Man Runs Marathon in SWAT Gear, Saves a Life, and Gets Engaged—All on the Same Day

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Nov 7, 2019

Sgt. Mike Nowacki has just proven himself to be a real-life superhero after he saved a woman’s life; ran a 15k race in full SWAT gear; and then successfully proposed to his girlfriend—all in the same day.

Nowacki, who has been with the Chicago Police Department for 19 years, wanted to show his appreciation for the law enforcement family by running the Allstate Hot Chocolate 15K earlier this week in 50 pounds of SWAT gear.

Upon completing the marathon, Nowacki planned to pop the question to his longtime girlfriend Erin Gubala, who is also a Chicago police officer.

MORE: Airman Who Was Traveling to Receive Heroism Award Nonchalantly Saves a Choking Baby on the Way

However, Nowacki got sidetracked from his labors of love when he suddenly heard a crowd of people calling for a medic near the finish line.

Nowacki diverged from the marathon and found an unconscious woman who was not breathing. He and a nearby firefighter then conducted CPR on the woman until paramedics arrived and whisked her off to the hospital. After doctors successfully treated the woman for cardiac arrest, they said that Nowacki’s quick actions alongside the firefighter helped to save the woman’s life.

Nowacki then returned to finish the marathon—and upon crossing the finish line, he dropped to one knee in front of Gubala.

At first, Gubala thought that her boyfriend was hurt—but it quickly became apparent that he was simply speechless.

“Mostly what I was trying to do as I finished the race was come up with something good to say [but] I was totally thrown off by having to perform CPR,” Nowacki told WLS-TV in the interview below.

Gubala added: “He’s sweating and I wanted to talk to him about what happened down the way, find out more information, and then he got down on one knee and I thought that he was hurt and then he just said, ‘Erin, I don’t know what to say’ and then I realized what was going on.”

In case you’re wondering, Gubala said yes—and they are now excited to share a life together that has already proved to be pretty eventful.

(WATCH the news coverage below)

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Mexican Student Develops New Form of Rubber Road Pavement That Repairs Itself When Exposed to Rainwater

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McKinley Corbley

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Nov 7, 2019

A Mexican college student has created a new formula for road pavement that repairs itself when exposed to rainwater.

Israel Antonio Briseño Carmona developed the groundbreaking formula by melting recycled tires into a putty combined with a number of other additives. The putty then harnesses rainwater as a catalyst for regeneration so that—instead of building roads that slowly crumbling away as they are exposed to inclement weather—the water spurs the road mixture to form calcium silicates that repairs itself.

Carmona, who is a student at Coahuila Autonomous University, says that he was inspired to develop the formula as a means of addressing Mexico’s notoriously deteriorated roads.

“Damage is caused by rain filtering to the base of pavements, weakening it and creating subsidence,” says Carmona. “This is how the idea [for] turning the greatest degradation agent into a recovery agent was born.

“At present, there are already pavements that regenerate—but none use water as a means of regeneration … much less made of tires,” he added.

Carmona’s ingenious road recipe won him the top national James Dyson Award of 2019 last month.

He now plans to get the formula approved for use in Mexico so he can begin brewing the asphalt through his own construction company.

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Boss Pays Off His Employee’s Mortgage So the Vietnam Vet Can Finally Retire

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McKinley Corbley

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Nov 7, 2019

This 69-year-old Vietnam veteran can finally retire now that his mortgage is paid off—and it is all thanks to his compassionate boss.

Albert Brigas has been working as a mechanic at Renown Auto Restoration in San Antonio, Texas for the last 13 years. He has also been living in the same house for the last 24 years—and he had been putting off retirement until he could finish paying off the mortgage in 2020.

Brigas’s boss, Rudy Quinones, has known about the vet’s eager retirement plans. In fact, Quinones told KENS: “Albert has been grumbling about that for the past year. His ultimate goal was to retire and have his house paid off.”

LOOK: Restaurant Offers Sweet Note of Forgiveness to Manager Who Accidentally Served $6,000 Bottle of Wine

So as a means of expressing his gratitude for all the years of Brigas’s hard work, Quinones called Brigas into his office last month and wrote his dedicated employee a check for $5,000 to pay off the rest of the mortgage.

Since paying off the house and retiring, Brigas is happy to report that he now has more than enough time to spend with his wife and grandkids—and Quinones is simply happy that he could repay his former employee for all of his dedication.

“To give them something they’ve been yearning for their whole lives—it’s incredible,” Quinones told the news outlet.

(WATCH the news coverage below) – Photo by KENS

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“Nature always seems trying to talk to us as if she had some great secret to tell. And so she has.” – John Lubbock

Quote of the Day

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Nov 7, 2019

Quote of the Day: “Nature always seems trying to talk to us as if she had some great secret to tell. And so she has.” – John Lubbock

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?

Apple Commits $2.5 Billion to Combatting Housing Crisis in California

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Nov 6, 2019

This week, Apple announced a comprehensive $2.5 billion plan to help address the housing availability and affordability crisis in California.

