides endless hours and days of visual stimulation and entertainment. At night, you can sometimes see the spooky green lights on the vessels as they sail past or into port. The marina lights below the hill upon which I live provide a scenic view at night if you turn out your inside lights and look out.

I've included photos of a few of the sunrises I've experienced here. They're not always this dramatic, but I haven't seen a bad one yet.









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It's Arbor Day--Go Plant a Tree!

Today is Arbor Day in the United States. The very first Arbor Day was celebrated in 1872 in Nebraska. Since then it has spread to all fifty of the these United States and has become a national holiday. In 1970, President Nixon proclaimed the last Friday in April as our national Arbor Day. Other countries celebrate a version of this day as well. If you don't have time or opportunity to go out and plant a tree this weekend, then I urge you to make a donation to the Arbor Day Foundation. I already have a penchant for planting trees, so I think I'll make a donation and order more trees from the Arbor Day Foundation and get to work. I personally have a thing for Colorado Blue Spruce trees. Don't ask me why. I just think they're beautiful. I've already grown about a dozen to a height big enough to donate them to local parks and friends who wanted them on their property. They were very glad to receive them, and I was delighted to share my trees with them.

http://www.arborday.org/

For more information on the history of Arbor Day, click on the link below.

http://www.arbor-day.net/

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Happy St. George's Day

Today is St. George's Day in England and a number of countries throughout Europe, though technically, they've all gone to bed now. I thought I'd tip my hat to their special day since I'm still awake anyway, and it is still April 23rd here. I hadn't really heard of St. George's Day until today, so I had to look it up on the internet so I'd sort of know what it was all about. Apparently the Queen makes new appointments to the Order of the Garter on St. George's Day. Yes, I then had to look up the garter thing too because I wasn't sure how seriously that should be taken, and I have to wonder if garter means quite the same thing over there as in the United States. The answer to that question is: I have no idea. So, I'm going to stop revealing any more of my ignorance about English traditions, holidays, and history, and give you a few links so you may go and find answers yourself.

The one thing I did perhaps conclude is that they don't actually slay any dragons on St. George's Day, and I was very glad to hear that since I am fond of dragons and all. Without dragons, what good would all those fantasy novels and movies be? They'd be less than worthless, no doubt.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_George%27s_Day

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5iZWRHTB_l1w1dl8jKjNWowmvrgow

http://www.britannia.com/history/stgeorge.html

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All Earth News All Day Long

Today is Earth Day, and while we publish a lot of articles about greening our planet, today everything we publish will be about Earth Day. Tips on how to live a greener life on the earth, ways to celebrate Earth Day, and ways to make every day Earth Day.

Earth Day News Flash:
EPA set strict limits on mercury emissions.

http://www.earthjustice.org/news/e-brief/april-2009.html

This link is about living greener all the time:

http://wilderness.org/content/earth-day-your-best-tips-combating-global-warming

Earth Day Video:

http://blogs.edf.org/greenroom/2009/04/21/happy-earth-day/

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Earth Day is Tomorrow

While we should celebrate Earth Day every day by making changings in how we walk on this planet, this is a reminder that tomorrow is the official celebration of Earth Day. Check your local papers for events and activities special to your area. Following are links for information and events:

http://www.earthday.net/earthday2009
http://earthday.envirolink.org/

Editor of AGNADL

Save the Frogs Day on the Way

One week from today is Save the Frogs Day. That's right April 28, 2009 has been declared the very first Save the Frogs Day by the Save the Frogs conservation organization. This is an event that is to be celebrated annually in many countries around the world, including the United States, Canada, Italy, China, and Australia. The goal of the event is to make people more aware that frog species around the world are rapidly disappearing. Nearly a third of the world's existing species are now threatened with extinction. Already more than 150 species have disappeared since in the past thirty years alone. To learn more about how you can help and/or participate, check out:

http://www.savethefrogs.com/day/



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More News Blowing in the Wind

First Wind has filed a permit application with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to build a proposed 51 megawatt wind project. The location for the project is Aroostook County. The proposed Oakfield Wind project will produce enough energy to power more than 20,000 homes. For more information, click on the provided link:

http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/39721

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Former Auto Workers Employed in Green Jobs

While it may not sound like a lot of jobs, it is a step in the right direction. 120 new jobs will be filled by former auto-industry workers in Michigan over the next three years, when Mariah Power opens its new wind turbine factory for production. Manufacturing will commence in a retrofitted auto parts automation manufacturing facility. The employees will be former auto workers with prior experience working with steel, auto assembly lines, and auto robotics. This is part of the state of Michigan's Green Jobs Initiative. To read more, click on the link below:

http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/39722

Editor of AGNADL

Get Outside and Enjoy Spring

Cherry blossoms exploding near Vancouver, BC



Contrasting tulips near Vancouver, BC



Sunrise near Poulsbo, Washington



Sunrise near Poulsbo, Washington

Go outside! What are you waiting for? An engraved invitation from Mother Nature? This is it. Go out and find your own beautiful scenery and share some of your photos of spring with us.

