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After Rediscovering Warehouse Treasure Trove of 50,000 Face Masks, IKEA Donates Them All to Hospital

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Good News Network
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As world healthcare systems clamor to keep up with medical supply demands amidst the COVID-19 outbreaks, an IKEA in Sweden has become an unexpected benefactor of the nation’s biggest hospital.

Earlier this week, employees at the Stockholm location were reportedly stunned to discover a stash of more than 50,000 medical face masks gathering dust in their warehouse.

The store had purchased the masks during the most recent bird flu outbreak. Upon rediscovering the forgotten treasure trove of supplies, store logistics manager Johan Andersson immediately phoned the Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg—the largest hospital in the nation—and offered to donate the masks.

RELATED: 10 Positive Updates on the COVID-19 Outbreaks From Around the World

“They were over the moon and said ‘What!? Wow! Just come!’” Andersson told Reuters. “It feels great, in these times, when you read about so much unpleasantness with corona(virus) and all that, that we can show some solidarity. It think it’s important to do that.

“We’re just happy to have been able to contribute something,” he added.

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.

Be Sure And Share The Kind Gesture With Your Friends On Social Media – File photo by Gerard Stolk, CC

How to Make a Paper Airplane That Can Set a World Record – From the Man Whose Name is in the Guinness Book

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Good News Network
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If you want to be good at something, you have to learn from the best.

Back in 2012, John Collins made a paper aircraft that set the Guinness World Record for farthest flight—and now, he is sharing his secret to success with the world.

In this video from Great Big Story, Collins demonstrates how to fold three different paper airplanes: his record-setting Suzanne design, the Tube (which is shaped exactly how it sounds), and the Boomerang model for doing tricks.

(WATCH the video below) – Photo by Great Big Story

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Scientists Can Now Accelerate COVID-19 Testing By Screening Multiple Samples at the Same Time

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Good News Network
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Health care professionals may be able to dramatically speed up the COVID-19 testing process now that Israeli scientists have successfully demonstrated a technique for simultaneously screening up to 60 patient samples at a time, rather than individually.

Communities around the world are emphasizing the need for virus testing amidst the coronavirus outbreaks. In Seattle, health care professionals are setting up drive-through test sites that allow patients to submit samples in as little as 3 minutes—all without having to leave their vehicle. Meanwhile, a small town in northern Italy has reported zero new infections since they blanket tested all 3,300 of the town’s residents.

Now, researchers at Technion—Israel Institute of Technology and Rambam Health Care Campus have tested a method that will dramatically increase the current COVID-19 testing capacity using existing available resources. This method, known as pooling, enables simultaneous testing of dozens of samples.

Its implementation has the potential to greatly accelerate the rate of testing and detection of COVID-19 infected patients in the population. The trial was completed in a matter of days thanks to the support of the Ministry of Health and the close collaboration between Technion and Rambam.

RELATED: 10 Positive Updates on the COVID-19 Outbreaks From Around the World

Testing for COVID-19 is currently being conducted in Israel with the focus on people with specific symptoms. The current rate of testing—about 1,200 a day—does not allow for monitoring of asymptomatic carriers in the population, which is vital to curb the epidemic.

COVID-19 is diagnosed with PCR testing, which is common for virus monitoring. This test examines the presence of a unique genetic sequence of viruses in a sample taken from the patient. The test takes several hours thus generating a bottleneck in identifying COVID-19 infected people in Israel and around the world.

“Today, we receive approximately 200 COVID-19 test samples a day, and each sample undergoes individual examination,” said Dr. Yuval Gefen, director of the Rambam Clinical Microbiology Laboratory. “According to the new pooling approach we have currently tested, molecular testing can be performed on a ‘combined sample,’ taken from 32 or 64 patients. This way we can significantly accelerate the testing rate. Only in those rare cases, where the joint sample is found to be positive, will we conduct an individual test for each of the specific samples.”

CHECK OUT: Gates Foundation Commits $100 Million to Speeding Up Coronavirus Treatments and Response

According to Professor Roy Kishony, head of the research group in the Faculty of Biology
at Technion, “This is not a scientific breakthrough, but a demonstration of the effectivity of using the existing method and even the existing equipment to significantly increase the volume of samples tested per day. This is done by pooling multiple samples in a single test tube. Even when we conducted a joint examination of 64 samples in which only one was a positive carrier, the system identified that there was a positive sample.

“Although there are some logistical challenges in implementing the method, we expect that it will greatly increase the volume of samples tested per day so that we can identify the asymptomatic carriers. This approach should reduce the chance of infection and flatten the infection curve.”

Director of the Rambam Virology Lab, Dr. Moran Szwarcwort-Cohen estimates that, “implementing pooling in the final stage of the PCR test will make it easier for us to shorten the entire process and significantly increase the test rate.”

CHECK OUT: CDC Director Commits to Free Coronavirus Testing for Anyone in the US Regardless of Insurance

The American Technion Society supports visionary education and world-changing impact through the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. Based in New York City, the institution represent thousands of US donors, alumni, and stakeholders who invest in the Technion’s growth and innovation to advance critical research and technologies that serve the global good. Now with a presence in three countries, the Technion will prepare the next generation of global innovators.

