After Nuns and Millennials Discover They’re ‘Soul Mates’, They Work and Live Together to Change the World

By

-

Jun 16, 2019

You may not think that convents of older Catholic women and ardent millennial activists would have very much in common, but these two demographics have merged in a surprising way through this ingenious program.

Nuns and Nones is a nationwide organization that brings young people together with Catholic nuns to participate together in social causes.

The “Nones” are millennials who check “none of the above” when asked for religious preference, because they do not identify with a specific religious ethos. According to the Nones and Nuns website, this accounts for 40% of millennials in the United States, counted in the nationwide census.

Regardless of their chosen spiritual label, the Nones who have participated in the program have gleaned a life-changing amount of guidance and wisdom from the sisters. In return, the sisters have been inspired by the fresh ideas, creativity, and insight offered to them by their younger counterparts.

LOOK: When Fire Leaves 500 Muslims Without Place of Worship, Synagogue Opens Their Doors

Together, the program participants say that they have been working together to address environmental and social issues in order to mutually create a “more just, equitable, and loving world”.

“It’s so easy to get siloed into talking with people your own age and then it’s sort of exhausting because we all have the same questions because we’re all on the same stage of life and we’re all struggling,” said one of the program’s young participants. “And the second that you bring in someone from another stage of life, the room just opens up and it’s a different conversation and there are different ways to learn.”

Since its inception, more and more Nuns and Nones meetings have been organized across the country. In fact, the program recently piloted its first communal housing project between the Nones and the Sisters of Mercy from Burlingame, California. (Nuns prefer to be called “sisters” since they do not technically lead the cloistered lifestyle of nuns).

Five young millennial activists moved into the Mercy Center back in November as a means of testing a new Nuns and Nones residency program. Organizers reasoned that both parties could benefit from the living arrangements; the sisters would have additional income to help pay the steadily increasing rent while millennials could benefit from low-income housing in exchange for helping to take care of the elderly residents.

WATCH: 170 Foxes Are Rescued From Fur Farm and Given New Home at a Buddhist Monastery

That being said, several of the residents told The New York Times that they were not in it for the money. Over the course of their 6-month stay, the millennials and sisters expressed their delight over experiencing a very unique form of communal living and friendship with each other.

“I’m finding myself co-hosting conversations about the vow of chastity, on gender and sexuality, charism, etc.—with sisters and my peers,” said one of the millennial residents. “The mutual learning and growth continues to inspire and surprise, and the potential in these dialogues feels vast. For me, they are a source of deep healing.”

Tomorrow at 1pm Eastern, tune into our page for a Facebook Live from our Nuns & Nones Gathering with the Sisters of St....
Posted by Nuns and Nones on Friday, September 21, 2018

Since the pilot residency project came to an end in May, Nuns and Nones has been searching for a new group of millennial volunteers to participate in additional communal housing projects with various convents across the US.

One of the organization’s sisters described the program’s mission: “One of the critical common calls of this moment, the unmet need, is community itself. Just as foundresses responded to unmet needs in their time, so might we be called, together, to form and support new communities of belonging, working to weave our social fabric and combat the crisis of isolation and ‘othering.’”

If you would like to apply for the Nuns and Nones next residency program, you can visit the organization’s website.

(LISTEN to the enchanting interviews below) – Feature photo by Rhino Media

Be Sure And Share This Sisterly Story Of Good News With Your Friends On Social Media…

The Animal Kingdom’s Top 10 Best Dads for Father’s Day

By

Good News Network

-

Jun 16, 2019

The award for the best father in the animal kingdom goes to… the Humboldt penguin.

It’s Father’s Day today, and time to give praise to one of the hardest jobs of all – being a father—and for a Humboldt penguin, being a stay-at-home dad means around-the-clock devotion.

What makes them number one? These devoted fathers, better known as “the original stay-at-home dads,” care for their young from the moment the mother lays two eggs in a nest built by her monogamous mate using seabird excrement.

WATCH: Dad Uses Cat-Like Reflexes To Save Son From Flying Baseball Bat

The male and female penguin take turns incubating the eggs for 39 days and then work together to provide food for the chicks. In the wild, the adult penguins work in shifts that can last days and even weeks as one member of the pair feeds at sea.

Here are the nine other “devoted dads” chosen by experts at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.