Editor of AGNADL

Larry the Sheep and His Brothers, Darryl and Darryl

(Reprinted from the blog http://slicesofmylife.net by Beth Mitchum)

I just never know when I'm going to go around another bend in the road and find wonderful new life experiences. Right now I'm in the middle of a pet sitting stint that turned into a pet sitting and livestock sitting stint. My landlord asked me a couple weeks ago to look in on their cats while they were gone. He was going to have someone else do the livestock, but I told him as long as I didn't have to sheer the sheep, I was fine doing all of the animal care for them. So two days ago I embarked on what is turning about to be an adventure that I have been sharing with friends and family on Facebook. While I've done a lot of pet sitting in the past, this is turning out to be the funniest and most fun of all the jobs I've taken on for people.

I want to introduce the colorful cast of characters (the livestock at least) I'm interacting with this week. I went the day before the owners were leaving to meet the animals and go over the instructions for feeding and watering everyone. I was introduced first to Larry the sheep. My first thought was "Larry? Who names a sheep Larry?" Then I took a look at his face, and yup, sure enough, he looks like a Larry. I'm going to try to get a better photo of him tomorrow, so you have a clearer shot of his face, from a little more of an angle because then he looks more like a person. His bleat is a sharp baritone note, which is rather startling but not at all unpleasant. It's sort of like a hearing a large, round-bellied man (think happy Buddha here) belch suddenly and very loudly. They are all really big sheep, so none of them have the higher-pitched bleating sound I usually associate with the creatures.

In the photo below, Larry is the one on the right looking into the camera. The other two are the ones I've dubbed Darryl and Darryl, because the owners didn't tell me their names. The situation just reminded me of the character, Larry, on the Bob Newhart Show from years ago, who would introduce himself as Larry, and then proceed to introduce his brother Darryl and his other brother Darryl. I always found that so comical and quirky and this new situation in my life seemed to fit a similar level of quirkiness.



Below is a close-up of one of the Darryls. The Darryls like to stick their heads down in the feeding trough while you're still pouring out the feed. So their woolly heads get filled with bits of feed. The pygmy goat, whose name is Houdini, stands in the trough while eating. This is, no doubt, because he is way smaller than the sheep and would never get any food if he didn't jump into the trough and nose his way to the feed.



Below is the other Darryl, but I need to get a clearer photo of him too.



Next is Houdini, the pygmy goat, stepping into the feeding trough, and below that he is in the feeding trough between good old Larry and one of the Darryls.





Last is a shot of the idyllic waterfront pasture where these characters live. Not a bad lifestyle for a sheep named Larry to share with his brother Darryl and his other Brother Darryl, as well as with the great pygmy goat, Houdini. Yes, I asked. He was named that because he used to escape a lot. I guess he's given up trying to escape because what's the point? What a cool place to live!



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United States to Regulate CO2

Maybe it's just me, but it seems like the EPA would have reached this conclusion a long time ago, but at least we've gotten our heads this far out of the sand on global warming. While I'm not saying the everything being claimed on either side of the issue is correct, it seems like we could have reached a general consensus on carbon dioxide before it reached the critical stage we're faced with presently. At least the rest of the world can make some headway now that the U.S. is not standing in the way.

http://blogs.edf.org/greenroom/2009/04/17/epa-finds-that-global-warming-endangers-human-health/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8004975.stm

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Go Green Expo in NYC

The Go Green Expo will be in New York City this weekend, April 17-19th at the New York Hilton in Midtown Manhattan. Exhibitors include: Disney's Earth movie, The Sundance Channel's The GREEN, DELL, Home Depot, Food Network's Good Food Garden, and Honda’s all-new Honda Insight. Over 10,000 people attended last year and they are looking forward to an even better turn out this year. For more information, click on the link below:
http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/39678

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Junior Getting and Giving Goosebumps During First Game Back with Mariners

