Of Good Report - January

This newsletter is to help spread the Good News of the World. With all the bad news that is everpresent in today's media, here is our small attempt to make sure the Good News doesn't get lost.

LONDON
A Northern bottlenose whale appeared on the river Thames in London recently. It swam past parliament and Big Ben gathering a great deal of attention as it made it's way toward central London. It appeared to beach itself a number of times in shallow water but was able to keep itself going. A number of local authorities were seen following the whale to try and keep it safe from local shipping and to help in case it did indeed beach itself.

A zoologist from the Natural History Museum was at the scene. He said it was the first time a whale was spotted in the river since the museum had been keeping records starting in 1913.
Unfortunately, this whale unable or unwilling to return to it's normal habitat perished after heroic attempts to rescue it and take it back out to sea. Crowds gathered on the banks of the river to cheer on rescuers and seemingly to cheer on this lost whale.
It is amazing how something that seems so out of the ordinary can capture our hearts and imaginations. Millions of people travel nearby the Thames in London every day, and one day a whale shows up where a whale doesn't usually go and we all stop to watch and wonder. Then to cheer and pray and hope. A seemingly small thing brought together a whole nation for a couple of days.
We will never know why this particular whale decided to take a wrong turn but it distracted thousands, even millions from the bad that seems to encompass us in today's world and reminded us of the good that is also there but maybe a little bit harder to find.

WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME
The World Food Programme has started a new campaign. It's called "Donate Your Dessert." The idea is that when you eat out you skip dessert and donate what you would have spent on the sweets to the world food programme to help the world's hungry. I think it's a great idea and you can watch their amusing commercial that explains the details HERE.

DENVER
An Injured Air Force airman has been granted ownership of her military bomb sniffing dog. Jamie Dana, the Air Force Tech Sgt. and Rex, her K-9 partner were assigned to duty in Iraq. They were

victims of a roadside bomb in June of last year. The bomb went off basically directly underneath the seat Jamie was sitting on and Rex was sitting right beside her. Jamie suffered severe internal injuries and was feared dead when she lapsed into unconsicousness.
While being treated Jamie was asking about Rex and was told he was dead. She was sent to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C. and was in a coma for one month. When she finally awoke from her coma she was told the startling news that Rex was alive. Rex was brought to the hospital for an emotional reunion.
Rex accompanied her to Pennsylvania for recovery with the Air Force's permission, but when she asked to officially adopt Rex she was told no. Rex was an "Air Force asset" according to the military. The law was written such that with useful life left Rex could not be legally adopted.
After receiving more press about the situation Congress added an amendment to the Defense Appropriation bill that would allow Jamie to adopt Rex. President Bush then signed the bill.
It's refreshing to see our government work it's way around well meaning laws and governance to do the right thing. Here's to the people that made it happen. They all could have just sat on their hands and said they couldn't do anything because of the law. They didn't, and now Jamie and Rex can 'recuperate' together. Rex by her side will almost surely help her heal better and more quickly. READ MORE

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