Flamingos

Photo by Grahm S Jones, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

It’s common among full-time dads in the animal kingdom to take turns with the females incubating their eggs. The male flamingo sits on top of the nest mound and carefully lifts and turns the egg over and over. Once the chick hatches, the male flamingo produces “crop milk,” which is the sole source of nourishment for young flamingo chicks, and made of a secretion of the upper digestive tract.

Frogs

Frog fathers carry their tadpoles in their mouths, often refusing to eat until the tadpoles are old enough to survive on their own. Some frog and toad fathers, like the aptly titled midwife toad, are also known to embed the eggs inside their own skin, on the backs of their legs, to protect them until they hatch. Other species have special pouches to carry young until they are mature.

Gorillas

A gorilla father is a true leader. He’s responsible for finding food for his group, which can be a clan as large as three dozen gorillas. He takes care of his children’s mother, feeding her before letting his children dine with them. He is protective as he ferociously beats his chest, fending off threats by enemies. He is a peacemaker as he settles arguments that pop up among siblings.

Swans

Swans are famously monogamous with lifelong partners. From the minute the female swan lays her eggs, the male and female take turns incubating them until they hatch. Once the baby swans hatch, they sit on their dad’s back and keep warm while he looks for food.

Eastern Hellbenders

Male hellbender salamanders play a protective role even before they mate. They excavate a brood site and await a female to approach, so that the male can guide her into his burrow to deposit eggs. After the female hellbender lays her eggs, the male then guards the nest on his own for 45-75 days.

African Wild Dogs and Mexican Wolves

African Painted Dog by Grahm S Jones-Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Wild dogs and wolves live in packs that are usually dominated by a monogamous breeding pair. The hunting members of the pack return to the den where they regurgitate meat for the nursing female and pups. The entire pack is involved in the welfare of the pups with both males and females babysitting for the young and providing food for them.

Arctic Foxes

When the female Arctic fox gives birth to her pups, it is the male fox’s responsibility to be the provider of the family. He actively seeks out food and brings it back to the den, while standing guard to protect them. As the pups grow up, it is the responsibility of both the mother and father to take care of them.

Ostrich

Ostrich dads are protectors of the night. The males take turns with females to incubate their eggs— but must work the night shift due to their darker coloring. Once the eggs hatch, the males use their gigantic wings to shield their chicks not only from terrible weather, but to protect them from predators.

Burying Beetles

And finally, we learn that male burying beetles play a huge role in providing a great life for their larvae from day one. They locate a carcass and attract a mate. The female then lays her eggs near the preserved carcass. Once the eggs hatch into larvae, the parents feed their offspring by eating some of the dead flesh and regurgitating it into the larvae’s mouths. The larvae spend about a week feeding off of the carcass then crawl into the soil to pupate or develop.

According to the experts at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, these ten animals epitomize what it means to be a good father. Inspired? Pass in On…

MORE: Six “DadPreneurs” Invent Great Parenting Products to Solve Nagging Problems

Here’s What Dad Really Wants for Father’s Day (According to a New Poll)

By

Good News Network

-

Jun 15, 2019

Not sure what to get dad for Father’s Day this year? According to a new survey, you’re better off reaching for the phone, than buying a “World’s Best Dad” mug.

The new poll of 2,000 dads revealed that more than three in four dads (76 percent) prefer an experience over a physical gift for Father’s Day.

And the top gift you can give your dad this year? A simple phone call.

And, surprisingly, the survey found that 57 percent of dads actually said it’s their favorite day of the year.

WATCH: Kids Calling For Their Dads Make An ‘Awww’ Father’s Day Video

Most dads, it turns out, are easy to please. While a phone call from their kids topped the list of most desired gift, 38 percent of dads said they could really just go with some peace and quiet—and one in three just want to be able to watch whatever they want on the TV.

Pass him the remote control, for a change.

Four in ten Americans (41 percent) said they would appreciate a big juicy steak for Father’s Day this year. Taking in a ball game with the family also scored high, with 38 percent saying that sounded like the perfect treat.

WATCH: Dancing Dads in Tutus Steal the Show in Students’ Ballet Class

64 percent of dads agreed that they specifically don’t want anything that says “World’s Best Dad” on it.