My apologies to any other baseball teams and fans who might have wanted to keep or acquire Ken Griffey, Jr., but we are so glad to have him back on our Mariners' team. He's as much a Seattle icon as the Space Needle or Starbucks, and we really missed him. If you don't live in the Seattle area, care for the Mariners, or like happy homecomings, then don't bother reading the link below because it's not likely to make you tear up the way it did me, because it's a story about coming home, and home in this case is Seattle. You kind of just have to live here to get what a special city it is.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/jerrybrewer/2009054851_brewer15.html

Editor of AGNADL

Good Banking News

Before you condemn "bankers" as a group, you need to realize that the problems that brought our economy to its knees were not caused by your neighborhood banks and definitely not by the nearly eight thousand credit unions throughout the nation. To learn more, go to the article linked below.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/heres-a-switch-some-good_b_186455.html

Editor of AGNADL

U.S. Captain Richard Phillips Rescued from Pirates

I was delighted when the news alert email broke through yesterday, informing me that Captain Richard Phillips of the hijacked Maersk Alabama had been rescued from captivity among the Somali pirates. I have to admit that while growing up, I never considered pirates a serious threat to the safety of contemporary mariners. Having lived through the Bay of Pigs, the seemingly never-ending spate of airplane hijackings, and the ongoing threat of nuclear war, I admit that I had relegated piracy on the high seas to a long-gone place in history. I never thought we'd have to worry again about sword-brandishing pirates boarding ships.

Times have indeed changed and come full circle at the same time. Yes, there are pirates again, only now they come armed with automatic weapons. What is even more difficult to comprehend than the pirates themselves is that the ship that was hijacked was carrying food aid whose destination points were Rwanda, Somalia and Uganda. Ships transporting international aid to stricken countries should not be facing risks like this. Nobody should. This is clearly a threat that will require nations to join together to confront. I am glad to hear that President Obama plans to address this international issue.

After the rescue, the crew of the Maersk Alabama found a safe harbor in Mombasa, Kenya. Many thanks to the people of Mombasa for taking in these beleaguered merchant mariners from the United States. Below are several links to articles, audio recordings, and videos telling the story of the captain and his crew. There are even more links once you get to the main site.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7996087.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7996723.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7996214.stm

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Spring Updates

Finally, the cherry blossoms are coming out of hiding. My other cherry tree hasn't yet awakened from it's slumber, but it'll come around soon, no doubt.


Daffodils and narcissus still showing off their sunny yellow blooms. I simply love the sight of them. I particularly like it that nearly everywhere you drive in this area, you come upon random acts of daffodils. People plant them everywhere out here, and then the wildlife rearranges some of them a bit to suit their tastes.


Ah, finally, the tulips begin to emerge from their sleepy beds. Have to wonder how they're doing now at the Tulip Festival in Skagit County.




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Jody Bergsma Title Contest Follow-Up

It took me a while to get to the post office to collect this, but I finally got it and was quite pleased that Jody not only signed the print, but had personalized it as well and included the title I had suggested for the work. I am hoping to catch a signing event with her soon, so I can introduce myself to her as the "Tahoma Breach" lady. If you didn't catch the original story about Jody Bergsma, I recommend you go back a couple weeks and find the article about her title contest. I've repeated some of the information below in case you haven't checked out her work yet. If not, what are waiting for? Go now. You can always come back. We'll still be here.

http://www.bergsma.com/

You can find Jody's prints, cards, bookmarks, mugs, and books, etc. in many bookstores and gift shops around the U.S., both online and in stores. If you are an artist or would like to explore the possibility of learning to paint, I highly encourage you to sign up for her blog. She's giving art lessons through her blog, which you would do well to investigate. Jody is an outstanding artist and a good teacher as well.

http://artwithheart.wordpress.com/

I've included links to her Amazon.com book listings in the margins of this blog.

Editor of AGNADL

Green Highlights

There has been so much good news in the area of green technology and green initiatives that in order to pass on a lot at once, I've combined several articles together in one post. You can read more about each one at your leisure.

