Quote of the Day: “Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes doesn’t mean he lacks vision… We all have ability. The difference is how we use it.” – Stevie Wonder (turns 70 today)
Photo: by chester wade, public domain, cropped
With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?
Frank Cicorelli is a very social guy, and he so misses being with his friends in Charlotte, Michigan.
His wife passed away about 7 years ago at age 75, so he’s alone—but he’s been creating his own fun during this pandemic.
A Facebook post from April shows him carrying an umbrella enjoying his two-mile walk and looking on the bright side: “I was lucky, no wind”—even in the “miserable cold and rain.” He added, “Rain or snow you keep on Goin.”
He recovered from open heart coronary bypass surgery and a shoulder injury four years ago. He decided to work with a trainer and got back full range of motion on his shoulder.
“He takes lots of pictures and posts them on his Facebook page,” his daughter, Connie Cicorelli Ricci, told GNN. “My husband (a high school teacher) says he spends more time on his phone than most teenagers!”
WATCH: 89-Year-Old Sews 600 Masks While Listening to The Beatles
The couple, who lives outside of Philadelphia, call Frank a few times a week on Facetime. But he needs more social time than that.
He sent this video to Connie and her brother via text showing him getting his groove on to Achy Breaky Heart and grabbing the nearest partner to dance—a broomstick.
“My dad is my HERO and he still lives one of his core values—to make the best out of whatever situation you have!”
WATCH the adorable video below…
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This is just one of many positive stories and updates that are coming out of the COVID-19 news coverage this week. For more uplifting coverage on the outbreaks, click here.
Food Network star, Chef, and lifetime restaurateur, Guy Fieri has raised more than $22 million to help restaurant employees that have been unable to work during the COVID-19 shutdowns across the country.
Fieri has created the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund, into which has poured large donations from the heaviest-hitting CEOs involved in the restaurant business like Pepsi, Coke, and Uber Eats.
“My entire career has been in the restaurant business,” said Fieri. “From bussing tables to flambe captain to dishwasher to chef… I have done it all. I’ve also spent the better part of the last 15 years traveling this great country meeting other folks who’ve dedicated their lives to this business, and let me tell you something, they are the hardest working, most real-deal workers you’ve ever met… the heartbeats of their communities.”
Fieri’s Fund has already provided 40,000 workers across the country with $500 grants to help them get through this difficult period—and more flows into their pockets every day.
WATCH: Cast of ‘Parks and Rec’ Raises $3M for COVID Relief After Reuniting for Quarantine Episode
Bill Murray is the latest celebrity to join the herculean effort to raise more money for the Restaurant Employee Fund, and it is an absolute must-see; a webcast nacho-making competition between Fieri and Murray and their sons.
Dubbed the “Nacho Average Showdown,” Guy and Bill along with their sons Hunter Fieri and Homer Murray will square off in a 4-way nacho making competition live on the internet, judged and officiated by Basketball Legend Shaquille O’Neal.
The Showdown will take place on Friday May 15 at 5pm ET, and can be watched live on the Food Network Facebook page.
While some restaurants and diners have closed temporarily or permanently due to COVID restrictions, some still provide curbside pickup and takeaway, and Fieri is urging everyone to order from small mom-and-pop restaurants, which likely will be the type of business that suffers the most.
“They need your takeout!” (And, donate your tax-deductible dollars to the Fund, here.)
SHARE the Nacho News With Everyone on Your Social Media Feeds… (Murray photo by David Shankbone, CC license)
This is just one of many positive stories and updates that are coming out of the COVID-19 news coverage this week. For more uplifting coverage on the outbreaks, click here.
A trip to a bank’s ATM machine is usually a mundane affair, but for Jose Nuñez Romaniz, his visit on Sunday is one that he will remember for the rest of his life.
The 19-year-old was helping his grandfather buy a pair of socks online when he noticed his account balance was low. So he drove to the nearest Wells Fargo to his home in Albuquerque to make a deposit. Little did he know, he was about to make an incredible discovery.
When he arrived to make his deposit, Jose noticed a clear plastic bag on the ground filled with cash. It turned out to be $135,000 worth of $50 and $20 bills.
