The designers understood the risk. The city waited with baited breath. Would one of the largest living roofs flourish or flop? Well, the answer is somewhere in-between:

It’s been three years since the green roof was planted on Vancouver’s new convention centre.
Is it a success? Is it as good as they promised it would be?
The answer is that some parts are terrific — attractive, quality planting; a beautiful habitat for songbirds and insect life.
But other areas are untidy, scrubby, a bit of a mess; you might even say, an eyesore, and a fair ways from what they could or should be.

Overall, the roof is more a success than a flop, but there’s definitely room for improvement, so the designers should not spend too much time patting themselves on the back. There’s still some refining work to do.
Covering 2.4 hectares (just over six acres), it is still the largest living roof in Canada and the largest non-industrial green roof in North America.
But being 10 storeys above ground, you can’t see much of it from street level, say from outside the Fairmont Pacific Rim at Canada Place.
The roof is mostly visible to people working in adjacent highrise office blocks, such as the Shaw Tower, or living in luxury condos opposite.

Read more at the Vancouver Sun.

Young adults gain knowledge and compassion when part of charitable projects. Their self-confidence increases as well as their sense of community, which has staying power for a lifetime. This story shows how students and communities work together to help needy families, and interestingly, help themselves:

Normally, the day before Thanksgiving on the campus of Gonzaga High School in Washington, D.C is found to be silent. All the students are at home with their families and enjoying the holiday break. However, that is not the case in the basement of the next door church. Faculty, staff and parents have gathered to volunteer their time to feed the needy.

Inside the basement, folks worked diligently all day long making Thanksgiving dinners with all the trimmings to feed about 50 people that are older and live nearby in the lower income dwellings. The meals are a welcome sight and are a blessing to those that receive them from the volunteers from the school. The holidays are not the only time that this charitable work occurs. Volunteers help feed the needy twice a week all year long in a project founded in 2001.

The project, started by Robert Egger is called the Campus Kitchens Project (CKP) and it uses resources that are both available and left over. They use the campus kitchens, the leftover food and volunteer students to help prepare and feed the hungry. The program has taken hold and spread to 28 colleges and 3 high schools.

Read more at Amazing News.

I don’t know about you, but often all it takes to put a smile on my face is a cute animal photo. Check out the full collection here. SO cute. I think the pandas are my favorite:

• 1. Panda cubs cuddling with each other

  

• 2. These dogs surfing

  

• 3. This corgi’s face

  

• 4. A slow loris getting brushed

  

Check out the rest at BuzzFeed!

I read a review yesterday about a fun book entitled Quirkology. As the name insinuates, this book covers strange and interesting human quirks or behaviors that may have bigger implications. This one about smiling seemed to hit home. Fake it till you make it!

The Smiling Solution

And finally, if you want to feel happier, there’s a simple way to do it: Just smile.

In a 1988 study, researchers at the University of Mannheim in Germany had participants look at Far Side cartoon strips (see below) under two conditions: One group of people was asked to hold pencils between their teeth, which forced their mouths into smiles. The others held the pencils with just their lips, which produced a frowning expression. According to the results, the people who’d been forced to smile found the comics far more hilarious than the frowners did.

So if you want to boost your mood, just grin and bear it. Soon enough, your smile will be for real. Science says so.

Quirkology: How We Discover the Big Truths in Small Things is available from Amazon.

We often think our happy is based on our immediate environment as well as our mental state. But did you ever think that the country you live in has a direct impact? Or that countries can be rated according to their happiness?

Here’s the number 1 happiest country:

The Happiest Countries in the World

1. Denmark

> Life Satisfaction Score: 10
> Debt As a Pct. of GDP: 39.5% (14th lowest)
> Employment Score: 8.4 (5th best)
> Self-Reported Health: 7.37 (15th best)
> Employees Working Long Hours: 9.72 (3rd best)
> Disposable Income: 4.0 (18th best)
> Educational Attainment: 7.39 (18th best)
> Life Expectancy: 5.71 (25th best)

Danish residents have consistently rated themselves as the happiest in the world for years in several different studies. This is in some ways surprising, considering the Scandinavian country received only average scores for several metrics that other highly satisfied countries consistently perform well in. For example, Denmark’s 26% income tax as a percent of GDP (the highest in the OECD) has resulted in an average disposable income of $27,080 compared to the OECD average of $36,800. This places Denmark among the bottom half of developed countries for disposable income. The country also ranks in the bottom third life expectancy and just average in self-reported health. However, Danes have one of the strongest senses of friendship and community, with 97% reporting they had someone other than a family member that they could rely on. Danish culture and government policy is one of the most leisure-friendly. Denmark’s citizens spend more than 16 hours each week on leisure time, the second-highest rate in the OECD. The government also subsidizes a full year of maternity leave.

Read more: The Happiest Countries In The World - 24/7 Wall St. http://247wallst.com/2011/06/01/the-happiest-countries-in-the-world/#ixzz1gQwZ4b5k

Celebrities often seem out-of-touch with the world around them, draped in excess and entitlement. But many are making sound contributions to their communities, such as Jon Bon Jovi, who opened up a “pay what you can” restaurant in Red Bank, New Jersey.

Soul Kitchen is a new restaurant opened in Red Bank, New Jersey, by Jon Bon Jovi and his wife, Dorothea. The establishment offers a “pay what you can afford” payment model, and serves wholesome, gourmet food made with fresh ingredients grown in the restaurant’s garden, and other local produce.