Sitting down for a meal with dad this Father’s Day is apparently a very good idea, according to the research, as 79 percent of dads say they like to bond with their children over food. But if it’s a cook-out, plan on staying away from the grill, because one in three dads say that if someone is grilling, it’s gonna be them.

Another six in ten confident dads feel like there’s no better cook in the house than themselves, too, according to the survey, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Omaha Steaks.

Father’s Day is a celebration of dads—and all their classic-dad moments. Maybe one of the most loving things you can do is laugh at their “dad jokes” and cheer for them when they bust out a cheesy dance move in the living room.

TOP 10 GIFTS DADS WANT FOR FATHER’S DAY THIS YEAR

Phone call from my kid(s) 47%
A big juicy steak 41%
Peace and quiet 38%
Taking in a ball game with the family 38%
An ice cold beer or two 35%
A cheaper, practical gift (socks, tie, etc.) 35%
Glass of wine 34%
Watch whatever I want on TV 34%
Glass of whiskey 29%
A physical, expensive gift (apple watch, etc.) 29%

The Fifth Oldest Tree In The World Was Discovered In US, But It’s Not A Sequoia

By

Andy Corbley

-

Jun 15, 2019

Reprinted with permission from World At Large, a news website reporting on nature, science, health, and travel.

In a stand of bald cypress trees on a North Carolina nature preserve, scientists discovered a tree whose leaves were tasting the moist, swampy air back when Nebuchadnezzar II was busy ascending to the throne of the Neo-Babylonian Empire.

“There are surely multiple trees over 2,000-year-old trees at Black River. It’s my belief there are some approaching, if not exceeding, 3,000 years old”, says Professor David Stahle at the University of Arkansas.

Stahle headed the research team that in 2017 began to measure the ages of the cypress trees along the banks of the river near Bladen on land owned by The Nature Conservancy called Three Sisters Swamp.

“This is one of the great old-growth forests left in the world,” he said. “For trees over 2,000 (years in the swamp), there would probably be 10…20 to 30.”

Examining a sample of one great bald cypress, and applying the techniques of a discipline called dendrochronology (the study of tree rings), researchers were able to radiocarbon date the tree back 2,624 years ago, making it the fifth oldest tree in the world and the oldest in the Eastern United States.

A total of 110 trees were sampled, and several others were also found to be at least 2000 years old.

All photos courtesy of The Ancient Bald Cypress Consortium

The value of the ancient trees speaks for itself, but through dendrochronology they also act as a valuable resource in studying climate change. Their rings provide a detailed weather report going back thousands of years and can be used to help reconstruct a timeline of drought, flooding, and other climactic events.

Interestingly, Stahle began his work in the area to study climate change in the region, before discovering that he was researching a very special forest.

Tree-Ring Laboratory

David Stahle runs the Tree-Ring Laboratory, an organization dedicated to helping governments around the world identify and protect ancient forests. So far their research has taken them all across North and South America.

The TRL also works with researchers studying climate change, providing in depth analysis of tree ring samples.

The TRL has assisted in the preservation of old growth remnants in the cypress-tupelo forests of the South, the oak-hickory forests of the central United States, the blue oak and conifer woodlands of California, and the conifer forests of Mexico.

However the bald cypress project was so significant to David, that he helped lead the establishment of the Ancient Bald Cypress Consortium to help raise the awareness that David’s favorite old-growth forest is not only 10-times larger than he originally thought it was, but also contains some of the oldest trees on earth.

“The private Nature Conservancy now owns 6,400 ha (25 square-miles) in and adjacent to these old-growth floodplain forests in the Black River Preserve, but thousands of additional hectares with high quality ancient forests remain to be protected. These unprotected ancient forests and the excellent water quality of the Black River are both threatened by logging, water pollution, and development,” says David in his study.

“We don’t have many spots where we can sample tree rings to pick up variations over 2,000 years of climate,” Stahle said. “So where we can, we try to take advantage of them. Bald cypress is definitely a gold mine of climate information from the Southeast.”

“These world-class ancient forests, with beautiful black water flowing below, represent one of the great natural areas of eastern North America.”