As costs skyrocket for renters and potential homebuyers—and as the availability of affordable housing fails to keep pace with the region’s growth—community members like teachers, firefighters, first responders, and service workers are increasingly being forced to relocate to cheaper housing further away from their jobs.

Nearly 30,000 people left San Francisco between April and June of this year and homeownership in the Bay Area is at a seven-year low.

“Before the world knew the name Silicon Valley, and long before we carried technology in our pockets, Apple called this region home, and we feel a profound civic responsibility to ensure it remains a vibrant place where people can live, have a family and contribute to the community,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Affordable housing means stability and dignity, opportunity and pride. When these things fall out of reach for too many, we know the course we are on is unsustainable, and Apple is committed to being part of the solution.”

Apple designed its initiative to accelerate and expand new housing production; jump-start long-term developments that would otherwise not be possible; help first-time buyers purchase homes; and support new housing and programs to reduce homelessness, after extensively studying the issue and listening to different perspectives.

In partnership with Governor Gavin Newsom, the state of California and community-based organizations, Apple is providing a significant investment that offers statewide housing support as well as funding for projects in Silicon Valley and the Bay Area.

“This unparalleled financial commitment to affordable housing, and the innovative strategies at the heart of this initiative, are proof that Apple is serious about solving this issue. I hope other companies follow their lead,” said Gavin Newsom, governor of California. “The sky-high cost of housing. . . can only be fixed by building more housing. This partnership with Apple will allow the state of California to do just that.”

Apple’s commitment to the state of California includes their new $1 billion affordable housing investment fund committed to the state of California, which is a first-of-its-kind affordable housing fund that will provide the state and others with an open line of credit to develop and build additional new, very low- to moderate-income housing faster, and at a lower cost.

Additionally, the tech company is working with the state to launch their $1 billion first-time homebuyer mortgage assistance fund for first-time homebuyers, which will provide aspiring homebuyers with financing and down payment assistance.

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

The funding commitment to California is expected to take approximately two years to be fully utilized depending on the availability of projects. Capital returned to Apple will be reinvested in future projects over the next five years.

In addition to these initiatives, Apple is working to identify private developers who, with the right financing and investment, are ready to start construction on affordable housing projects in the Bay Area immediately.

Apple will also provide $200 million to support new lower-income housing and help some of the most vulnerable populations in the Bay Area:

$150 million Bay Area housing fund: In a public-private partnership, Apple is launching a new $150 million affordable housing fund with partners including Housing Trust Silicon Valley to support new affordable housing projects. The fund will consist of long-term forgivable loans and grants.
$50 million to support vulnerable populations: Apple will donate $50 million to support Destination: Home’s efforts to address homelessness in Silicon Valley and focus its contribution on driving systemic change across the many factors affecting homelessness. Apple will also be identifying similar efforts in Northern and Southern California, focusing on strategies that both end and prevent homelessness.

“We’re so grateful that Apple has made this significant philanthropic commitment towards solving Silicon Valley’s growing homelessness crisis,” said Jennifer Loving, Destination: Home’s CEO. “With this generous contribution, we’ll be able to scale two proven strategies for reducing homelessness in our community: the production of more permanently affordable housing for our most vulnerable residents and an expansion of prevention programs that help at-risk families remain stably housed.”

CHECK OUT: EU Approves Groundbreaking New ‘Right to Repair’ Laws Requiring Appliances to Be Easier to Fix

One of the first projects Apple will fund as part of its philanthropic commitment to Destination: Home will be an expansion of the organization’s Homelessness Prevention System, a network of service providers offering employment assistance, legal aid, rent subsidy, case management and other support to reduce homelessness.

“We have worked closely with leading experts to put together a plan that confronts this challenge on all fronts, from the critical need to increase housing supply, to support for first-time homebuyers and young families, to essential philanthropy to assist those at greatest risk,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives. “Apple is committed to being a good neighbor and helping to write the next chapter of the region that has been a great home of innovation and creativity for generations.”

By putting its $2.5 billion investment to use across multiple initiatives and partners, Apple’s housing initiative offers a comprehensive and multi-pronged approach to address some of the most urgent challenges facing affordable housing in California. This initiative is a major step, and Apple will continue looking for ways to support communities and affordable housing.

Be Sure And Share The Good News With Your Friends On Social Media – File photo by Ibudiallo

Here Are the 10 Most Likely Role Models Americans Look Up to and How They’ve Inspired Us

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Good News Network

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Nov 6, 2019

“Never give up on your dreams”; “education is the best legacy”; and “believe in yourself” are just a few examples of the best pieces of advice given to Americans by their role models, according to new data.

A survey of 2,000 Americans found that 74% of respondents had or currently have a role model—and intelligence, leadership skills, and confidence in their abilities are the top three characteristics we admire in those we look up to.

Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of the University of Phoenix, the survey found that ‘dad’ is the one most likely to exemplify those traits—and he was chosen as the top role model by 47% of respondents .

Mom was a close second (42%), followed by a favorite teacher or professor (41%).

RESPONDENTS’ TOP ROLE MODELS
1. Dad
2. Mom
3. Teacher/professor
4. Celebrity (actor, athlete, etc.)
5. Coach or other instructor (arts, music, etc.)
6. Historical figure
7. Manager/boss
8. Pastor or youth leader
9. Family friend
10. Friend

But the survey looked at more than just who our role models are; it also delved into the influence they have on our lives.

The vast majority of those with a role model (81%) say their role model has influenced some of life’s major decisions.

This includes advice on overcoming obstacles, setting financial goals, helping respondents choose a career path, and encouraging them to finish their degree.

CHECK OUT: Watch Senior Citizens Delight in Giving Away ‘Bad’ Advice From Their ‘Old Coots’ Farmer’s Market Booth

55% percent of those with a role model said the person they look up to motivated them to pursue higher education—and when things got tough and they wanted to quit, 55% said their role model encouraged them to continue their schooling.

Additionally, 86% said their role model encouraged them to be a lifelong learner.

Turns out, that’s an important part of being a role model: Three-quarters of those surveyed believe that young people’s perception of education is influenced by their role model.

MORE: Americans Say They Owe a Lot to Their Favorite Teachers; And Their Most Enduring Memories Might Make You Cry

The survey also revealed that 56% of respondents believe they are themselves a role model for others.

The top ways they’re exhibiting the traits of a role model include making a difference in their local community (61%) and following their moral and ethical convictions (57%). Those were followed by working to achieve personal goals, as well as continuous learning and upskilling (54%, each).

LOOK: Role Model Dad Spurred to Lose 92 Pounds in 5 Months After One Hiking Trip With His Kids

BEST ADVICE GIVEN BY ROLE MODELS
• Never give in to critics
• Always be proud of who you are
• Be yourself and love yourself
• There will never be a shortcut to success
• Fight for your dreams
• Be loyal and honest
• Readers are leaders
• Set goals and follow them
• You are a product of what you think of yourself
• Facing obstacles makes your stronger
• Believe in yourself
• Always save for tomorrow
• Education is the best legacy
• We are built to learn
• Never give up on your dreams

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Simple Blood Test is Being Developed to Predict Breast Cancer Five Years Before Any Clinical Signs of Disease

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Nov 6, 2019

Breast cancer could be detected up to five years before there are any clinical signs of it, using a blood test that identifies the body’s immune response to substances produced by tumor cells.

Cancer cells produce proteins called antigens that trigger the body to make antibodies against them: autoantibodies. According to new research presented at the 2019 NCRI Cancer Conference earlier this week by researchers at the University of Nottingham (UK), these tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) are good indicators of cancer, and now they have developed panels of TAAs that are known already to be associated with breast cancer to detect whether or not there are autoantibodies against them in blood samples taken from patients.

In a pilot study, the researchers took blood samples from 90 breast cancer patients at the time they were diagnosed with breast cancer and matched them with samples taken from 90 patients without breast cancer (the control group).

They used screening technology (protein microarray) that allowed them to screen the blood samples rapidly for the presence of autoantibodies against 40 TAAs associated with breast cancer, and also 27 TAAs that were not known to be linked with the disease.

“The results of our study showed that breast cancer does induce autoantibodies against panels of specific tumor-associated antigens,” said Daniyah Alfattani, a PhD student in the group who presented the research at the NCRI Conference. “We were able to detect cancer with reasonable accuracy by identifying these autoantibodies in the blood.”

The researchers identified three panels of TAAs against which to test for autoantibodies. The accuracy of the test improved in the panels that contained more TAAs. The panel of five TAAs correctly detected breast cancer in 29% of the samples from the cancer patients and correctly identified 84% of the control samples as being cancer-free. The panel of seven TAAs correctly identified cancer in 35% of cancer samples and no cancer in 79% of control samples. The panel of nine antigens correctly identified cancer in 37% of cancer samples and no cancer in 79% of the controls.

“We need to develop and further validate this test,” said Alfattani. “However, these results are encouraging and indicate that it’s possible to detect a signal for early breast cancer. Once we have improved the accuracy of the test, then it opens the possibility of using a simple blood test to improve early detection of the disease.”

CHECK OUT: Indonesian Teens Use Native Tree Species to Cure Rats of Breast Cancer

The researchers are now testing samples from 800 patients against a panel of nine TAAs, and they expect the accuracy of the test to improve with these larger numbers.

“A blood test for early breast cancer detection would be cost effective, which would be of particular value in low and middle income countries. It would also be an easier screening method to implement compared to current methods, such as mammography,” said Alfattani.

The researchers estimate that, with a fully-funded development program, the test might become available in the clinic in about four to five years.

