All That Glitters is Not Gold…Medals
September 2, 2024There is More Good News in the World Than Bad “FASTER, HIGHER, STRONGER – TOGETHER.” – Olympic Motto In early July as the promo for the Paris Olympics was starting to increase, Raphael had a flashback to a discussion he had had with a homeless man in downtown Toronto three years before in 2021, just before the Tokyo Olympics. The homeless man, who divided his time between the streets and a shelter, asked Raphael if he was going to watch the Olympics Surprised at the question, Raphael immediately replied, “Yes I am.” In turn, Raphael asked the homeless man if…
THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
THERE IS MORE GOOD NEWS IN THE WORLD THAN BAD “There is no substitute for a local newspaper that is doing its job.” – Warren Buffett Richard was in the middle of replying to an email when a ding sounded…
THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT HOPE
THERE IS MORE GOOD NEWS IN THE WORLD THAN BAD “Life is hope. Without hope there is no life.”– Rupesh Sreeraman On June 23rd 2018, after a regular soccer practice, 12 boys in Northern Thailand aged 11-16 and their 25-year-old…
Y2Y: A Good News Reconciliation Story
THERE IS MORE GOOD NEWS IN THE WORLD THAN BAD As the SUV pulled into the grounds of Zajac Ranch just outside of Mission, B.C., I noticed several groups of young people sitting and chatting in the warm spring sun…
The Good News About Technology
THERE IS MORE GOOD NEWS IN THE WORLD THAN BAD “Sorry I cannot help you,” said the voice on the other end of the phone. “Let me transfer you to a person who looks after personal accounts.” Ingrid was becoming…
GAZA…HOPE FROM RWANDA 30 Years Later
THERE IS MORE GOOD NEWS IN THE WORLD THAN BAD Vipin and his wife Kendra were having a catch-up conversation with their close friends Prem and Asha. Out of the blue, Asha asked, “Do you think there is any hope…
The Power Of One and the Music That Changed the World
THERE IS MORE GOOD NEWS IN THE WORLD THAN BAD A short time ago I was engaged in a conversation with some friends about the impact one person can have on the world, particularly when working with small groups. During…
GOOD NEWS – WOMEN LEADERS BUT WE NEED MORE
THERE IS MORE GOOD NEWS IN THE WORLD THAN BADToday was a special day at the Northern School of Peace Conflict and Justice.* The topic in one of the second year classes was WOMEN LEADERS to mark International Women’s Day…
The Good News of Increasing Good News Stories
THERE IS MORE GOOD NEWS IN THE WORLD THAN BAD Recently Maggie was having a conversation with her friend Letitia about good news. Letitia said, “I have noticed there has been an increase in good news stories lately. I don’t…
It’s Great To Be Alive – Great to be Canadian
There is More Good News in the World than Bad Alfredo loved Canada! However, all of the recent criticism, derogatory and negative comments, and misinformation about Canada upset him. These came mainly from opposition politicians, but also from the media…
You May be Richer Than YOU Think
There is More Good News in the World Than Bad 3:23. Those were the numbers on Hogarth’s alarm clock. He closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep. He opened them again. It was 4:06. His body was…
International Day of Older Persons
There is More Good News in the World Than Bad October 1st is the International Day of Older Persons. I do not know what age you have to be, to be considered an older person. Many people say age is…
Climate Optimist – Part 2
There’s More Good News in the World Than Bad In my last blog I shared with you the story of Miranda and Harland who were feeling overwhelmed by all of the negative news regarding climate change. After some research they…
Climate Optimist: Part 1
There is More Good News in the World Than Bad As was her custom, Miranda turned on the 9 o’clock CBC National News. For over two months the lead story had been about the fires raging in many parts of…
Saying Positive and Supportive Things to Others
THERE IS MORE GOOD NEWS IN THE WORLD THAN BAD Zenon was in a good mood. It was a lovely summer’s day and he was walking to work through a residential neighbourhood. Up ahead he could see the figure of…
Some Very Good News About Poverty
THERE IS MORE GOOD NEWS IN THE WORLD THAN BAD It was minus 24 degrees on December 29th, 2004, when Bassie Kargbo arrived in Thunder Bay. Bassie was a refugee from the civil war in Sierra Leone* Since that time,…
The Mystery Beauty and Magic of Migrating Wildlife
There is More Good News in the World than Bad Marrisa was out for her morning walk. As she was turning down the path towards the lake, she heard two sharp chirps and sensed there was something hovering over her…
The Good News of a Smile
There is more Good News in the World than Bad STATE MUTUAL, an American Life Insurance company, had a problem. They had recently purchased several other insurance companies and a huge morale problem had developed as they were trying to…
Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Youth on the Land Learning and Working Together
There is More Good News in the World Than Bad Emily* was feeling skittish. In front of her were six large white dead snowshoe hares, waiting to be skinned. She was to be one of the skinners. She did not…
Mental Health: Some Progress
THERE IS MORE GOOD NEWS IN THE WORLD THAN BAD Clara Hughes is a well-known Canadian athlete. She is the only person to have won multiple medals at both the Winter and Summer Olympics. The medals were in cycling 1996…
Want to Feel Good? Try H—E.
