The Week in Uppers

Gay marriage, feats of heroism and a chimp bottle-feeding a tiger cub -- just a few of the week's uplifting tales

Published July 31, 2011 4:01PM (EDT)

While the brinkmanship of Congress has many, if not most, Americans on edge, it certainly wasn't the only point of interest this week. In fact, there were a whole slew of stories that didn't involve sovereign debt crises, even a little bit! Check them out below:

  • One notable attraction at a zoo in Thailand: a chimpanzee that bottle-feeds tiger cubs. Seriously. [CBS News

  • Iraq-war veteran Troy Yocum is raising money for troops by walking across America. He's already traversed 7,000 miles, and he hopes to raise $5 million. [Huffington Post
  • Meet New York's first gay couples to legally wed. [Reuters]
  • Researchers in the Sea of Cortez, off the coast of Mexico, saved a humpback whale that had gotten caught in over 200 feet of net. Once free, the animal literally jumped for joy. [ABC News

  • A cable guy doing maintenance in Texas is a hero after he saved a boy from drowning in a pool by pulling him to safety and performing CPR. [Huffington Post
  • Last week it was a tortoise with a wheel. This week, scientists have fitted a Cambodian elephant who lost a limb to poachers with a brand-new prosthetic foot. [AOL]
  • Amid all the economic doom and gloom, there's at least some good news: Germans are making more beer again! [Reuters]
  • And amid all the fears about an obesity epidemic in the U.S., there's likewise a glimmer of hope: Americans are cutting back on sugar. [Reuters
  • A 100-year-old doctor shares his secret to longevity: "I recommend falling in love and getting married. And sex is to be encouraged." [NBC News

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By Peter Finocchiaro

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