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Couple Awakens to Find Random Malnourished Dog in the Living Room – and All the Windows and Doors Shut

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Good News Network
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Jack Jokinen was awakened suddenly on a frigid December morning in Philadelphia by his concerned wife who needed his help unraveling a mystery: there was a dog in their living room.

LISTEN to the inspiring story told on the radio by our GNN founder in the Good News Guru podcast below—or READ the full story after that…

Since all their doors and windows were shut tight, they had no idea how the malnourished pup had gotten into their home.

Upon reviewing the household’s security footage from the previous night, Jokinen saw that he had not latched the door properly after returning from walking their dog George. As the winds picked up throughout the evening, the door to the sidewalk was blown wide open.

The footage then shows the skinny pup at 3AM wandering down the city street. It noticed the open door and wandered right inside. Further into the video they saw a Good Samaritan passing by who pulled the door shut, shortly after the dog slipped into the house.

Obviously emaciated, and covered in fleas, Jack and his wife debated whether to try and locate the dog’s rightful owners—but they opted for taking her to the veterinarian instead.

Expensive vet bills were looming after a paw infection and dental issues were uncovered—but when the compassionate couple learned the dog was 9 years old, they decided to adopt her and provide a comfortable ‘forever home’ for her senior years.

RELATED: Woman Who Visited and Fed Chained-Up Dog for a Year Finally Gets to Adopt it From Neighbor’s Yard

“We decided that of all the bad things that could happen by leaving your door open in the middle of winter in a major city, to end up with a sweet dog, who has come off the street…we have to give this a try,” Jokinen told The Dodo.

They named the dog ‘Suzy’, and took their friends’ advice to launch a donation page to help pay for her hefty medical bills. Within two days of posting her picture, they were flooded with donations to cover her care.

Suzy has since gained a healthy amount of weight and become a beloved part of the Jokinen family—who now sees the mysterious gusty wind that night as a fortuitous moment for all to share.

“In a way, this isn’t our dog—it’s the internet’s dog.”

(WATCH the video below)

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Goldman Sachs Unveils $750 Billion Climate Plan For Investing in Solutions, and Vows Never to Support Arctic Drilling

By
Andy Corbley
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File photo by Shinya Suzuki, CC

David Solomon, chief executive of Goldman Sachs, recently wrote an editorial in the Financial Times in which he laid out the premise behind a $750 billon plan for a decade of investing, financing, and advisory activity that will exclusively cover nine climate-critical areas such as renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and carbon reductions.

With this move, Goldman Sachs becomes the first major U.S. bank to prohibit financing for Arctic oil drilling and the first to establish explicit limits on financing for the oil and gas sector.

“Companies have traditionally treated sustainability as a peripheral issue,” writes Solomon in the FT, “focusing narrowly on the way they manage their impact on the environment. We don’t have the luxury of that limited perspective any more.”

“The evidence of climate change is clear. And, people in both developed and developing countries are questioning the ability of their economies to reward their hard work.”

Solomon and Goldman Sachs believe that transportation, the largest carbon-emitting sector of the world economy, must absolutely be a priority, while also mentioning affordable education and retraining investments, and investments in sustainable agriculture—the details of which he didn’t mention in his short piece.

RELATED: Dutch Guy Famous for Cleaning Up Pacific Garbage Patch is Now Clearing the World’s Rivers Too

Goldman Sachs stated that as part of its commitment to the 9-sector plan, it will neither finance, nor advise on any project that “directly supports new upstream Arctic oil exploration or development”.

Also included was a similar commitment to refuse all financing and support for coal-fired power plants unless they also included modern carbon capture technology to the degree that the emissions are offset.

A joint statement from the Sierra Club and Rainforest Action Network said that the bank’s “fossil finance policy is now the strongest among the big six U.S. banks”.

File photo by Shinya Suzuki, CC

Saving Money, Saving the Earth

Important in their investing blueprint is a focus on climate goals that have definable and measurable metrics. This will allow Goldman Sachs partners to accurately track environmental progress of such pathways as well as the financial growth potential and measurable returns, which Solomon insists must be a primary focus.

MORE: Top 10 Most Exciting Environmental Stories in 2019 Raise Hope for Eco-Friendly 2020

“…capital must be deployed to those opportunities that have the greatest potential for success, and we must generate strong returns on invested capital to serve those saving for retirement,” writes Solomon in the FT. This is because retirement is a vitally important source of investment capital, and is one of the most reliable metrics for economic strength.

Here, classic economics meld with climate-activism in an interesting way that can help everyone involved achieve their goals. People who care most about climate change, Swedish activist and Time Magazine’s Person of the Year, Greta Thunberg for example, often remark that the previous generation has sacrificed the environment and the climate of their children’s generation in order to maximize profit and material possession; or some variation on this same theme. Such a focus can now be used to rev the engine of solution-based start-ups and industries.

