Archive for the 'current events' Category
March 21, 2008
Boy saves neighbor’s life
Anyone else seeing an 87 year old man slumped over in his car might have assumed he was catching a nap. They might have thought he was just another candidate for drug rehabs or that he’d had a little too much to drink. Maybe some people did see him, and did think that, because he’d been there for several hours before 13 year-old Alichka Basamayor saw him and realized something might be wrong. Alichka told his mom what he’d seen and she called 911. The elderly man was gasping for breath and could well have died in the closed and probably overheated car. Alichka’s actions brought paramedics to the rescue and a life was saved. In a world where neighbors don’t seem to watch out for each other anymore, Alicka paid attention and made a difference. This week he was awarded a certificate of commendation by Mayor Mufi Hanneman for his bravery and caring. Way to go, Alichka! You’re a great example of young people doing the right thing!
Technorati Tags: good news, hero, teens
March 14, 2008
Share Some Good Stuff
My apologies for the delay in getting this posted. The last couple of days have been crazy. Just when I was ready to play catch-up, my server went down and I couldn’t get into my blog to post. I really need a dose of Good Stuff to help me get back on track!
Sometimes we get so overwhelmed with the bad news that we forget that there are good things going on around us all the time. We can’t change the headlines, but we can seek out that which is good, that which is uplifting, that which shines with a positive radiance - the good stuff. Here are some recent feel-great stories:
We can always count on Val to post stories about the good things in life. This week she found a story by Sydney, a fifteen-year old student who writes about the challenges and joy of having a younger brother with Down Syndrome. There are more good kids than bad out here. I’m always happy to see their stories getting a little coverage!
There’s an entire blog full of Good Stuff that I’ve become addicted to. Houndsgood - Chronicles of a Virtual Volunteer crusades tirelessly for shelter animals needing homes. Some of the stories are sad to read, but the blog is a project of hope and compassion. Check it out!
Along those same lines, our pal Ami-chan has a new family member to celebrate this week. Way to go, Ami-chan! She loves to post about her son, too, and her stories about him frequently take me stolling down memory lane. She recently reminded me of the joy I felt when my own son was first learning to count, definitely a smile-worthy event!
As soon as I post I’ll be calling my friend to see if she’ll come over tonight to share dinner and watch the Kamehameha Schools Song Contest with me. I’m thinking she’ll say yes, because we both love this annual celebration of Hawaiian culture. We both love food, too, so I’m looking forward to a good evening.
Have you checked the back pages of your local paper lately? Do yourself a favor and make it a point to find the good news that never gets the bold headlines. Pick a news source anywhere in the world or something great you’ve found on the web. Better yet, share a heart-warming first-person moment that made you smile. Did your youngest just bake a cake without parental interference? Did the smelly guy on the bus finally get a clue and clean up his act? Maybe your neighbor’s nut tree is hanging over your back fence and giving you all the free pecans you could ever want. Those little day-to-day moments that make us smile are the stuff of a happy life and worthy of sharing. Here’s your chance to recognize them for what they are and spread a little sunshine in the process. Make sure you send me a link when you’re moved to blog about something good going on. I’ll hook you up the next time we Share Some Good Stuff and then we can all feel a little better about what this world is coming to!
Technorati Tags: good news, current events, local stories, meme
March 7, 2008
Share Some Good Stuff
Sometimes we get so overwhelmed with the bad news that we forget that there are good things going on around us all the time. We can’t change the headlines, but we can seek out that which is good, that which is uplifting, that which shines with a positive radiance - the good stuff. Here are some recent feel-great stories:
Ami-chan, wants us to know all about Cool Schools in her Florida community, saying ” … the news broadcast is making sure to boost everyone’s attitude about both learning and teaching. ” She also shares some personal good news in her Three Thank You’s on Thursdays post.
Val is a tireless advocate for chidren with special needs and disabilities, so it’s no surprise that she took note of the big news about Sarah Wilkins. Can Sarah do what needs to be done? Yes she can!
Many kids here start learning to surf as soon as they can stand on a board, so it’s big news here that Surfing is finally an official high school sport in Hawaii.
Have you checked the back pages of your local paper lately? Do yourself a favor and make it a point to find the good news that never gets the bold headlines. Pick a news source anywhere in the world or something great you’ve found on the web. Better yet, share a heart-warming first-person moment that made you smile. Did your youngest just bake a cake without parental interference? Did the smelly guy on the bus finally get a clue and clean up his act? Maybe your neighbor’s nut tree is hanging over your back fence and giving you all the free pecans you could ever want. Those little day-to-day moments that make us smile are the stuff of a happy life and worthy of sharing. Here’s your chance to recognize them for what they are and spread a little sunshine in the process. Make sure you send me a link when you’re moved to blog about something good going on. I’ll hook you up the next time we Share Some Good Stuff and then we can all feel a little better about what this world is coming to!
