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Powerful Ideas, Practical Actions         April 2011  In this newsletter, more highlights from the SPRING issue of YES! Magazine, “Can Animals Save Us? What They Teach Us About Being Human” Warrior Baboons Give Peace a Chance Scientists have long said humans are naturally violent and, like other primates, can’t change. Then a trick of fate turned a troop of baboons into peacemakers. Baboons are exceptional subjects for studying social stress, behavioral scientist Robert Sapolsky says, because they usually live in large, complex groups with plenty of food and few predators. They therefore devote minimal time to surviving and have ample free time to make life miserable for each other. READ MORE … :: SHARE THIS NEWSLETTER WITH YOUR FRIENDS    The Uniqueness of Humans Robert Sapolsky has spent years learning about wild baboons—and from them. In this interesting and often amusing talk, Sapolsky explores the range of human uniqueness compared with other animals. :: SUBSCRIBE TO YES! TODAY :: Special offer: A year of YES! for just $15 plus a FREE issue :: PEEK INSIDE THE SPRING ISSUE   The Science of Happiness…   Six of our favorite YES! articles on the ways science shows us how to be happy … GET THE HAPPINESS POSTER FROM THE YES! STORE 10 Things Science Says Will Make You Happy Scientists can tell us how to be happy. Really. Here are 10 ways, with the research to prove it. :: BUY THE POSTER A Little Meditation Goes a Long Way A new study offers the strongest evidence to date that meditation can change the structure of your brain. Making a Difference Makes You Happy A series of studies find that activism brings pleasant emotions, greater life satisfaction, and more experiences of freedom, competence, and connection to others. This is Your Brain on Bliss After 2,000 years of practice, Buddhist monks know that one secret to happiness is simply to put your mind to it. Is Laughter the Best Medicine? Feeling run down? Try laughing more. Some researchers think laughter just might be the best medicine, helping you feel better and putting that spring back in your step. Hands-on Research: The Science of Touch How everyday forms of touch can bring us emotional balance and better health.   People Power…   Václav Havel called it “the power of the powerless.” How regular people, from Denmark to Liberia, have stood up to power—and won 10 Everyday Acts of Resistance That Changed the World Victories like the Arab spring of 2011, born of small acts toward monumental change, are not new. Throughout history both recent and distant, ordinary people have found innovative and inspiring ways to challenge violent regimes and confront abuses of power: bringing down dictators, changing unjust laws, or simply giving individuals a renewed sense of their own humanity in the face of those who deny it. The people here treat the impossible as full of possibilities that haven’t been realized yet. Some have achieved the change they were struggling for. For others, it’s yet to come. MORE… WHY WE REVOLT When and how does the moment come when people stop believing in the power that has ruled them? When and how do ordinary people discover their own power?.   What’s New Online   What to Pack for Disaster—And What to Leave Behind by Rebecca Solnit When disaster strikes, don’t forget your compassion and critical thinking—but leave your panic, cliches, and stereotypes at the door. Greed is Not a Virtue by David Korten Profit-centered market fundamentalism has become a national religion. War Is Not Peace Interview by Christa Hillstrom For decades, School of the Americas Watch founder Father Roy Bourgeois has argued that embracing militarism will never bring us the security we seek. But he thinks he knows what will. How to Design a Neighborhood for Happiness by Jay Walljasper The way we design our communities plays a huge role in how we experience our lives. :: YES! INTERVIEW    WITH MARK LAKEMAN   Did you miss…   Highlights from the last newsletter: :: 10 Best Things We Can Do For Animals YES! asked Jane Goodall to tell us what we can do in our everyday lives to care for the animals we love. :: How Happy Was Your Meal?   Autistic scientist Temple Grandin thinks like an animal—in pictures—and she’s using it to get more humane treatment for cattle. :: Saying Goodbye: What Do We Teach Kids about Death?   Shannon Hayes: When we shelter ourselves from the realities of death, what else might we be sacrificing?   How to Get More YES!  JOIN ANNIE: SUBSCRIBE TO YES! TODAY A year of YES! Magazine for just $15. Plus a bonus issue. NONPROFIT. INDEPENDENT. SUBSCRIBER-SUPPORTED. DONATE and help us inspire action for a better world. YES! TOTE This large 100% recycled canvas bag is strong, earth-friendly, and a great conversation starter! Show the world your positive attitude.   YES! But How? Grow a Curtain My house gets too hot in the summer. How can I cool it down without using the A/C? :: MORE GREEN LIVING TIPS   Web Picks   VIDEO Jon Stewart: Wait, Who’s Greedy? GE’s not paying taxes … and public employees are the ones we’re calling “greedy, parasitic, and selfish”? Fighting Foreclosures How one outspoken resident is helping Cleveland’s families keep their homes.   Finding Creativity in Our Frenzied World Video: John Cleese on how to let your tortoise mind come out to play. PHOTO ESSAY “That’s public space. Nobody can use it.“ City Repair in Action How neighborhoods across Portland are reclaiming— and redefining—their neighborhoods.   Books  Common Stories Do you ride the bus? Use the library? Walk on the sidewalk? Congratulations—you’re already part of the commons movement. A review of Jay Walljasper’s All That We Share.    :: MORE REVIEWS YES! is published by the nonprofit Positive Futures Network   ::  www.yesmagazine.org 284 Madrona Way NE, Suite 116, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110-2870, USA  ::  Phone: 206-842-0216

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