CHECK OUT: Three-Story ‘Water Battery’ Has Already Slashed University’s Electrical Costs By 40% in One Month

Consumer buying is a much weaker marker of economic strength and resilience than savings, investment, and production, as Solomon points out, which goes hand in hand with those acting to reduce carbon emissions. Like a steady saver, they would rather sacrifice time, capital, and pleasure now so as to be able to continue to enjoy them for years to come.

This blending of mutual long-term planning can not only promote a stronger economy, but a more sustainable world with a more stable climate.

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Stranger Gives His Car to Pizza Delivery Driver After Chasing Down His Stolen Vehicle

By
McKinley Corbley
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After a woman with mental health issues hijacked and subsequently crashed Rayden Jones’s car, the delivery driver was suddenly going to be left without a mode of transportation to do his job.

Then, suddenly, a good Samaritan stepped in to save the day.

Jones, who works at Happy’s Pizza in Port Huron, Michigan, says he had taken only two minutes to run some pies into a local school last week when he exited the building and found that someone had stolen his car.

Meanwhile, a man named Kevin Lindke had been driving home from work when he saw a swerving car take the wrong ramp onto a freeway. Lindke dialed 911 as he followed the car and described the situation to police dispatchers.

The woman who stole the automobile eventually smashed into another vehicle before abandoning the totally-wrecked car on the side of the road. She took off running with Lindke in hot pursuit.

After catching up to her, Lindke convinced her to stay and wait for police.

Later, when he learned from law enforcement officials that the car had belonged to a hard-working pizza delivery driver, he was moved to donate his minivan to Rayden, rather than selling it, as he had originally planned.

RELATED: Café Owner’s Heartfelt Yelp Response to 1-Star Review Rallies Support for Him and His Homeless Patron

“I’m not going to lie, I about burst into tears because who does that?” Jones told WDIV. “It’s a godsend—that this man, out of nowhere, who I’ve never met, would do this. It’s mind blowing.”

(WATCH the news coverage below) – Image credit: screenshot, WDIV video

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“That shot was a defining moment, and when a defining moment comes along, you define the moment… Or the moment defines you.” – Tin Cup (Kevin Costner turns 65)

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “That shot was a defining moment, and when a defining moment comes along, you define the moment… Or the moment defines you.” – Tin Cup (Kevin Costner turns 65)

Photo: by Split the Kipper, CC license – levels adjusted, cropped

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

 

Firefighters Take Over for Sick Gas Station Cashier Who Called for an Ambulance

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McKinley Corbley
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When a gas station employee fell ill on the job earlier this month, the responding firefighters did a lot more than just take care of his medical needs.

It was just after midnight at the J&H Family Store near Alto, Michigan when the cashier started to feel unwell. After calling his boss to bring in some extra help, he dialed 911.

Four firefighters from the Alto-Bowne Township Fire Department Deputy arrived at the shop shortly afterwards and took care of the cashier until an ambulance arrived to take him to the hospital.

By the time the employee was carried out on a stretcher, however, his co-worker had not yet showed up.

LOOK: Firefighters Soothe ‘Very Scared’ Little Girl By Asking Her to Paint Their Nails After She Was in a Car Crash

Since customers were still walking into the store, the firefighters decided to put themselves to work and ring up the customers until backup arrived.

“[The customers] weren’t pushy and upset. We weren’t doing anything. They literally just wanted to get some snacks and get on the road,” one of the firefighters told WOOD reporters. “So I felt bad and thought we could help them out.”

Elliot, the cashier who called 911, told the news outlet that he had no idea the firefighters had helped to run the store until his co-workers showed him surveillance footage the following day—and he was incredibly grateful for their kindness during his time of need.

(WATCH the news coverage below) – Photo by WOOD

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Gut Bacteria Could Guard Against—and Even Reverse—Parkinson’s Disease, Says ‘Exciting’ New Study

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Good News Network
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A common bacteria that boosts digestive health can slow—and even reverse—the build-up of a protein associated with Parkinson’s disease, new research suggests.

Building on previous research linking brain function to gut bacteria, this study in a Parkinson’s model of roundworms, identified a probiotic—or so-called “good bacteria”—which prevents the formation of toxic clumps that starve the brain of dopamine, a key chemical that coordinates movement.

These new findings, which were published in Cell Reports this week, could pave the way for future studies that gauge how supplements such as probiotics impact the condition.

In the brains of people with Parkinson’s, alpha-synuclein protein misfolds and builds up, forming toxic clumps. These clumps are associated with the death of nerve cells responsible for producing dopamine. The loss of these cells causes the motor symptoms associated with Parkinson’s, including freezing, tremors and slowness of movement.