Technorati Tags: good news, current events, local stories, meme
Posted by skeet @
1:14 am •
current events,
Meme •
Surfing is finally an official high school sport in Hawaii
Hawaii loves high school sports. We’re fanatical in our support of football, baseball, basketball, volleyball - all of the sports supported by high school programs around the country. Now, finally we’ll be able to support surfing students as well. It’s been a long time coming, but surfers in island high schools are celebrating this week as they prepare for the first offically sanctioned high school surf meet. The program was approved four years ago, but has been tied up in red tape until now. New York, South Carolina, Florida and California already have high school surf programs in place, well ahead of the state where the sport was born. Two of the first-season meets will be held right here on my Waianae Coast. You know I’ll be there to cheer for these skillful athletes who are finally getting their day in the sun!
Technorati Tags: Hawaii, high school sports, surfing
Posted by skeet @
12:42 am •
current events •
February 29, 2008
Share Some Good Stuff
Sometimes we get so overwhelmed with the bad news that we forget that there are good things going on around us all the time. We can’t change the headlines, but we can seek out that which is good, that which is uplifting, that which shines with a positive radiance - the good stuff. Here are some recent feel-great stories:
Lisa, aka: Laughin, The Queen of Pith, found a fun story that will make us all go “Ahhhhh!” The story could have had a crappy ending, but somehow things worked out.
Two weeks ago Val shared some Good Stuff about a teen who was participating in the Polar Bear Plunge to help raise funds for Special Olympics. Now the event has been held and Val wants us all to know how well all of those who took the plunge did. Read the story over at I know everything - just ask my hubby.
I find Good Stuff almost every time I make the rounds visiting blogs. Two stories caught my attention in recent days:
Laurie over at La Vie de Laurie has just started her fundraising efforts for the Breast Cancer 3-Day and has already raised over $700. She has more plans in the works that are guaranteed to up that total.
Lisa Marie Mary has a great new feature on Bookworm Broadcasts. She does video read-alouds of some books that you can share with your own children. Pull a kid up in your lap, hop over to Lisa’s place and enjoy her Bookworm Storytime together!
If you’re as tired as I am of seeing graffiti in all the wrong places you’ll love learning about some innovative programs going on in my own neck of the woods. Young aerosol artists are being redirected to creative and legal outlets for their colorful designs.
Have you checked the back pages of your local paper lately? Do yourself a favor and make it a point to find the good news that never gets the bold headlines. Pick a news source anywhere in the world or something great you’ve found on the web. Better yet, share a heart-warming first-person moment that made you smile. Did your youngest just bake a cake without parental interference? Did the smelly guy on the bus finally get a clue and clean up his act? Maybe your neighbor’s nut tree is hanging over your back fence and giving you all the free pecans you could ever want. Those little day-to-day moments that make us smile are the stuff of a happy life and worthy of sharing. Here’s your chance to recognize them for what they are and spread a little sunshine in the process. Make sure you send me a link when you’re moved to blog about something good going on. I’ll hook you up the next time we Share Some Good Stuff and then we can all feel a little better about what this world is coming to!
Technorati Tags: good news, current events, local stories, meme
February 28, 2008
Have you gathered some Good Stuff?
Have you got some good news you’d like to share? Have you recently come across a feel-good story in the news or while surfing around the blogosphere? Write it up in a blog post and send me the link. I’ll hook you up this evening when we Share Some Good Stuff. It’s our weekly escape from the dreary headlines that overwhelm us on a daily basis. You can put your link into a comment below or email it to me by using the contact button in my right sidebar. Make sure you come back later for a refreshing look at what’s right with our world!
Technorati Tags: current events, good news, Good Stuff, meme
Posted by skeet @
1:28 pm •
current events,
Meme •
An artistic outlet for kids
Young Leeward Coast graffiti artists are being encouraged to express themselves through programs that allow them to showcase their art in ways that won’t get them arrested. Graffiti has long been a blight on our urban and suburban landscapes, though we’ve all seen some that we would have admired if it hadn’t been scrawled on the side of a bus or a freeway sound wall.
“It’s all about re-educating the kids and changing their thought process to create artwork instead of destroying public property,” says John Hina, originator of one of the prgrams. He invests his time and money into providing them with legal outlets for their work and encouraging them to develop their art in ways that might one day provide them with careers.
Vivian Ahsam is the prime motivator behind another progam, Youth Explosion. She’s recruited area businesses and commnunity groups to support an upcoming competition among local aerosol artists. “It’s really to help these kids turn something negative into something positive, and help them to see that this is destructive behavior that costs people a lot of money,” Ahsam said.
In times past most of these kids would have kept doing what they’re doing until they were arrested for defacing public property. I, for one, am glad to see a more positive approach that will challenge them to express their creativity in more socially acceptable ways. Their parents must surely appreciate it too, as they can quit worrying about late-night phone calls that jerk them from their pillows with pleas to rescue their children from central lockup.
source: HonoluluAdvertiser.com
Technorati Tags: graffiti, graffiti artists, Hawaii
Posted by skeet @
1:02 pm •
Art,
current events •
February 21, 2008
Share Some Good Stuff
Sometimes we get so overwhelmed with the bad news that we forget that there are good things going on around us all the time. We can’t change the headlines, but we can seek out that which is good, that which is uplifting, that which shines with a positive radiance - the good stuff. Here are some recent feel-great stories:
Loretta over at Not Just Martha is awfully proud of her son Lucas, who made the honor roll. Lucas has had some struggles, but worked hard to achieve success. Way to go,Lucas!
