Quote of the Day: “Being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person, they are almost indistinguishable.” – David W. Augsburger
Photo: by Pedro Ribeiro Simões – CC license on Flickr, cropped
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Most people have probably seen married couples shopping for furniture to decorate their new home—but people’s hearts are melting over this older man and his particularly adorable shopping companion.
Aleecia Dahl’s grandfather is “inseparable” from his best friend Coco the dog; wherever one goes, the other is usually not far away.
So when Grandpa Dahl and his wife moved into a new home, the senior doggie dad refused to buy a new recliner until it received an official stamp of approval from Coco.
“When grandma and grandpa moved, they [needed to buy] new furniture,” Aleecia told The Dodo. “It was Grandpa’s requirement that the footrest on his lounge chair was wide enough for him and Coco to sit side by side.”
“He brought Coco into several stores to try out chairs until he found the perfect one,” she added. “Coco was always greeted with a smile, as I am sure it’s not every day a man and his dog go furniture shopping!”
Since Aleecia published photos of the dynamic duo trying out chairs in a furniture store, they have been shared thousands of times—and it’s not hard to see why… it’s pretty darn adorable.
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More than 5 million vending machines in the United States will soon begin offering substantially more healthy options for consumers starting on January 1st.
The National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA), which represents the $25 billion dollar vending machine industry, has just announced that they have adopted a public health commitment to substantially increase the percentage of “better for you” options across all of the nation’s vending machines.
One-third of all snacks in the vending machines will meet at least two recognized public health standards, under the commitment, to be implemented over the next three years.
NAMA—which represents nearly 1,000 member companies, including many of the world’s most recognized brands—is launching the initiative in collaboration with Partnership for a Healthier America and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation—two nonprofits dedicated to curbing obesity rates in the US.
“There are nearly four million vending machines serving snacks and beverages every day, 24/7, across this country,” said NAMA CEO Carla Balakgie. “Vending is everywhere consumers work, play, and live and NAMA regards this initiative as a bold, ambitious, and meaningful step to meet the growing consumer demand for healthier choices.”
Balakgie made the announcement this week in New York City at a special briefing where she was accompanied by leaders from the convenience services industry, as well as representatives from the two health organizations.
“Our fundamental goal is to make healthier choices accessible to all,” added Nancy E. Roman, CEO of the Partnership for a Healthier America. “We applaud NAMA and its members for their efforts with this commitment and we look forward to helping to make it a success.”
The commitment is the latest and most comprehensive effort by the industry directed at public health. Beginning in 2005 with the launch of FitPick, a “better for you” labelling program, the industry has worked collaboratively with industry members and national public health organizations to be part of the solution.
“In the months and years ahead, we will continue to work with our members to measure the results of this commitment to deliver a meaningful increase in the number of ‘better for you’ options in the marketplace. We’ll also continue to work collaboratively with public health partners, and to engage with food manufacturers to encourage them to support this important initiative through new products that meet the commitment,” said Greg Sidwell, NAMA Chair.
Be Sure And Share The Good News With Your Friends On Social Media – File photo by Eric Fischer, CC
Animal rights activists are rejoicing now that the US House of Representatives has unanimously passed a new bill which will make certain acts of violence against animals a federal crime.
Earlier this week, the House passed the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act, which was introduced by Congressman Ted Deutch (FL-22) and Congressman Vern Buchanan (FL-16) back in January to criminalize “gruesome” acts of animal cruelty.
In 2010, Congress passed the Animal Crush Video Prohibition Act, which made the creation and distribution of animal crushing videos illegal. However, the underlying acts of cruelty against animals were not included. The PACT Act closes this loophole by prohibiting any extreme cases of animal abuse that results in serious bodily injury or death, whether or not a video is created.
The H.R. 724 bill was supported by Democratic and Republican Members of Congress, and contains exceptions for normal veterinary care, hunting, and conduct necessary to protect life or property from a serious threat caused by an animal.
WATCH: Political Opponents Stun Voters When They Perform Unexpected Duet in Display of Comradery
“Today’s vote is a significant milestone in the bipartisan quest to end animal abuse and protect our pets. This bill sends a clear message that our society does not accept cruelty against animals,” said Congressman Deutch in a statement.