RELATED: Is Your Gut Out of Whack? 10 Things You Can Learn With a Home Test Kit

The researchers from the Universities of Edinburgh and Dundee used roundworms altered to produce the human version of alpha-synuclein that forms clumps. They fed these worms with different types of over-the-counter probiotics to see if bacteria in them could affect the formation of toxic clumps.

The scientists found that a probiotic called Bacillus subtilis had a remarkable protective effect against the build-up of this protein and also cleared some of the already formed protein clumps. This improved the movement symptoms in the roundworms. The researchers also found that the bacteria was able to prevent the formation of toxic alpha-synuclein clumps by producing chemicals that change how enzymes in cells process specific fats called sphingolipids.

The study was funded by Parkinson’s UK, the EMBO and the European Commission. It is the latest in a number of recent studies which have found a link between brain function and the thousands of different kinds of bacteria living in the digestive system, known as the gut microbiome. Other studies into mice have found that the gut microbiome has an impact on the motor symptoms.

MORE: New Research Shows That Gut Microbes May ‘Significantly’ Slow the Progression of ALS

“The results provide an opportunity to investigate how changing the bacteria that make up our gut microbiome affects Parkinson’s,” said lead researcher Dr. Maria Doitsidou from the Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh. “The next steps are to confirm these results in mice, followed by fast-tracked clinical trials since the probiotic we tested is already commercially available.”

Dr Beckie Port, Research Manager at Parkinson’s UK, said: “Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world. Currently there is no treatment that can slow, reverse or protect someone from its progression but by funding projects like this, we’re bringing forward the day when there will be.

CHECK OUT: Managing Your Gut Bacteria Shown to Alleviate Anxiety, Says New Research

“Changes in the microorganisms in the gut are believed to play a role in the initiation of Parkinson’s in some cases and are linked to certain symptoms, that’s why there is ongoing research into gut health and probiotics.

“The results from this study are exciting as they show a link between bacteria in the gut and the protein at the heart of Parkinson’s, alpha synuclein. Studies that identify bacteria that are beneficial in Parkinson’s have the potential to not only improve symptoms but could even protect people from developing the condition in the first place.”

Reprinted from the University of Edinburgh

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Microsoft is Now Aiming to Capture All the CO2 They Have Ever Emitted

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Good News Network
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Photo by Brian Smale / Microsoft

Microsoft may have just taken on the most ambitious environmental goals of any corporation to date.

This week, the tech company announced they are now working to be carbon-negative by 2030. Furthermore, they plan to remove all the carbon they have ever emitted into the environment—either directly or by electrical consumption since their founding in 1975—before 2050.

The technology required to achieve such a feat is either wildly expensive or not widely available; and that’s why the company is also launching a $1 billion fund to develop climate technologies for the rest of the world.

LOOK: LEGO is Now Offering to Pay For You to Ship Your Unused Bricks to Children in Need

“We are launching an initiative to use Microsoft technology to help our suppliers and customers around the world reduce their own carbon footprints and a new $1 billion climate innovation fund to accelerate the global development of carbon reduction, capture, and removal technologies,” Microsoft President Brad Smith wrote in a company blog post.

“Beginning next year, we will also make carbon reduction an explicit aspect of our procurement processes for our supply chain. Our progress on all of these fronts will be published in a new annual Environmental Sustainability Report that will detail our carbon impact and reduction journey. And lastly, all this work will be supported by our voice and advocacy supporting public policy that will accelerate carbon reduction and removal opportunities.”

Photo by Microsoft

Microsoft has been carbon-neutral since 2012—meaning they have invested in enough renewable energy projects and carbon offsets to balance out the emissions that they create themselves. They also began charging internal fees on their business units for their greenhouse gas emissions.

Smith says the company will now begin their trailblazing sustainability plan by sourcing all of their own electricity from renewables by 2025. After that, they plan to become carbon-negative by removing more carbon from the atmosphere than their own company creates.

RELATED: Another Victory Against Plastic—These Water Brands Will Soon Be Packaged in Aluminum Cans

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, President Brad Smith, Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood, and Chief Environmental Officer Lucas Joppa announced the company’s new goals and their detailed plans for becoming carbon negative at an event at its Redmond campus.

“While the world will need to reach net zero, those of us who can afford to move faster and go further should do so. That’s why today we are announcing an ambitious goal and a new plan to reduce and ultimately remove Microsoft’s carbon footprint,” said Smith. “By 2030 Microsoft will be carbon negative, and by 2050 Microsoft will remove from the environment all the carbon the company has emitted either directly or by electrical consumption since it was founded in 1975.”

Photo by Brian Smale / Microsoft

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Senior With Dementia is Climbing UK Music Charts After a Caregiver Recorded Her Sinatra Cover

By
McKinley Corbley
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An 83-year-old Scottish woman with dementia is quickly climbing the UK music charts after her nursing home caregiver fell in love with her singing voice.