A similar test for lung cancer is currently being tested in a randomized controlled trial in Scotland, involving 12,000 people at high risk of developing lung cancer because they smoke. They have been randomized to have (or not) an autoantibody blood test called ELISA (Early CDT-Lung). Participants who test positive for the autoantibodies are then followed up with a CT scan every two years in order to detect lung cancer in its early stages when it is easier to treat.

The CEAC group is also working on similar tests for pancreatic, colorectal and liver cancers. Solid tumors like these, as well as lung and breast cancer, represent around 70% of all cancers.

MORE: Broccoli Isn’t Just Good For You; Scientists Find It Holds Molecule That Could Be the ‘Achilles’s Heel’ of Cancer

“A blood test capable of detecting any of these cancers at an early stage is the over-riding objective of our work,” concluded Alfattani.

“Early diagnosis using simple, non-invasive ways of detecting the first signs of cancer is a key strategic priority for NCRI and something we’d all like to see working in practice,” said NCRI CEO Dr. Iain Frame. “The results from this pilot study for a blood test to detect early breast cancer are promising and build on this research group’s expertise in other cancers, such as lung cancer. It’s obviously early days but we look forward to seeing the results from the larger group of patients that are now being investigated.”

Reprinted from the NCRI

Treat Your News Feed To Some Positivity By Sharing The Good News With Your Friends On Social Media – File photo by Aldenchadwick, CC

Capital City of South Korea Has Finally Been Declared Dog Slaughter-Free Since Last Farmers Agreed to Switch Careers

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Good News Network

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Nov 6, 2019

South Korea Dog Meat Farm Rescue (Farm 15) — Nara Kim, Campaign Manager of HSI Korea, interacts with Big Ben at a dog meat farm in Yeoju, South Korea, on Tuesday, September 24, 2019. The operation is part of HSIs efforts to fight the dog meat trade throughout Asia. In South Korea, the campaign includes working to raise awareness among Koreans about the plight of meat dogs being no different from the animals more and more of them are keeping as pets. Photo by Jean Chung / HSI

After one year of tireless advocacy work, the South Korean city of Seoul has finally been declared free of dog slaughter.

Seoul’s last three dog meat shops have agreed to end dog slaughter on-site, following over a year of campaigning from Seoul’s Mayor Park Won-soon and the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

The initiative has been welcomed by leading animal charity Humane Society International/Korea, which has been active in South Korea working with dog meat farmers to close farms, rescue dogs, and drive change.

HSI/Korea has so far rescued more than 1,800 dogs and closed 15 dog meat farms in South Korea since they began their work in the city back in 2015. Additionally, the organization has helped farmers to close down their dog meat farms and transition to alternative, more humane livelihoods, as dog farmers are increasingly keen to exit the controversial trade due to societal shame, family pressure and decreasing profits.

Dog meat consumption is also declining rapidly in South Korea, particularly among younger generations. A survey by Gallup Korea conducted in June 2018 shows that 70% of South Koreans say they will not eat dog meat in future. In July this year HSI/Korea assisted in the closure of South Korea’s notorious Gupo dog meat market in Busan, following the closure the previous year of Taepyeong, the largest dog slaughterhouses in the country in Seongnam.

“I am so happy to see Seoul’s last remaining dog meat shops end dog slaughter,” said Nara Kim, dog meat campaign manager for Humane Society International/Korea. “Although these shops can still sell dog meat, it is nonetheless wonderful to see South Korea take one step further away from this dying industry that most Koreans want nothing to do with. It gives me hope that South Korea’s future is dog meat-free.

“HSI/Korea will continue working with the government, and supporting farmers who no longer want to work in the dog meat trade, so that one day we will be able to celebrate the closure of South Korea’s final dog slaughterhouse,” she added.

Nara Kim, Campaign Manager of HSI Korea, interacts with Big Ben at a dog meat farm in Yeoju, South Korea, on Tuesday, September 24, 2019. The operation is part of HSIs efforts to fight the dog meat trade throughout Asia. In South Korea, the campaign includes working to raise awareness among Koreans about the plight of meat dogs being no different from the animals more and more of them are keeping as pets.
Photo by Jean Chung / HSI

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Mother Overwhelmed With 15,000 Positive Responses From Strangers to Her Autistic Son’s First Ever Question

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McKinley Corbley

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Nov 6, 2019

Since 21-year-old David Bloch is mostly nonverbal, he doesn’t often say things to his parents—and since the autistic young man also has a rare immunodeficiency disorder, he rarely spends much time outdoors.

This means that David doesn’t really have any friends in his hometown of Neptune Beach, Florida. He has been homeschooled his entire life, and he hasn’t spent much time around other people his own age.

But after he recently asked his mother a question for the first time in his life, he has made thousands of friends all over the world.

David and his mother Kerry were watching television together earlier this week when he asked her a simple, but heart-wrenching question: “Would someone like me?”

“I was flabbergasted,” she told BBC. “That’s the first question he has ever said to me. I left the room because I had to cry. I didn’t want David to think I was upset.”