“We’ve received support from so many Americans from across the country and across the political spectrum. Animal rights activists have stood up for living things that do not have a voice. Law enforcement officers have sought a federal overlay to help them stop animal abusers who are likely to commit acts of violence against people. And animal lovers everywhere know this is simply the right thing to do.
“I’m deeply thankful for all of the advocates who helped us pass this bill, and I look forward to the Senate’s swift passage and the President’s signature,” he concluded.
MORE: Opposing Congressmen Become Besties When Forced on D.C. Road Trip
The bill has received unanimous bipartisan approval in the Senate twice before—and it even received over 200 endorsements from law enforcement officials and almost 300 House co-sponsors. Both times, it was blocked from reaching the floor by former Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Virginia.
Because Goodlatte is no longer serving in Congress, legislators are optimistic about the bill making it through the Senate.
Be Sure And Share The Good News With Your Friends On Social Media – File photo by Dave Parker, CC
This 82-year-old animal lover and her pet otters may be adorable, but their doting companionship has also helped protect this special species.
Daphne Neville has spent the last forty years of her life raising rescued otters so she can raise awareness for the creatures.
Rudi is her tenth pet otter, and he even goes with her to the shops—but people don’t mind because the critter always looks “cozy and happy”. Now 14 years old, the docile Asian small-clawed otter has been living with Neville since his mother abandoned him as a baby.
“With Rudi, I’ve had him since he was three weeks old. He thinks I’m his mum. I’m a part of him and he’s a part of me,” says Neville. “I’ve shown people you can have incredible bonds with these creatures.
“I wouldn’t want to be a risk to anyone. All my otters have been immaculately behaved. I wouldn’t dream of taking them out otherwise,” she added. “We do shows all over the place. People come from miles away—especially from Australia and New Zealand (because) they don’t have otters there.”
An actress by trade, Neville adopted her first otter in 1980 after a friend remarked on how her 18th-century converted water mill offered the perfect conditions for otter care.
She has also campaigned tirelessly alongside big names such as the legendary Sir David Attenborough in order to urge water companies to clean the country’s rivers.
They had become so polluted with the PCB chemical (polychlorinated biphenyl) that the wild otter was almost extinct; however, Neville’s actions prompted Michael Meacher, then environment minister under Tony Blair, to announce plans to phase out PCBs.
She says she, her husband, and three children didn’t know anything about otters. “We were just a normal family. But then we wanted to raise awareness about their future,” says Neville. “We fought so hard for their safety. Clean water is pivotal for the future of otters and all living creatures. Since then [1980], the rivers have visibly improved.”
Neville is now supporting Animal Alerts, a small device which attaches to the front of cars and emits an ultrasonic sound.
This warns creatures like rabbits, dogs, and squirrels not to cross the road as the car is approaching—and it could potentially save countless critters from oncoming traffic.
It also, like Neville, herself, can save otters—because they like to cross the road at night when they think it’s safe.
(WATCH the adorable video below)
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Quote of the Day: “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” – L. M. Montgomery
Photo: by Ian Sane – CC license on Flickr, cropped
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This installment of the Science of Kindness is reprinted with permission from Envision Kindness.
At the times in my life when I have been angry or upset, a good hug has usually been a very quick remedy for whatever was ailing me. After receiving a warm and genuine embrace from a loved one or friend, the tension in my body would melt away almost immediately—and while the problem itself may not have changed, my reaction to it had.
I have witnessed the same reaction in other people as well—and I’m guessing that you have too; but how does a hug deliver such a remarkable effect so quickly?
Touch is a powerful means of communication. By making physical connection with each other, people’s intentions are readily discernible—whether they are comforting and helpful or antagonistic and potentially harmful. In the positive, pro-social mode, hugs are one type of touch that relays the message: “I care about you. You matter.”
We require touch with other living beings in order to flourish. The importance of physical contact was painfully observed in the orphanages of Romania: children who were provided food—but not held or hugged—had significant developmental and socio-emotional delay accompanied by smaller brains.
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This means that physical contact is not only critical for how these children behaved, but for the development of the brain itself, something which has also been observed in animals subjected to social isolation.