ALSO: People Have Passively Planted Over 30 Million Trees Simply by Surfing the Web

WATCH a film documenting the work they’ve done in southwestern North Carolina…

LOVE Trees? Please Share the Story on Social Media…

After Breakthrough Trials, Alzheimer’s Vaccine That Uses the Body’s Immune System May Soon Be Tested on Humans

By

Good News Network

-

Jun 15, 2019

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive memory disorder that currently affects 43 million people worldwide.

Behind the memory impairments, there is a perfect storm of destruction in the brain, stemming in part from accumulations of a protein called tau. Normally a stabilizing structure inside of neurons, tau can accumulate in long tangles that disrupt the ability of neurons to communicate with one another.

In groundbreaking studies at the University of New Mexico, however, researchers have developed a vaccine that could prevent the formation of the tau tangles and potentially prevent the cognitive decline typically seen in Alzheimer’s patients.

According to a paper published last week in NPJ Vaccines, the team reported it had engineered a vaccine using virus-like particles (VLPs, for short) that eliminated the tau tangles in mice that had been bred to develop symptoms like those affecting human Alzheimer’s patients.

MORE: Be Sure and Floss! Researchers Say Good Dental Health ‘Substantially’ Decreases Risk of Alzheimer’s

“We’re excited by these findings, because they seem to suggest that we can use the body’s own immune system to make antibodies against these tangles, and that these antibodies actually bind and clear these tau tangles,” said Nicole Maphis, a PhD candidate in UNM’s Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program.

Maphis and her colleagues found that when the vaccine was given to mice, they developed antibodies that cleared the tau protein from their brains – and the response lasted for months.

VLPs are derived from viruses that have their genomes removed, leaving only their outer protein shell. Lacking a genome, they’re unable to reproduce, but the body’s immune system still recognizes them as foreign invaders and manufactures antibodies to neutralize the proteins attached to their surface. In this case, a portion of tau protein on the surface of the VLP triggers an immune response, leading to the elimination of the tau tangles.

When she tested the animals in a battery of maze-like tests, mice receiving the vaccination performed remarkably better than those that hadn’t. MRI scans showed that the vaccinated animals had less brain shrinkage, suggesting that the vaccine prevented neurons from dying.

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

Maphis also found significantly fewer tangles in both the cortex and the hippocampus – areas in the brain that are important for learning and memory, and which are destroyed in Alzheimer’s.

“These results confirm that targeting tau tangles using a vaccine intervention could rescue memory impairments and prevent neurons from dying,” Maphis said.

The vaccine was created with help from UNM scientists David Peabody and Bryce Chackerian. The pair helped pioneer the use of VLPs to create vaccines targeting dengue virus, hepatitis B, human papillomavirus and amyloid beta protein (which is also present in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients).

LOOK: Girl Born With Backwards Legs Walks for the First Time Thanks to ‘Miracle’ Surgery

Though moving a drug like this from bench to bedside can cost millions of dollars, the team hopes to obtain research grant funding to commercialize the vaccine in order to create an injection that could be tested in human patients within the next few years.

(This study was supported in part by an Alzheimer’s Disease Core Center grant from the National Institute on Aging to Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois) – Reprinted from the University of New Mexico

(WATCH the news coverage below or our international viewers can watch the video on the KRQE website)

Don’t Forget To Share The Groundbreaking News With Your Friends On Social Media…

Rather Than End Up in a Landfill, Non-Recyclable Glass May Soon Be a Cheaper New Ingredient in Concrete

By

Good News Network

-

Jun 15, 2019

Australian researchers have developed an exciting new technique for making concrete out of non-recyclable glass that has been turned back into sand.

The team found that ground-up glass can be used specifically to make polymer concrete, a material that uses polymers – typically resins – to replace lime-type cement as a binder for roads.

Since polymer is a particularly high-strength, water-resistant material, it is also suited for areas with heavy traffic such as service stations and airports.

Now that the team has successfully used the waste as a replacement for the industrial flooring, they believe that the process could open a whole new world for recycling glass that could not be remade into newer glass.

LOOK: This Clever Little School Has Been Requiring Students to Pay for Tuition With Plastic Waste Instead of Money

Dr. Riyadh Al-Ameri from the Deakin School of Engineering in Victoria said he is optimistic about using their research to give new life to the glass.

“This research provides the evidence the construction industry needs to see the potential of glass as a substitute for sand when making polymer concrete and, potentially, concrete,” says Al-Ameri.

