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Someone recently asked me what my “process” was in writing this newsletter. You get that question all too often in this line of work, and I think people expect a sophisticated answer like, “Oh, I pour myself a cup of decaffeinated green tea and jot down notes in a leather-bound notebook full of brilliant ideas. Joan Didion or whoever guides my eager mind spirit.” Unfortunately this is not the case. I often frown at the computer screen until a thought comes true. Sometimes I get up and go into another room, forgetting why I’m there, then go to the window and watch the birds, and then sit back down, hoping something shakes. It’s really not that glamorous. Very rarely does inspiration come. Of course this A lot rare. It’s definitely not happening right now! I think it’s time for another bird break.
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Our favorites this week
Get started with some of the week’s most popular good news stories
What a friend we have in Elmo
Oh, Elmo. When our lovely friend from Sesame Street took to X (formerly known as Twitter) this week to ask her followers how they were doing, she walked straight into a steaming pile of sadness. To summarize the many answers: Not that good, Elmo! Thanks for asking. People were so receptive to the furry little guy that all Sesame Street friends on X, along with the main Sesame Street account, started sending more messages of support to people going through a tough time. The whole thing was darkly funny. What’s more, it was surprisingly heartwarming: It takes courage to say you’re not doing well, and people were more than willing to be vulnerable in the face of a trustworthy childhood icon. As Elmo said in a response, “Wow! Elmo was glad you asked. Elmo learned that it’s important to ask a friend how he’s doing.” I wrote about the nice little social media moment here and talked to a therapist about ways you can open up to a friend or be a crucial listening ear.
Cheese too!
Apparently mice love taking selfies! What a nice little fact to carry with you. Artist Augustin Lignier witnessed this adorable behavior after purchasing two mice as pets in 2021. He built them an elaborate cage and trained them to take pictures of themselves, using a mechanism that dispensed candy to the rodents when they pressed a button. The project is a commentary on the pleasure, reward and addictive behaviors triggered by social media. Lignier says the images offer a “fun” way to explore topics such as declining attention spans and the impact of social media algorithms. After a few days of selfie-taking, the pair were sent to Lignier’s mother’s house in France’s Provence region to spend the rest of their rodent days in peace (and anonymity).
Read the full story here.
The future is locked
A South African entrepreneur who designed a smart locker system that increases access to healthcare has won a major award in African engineering. Neo Hutiri is the creator of Pelebox, a system of internet-enabled lockers that dispenses medications for chronic conditions to patients. This safe approach helps reduce lines and wait times and reduces pressure on hospital resources. For his future-changing device, Hutiri was awarded £50,000 ($63,000) by the UK’s Royal Academy of Engineering. The event marked the 10th anniversary of the Academy’s prestigious African Engineering Innovation Award, which recognizes entrepreneurs developing technology to tackle local challenges on the continent, from improving access to power to adapting to climate change.
Read the full story here.
you should see this
Yes, we can definitely see the family resemblance! The James Webb Space Telescope captured mind-expanding portraits of 19 spiral galaxies and the millions of stars that host them. The telescope’s ability to observe the universe in different wavelengths of infrared light, such as near-infrared and mid-infrared, showcases the stars, gas, and dust within the complex structure of each galaxy. Our little solar system is located in one of the spiral arms of the Milky Way.
Read the full story here.
Hear, hear!
Resist the lie that violence and destruction are inevitable and have to be this way. We have a responsibility to imagine another way to be human.
– writer Cole Arthur Riley
Shameless animal video
This week’s video comes from a retired postman who set up a camera to catch the person tidying up his garden shed at night. (Click here to see)
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