Source of Happiness...

[Todd Ianuzzi]

Helen, I find this post valuable and uplifting. I just saw this story on MSN. It is about the bond behind a dying boy and a rescued dog.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/461686...ts_and_animals

[HoosierHelen]

Helen, I find this post valuable and uplifting. I just saw this story on MSN. It is about the bond behind a dying boy and a rescued dog.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/461686...ts_and_animals

The bond between dogs and owners is truly amazing. My dog 'Mr. Schnitzel' (Dachshund) has enriched my life more than I can begin to describe. He is not a protection dog...but the contentment I feel when he curls up around my feet while I play on my computer is priceless. What is really funny is that his best dog buddy is a full size, very aggressive German Shepard that lives across the street from us. Those 2 are so very funny to watch play together. My little dachshund doesn't seem to recognize there is a size difference between them. Must say, after about 30 min of play time, he comes in and crashes for about an hour. Seems to be a good work out for him.

[HoosierHelen]

In the era of big boxes, a day for the little guy
POSTED: 01/25/2012 01:03:18 AM MST
UPDATED: 01/25/2012 05:32:52 AM MST
By AMY SANCETTA Associated Press


CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio—It began quietly, as an email to 40 friends.
But when a steady stream of customers began coming through the door before the family-owned Chagrin Hardware had even opened for the day on Saturday, it was clear that it had turned into much more than that.
The idea started with Jim Black, a resident of Chagrin Falls, a close-knit village in Cleveland's eastern suburbs that is part artist colony and part bedroom community. Black posted the email to a group of his friends. "Let's show our support for one of our local businesses," he wrote. "I challenge everyone to spend AT LEAST $20 at the hardware on the 21st."

Although his email referred to the idea of a "Cash Mob" or the notion to "Occupy CF
In this photo taken Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012, Megan Johnson counts money from a sale at Chagrin Hardware in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Megan is the daughter of one of the store's owners, Susie Shutts Johnson. Hundreds of people poured into the Shutts family store in a self-proclaimed "Cash Mob" to spend and support the hardware and it's owners. ((AP Photo/Amy Sancetta))
Hardware," he really had no political agenda. And it wasn't meant as a protest against the big-box stores that have created an ever-tightening circle around the community.
It was just a way to thank Chagrin Hardware's owners for a beloved shop that has been a fixture in the village since 1857.

These are good people who needed our support," Black said. "It's just that simple."
The store, overlooking meandering Riverside Park and the Chagrin River in the middle of town, has been run by the Shutts family for the last 72 years. It passed from uncle to father to older brothers Rob and Kenny and the three youngest, Steve, Susie and Jack, who run the store today.
Black's note was forwarded and forwarded and forwarded again. Calls started coming in from folks out of state who wanted to make a purchase over the phone.

And when the day came, so did the shoppers—one by one, with dogs on leashes and children in tow, hour after hour until the hardware was teeming with customers.

The rest of the story here: http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_19816216

[HoosierHelen]

We know Abe Lincoln came from a poor background. He made one HE** of a difference for our USA. I carry hope for these children, their futures, and believe we may find some future positive leaders in our world should this program continue to succeed. I especially enjoy the idea of the gift of a goat or a sheep to these young girls.

OPINIONATOR
January 19, 2012, 10:00 PM
A Boost for the World’s Poorest Schools
By TINA ROSENBERG
Since the turn of the millennium, the world has made stunning progress toward the goal of universal primary education. In sub-Saharan Africa, enrollment in primary school has risen by 18 percentage points; in Asia and Latin America there has been more limited progress. While globally, 69 million school-age children do not attend school now, in 1999 that figure was 106 million. This is a huge achievement.

The aim of having all children in school by 2015 is one of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals that will come closest to achievement. Countries have made progress by abolishing school fees, building schools in remote areas, switching the language of instruction to the one the children actually speak and giving families incentive to send children to school with school food. In some countries, parents who keep their girls in school get sacks of food from the World Food Program. One Ethiopian program that encourages girls to stay in school gives each girl who does so a sheep or goat.