“Concrete is a major construction material and sand is one of its primary components, so finding an alternative to sand makes good economic sense,” he added. “Mined sand requires washing and grading before it is added to aggregate, cement and water to make concrete.

MORE: Construction Begins On First Ever Commercial Plastics-to-Fuel Factory in the US

“We have found that substituting sand with ground recycled glass makes the polymer concrete stronger and is a sustainable use of one of the major types of recyclables in the domestic waste stream.

“Worldwide, the construction industry represents 6% of global gross domestic product, according to the World Economic Forum,” says Al-Ameri. “Any changes that reduce the cost of production will lead to significant gains across the industry, potentially on a global scale.”

Alan Travers – who is the products director for Orca Civil Products, the Melbourne-based company which had a hand in the research – said the partnership produced results that will be useful in taking the concept further to commercialization.

“The specific type of waste glass used in this project was unsuitable for recycling back into glass and the amount that is stockpiling is becoming a community problem,” said Travers. “The concept has even more appeal to us because of predicted shortages of natural, mined sands in the medium term.”

Al-Ameri now says that the next stage of their research will involve examining substitutes for the aggregate in polymer concrete, optimizing the substitution rate, assessing durability, and the commercialization of the new product.

“Worldwide, the construction industry represents six per cent of global GDP, according to the World Economic Forum,” says Al-Ameri. “Any changes that reduce the cost of production will lead to significant gains across the industry, potentially on a global scale.”

Build Up Some Positivity By Sharing The Good News With Your Friends On Social Media…

“If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.” – Kent M. Keith

Quote of the Day

By

Good News Network

-

Jun 15, 2019

Quote of the Day: “If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.” – Kent M. Keith (1 of his 10 Paradoxical Commandments)

Image: by World Economic Forum, CC license

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?

Chobani Donates $85,000 to Pay Off Student Lunch Debt of Yet Another Thankful School District

By

McKinley Corbley

-

Jun 14, 2019

Just one month after Chobani made national headlines for paying off thousands of dollars in unpaid school lunch debt, the yogurt company is repeating their good deed for yet another school district.

Chobani has just announced that they are donating $85,000 to the Twin Falls School District in Idaho as a means of paying off its outstanding cafeteria debts.

The donation will help to wipe out the debts of 900 students with unpaid cafeteria account balances over the course of the last year.

The company says that they were inspired to pay off the district’s lunch debt since Idaho also happens to be the home of Chobani’s massive yogurt facility – which is reportedly the largest yogurt factory in the world.

Twin Falls School District spokeswoman Eva Craner says that the district has racked up so much debt over the years because their schools will always give away free, healthy meals to their students regardless of their account balance.

She told CNN: “If a student gets in the lunch line and wants lunch, they’ll be fed.”

“From year to year, students often accumulate debt that the district is forced to cover and cannot spend in other ways to improve education,” Craner added in a statement. “Chobani recently learned of the debt owed in its own backyard and wanted to relieve this burden to the community.”

View this post on Instagram

Access to better food is a right, not a privilege. Together, we have the ability to see that no child in America goes hungry or is shamed if they can’t afford a school lunch. We’re stepping up, starting with the schools in Warwick, Rhode Island, to clear the slate on unpaid debt from low-income students who rely on lunch assistance programs. Are you going to help us #FillUpTheirPlate? Urge Congress to pass the Anti-Lunch Shaming Act of 2019. If you’re a business owner or leader, step up today and help tackle food insecurity across the U.S.

A post shared by Chobani (@chobani) on May 10, 2019 at 8:23am PDT

Be Sure And Pass On The Positive Story To Your Friends On Social Media – File photo by USDA, CC

Nevada Bans Discrimination Against Any Job Seekers Testing Positive for Marijuana Except in Public Safety

By

McKinley Corbley

-

Jun 14, 2019

Cannabis sativa-CC-M. Martin Vincente — Martin Vincente

Nevada has just become the first US state to ban employers from requiring pre-employment marijuana testing.