There is More Good News Than Bad Stephen, Grace, Einar and Helga had just returned to Grace and Stephen’s cabin after a long winter’s hike. In spite of the vigorous activity, they were all a little chilled, adding to the…
The Miracle of Cataract Surgery
There is More Good in the World Than Bad Brent was upset. His ophthalmologist had just advised him his blurred vision was because of cataracts and he should have them removed. Even though the doctor had advised Brent that cataract surgery…
Planting a Tree: How Everyone Can Help Our Environment and Planet
There is More Good News in the World Than Bad Rennie, a very outgoing and enthusiastic boy of 9, was having a wonderful time. He was helping to plant trees at the Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, along with his father…
GOOD NEWS: Canada’s Acceptance of Refugees
There is more good news in the world than bad One morning Saed Farah was walking by himself to work at a local hospital. He heard gun fire close by and dove for cover. In a few moments, he was…
Good NEWS: ESG and The Changing Purpose of the Corporation
There is More Good News in the World Than Bad Ever since the modern business corporation was first invented many hundreds of years ago, both the stated and unstated purpose of the corporation has been to maximize profits for the…
Reading 2: Great Books
THERE IS MORE GOOD NEWS IN the World THAN BAD In my last Good News Blog I promised you some of my favorite, recently read books. In spite of sometimes dealing with the dark side of life, all have positive…
The Joy and the Good of Reading
THERE IS MORE GOOD NEWS IN THE WORLD THAN BAD Rebecca could hardly wait to open the package her mother was holding. Every month she received a book addressed to her from the Imagination Library which is supported through the…
Canada on the World Stage
There is more Good News in the World than Bad Around the world, Canada is viewed as a respected middle power. However, there have been times Canadians have punched well above this level and have made some very significant contributions…
YOU, THE YOUNG and CHANGING THE WORLD
THERE IS MORE GOOD IN THE WORLD THAN BAD Once upon a time there was a little English girl called Jane who loved animals and loved to read comics. Her favorite was, “Tarzan of the Apes.” Jane loved the fact…
Getting Along and the Golden Rule
There is More Good News Than Bad Long before I started writing this GOOD NEWS blog I would marvel at the fact that with approximately 7.5 billion people in the world (and it is increasing at about 1% per year),…
How to be On the Right Side of Indigenous History
There is More Good News than Bad What does being on the right side of Indigenous History mean? I believe it means participating in the process of bringing reconciliation about. This in turn begs the question, “What is reconciliation?” There…
There is Progress on Reconciliation
There is More GOOD News than BAD In 2015 the Report on Truth and Reconciliation was released after seven years in the making. https://nctr.ca/records/reports/ The report contained over 6000 interviews and stories from Indigenous peoples, largely about their Residential School…
Being Happy is Good News. How Does Canada Fare?
There is More Good in the World Than Bad We all want to be happy. In fact the Dali Llama believes the meaning of life is to be happy and useful. We all know however, happiness, is elusive and ever…
Volunteering Through Rotary Brings Opportunities and Good News
There is More Good News in the World than Bad In Mexico in July 2021, after severe rainstorms created major mudslides outside Guadalajara, a small group of volunteers rushed to get clothing, food, soap and other health supplies to those…
Good News From the Media
THERE IS MORE GOOD NEWS IN THE WORLD THAN BAD I have often commented on the bad news that is regularly reported in the media, most often by the newspapers. This past Saturday, April 9th, however, there were a number of GOOD NEWS items in the Globe…
Canada, Ukrainians and Indigenous Peoples
There is More Good In the World Than Bad For almost everyone, the news coming out of the Ukraine of late has been terribly disturbing. We all feel deeply for the Ukrainians and the terrible times they are going through.…
The Uplifting and Life-Giving Life of Dr. Paul Farmer
There’s More Good in the World Than Bad High in the Haitian mountains, the bus in which Paul and Ophelia were traveling came to a sudden stop. Just up ahead, a truck had turned over and there were several people…
A Respected Journalist’s Take On Good News
There is More Good News in the World Than Bad Good Morning. I must admit sometimes I feel as if I am alone, blowing in the wind about there being more good news in the world than bad. Several weeks…
Some 2021 Good News Stories
There is More Good in the World Than Bad January 3, 2002. Marcia was angry. She had just heard Doug Ford’s announcement that he would be following the path of many other governments around the world and return schools to…
Dian Fossey, Gorillas and Tourism*
There is more Good News in the World than Bad Recently there was a good news story on 60 Minutes. It was about Dian Fossey, Gorillas and Tourism* Dian grew up in California. ** Her parents divorced when she was…
Malaria: At last a vaccine
There is more good news in the world than bad At last a vaccine. Saving thousands of lives and affecting millions. “If you think you need to be big to make an impact, then you have never spent a…