The rest of the story here: http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/19/118675/

[HoosierHelen]

I realize pulling a story from a Berkeley newsletter (the liberal center of the USA) will be a major turn-off to our conservative members. Personally, I believe this article to be correct and timely. Whether we are conservative or liberal, I do believe we share the same goal of living a peaceful, happy life. I am hopeful others will also find it worthy of a read.

Just One Thing: Admit Fault and Move On
By Rick Hanson | January 30, 2012

We’re pleased to present the latest installment of Dr. Rick Hanson’s Greater Good blog, featuring posts from his Just One Thing (JOT) newsletter, which offers simple practices designed to bring you more joy, more fulfilling relationships, and more peace of mind and heart.

Have you ever watched two people quarrel, or otherwise be stuck in a conflict with each other? Usually, if either or both of them simply acknowledged one or more things, that would end the fight.

Recall a time someone mistreated you, let you down, dropped the ball, made an error, spoke harshly, was unskillful, got a fact wrong, or affected you negatively even if that was not their intention. (This is what I mean, very broadly, under the umbrella heading of “fault.”) If the person refuses to admit fault, how do you feel? Probably dismayed, frustrated, uneasy, distanced, less willing to trust, and more defensive yourself. The interaction—and even the relationship—gets stuck on the unadmitted fault and is shadowed, dragged down, and constrained as a result.

On the other hand, if this person had admitted the fault, how would you have reacted? Probably pretty well! When someone admits fault (always broadly defined, in my usage here) to me, I feel safer, on more solid ground, more at ease, warmer toward them - and more willing to admit faults myself.

Turn this around, and you can see the benefits in admitting faults to others. It cuts to the heart of the matter, reduces a cause of their anxiety or anger, let you move on to other topics (including your own needs), takes the wind out of their sails if they’re lambasting you, and puts you in a stronger position to ask them to admit fault themselves. And as part of admitting fault, it’s natural and important to sincerely commit to avoiding this fault as best you can in the future.

Then you can get beyond the hassle and bad feelings of the unadmitted fault, and move on to something more positive.

The rest of the story here:
http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/arti...t_and_move_on/

[HoosierHelen]

I imagine there are 3500 happy faces in France this week.

Crédit Municipal de Paris forgives 3,500 clients loans

Just as France was being chastised for excessive national borrowing with a sovereign debt downgrade, thousands of lucky French people had their financial obligations forgiven after the country's oldest bank decided to simply wipe their slate clean.

Granted, it's a small slate. The 3,500 clients who benefitted from the bank’s largesse had debts of 150 euros or less (about $190) with the Crédit Municipal de Paris, also known as the "Mont-de-piété," the bank of the poor, which has for centuries allowed the needy to get loans against their valuables—a kind of ethical pawnshop, or the original microlender. The small kindness was welcome for many.

"I'm very happy, it's the first time I get something for nothing," said Geneviève, an elegant woman in her fifties who was at the bank to get back a gold coin and a small wedding band she had pawned three years ago. "There came a point when I needed money. They're not worth much but they're important to me."

The rest of the story here: http://www.good.is/tag/credit-municipal-de-paris

[HoosierHelen]

Reunion between an injured soldier and his puppy
Wednesday, Jan 25, 2012 | Updated 1:50 PM EST

For a wounded soldier home from Afghanistan, It was a special reunion a long time in the making.
A puppy he adopted on the front lines is now with him again in Bethesda, Maryland.

Donny Eslinger, 20, encountered the dog while on tour of duty in Afghanistan. He traded three cigarettes to become the dog's owner. He named the dog Smoke Pup Barbarian because of the transaction.
A mortar attack critically wounded Eslinger in September of 2011. He was in treated at the Kandahar Airfield Hospital for a broken leg, broken ribs, and multiple internal injuries. When Eslinger was later flown to Germany and then the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for more treatment, Smoke was left behind.