In people subjected to less extreme circumstances, touch affects our response to everyday conflict. This group of researchers interviewed 404 adults daily for 14 days regarding their health, conflicts, how they felt emotionally (positive or negative), and whether or not they received a hug.
People who had received a hug and had an interpersonal conflict reported feeling more positive with less severe negative reactions on that day. They also showed evidence that hugging may favorably influence the rate of infection from a cold as well as symptoms.
Since hugs are a great way to relieve stress, it is not surprising that the number of hugs that a woman receives from her partner is highly related to lower blood pressure as well as higher levels of hormone known as oxytocin, colloquially labeled the “love hormone”.
Hugs, of course, are a form of touch that share the same elements as other types of physical connection, like massage and gentle, light touch.
Massage has been shown to decrease pain in a variety of conditions, especially pain associated with cancer, back pain, migraines, etc. It affects the biochemistry that mediates pain or sadness and can also lower blood pressure, reduce cortisol, improve immune responses, stimulate the vagus nerve, and change EEG (brain wave) patterns.
CHECK OUT: The Science of Kindness—Biology Proves How We Are All Connected
In pre-term (premature) babies, light massage for 15 minutes over the course of one week caused significant increase in weight gain. Complementary to the studies of Romanian orphans, it is remarkable that massage helps babies grow, perhaps by changing their metabolism.
Taken together, it is clear that being touched in a loving and caring way can not only decrease stress, but also help nourish the recipient and help them heal, recover, and grow. Physiologically, we observe activation of specific neuronal and hormonal mechanisms that decrease pain, lower blood pressure (and other markers of stress), and improve physical and mental health.
Nature gave us this remarkable ability to help and heal one another. The challenge is that social custom and fear of inappropriate contact may have decreased our interaction through touching. In a 1999 study of preschool children from Miami and Paris, Field noted that French parents affectionately touched their children much more than American parents. Associated with this tactile difference, American children showed more aggressive behavior than the French.
LOOK: Instead of ‘We Are What We Eat,’ The Science of Kindness Says ‘We Are What We See’ in Daily Life
There are creative efforts to satisfy the need to be touched. Entrepreneurial “professional cuddlers” have opened up shop, offering a variety of platonic ways to be held at pop-up events across various different locations. And, as expected, there are tech-based solutions, such as a hugging vest, a chair that hugs its occupant, as well as pillows that hug and also communicate with your smartphone.
Another complementary approach to fulfilling our physical need for connection may be encouraging people to see other people hugging or touching in a gentle way; researchers found that when people simply see images of other people hugging, they exhibited significant EEG changes. The larger brain wave changes correlated with people who had greater empathic responses to the images.
RELATED: The Science Behind Why We Need More of the ‘Secret Sauce’ of Kindness
This work is consistent with Envision Kindness’ own research on how images of kindness and compassion—many of which capture caring touch or hugging—are a proven and potent way to induce joy, love, optimism, and connection. Thus, by simply looking at these images, people can experience lower levels of stress and greater joy.
Viewing these images should be rounded out by the real thing whenever possible. So here’s a challenge for you, the reader: begin a regular practice of hugging others. Start with people you are comfortable with—friends and family. Try to give at least one each day—you don’t have to wait for National Hug Day (January 21st) to do this. And as you feel comfortable and the situation warrants it, consider extending yourself. A hug is a gift to someone else—and remember, giving to someone else is also a gift for yourself.
Interested in learning more about the science of kindness and its role in your life? Visit EnvisionKindness.org to learn more.
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Rather than issuing a ticket to a financially-strapped Wisconsin mother, this compassionate police officer surprised her family with gifts instead.
Officer Kevin Zimmerman of the Milwaukee Police Department pulled over Andrella Jackson for a registration issue with her car earlier this month. He was then cheerfully greeted by her and her two daughters—although he was dismayed to find that the little girls did not have car seats.
Unfortunately, Jackson explained that she could not afford the seats since she has been struggling to buy new winter clothing for her kids for the upcoming Milwaukee winter.
Zimmerman then visited a nearby Walmart and used his own money to buy coloring books, stickers, and two new car seats for $75.
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After paying for the purchase, he went to Jackson’s house to deliver the gifts. He even helped her install the seats and fill out the safety recall cards.