President of the Technion Professor Uri Sivan said: “This experiment conducted by Technion and Rambam researchers is complex, and under normal circumstances would take months. This is a remarkable example of the mobilization of an outstanding team in a time of crisis. The initial experiment was completed in less than four days. This achievement emphasizes the importance of the close relationship between Technion and Rambam and between medicine and engineering. Technion researchers have been enlisted in the war against the coronavirus and this is one of the many activities currently underway at Technion to combat the spread of the disease.”

Multiply The Good By Sharing The News With Your Friends On Social Media – Representative photo by U.S. Air Force/Senior Airman Stephanie Sauberan

So Many Celebrities Are Donating Time and Money Amidst COVID-19 Shutdowns

By
McKinley Corbley
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Dozens of celebrities are devoting their time, money, and attention to supporting food banks and charities amidst nationwide COVID-19 shutdowns.

This week, Hollywood A-lister Ryan Reynolds and his wife Blake Lively announced on social media that they would be donating $1 million to Feeding America and Food Banks Canada.

Reynolds encouraged his followers to follow suit, and to look after themselves during these trying times. “Take care of your bodies and hearts. Leave room for joy. Call someone who’s isolated and might need connection,” he tweeted.

RELATED: 10 Positive Updates on the COVID-19 Outbreaks From Around the World

“We are so grateful for Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively’s extremely generous donation, and for all of the donations we’ve been receiving,” Dan Nisbet, vice president of Major Gifts at Feeding America, told Variety. “The Feeding America network of 200 food banks is working tirelessly to aid and provide meal assistance to our most vulnerable neighbors—children, the elderly, families struggling with food insecurity and individuals facing job disruptions—throughout our nation during this unprecedented time. Generosity like theirs will make all the difference.”

Reynolds and Lively aren’t the only ones to announce their donations this week—pop star Ciara and Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson donated 1 million meals through Seattle’s Food Life Line; Jimmy Fallon donated money to Feeding America and is choosing a different charity every day to raise money for; and Lady Gaga’s makeup brand Haus Laboratories said they would be donating to the Los Angeles and New York City food banks.

Meanwhile, country musician Brad Paisley posted an Instagram video on how his free grocery store for the hungry in Nashville would be mobilizing to deliver food to the elderly. The guitarist will also be taking song requests during a livestreamed performance on Thursday, March 19th.

Elsewhere on social media, Amy Adams and Jennifer Garner partnered with Save the Stories to read stories on social media in order to raise money for Save the Children and No Kid Hungry. And Jimmy Fallon raised $20,000 for Feeding America after airing his first “Tonight Show Home Edition” while in quarantine, with his wife shooting camera.

In the business department, Delta Airlines CEO Ed Bastian published a letter to his employees on how he would be forgoing 100% of his salary for the next six months in order to avoid layoffs.

These are only a few of the uplifting stories on how people are responding to the COVID-19 outbreaks. If you need more good news, here are 10 positive pandemic updates from around the world that is sure to lift your spirits.

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Welcome to @SAVEWITHSTORIES (and please welcome my friend @amyadams to Instagram!)—a spot to watch your favorite celebrities read your favorite children’s books. We are galvanizing (without hair and makeup!!) as a community to support a new fund for a combined effort between @savethechildren and Share Our Strength’s @nokidhungry (and thank you to our founding publisher, @scholasticinc ♥️). . THIRTY MILLION CHILDREN in the United States rely on school for food. School closures will hit vulnerable communities hard and #SaveTheChildren and #NoKidHungry are on the ground and ready to serve. They just need our help! . These funds will help us make sure that families know how to find meals when schools are closed, support mobile meal trucks, food banks and other community feeding programs, provide educational toys, books and worksheets, and support out-of-school-time programs to help kids make up for lost time in the classroom. . If you can manage a one time gift of $10, please text SAVE to 20222. If another amount would work better for you, please visit our website—link in bio. There is no maximum and there is no minimum—together we will rise and together we can help. . Thank you and stay safe. XX #SAVEWITHSTORIES

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“The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it.” – William Mather Lewis

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it.” – William Mather Lewis

Photo: by Darya Tryfanava – public domain

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?

New Positive Podcast – Inspiring Daily COVID Updates from Geri & Anthony!

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Good News Network
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Episode #4 of our quarantine-inspired podcast just dropped—and we are doing shows every few days during this COVID-19 craziness, as the perfect antidote to today’s 24-hour cable news.

Join Geri and Anthony as they talk about the ‘corona kindness’ breaking out all over the world, the silver linings, pandemic-positives, and the most exciting breakthroughs in technology, business, and health this week.

Listen and Subscribe to Episodes on iTunes—or Spotify, here — or, on Podbean…

Our Good News Gurus are bringing you the most inspiring positive news from the last few days, like a breakthrough company that uses recycled aluminum instead of batteries to store solar energy; and a new treatment for lyme disease (and other good news).