Because of her dementia, Margaret Mackie has trouble remembering things from day to day—but she does remember all the words to Frank Sinatra’s 1969 ballad “My Way”.

After Mackie and her 31-year-old caregiver Jamie Lee Morley sang a duet of the song at their nursing home’s Christmas karaoke party last month, staffers were in awe of her talent.

RELATED: Song Made Entirely of Bird Calls is Climbing the Music Charts – Watch the Enchanting Music Video

“Her family and friends were there in the audience to witness this moment—and what a moment it was,” says Morley. “For her to get up on stage at her age and have so much courage and fight and sing so beautifully absolutely blew my mind. [It’s] a moment I will never ever forget.”

Morley, who had bonded with Mackie over their shared love of music before, then got his elderly patient to record the song at the Ingleston-based studio Sound Sound.

Since uploading their rendition to iTunes earlier this week, it has steadily climbed up to #8 on the UK’s Top 40 Most Popular Music chart, surpassing the likes of Ed Sheeran, Selena Gomez, Lizzo, and Miley Cyrus.

Photo by Jamie Lee Morley

Additionally, since the song costs 79 pence to download, Morley and Mackie are donating all of the song’s proceeds to Alzheimer’s Society and Dementia UK.

Morley told the Edinburgh Evening News this week that the song’s success has been “absolutely incredible”.

“The feeling of getting so much awareness out there and connecting everyone through the power of music is exactly why we recorded the song as a single,” he said. “Margaret’s family and me couldn’t be any happier with how the public have responded to it.”

(WATCH the duet below)

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“Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.” – Khalil Gibran

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Quote of the Day: “Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.” – Kahlil Gibran

Photo: by Valeri Pizhanski, CC license – levels adjusted

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

 

Depressed Cow ‘Overjoyed’ to Be Reunited With Therapy Goat Stolen From Their Paddock

By
McKinley Corbley
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A depressed bovine has finally been reunited with his best friend: a beloved therapy goat who was stolen out of their paddock last month.

Bunter the cow is just one of the animal residents at the Maungaturoto Hotel in Northland, New Zealand. Bunter used to share a paddock with his cousin Rosie until she passed away a few months ago.

As Bunter became more and more lethargic over the death of his friend, hotel owner Joe Robin became more concerned over the cow’s wellbeing.

LOOK: When Goats Get Themselves Stuck on Narrow Ledge of Bridge, Humans Come to Their Rescue

He then adopted Peaches the therapy goat in hopes that she would live Bunter’s spirits—and his plan worked like a charm.

“After Rosie passed away, Bunter got really depressed and we heard that goats were good therapy, and there was a lady who was willing to gift Peaches to us,” Robin told Newshub NZ. “As soon as Peaches arrived in the paddock, Bunter was a different cow, running around everywhere.”

However, Robin was left heartbroken after Peaches suddenly disappeared from the paddock in mid-December. Not only that, he suspected that she had been stolen because her paddock wiring had been cut.

As the community searched for Peaches, Robin and his wife feared the worst—until they caught sight of one particularly anxious goat standing away from its herd on a neighboring property. The goat had the same white fur as Peaches and it looked as if it did not belong with the other goats.

“We watch a lot of CI (Crime + Investigation), so we did our own investigating,” said Robin.

Sure enough, it was Peaches.

WATCH: Hummingbird Refuses to Leave the Dog Who Saved Her Life

Since the owners of the property later told police that they had bought Peaches at a market, no further legal action is being taken on the matter; although the rescued goat was given an official police escort back to her home at Maungaturoto Hotel.

Needless to say, Bunter was elated to be reunited with his friend.

“Now that Peaches is back, Bunter is overjoyed. They’ve been trying to share a kennel together but they don’t fit in,” Robin told Stuff NZ. “Peaches really does provide a ‘therapy’ for Bunter through her companionship. I’m so glad they are back together.”

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BMW Becomes First Carmaker to Join Responsible Mining Initiative Protecting Laborers and the Earth

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Good News Network
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Last week, the BMW luxury car brand became the first automaker to join an international coalition for responsible mining.

Specifically, the BMW Group became the first member of the auto industry to join the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA): a precedent-setting global certification program for industrial-scale mine sites.

This is not the first time that BMW has been hailed for their drive towards sustainability; in addition to releasing their electrified new MINI Cooper, the company recently announced that they now have more than half a million cars on the roads—and they plan on doubling that number by the end of 2021.

With growing awareness and demand for ecologically and socially-responsible products, jewelers, electronics businesses, automakers, and others have sought assurances that the minerals they purchase are mined responsibly. As a member of IRMA, the BMW Group will be participating in IRMA programs to transform the industrial mining sector towards more responsible practices.

