Fast Action by Lifeguards Rescue 40 Children & Adults

Swift action on the part of lifeguards turns what could have been a tragic loss into a successful rescue.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/8169250.stm

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My Brother's Keeper?

The following is a story that illustrates that helping one other person with whom we have contact often has repercussions to countless others. Read how one bank employee's attention to his customer not only prevented her from continuing to make huge financial blunders, but also shut down a scam operation.

http://gimundo.com/news/article/bank-employee-busts-multi-million-dollar-scam/

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Greening Fast Food Restaurants

More fast food restaurants are getting on board the Green train. That's certainly good news given how many dollars are pumped into the fast food on a global scale every day. To learn more about who's doing what, check out the link. below:
http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/40185

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Lucky Cat with Heroic Dog Pal

I don't know about you, but I love animal rescue stories. Here's a sweet one with a very happy ending.


http://www.angelscribe.com/tnt_072209.html

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Matthew Shepard Act Passes Senate

All that is necessary now to implement this important legislation is the President's signature.

http://www.examiner.com/x-16289-Providence-GLBT-Events-Examiner~y2009m7d21-US-Senate-passes-major-antihate-crime-act


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Overcoming Incredible Odds for His Music

I was astounded when I read this article about an accomplished young musician who has been diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). He could have given in. He could have given up. But he didn't, and he continues to compose music with his eyes. Talk about an inspiring story.

http://gimundo.com/news/article/jason-becker-the-amazing-musician-with-als-who-composes-with-his-eyes/

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Getting to Know You

This summer you might try organising a little neighbourhood get together like they're doing in England. The Brits are throwing street parties and picnics all around the country in an effort to get acquainted with their neighbours. Just a thought.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8157842.stm

British spellings were used in this blog about England. No American English words were harmed in the publishing of this article.

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Skunk Saga Continues

My friend in BC, Flo Harrah, continues the vigil for skunk activity. She got the following shots last night as they pottered about the garden and shed.







What does Tig, the family feline, think of all this skunk excitement?



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Obama Administration Rescues Oregon Forests

The Obama Administration reviewed the plans the Bush Administration established for the Oregon forests and found that they did not comply with the Endangered Species Act. The administration also reversed a Bush-era plan that jeopardized habitat of the northern spotted owl. How big is this decision to protect these forests? 2.6 million acres of public forests worth of big.

http://wilderness.org/content/logging-plans-withdrawn-last

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Untaming of the Shrew

The Buena Vista Lake ornate shrew is being benefited by a lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity. In 2004, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed 4,649 acres of "critical habitat" for the shrew, but this was reduced to merely 84 acres a year later, said Ileene Anderson, a spokeswoman for the environmental group. The lawsuit re-proposes the original 4,649 acres for shrew habitat.

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/center/articles/2009/los-angeles-times-07-09-2009.html

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Butterfly Whisperer

I have to pass on this precious story about a boy and his butterfly? Yep, that's what I said. For a new twist on the old line, "But, Mom, it just followed me home," read this article from Mary Angel Scribe's Pet Tips 'n' Tales newsletter: http://www.angelscribe.com/tnt_071709.html

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Cute Baby Photo Insurance

If you ever lose your wallet, there's one ingredient that may help make sure you will get it back--a cute baby photo. So if you don't happen to have a cute baby in your life, you might want to borrow one and snap a picture of it. Then be sure to keep a wallet version of that baby in your wallet. You may want to update this now and again, of course. A photo that looks as though the baby could be well into their forties by now might not be as effective. Just a thought.

Check out the full story at Gimundo news. http://gimundo.com/news/article/a-cute-baby-photo-is-the-key-to-getting-a-lost-wallet-back/

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All Good Views

I seemed to have run out of words temporarily. I think it's because it's summer and summer is such a visual time. I'm still looking for good vacation photos from my friends around the world (hint, hint). While I'm waiting for someone to come forth with some cool vacation photos, I'll include some from vacations past. I'll be going on vacation again soon, but in the meantime, you get to see where I went during a mini vacation last year.

The photos that follow were taken at one of my favorite places to visit, and it's less than an hour from my house. These photos were taken last summer while my mother was staying with me for a month.