Email Us: We’d love to share your story, answer questions, or interview you on the show: [email protected]

JackBurdenDesign.com

Go Listen and Subscribe to Episodes on iTunes—or Spotify, here — or, on Podbean…

Good News Network Founder Geri Weis-Corbley along with GNN co-owner Anthony Samadani will be recording a couple episodes each week to serve their fans with a reassuring and uplifting focus. If you enjoy it, give us a review and share with friends.

Subscribe to our email newsletter the Morning Jolt, if you need more good news… xxoo

How to Wake Up From the Trance of Unworthiness

By
Asher Israel
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The Lesson: “Though we’re rarely conscious of it, we continually evaluate ourselves—and are convinced that something is wrong with us.” In this audio session, acclaimed psychotherapist and Buddhist practitioner Tara Brach takes us through the process of waking up from a mental state we might not realize we’re caught up in; and once we can let go of constant self-judgement, we can actually live up to our potential. Join her as she explores the factors which lead to the trance of unworthiness, how we can identify it as it happens, break free of the cycle of self-doubt, and—most importantly—develop trust in our own natural inner goodness.

Notable Excerpt: “I’ve found that usually there’s a gap between our standard of how we should be, and our own experience, and it’s that gap which makes us feel like we’re not okay. The number one deepest regret of the dying are that they didn’t live true to themselves—that they lived according to the expectations of others, of the ‘should’s’… and I thought it would be tremendously useful for people to have a guided passageway through and beyond the forces that guide us to live unfaithfully to ourselves.”

The Speaker: Tara Brach is an American psychologist, author, and proponent of Buddhist meditation. She is a guiding teacher and founder of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC, although Dr. Brach teaches her Wednesday night meeting in Bethesda, Maryland.

Download Tara Brach’s audio session The R.A.I.N. Meditation—and browse her other audio meditations—at the Sounds True digital library.

Podcast: Sounds True was founded in 1985 by Tami Simon with a clear mission: to disseminate spiritual wisdom and to wake up the world. Since starting out as a project with one woman and her tape recorder, the group has grown into a multimedia publishing company with more than 80 employees, a library of more than 1,500 titles featuring some of the leading teachers and visionaries of our time, and an ever-expanding family of listeners from across the world. If you want to learn more, you can check out their YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, or website.

(LISTEN to the inspiring lecture below)

Good Advice? Share It With Your Friends—And Check Out More On Our Good Talks Page…

Anonymous Love Letters Lift the Spirits of Anyone Signed Up On This Website

By
Sheila Key
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More Love Letters 2 Copyright TiffanyFarley
Photos copyright of Tiffany Farley, used with permission

You know that little lift you feel when you open your mailbox and find a personal letter among the bills and junk mail?

Imagine finding not one cheerful note, but dozens of anonymous, hand-written envelopes filled with words of encouragement.

Such joy was the vision of Hannah Brencher, who started the More Love Letters movement after navigating the ups and downs of her 20-something life, just out of college, living in New York City and struggling with depression.

Hannah_Brencher submitted

Desperate for a solution, she started filling notebooks with the words she herself most needed to hear, then tearing out these “love letters” and leaving them around the city—on buses, at the library, in clothing store coat pockets—for strangers to find.

“I published a simple question on my blog: ‘Do you need someone to write you a love letter today?’ and my inbox filled up with heartbreaking stories,” Brencher told Good News Network. “That one question changed my life forever as I spent the next year writing hundreds of love letters to strangers in all parts of the world.”

Soon after, she created a website-based organization that launches letter-writing campaigns to support individuals who need a little uplifting TLC. Random letters of kindness in communities are also encouraged.

RELATED: City Gives Trees Email Addresses So Folks Can Report Problems, But They Send Love Letters Instead

Anyone can post a request for letters on behalf of someone they know, and the site posts new batches of requests weekly and invites visitors to respond to any or all of them. Each request includes a deadline for participation, after which volunteers bundle up all the submitted letters and deliver them—surprise!—to the recipient.

More Love Letters 1 Copyright TiffanyFarley

With a community of 42,000 on Facebook, the organization has collectively mailed more than 250,000 letters to people in need since its inception in 2011. Brencher herself has been known to spur 500 letter writers to join her in responding to a specific request.

More Love Letters is not to be mistaken for a pen pal program—writers are instructed not to include personal contact information. Brencher believes the connection forged briefly and indelibly through a single letter, even an anonymous one, benefits the individuals on both ends of the exchange.

“I always hope someone will feel loved, valued, and not so alone when they pick up a letter,” Brencher, who resides in Atlanta, Georgia, said in an email. “But the letter writing can be just as much about the person who is writing. It’s about finding those words that you need to hear yourself and passing them on.”

If You Don’t Have Time To Send A Love Letter, Be Sure And Share This Inspiring Story With Your Friends On Social Media…

Videos Capture Penguins Going On Adorable ‘Field Trip’ Around Their Aquarium During Shutdowns

By
McKinley Corbley
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Cute animal videos may not necessarily be a cure-all for everything, but this particular set of Twitter posts has been helping to relieve some of the stress of the COVID-19 shutdowns.