RELATED: Working in Secret, Bill Gates-Backed Solar Company Reveals Tech That Could Spell the End of Fossil Fuels

IRMA measures performance of mine sites against their Standard for Responsible Mining, which seeks to emulate for industrial-scale mine sites what has been done with certification programs in organic agriculture, responsible forestry, and sustainable fisheries.

“The auto sector is a powerful purchaser of materials that come from mines. We are happy to have the BMW Group join IRMA and we look forward to supporting their commitment to increasing environmental and social responsibility in their supply chains,” said Aimee Boulanger, Executive Director of IRMA.

The Standard for Responsible Mining reflects the input from over 100 companies, organizations and individuals worldwide. Members in IRMA include a variety of stakeholders in the mining supply chain or those affected by mining, including purchasers of mined materials Microsoft and Tiffany & Co; labor unions IndustriALL Global Union (that represents more than 50 million workers in mining and manufacturing in 140 countries); nonprofit organizations Earthworks and Human Rights Watch; and various mining companies and mining-affected communities.

MORE: First Fully Rechargeable Carbon Dioxide Battery is Seven Times More Efficient Than Lithium Ion

“Sustainability is an important aspect of our corporate strategy and we are fully aware of our responsibility in mineral value chains.” said Dr. Andreas Wendt, member of the board of management of BMW AG responsible for Purchasing and Supplier Network.

“For the BMW Group and its stakeholders, it is of the utmost importance that environmental and social standards are adhered to throughout the entire value chain. Raw materials form the basis for every industrial production process and our need will continue to grow accordingly,” underlined Wendt. “We believe that IRMA, with its ambitious certification standard, will contribute to enhancing responsibility in global value chains and improving environmental and social performance.”

CHECK OUT: M&M Parent Company Commits $1 Billion to Stopping Child Labor and Other Injustices

The Standard for Responsible Mining is the result of more than ten years of collaboration among groups from the mining industry, organized labor, nonprofit organizations, impacted communities, and businesses. The Standard’s best practice requirements for mining include elements such as health and safety for workers, human rights, community engagement, pollution control, mining in conflict-affected areas, rights of indigenous peoples, transparency in revenue payments from companies to governments, and land reclamation once mining is done.

IRMA emphasizes that The Standard is not simply a pass/fail system, instead focused on transparency, where different levels of performance are recognized and continuous improvement is encouraged, but where certification is still available for those industrial-scale mine sites meeting best practice requirements.

Be Sure And Drive The Good News Over To Your Friends By Sharing This To Social Media — Feature photo contribution by Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums, CC

Nearly 100 Truck Driver ‘Snow Angels’ Give Rides to Hospital Workers During Winter Weather

By
McKinley Corbley
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This sweet story of Canadian kindness just goes to show that even Snowmageddon has its heroes.

Since Vancouver Island was covered in a foot of snowfall earlier this week, almost 100 citizens have offered up their jeeps and driving services to help nurses, doctors, and healthcare workers get to the local hospital.

The volunteers are all members of the Vancouver Island Toyota 4×4 public Facebook group for British Columbians who want to share their appreciation of big cars.

Many of the drivers provided free transportation to hospital workers during the harsh winter storms back in 2019—so when the weather forecast called for snow this week, the group reached out to Island Health in anticipation of shuttling the employees to work.

WATCH: Bald Eagle Weighed Down by Large Ball of Ice is Freed By Locals Who Jumped into Frozen Lake

“[Staffers at Victoria General Hospital] have patched me up a hundred times,” volunteer driver Shelby Newcombe told CTV News. “They also delivered my little boy here, and I was also born here, so it is nice to give back to them.”

Despite how they are providing the transportation to hospital workers for free, Newcombe says that many other community members have been “donating money for gas and banana bread, which was a big hit.”

Forecasts are now warning Vancouver Island residents to prepare for another foot of snowfall this week—but Newcombe and the other members of the VI Toyota 4×4 group are already prepared to continue giving rides to hospital workers until the weather abates.

(WATCH the news coverage below) – Photo by CTV News

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‘Remarkable’ Blood Flow Discovery Could Pave the Way to New Treatments for Dementia and Migraines

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Good News Network
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Photo by University of Auckland

Scientists from New Zealand have just made the “remarkable discovery” of the brain having its own blood pressure sensors—and they say it could pave the way towards new treatments for dementia, high blood pressure, migraines, and a dozen other conditions.

For decades, scientists have suspected that the brain had a way of monitoring and regulating its own blood flow separate from the body-wide blood pressure control system—but until now, no one had proven this.

The brain needs more blood than any other organ to satisfy neurons’ relentless, high demand for oxygen, so it makes sense that it would have a way of buffering itself from blood flow fluctuations in the wider body.

