OGN Wednesday

Editor OGN Daily
18 minutes ago
4 min read

Mid-week collection of upbeat news stories from around the world to brighten the day.

Calm Curiosity

A captivating close-up of a seal gazing directly into the camera as it surfaces for air, its wide, dark eyes and fanned whiskers framed by the water’s light-speckled surface skimming the top of its head. Snapped in the fleeting moment between when this photogenic seal surfaced to breathe off the coast of southwestern England and when it began its descent. The image exudes a delightful calm curiosity, and just won honourable mention in the Cold Water category of the annual Ocean Art Underwater Photography Competition. The contest aims to highlight extraordinary moments from beneath the surface that usually go unseen.

Bob Ross painting a mountain landscape — Credit: Bob Ross Inc.

The Joy of Painting

Three paintings by the late Bob Ross have just fetched $1.27 million at auction, with proceeds from the sales going to help public television following funding cuts under the Trump Administration. In November last year, three other of his paintings went under the hammer, raising $662,000 for public broadcasting. It's only fitting as “Bob Ross dedicated his life to making art accessible to everyone through public television,” said Joan Kowalski, president of Bob Ross Inc. The Joy of Painting was a PBS staple from 1983 to 1994, elevating the popularity of Ross, whose distinctive curly hair, unique painting style, and relaxing tone made him a cultural icon.

Sunlight cascading through an apple tree — New orchard should start bearing fruit in 4 years

Community Orchard

When Michel Éprinchard inherited a large empty field in Western France, he had the idea to donate the entire land parcel to the town of his childhood - provided the mayor and council promised to turn it into a fruit orchard and community garden that the whole town could benefit from. The authorities happily agreed. Many in the community came out to assist in planting the first 50 trees for the orchard. This year, another 50 will be planted, as well as a new hedge, flower beds, and flowering trees. It will take about four years before the first harvests, but nature takes its time and the idea already fulfils its function: to gather, excite, and return the land to a common use.

The Appalachian Apple Hunter: 80-year-old man searches high and low for nearly extinct heirloom apple trees – many the last of their kind – and reintroduces them to the world.

Taryn Smith competing in The World's Toughest Row — Taryn Smith | The World's Toughest Row

Congratulations Taryn

Taryn Smith was living in landlocked Nebraska when she decided that she "wanted to do something big in my 20s" and, after researching ideas, decided to embark upon the World’s Toughest Row - a 3,000-mile rowing race from the Canary Islands on the western edge of Africa to Antigua in the Caribbean Sea. She partnered with Girls on the Run, raising money for the charity that empowers girls in grades 3-8 through running, physical activity, and confidence-building programs. She has just arrived in Antigua, becoming the first female to finish the World’s Toughest Row alone - finishing the challenge in 46 days, three hours, and 37 minutes, a few days before her own optimistic predictions.

EU Cleaning Up

In 2025, wind and solar generated more electricity than fossil fuels in the EU, while nuclear provided an additional 23 percent. Gas, coal and oil generated just 29 percent, with coal becoming increasingly marginal at 9.2 percent. A big shout out for solar, which now generates a cool (or should we say ‘hot’?) 13 percent of electricity for more than 450 million people across the continent.

New Fossil Fuel Tax

The Guardian reports: “Fossil fuel companies could be forced to pay some of the price of their damage to the climate, and the ultra-rich subjected to a global wealth tax, if new tax rules are agreed under the UN." Negotiations on a planned global tax treaty resumed this week at UN headquarters in New York, "with dozens of countries supporting stronger rules that would make polluters pay for the impact of their activities.”

“I have noticed that even people who claim everything is predetermined and that we can do nothing to change it look before they cross the road.” Stephen Hawking

On This Day

4 February 1977: Fleetwood Mac’s 11th studio album, Rumours, was released by Warner Bros. Records, becoming one of the best selling albums of all time with over 40 million copies sold worldwide, and winning Album of the Year at the 1978 Grammy Awards.