Although the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago has been closed to the general public amidst nationwide quarantines, the facility’s animal caretakers took advantage of their closure by taking some of their resident rockhopper penguins for a little field trip.

RELATED: Watch the Adorable Moment a Little Girl in Star Wars Costume Gets to Meet Her Hero BB-8 Droid in Real Life

In a series of videos that have already been viewed several million times since they were uploaded earlier this week, several of the aquarium’s penguins were given the opportunity to explore the public areas of the facility—and they seemed pretty amused by the adventure.

“While this may be a strange time for us, these days feel normal for animals at Shedd,” the aquarium wrote on Twitter.

“Without guests in the building, caretakers are getting creative in how they provide enrichment to animals, introducing new experiences, activities, foods and more to keep them active, encourage them to explore, problem-solve and express natural behaviors.

 

Since the Shedd staffers will be continuing to care for the penguins during the aquarium’s closure, their Twitter account has now become a welcomed source of cute animal pictures—and it is the perfect remedy for quarantine-induced social media stress.

“Our caregivers are constantly providing new experiences for the animals to explore and express their natural behaviors with [so] let us know what penguin activities you would like to see!”

Be Sure And Share This Sweet Story With Your Friends On Social Media…

Great Things to Do at Home While Quarantined: Let’s Be Pandemic-Positive

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Good News Network
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As more and more people bar themselves inside their homes amidst the COVID-19 shutdowns, it may be tempting to keep your eyes fixed on the TV or social media news feeds. You might try and keep yourself informed by reading every quarantine update that pops up on your phone—but worrying yourself can be like sitting in a rocking chair: it can give you something to do, but it doesn’t necessarily get you anywhere.

That’s why we’re encouraging our readers to use this time as a gift. Take this rare opportunity and turn the isolation to your advantage; because the world is improved when its occupants are inspired and motivated, rather than anxious and overwhelmed.

First thing you can do is, sign up to receive 3 good news headlines every Monday-Friday in your Inbox, with our Morning Jolt email.

Now, here are 16 tips on how to face this pandemic with positivity and productivity.

1) TAKE THAT COURSE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO TAKE: There are hundreds of Ivy League courses from schools like Harvard, Princeton, and Yale, that you can take online for free. From Art & Design and Business to Social Sciences, Engineering or Medicine, you are sure to find something to broaden your horizons and fire those sleepy synapsis.

2) COLOR THESE PRINTABLE PAGES: Get out the color pencils and markers because Just Color has some fabulous free downloadable coloring pages on topics like travel, art, nature, and history.

3) ENJOY MUSEUMS: Google Arts and Culture has partnered with more than 2,500 museums and galleries around the world in order to offer virtual tours and online displays of their collections to internet surfers (and if you screenshare with a friend, it’s like you’re touring the museum together!) You can also use the “Send Me Art” texting service courtesy of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

4) READ A BOOK: Not to brag, but our recently-published book “And Now, The Good News” is a great gift for news junkies…

5) ORGANIZE SMALL AREAS: Clean out and organize your junk door—it will feel like a huge accomplishment.

6) CLEAN YOUR SCREENS: Remove smudges and grime from your screens and keyboards.

7) TALK ON THE PHONE: Now that everyone is focused on social distancing and isolation, you can take some time to recharge old friendships by dropping them a line.

8) DO THE ONCE-A-YEAR JOBS: Flip over and rotate your mattress so you can sleep better; purge your phone of bad photos and contacts you don’t want anymore; dust the bookshelf; clean out your clothes closet and load up a giveaway bag.

9) MAKE A PANDEMIC PLAYLIST: feel-good songs only.

10) FOCUS ON SELF CARE: You now have more time to sit quietly and meditate. Do some stretches in the morning. Soak in a tub with some candles. Scrub your feet. Do a facial masque if you have some on hand. Bring flowers in the house. Use your good china and table clothes to eat a homemade dinner with some soft music playing—and remember to drink plenty of water, especially after the wine.

11) TRY A NEW RECIPE: Make something you “never have time” to cook (Michelin-starred chef Massimo Bottura is posting free cooking lessons to his Instagram account.)

12) SEW THOSE BUTTONS OR SMALL HOLES: Yeah, remember that hole that was left after you ripped the tag off your shirt? Repair it in 15 minutes with some needle and thread.

13) TAKE VITAMINS: People deficient in Vitamin D (and, most of us are) who start taking the supplement every day (400iu/40mcg), can get a 70% reduced risk of contracting any viral (or bacterial) respiratory disease. This is based on a rigorous scientific double blind, placebo study of 10,000 people. If you don’t get enough sunshine, take Vitamin D pills, or eat foods like tuna and egg yolks (watch this intriguing YouTube lecture to learn more).

14) DO SOME PUZZLES: traditional puzzles like crosswords and jigsaws can be wonderfully beneficial for your cognitive health. You can also play online trivia games that benefit good causes for every answer you get correct, such as helping to pay off other people’s student loans or planting trees around the world.

15) WRITE A GOOD OL’-FASHIONED LETTER: There is no limit to just how many different kinds of heartfelt letters you can write to anyone—or anything.