Now, a research collaboration involving scientists from the University of Auckland, University College London, and Bristol University is the first ever to identify blood flow sensors within the brain.

CHECK OUT: Simple Type-2 Diabetes Treatment With Low Calorie Diet is So Effective, It Reverses the Disease in Studies

In the researchers’ animal study, they found the sensors—tiny cells called astrocytes—strategically squeezed between blood vessels and nerve cells in rats’ brains. When the researchers stimulated these cells, the cells increased blood flow into the brain.

Professor Julian Paton from the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, a member of the research team, explains: “These astrocyte cells are exquisitely sensitive to reductions in brain blood flow. When blood supply is reduced, they release a chemical signal to nearby nerve cells that raise blood pressure, restoring blood flow to the brain.”

Photo by University of Auckland

The researchers say this finding could potentially lead to new approaches to treating numerous diseases associated with reduced brain blood flow. Disturbances to brain blood flow are a known cause in many diseases; for example, sustained reduction in brain blood flow is a likely cause of cognitive decline, dementia, and neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer’s disease.

“What we have discovered is that the brain has an automatic way to make sure that brain blood flow is preserved. Unfortunately, in pathological conditions, this is happening at the expense of generating higher blood pressure in the rest of the body,” says Professor Paton.

“Our finding suggests that reducing activity in these blood flow-sensing astrocytes may be a way to lower blood pressure in people with hypertension (high blood pressure). It may also be a way to combat migraines and strokes. On the other hand, sensitizing these cells may help in conditions of dementia to improve brain blood flow.”

RELATED: For the First Time, Scientists Have Reversed Dementia in Mice With Drug That Reduces Brain Inflammation

Collaborator Professor Alexander Gourine from University College London says: “We are very excited about this discovery; there has never been a formal description of a blood flow or blood pressure sensor within the brain before.

“Our new data identify astrocytes as brain blood flow sensors that are critically important for setting the normal level of systemic (arterial) blood pressure and in doing so ensures that the brain receives a sufficient amount of oxygen and nutrients to support the uninterrupted operation of the information processing machinery.”

The study was published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature Communications.

Reprinted from the University of Auckland

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World’s Last Known ‘Dinosaur Trees’ Saved From Australian Bushfires Thanks to Determined Firefighters

By
McKinley Corbley
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Conservationists are celebrating the success of a mission to save the world’s last remaining “dinosaur trees” from the Australian bushfires.

The ancient Wollemi Pine was thought to be extinct until a small grouping of the prehistoric trees was discovered in the mountains roughly 124 miles northwest (200 kilometers) of Sydney back in 1996.

Fossil records show that the pines existed as far back as 200 million years ago—and since these 200 trees are the only known Wollemi Pines left in the wild, their location has remained a closely-kept secret in order to ensure their protection.

MORE: More Than 200 Volunteer Firefighters From US and Canada Have Deployed to Help With Australian Bushfires

When Australian legislators heard that the bushfires—which have been raging across New South Wales since September—were edging closer to the Wollemi grove, a team of specialized firefighters was airlifted onto the scene.

“These pines outlived the dinosaurs, so when we saw the fire approaching we realized we had to do everything we could to save them,” said New South Wales state Environment Minister Matt Kean.

Just one week before the fires hit the surrounding forests, the firefighters sprayed the trees with fire retardant and installed an irrigation system to keep the area moist. As the fire drew closer, air tankers dumped water around the perimeter of the grove and kept the flames at bay.

LOOK: Thousands of Aussies Are Heartened by Photos of Charred Landscapes Already Recovering From Bushfires

Although a few of the dinosaur trees were lightly singed by the blaze, the safety measures successfully protected the grove—and the surrounding fires were reportedly contained earlier this week.

Richard Kingsford, director of the Center for Ecosystem Science at the University of NSW, hailed the firefighting success to The Sydney Morning Herald: “This is such a remarkable species in terms of ecology and evolution … and only found in Australia.”

“It’s something like the Opera House of the natural world,” he added. “Losing it would have added to the catastrophe we have seen elsewhere.”

(WATCH the AFP news coverage below) – Photo by AFP News Agency

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“To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.” – Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss)

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Quote of the Day: “To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.” – Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss)

Photo: Special Olympics, public domain on Flickr – cropped

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

 

Woman Who Fostered 600 Kids in 50 Years Took in Anyone—Regardless of Age or Medical Condition

By
McKinley Corbley
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Raising just one child can be a tough job for any parent—which is why this woman is being honored for fostering more than 600 children over the course of five decades.

75-year-old Linda Herring from Johnson County, Iowa has been tirelessly providing food, clothing, love, and medical care to hundreds of foster kids since the 1970s.