Nevada is just one of 11 states – plus Washington D.C. – that have already legalized the use of recreational marijuana, but they are now the first to pass legislation that prevents discrimination against job applicants who test positive for cannabis usage. This is still not the case in other states, however, and those in need of cannabis products without the scare of testing positive should look into CBD gummies. CBD gummies are great for pain and anxiety and don’t come with the side effect of testing positive for THC in a drug test because of CBD-isolate being used as a base instead of full spectrum CBD.
“It is unlawful for any employer in this state to fail or refuse to hire a prospective employee because the prospective employee submitted to a screening test and the results of the screening test indicate the presence of marijuana,” states the newly-signed Assembly Bill 132.

CHECK OUT: In Historic Announcement, the World Health Organization (WHO) Proposes Removing Cannabis From Most Dangerous Drug Category

That being said, the bill does not protect workers who are applying for jobs in public safety or motor vehicle transportation, such as firefighters, emergency medical technicians, commercial truck drivers, or any other position that “in the determination of the employer, could adversely affect the safety of others.”

Since Governor Steve Sisolak signed the measure last week, it is set to go into full effect on January 1st, 2020.

“As our legal cannabis industry continues to flourish, it’s important to ensure that the door of economic opportunity remains open for all Nevadans” said Sisolak in a statement. “That’s why I was proud to sign AB 132 into law, which contains common-sense exceptions for public safety and transportation professionals.”

Be Sure And Share The Groovy Good News With Your Friends On Social Media – File photo by Martin Vincente, CC

After Doctor Performed Open Chest Surgery on Roadside, Biker Survives Crash to Walk Daughter Down the Aisle

By

Good News Network

-

Jun 14, 2019

A motorcyclist was finally given the chance to thank the doctor who performed emergency open chest heart surgery on the side of the road.

Not only did the impromptu operation save the biker’s life, but it also enabled him to walk his daughter down the aisle on her wedding day.

John O’Brien was involved in the road traffic collision while he was out riding his motorbike in Delamere back in October 2018. Firefighters, paramedics and police were first to arrive on the scene followed shortly by Dr. Mark Forrest.

By this time, 47-year-old O’Brien had been skillfully anesthetized on scene by the doctors, but just prior to being loaded into the helicopter, he went into cardiac arrest and conventional resuscitation proved ineffective. As he lay in the road, things were looking hopeless, as such traumatic cardiac arrests are commonly described as un-survivable in medical circles.

LOOK: Farmer Saved Fox Cubs By Performing Emergency C-Section On Mother That Had Just Been Hit By a Car

Led by Dr. Forrest as the most senior doctor on the scene, the team of rescuers took up various roles. They pushed fluid into O’Brien through drips and his chest was de-compressed to try and get his heart re-started.

When there was no response to the treatment, the only option left was a drastic one: the doctors realized that they had to operate and open O’Brien’s chest in the middle of the road.

The team quickly tried to make everyone aware that they were about to do something rarely seen outside of a hospital operating theatre, but few would appreciate what was actually about to happen: the doctors completely opened O’Brien’s chest to expose his heart and lungs so they could perform treatment of his internal bleeding, lung injuries and to massage his heart back to life.

Incredibly within a matter of minutes, his heart was beating strongly and the bleeding had been controlled. He was quickly loaded into the air ambulance and flown to the Major Trauma Center at Aintree in Liverpool for further life-saving surgery.

The achievement was described by the rescue services as “a great demonstration of the standards of world leading emergency care now available in Cheshire, England.”

Dr. Mark Forrest is the medical director for the Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service and the founder of Internationally famous Anesthesia Trauma and Critical Care Group (ATACC) which promotes and widely delivers medical rescue training and clinical governance. He responds to 999 emergencies such as road traffic collisions on a day-to-day basis as part of his role with the rescue service.

WATCH: 19-Year-old Construction Worker Uses Crane to Rescue Over a Dozen People From Apartment Fire

He said: “I arrived at the scene and was managing another casualty when I noticed that the team was trying to resuscitate John, who had gone into cardiac arrest. Despite the huge effort by the doctors, paramedics, firefighters and police officers, nothing was working and it wasn’t looking good for him. I joined them at John’s side and, after a very quick discussion, we knew that … the only chance of saving this man was to open up his chest to manage his internal injuries and to massage his heart until it started beating. This is rarely successful, but we did want to at least try.

“John has undoubtedly played a big part in his own recuperation since then,” added Forrest. “He has obviously worked really hard to get to the level of fitness he is right now. It will have been a tough road to recovery so his determination is commendable.”