Go watch the short video Val at I know EVERYTHING - just ask my hubby found for us. I had seen the video before, but I got teary-eyed all over again as I watched the story of a a special boy, a special game and a very smart coach.
I’ve become addicted to Houndsgood’s blog, with its mission of supporting abused and neglected animals. The story is sad, but Tammy Grimes did the right thing when no one else would. Yeah, Houndsgood - that’s Good Stuff!
Rather than creating a separate post for my own Good Stuff this week, I’m sending you over to Daily Mitzvah to see what Jen X is doing. She’s been posting daily about her Carbon Fast for Lent. What? Giving up carbon for lent? Yes, and Jen has made remarkable progress by cutting down her carbon footprint each day during lent. It’s a novel idea that I hope catches on. Read a few of her recent posts to see how she’s helping heal the planet. If you’re like me, you won’t stop until you’ve read the whole series. Congratulattions Jen X, and mahalo challenging us all to do better!
Have you checked the back pages of your local paper lately? Do yourself a favor and make it a point to find the good news that never gets the bold headlines. Pick a news source anywhere in the world or something great you’ve found on the web. Better yet, share a heart-warming first-person moment that made you smile. Did your youngest just bake a cake without parental interference? Did the smelly guy on the bus finally get a clue and clean up his act? Maybe your neighbor’s nut tree is hanging over your back fence and giving you all the free pecans you could ever want. Those little day-to-day moments that make us smile are the stuff of a happy life and worthy of sharing. Here’s your chance to recognize them for what they are and spread a little sunshine in the process. Make sure you send me a link when you’re moved to blog about something good going on. I’ll hook you up the next time we Share Some Good Stuff and then we can all feel a little better about what this world is coming to!
Technorati Tags: good news, current events, local stories, meme
February 14, 2008
Share Some Good Stuff
Sometimes we get so overwhelmed with the bad news that we forget that there are good things going on around us all the time. We can’t change the headlines, but we can seek out that which is good, that which is uplifting, that which shines with a positive radiance - the good stuff. Here are some recent feel-great stories:
Laughin over at The Queen of Pith scoured local news sources and discovered two heartwarming stories. Welcome aboard, Laughin!
Regular contributor Val, who blogs at I Know EVERYTHING - Just Ask My Hubby posted a story about a teen with a warm heart who braved the cold for a good cause.
Our Corrin, who is practically a newlywed herself, had to share a Gallery of Kisses for Valentines Day over at Oh Hey!
I’m almost as excited about a teacher’s Valentine math as I am about a triumphant beagle - or maybe it’s the other way around!
Have you checked the back pages of your local paper lately? Do yourself a favor and make it a point to find the good news that never gets the bold headlines. Pick a news source anywhere in the world or something great you’ve found on the web. Better yet, share a heart-warming first-person moment that made you smile. Did your youngest just bake a cake without parental interference? Did the smelly guy on the bus finally get a clue and clean up his act? Maybe your neighbor’s nut tree is hanging over your back fence and giving you all the free pecans you could ever want. Those little day-to-day moments that make us smile are the stuff of a happy life and worthy of sharing. Here’s your chance to recognize them for what they are and spread a little sunshine in the process. Make sure you send me a link when you’re moved to blog about something good going on. I’ll hook you up the next time we Share Some Good Stuff and then we can all feel a little better about what this world is coming to!
Technorati Tags: good news, current events, local stories, meme
February 7, 2008
Share Some Good Stuff
Sometimes we get so overwhelmed with the bad news that we forget that there are good things going on around us all the time. We can’t change the headlines, but we can seek out that which is good, that which is uplifting, that which shines with a positive radiance - the good stuff. Here are some recent feel-great stories:
I’m as excited as Val is to learn that The Velveteen Rabbit is having some new adventures. I’ll be adding this new release to the kid lit collection that awaits my someday grandchildren!
Corrin is another frequent visitor to skeet’s stuff and has become a friend. I’m excited about her personal good news and hope you’ll all go over to her place and congratulate her!
She didn’t ask to be included in this post, but I just couldn’t resist sharing Eve’s great news. Congrats to Eve and Joseph!
Finally, I’m very excited to share some good news about rubbish! Yay for Hawaii going green!
Have you checked the back pages of your local paper lately? Do yourself a favor and make it a point to find the good news that never gets the bold headlines. Pick a news source anywhere in the world or something great you’ve found on the web. Better yet, share a heart-warming first-person moment that made you smile. Did your youngest just bake a cake without parental interference? Did the smelly guy on the bus finally get a clue and clean up his act? Maybe your neighbor’s nut tree is hanging over your back fence and giving you all the free pecans you could ever want. Those little day-to-day moments that make us smile are the stuff of a happy life and worthy of sharing. Here’s your chance to recognize them for what they are and spread a little sunshine in the process. Make sure you send me a link when you’re moved to blog about something good going on. I’ll hook you up the next time we Share Some Good Stuff and then we can all feel a little better about what this world is coming to!
Technorati Tags: good news, current events, local stories, meme
