In the words of William Shakespeare, “Some are born great. Some achieve greatness. And some have greatness thrust upon them.” Just ask John Butler, an 84-year-old former farmer from Derbyshire, England - the unlikely senior citizen social media sensation who has become a peaceable guru to a devoted and growing legion of fans. An early advocate of organic farming, Butler is a longtime practitioner of meditation. As part of his spiritual journey, he began recording inspirational messages in the hope of imparting the lessons he’d learned to others. To date, his YouTube channel Spiritual Unfoldment with John Butler boasts 182,000 adoring subscribers, loving his “voice like a warm glass of milk”.
At the other end of the age spectrum is Zara Rutherford, who hopes to become the first teenager to fly around the world solo. The 19 year old is taking off from her native Belgium on 11 August and hopes to inspire young girls to get involved with STEM and aviation. Once complete, Zara will be the youngest person to fly a microlight around the world and the youngest woman to fly solo around the world - by a margin of 10 years.
Following Walmart's lead, the not quite so giant US retailer Target has announced it will offer a new perk to woo workers: Starting this Fall, the big-box retailer says it will cover the cost of tuition, fees and textbooks for part- and full-time employees who elect to pursue an undergraduate degree.
For decades, the “Red List” created by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has been the standard for highlighting the plight of species in decline. Less apparent, however, are the chances of making a comeback, and what needs to be done to get there. Enter the IUCN’s green list, officially called the “Green Status of Species.” The idea is that by highlighting the potential gains from conservation efforts it will help motivate donors and governments, and counter a “culture of despair” that often confronts conservation scientists.
Donald Trump’s furious reaction to the United States’ women’s football team finishing third at the Olympics is pretty unsurprising given how long it took for him to accept coming second in the 2020 election. But even for the world’s sorest loser, suggesting that the US team would have won gold if only they weren't "woke" is up there with the worst of his lamentable takes on sport. Mind you it’s hard to take Trump's Olympic criticism seriously when the closest he's ever been to bronze is a fake tan.
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla says that he expects life to return to normal for developed countries by the end of this year and the rest of the world by the end of 2022.
The fossil fuel industry in Texas employs about 450,000 people, a statistic that has long driven politicians in the state to oppose green energy adoption measures. However, as the impacts of climate change begin to affect more and more communities, even fossil fuel workers in the Lone Star State are starting to change their opinions on renewables. Last week, dozens of oil and gas unions chose to support a series of emissions-reducing policies for the state. Why? To ensure they are not left behind in the transition to green energy. The policies, designed by the Texas Climate Jobs Project, help ensure that oil and gas workers are properly retrained to seek new jobs in the green energy sector.
Tomorrow's OGN Sunday Magazine features half a dozen upbeat and inspirational articles. Don't miss it.
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Nuclear Solution?
Finland is building the largest and most powerful nuclear reactor in Europe - and may have worked out what to do with spent nuclear fuel once and for all.