The EPA has stopped mountaintop mining permits until water quality impact studies can be conducted. Now there's a concept for you: looking before you leap. Always seemed like a good idea to me, since it's really hard to leap back to where you were before you jumped off that mountaintop, or better yet before you stripped it from beneath your own feet.

http://www.emagazine.com/view/?4625


This next link takes an in-depth look at green investments. I have been interested in green investing for years, but this article gives you some good information about which types of green technology are likely to expand. It also points out that these might move slowly at first, so the impatient investor is liable to get bored with green investing until necessity moves us away further from fossil fuels.

http://www.emagazine.com/view/?4581

Tied into the idea of green investments is another item that talks about a new kind of green bank. Headquartered in a suburb of Philadelphia, E3bank "will actively encourage its customers to live sustainably by offering preferential rates on green investments."

http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/39399

An article posted a couple weeks ago about the EPA establishing rules for monitoring carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Obama's EPA administrator, Lisa Jackson, states that the new reporting requirements "would cover the nation’s 13,000 or so largest fossil fuel-burning facilities that produce some 85 to 90 percent of U.S. global warming pollution."

http://www.emagazine.com/view/?4616

China has launched a massive project to improve water quality. This measure is the largest of environmental protection measure then the founding of the People's Republic in 1949. The estimated budget is more than 30 billion Chinese yuan (around 4.4 billion US dollars) to be applied over twelve years.

http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/39464

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Different Ways to Handle Life's Challenges

Nothing can diminish the extent of the tragic loss that has met the Italian people in and around L'Aquila in the wake of the recent massive earthquake and aftershocks. Buildings can be rebuilt and reinforced, but the echoes of the grieving survivors will be heard for years to come. From the midst of all that destruction arises a particularly awe-inspiring story worthy of notice.

Everyone reacts to an emergency situation differently. Some people panic. Some people throw up their hands and give up hope. Some people simply make the best of a terrible situation. My hat is off to the 98-year-old Italian woman who chose to crochet in bed until rescuers could dig her out from underneath all the rubble that covered her when the earthquake destroyed the city of L'Aquila. I bow my head to the strength of such a triumphant and courageous spirit, as well as to all those rescue workers who continue their grueling efforts.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7988423.stm

I found an update to this story today that has a video of the woman who was rescued. This article says that she was knitting. Anyone who has knitted or crocheted knows that there is a difference, but the details are insignificant. The point is that this 98-year-old triumphant spirit not only survived, but kept her hands and mind busy on something other than the piles of rubble surrounding her. She found a way to engage in something enjoyable to her instead of panicking and giving up hope.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7989938.stm

In response to the immense grief of the survivors, I penned this haiku:

The earth shudders for mere seconds.
World suddenly bleak.
Even the flowers are silenced.

Editor of AGNADL

Jaguar Protection Reconsidered

If you haven't heard yet, the last remaining jaguar in the United States was killed recently by the very organization that should have been protecting it. A researcher has come forward with the testimony that she was told by an Arizona Game and Fish representative to bait a trap with female jaguar scat. The trap was intended for Macho B, the last known jaguar in the U.S. Macho B was captured and later euthanized rather quickly with the claim that he was experiencing kidney failure. But it seems that the real failure was to protect Macho B from mismanagement and mishandling. As you'd expect, this awakened suspicions and protests, which has led a federal judge to order the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service "to revisit its decisions not to designate habitat and create a recovery plan for jaguars in the United States." For more information, click on the articles below:

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/center/articles/2009/tucson-citizen-03-31-2009.html

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/center/articles/2009/arizona-daily-star-04-02-2009.html

Editor of AGNADL

Housing Bounceback in the United Kingdom

Good news in the housing market was noted in the United Kingdom last week. Property values increased by 0.9% over the previous month. This increase was a deemed a "surprise bounce." For more details, click on the link provided:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7977683.stm

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Vermont Holds Steady on Same-sex Marriage Rights

The Vermont state legislature voted to override the governor's veto of same sex marriage to become the first state to allow same sex marriage through legislative action rather than a court ruling. Vermont joins Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Iowa (at least for the moment) in becoming the fourth state to adopt same sex marriage rights. Gosh, 46 mores states and we will be as progressive as Canada, parts of Europe, and the UK. Seems to me that "the land of the free and the home of the brave" ought to be a little more up-to-date in their inclusion of who gets to be free. Remember, "equal rights" aren't equal if we don't all have them. Please click the link below for more details.


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/08/us/08vermont.html?_r=1&hp
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Record Numbers of Rescuers in Italy Earthquake Efforts

Here at All Good News All Day Long, I endeavor to focus on good news. Even though there are a lot of news situations that are not likely to become topics for this publication, it isn't because I am unaware of them or choose to turn a blind eye to suffering. Every day I sift through hundreds of articles and headlines on multiple news sites online, so I am probably more aware than your average news reader of what is transpiring internationally.

