Good News of the Week: UPDATE: ‘Golden Voice’ Ted Williams – Once Homeless Now Giving Back and more

1. Man Offers His House to Homeless Family for a Year (Watch)
   Tony Tolbert, a Harvard-educated lawyer in Los Angeles, decided to move into his mother’s home so he could offer his own fully-furnished house to a homeless family of five, and give it to them rent-free for a year.
2. UPDATE: ‘Golden Voice’ Ted Williams Once Homeless Now Gives Back Do you remember the story two years ago about the homeless man with the golden voice who was discovered pan-handling for change on a cold Ohio street? It turns out, he didn’t fall back into old habits and end up on the street again as some had worried. Williams now helps the homeless and the addicted whenever he can. He maintains an apartment and continues recording voice-overs for Kraft Mac and Cheese commercials.
3. High School Boy Broadcasts Compliments for Students Having Bad Day To combat bullying and to simply cheer up students at his high school, Jeremiah Anthony set up a Twitter Account a year and a half ago that posts compliments about kids and teachers.
4. After Fighting To Go To School, Young Pakistani Builds Her Own

   Beyond grade five, Humaira Bachal’s mother hid her daughter’s schooling and endured beatings from her husband when the truth was discovered. Since finishing high school, Humaira, 25, has become a crusader for education going door-to-door asking other fathers to send their daughters to school.

5. iTube Lab App Detects Allergens in Food
   Do you have a serious food allergy and want to know if there’s any culprits in your cookie? Now there’s an app for that. It will take you 20 minutes to get the answer using a new application developed by UCLA researchers for your smartphone.
6. Why a German Pilot Escorted a U.S. Bomber to Safety in World War II
   Once in a while, you hear an old war story that restores your faith in humanity. A new book explores the incredible encounter of two WWII pilots in mid-air — a rookie American on his first bombing mission, piloting a crippled aircraft that was missing an engine and a German flying ace who not only saluted, then spared the rookie, but escorted him out of enemy airspace.
7. High-tech Shack Brings Solar Power to Slums
   An innovative approach to housing is being tested in the windswept slum of Enkanini, in South Africa. The iShack — with rooftop solar panel, outdoor security light and slanted roof for rainwater harvesting — was developed nearby, at the University of Stellenbosch as an initiative of the HOPE Project. (CNN)
8. Wonderful Love Story to Kick-start the New Year, from Richard Branson
   Sir Richard Branson shares the story of Pankaj Shah, a generous guy who, whenever he eats in restaurants, pays the bill for whichever couple looks most in love. Recently back in Boston for the first time in three years, the manager came over and explained how a couple for which he had previously paid the bill were back in the restaurant. (Virgin blog)
9. Big Banks Agree to Pay $8 bil To Homeowners After Foreclosure Abuse

   Ten of the major American banks have agreed to pay $8.5 billion after an investigation into the abuse of homeowners during foreclosures on mortgages during the recent housing crisis. According to the Fed, $3.3 billion of the settlement will be direct payments to eligible borrowers and $5.2 billion will go toward other assistance, such as loan modifications and forgiveness of deficiency judgments. Bank of America also agreed to pay Fannie Mae billions of dollars and to buy back billions more in shoddy mortgage. (NPR)

10. Ten Resolutions The Most Successful People Make And Then Keep

    New Year’s resolutions. Some of us will vow to eat less, exercise more, live in the moment, be more grateful. But what about your New Year’s business resolutions? Here are ten of the most important ones, from one entrepreneur to another… (Forbes)

Video of the Week: Mormons Skip Church for Weeks to Volunteer for Families Flooded by Sandy

Thousands of Mormons volunteered for weeks following Hurricane Sandy, assisting the devastated families in digging out their flooded homes. A beautiful video was made on November 11th, when thousands of these church members cancelled their Sunday services and arrived by air, bus and train from all across the country to help. (Watch With a Box of Tissues!)

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