Upon regaining her composure, Kerry told her son that there were “thousands of people” out there who would like him. She was so moved by the conversation, she later made a Twitter post about the incident and shared it with her few hundred social media followers—and she was stunned by the response.

My 21 year old autistic son has no communication skills. Today he asked me his first question ever. It was. “Would someone like me?” pic.twitter.com/vw1DMQN9s8
— kerry bloch (@dsmom58) October 30, 2019

Despite how Kerry does not use Twitter for very much other than following other parents of autistic children, her post began receiving thousands and thousands of responses from strangers all over the world.

David has received messages of encouragement from firefighters, police departments, sports stars, and even basketball players from his favorite sports team.

Since his post has gone viral, David is apparently “a changed boy”. In addition to smiling constantly, he is now insisting on responding to every single message so that none of his new friends feel left out.

pic.twitter.com/O6HBDzlnXg
— kerry bloch (@dsmom58) October 31, 2019

“I think he understands what it feels like to be left out so he wants to include everybody and just to tell everybody he loves them,” Kerry told BBC.

(LISTEN to the BBC interview below)

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“Confidence isn’t optimism or pessimism, and it’s not a character attribute. It’s the expectation of a positive outcome.” – Rosabeth Moss Kanter

Quote of the Day

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Good News Network

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Nov 6, 2019

joy jump sunset confidence-cc-Droid Gingerbread — Droid Gingerbread, CC license

Quote of the Day: “Confidence isn’t optimism or pessimism, and it’s not a character attribute. It’s the expectation of a positive outcome.” – Rosabeth Moss Kanter

Photo: by Droid Gingerbread – CC license 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?

Man Brings His Heat-Sensing Drone to Help Find Missing Boy at 1:50 AM

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Good News Network

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Nov 5, 2019

A 6-year-old walked away from his Minnesota home with his dog as the sun was setting and, after hours of temperatures dropping, the worried Sheriff’s Department needed help—and hundreds of citizens in Sherburne County heeded the call, including a man with an expensive piece of hardware.

Steve Fines was scrolling through Twitter and saw the official tweet announcing that a boy was missing. Fines lived nearby and knew that the neighborhood was filled with “cornfields and swampy woods with ankle-deep water”, not ideal conditions for finding a child in the dark.

His company, Fines Imaging, owns a heat-seeking drone, so he headed to the scene where 600 volunteers had turned out to search for Ethan and his dog.

A little before 11:00, Fines posted on Facebook, saying his $30,000 thermal camera “lets me cover lots of wet ground that people can’t walk easily,” but admitted that he’d had “no luck yet.”

The Washington Post says he uses the drone to help farmers find runaway livestock by pinpointing their body heat.

It was about 30 degrees in Palmer Township, but skies were clear.

While Fines was running the camera in the dark, he took an astonishing photo that showed a long line of bright spots, showing all the people out in a field getting ready to walk across in a search pattern—literally hundreds of people in wet, muddy ground, in freezing temperatures at 1:00 a.m. because they wanted to help.

Courtesy of Fines Imaging / finesaerial.com

“I only knew in which direction to look because volunteers on the ground had found a footprint that pointed me in the right direction. I knew which areas had already been searched because of the excellent coordination of the Sherburne County Sheriff.”

At about 1:50 a.m., a little more than a mile to the east of his home, Ethan Haus and Remington were found lying down shivering in the field when the drone spotted their heat signatures. Fines knew it was a dog, because of his career experience spotting deer and other animals.

Ethan was cold but was otherwise in good health, according to the Sheriff Joel Brott.

“This truly was the epitome of a community caring for its own,” Brott said. “To see the outpouring of support in such a short time period to come out and help find this boy and his dog is heartwarming.”

The Sheriff posted the drone photo from Fines Imaging depicting the endless line of volunteers, which elicited heartwarming praise and gratitude.

One volunteer who was in the cornfield commented on how the drone was able to expand the limited line of sight available to those on the ground: “You brought your talent and equipment to do something for the greater good. A state patrol helicopter spent 6 hours on site, but you made it happen.”

Brenda Haus, Ethan’s aunt, wanted to personally thank Steve for his part in helping find her nephew.

“I wish I could hug and personally thank every single person that was there because it truly was amazing! No one ever gave a up hope including you… You will forever be in our hearts as we are so grateful that you could be such a big part of helping us get him home! Thank you again from the bottom of our hearts!”

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MORE: America’s First Delivery By Drone Drops Medical Supplies On Rural Health Clinic

Humble Man Walks Almost Entire Perimeter of Mexico Saving Hundreds of Sick and Injured Dogs

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Good News Network

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Nov 5, 2019

A few months ago, Stuart Williams was driving out of the small Mexican town of Mazunte, Oaxaca, when he saw a peculiar sight on the side of the road. A man was pushing a trolley down the road surrounded by a dozen dogs.