16) LEARN AN INSTRUMENT (BONUS TIP FROM GNN EDITOR): In addition to working for GNN, McKinley also works as a part-time music teacher and staffer at the House of Musical Traditions in Washington DC. Since the local foot traffic has died down, the online shop is offering free shipping on everything—from accordions and balalaikas to guitars and ukuleles. So if you have ever dreamt of picking up an instrument, this is the perfect time to fulfill that dream while also helping out a local business—plus, there is not an instrument under the sun that can’t be learned through YouTube videos.

Do you have any additional tips for using your quarantine time productively? Let us know in the comments below!

Be Sure And Share These Helpful Hints With Your Friends On Social Media — Feature photo by Good News Network

Charles Barkley is Auctioning Off His Award ‘Clutter’ to Fund Affordable Housing in His Hometown

By
McKinley Corbley
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Charles Barkley - CC 3.0. Ytoyoda via Wikipedia Commons

Charles Barkley has won a number of trophies and medals over the course of his career as one of the most prolific basketball players of all time—but he recently admitted that he doesn’t care very much for the treasures.

In fact, he plans on selling all of his NBA memorabilia in order to build 20 affordable houses in his hometown of Leeds, Alabama.

Barkley had been a guest on the Dan Le Betard Show earlier this month when he revealed his plans for auctioning off his Olympic gold medals and NBA MVP award.

“I don’t think I have to walk around with my gold medal or my MVP trophy for people to know I’m Charles Barkley, so I’m going to sell all that crap,” Barkley told the radio hosts. “It just clutters my house.”

RELATED: Passing at Age 103, Actor Kirk Douglas Gives Away Entire $61 Million Dollar Fortune to Charities

Although he gave his daughter special permission to keep one of his gold medals, Barkley will be working with the Panini sports card company to auction all of his valuable memorabilia.

This is not the first time that Barkley has made national headlines for his philanthropy—the retired NBA star has made several million dollar donations to a number of historic black colleges over the course of the last few years. Now, however, he wants to give back to his hometown.

“I want to do something really nice for Leeds. And if I could build 10 to 20 affordable houses—I want to do green housing too—(and) if I could sell all that stuff, it would just be a really cool thing for me,” he told WJOX 94.5.

(LISTEN to the interview below) – Feature photo by Ytoyoda, CC

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“Dreams become reality when we put our minds to it.” – Queen Latifah (Happy 50th Birthday)

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “Dreams become reality when we put our minds to it.” – Queen Latifah (Happy 50th Birthday today)

Photo: by Marcos Paulo Prado – public domain

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?

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day By Watching Adorable Toddler Join Irish Woman for Dance in the Street

By
Good News Network
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Since the COVID-19 shutdowns may have shut down the majority of our beloved St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, we are celebrating the Irish holiday by taking inspiration from this adorable dynamic duo.

In an adorable video clip that was published by Galway Now Magazine back in 2016, a woman can be seen tap dancing in the street for tips when she is suddenly joined by a pint-sized fan.

The inquisitive toddler takes a few tentative steps forward from the sidelines to watch the dancer’s moves before enthusiastically joining in—and although the little girl’s motor control doesn’t seem advanced enough to keep up with her counterpart, the resulting jig might be the cutest thing you’ll see today.

(WATCH the video below)

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You Can Now Tour 2,500 World-Famous Museums From the Comfort of Your Own Sofa

By
McKinley Corbley
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If you have suddenly found yourself confined to your home during the COVID-19 shutdowns, Google has launched an ingenious new service that allows art lovers to get their culture fix from the comfort of their own home.

Google Arts and Culture has partnered with more than 2,500 museums and galleries around the world in order to offer virtual tours and online displays of their collections to internet surfers.

The “tours” allow users to wander through the interiors of the world’s most famous museums similarly to the Google Street View feature. Users can also download Google’s free Arts and Culture iOS or Android app for a much more immersive museum experience.

In addition to offering the tours, many of the museums are also offering up detailed online collections of their masterpieces just in case you want to get up close and personal with one of Vincent Van Gogh’s self-portraits.

LOOK: ‘Text Me Any Masterpiece’—Send Museum a Topic and You’ll Get Corresponding Artwork in Response

The tech company has partnered with such prestigious institutions as the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, the Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands, the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, the Uffizi Gallery of Florence, and the Guggenheim Museum in New York—just to name a few from Google’s top ten shortlist.

If you’re still looking to get an artistic fix from your smartphone, you can also use the “Send Me SFMOMA” texting service from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

The service allows you to request an artwork of a specific topic right through your phone. For instance, if you text “Send me beaches” or “Send me New York City”, a bot will search the museum’s digitized collection of almost 35,000 works for a masterpiece related to your topic. To learn more, click here.

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‘Unbelievable Act of Kindness’: Customer Left $2,500 Tip for Restaurant Staffers Before They Closed Up Shop

By
McKinley Corbley
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A team of restaurant servers was left crying tears of joy after they discovered one of their patrons had left them a massive tip prior to their closure amidst COVID-19 shutdowns.