A group called Puppy Rescue Mission heard about Smoke Pup when Eslinger's squad leader sent a letter telling Eslinger's story. The group printed part of that letter on their website:
"Smoke was the only bit of moral that made these kids forget were they were and cope with the tragedy we just experienced. It is amazing how therapeutic a little creature can be. Donny took care of that dog up until he was injured. Many of us in his Platoon would love nothing more than to see Smoke reunited with Donny. It would be the only decent thing we would see come from this place. "

Through the efforts of Puppy Rescue Mission, the dog arrived in Orlando, Florida last week.

The dog was then transported to Bethesda on Tuesday, where he was reunited with Eslinger.

Pictures and article here: http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/lo...138031653.html

[HoosierHelen]

A very fortunate young man and many good people all in the same location on this day:

Dangling boy lands safely at ski hill
Updated: Tuesday, 31 Jan 2012, 8:34 AM CST
Published : Monday, 30 Jan 2012, 2:38 PM CST
• Ben Krumholz, FOX 11 News
TWO RIVERS - A boy dangling from a ski lift at Hidden Valley Ski Area in Manitowoc County is safe after falling into a group of waiting skiers.
Very lucky young man in this rescue. Reassuring to see so many people

Matt Roeser of Green Bay took pictures of the tense moments on Sunday afternoon. Roeser says the boy was dangling about 25 feet in the air for more than a minute. The ski lift was shut down at the time.
"It was pretty dramatic," said Roeser.

Roeser says the boy was shaken up after landing safely. He also doesn't believe anyone was hurt in the incident.

"It's just something you don't see every day," said Roeser.

It is unclear what caused the boy to be dangling from the ski lift.

A more complete story here:

http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/...ly-at-ski-hill

[HoosierHelen]

Dorrie Aber Noyek briskly maneuvers the halls of Memorial Regional Hospital picking up and delivering mail. There are no signs of slowing down – not even on this, her 105th birthday.

“Volunteering has been important to me as long as I can remember. I feel I want to give back," she said. "I think I’m very fortunate, very lucky, very blessed."

She has never driven. Walking is her preferred mode of transportation.

“From when I was quite young, all my life in England, anyway, we never had a car, not at all. And I’ve always walked. I’ve always walked miles.”

The hospital, where Aber Noyek been volunteering for 38 years, celebrated this latest milestone. Her 77-year-old daughter Audrey Steinhauer came from Toronto and marvels at her mother.

http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/1...139050854.html

[HoosierHelen]

I know we have had massive coverage of Whitney Houston this past week. This story & video is far more about a 90 yr old grandmother who made me smile so big just now. I hope I still have this grandmother's spirit when I hit 90. Bless her (and her grandson)!

Whitney Houston tributes continue to flood the Internet in the wake of the superstar's tragic death Saturday, with fans creating music, artwork and videos in remembrance of the talented singer and actress.
But fans are starting to catch on to one tribute that's sure to top them all -- a home video of dancing machine Jeanne, a 90-year-old grandma who's not letting her age stop her from busting a move.

In her lastest music video, Jeanne rocks out to Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody," a video she decided to make in honor of Houston.
"This video was her idea," her grandson, caretaker and videographer Adam Forgie said in the video's description. "She wanted to pay tribute to Whitney Houston."
Jeanne's moves are even more impressive after reading the short biography Forgie posted to Facebook.

According to the Facebook fan page "My 90-Year-Old Grandma," Jeanne is legally blind, nearly deaf, and has a steel hip replacement.
Or, in her grandson's words, "100% DANCER."


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...?ref=good-news

[HoosierHelen]

10 Incredibly Nice Robbers.

1. The thief who returned stolen laptop contents on USB stick. The contents on this laptop contain 10 yrs of this professors research.

2. An armed robber who held up a babysitter at gunpoint in Lower Saxony was shamed into leaving empty-handed by the two young children of the house, who offered him their pocket money. The man had rung the doorbell of the house in the northern town of Schwanewede near Bremen, Germany, and forced his way in. Wearing a balaclava and a long black coat, the man was holding the terrified babysitter at gunpoint, when the children she was looking after came downstairs. When they offered him their savings, he was obviously overcome with shame and left the house without a word – or a cent.