“Dogs were on top of his trolley. Dogs were behind him, in front of him and by his side. Tails were wagging furiously, barks were sounding and he just kept pushing his trolley through the heat,” he told GNN.

All photos by Stuart Williams, The Yogi Photographer

Williams calls himself the ‘Yogi Photographer’ and after hearing the story of Edgardo “Perros” Juarez, he produced a short documentary about this humble man who has single-handedly rescued almost 500 dogs.

Edgardo is walking the entire perimeter of Mexico saving sick and injured street dogs along the way.

On the road for six years, Edgardo Perros has inspired hundreds of humans, too.

You can contribute to Edgardo’s mission via PayPal donation, here.

(WATCH the short film…)

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Island on California Coast is Returned to Indigenous Tribe in Unprecedented Restoration of Land Rights

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Nov 5, 2019

A standing ovation from the hundreds of people attending the City Council meeting in Eureka, California, marked an ‘unprecedented moment’ for indigenous people—they got their land back.

The city formally transferred ‘Indian Island’ back to the Wiyot Tribe, which had, for decades, held sacred ceremonies annually for generations until 1860.

“Today is a good day to be alive,” said tribal chairman Ted Hernandez.

After decades of pursuing legal channels and regaining pieces of the island, Eureka Mayor Susan Seaman signed a deed of trust along with Hernandez transferring ownership of the largest island in Humboldt Bay.

For generations, the Wiyot people held their yearly World Renewal Ceremony on Tuluwat, a sacred site on Duluwat Island, and, after fundraising efforts to raise $100,000 to purchase that 1.5 acre plot, the ritual ceremony was once again held in 2014. Four years later, the city gave the tribe another 40 acres of the island, which was for decades commonly known locally as ‘Indian Island.’

The transfer of the remaining 200+ acres was completed on October 21, 2019, after a unanimous vote from the Eureka City Council.

The North Coast Journal wrote that the transfer was “simply without precedent.”

“Nonprofits and the federal government have returned land to Native people, but nobody consulted by the Journal could recall a local municipality repatriating hundreds of acres of land to a local tribe in the absence of a sale or lawsuit settlement.”

“I think it’s a big deal,” said Bob Anderson, the director of the Native American Law Center at the University of Washington School of Law who served in the Interior Department providing legal advice on issues of Indian law and sovereignty. “It sets an important precedent for other communities that might be thinking about doing this.”

MORE: Oil Company Surrenders 15 Land Leases on Sacred Native American Land

One year ago, Hernandez told the Times-Standard newspaper that he looked forward to seeing the land returned to the Wiyot and called it “a step in the right direction.”

“It’s closure,” he said. “Our ancestors will be at rest and at peace, and the ceremonies will be able to continue.”

ALSO: Farmer Returns 700 Acres of California Coast to Native American Tribe

– File photo of Eureka, California coast by Bob Wick / Bureau of Land Management, CC license

Three Bold Resolutions That Reaffirm America’s Commitment To Conservation Pass in the U.S. House of Congress

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Nov 5, 2019

Grand Canyon at sunset nature-cc-Paul Fundenburg — Photo by Paul Fundenburg, CC license

Three Bold Resolutions That Reaffirm America’s Commitment To Conservation Pass in the U.S. House of Congress

The U.S. House of Representatives just used a 55 year-old law to bring under federal protection hundreds of thousands of additional wilderness in Colorado’s White River National Forest, San Juan Mountains, and lands around the Thompson Divide.

The 1964 Wilderness Act, written by The Wilderness Society’s Howard Zahniser created the National Wilderness Preservation System, which has protected over 100 million acres of wilderness areas from coast to coast.

“A wilderness, in contrast with those areas where man and his own works dominate the landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man,” wrote Zahniser, ”where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.”

The new Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act (CORE), which faces an uphill battle in the US Senate, adds 400,000 acres to the list of federally protected wilderness and management areas.

These Wilderness Areas had comprised 111 million of the almost 700 million aces that make up the public land system in America. In total, 5% of the United States is considered wilderness—and normally reserved for lands and ecosystems that are exceptionally well-preserved, existentially-threatened, or whose wildlife are in dire need of time to recover.

An additional 28,676 acres, also in Colorado, will be preserved in the new resolution as the Camp Hale National Historic Landscape—which unlike wilderness areas—are designated for the purpose of preserving historical structures, lands, settlements, and archaeological sites that document the history of our nation.

The Grand Canyon Centennial Protection Act

Another new law, designated as H.R. 1373, which also passed the House, celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Grand Canyon being added to the list of America’s National Parks.

The text of this resolution is brief but powerful, according to the World At Large news website, a statement that typifies America’s commitment to conservation.

It removes, subject to existing rights, 1 million acres that make up the Colorado River watershed, surrounding environment, and cultural landscape from ever being subject to patent or entry by mining laws, entry or operation under any geothermal or mining leasing laws, and any form of disposal or appropriation under public lands laws.