Good News: Our Parks, Trails and Protected Lands
There is More Good in the World than Bad There are only 200 steps left to the top. I gasped, “We can do it!!!,” to my wife Pat as we climbed higher on the trail. The top was actually the…
Good News: National Reconciliation Day
There is More Good in the World Than Bad Rupert slowly lowered the paper to his lap. The headline of the article he had just read screamed, “215 CHILDREN’S GRAVES DISCOVERED AT KAMLOOPS RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL.” The article outlined how Indigenous…
Humanitarians Do Good Things
Are You a Closet Humanitarian? THERE IS MORE GOOD IN THE WORLD THAN BAD The word humanitarian is typically used to describe a person or an organization who assists people suffering from the effects of a calamity, be it a…
The Legacy of Good Stories From Tokyo
There is More Good in the World than Bad My last blog ended with the story of the homeless man asking me if I was going to watch the Olympics. He was going to, and I did. In fact, Pat…
There is More Good in the World Than Bad
Sports and Athletes Inspire Us and Bring Us All Together Gagnon’s hands were thrashing through the air in all directions. His beloved Montreal Canadians were only one game away from making it into the Stanley Cup Finals. “If Montreal makes…
Guardians
There is More Good in the World than Bad Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Peoples Working Together on the Environment It seems as if these days we hear mainly bad news stories about things that have happened to Indigenous Peoples, some many…
Out of Bad Events Comes Good – A Swan’s Song
There is More Good in the World Than Bad A big attraction of late for walkers in the Port Credit harbour area of Mississauga is watching a Mother swan building a nest and laying and warming her eggs. They now…
Volunteering: Good News for All
There is More Good in the World Than Bad On October 13, 2020, 69-year-old Marion (Marnie) was retired, living alone and 7 months into coping with COVID. While she had given Thanksgiving thanks online with her family the day before,…
People and Animals
There is more good in the world than bad. As part of our COVID TV watching, Pat and I have started to watch a number of animal and nature related programs. These include All Creatures Great and Small. Arctic Vet…
Climate Change
Good Things Are Happening There is More Good in the World than Bad A Feb 13th article in the Globe and Mail told the story of Lisedi, an 18-month-old South African girl who came in very sick with pneumonia to…
Good News: The Value of One, The Power of Many
There is more Good News in The World than Bad Volunteer Canada’s theme this year for National Volunteer week is The Value of ONE, The Power of Many. There is no doubt in the right situation one’s actions combined with…
Good News: Indigenous Peoples
There is more good in the world than bad. World news these past few weeks has been dominated by images of COVID-19, particularly old people in long term care homes, waving to their families or with needles sticking in their…
2021 Will be a Good Year… Here’s Hoping
There is more good in the world than bad. There is good reason to Hope and expect 2021 will be a better year than 2020. Two major events – the arrival of COVID vaccines and in spite of many ongoing…
Vaccines… Not just for COVID
There is more good in the world than bad Everyone was crying inside the big, poorly lit room in the village of Hope in Burkina Faso.* Children, who were being vaccinated against a multitude of diseases, were shedding tears of…
Laughter: Have you heard the joke about?
There is more good in the world than bad These past few weeks have been extremely tense, partly because of the U.S. election. These weeks have been filled with much emotion, giving rise to anger, despair, frustration, disbelief, fear and disgust. …
Nobel Peace Prize Feeding the Hungry
There is more good in the world than bad Like all the children in line beside him, Richard* was eagerly awaiting his only meal of the day, a porridge-like serving called ugali. Ugali is tasteless and so stiff a spoon…
GIVING 2: How to Choose a Charity
There is more Good News in the World than bad I recently had a telephone call from Freda and Ernesto (not their real names) a couple in their early 60s. They had read my July blog about GIVING and had…
Reading, Writing and Arithmetic
There is more good news in the world than bad. Being literate is generally defined as having the ability to read and write. However, the definition sometimes includes having numeracy skills and knowledge in specific fields such as computers or…
There is More Good in the World Than Bad
Giving: Can You Spare Some More? There are two big stories in the giving world these days: 1. As a result of COVID and ensuing uncertainty about money, charitable donations in general are down and needs have increased.2. The WE/government…
Good News and Happenings
There is more good news in the world than bad Building Homes: Habitat for Humanity Many people have heard of the organization Habitat for Humanity. but know little else about them. Habitat is an organization that recruits volunteers to build…
Good News and Happenings
There is More Good in the World Than Bad: COVID 19 Graduations The past three months had been pretty much of a drag for Emmanuel (known as Manny to his friends). As a result of COVID he had had little…
