Not All News is Bad!

A 4-year-old boy in Britain is being credited for saving his mother’s life after he found her unconscious and used Siri to call for help.

Source: A 4-year-old boy thought his mother was dead. So he used Siri to save her life, police say. – The Washington Post

I think the lesson here isn’t so much to use Siri or other virtual assistants (though that’s kinda cool), but rather, as the article says: “If you do nothing else today, then I’d implore any parents of young children to sit down with them and make sure they know what to do in this kind of situation and that they know how to contact police or other emergency services in an emergency …”

After almost 20 years of working as a security guard at St. Theresa’s College in Cebu City, Erwin Macua is set to join the students that he watches over, this time for his college graduation.

Source: Security guard to graduate cum laude in school he guards | ABS-CBN News

For bonus points see if you can see the good-news-story-within-the-good-news-story here. It’s a single line, almost a throw-away comment, that also made me smile. 🙂

Doctors and nurses ran from their hospital corridors to attend to victims of the London terror attacks on Wednesday afternoon, with medics rallying to save lives in the streets.

Source: London terror attack: Doctors RAN from hospital to victims | Daily Mail Online

Even in the middle of a disaster there are always stories of heroism, particularly when it comes to medical professionals and first responders. That they would come running from a nearby hospital doesn’t surprise me in the least.

Canadian Maggie MacDonnell has won a global teaching prize worth $1 million US for her work in Salluit, an Inuit community in northern Quebec.

Source: Teacher wins $1M global prize for work in northern Quebec – Montreal – CBC News

Honestly, more teachers need more prizes, and above all more respect. It’s great to see recognition of this magnitude.

Today is International Happiness Day. The burning question is, can we make our lives happier? GP and author of A Prescription for Happiness Dr Mark Rowe, says yes. He gives our reporter

Source: International Happiness Day: 15 ways to make your life happier – Independent.ie

Actually it was yesterday, but nonetheless … let’s consider every day “Happiness Day”. Several good techniques listed, and if they’re things you’re already doing then it’s a great reminder as well.

SEATTLE – Seattle Children’s Hospital brought six children with physical impairments up to Stevens Pass Ski Resort Saturday to ski and snowboard.The annual trip is facilitated by the Outdoors For All Foundation, a non-profit organization. The foundation pa

Source: Seattle Children’s Hospital takes kids with physical impairments on ski trip | KOMO

Apparently this has been going on for a few years. Very cool. A simple, and significant moment of happiness for some kids that can really, really use it. The Outdoors For All Foundation looks pretty impressive – this is just a small example.

All Patricia wanted to do was walk on Long Island Beach one last time – and thanks to Officer Holloway, she did.

Source: Police Officer Fulfills Dying Woman’s Wish to Walk on Beach One Last Time – Good News Network & Inside Edition

I’m absolutely convinced that behind the scenes, across the globe, many if not most police officers – or their equivalents – regularly use their positions for the good of their community in an amazing variety of ways. We should hear about more of them. This one’s particularly touching…

Minasie has not once been able to return home to see his family in Ethiopia over the course of a 30 year career – until now.

Source: Hockey Team Sends Beloved Janitor Home to See Family For the First Time in 30 Years – Good News Network

Yes, they set up a GoFundMe, and no,. you don’t need to even think about it. Why? It was funded in nine hours! There are a lot of stereotypes broken in this story, all for the good. I love that the internet, in the form of GoFundMe and similar services, has enabled such wide-reaching and immediate responses for situations like this. Like any tool, I know they can be abused, but stories like this show you the overwhelmingly positive impact that’s possible.

AUSTIN, Texas — A team of engineers led by 94-year-old John Goodenough, professor in the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin and co-inventor of the lithium-ion battery, has developed the first all-solid-state battery cells that could lead to safer, faster-charging, longer-lasting rechargeable batteries for handheld mobile devices, electric cars and stationary energy storage.

Source: Lithium-Ion Battery Inventor Introduces New Technology for Fast-Charging, Noncombustible Batteries | UT News | The University of Texas at Austin

I try and switch up the topics a bit to remind us that Not All News Is Bad applies everywhere, but this one’s too good to pass up. I’ve long held that a breakthrough in battery technology would enable advances that we can only dream of today, and it looks like we’re getting a step closer. Safer. Faster. Longer lasting. Sure, there’s the potential to increase the range of electric vehicles, but I suspect that’s just the tip of an iceberg of possibilities.

And, yes, this is the 94 year old I want to be when I grow up.