While debt ceiling brinksmanship dominated the Beltway conversation this past week, there were plenty of happier news stories that didn't involve the prospect of a U.S. government default. We've culled some of the best, and present them here:
- A dog who lost his paws to frostbite has a new lease on life after doctors attached prosthetic appendages. (ABC News)
- An Afghanistan veteran who lost his arm in 2008 showed impressive poise at a Yankees game recently, snagging a foul ball with one hand. (Huffington Post)
- A bag worn by former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher during negotiations with leaders like Reagan and Gorbachev has fetched nearly $40,000 in a charity auction in London. (Huffington Post)
- GM is giving back to Detroit: It's charitable arm, the General Motors Foundation, announced on Monday that it will donate $2.5 million to the city's College for Creative Studies. (AutoWeek)
- In related news, donations to the arts increased nearly 6 percent across the board in 2010. (Huffington Post)
- Beyonce gave some young fans a moment to remember this week, when she appeared, unexpectedly, at a Boys and Girls Club benefit in Harlem. (MTV)
- Meanwhile, another singer, Shakira, visited Israeli and Palestinian children at a school in Jerusalem, as part of a trip to advocate for the advancement of educational opportunities the world over. (NYTimes)
- Octogenarian George Weiss has been tinkering with inventions for the past 50 years, with limited success, until now. A game he created called "Dabble" is now sold in 50 stores, and won Creative Child Magazine's 2011 Game of the Year Award. (NBC News)
- The non-profit Hope in Bloom is making a difference and lifting spirits by building free gardens for breast cancer patients. (NBC News)
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