Only good news in this thread [News that makes you smile/feel happy]

[6Foot2]

Link: Nice IKEA Store Opens Its Doors To Protect Stray Dogs From The Cold [The Dodo]

 

Staff at this IKEA store in Catania, Italy, have gone above and beyond merely selling furnishing to fill a house — they've begun providing a home to pups who need it most.

 

And the reception from customers couldn't be warmer.

 

Martine Taccia was on a shopping trip to the retail giant on a chilly autumn day recently when she was surprised to discover a group of dogs nestled cozily among a living room display.

 

"My reaction was pure amazement," Taccia told The Dodo. "It's not a common thing."

 

But, as it turns out, the dogs were local strays — and that little taste of home was actually a gift.

 

Taccia came to learn that the store had decided to open its doors to homeless pups in the area to give them refuge from the elements. And the welcome came with more than just a safe place to stay.

 

"The dogs receive daily food and pampering from IKEA's employees and customers," Taccia said. "Some dogs have even found a family, going home with customers."...

 

[ICTDirect_Dave]

Good idea this!

 

Here's one:

 

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/accident-prone-koala-rescued-for-third-time-after-getting-stuck-in-fence_us_5b5211a2e4b0b15aba8e7878

[6Foot2]

Link: Cards Against Humanity Saves America [Cards Against Humanity]

 

For Day One of Cards Against Humanity Saves America, we purchased a plot of vacant land on the border and retained a law firm specializing in eminent domain to make it as time–consuming and expensive as possible for Trump to build his wall.

 

We sent everyone an illustrated map of the land, a certificate of our promise to fight the wall, and a statement from our lawyers.

 

It is a non-violent way of delaying the building of the wall. That there are people in the world who think and act in this way makes me a little happier.

 

[6Foot2]

The Israel players giving their jackets to the freezing cold mascots at Hampden Park

 

 

[witch]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ4zQjteIXQ

 

This made me smile - British humour at its best

[6Foot2]

 

[6Foot2]

Link: Colchester boy, 8, steers car to safety after mum has seizure [bBC News]

 

An eight-year-old boy took control of a car at 60mph and steered it to safety across a busy dual carriageway when his mother blacked out at the wheel.

 

Ben Hedger was on his way home from school with mum Lauren Smith when she had a seizure on the A120 near Colchester, in Essex.

 

The Ford Ka hit the central reservation and realising the danger, Ben put on the hazard lights and guided the vehicle across the lanes to the hard shoulder.

 

His mum said she was "so proud"...

[LeMarchand]

https://abcnews.go.com/US/homeless-selfless-man-jaw-dropping-gift-back-food/story?id=59692613

 

I'm ashamed to say that I don't know if I'd be that honest - and I'm not living on the streets!

[6Foot2]

Link: Dog that survived California wildfire guarded home for weeks [The Telegraph]

 

A dog that survived the catastrophic wildfire in Northern California apparently protected the ruins of his home for almost a month until his owner returned.

 

Madison was there waiting when Andrea Gaylord was allowed back to check on her burned property in Paradise this week.

 

Ms Gaylord fled when the November 8 fire broke out and destroyed the town of 27,000. An animal rescuer who responded to Ms Gaylord's request to check on Madison first spotted the male Anatolian shepherd mix several days later.

 

Shayla Sullivan said the outdoor guard dog was apprehensive and kept his distance. Ms Sullivan left food and water for him regularly until his owner got back on Wednesday. She also helped locate Madison's brother Miguel, another Anatolian shepherd mix that was taken to a shelter 85 miles away in the confusing aftermath of the wildfire...

[LeMarchand]

Metallica are donating to food banks at every stop of their current tour: Metallica donating cash to food banks on every stop of current tour

[LeMarchand]

A seasonal one: https://edition.cnn.com/2018/12/13/us/santa-blind-child-autism-trnd/index.html

[6Foot2]

Link: Canadian air traffic controllers send pizzas to U.S. counterparts working without pay [CBC News]

 

Air traffic controllers from Atlantic Canada directed a fleet of special arrivals into the New York Air Traffic Control Centre on Friday night, as a gesture of solidarity and respect.

 

And each was covered in a layer of gooey melted cheese.

 

The Canadian Air Traffic Controller Association units in Gander, N.L., and Moncton, N.B., ordered pizzas for all of their colleagues at the control centre on Long Island, who have been working without pay since the partial U.S. government shutdown began on Dec. 22...

[6Foot2]

Link: Grandmother's lightbulb bought from Woolworths in 1943 still works [sky News]

 

Valerie Beaney's sister was born under its light and her father painted it dark blue to hide it during a Second World War curfew...