“When I first saw it, I kind of stared at it for a few seconds, not knowing what to do,” Jose told the New York Times. “I was very shocked. I’ve never seen so much money.”
Crazy thoughts raced through his head. Was someone going to kidnap him? Was this some kind of practical joke? After taking a moment to collect himself, Jose did what he knew was the right thing: he called the police. They soon discovered that the money had accidentally been left behind by a worker tasked with refilling the ATM.
“This money could have made an incredible amount of difference in his life if he went down the other path, but he chose the integrity path and did the right thing,” Office Simon Drobik, a spokesman for the Albuquerque police told CNN.
Officer Drobik later told The Times: “I’ve seen a lot of stuff in 21 years, but this was unique and refreshing for the department and city.”
Police think it is the biggest amount of money ever found—and returned—in Albuquerque history.
Jose’s childhood dream has been to work in law enforcement himself, as a crime scene investigator and currently studies criminal justice at Central New Mexico Community College. On Tuesday, he received an unexpected call from Officer Drobik, asking him what it was like to be considered a “hero” in his community—and even though Jose said he didn’t feel like a hero, the mayor and police chief held a ceremony to honor him, anyway.
Mayor Tim Keller praised the young man’s honesty in returning every penny of the money, saying, “Man, we all know that temptation. Even just to take a little, just one of those bundles off the top. I mean that had to be really hard.”
Local businesses have showered Jose with rewards. He has received gift cards from local restaurants, sports gear, and season tickets for University of New Mexico football courtesy of ESPN radio. He was also given a $500 scholarship from an electric company.
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And, perhaps best of all, the police chief invited Jose to apply for a job as a public service aid for the department.
It was also the best gift for Mother’s Day. “She called me and almost started crying… She told me I did the right thing and that she was proud of me.”
(WATCH the local news coverage of the ceremony in the video below)
Inspire Your Friends With This Story Of Honesty By Sharing It To Social Media…
Across the world, many countries are seeing the number of new cases of COVID-19 wind down into single digits over the last week. Four places—including a huge city like Hong Kong that was hit hard by the pandemic—are even celebrating zero new cases.
One of the most densely populated cities on earth, Hong Kong has now gone 22 days as of Monday without re-circulation of the virus within the country. The last new case was reported April 20th.
Medical experts have warned that people should keep their guard up, as hiking trails, restaurants, beaches, and parks open with fewer restrictions.
After easing restrictions in February, Hong Kong experienced a surge in new cases, suffering from the often-warned of “second wave” but has contained the virus very well since then.
Hong Kong’s chief executive Carrie Lam is in talks about freeing citizens from quarantine and travel restrictions between Macau and the Chinese Province of Guangdong according to South China Morning Post.
Another nation that will likely soon declare mission accomplished against COVID-19 is New Zealand, which has ended stringent lockdown procedures less than a week ago after Monday passed without any new cases of the virus.
Arriving in mid-March, the coronavirus was responsible for 20 deaths in the Pacific island nation, and although lockdown restrictions are eased, many restaurants remain closed and social distancing is still encouraged.
However the director-general of health, Ashley Bloomfield says the milestone of no new cases is a cause for celebration and is “symbolic of the effort everyone has put in.”
New Zealand currently has a little over 1,000 cases confirmed in the country, and her westerly neighbor Australia is likewise carrying a light viral burden of 6,800 cases and 94 deaths according to Al Jazeera. Talks between the two nations may result soon, according to the New Zealand foreign minister Winston Peters in a trans-Tasman travel arrangement, whereby visitors of one country can visit the other freely, saying such an arrangement could work “seriously well.”
The islands of Hawai’i as recently as May 8th reported no new cases of the novel coronavirus. It’s the first time in two months the spread has halted completely.
Beginning May 18, governors will allow residents to seek reimbursement for expenses if people were impacted by official shutdown measures, which include rent and child care. These orders are beginning to be lifted, with low-risk business reopening.