The Coaches Bar and Grill in Columbus, Ohio had been preparing to close up shop on Sunday evening after Gov. Mike DeWine ordered all restaurants and bars to limit their services to delivery and carryout options as a means of limiting potential infections.

Despite how Coaches restaurant owner Benny Leonard says the order may prove to be a cause for concern in his business, he and his staffers were particularly heartened by a note that was left by one of their regular customers.

LOOK: 18-Year-Old Drove 225 Miles to Make Pizzeria’s First and Only Delivery After Receiving Special Phone Call

The patron, a middle-aged man who insisted on remaining anonymous, left a $2,500 tip on a bill totaling just $29.75.

In addition to requesting his identity remain a secret, he also asked for the hefty gratuity to be divided equally amongst the restaurant’s five servers.

“(There were) tears, tears of joy,” Leonard told WNBS. “An unbelievable act of kindness on a pretty weird day.”

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10 Positive Updates on the COVID-19 Outbreaks From Around the World

By
McKinley Corbley
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File photo by Pan American Health Organization, CC

If it seems that your news feed has been flooded with nerve-wracking updates on the COVID-19 outbreaks, have no fear—there are also plenty of positive updates on the pandemic as well.

So without any further ado, here is a list of 10 hopeful headlines on the coronavirus response from around the world.

File photo by Pan American Health Organization, CC

1) US Researchers Deliver First COVID-19 Vaccine to Volunteers in Experimental Test Program

Scientists at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Research Institute in Seattle delivered the first rounds of a potential coronavirus vaccine to several dozen optimistic volunteers earlier this week.

One 43-year-old vaccine recipient is Jennifer Haller, who is a mother to two teenagers.

She was all smiles afterward, telling AP reporters she was “feeling great” as she was leaving the clinic.

“This is an amazing opportunity for me to do something,” she added.

2) Distilleries Across the United States Are Making Their Own Hand Sanitizers to Give Away for Free

Amidst national shortages of hand sanitizers, alcohol distilleries in Atlanta, Portland, rural Georgia, and North Carolina have begun using their facilities to make their own sanitation products.

 

Since the World Health Organization (WHO) says that cleaning your hands with an alcohol-based rub can help to kill viruses on your hands, many of the distilleries say they hope to continue producing their bootleg sanitizers until the virus has been properly contained.

3) Air Pollution Plummets in Cities With High Rates of Quarantine

Satellite readings of air pollution levels over China and Italy show that the regions hit hardest by the COVID-19 have also caused air pollution levels to decline dramatically.

Photo by NASA

Some reports estimate that China’s quarantine has saved more than 100 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions from entering the atmosphere—which is about the equivalent of what Chile produces in a year.

Not only have similar effects been reported across Italy, the canals and waterways of Venice are reportedly cleaner than ever with the waters shining crystal clear in the absence of diesel-powered boats and gondoliers.

4) Johns Hopkins Researcher Says That Antibodies From Recovered COVID Patients Could Help Protect People At Risk

The vaccine being tested in Seattle isn’t the only potential treatment for the disease—an immunologist from Johns Hopkins University is reviving a century-old blood-derived treatment for use in the United States in hopes of slowing the spread of the disease.

The technique uses antibodies from the blood plasma or serum of people who have recovered from COVID-19 infection to boost the immunity of newly-infected patients and those at risk of contracting the disease.

5) South Korean Outbreak Finally Abating as Recoveries Outnumber New Infections for Three Days in a Row

File photo by Valentin Janiaut, CC

According to Reuters, South Korea recorded more COVID-19 recovery cases on March 6th than new infections for the first time since the nation experienced the largest Asian outbreak outside of China.

Since the novel coronavirus outbreak was first reported in South Korea back in January, the nation reached a peak of 909 new infections on February 29th. Now, however, Reuters reports that the declining rate of infection has continued to fall with less than 100 new cases reported for several days in a row.

6) China Celebrates Several Milestones of Recovery After Temporary Hospitals Close and Parks Reopen

Crowds of medical staffers and discharged patients were filmed celebrating the closure of all 14 temporary hospitals that opened in Wuhan to treat COVID-19 patients during the worst of the outbreak.

Authorities told the South China Morning Post this week that the virus had finally passed its peak as the nation’s mainland experienced only 11 new cases on March 13th, most of which were from international travelers.

As the outbreak is finally brought under control, parks and tourist attractions are slowly beginning to reopen to the public under careful moderation.

7) Australian Researchers Testing Two Drugs as Potential ‘Cures’ for the Virus

Professor David Paterson, director of the University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research and infectious disease physician at the RBWH.

At the University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, scientists have found that two different medications—both of which are registered and available in Australia—have completely wiped out traces of the disease in test tubes.

Not only that, the drugs were given to some of the nation’s first COVID-19 patients, which resulted in “disappearance of the virus and complete recovery from the infection,” researchers told News.com.au.

The university is now looking to conduct a nationwide trial with the drugs to evaluate the efficacy and tolerance of each drug administered separately and together.