When Herring first began fostering kids, she was also running a home daycare and working as a night custodian in a local high school. Additionally, she volunteered as a first responder for 50 years of her life, according to CNN.

Out of the hundreds of foster kids that Herring has taken under her wing, many of them experienced a range of medical conditions and special needs—but that never deterred Herring.

LOOK: Man Goes Viral for Giving Out Free ‘Dad Hugs’ to People Who Needed Them at Pride Parade

“Linda mostly fostered young children and children with special medical needs and kept bins of clothes in her garage, stacked to the ceiling, labeled by size and gender,” read a statement from Johnson County officials. “No one had to worry about a child going without clothes at Linda’s, even if they arrived with nothing but what they were wearing.”

Anthony Herring, who was just 3 years old when he was adopted into the Iowa family, described his mother to CNN: “It’s hard to say in words her impact. She was always available and ready for a child in need.

“These kids were usually taken from a traumatic situation and she’d take them in, provide a warm bed, clean clothes, warm meals, and love,” Anthony told the news outlet. “She also worked hard to keep families together. Keeping siblings together. Helping biological parents make the changes needed to be able to keep their children.

WATCH: Dad ‘Chatting’ With Infant Son About TV May Be the Most Darling Thing on the Internet Today

“She always makes sure a new child in her home was given a professional photograph that was placed on the wall in the living room,” he added. “That seems like a small thing, but it helps them feel like they’re at home.”

In light of how Ms. Herring announced her retirement from fostering new children in October due to health concerns, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors honored her with a special ceremony of appreciation this week.

Additionally, five of Herring’s biological children and three of her grandchildren have been carrying on her legacy as foster parents as well.

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Ohio Bald Eagle Population Has Made ‘Thrilling’ Recovery Since Numbering Just Four Nests During the 70s

By
Andy Corbley
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Despite being the official mascot of the United States, there were only 4 bald eagle nests recorded across the state of Ohio as recently as 1979.

Now 41 years later, conservationists are happy to report that number has increased dramatically.

According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), 312 chicks were fledged from 221 nests in 2017. Showing no sign of slowing down, bald eagle breeding pairs have increased 22% between 2017 and 2018 alone.

“I am proud of our agency’s restoration efforts to bring back this iconic symbol of our nation, and thrilled the population is thriving here,” said Kendra Wecker, chief of the ODNR Division of Wildlife.

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“Each time an eagle soars overhead, Ohioans have the opportunity to experience the natural beauty in our state,” she added. “Nesting season is an exciting time, and I hope we can exceed 300 nests this year.”

In addition to teaming up with concerned and willing landowners, the ODNR Division of Wildlife partnered with various state zoos and rehabilitation services to create a climate that allowed bald eagles to recover in great numbers. In 2007, bald eagles were removed from the federal list of endangered species, and successfully soared off the Ohio state listing just 5 years after that.

Bald eagle populations in other US states such as Georgia and New Jersey have made notable comebacks as well.

MORE: Humpback Whale Population Bounces Back From Near-Extinction—From Just 450, to Over 25,000

The bald eagle, on George Washington’s urging, was made a principal symbol of our nation because of the majestic animal’s standing as an icon of ultimate freedom. Ohio residents hoping to catch a glimpse of the magisterial bird in their viewfinders or binoculars should keep their eyes open in late March. The trees remain leafless; rivers and lakes are released from winter’s icy grip; and mating pairs have returned to their nests to lay eggs, typically in large trees like oaks and sycamores.

Another good time to find bald eagles is in mid-winter. Disruptions in the eagle’s hunting methods such as lakes being frozen and mammals hibernating underground force baldies to greatly expand their hunting range. The population of mid-winter eagles in Ohio was found in an annual survey to have increased 75% in just one year (2018 to 2019).

(WATCH the Great Big Story video on the bald eagle’s comeback below)

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After Serena Williams Wins First Title in 3 Years, She Donates All the Prize Money to Australian Relief Efforts

By
McKinley Corbley
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It has been three years since tennis icon Serena Williams won a big game—but upon reentering the court for a title victory earlier this week, she announced she would be donating all of the prize money to Australian bushfire relief efforts.

Williams won the ASB Classic Match against American tennis player Jessica Pegula in Auckland, New Zealand in a 6–3, 6–4 match.

The victory, which is her first championship title since the birth of her daughter Olympia in 2017, came with a $43,000 prize—all of which she will be donating to Australian organizations fighting the bushfires across the southern provinces.

RELATED: More Than 200 Volunteer Firefighters From US and Canada Have Deployed to Help With Australian Bushfires

“I’ve been playing Australia for over 20 years and it’s been really hard for me to watch all the news and everything that’s been happening in Australia with all the fires,” Williams told reporters. “So I decided that I would donate all my prize money for a great cause.”