Honolulu’s Director of Community Services Pamela Witty-Oakland says the capital is working with nonprofit groups like Aloha United Way, Helping Hands Hawaiʻi, and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement to provide financial support to the most vulnerable communities.
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“These organizations will work with the families, and those affected. [They] will collect receipts and provide reimbursement of eligible household expenses of up to $1,000 a month, and eligible child care expenses of up to $500 a month,” she said.
Also free of new cases is Montana. The Big Sky State reports no new reports of patients with the virus. COVID-19’s effect in Montana has been so limited, that on May 7th schools were given the option of resuming normal operations.
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This is just one of many positive stories and updates that are coming out of the COVID-19 news coverage this week. For more uplifting coverage on the outbreaks, click here.
Quote of the Day: “If there were none who were discontented with what they have, the world would never reach anything better.” – Florence Nightingale (born 200 years ago)
Photo: by Becca Tapert, public domain, cropped
With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?
Just in time for Mother’s Day, Green Circle Growers of Ohio is honoring America’s healthcare workers by donating $1 million in orchids to frontline caregivers in seven markets hit hardest by the Coronavirus Pandemic: Boston, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York, Tampa and its home base near Cleveland.
“In this extraordinary time, it was important to our organization to find ways we could contribute and the answer was clear,” said Scott Giesbrecht, Co-CEO of Just Add Ice brand orchids and Green Circle Growers.
“We realized our nation’s healthcare workers have been experiencing some of the darkest days of our lifetimes. If our orchids can provide a bit of joy and color for these very deserving individuals, we felt it was the least we could do during this difficult time.”
More than 50,000 orchids will be delivered to those on the frontline at hospitals, nursing homes, homeless shelters, food banks, and more.
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“We’re especially grateful that we can distribute these orchids in time for Mother’s Day, as so many healthcare workers are standing in for family members who cannot visit their loved ones in person,” added Giesbrecht. “Many are acting as Mothers when a patient’s own Mom can’t be there.”
Transportation services were also donated and International Paper donated the boxes for transporting the orchids to their final destinations.
“We hope they can bring these flowers home and they can serve as a thoughtful reminder of how much they are appreciated.”
(WATCH the video…)
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This year has been a disappointing one for many high school seniors, who have seen their proms and graduation ceremonies cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Now, they will have something to look forward to because Los Angeles High School senior Lincoln Debenham took to Twitter last month asking former President Barack Obama to give a national commencement address to graduates across the country.
Hi @BarackObama! Like most high school/college seniors, I’m saddened by the loss of milestone events, prom & graduation. In an unprecedented time, it would give us great comfort to hear your voice. We ask you to consider giving a national commencement speech to the class of 2020.
— Lincoln (@lincolnjackd) April 15, 2020
In response to his viral post that tallied a quarter-million likes, the former President and First Lady Michelle Obama are now planning to do just that.
A YouTube special, called “Dear Class of 2020,” will take place on June 6, but it won’t be just an ordinary commencement speech.
It has turned into a star-studded event featuring appearances by Lady Gaga, Alicia Keys, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and the Nobel Peace Prize-winning activist Malala Yousafzai.
YouTube is partnering with Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher Initiative to showcase student stories, and feature graduates around the world, including a crowd-sourced commencement speech.
I know how hard the #Classof2020 has worked to make it to graduation, so @BarackObama and I want to give you the celebration you deserve. That's why @ReachHigher and I are teaming up with @Youtube to host a virtual graduation on June 6! RSVP at https://t.co/TPcaSy43B8. pic.twitter.com/glLadzlZux
— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) May 5, 2020
Debenham told CNN last month what an Obama graduation speech would mean to his generation.
“They got to vote for Barack Obama in mock elections when they were little kids and they got to watch Barack Obama become the first black president and get sworn in while they were in school,” Debenham recalled. “I remember watching that in the classroom and feeling kind of amazed at such a young age and feel like I was a part of history.”
This will mark the first time the former President has given a commencement address since he left office in 2017. As President, he gave more than 20 graduation addresses at schools and universities across the country. Read some of his inspiring words here.