8) Uber Eats is Supporting the North American Restaurant Industry By Waiving Delivery Fees for 100,000 Restaurants

As restaurants across Canada and the United States are forced to temporarily shut down amidst COVID-19 outbreaks, Uber Eats has announced that they will be waiving delivery fees for independent restaurants.

“We know the success of every restaurant depends on customer demand,” the company said in a statement. “That’s why we’re working urgently to drive orders towards independent restaurants on Eats, to help make up for the significant slowdown of in-restaurant dining.

NEW Podcast: Daily Inspiring Covid-19 Updates from Good News Gurus Under Quarantine

“As more customers are choosing to stay indoors, we’ve waived the Delivery Fee for the more than 100,000 independent restaurants across US and Canada on Uber Eats. We will also launch daily dedicated, targeted marketing campaigns—both in-app and via email—to promote delivery from local restaurants, especially those that are new to the app.”

9) Dutch and Canadian Researchers Are Reporting Additional Breakthrough Research on Treating the Virus

Photo by Sunnybrook University

Scientists from Canada and the Netherlands have also made medical breakthroughs of their own. In Toronto, a team of researchers managed to isolate the agent responsible for the ongoing outbreak of COVID-19, which will help researchers around the world develop better diagnostic testing, treatments, and vaccines.

“Researchers from these world-class institutions came together in a grassroots way to successfully isolate the virus in just a few short weeks,” said Dr. Rob Kozak, clinical microbiologist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. “It demonstrates the amazing things that can happen when we collaborate.”

Meanwhile, Dutch researchers have submitted a scientific paper for publishing on how they have identified an anti-body for the virus—and it could be a world-first.

10) Here Are a Bunch of Other Ways That People and Businesses Are Supporting Each Other Throughout the US Outbreak

File photo by Martha Heinemann, CC

Dollar General has announced that they will be devoting their opening hour of shopping time to elderly customers. Athletes and sports teams are pledging to pay the wages of arena employees during the shutdown. Utility companies, landlords, automakers, and internet providers are waiving a number of late fees and payments to ease the financial burden of the shutdown. School districts across the country are still opening their doors to serve meals to kids and families.

All in all, the pandemic situation may seem grim, but these are just a few examples of how businesses and individuals are still looking out for each other during times of trouble.

NEW Podcast: Daily Inspiring Covid-19 Updates from Good News Gurus Under Quarantine

Multiply The Good By Sharing The Positivity With Your Friends On Social Media…

Chef Andrés Turns Michelin-Starred Restaurants into Kitchens Serving Take-Out Food to Anyone Who Needs It

By
McKinley Corbley
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For years, Chef José Andrés and his charity have been praised for feeding the world’s most vulnerable people—and now, he is turning his own 5-star restaurants into food kitchens for families who may be having trouble making ends meet during the COVID-19 outbreaks.

Although Andrés announced that this restaurants will be closed to the general public until further notice, the celebrity chef did say that eight of his acclaimed Washington D.C. and New York City locations would still be serving gourmet food to out-of-work families and struggling workers.

The soup kitchen employees will be asking for $7 per to-go meal, but for “those who cannot afford to pay, we will welcome as well,” Andrés added in a statement.

RELATED: Corner Store Owner Gives Away More Than $6,000 in Free Goods to Seniors Preparing for Quarantines

The makeshift soup kitchens will begin serving takeout meals starting today between noon and 5PM. Furthermore, all of his employees will be getting paid time off for the first two weeks.

Andrés’s charity, World Central Kitchen, has also been serving up meals to people affected by the coronavirus, including the quarantined cruise ship passengers and staffers aboard the Grand Princess.

From Little Rock, Arkansas to San Francisco, the charity has already served up several thousand meals to students and families amidst school closures.

Pass On The Positivity By Sharing The Good News With Your Friends On Social Media…

“People glorify all sorts of bravery except the bravery they might show on behalf of their nearest neighbors.” – George Eliot

By
Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “People glorify all sorts of bravery except the bravery they might show on behalf of their nearest neighbors.” – George Eliot

Photo: by Christian Stahl – public domain

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?

NEW ‘Good News’ Podcast Launched to Get You Through Troubling Times (Episode 1)

By
Good News Network
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Listen and Subscribe to Episodes on iTunes—or Spotify, here — or, on Podbean…

We’ve done 94 episodes of The Good News Gurus podcast, but most of them were short 2-3 minute stories broadcast on the KOST radio in Los Angeles with me (the founder of GNN, Geri) calling in on the phone It was great to interact with Ellen K. and the gang, but after the coronavirus hit, KOST cancelled the show indefinitely because they shut down their LA studios.

So, GNN co-owner Anthony and I put on our headphones and recorded a new show on Friday the 13th, talking about how to stay positive in the midst of the virus, how whales are our best allies in the climate fight, how a politician turned things around with compassion after getting racist tweets, and how Congo kicked Ebola to the curb—and other good news. Note: We’ve already perfected the audio and mic placement in episode 2!

We ended the show with a good news ‘Lightning Round’—and called on fans to chime in on future shows. So give a listen to our debut show. And, don’t forget to rate and review our show.