The move is meant to enshrine the Grand Canyon, the ecosystem that created it, and the cultures that dwelt around it, forever for the enjoyment of ‘We the People’.

(Featured photo by Paul Fundenburg, CC license)

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“Speak only that which will bring you honor.” – Guru Nanak (founder of Sikhism, born 550 years ago today)

Quote of the Day

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Good News Network

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Nov 5, 2019

Quote of the Day: “Speak only that which will bring you honor.” – Guru Nanak (founder of Sikhism, born 550 years ago today)

Photo: by RichardBH – CC license on Flickr, cropped

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John Cena Donates $500K to California Firefighters and Gets Film Company to Do the Same

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McKinley Corbley

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Nov 4, 2019

I’m asking that today on #FirstRespondersDay we do everything we can to help those who risk their lives to protect us all. pic.twitter.com/aJOmO4hkCw
— John Cena (@JohnCena) October 28, 2019

John Cena will soon be appearing in movie theaters everywhere for his latest Hollywood role as a firefighter—so he is now sharing his fortune with the firefighters who are currently combatting the California wildfires.

The former WWE wrestler published a video to Twitter last week saying that he planned on donating $500,000 to a charity that will benefit California first responders.

Cena himself plays a firefighter in the movie Playing With Fire, which is due in theaters on November 8th—so Cena asked the film’s production company Paramount Pictures to pick the charities to receive his donation.

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“Right now, California is in dire straits,” Cena said in the video. “It is under siege from massive wildfires statewide, which means our first responders are working around the clock and they need our help.”

Upon asking himself how he could help, Cena said: “I want Paramount to do me one favor. I want them to pick a charity. Pick a charity that aids our first responders as soon as possible, and on behalf of Playing with Fire and out of respect to the people that I truly believe are heroes, my response would be to immediately donate half a million dollars to this cause.”

Not only did Paramount Pictures select Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation and the California Fire Foundation as the donation recipients, the film studio also volunteered to match Cena’s donation and contribute $500,000 of their own to the cause, bringing the grand total to $1 million.

Two incredible choices. @LAFDFoundation and @CAFireFound ... on behalf of Paramount and the cast of #PlayingWithFireMovie, a total of $500K is coming your way. Thank you for what you do. Help is on the way!!! https://t.co/SHz8uPFDMe
— John Cena (@JohnCena) October 29, 2019

This is not the first time that Cena has shared his wealth with the nation’s heroes—with fans donating more than a half-million dollars to the Fit Ops nonprofit organization for US veterans, Cena also donated more than $500,000 to the charity in celebration of Veteran’s Day.

So overjoyed and thankful to all who’ve donated to @fit_ops helping our #veterans You have given over $500k so far and I will MATCH every dollar up to $1,000,000! Let’s make #VeteransDay even more impactful and all do our best to help our heroes! pic.twitter.com/mnFTxuBW7K
— John Cena (@JohnCena) November 1, 2019

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Stressed to the Max? New Study Shows Deep Sleep Can Reduce Anxiety By 30%

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Nov 4, 2019

Insufficient Sleep Graph-Berkeley News Released : Eti Ben Simon — Photo by Eti Ben Simmons / UC Berkeley

When it comes to managing anxiety disorders, William Shakespeare’s Macbeth had it right when he referred to sleep as the “balm of hurt minds.”

While a full night of slumber stabilizes emotions, a sleepless night can trigger up to a 30% rise in anxiety levels, according to new research from the University of California, Berkeley.

UC Berkeley researchers have found that the type of sleep most apt to calm and reset the anxious brain is deep sleep, also known as non-rapid eye movement (NREM) slow-wave sleep, a state in which neural oscillations become highly synchronized, and heart rates and blood pressure drop.

“We have identified a new function of deep sleep, one that decreases anxiety overnight by reorganizing connections in the brain,” said study senior author Matthew Walker, a UC Berkeley professor of neuroscience and psychology. “Deep sleep seems to be a natural anxiolytic (anxiety inhibitor), so long as we get it each and every night.”

The findings, published this week in the journal Nature Human Behavior, provide one of the strongest neural links between sleep and anxiety to date. They also point to sleep as a natural, non-pharmaceutical remedy for anxiety disorders, which have been diagnosed in some 40 million American adults and are rising among children and teens.

“Our study strongly suggests that insufficient sleep amplifies levels of anxiety and, conversely, that deep sleep helps reduce such stress, said study lead author Eti Ben Simon, a postdoctoral fellow in the Center for Human Sleep Science at UC Berkeley.

In a series of experiments using functional MRI and polysomnography, among other measures, Simon and fellow researchers scanned the brains of 18 young adults as they viewed emotionally stirring video clips after a full night of sleep, and again after a sleepless night. Anxiety levels were measured following each session via a questionnaire known as the state-trait anxiety inventory.

CHECK OUT: Americans Who Drink This Much Water a Day Are More Likely to Report Feeling ‘Very Happy’

After a night of no sleep, brain scans showed a shutdown of the medial prefrontal cortex, which normally helps keep our anxiety in check, while the brain’s deeper emotional centers were overactive.