In addition, Mr. Obama is set to deliver a commencement message during “Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020,” a one-hour multimedia event on May 16, featuring LeBron James, Malala, the Jonas Brothers, Pharrell Williams, and others, which will air on ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC as well as many digital streaming partners from 8-9 p.m. ET.
RELATED: Amidst School Closures, Japanese Students Host Their Own Fun-Filled Graduation Ceremony on Minecraft
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The story of The Cat in The Hat might need a new sequel now that this Japanese couple has begun creating caps made from cat fur.
Photographer Ryo Yamazaki and his wife were brushing their three gorgeous kitties several years ago and all the fur on the floor sparked an idea.
What if the clumps of shedded fur could be made into a hat worthy of Versace?
So they used a felting technique and made the first of what have come to be known as Nukege hats.
Nukege is the Japanese word for shed fur or hair.
Ryo and his wife shares their cats in the hats on his Instagram feed.
And you can tell from the calm demeanor that the cats don’t mind wearing these quirky lids, which are lightweight—and because they’re made from hair, have a familiar smell.
It’s unclear how long before their cats actually knock those bonnets off their heads, but long enough for these adorable photo shoots is long enough for us.
SUGGEST This New Activity With All Your Cat-loving Friends: SHARE on Social Media…
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COVID-19 is impacting grocery store supply chains and demand schedules in both big cities and rural communities across America—but for Gustavus, an icy seaside town 7 hours from Juneau, Alaska, the disruption is a much more serious matter.
In late April, the town’s grocer set off from Gustavus in a small barge en route to the world’s most remote Costco warehouse. After 7 hours, Toshua Parker reached Juneau, where he loaded pallets containing $20,000 worth of eggs, flour, meat, canned goods, produce—and, we assume, toilet paper.
For the lone grocer, it’s what is required to run his small store called Ice Strait Wholesale—also, fondly known as ‘Toshco’—which keeps his 446 neighbors fed. It’s a huge challenge, as the isolation of the town presents difficulties only Alaskans can understand. Without electricity or phones until the 80s and mid 90s, no roads can even bring a car into the town.
The town is completely surrounded by the distant mountains and icefields of Glacier Bay National Park on three sides and the ocean on the fourth.
“You either gotta fly here or boat here,” says Calvin Casipit, the town’s volunteer mayor.
Deep family roots connect Parker to the town where he first opened his grocery store ten years ago. Parker’s great-grandfather, Abraham Lincoln Parker, was the area’s first permanent homesteader back in 1917.
As the store grew, Parker and his father expanded to own the town’s gasoline station, while also opening a freight company; buying two ships—a $300k “insurance policy” that insured Parker could maintain supply chains in times of disruption.
Now during COVID-19 Parker tallies what the Gustavus residents need, taking orders by phone for everything from washing machines to eggs—before making his weekly 7-hour journey to the Alaskan capital to stock up. It’s the ultimate challenge for a grocer, who must shift an enormous amount of stock for notoriously slim profit margins.
“It’s an art form, not a science,” Parker told The Hustle, explaining how he manages to predict the crazy demand week to week.
“The town might have a 100-gallon swing in (its) demand for milk from one week to the next without any explanation of why. One week, nobody wants whole milk; the next week, everyone wants 2%.”
Moreover, Parker can’t reward himself by marking up prices to heights that his remarkable labor and logistical effort perhaps justifies. A dozen eggs at Toshco cost $7.99, leaving him just $3.50 to cover the cost of his barge maintenance, labor, refrigeration, logistical planning, and gasoline.
“I can’t mark something up 5x because they know exactly how much something costs at Costco,” said Parker, explaining how Costco’s prices keep his honest.
“Toshua pretty much saved the town,” says Mayor Casipit. “I really don’t know what we would’ve done without him.”
“It’s like Christmas when the load gets here,” says Parker. “Everyone is waiting for it. Word gets out, and they all seem to know when it’s coming.”
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Would you agree or disagree with this statement: Climate change in the long term is as serious a crisis as the current COVID-19 pandemic? If you agreed, you answered the same as 71% of participants in a recent 29-nation survey from public opinion research firm Ipsos.