All 10 stories can be found here:
http://www.oddee.com/item_98107.aspx

[HoosierHelen]

There is a wonderful article in the Huffington Post written by Russell C. Smith and Michael Foster. I do believe there is value in recognizing how different each of us may define our personal happiness and where we will find it.

I enjoyed this read and just wanted to share:

Pursuing Happiness: A Declaration of Reinvention

What a grand gesture. The pursuit of happiness -- codified into the founding document of a newly emerging nation. Happiness as an ideal to reach for and maybe not ever attain, but these Colonial founders at least wanted to plant the idea. Happiness should be pursued. Our culture promotes the collection of things that can be purchased as a way of pursuing happiness. But over the previous several decades, pursuing ever greater material possessions has come at a great cost, and served mostly to take away life and liberty. Just talk to anyone with a skyrocketing credit card debt or a home mortgage that's currently underwater.
What if the way to pursue happiness had been more defined and expanded, in the form of further important human concepts to pursue? What if they had told us to pursue other things?
• How about pursuing truth?
• What about pursuing love?
• How about pursuing the fruits of the imagination and what it can create?
• When should we begin more diligently pursing world peace?

The complete article is here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/russel...ir=Good%20News

[HoosierHelen]

3 year old girl's best friend is dog who carries her oxygen tank. What a beautiful story!

http://todayhealth.today.msnbc.msn.c...ies-her-oxygen

[HoosierHelen]

What if collectively we replace our measurement of national progress of GNP (Gross National Product) with GNH (Gross National Happiness)? Sound like pie in the sky day dreaming? Not so fast....

Did you know that UN Resolution 65/309 purposes a Happiness Project? Actually, this Resolution was passed in July of 2011 and will be implemented by the United Nations this next week. Don't feel bad if this is news to you, it is news to me also, however, it is the kind of news I love to read about!

The U.N. Happiness Project
By TIMOTHY W. RYBACK
Published: March 28, 2012

Next Monday, the United Nations will implement Resolution 65/309, adopted unanimously by the General Assembly in July 2011, placing “happiness” on the global agenda.

Conscious that the pursuit of happiness is a fundamental human goal” and “recognizing that the gross domestic product [...] does not adequately reflect the happiness and well-being of people,” Resolution 65/309 empowers the Kingdom of Bhutan to convene a high-level meeting on happiness as part of next week’s 66th session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

An impressive array of luminaries will be speaking for this remote Himalayan kingdom. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales will open the meeting via a prerecorded video missive. The Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz will speak on “happiness indicators,” as will the economic shock therapist Jeffrey Sachs. The Bhutanese prime minister will represent King Jigme Khesar Namgyel, the reigning Dragon King of the Bhutanese House of Wangchuck. (The kingdom became a constitutional monarchy in 2007.)

For the 32-year-old Dragon King — Bhutan means “land of dragons” in the local Dzongkha language — U.N. Resolution 65/309 represents a global public relations triumph and the realization of a hereditary ambition, initiated by his grandfather 40 years ago, to establish Gross National Happiness (G.N.H.) as an alternate model to Gross National Product (G.N.P.) as a measure of national progress.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/29/op...s-project.html

[HoosierHelen]

We have a special soft spot in our hearts for dachshunds, inasmuch, as we now own our 2nd one. Our 1st one we owned was many yrs ago when my children were young. He just showed up at our home one day with tags on and the kids fell in love with him. I called the owner's phone # to return him. The owner was elderly and said that if my family wanted him, please keep him because he had become too much for her to handle. Of course we did, and that is when we discovered how affectionate and loyal dachshunds can be.

