Author Archives: Vanessa King

About Vanessa King

Vanessa is a co-founder and the in-house artist of ThingsAreGood.com. She is a fundraising administrator working on behalf of various charities and dreams of being the sole person who, through synchronistic and somewhat accidental circumstance, ends up saving the World. After her 13 year stint as a professional actress in film and television, Vanessa is now pursuing her musical ambitions as a singer as she also hopes to save the World through music.

*Artist Highlight*

Omran Suleman Bebo is a young artist from northern Iraq. His paintings reflect his local Yezidi culture (a little known religious sect highly oppressed by Saddam Husseins regime) and many of the transitions and challenges faced by Iraqis today.

As an art teacher, and previous fine arts student himself, he sees the importance of facilitating communication through creativity and encourages his students to express themselves through the medium of art.

You can view more of his original works here.

Turkey to Join EU?

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is in negotiations with EU foreign ministers for Turkey to become a member of the European Union. Entry talks have been in the works since December of 2004, however the Prime Minister must first be able to show that Turkey is ready for what reposibilities come with being a European country. Human rights issues are being addressed in Turkey and much progress is being made. Today the talks are set to begin and may take up to a decade or more before a descision is met.

Human Rights Watch said that freedom of expression, torture and ill-treatment, freedom of assembly and internal displacement are all areas where important initial progress has been achieved but where significant additional efforts are needed to demonstrate lasting positive change. UK Prime Minister Tony Blair said the deal also shows that there is no fundamental clash of civilisations between Christians and Muslims.

“On the contrary, if [Turkey] fulfils the same principles of human rights, then Muslims and Christians can work together.”

If the decision is met this could potentially be a very positive move for Turkey as a Country.

Musicians Have Good Hearts

A new study led by Italian and British researchers shows that music lovers experience reduced levels of stress and could be less likely to develop cardiovascular disease. The faster and more complex rhythms the participants listened to the more sped up the breathing and circulation was while slower music had an opposite effect. Responses were most evident in those with musical training as they seem to have been trained to synchronise breathing with musical phrases.

The British Heart Foundation has made similar findings also showing associations between emotions and signs of good heart health. Dr Charmaine Griffiths, spokesperson of the BHF also added “One person’s Mozart may be someone else’s Madonna and it may be that different people find relaxation in different types of music”.
The researchers suggest the effects of slow rhythms and pauses could be helpful in preventing or treating heart disease and stroke. But if you personally find relaxation in hardcore techno or Megadeth that just may do the trick as well!

Previous research has also shown that music can improve athletic performance, improve movement in neurologically impaired patients, and even boost milk production in cattle! All signs point to KEEP ON GROOVIN!

Puppy miraculously survives!

align= A 6 month old puppy from Florida somehow managed to swallow a 13 inch serrated knife! Whats most miraculous about this story is not that the dog just managed to get it down, but that she survived! The Saint Bernard puppy, named Elsie, had the blade between her esophagus and stomach for about FOUR DAYS before it was removed earlier this week in a 2-hour operation. With only an 8 inch scar left on her tummy the puppy is now home safe and sound with her family (who is now wrapping their sharp objects in towels and placing them in high places).

Canadian Government increasing support for Addicts

Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh announced yesturday that $851,000 in federal funding will be spent to help curb the crystal meth abuse by first nations across Canada. More than 340 aboriginal addictions counsellors and health workers will be trained in how to counsel addicts of methamphetamine. Measures to help prevent the use of crystal meth will also be part of the 30 hour certification program that the counsellors will learn at the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies.

“By training these skilled and experienced community workers in the prevention of crystal meth abuse, we are strengthening our response to this very serious health threat.” Dosanjh says.

Dosanjh has also reaffirmed Health Canada’s plan to spend, over the next three years, more than $6 million of its $29-million Drug Strategy Community Initiatives Fund on anti-drug programs geared to the West, considered to be one of the worst areas for meth and heroin addiction. Raising awareness and creating better support for users of meth and other debilitating drugs is a much needed step towards minimizing serious chemical dependancy in our communities.