The Earth Day 2020 survey measured public opinion from many of the world’s principle producers, buyers, and populations, and almost all metrics suggest that a large majority of the world’s citizens consider climate change an important aspect of moving forward after the coronavirus pandemic.
Chinese participants registered 87% agreement with the above statement—the most of any country—while 59% of Americans and Australians agreed, tallying the smallest majority, with only 38% disagreeing.
65% of those surveyed worldwide want governments to prioritize a green economic recovery, as their lockdown measures from coronavirus are lifted. Respondents from India, China, and Mexico were emphatic about this directive, with 80% insisting on sustainable, clean measures.
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Slightly more people, 48% to 44%, said that economic recovery from the pandemic should not supersede environmental regulations, and any recovery should be environmentally responsible.
The survey didn’t include only COVID-19-related questions, but a variety of others involving what people’s habits might be in the face of climate change and whether theywould be willing to alter them. Overall, consumer or lifestyle behavior did not change from the last Ipsos survey in 2014, but in certain categories there were major fluctuations.
In Great Britain for example, 70% of those surveyed said the government would be failing them if it didn’t take action now to try and prevent the worst effects of climate change— with 59% saying they would consider not voting for a political candidate who didn’t pledge to take sufficient action to mitigate climate change.
57% of total participants surveyed would avoid buying a product with too much plastic packaging, with a whopping 80% of the hyper-techno denizens of South Korea strongly agreeing, and 71% of Chinese.
South Korea came in first in another category, with 70% of the East Asians agreeing to the idea of avoiding buying new goods by mending what you have, or buying used products instead, as a way to prevent excess waste.
Even as COVID-19 news saturates the media, occupies every headline, and is the first topic on the lips of every journalist, this survey suggests people aren’t short sighted, and a large portion of the world’s population are keen to prevent irreversible damage to the environment both with their dollar, their ballot, and their conscience.
TAKE Your Own Poll About Climate Priorities While Sharing on Social Media…
Quote of the Day: “Have patience with all things, but first of all with yourself.” – Saint Francis de Sales
Photo: by Giulia Bertelli, public domain, cropped
With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?
Just as the quarantine was starting to drag down Angela Elsey, she noticed a hummingbird nest right outside her kitchen window and was able to watch the babies grow from eggs to hatchlings—being fed by their mom—and then leave the nest as fledglings.
Normally, the San Jose, California woman enjoys interacting with human newborns—as a volunteer in the neo-natal intensive care unit at Good Samaritan hospital.
Her “cuddlers group” has not been able to volunteer for a couple of months now, so Angela began eagerly sending periodic video updates of the cute and teeny baby hummingbirds so they could get their “tiny baby fix”.
“We were all missing the preemies—and a lot of the cuddlers wrote to say how much they enjoyed seeing the hummingbird babies. One woman wrote, ‘Can we come to your house to cuddle your baby birds?’ and it was hard to resist the temptation!”
In this video, the mama is feeding hatchlings that are a few weeks old. The nest opening is about the size of a quarter.
Angela referred to the hatchlings as “the twins”—and even named them.
“I named the babies after the characters Anne Elliot and Frederick Wentworth in the Jane Austen novel Persuasion.”
“Watching them was a break from worrying about the current situation, since they were oblivious to the pandemic raging around them. And it was such a joy to see those little eggs, then those tiny babies and watch them grow.”
(WATCH the video below…)
SEND These Hummingbirds to Fly From One Social Media Friend to Another…
For most restaurant owners, such a discovery would feel like bad times getting worse.
In the midst of the pandemic which has cost them so much business, Marco’s Pizza shop in The Colony, Texas, was robbed, along with several other businesses in that community on April 19.
Based on surveillance from security cameras (see below), the burglars appeared to be amateur, fumbling through drawers for five minutes, and even trying to open the safe using a pizza spatula.
The pair of would-be thieves walked away almost empty handed, because there wasn’t much in the store to begin with.
Owner Chamal Kahanawita took it as a reminder of the desperate times we are living in and decided to do something to help. He posted a compassionate message Facebook:
“In the coming months, if you find yourself in a situation unable to put food on the table, please stop by our store. There is no need to be shy or embarrassed. Just speak with the manager and quietly let us know you’ve seen this post. We will make sure your family gets a meal.”