The one we have now kind of fell into our lives also. A young couple owned him as a puppy, they then had a newborn baby. The mother was concerned that the puppy would scratch the baby in play and was looking for a home for him...he is another little bundle of love in home. Was very easy to house break and he finds it easy to get US to 'fetch' his treat bones. :-)

What a wonderful rescue story for this little fellow. http://www.kpcnews.com/?x=ap&page='http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_TINY_PUPPY?SITE=INKEN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEF AULT

[HoosierHelen]

Watching Matilda Klein waiting in the wings to be called forward for her solo performance in this YouTube video, one would never expect the 94-year-old woman to have the energy it takes to be a ballroom dancing star.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LOdmka4_90

[HoosierHelen]

Woke up last night around 1 am and was unable to get back to sleep. So, decided to set at my computer and play around for a while. Opened the window next to my computer. I was greeted with the most beautiful melody coming from the tree outside my window from a night bird. Was able to enjoy his music for about 15 min. All else in the home and neighborhood was most quiet at that time, so he had no competition for attention.

After searching for his melody on the Audubon website, I found what sounds like a match to me. Hopefully, some other FP members will enjoy this melody also. BTW...my little dachshund has been turning his head every which way when I replay the melody on this video...he is looking for this bird behind my desk. LOL!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CM--r...feature=fvwrel

[HoosierHelen]

Robin Roberts is one of my favorite hosts on 'Good Morning America'. While her cancer is certainly not a source of happiness, her spirit has always lifted mine anytime I watch her. I just want to share this snippet of her spirit here with you all:

Roberts underwent intense chemotherapy for eight days in preparation for the transplant. On the morning of the procedure, she shared a powerful message with fans from her bed. "Thoughts are so powerful," she said. You've got to change the way you think in order to change the way you feel ... I feel the love and I thank you for it. Thank you."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...n_1903181.html

I'm surely sending my love and well wishes to Robin.

As I searched for this thread to make this post, I realized that my last posting here was on April 28th. This was 2 days before my husband passed. I hadn't realized it had been that long since I posted to this thread.

[evilkumquat]

Robin Roberts is one of my favorite hosts on 'Good Morning America'. While her cancer is certainly not a source of happiness, her spirit has always lifted mine anytime I watch her. I just want to share this snippet of her spirit here with you all:

Roberts underwent intense chemotherapy for eight days in preparation for the transplant. On the morning of the procedure, she shared a powerful message with fans from her bed. "Thoughts are so powerful," she said. You've got to change the way you think in order to change the way you feel ... I feel the love and I thank you for it. Thank you."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...n_1903181.html

I'm surely sending my love and well wishes to Robin.

As I searched for this thread to make this post, I realized that my last posting here was on April 28th. This was 2 days before my husband passed. I hadn't realized it had been that long since I posted to this thread.

At the risk of sounding really negative and spiteful, whenever I see stories like this of celebrities fighting cancer or whatever, all I can think of is the millions of us who cannot afford the health care to which these people have access.

[HoosierHelen]

At the risk of sounding really negative and spiteful, whenever I see stories like this of celebrities fighting cancer or whatever, all I can think of is the millions of us who cannot afford the health care to which these people have access.

I believe you are not alone in those feelings, Evil. As I read down through the comments on that article, there were several I read expressing similar feelings. I don't begrudge her for her excellent health insurance. I do hold out hope that similar health insurance will also be made available to those of us who are not privileged with her income level and that it will be affordable for all of us.

Some may argue that Robin deserves her privileged level of insurance because she has worked so hard and became successful in her career. Her success is true. We also have school teachers, small business owners, etc who have worked equally hard and are successes in their professions. Their professions do not have the same $ reward. In our current world and in Romney's proposed world 'success' is merely measured by $ and only those with the most bucks get the best care. The measure of successfully educating our students or providing necessary services to our communities just doesn't seem to measure up to the almighty $ does it?

I look forward to Obama winning this next election and being successful at bringing affordable health care to ALL our citizens. It's going to require cooperation from the House & Senate even if he gets elected. Hopefully, the American citizens will not send mixed signals to congress with our votes in Nov. If they do, we will again be in a nation damaging stalemate.

BTW, I have heard Robin comment in the past on affordable health care and I feel she personally supports it.