Martin Sheen narrates the Dalai Lama’s new book Beyond Religion: Ethics for a Whole World. The Dalai Lama is a modern-day prophet who transcends all religions and “is a reflection of the Gospels” according to Sheen. Read the whole Book Talk: Sheen “nourished” by narrating Dalai Lama’s book story at Reuters.
Note: the Reuters story includes a free download of the Dalai Lama’s book from Audible.com until December 20th. I plan to listen to his book.
SpaceX has been cleared by NASA as the first commercial company to fly to the International Space Station on February 7, 2012. Hopefully this is the beginning of a new era of space development. I believe entrepreneurship can lead to some great discoveries in space which will speed up development, just like after Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas. Learn more about SpaceX’s plans in the NASA clears SpaceX for trial run to space station story at Reuters.
What an amazing story! Monique van der Vorst was paralyzed at age 13 and went on to win two silver medals in the 2008 Beijing Paralympics at age 24. But, that is just the beginning of this incredible story. In a freak accident last year, Monique was struck by a bicycle while training for the 2012 Paralympics and miraculously regained feeling in her feet. Seventeen months later, she just signed on with the Rabobank women’s professional cycling team with the goal of cycling in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Read the full Paralympian eyes Olympic glory after “miracle” crash story at Reuters.
After a few years of decline, Holiday parties are beginning to pick up this year. It is a good sign for businesses and will likely boost morale. I recommend ALL businesses do something for your employees for the Holiday, even if just sharing a bag of Hershey Kisses! It is the thought that counts. See Holiday parties making comeback story at The Columbus Dispatch.
Astronomers using NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope have discovered the most earth-like planet yet circling a star 600 light years away. The planet is the right distance from its sun, but 2.4 times larger than Earth so the astronomers do not know yet if it is rocky or gaseous. Read more in the Reuter’s story Planet found orbiting habitable zone of sun-like star.
It will be a long time before we can visit though. Even at the cruising speed of 38,000 miles per hour (61,155 K/hr) of Voyager 1 (per Wikipedia), our farthest space satellite from Earth, it would take 10.8 million years to travel 600 light years.
Three Connecticut men who claimed a $254 million Powerball lottery on November 28th announced $200,000 donations to five separate charities less than a week later. See full Money Managers Make Good on Promise of Philanthropy story at Reuters.
What would you do with such a windfall? Would you invest it to make more money? Would you spend it? Would you give some, most or all of it away? If you do win, I challenge you to “invest” at least half the money in perpetual giving by creating social businesses that will employ others and support community efforts for centuries to come. Read more about Social Business at the Yunus Center.
The conversation about the effects of global warming dates back to 300 BC by Theophrastus, a student of Aristotle. In 1988, the United Nations set up an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to access the scientific evidence. The Timeline: How the world discovered global warming story at Reuters tells how the world has been squabbling about this issue for the last 23-years.
I think everyone agrees the world is getting warmer, but no one really knows what it means. People in cold parts of the world think it would be a great for things to warm up a little. Others fear more cataclysmic scenarios like drought induced famine, severe hurricanes, or even a new Ice Age as dramatized in The Day After Tomorrow film.
I believe we should be cautious. Per the old English proverb, “Better safe than sorry.”
According to Mayan experts 12/12/2012 is just the end of a 5,126 year cycle of their calendar, not the end of the world. See full Mayans never predicted world to end in 2012: experts story at Reuters.
Do not be afraid. Fear is the most harmful condition on the planet. False rumors like the end of the world only incite anxiety and panic and may even cause bad things to happen. Terrorist and the evening news thrive on fear. The next time you watch the news, listen closely to *where* the incident happened. Most of the time it occurred somewhere else in the state or even across the country, but they make you feel like it happened next door. If you are afraid, take a 30-day “media break”, no watching or reading the news. Use the time to help your neighbors or a local shelter. You will be surprised how your outlook will change.
Note: I try to post only positive news on Whittle Love.
It is hard to believe that China has 638 million mobile phone users. That is over two times the total number of men, women and children we have in the United States, but still less than half (48%) China’s total population. See the brief China Mobile says total subscribers rose to 638.89 million in October story at Reuters.
First Lady Michelle Obama helped unveil the National Student Poets program last week where the first five poets will receive $5,000 academic scholarships in 2012. Good news for other writers. Read the full Michelle Obama unveils student poet program story at Reuters.