“WE are here because of our community and these are very challenging times for all of us. We will do our best to help for as long as we can. Please feel free to share this post so that those who really need our help may see it.”
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The post generated an outpouring of support from the community and beyond.
“LOVING THIS ALL THE WAY FROM MEMPHIS!” said Catherine McCraw-Smith, “What a beautiful way to take this and change it for the good.”
Malory Michelle Mudd said “I love this response so much…a terrible situation where you can still empathize with those who have done wrong. This level of compassion is what we truly need. I’ve honestly never eaten at Marco’s but this week I certainly will!”
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Marco’s is a counter-serve pizza chain with locations throughout the United States. At The Colony location, about 30 miles from Dallas, the dining area is shut down, but Chamal’s team is currently serving pizzas for delivery and curbside pickup. They also make a variety of subs, salads, and desserts.
SHARE the Inspiring Compassion With Your Community on Social Media…
This is just one of many positive stories and updates that are coming out of the COVID-19 news coverage this week. For more uplifting coverage on the outbreaks, click here.
In a first for any month, renewables from solar, wind, and hydropower generated more electricity than coal on every day in April 2020, according to new data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
This impressive stretch actually began on March 25, when utility-scale solar, wind and hydro collectively produced more than coal-fired generation, and has continued for at least 40 straight days through May 3, the EIA’s Hourly Electric Grid Monitor shows.
These figures are even more remarkable when compared to renewables in 2019, when they only beat coal on 38 days all year.
Last April had a total of 19 days when this happened—the most of any month in 2019—with the longest continuous stretch lasting just nine days.
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The transition away from coal for electricity generation has accelerated in 2020 due to a number of factors, particularly low gas prices, warmer weather, a significant amount of new renewable capacity connecting to the grid late last year, and more recently, lower power demand from the economic slowdown because of the coronavirus.
The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) had forecasted that power generation from renewables would likely surpass coal-fired generation only next year, in 2021—and there is an increasing chance that another milestone could occur this year.
Coal’s high cost has made it increasingly one of the last fuel choices for many utilities, a trend reflected by its declining market share for electric generation: just 15.3% in April, according to preliminary EIA figures.
RELATED: Exciting New Data Says Renewables Accounted for Almost Three Quarters of New Energy Capacity in 2019
In January, coal’s market share fell below 20 percent for the first time in many decades—and possibly for the first time in the entire history of the U.S. power industry—ending at 19.9%.
EIA figures also show its share continued to erode, falling to 18.3% in February and 17.3% in March. As recently as 2008, coal’s market share was above 50 percent in the months of January, February and March.
(Source: IEEFA.org)
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Across the paved streets of the UK and France, sidewalk chalk is beginning to be employed by more than just children as rebel botanists regularly break street-chalking laws to write the names of wild plants and flowers growing through cracks in the cement.
Beginning in France—and leading to a campaign called More Than Weeds in London—this act of highlighting the names of wildflowers and other plants has drawn significant attention on social media, where images and videos are racking up hundreds of thousands of fans.
In one video viewed 7 million times from the French website Brut, Boris Presseq, a botanist at the Toulouse Museum of Natural History, walks around his city chalking the names of the plants he finds on sidewalks and walls to help raise awareness of the diversity and richness of plant citizens in the heart of the southern French city.
“I wanted to raise awareness of the presence, knowledge and respect of these wild plants on sidewalks. People who had never taken the time to observe these plants now tell me their view has changed. Schools have contacted me since to work with students on nature in the city,” Presseq told the Guardian.
In one of those “every day you break 3 laws you didn’t know existed” moments, it is illegal to use sidewalk chalk on public pavement without permission for any reason. However, no one in London, Cambridge, or Hackney seems to mind the graffiti, with one selection of identified plants posted by a London resident on Twitter receiving over 100k likes.