This week’s victory marks Williams’s 73rd career title. The 38-year-old athlete will now reportedly be headed to the Australia Open where she has previously won 7 of her 23 Grand Slam singles titles.

 

However, Williams is not the only celebrity to donate to Australian relief efforts; an online fundraiser created by Australian comedian Celeste Barber has raised a whopping $35 million in just two weeks alone.

Donations have also poured in from the likes of Pink, Chris Hemsworth, Nicole Kidman, Elton John, Lizzo, and Kylie Jenner.

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Company Collects 80% of City’s Recyclable Plastics and Turns It All into Lumber

By
McKinley Corbley
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Photos by Mike Chassie

This trailblazing Canadian company is building a new standard for sustainability since they started recycling the bulk of their municipal plastic waste into lumber.

Roughly 80% of the plastic recyclables collected throughout Halifax, Nova Scotia are now being processed by Goodwood Plastic Products Ltd so they can be turned into building blocks.

The plastic lumber can be drilled, nailed, glued, and handled the same way as wooden lumber—but without any of the same deterioration.

The other 20% of municipal plastics are reportedly being sent to other Canadian recycling markets, but Halifax Solid Waste Division Manager Andrew Philopoulos says that provincial legislators are particularly grateful for Goodwood’s initiative.

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“We are very, very fortunate here in Nova Scotia to have that local company taking the material,” he told CBC’s Information Morning. “Without them, I think we would find it challenging to find a market for a lot of the plastic packaging that we are collecting.”

Goodwood also made a name for themselves back in December when they partnered with a Sobeys grocery store in order to create one of the nation’s first parking lots made entirely out of post-consumer plastics saved from local landfills.

Although the bulk of Goodwood’s recycled plastic comes from single-use bags, they also process food jars and other common consumer packaging.

LOOK: Cameroon Man Uses Wasted Plastic Bottles to Build Canoes for Fishermen in Need

Thus far, CBC says that the lumber has been used to make everything from picnic tables and park benches to agricultural posting and guardrail structures—and Goodwood vice president Mike Chassie says he hopes their business model will inspire other regions to launch similar ventures.

“We can take this business—the knowledge and our skills—and we can export it and take it to other places,” he told the news outlet. “Post-consumer plastic is not going away, so we need to continue to find ways to give it a new life so it becomes a resource, instead of a waste.”

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After Couple is Mocked for Wedding Proposal at KFC, Thousands Rally To Offer Dream Wedding and Gifts

By
McKinley Corbley
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When this doting husband proposed to his wife in her favorite restaurant, social media users from all over the world gushed over the South African couple’s sweet story—but not every internet comment was enthusiastic.

A few people posted snide remarks about the man’s financial status and his decision to propose inside of a KFC.

Because of the negative comments, however, thousands of individual people and companies rallied together to organize the couple’s dream wedding.

LOOK: Bride and Groom Betrothed to History After She Wore a Wedding Dress Made From the Parachute That Saved Him

This is not the first time that the groom, Hector Mkansi, has proposed to Nonhlanhla Soldaat; the couple has been inseparable since they met at a funeral in 2010. Shortly after meeting each other, they got married in a small, traditional wedding ceremony in 2012.

At the time, it was all they could afford—but Mkansi hoped to one day be able to give his wife the wedding ring and ceremony that she deserved.

Then in November, Mkansi bought a bigger ring and made plans to re-propose to Soldaat inside of her favorite restaurant: KFC.

 

When Mkansi asked the staffers for help orchestrating the proposal, they were surprised, but happy to help; so when the couple collected their order from the counter, Soldaat opened the KFC bag and was stunned to find a wedding ring sitting on top of the food.

A random restaurant patron managed to film the heartwarming moment that 37-year-old Mkansi got down on one knee. The KFC headquarters in South Africa later shared the video to their Twitter page asking for help identifying the couple.

Not only did the video rack up more than 4 million views, the fast food chain managed to identify the couple and hire an event planner to organize their dream wedding.

 

Dozens of South African donors and businesses then volunteered to provide free spa treatments, wedding jewelry, flowers, gifts, and home furniture for the couple. A number of airlines and car companies even offered up free transportation for their honeymoon as well.

Mkansi and Soldaat ended up tying the knot on New Year’s Eve—and the ceremony was apparently more beautiful than they could have imagined. Furthermore, Mkansi says that they are still overwhelmed with appreciation for all the love and support they have received since their story went viral.

“We are still in disbelief,” Mkansi told CNN. “Both of us have to ask each other if this is really happening from time to time. We couldn’t be more grateful to God and every single person that has shared in our little love story.

 

When asked about the negative comments that followed his KFC proposal, he simply told the news outlet: “We didn’t even know about it (negative comments) until much later. We are not really bothered by that.

“Our dream has come true. We never in a million years thought something like this would happen to us.”

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