On the website, they explain that Soul Kitchen is “A community restaurant with no prices on the menu; customers donate to pay for their meal. If you are unable to donate you may do volunteer work in exchange for your family’s meal.”

But as NJ.com reports, this is no soup kitchen serving up desperation and gruel. “The décor is upscale. Patrons don’t wait in line — they are waited on.”

Read more.

Watching a funny movie last night, I once again realized the importance of comedy. What is it about laughter that’s akin to a good, therapeutic cry? Your body and mind relax and you once again realize that joy is possible. Comedy is the conductor.

Well, I think that there’s a value to comedy in and of itself.
Al Franken

There is a thin line that separates laughter and pain, comedy and tragedy, humor and hurt.
Erma Bombeck

Comedy just pokes at problems, rarely confronts them squarely. Drama is like a plate of meat and potatoes, comedy is rather the dessert, a bit like meringue.
Woody Allen

All I need to make a comedy is a park, a policeman and a pretty girl.
Charlie Chaplin

Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot.
Charlie Chaplin

We participate in a tragedy; at a comedy we only look.
Aldous Huxley

God writes a lot of comedy… the trouble is, he’s stuck with so many bad actors who don’t know how to play funny.
Garrison Keillor

I think that for the most part, when I started doing comedy, it had become very commercialized.
Larry David

It’s that I wasn’t suited to do the kind of comedy that these people were coming to hear - mainstream comedy.
Larry David

Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die.
Mel Brooks

Rhetoric does not get you anywhere, because Hitler and Mussolini are just as good at rhetoric. But if you can bring these people down with comedy, they stand no chance.
Mel Brooks

Comedy is acting out optimism.
Robin Williams

Let’s take a moment of thanks and appreciation for the Occupy Wall Street protesters. You don’t have to agree with them. But they are exercising their rights as US citizens and taking a stand and attempting to make a positive change.

What can you do today to take a stand, no matter how small? Make a difference in your own life first and the ripple effect will occur. How can you instill in others around you the importance of standing up for your rights?

Sometimes, we create wonderful events in our lives. And sometimes amazing events happen to us. This story exemplifies people’s innate connection to wildlife and their occasional need for our aid. How can you help out an animal today (and yes - as little extra love and attention count!)

4 Deer Saved from Certain Death in Alaska Sea Passage Way

A foursome of young button bucks fell upon some good luck Sunday as they were pulled from the icy waters of Stephens Passage by a group of locals out to enjoy the last few days of recent sunshine.

These good Samaritans describe their experience as “one of those defining moments in life.” A group of four juvenile Sitka black-tailed deer. They swam right toward the boat, then, they started to circle the boat. They were looking up and looked like they needed help.

Four deer swim toward the Satre’s boat Sunday. Once they reached the vessel, Satre said they began to circle the boat and looked obviously distressed. The typically skittish and absolutely wild animals came willingly and once on the boat, collapsed with exhaustion. They were shivering.

Four Sitka black-tailed bucks pulled from the waters of Stephens Passage Sunday recover on the back of Tom Satre’s 62-foot charter vessel, the Alaska Quest. All deer were transported to Taku Harbor and witnesses reported they all recovered from what appeared to be exhaustion and a bit of hypothermia. Once the group reached the dock, the first to be pulled from the water hopped onto the dock, looked back, then leapt into the waters of the harbor and swam to shore. He quickly disappeared into the forest. Two others followed suit, after a bit of prodding and assistance from the group.

One of the four Sitka black-tailed bucks pulled from the waters of Stephens Passage Sunday is seen being transported via wheelbarrow by Tom Satre after reaching Taku Harbor . Witnesses reported all the deer recovered fully from what appeared to be exhaustion and a bit of  hypothermia.

From left: Tom, Anna and Tim Satre help one of the “button” bucks to its feetafter they rescued it from Stephens Passage. Four bucks in all were rescued.

Source: Northern Sports Network

Let me tell you a little about Only Positive News: we get a big response from our readers. When I first started writing here, I thought, “Who is going to read about good stuff?” Apparently, quite a few! We rank on Google in the top three for “positive news”, which isn’t shabby.

We also get a good amount of outreach from our fans. The Yay Life Tribe just reached out to us and told us about their new website, chockful of positive advice for your every day.

Here’s an excerpt:

Do you love where you live?

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Tucker Gumber

Do you love where you live? It seems like a simple question but it really can be a tough one. We live where we live based on a few things like- it’s where I grew up, it’s where my job is, it’s what I can afford. Lots of times we even live somewhere because it’s close to where we want to be. Whatever the situation is be thankful that you have a place to live all.

What about all of the great things about where you live that often get forgotten. Maybe it’s a small town and there is an actual sense of community. Maybe it is a large town and there is a variety of restaurants. Maybe it is cheaper than all of the surrounding areas. When you really start to think about all of the awesome little things in your area you might start to like it.

Another thing that helps you learn to love where you live is to become an expert of the area. Go out and learn the best hiking trails, coffee shops, happy hours, and anything else that makes for a fun time.

If you have tapped all of the resources and still can’t seem to love the place you live then you should move. One thing I am realizing more and more is that we only get one life to live so we better make it count. Life is simply too short to spend your days waiting for someone to make you happy. Take control and try and figure out what exactly it is you want out of life and go for it.

So there you have it. We should all love the place we live because we live there. If you can’t seem to find happiness in your area you should move. Whatever the situation is just remember that you can control it. You can change or improve things if you really want to.

Yay like you don’t know how to stop,
Tucker