Botanical chalking is a sign of changing attitudes towards plants in English cities. In 2018, the Hackney town council reduced the amount of glyphosate used to control weeds by 50%, and last year trialed a glyphosate-free area to promote biodiversity and see if it was possible to maintain a high standard of sidewalk maintenance without the use of chemical herbicides.
Glyphosate is an ingredient present in many popular industrial and commercial herbicides that the International Agency for Research on Cancer has labeled a probable carcinogen.
Hundreds of insects species are deprived of food when glyphosate is used as an herbicide, which means hundreds of plant species nearby go without the needed pollinators. Critically, many species of plants considered weeds, such as dandelions which can thrive in urban environments actually provide more pollen—and human food—per flower than other, wilder species, according to a study which looked at 65 plants across six UK cities. They found that weed species occupied the top five spots for nectar sugar produced and two spots in the top ten for pollen production.
“Every flower counts and will be targeted by pollinators […]If we change our perceptions and see the dandelion flower for what it is – an absolute lifeline to our bees in early spring – we might learn to love them more.” said UK Plantlife Spokesperson Trevor Dines speaking to the Guardian.
“One survey of pavements in Sheffield found 183 different plants, another in Cambridge found 186 species on walls. All these little micro niches build up to a wonderfully complex tapestry,” he added.
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Being able to see and identify a plant is important for a person to build an awareness or appreciation for plant life in the city. People who don’t understand the name or function of a particular plant in an ecosystem like their yard are less-likely to be interested in them, just as they would if they were watching a sporting event without knowing the names or roles of any of the players.
“Botanical chalking gives a quick blast of nature connection, as the words encourage you to look up and notice the tree above you, the leaves, the bark, the insects, the sky. And that’s all good for mental health,” said one of the lawless, chalk-armed English botanical enthusiasts who spoke to the Guardian under conditions of anonymity in order to avoid fines up to £2,500 for graffiti.
“It’s brought me a great amount of joy,” they added.
SHARE The Idea on Social Media – And Join the More Than Weeds campaign on Twitter…
Quote of the Day: “If the darkness is to keep us apart, and if the daylight feels like it’s a long way off, and if your glass heart should crack, before the second you turn back, be strong.” – Bono (turns 60 today)
Photo: by Ravi Sharma, public domain, cropped
With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?
“There is a beauty in solitude and in connection to nature that people in the city often miss,” says Chris Precht, founder of Austrian design company Studio Precht.
His firm is behind a new idea for helping metropolitan parks and green spaces stay open during COVID-19 social distancing measures.
The concept for Vienna is called “Park de la Distance” and would guide visitors seeking the relief of green urban space through a 20-minute walk through a maze-like structure of spirals.
Parallel lanes of hedgerows lead each person on a walk through an enclosed natural world, occasionally opening up into broader views of gardens, all while keeping effective social distancing measures in place.
RELATED: Stuck At Home? Here’s How to Connect with Nature in Isolation
“There is something fundamental in spirals,” wrote Precht in an email to Fast Company. “A path to the center. A path to your inner self.”
Many cities worldwide are closing public parks for fears of overcrowding, as citizens worried about COVID-19 are all seeking relief. In this park, gates at each end of the maze’s paths could be closed to maintain a certain number of people walking at once. The total duration of the walk is about 20 minutes.
According to Fast Company, Precht lives and works in the remote Austrian Alps, and is bringing a personal touch to the prospect of natural relief during challenging times.
“There is a beauty in solitude and in connection to nature that people in the city often miss,” he wrote.
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“I don’t know when I have ever been alone in the city. But sometimes you have to get away from everything to fully reconnect.”
This park does that with ease and grace.
SHARE the Idea With Your Nature Buddies on Social Media…
She streams video games like Call Of Duty from the basement where she lives every day—which at first sounds like the story of a young gamer going too far. The twist is that Michelle Statham is actually a grandmother living in her kid’s basement.
But don’t call her Mrs. Statham or even Michelle. Instead, use her screen name, TacticalGramma—or just ‘Gramma’.
Statham started streaming online five months ago but already she is a gaming content creator who is filling a void: Every day she listens to visitors who are struggling.