Nordland, Washington


Nordland General Store


Deer feeding at Fort Flagler on Marrowstone Island


Marrowstone Island Lighthouse


USN Aircraft Carrier with Cascade Mountains and Whidbey Island in background


Marrowstone Island Beach with Ghostly Mt. Rainier View

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Creative Nature

I've had two photos sent to me recently by two different friends. The photos have nothing in common except that they are beautiful examples of the endless surprises and creativity that can be found in nature. The first photo is from my friend, Eleasa Brough in Olympia, Washington. She snapped a shot of this quirk of nature growing in her garden. It's a fine example of the fact that some plants are not one thing or another but are a beautiful blend. This specimen is not a zucchini exactly nor a squash, but a little of both. Everywhere you look, you will find beautiful plants and beings that defy strict classification. So today, we celebrate the both/and rather than the either/or by publishing Eleasa's photo. It's a good reminder that people are like that too. Thank you, Eleasa, for sending in this amazing photograph. It's a unique gem, just like you.



This second photo was sent to me by my friend, Flo Harrah, near Vancouver, BC. It is a passion flower. It is such an astounding reminder that nature is a passionate creature and endlessly creative and surprising. Thank you once again, Flo, for sharing your photos with the readers of AGNADL. You are a beautiful soul and full of surprises, just like your flowers.




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A Lesson from the Animal World

We end our week of visual good news from the natural world with this clip. Whether you like the accompanying song or not, this is a wonderful slideshow with a powerful message from the animal world. If they can get past their differences, why can't we?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYLsyNBnE5M&feature=PlayList&p=4DD3713281B63D4C&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=2

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Drunken Badger Blocks Traffic in Germany

This is when someone really needed to have had a camera running. Well, maybe not.

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/center/articles/2009/reuters-07-09-2009.html

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A Whale of a Tale Video

This is an amazing effort on the part of a community in touch with nature and marine mammals.

http://gimundo.com/videos/view/a-whale-tale/

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Good Visual News

Since we're having a week of visual news, let me pass on this most amazing news in the world of eyesight repair. This sounds to me like an astounding breakthrough that could lead to much more good news in the world of vision.

http://gimundo.com/news/article/blind-patients-regain-sight-with-special-contact-lenses/

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Emerging Butterfly

This visual is more amazing than funny, but I couldn't pass it up, since it's not something you get to see every day. Also courtesy of Gimundo.
http://gimundo.com/videos/view/a-butterfly-emerges-from-the-cocoon/

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Funny Animal Slideshow

This is going to be a funny visual images week. Most of these links will be from YouTube, as gathered by Gimundo news. Let us know if you have any funny links you'd like to share.

http://gimundo.com/videos/view/a-slideshow-of-adorable-animals/

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A Nutty Friendship

I came across this BBC/YouTube item in the Gimundo newsletter. It's just nuts! Check it out.

http://gimundo.com/videos/view/a-builder-and-his-squirrel-best-friend/

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Happy 4th of July Weekend!

Wishing all you Americans out there a very happy 4th of July weekend. Remember to keep your pets away from the fireworks. You may think they're pretty and way cool, but your pets probably think they are way scary. So, a word to the wise...keep your babies inside and safely away from the noise. If your dog needs to be walked while fireworks are going off in your neighborhood, please put them on a leash so they don't bolt if they get startled. Get tough with your kitties and make them stay in on these nights of noisy festivities. Since this is falling right on the weekend, I think it's safe to assume that it will last from Friday through Sunday night, so be aware that this might be a long and stressful weekend for your furry friends.

For those of you in other parts of the world, if you don't have any idea what the fuss is all about in the USA this weekend, check out the following link:
http://www.history.com/content/fourthofjuly

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Saving Forests Despite Bush Administration's Attacks on Our National Forests

A federal court ruled for the third time against the illegal attempt to change the way the 193-million acre national forest system is being governed. The court ruled that the US Forest Service had violated both the National Environmental Policy Act and Endangered Species Act with the revised regulations of 2008 under the Bush administration. The US Forest Service has been ordered to follow either the 1982 or 2000 versions of the regulations, completing discarding the 2008 revisions.

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/center/articles/2009/san-francisco-chronicle-07-01-2009.html

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/breaking/index.html

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Happy Canada Day, Ah?

Today is Canada Day, so let's all wish our neighbors in Canada a Happy Canada Day, ay? If you don't know what the celebration is all about, click on the link below or get googling so you learn something today. All right then, get oot and aboot with ya now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_Day

Now watch the fun video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWQf13B8epw

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Great Lake Wolves Protected Again

After five environmental and animal protection groups sued, the US Fish and Wildlife Service is withdrawing its decision to remove the Western Great Lakes population of gray wolves from the endangered species list. This reversal comes after two months of having dropped the protection for the wolves. For more on this decision, check out:

http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1713985/great_lake_wolves_added_to_fws_endangered_list_again/

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