Though Zimmerman did not think very much of his gesture, Jackson later posted photos of the 36-year-old officer and her kids to Facebook as a thank you for his kindness—and it was quickly shared thousands of times.
“Now, I’m able to finish getting coats,” Jackson told WTMJ. “That saved me 70 something dollars on buying coats and hats and gloves. He’s awesome. I really love him. I really appreciate everything he did for me.”
(WATCH the news coverage below)
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The same drones used to film Hollywood movies have been repurposed for Harvard researchers to study the Amazon.
The unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), formerly used for filming blockbusters like Skyfall and The Wolf of Wall Street, have been specially adapted to withstand the heat and humidity of the largest tropical rainforest in the world.
Until recently scientists relied on towers, aircraft, and satellites to help them understand the habitat, but the data they collected was limited and biased to certain ecosystems.
The use of powerful, six-bladed “hexacopters” has enabled researchers to monitor crevices that were previously unreachable and assess how the forest is responding to climate change, deforestation, and fire.
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Scot Martin, Harvard University Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering and Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences, is a part of the team using the UAVs to collect the new data.
“Normally when people think of drones, they think taking pictures,” Martin said. “These types of UAVs, called hexacopters for their six blades, are also used in Hollywood to film movies and television shows.
“Instead of filming or taking pictures, scientists attach a one-kilogram chemical-sensing package to the front. [The package] is like an electronic nose sensing the forest.”
Throughout the Amazon, a handful of towers sit atop hills, measuring data from the nearby environment and relaying it back to scientists.
Now Harvard researchers, in collaboration with experts at Amazonas State University (UEA) in Brazil, have a way to measure the areas that the towers cannot reach.
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“If you want to understand the forest, that is where the UAV fits in. It’s the middle ground,” Martin said. “It gives us a new ability to respond to science questions.
“This study is showing what can be possible.”
The UAVs are released from the top of the old observation towers and can fly for around 17 minutes before they need to be charged.
Every plant on earth emits unique vapors, known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can fluctuate when they are exposed to stressors such as floods and droughts.
Sensors attached to the drones can monitor these VOCs, to determine how the plants’ health is adapting to such stressors as climate change and extreme weather.
“It sounds like crazy science fiction, but it’s not,” said Martin.
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Harvard currently has a grant from the National Science Foundation for a three-year research project in the rainforest, but Martin envisions his research continuing in the biodiverse Amazon for many years to come.
“Ten years from now, I will probably still be doing research there,” he said.
“I expect that drones will be used in scientists’ tool chests more and more around the world in the future.”
(WATCH the Harvard video below)
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Since the beginning of time, pizza boxes were square and the round pies inside of them were topped with meat.
Starting this week, however, Pizza Hut will introduce a limited-time test of a plant-based pizza topping served up in a round pizza box.
The test of both innovations will take place exclusively at one Pizza Hut location in Phoenix where America’s Original Pizza Company will introduce the new Garden Specialty Pizza topped with Incogmeato by MorningStar Farms Italian sausage.
“At Pizza Hut we don’t do anything halfway and improving the customer experience and delivering a better tasting pizza is our core mission,” said Marianne Radley, chief brand officer, Pizza Hut. “When we talk about feeding more possibilities we mean it—and I can’t wait to share these two new industry-changing innovations with our customers.”
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Pizza Hut partnered with Zume, a company pioneering the shift to a more sustainable future of food, to design a way to put a round pizza in a round box. Not only does the round box contain less overall packaging compared to a typical square pizza box, it’s also industrially compostable (where available) and interlocks easily to ensure a smoother delivery. In other words, no pizza insurance policy needed and freed up space in the fridge for leftovers.
Following the event in Phoenix, Pizza Hut will look at ways to roll the box out more widely in the near future.
“This revolutionary round box—the result of a two-year journey—is the most innovative packaging we’ve rolled out to date,” said Nicolas Burquier, chief customer and operations officer, Pizza Hut. “The round box was engineered to make our products taste even better—by delivering hotter, crispier pizzas. This box is a win-win—it will improve the pizza-eating experience for our customers and simplify the operating experience for our team members.”