Game streaming is a social format in which content creators like TacticalGramma broadcast live video of the game they are playing. Public forums like Facebook are platforms that allow virtual strangers to tune in—and join in.
The viewer can see the gamer’s face and interact with them, yet remain anonymous. This position of obscurity allows visitors to talk and post a comment while remaining nameless if they want.
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TacticalGramma’s viewers come from all walks of life. Many face challenges brought on by COVID 19, while others are a single parent, or dealing with challenges at school or work. In the end, each person she speaks with receives comfort and advice. Someone who calms their fears in a way that only a grandma can do.
“She has been helping so many people, from young single moms to college students to inner city youth,” her husband Shawn told GNN. “She listens and cares for each of these people—all while playing video games.”
Such outcomes are possible when gamers feel they can let down their guard in a safe place. It’s an opportunity to trust—a relationship of support and understanding that can change lives.
What sets Statham apart is not only her age — she’s 55 and has one grandchild — but her skill. Back in the 70s she played instant classics like Pong and Atari. Statham quickly adapted to the evolution of each new gaming platform. Later she became an avid fan of first-person shooter games like Call of Duty and Apex.
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“I’m definitely not the best at gaming or anything, but I love chatting with the community, and I love to play,” she explained to ‘Chuck’, a new fan who wanted to donate to her Paypal account.
Enjoying games was easier than becoming an online personality. It took years of urging from her children before Statham began streaming. Five months ago she relented and logged in under the username TacticalGramma.
Since then, thousands from around the world have tuned in to watch her play (on her Facebook page Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. PST). But instead of only watching, her viewers began to interact and build a connection. They can even buy personalized gear with her TacticalGramma logo.
Video games often make headlines when violence and controversy are the topic, and most people would never imagine something so positive coming from first-person shooter games. But the story of TacticalGramma reveals a positive example that levels up the entire genre.
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SHARE With Your Gaming Friends on Social Media…
LISTEN to this Good News Guru story, which was broadcast on the radio May 25th with Ellen K and Geri on KOST-103.5. (Subscribe to our new podcast on iTunes – or for Androids, on Podbean) — or READ the story below…
The parents who adopted Bruce Hollywood, long ago, urged him to track down his Japanese birth mother, even offering to pay his plane fare, but he never became interested until he had a heart attack, when he was lying in an ambulance and realized he regretted never reaching out to her.
Once he had recovered, he began searching for the woman who had given him up for adoption to an American military couple stationed in Japan in 1960. He called the Japanese and American Embassy with no luck. He then hired a private investigator – but still, nothing.
But the former Air Force colonel found himself sitting next to another Army man at an airport wine bar one day. They struck up a conversation and when Hollywood mentioned his unsuccessful search, the man offered to help.
With low expectations, Hollywood gave the man all of the information that he had collected – and ten days later, he got a call from the Japanese embassy.
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Hollywood told The Washington Post that the spokesperson on the phone said: “‘Colonel Hollywood, we’re really pleased to tell you that we found your mother… She’s going to call you at this phone number in 10 minutes, and she doesn’t speak English. Good luck!’”
After finding an interpreter for the phone call, Hollywood finally got to speak to his mother, Nobue Ouchi, who was crying with joy. He was stunned by her love after 45 years of separation.
As they talked, overwhelmed with emotion, the interpreter told Hollywood: “Well, tomorrow is your mother’s 65th birthday, and the birthday present that she dreamed of her whole life is that you would come back to her.”
He learned that it was she who had given him the name Bruce. They starting flying back and forth, learning each others’ languages, and over several years became very close.
He visited the bar and restaurant she had owned for decades in Shizuoka, Japan – and found out she had named it “Bruce.”
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She also gave her son a slip of paper with his birth father’s name on it, and with that information Bruce was able to meet a new older brother who responded warmly to the outreach, saying he’d “always wanted a sibling.”
But, by far, the best moment of all must have been during that first call when the interpreter told Bruce that his mother never married because, she said, “in her heart there was only room for one man—and it was you, and she knew you would be back.”
Share This Sweet Story With Every Mother and Son – Photo by Bruce Hollywood
