Are you tired of reading the same old news? If you’d like to read something positive for a change check out the CThings website.
CThings is a website devoted to finding positive news stories. A look at the website shows stories of inspiration and breakthroughs. They cover a wide variety of topics and beliefs. You can’t help but be uplifted when you read these bits and pieces from our world.
CThings has news articles, a blog, and a section on people. There are also links to different organizations. You can also pick up articles via an RSS reader.
There are many websites out there that will point out what is wrong with our world. CThings gives us a different perspective. There are good things happening. We just have to look for them.
I’ve been watching the Oakland A’s since I was chauffeured around in a stroller. They’ve always had good teams and eccentric fans. Crazy George, the Hammer Kids, Pon Pon Man, the Drummers. One night someone climbed up the stands to “Mt. Davis” set up an easel and began to paint (the game, I presume!)
Now there is Trumpet Guy. Steven Saxon is a classical trained musician. He dabbles with classical and jazz and can sing some too. In 2000, on a whim, he decided to bring a piccolo trumpet to an A’s game. He had fun playing for the fans, so he kept bringing it…for six more years. He plays music throughout the game to punctuate the play on the field and to do a little ribbing of the players. He even takes requests.
Everyone knows Trumpet Guy. If you’re at the game his trumpet can be heard everywhere. If you’re listening at home, you pick up whispers of it throughout the game. The radio commentators make comments about his choice of songs and the television cameras always find him in the stands.
I don’t know why the A’s draw such unique fans. I don’t know what makes the drummers haul their drums to the games, the hammer kids put on their costumes, or what makes the trumpet guy put on a free show 20 or more times a year. I do know that these people make the game alot of fun. It’s just a little bit of the California spirit making it’s way to the stadium.
A Washington native disappeared last Thursday without a trace. She failed to show up for work at a veterinary clinic. A search was on to find her.
Tuesday, a Ukiah Transfer Station employee found feet sticking out of a garbage pile in the landfill. It was Rebecca Huston, the woman who disappeared–and she was alive!
Huston suffered cuts, bruises, and minor hyperthermia. Her overall condition has not been disclosed.
Huston had been driving to work last Thursday. She was carjacked and kidnapped at gunpoint. They drove around for four days. On Monday, her captor made her get out of the car and forced her in a garbage container. It was picked up and dumped at the Ukiah landfill.
Her car has been found. Police will be searching it for clues. Huston cannot identify her captor as he was wearing a ski mask.
Lew Dirkzwager grew up in Benson County, North Dakota. His great grandfather was pioneer in Benson Co. and his family has deep roots there. He’s watched as the farming community has changed and suffered as gas prices skyrocket and farm land is swallowed up. He’s on the verge of doing something that will help the community.
Dirkzwager is going into the biodiesel business. He’s bought an abandoned school in Benson County. The property will be the home of Benson County’s first biodiesel plant. He’s got the backing of his father. The two of them have plunked down $200,000 to get the venture off the ground and expect to spend $1,000,000 when they hit full production.
Why is Dirkzwager taking on this challenge when it’s costing him so much? He’s been frustrated by the loss of farming in the area and the rising cost of our dependence on foreign oil. He has been learning about biodiesel and thinks this is the solution for Benson County.
His dream is create jobs and fuel for the farming community. First, he will be employing people from Benson County to run the plant. Second, the fuel they create will be sold to farmers at a cheaper rate than gasoline. Third, the local farmers will be encouraged to grow crops that produce the oil needed to create biodiesel fuel. So, with one venture Dirkzwager will make the farmers money by buying their crops, create jobs for those not working on the farms, and provide a cheaper source of fuel to run their farming equipment.
Dirkzwager has done alot of research into running a biodiesel plant. If all goes well, there will be almost zero waste. The parts that cannot be used for fuel will be used to create electricity for the plant or used for other purposes. So, not only will the plant help the community economically, it’s impact on the environment will be minimal. Biodiesel won’t be the answer for every community, but this just shows that one person can affect change. (Now if we can just get out politicians inspired!)