[LeMarchand]

Patton Oswalt gets dissed on Twitter by a Trump supporter, but donates money to the guy's healthcare and encourages his supporters to do so - raising more than $30k.

[LeMarchand]

11 year old girl accompanies her Mum who works at a nursing home finds out that the residents can't afford stuff that most of us wouldn't think twice about and raises $70k to help out: https://edition.cnn.com/2019/01/29/health/iyw-5th-grader-nursing-home-mission-trnd/index.html

[6Foot2]

Link: Fat rat stuck in manhole saved by German animal rescue [The Telegraph]

 

 

A fat rat has been rescued in Germany after getting itself stuck in a manhole cover.

 

The helpless, overweight rodent was spotted on Sunday afternoon in the small town of Bensheim near Frankfurt, attempting to hoist itself through a gap in a manhole too narrow for it to pass through.

 

Animal rescuer Michael Sehr was dispatched following a call from a passer-by but initially found no way to lift the cover of the manhole and push the rat out from the other side.

 

An entire team of volunteer firefighters was called out to lend a hand.

 

With the large rescue party present Mr Sehr took out his catch pole and restrained the rat amidst loud squeaks of protest.

 

This way, the firefighters, several armed with crowbars, were able to lift the manhole cover in relative safety and prop it into place against some large rubber wedges.

 

It took them several attempts and repositionings of the heavy manhole cover, but eventually Mr Sehr was able, using only his gloved hands, to force the rat's sizable backside out through the small gap.

 

As the delicate operation unfolded, some of the firefighters took photographs and videos, having already done as much as they could to help. Once free, the rat was promptly returned to the sewer.

 

Mr Sehr did not go home empty handed that evening. The girl who initially found the rat rewarded him with a picture she drew of the animal surrounded by love-hearts.

 

The reactions on the Rhein Neckar Animal Rescue Facebook page saw one or two commenters questioning the wisdom of expending so much manpower to help the creature and in doing so contribute to "Germany's well-known rat problem".

 

The vast majority, however, praised the emergency services for their humanity in not leaving "Herr Ratte" to his fate.

Edited February 27, 2019 by 6Foot2
Missed an 'A'

[6Foot2]

Link:

[Picture Tweet]

 

Today in Y6 we looked at poems that could be read forwards & backwards. I was stunned by this one written by one of my 10 year olds. Please share - I would love her work to be appreciated further afield. I wonder if it could even find a publisher?

 

DYSLEXIA

 

I am stupid.

Nobody would ever say

I have a talent for words

 

I was meant to be great.

That is wrong.

I am a failure.

 

Nobody could ever convince me to think that

I can make it in life.

 

NOW READ IT UP^^

 

By AO

[network41]

That is one brilliant poem , WELL DONE (Just seen it on HuffPost as well) Edited February 28, 2019 by network41

[jmak]

That's awesome! It should be a teaching resource to study, nevermind something written by a student. Perhaps try contacting the children's laureate? Currently Lauren Childs of Charlie and Lola game.

[mikeprice]

Brilliant

 

Every SEN dept should have a copy and show it to all the non-SEN kids

[elsiegee40]

Link:

[Picture Tweet]

 

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]52401[/ATTACH]

 

I have seen that poem before. Copied out I think, not original work by the student.

[6Foot2]

I have seen that poem before. Copied out I think, not original work by the student.

I had a feeling that I had seen something similar, but found nothing when I searched (except links back to this example)

[LeMarchand]

Two dogs get trapped in the ice, but luckily a guy brought up in Russia comes along and knows what to do.

 

[6Foot2]

Link: Galatasaray youngster deliberately misses penalty after wrong call [sky Sports]

 

A Galatasaray youngster has been praised for displaying great sportsmanship for deliberately missing a penalty during a youth team game.

 

Beknaz Almazbekov, who is 13 years old and captains Galatasaray's U14 side, was awarded a penalty against Istanbulspor after taking a tumble inside the area.

 

However, replays showed he appeared to lose his balance rather than any contact being made with the defender...

 

https://youtu.be/-PCyzcUQ06A

[6Foot2]

 

...Born conjoined twins, separated while infants, overcoming the odds and surviving - Hassan and Hussein Benhaffaf have proven not only to be ordinary boys with extraordinary talents - today they are incredible boys who are thriving.

 

They play basketball, climb indoor walls and have great friends and an incredible friendly. Having endured more than 52 life-threatening operations (with more to come), they have proven themselves 'brave warriors' and, having learned they kept their Buzz and Woody dolls from Toy Story with them through all of their operations, Tom Hanks wanted them to know -- 'You've Gotta Friend in Me'.

 

Thank you to Tom Hanks for responding in such an imaginative and thoughtful way to two fans whom he now calls friends.