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Additionally, this limited-time test run of the plant-based Italian sausage Garden Specialty Pizza topping will feature Incogmeato Italian sausage, onions, mushrooms and banana peppers and will be served exclusively on Pizza Hut’s large, hand-tossed crust.
Customers in the Phoenix area were encouraged to stop in at the Pizza Hut restaurant located at 3602 E. Thomas Rd to be among the first to try the limited-run Garden Specialty Pizza, served in the new round box featuring Pizza Hut’s green roof logo, on October 23rd. The new product combo was sold for $10 and was available in-store only. All proceeds raised from the sale of the round box pies during the one-day event were donated to Arizona Forward, a Phoenix-based sustainability organization.
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This little boy from Florida has won the hearts of millions of internet users after his father published a viral video of his fishing skills to social media earlier this month.
Ke’Mari Cooper was out fishing with his father Velt in Quincy, Florida when the youngster reeled in the biggest fish he has ever caught: a massive bass weighing 7 pounds and 1 ounce.
The youngster pulled off the impressive catch using a “black trick worm” lure—and he could barely contain his excitement.
After reveling in his achievement, however, Ke’Mari eagerly and earnestly released the fish back into the water.
“I hope you grow to be bigger, baby,” the boy gently tells the fish before setting it free.
Since his father published the video to social media, it has been viewed more than 14 millions times, with many fans saying that it is the most wholesome video to grace the internet this week.
(WATCH the sweet video below)
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Quote of the Day: “Loneliness is a power that we possess to give or take away.” – Jon Anderson (born 75 years ago today), from the Yes song, ‘Starship Trooper’
Photo: by Henry Burrows – 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?
A compassionate Uber driver stopped her work day solely so she could help a distressed new mother with a sick child.
Nicole Ihus’s son John Henry was born last month with a life-threatening disease called congenital diaphragmatic hernia.
Nicole and her husband, who live in Kansas City, contacted doctors from Minnesota and Missouri in hopes of finding a physician who could treat John Henry for the condition—but to no avail.
Luckily, Nicole managed to get in contact with the “best doctor in the world for this condition” at Johns Hopkins All Childrens in St. Petersburg, Florida—so she traveled all the way to the Sunshine State to give her newborn son a fighting chance.
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After John Henry was born into the capable hands of the NICU, Nicole felt overwhelmed and alone in the new state, although she knew that she had to leave her son’s side in order to buy him some new clothes.
Upon ordering an Uber ride to the nearby Rhea Lana children’s clothing store, she was picked up by a woman named Belinda.
Shortly after Nicole got into Belinda’s car, the new mother couldn’t help but vent about her heartbreaking circumstances.
“She told me her story,” Belinda told WFLA in the interview below. “She was in tears a couple of times and I really felt for her.”
Rather than simply dropping Nicole off at the store, however, Belinda parked the car and insisted on accompanying her passenger into the store so she could treat John Henry to a new wardrobe.
Needless to say, Nicole was overwhelmed with gratitude.
WATCH: How Nasty Note From a Neighbor Inspired a Community to Show the Best in Humanity
“She was like, ‘I’m going to help you buy you some clothes for your son.’ I asked her, ‘Are you serious?’ I can’t even imagine,” said Nicole. “For this stranger to go completely out of her way—stop what she was doing and stop making money—to come be with me for a couple of hours while we shopped together, that was just incredible.”
As Nicole cares for her newborn son and raises money for his medical conditions, she hopes to introduce the Uber driver to her son as a thank you for her compassionate gesture.
(WATCH the news coverage below)
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This 11th century tree tucked away in the suburbs of Liverpool has just won a 21st century prize.
Liverpool’s Allerton Oak tree—which is said to have been present in the city when the Normans conquered England in 1066—has just won England’s 2019 Tree of the Year award: a contest which has been celebrating trees for their beauty, character, and special history across Ireland and the UK since 2014.
Receiving 34% of the 11,000 votes in the contest, the Merseyside Oak defeated a sycamore growing atop a castle in Essex and “The Dragon Tree” on the Isle of Wight to claim the coveted arboreal prize. Allerton Oak will represent its home country in the 2020 European Tree of the Year contest held next year.