Here’s an article on Lew Dirkzwager and his biodiesel dream: Biodiesel Plant to be Built at York
Do you ever watch the show “The Dog Whisperer”? Cesar Milan is my hero! What he does with troubled dogs (and people) is simple amazing. He is truly gifted.
You may know that during Hurricane Katrina, thousands of dogs were left behind. Their families thought they would only be gone a day or two. They left food and water so their dogs would survive. They didn’t realize that weeks and months later they still wouldn’t be able to return home.
Over 300 of the rescued dogs went to California. One woman who works at a shelter had three troubled dogs in her care. Cesar Milan offered to take those three and rehabilitate them. If all went well, the dogs would either be returned to their owners or adopted out.
This week there was an update. After a couple of months, one of the dogs, a Lab/Dachsund mix named Scrappy, found it’s family. Cesar and his wife flew to New Orleans so that they could return the dog to his owners.
The reunion was a tearjerker. The family had lost so much. The dog’s “Mom” had ended up in the hospital because the stress of worry about what happened to her dog was making her sick. To find that their beloved Scrappy had survived brought them so much joy. Scrappy was happy, too. He immediately recognized his family and spread hugs and kisses everywhere.
There were so many tragic stories coming out of Hurricane Katrina. It’s nice to see a happy ending for one family.
Teachers are a giving group of people. Not only to they dedicate themselves to their class time, but they spend the rest of their days grading papers, tutoring, and participating in other school related activities fill their days. One fourth grader is about to give her student more than a passing grade. She’s going to give him a kidney.
10 year old Brandon Schafer needs a kidney transplant. A cyst is quickly growing and destroying his kidney. There was no match within Brandon’s family. When his fourth grade teacher, Patricia Donahue, heard of his plight, she went down to take test to see if they were a match. She’ll be giving him a kidney and Brandon gave her an iPod.
She knows what it’s like to have a loved one waiting for an transplant. Her father suffered from leukemia. Without a bone marrow donor, he would not be here today.
The operation will take place next month.
As we all know, health insurance in the USA is a mess. Most of us can’t afford our insurance policies but are terrified to let them go as we may never get insurance again. Companies are looking to dump insurance as the cost becomes prohibitive.
The State of Massachusetts is embarking on a plan to bring health insurance to 99% of their state’s people. It’s been hailed by Democrats and Republicans. Senator Kennedy, Governor Romney, and a host of health care providers have worked together and come up with a plan that everyone feels they can work with.
The idea is to provide insurance for everyone. It’s not necessarily free insurance to all. The plan is designed so that employers and employees both pay into the system. A fund would be set up to pay for the uninsured.
Opponents claim that it’s a costly expansion of government. However, it’s very clear that the system cannot survive as it is. Individuals cannot afford their own health insurance anymore. Businesses are hard pressed to find the funds to cover employee insurance. Meanwhile, premium skyrocket while benefits continue to decrease. Although the plan will cost businesses and individuals, there will be a benefit. The state now spends a huge amount of money on the uninsured. Someone has to pay those medical bills when a person cannot. This should free up some funds so the burden is not as high.
All eyes will be on Massachusetts as their health insurance plan gets underway. If all goes well, this could be the model for other states or even federal health insurance coverage.
Awhile back I blogged about Trina Gary. Trina left New Orleans after the hurricane. She relocated to Hayward, California with hopes of returning to her home town.
Trina hit rock bottom when thugs stole her FEMA money ($17,975) and beat her. She was left destitute and hospitalized. Her adopted community felt a kinship to Irma and raised over $30,000 which now resides in a trust fund. The local church put Trina and her children up in a hotel in Oakland until they could get their life together.
This week Trina’s luck improved greatly. With the trust fund in her name, she and her children were going home. On top of this, they stopped in Houston to be reunited with Trina’s 23 year old daughter, Irma, and her grandchildren. When the hurricane struck, they were separated. They hadn’t seen each other since August 29th when Hurricane Katrina split their family apart.
Trina’s on her way home. She’ll be back in New Orleans in just a couple of weeks. She’ll be starting her life over. But, thanks to the people of Alameda County, she’ll have a little nest egg to help her out.
[Note: As of this date, the police still have not caught the people who robbed Trina Gary.]
