Thursday's Positive News
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Today's global collection of upbeat news nuggets.
Helping Hound
A 96-year-old woman and a 150lb Newfoundland dog have gone viral as an unlikely gardening duo. North Carolina nonagenarian Barbara Collins loves to plant flowers but “does not have the balance and strength to kneel and dig the holes on her own”, said The Washington Post. Luckily, her granddaughter’s dog Chewy is happy to take on the heavy work, digging on command at the spots she indicates with her cane. In return for his landscaping services, Collins “bakes him dog-friendly cupcakes and fixes his broken toys”.
The End of Oil?
US President Donald Trump is a longtime climate denier and oil industry ally, who sums up his own energy policy as “drill, baby, drill”. Yet he is doing more than almost anyone to speed up the global shift from fossil fuels to clean energy and electric vehicles (EVs) - thanks to the debacle in the Strait of Hormuz. Ironically for Trump and his oil industry donors, this crisis may be an irreversible tipping point for clean energy. For years, fossil fuel advocates promoted oil, gas and coal as “reliable” energy. That narrative has been reversed. Fossil fuels have become expensive and unreliable, while renewables are cheap, reliable and secure.
Meals on Wheels
On top of the billions she has already given away to good causes, philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has just handed a $70 million donation to Meals on Wheels. The organization said it came “at a time when nearly 14 million seniors worry about having enough food and 56 percent feel lonely, a declared national epidemic, negatively impacting their health and well-being.” Ellie Hollander, president and chief executive officer at Meals on Wheels America, added: “We are deeply grateful for this extraordinary act of generosity and trust that will help us move closer to a world where every senior who needs Meals on Wheels gets it,” said Ellie Hollander, CEO at Meals on Wheels America.
The Punk Rockers
Like rebellious bandmates onstage, the three chicks featured in the grand-prize-winning image of the 23rd annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest are “full of attitude, energy and individuality,” says photographer Jacqueline Burke, who playfully titled her entry “The Punk Rockers.” Their unruly, spiked plumage gives the unmistakable look of tiny mohawks, she says. Although the small birds have a huge presence, their parent looms large in the background. “The photographer framed it beautifully,” says Smithsonian creative director Maria Keehan. “The scale jump between the long legs and gnarly, imposing feet compared to the fluffy heads below is remarkable.” The photo was taken at a New Jersey rookery, or breeding ground.
Flower Power
Every year, seven million flower bulbs are planted in Keukenhof Garden in the Netherlands. When the final winter chill disappears and springtime arrives, the bulbs sprout to produce beautiful rows of reds, oranges, and yellows - including 800 varieties of tulips. The season begins in March with purple crocuses, followed by hyacinths and daffodils. It ends with tulips reaching peak bloom in April. The vivid display draws more than a million tourists, who line up for a glance before the flowers are harvested and disappear.
CD Tower Sculptures
At the Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco (ICA SF), artist Tara Donovan has a new show called Stratagems - a captivating installation that reimagines a once-familiar technology as something immersive. Composed of thousands of stacked compact discs (CDs), the work rises into luminous formations that shimmer, refract, and continuously shift as viewers explore the space. What begins as recognizable material quickly transforms into an optical experience that feels both architectural and atmospheric.
“The future depends on what you do today.” Mahatma Gandhi
On This Day
23 April 1789: President-elect George Washington moves into Franklin House, New York, the first official residence of a US President. Known as 3 Cherry Street or the Franklin House, it was built in 1770 and considered the "best single house in the city". Congress rented it from Samuel Osgood for $845 per year, and it was furnished in preparation for the Washingtons.
Today's Articles
Dazzling: Tiffany stained-glass window in a Connecticut church seeks new home in order to support the church’s mission and ministries.
Amazing Discovery: The first ever known orange shark has been caught (and released) off the Costa Rica coast.
Starts Next Week: First International Conference on The Just Transition Away From Fossil Fuels. "A little noticed ray of hope may be peeking over the horizon."
‘Impossible’ Proof: Two high schoolers achieved a feat mathematicians long thought could not be done.
Mood Boosting Video
Queen Elizabeth II: Final designs revealed for the Queen's memorial park.