In fact, O’Brien has made such a remarkable recovery, he was able to walk his daughter Amy down the aisle for her wedding last month.

He was also able to thank everyone involved in his rescue at an evening reunion which was held at the Northwich Fire Station. Surrounded by the other doctors, firefighters, paramedics, and police, Dr. Forrest was given a commendation by the chief fire officer for his work that fateful day.

O’Brien said: “I can’t thank Dr. Forrest and everyone involved enough for helping me that day and for doing everything they could to save my life. I was lucky enough to be able to walk my daughter down the aisle recently and that’s all thanks to them.”

Save Your Friends From Negativity By Sharing The Good News To Social Media…

Scotland Added 22 Million New Trees Last Year, Carrying the UK Goal on its Green Shoulders

By

Good News Network

-

Jun 14, 2019

The Scottish government has just announced that they have surged past their national tree planting goals by planting over 22 million trees in 2018

The new trees amount to roughly 11,200 hectares (43 square miles) of new forestry added in 2018 alone, which comfortably surpasses their current goal of adding at least 10,000 hectares every year.

The Scottish forest industry is also outstripping the rest of the UK as 84% of all new planting took place in Scotland.

Welcoming the figures, Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said: “This is fantastic news that we’ve smashed the targets. It is testament to the Scottish Government making forestry a priority and investing and helping growing the industry.

LOOK: Rooftop Panels of Tiny Plants Can Cleanse Polluted Air at 100 Times the Rate of a Single Tree

“The whole tree planting effort has truly been a national endeavor with all forestry interests, both large and small, pulling together. With an increase in tree planting in the pipeline, it is now more important than ever to make sure the right trees are planted in the right places.

“In Scotland alone, around 9.5 million tonnes of CO2 each year are removed from the atmosphere by our forests – this is a clear example of why an increase in tree planting is so important in the fight against climate change,” he added.

The Forestry and Land department of the Scottish Government has directly contributed towards surpassing the planting targets with around 1,000 hectares being planted between 2018 and 2019. The remaining 10,200 hectares were planted by a range of private forestry interests.

MORE: Tree-Planting Drones Have Successfully Planted Thousands of Saplings – and They’re About to Plant More

A mixture of an improved and streamlined applications process, more promotion and better grant packages have helped boost tree planting across Scotland.

The Scottish Government, as part of their climate change commitments, has already upped the planting targets for the future to 15,000 hectares a year starting in 2024.

Scotland’s forests cover 19% of the total land mass area and the ambition contained in Scottish Government’s forestry strategy is to increase this to 21% by 2032.

CHECK OUT: NASA Happily Reports the Earth is Greener, With More Trees Than 20 Years Ago–and It’s Thanks to China, India

For perspective, the amount of woodland cover that is currently sheltering the rest of the UK stands at 8% in Northern Ireland, 15% in Wales, and only 10% in England after they failed to meet their annual tree planting goals by about 3,600 hectares.

“I’m really pleased we’ve hit our planting targets in Scotland,” said Stuart Goodall, Chief Executive of Confor, which represents the forestry and wood processing sector.

“Planting trees locks up carbon and by harvesting and replanting them sustainably, we can produce an infinitely renewable supply of wood with which to build homes and to manufacture an array of everyday products – all while also reducing carbon in the atmosphere.

MORE: Dozens of Countries Have Been Working to Plant ‘Great Green Wall’ – and It’s Holding Back Poverty

“Scotland is leading the way in the UK, with 84 per cent of all new planting happening in Scotland. Confor has worked long and hard with the Scottish Government to get to this point and I truly hope the momentum will be maintained in the coming years. We now need the rest of the UK to move beyond ramped-up rhetoric on a climate emergency and begin to take the positive action that we see in Scotland.”

Dr. Sam Gardner, deputy director at WWF Scotland added: “Woodlands will play an increasingly important role in capturing carbon and reducing Scotland’s contribution to climate change. These statistics show that Scotland can not only meet its own targets, while also making a significant contribution to the UK’s response to the climate emergency.

“We need to ramp up these efforts to meet the scale of the challenge but do so in a sustainable and integrated way, capturing carbon and delivering nature rich productive woodlands,” he added.