According to local legend, The Dragon Tree is actually the body of a fearsome dragon, slain by a knight returning to England from the Holy Land. Upon its death, the dragon’s body turned into a gnarled oak; its feet digging into the ground to become roots.
MORE: City Gives Trees Email Addresses So Folks Can Report Problems, But They Send Love Letters Instead
The Allerton Oak, on the other hand, is believed to be more than 1,000 years old—and it has played a far greater part in Liverpool’s history than simply standing still and converting CO2 to oxygen. A placard at the foot of the great tree reads “One thousand years ago, Allerton did not possess a courthouse and it is believed that the sittings of the Hundred Court were held under the spreading branches of this tree.”
In World War II, Liverpoolians who were off fighting in Europe often received acorns and leaves from the Allerton Oak as a little piece of home, and a sign of strength to protect them in battle.
In 1086, William the Conqueror requisitioned the famous Domesday Book, a large land registry, and one that has helped modern Britons snatch a glimpse of what was present on their island a thousand years before they were.
RELATED: Tree-Filled City Parks Make People as Happy as Christmas Day, Says New Study of Twitter Posts
The suburb of Allerton was mentioned in that book, and experts believe that’s a good indication the tree was there when the census was conducted.
The trunk of the beloved tree features a large crack; attributed to the explosion of a gunpowder ship on the River Mersey in 1864.
Reprinted with permission from World At Large
Plant Some Positivity By Sharing The Enlightening Story With Your Friends On Social Media – Photo by Geograph.UK
Two hundred homeless seniors in Texas will soon have a roof over their heads thanks to this nonprofit raising more than $2 million in donations.
Earlier this week, the Housing First Community Coalition (HFCC) announced that it had successfully raised the funds for its new 17-acre Towne Twin Village community that will provide housing and support services for seniors in San Antonio experiencing long-term homelessness.
The community will house 200 individuals who are 50 years or older and be the city’s first single-site Housing First – Permanent Supportive Housing property.
The Towne Twin Village community will feature apartments, 350-400 square foot tiny houses, RV park, community garden, picnic areas, art studio, pet park, pet rescue facility, chapel, and an outdoor amphitheater for movies, musical performances, and theatrical events.
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The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Annual Point-In-Time and Housing Inventory Count evidentially supports that Housing First is a proven model that has helped reduce homelessness nationwide by 13% between 2010 and 2017.
According to the Interagency Council on Homelessness, providing supportive housing opportunities to people with the most intense needs, communities spent much less on preventable costs for public programs as well as on shelters, jails, ambulances, and emergency rooms. Other benefits to the San Antonio community will include the redevelopment of a 17-acre vacant property into a beautiful community asset, employing dozens of construction workers for months, and creating multiple jobs long-term.
The Housing First model employs evidence-based practices to streamline connections to housing opportunities and to provide people with the appropriate level of services to support their long-term housing stability.
Mark Wittig, HFCC chairman, stated: “Our vision is to develop a housing community where everyone is cherished. The community will provide permanent housing and assistance to meet the needs of seniors experiencing long-term homelessness in San Antonio and develop a community that offers safety, stability, dignity, and purpose.”
In addition to housing, the community and its partners will provide concentrated support services including case management, job training, professional counseling, legal advocacy, and health care to help residents pursue personal goals and improve their quality of life. The community will include approximately 200 units (mostly efficiencies) and 25 units for peer volunteers. A low-barrier Housing First model will be used in selecting housing applicants and supporting residents. Applicants will be prioritized according to their vulnerability index (age, duration of homelessness, additional risk factors, disabilities, and high utilization of city services).
“HFCC aims to serve chronically homeless vulnerable people as they outnumber chronically homeless families by 36 to 1,” said Alice Salinas, senior program manager of San Antonio Local Initiative Support Corporation.
“Our goal is to restore dignity and to build a therapeutic community that will promote the flourishing of natural support systems through socialization and development of friendship with volunteers, neighbors, and other residents.”
Build Up Some Positivity By Sharing The Good News With Your Friends On Social Media — Photo by HFCC
When this plucky chicken found itself running rampant on the median strip of an Ohio highway, a pair of police officers went above and beyond the call of duty to keep it from getting to the other side.