Listen and Subscribe to Episodes on iTunes—or Spotify, here — or, on Podbean…

SHARE With Your Friends Who May Need a Positive Jolt…

How to Follow Negative News Without Getting Depressed

By
davidhrostoski
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We live in a world where controversy and atrocity gets more views than uplifting stories. Because of that, our top media outlets have been incentivized to publish the most triggering aspects of society.

For a long time, I strayed away from the news. Not because I didn’t want to be informed—I did. I just really couldn’t stand waking up every day to the worst aspects of the world.

Recently, though, I decided to dive back in head-first and start publishing a 10 minute daily news segment on my podcast.

I wanted to offer an alternative dialogue—not just by sharing uplifting stories, but by also going head-first into current events and still coming out with inspiring and empowering perspectives.

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I won’t lie. It was a big challenge, and for the first couple of weeks, I was feeling extremely heavy and drained. I honestly wasn’t sure if I’d be able to continue with the show, and was close to giving up on the project.

But I was entirely committed to not only be capable of being with the world myself, but to share that capability with the larger spiritual and conscious community. So I kept going.

Around Week 3, I sat in meditation and had a huge realization: “It’s not NEW. It’s AWARENESS.”

That one idea shifted everything for me.

MORE: 10 Things I Wish I Would Have Told My Kids

Let me back up a bit, and I’ll explain what that means and why this was such a huge shift for me. Back in college, when I used to watch, read, or listen to the news, I’d be overcome with sadness at the state of the world. I’d think, “How could this be happening? We should be further along than this.”

But recently, with further reflection on ideas like, “All suffering is simply arguing with reality,” I decided to attempt to re-enter the news with that perspective. I hoped to stay empowered and full by setting the intention of complete acceptance of all of it.

If everything in the news is truly a part of the world we live in, I saw an opportunity to increase my capacity to be with that reality—and accept it.

LOOK: 27-Year-old With Terminal Cancer Pens Heartfelt Letter on Why You Should Change Your Life

That’s where I began the journey, but as I mentioned, after just a couple of weeks, I was already feeling drained and having trouble finding that place of acceptance.

Then came this idea in meditation: “The news isn’t new. It’s awareness.”

That’s when it all clicked into place.

I had trouble accepting the news when I believed it was all happening suddenly out of nowhere. I unconsciously believed something like, “Everything was great, but now there’s this atrocity that’s happening! Can I do anything about it? Maybe…”

But with the recognition that the current state of the world exists, regardless of if I know about it or not, I found a little pocket of peace I didn’t know was possible.

CHECK OUT: How to Feel Healthy and Less Lonely by Spending Time Alone

Here’s what changed:

Every news article I read became a sign of awareness to something already present. That little shift of perspective altered the way I viewed everything that came across my screen. And as many have come to see in the spiritual and transformational spaces… awareness is the first step to change.

When we understand a limiting belief or personal habit, we have the power to make changes and face it head-on. We can change it.

That means…

All the articles I was reading (even and especially those highlighting the worst aspects of the world) were actually signs that we were ready to shift and deal with these things as a collective.

RELATED: Meditation and Mindfulness Tips to Combat Everyday Worries and Life’s Big Questions

Huge scandals, the rejection of basic human rights, articles about climate change and nuclear threats—it was all ready to be seen in a new light. That’s why it was in the news.

I recognized how excited I got when something new arose within me to be seen, heard, and transmuted into a fresh, higher perspective. Why was looking at the world any different?

The news is awareness. It’s the global spotlight of awareness shining on everything that’s ready to be transmuted into a newer, higher truth. From that higher vantage point, there was nothing I couldn’t deal with.

I found myself happy to see attention drawn to challenging global crises, because I knew how many other people were seeing it too. I knew now, a window for change was opening.

MORE: What Mindfulness Has Taught Me About My Father’s Suicide

If we want to press deeper into unity and oneness, it takes including all aspects of our planet and collective in our healing process, including our darkest shadows.

That’s why the highlighting of really terrible aspects of our society is actually a really good thing.

I’m not going to say I’m 100% joyous in the face of challenging stories. But the more I lean in, especially with this perspective, the more I recognize my capacity to be with the world as it expands.

RELATED: The Amazing Tale of A Karmic Pact Fulfilled – I Got The Love I Finally Gave

It’s entirely possible to walk out of the news every day feeling uplifted and inspired from watching the global spotlight of awareness bringing light to the shadows every day.

So if you do decide to open up that News app, and start scrolling… Remember, it’s nothing new. The world is here, whether or not we report on it or see it.

Instead, these articles represent the very awareness that transmutes the shadows to the light. It’s not atrocity; it’s the awareness of atrocity.

Feel it?

It’s the truth about our global scene. Every day, every article, there’s more awareness, and a better global society for our future generations.

David Hrostoski is a channel and host of “The Highlight Real Podcast”, where he explores current events with perspectives that leave you informed and empowered every morning. He is a firm believer in whole-based perspectives and collective evolution through grounded spirituality. For more ideas like this one, find out how to listen to The Highlight Real podcast in your favorite app at Indivinus.

Share The Inspiring News With Your Friends – Photo by David Hrostoski

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