“Without sleep, it’s almost as if the brain is too heavy on the emotional accelerator pedal, without enough brake,” Walker said.

After a full night of sleep, during which participants’ brain waves were measured via electrodes placed on their heads, the results showed their anxiety levels declined significantly, especially for those who experienced more slow-wave NREM sleep.

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“Deep sleep had restored the brain’s prefrontal mechanism that regulates our emotions, lowering emotional and physiological reactivity and preventing the escalation of anxiety,” Simon said.

Beyond gauging the sleep-anxiety connection in the 18 original study participants, the researchers replicated the results in a study of another 30 participants. Across all the participants, the results again showed that those who got more nighttime deep sleep experienced the lowest levels of anxiety the next day.

Moreover, in addition to the lab experiments, the researchers conducted an online study in which they tracked 280 people of all ages about how both their sleep and anxiety levels changed over four consecutive days.

The results showed that the amount and quality of sleep the participants got from one night to the next predicted how anxious they would feel the next day. Even subtle nightly changes in sleep affected their anxiety levels.

“People with anxiety disorders routinely report having disturbed sleep, but rarely is sleep improvement considered as a clinical recommendation for lowering anxiety,” Simon said. “Our study not only establishes a causal connection between sleep and anxiety, but it identifies the kind of deep NREM sleep we need to calm the overanxious brain.”

On a societal level, “the findings suggest that the decimation of sleep throughout most industrialized nations and the marked escalation in anxiety disorders in these same countries is perhaps not coincidental, but causally-related,” Walker said. “The best bridge between despair and hope is a good night of sleep.”

Reprinted from UC Berkeley News

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Blue-tiful: These Stunning Images Were Named The World’s Best Photos That Feature the Color Blue

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Nov 4, 2019

Award-Winning Blue Photo 8-SWNS — Women performing net-mending work after the fishing boats return in China - SWNS

These breathtaking photos have all been selected as some of the world’s best photos depicting the color blue.

The pictures have all been entered into the Agora Images competition for the World’s Best Photos of #Blue2019.

These images are just a few of the 50 finalists in the competition, who were selected out of 17,554 submissions.

Judges will soon be voting on who will be the winner of the international competition and its $1,000 prize on November 21st.

Underwater cave in Java, Indonesia – SWNS

“It can be easy to forget how manifold our world is when we live our everyday lives,” said a spokesperson for Agora Images.

Workers in Vietnam harvesting salt at night to avoid sun exposure – SWNS

“Taking a step back and noticing the all the different people, places, and animals we live alongside with can show us just how bright the world can really be.

A foggy morning in Mastershausen, Germany – SWNS

“With the launch of #Blue, photographers were given the opportunity to interpret the contest in any way they wished, which resulted in a wide range of colorful subjects and scenic images.

An eye-catching aerial shot from Jersey, UK – SWNS

“Whether it is in the depths of the ocean or looking up at the night sky, each photographer presents their own version of of what #Blue means to them.”

If you want to check out more of Agora Images “Top 50” competitions, click here.

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“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” – Lao Tzu

Quote of the Day

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Good News Network

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Nov 4, 2019

Quote of the Day: “Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” – Lao Tzu

Photo: by Marco – CC license on Flickr, cropped

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Dozens of Volunteers Answer the World’s Most Forlorn Love Letters Addressed to Shakespeare’s Juliet

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McKinley Corbley

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Nov 3, 2019

Dozens of volunteers have been offering romantic advice to the world’s most lovelorn souls—and they’ve been doing it all on behalf of William Shakespeare’s most iconic heroine.

The Juliet Club is a nonprofit organization that responds to letters that have been sent to Juliet Capulet, the tragic figure in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet which takes place in Verona, Italy.

Addressed simply to “Juliet, Verona” thousands of letters arrive from all over the world from people lamenting their various romantic woes and heartache—and the Juliet Club volunteers have always done their best to offer up some valuable advice in return.

41-year-old Martin Hopley told BBC that he has now been a Juliet Club volunteer for several years, motivated to continue after receiving a response to one of his own replies based on his experience with a particularly devastating breakup.

Hopley says that he often takes several days to respond to some of the letters because he wants to send them the most thoughtful answers possible.

The club hosts a multitude of writers who have had a variety of unique relationship experiences so they can respond to every different form of inquiry.

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“From the woman who’s fallen in love with a close friend, to the man whose wife has passed away, to the boy who’s coming to terms with his sexuality, to the girl who doesn’t believe she’s beautiful enough to find love… Juliet has probably heard every possible scenario you can think of,” Hopley told BBC.

“When people write to Juliet, [their] hearts are often frustrated, confused and in a mess,” he concluded. “But she takes all those feelings, calms them down, and reads them back to you as a beautiful song that’s easier to understand.”

(WATCH the Great Big Story video below)

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