Earlier this week, Officer Brad White from the Columbus Division of Police received a call about a distressed woman seen wandering around the highway.
White—along with an officer from the Ohio Department of Transportation State Farm Freeway Safety Patrol—arrived on the scene only to find that the woman was an Ohio State University veterinary student who was chasing down a rogue chicken.
The student, who was identified only as Jessie K., had been trying to keep the chicken from wandering into traffic. White and his colleague then spent the next fifteen minutes assisting Jessie by chasing the chicken around the median strip and preventing it from entering traffic.
“We are unsure how the chicken ended up in the median. Jessie advised me that she was waiting on dusk so the bird would roost and be easier to capture,” the Columbus Police Department wrote in a Facebook post.
“Jessie waited for the right opportunity and was able to make an apprehension. The chicken is now safe at her family’s farm.”
(WATCH the video below)
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Quote of the Day: “Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend.” – Theophrastus
Photo: by postscapes – 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?
With reforestation being hailed as one of the easiest natural strategies for combatting climate change, a team of Mexican conservationists are working to plant at least 5 million trees around their village.
Over 100 plantation workers from the southeast town of Constitución have been planting native saplings across the region.
Since they first began their mission in collaboration with Plant for the Planet back in 2016, the team has planted more than 500,000 trees in the area.
WATCH: Man Succeeds Where Government Fails: He Planted a Forest in the Middle of a Cold Desert
Plant for the Planet—an organization that is dedicated to planting 1 trillion trees around the world over the course of the next three decades—strategically targeted the Mexican region because trees grow four times faster than they do in central Europe.
Collectively, the organization has managed to plant 13.6 billion trees around the world since 2006—and they are now planting one more tree every 15 seconds.
Not only is the initiative helping to bring trees and greenery back to the region, it also provides work and income to the local workers.
(WATCH the FreeThink video below) – Photo by FreeThink
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Posted by Connie Johnson on Friday, October 18, 2019
Legendary horror writer Stephen King recently announced that he will be opening up his property to his fellow writers and literary scholars.
King’s home in Bangor, Maine has become something of a tourist hotspot since it served as the inspiration for the town in the “It” novel. Visitors often take photos outside of his red house and its wrought-iron gates—but now, the estate will reportedly be used to house all of his literary archives.
The Bangor City Council recently approved a re-zoning request from King and his wife to officially designate the house as a nonprofit space for the archives, which—up until now—have been kept at the University of Maine. The archives will be made available to scholars and researchers by appointment only.
Not only that, King made a Facebook post about his plans to transform the house next door to his home on 47 West Broadway into a writer’s retreat.
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“We are in the very beginning of planning the writers’ retreat at the house next door, providing housing for up to five writers in residence at a time,” says King. “The zoning change getting press coverage was the first step. We are 1 to 2 years away from an operating retreat.”
Though King and his wife do not often spend time at their Bangor home, the city council has been eager to accommodate the family’s intentions for the property.
City Councilor Ben Sprague told Rolling Stone: “The King Family has been wonderful to the City of Bangor over time and have donated literally millions of dollars to various causes in the community. Preserving his legacy here in Bangor is important for this community.”
Posted by Suzanne Burke on Friday, October 18, 2019
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Exercise enthusiasts in New York can now help veterans in need by getting a workout in a room full of playful puppies.
The Precision Pilates studio in Fayetteville, New York is now hosting “Puppy Pilates” classes for $25 so they can donate all of the proceeds to a program that trains service dogs for veterans suffering from PTSD.
The Clear Path for Veterans’ Canine Program, which is run entirely on donations, says that raising and training a service dog usually costs about $25,0000.
MORE: College is Pairing Service-Dogs-in-Training With Stressed Students Who Could Use a Furry Friend
However, service dogs have been shown to have a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of ex-military members.
Ryan Woodruff, who is a US Marine Corp veteran and director of the program, told CNN: “We have done scientific research showing that our training model significantly reduces symptoms associated with PTSD, decreases stress, increases self-compassion, and improves their overall quality of life.”
The proceeds from the pilates studio will help to train the eight puppies currently being managed by Clear Path. Since the response to the pilates classes has been overwhelmingly positive, the studio will be hosting their next class on October 27th for up to 40 participants.
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