While there is no way truly to put a positive spin on a major earthquake that has caused massive destruction and taken dozens of lives, I have trained my eyes to look for the upside in challenging situations, the glimmers of hope, if you will. As I read this morning more about the destruction left behind by the recent earthquake in Italy, I did notice a mention of record-breaking numbers of rescue workers who have shown up to help search through the rubble of the medieval city of L'Aquila. Even in our most difficult moments, there are always, always so many kind-hearted people reaching out a hand to help a fellow human being. If that isn't good news, then I don't know what good news is. Also good to hear is that the Italian government is apparently well-equipped and financially able to deal with this situation.

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Spring is in the Air--Atchoo!

I know spring is here, even though it seems to be taking the meandering path to get here, because I've had random acts of sneezing and sudden moments of grittiness in my eyes. But there are also nicer hints of it. These photos are from Ginny Hardie in Olympia, Washington, where her garden flowers are flowering. Enjoy!


Lungwort

Hellebore

Rhododendron

Camelia

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Spring is Better Late than Never

Our daffodils are out in full bloom finally, but they're about two months later than normal. Our tulips are barely budding, but the Tulip Festival in Skagit County, Washington normally happens for the entire month of April. What do they do if the tulips are being shy? Mine may bloom in the next couple of weeks, but the Tulip Festival is already happening. Here's some info from the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival headquarters. Note the bit about what to do while you wait patiently for the tulips to bloom. Apparently I'm not the only one with shy tulips. As least they are going to show up. I'll add a photo from my yard tomorrow to this article to illustrate my point. I forgot to go back out and take a shot or two when I noticed that they were really getting serious about showing up this year.

http://www.tulipfestival.org/

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Knock Me Over with a Gay Feather

Iowa has ruled that the gay marriage ban in that state is unconstitutional. Hmm. Iowa, huh? Who da thunk it? But I'm dancing in the streets for them. Way to go! I'm not saying it isn't causing quite a reaction on both sides, but at least people are waking up to the fact that denying citizens of the United States equal rights regarding legal marriage is just plain wrong. Equal rights aren't exactly equal if we don't all have them. Is there some part of that which doesn't make sense?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30027685/

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Hidden Dolphin Community Revealed

Until recently, it was thought that the number of Irrawaddy dolphins, a rare Asian species, was extremely low. The largest known groups numbered in the low hundreds. But now researchers for the Wildlife Conservation Society have discovered a community of nearly 6,000 of them. Irrawaddy dolphins are related to orcas, or "killer whales," one of whale species that make their home in and around Puget Sound. This community of dolphins was discovered living in freshwater regions of Bangladesh’s Sundarbans mangrove forest and in the Bay of Bengal. To learn more about this wonderful discovery, click on the link below.

http://www.livescience.com/animals/090331-rare-dolphins.html

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Sweden Votes in Favor of Gay Marriage

Sweden becomes the fifth European country to pass a law in favor of same-sex marriage. Other European nations include: The Netherlands, Norway, Belgium and Spain.
Hurray for tolerance and acceptance!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29998181/

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Mother Nature's April Fools' Joke in the Pacific Northwest

Spring's here! April Fools' Day! -- Love, Mother Nature



This photo is fresh off the press from the Vancouver, B.C. area. We're getting something similar to this in the Puget Sound area, south of Seattle at least. It's not over my place at the moment, so I may be in the shadow of the Olympic Mountains, but I've had several friends in the area--Tacoma, Olympia, Covington--reporting snow at their homes. Thank you to Flo Harrah for being on the spot with evidence of Mother Nature's April Fools' Day practical joke!

No, really, spring is here. It's just doing its normally confused thing. Remember the poem? Yeah, I'll run it again.

Ah, Spring

Ah, Spring at last,
season poised between winter and summer,
gentle pendulum swinging to and fro
above this happy medium.
Gone now the chilling winds of winter.
Not yet the scorching rays of summer's sun.

Ah, Gentle Spring,
whose steady, soaking rains,
whose warm sunshine
make way for the greening of the earth.
Thank goodness for confused Spring.
One day echoing winter,
the next foretelling summer.

Ah, Spring,
season of change,
moment of rebirth.

Poem by Beth Mitchum, published in bethwor(l)ds: 20 years of poetry.
Copyright 2008 Beth Mitchum




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Helpful Hints for Living the Good Life

This article is not so much news as it is good information. You've probably encountered similar tips for being the best you can be, but this article arrived in my inbox this morning, and I wanted to share it with you. I have found that these tips are quite effective if diligently applied in your life. Too many people forget that the better life for which they long is always, always built upon a strong foundation of self care. I've been telling and teaching people for decades that they need to be more selfish, in the good sense of the word as discussed in this article.

http://www.changeforgood.com/articles/7behaviors.asp

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