Plant Some Positivity By Sharing The Good News To Social Media…

Teacher Brings Clippers to School So He Can Offer Free Haircuts to Fifth Graders Before ‘Graduation’

By

McKinley Corbley

-

Jun 14, 2019

A fifth grade teacher went above and beyond the call of duty earlier this week in order to make his students feel confident as they started the next chapter of their young lives.

Robert Dunham, who is a teacher at Carver Elementary School in Richmond, Virginia, was getting ready to attend the school’s “Moving On Ceremony” when he felt compelled to grab a pair of his hair clippers before he left his house.

Every year, the school hosts the ceremony as a means of congratulating all the fifth grade students on finishing elementary school – and Dunham had an inkling that some of his students would want to spiffy up before the send-off ceremony.

“I had a gut feeling some of my boys were going to come today and they were not going to be prepared,” Dunham told WTVR in the interview below. “I remember my fifth grade Moving On Ceremony [so] something just said ‘take your clippers and put them in your bag.’

LOOK: ‘Turn your mess up into a dress up’ – Teacher Goes Viral for Proudly Turning Student Doodles into a Dress

Sure enough, Dunham’s instincts turned out to be correct. After several of his shaggy-haired students accepted his offer for a free haircut, other teachers took notice of his makeshift barbershop and sent their own students in for haircuts.

Dunham says that he learned to cut hair as a child growing up in Brooklyn because his father owned a chain of barbershops. He has also managed to hone his skills over the years by watching YouTube videos.

WATCH: Video of Teacher Goes Viral After He’s Admired For Putting Young Student’s Hair in a Ponytail

Despite how Dunham is now garnering plenty of social media praise for his labor of love, he says that he is simply happy to take care of his students.

“When I go to the barbershop, when I get a haircut, you feel good, you look good, you’ve got that confidence starting to come out of you,” he added. “I want every one of my students to be confident today. This is their special day.”

(WATCH the interview below)

Cut Out Negativity By Sharing This Sweet Story Of Kindness With Your Friends On Social Media…

“Wisdom is always an overmatch for strength.” – Coach Phil Jackson (10 years ago made history winning his 10th NBA title)

Quote of the Day

By

Good News Network

-

Jun 14, 2019

Basketball hoop — Håkan Dahlström Photography

Quote of the Day: “Wisdom is always an overmatch for strength.” – Coach Phil Jackson (10 years ago made history winning his 10th NBA title)

Image: by Håkan Dahlström, CC license via Flickr

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?

After Seeing Homeless Man Trip On Worn-Out Shoes, Policeman Hands Him the Pair Off His Own Feet

By

McKinley Corbley

-

Jun 13, 2019

A homeless man was stunned by a policeman’s kindness after the officer took off his shoes and gave them to the man as a gift.

Earlier this week, Officer Brian Zagorski of the Niles Police Department in Illinois saw the homeless man trip on the worn-out rubber soles of his shoes as he was walking down the street.

Upon approaching the man, Zagorski struck up a conversation and inquired about his circumstances.

The officer asked if the man wanted a bag of toiletries and supplies courtesy of a community assistance program offered by the police department, but the man declined.

The officer then asked what the man’s shoe size – and as fate would have it, his feet were the same size as Zagorski’s.

Without hesitating, Zagorski took off his shoes and gave them to the homeless man.

After Zagorski made sure that his new acquaintance did not require any additional form of assistance, the man happily strolled away with a new pair of sturdy shoes on his feet.

“I was happy,” Zagosrki told WGN-TV. “I made a difference, and that’s essentially what we sign up to do, is to make a difference.”

Zagorski says that he has not seen the man since the exchange took place earlier this week, but the compassionate cop plans on keeping an eye out for him in the future in case he needs help with anything else.

(WATCH the WGN-TV interview with Zagorski below)

Your Friends Would Get A Kick Out Of This Story, So Be Sure And Share It To Social Media…

Restaurant Offers Free Pizzas in Exchange for Groups Giving Up Their Phones During a Meal

By

McKinley Corbley

-

Jun 13, 2019

A California restaurant is hoping to bring friends and family members together by asking them to lock away their cell phones in exchange for a free pizza.

The Curry Pizza Company is offering the “Talk to Each Other Discount” to every group of four people or more.

The Fresno pizzeria says that they are abstaining from giving the discount to smaller groups because visitors tend to look at their phones less when they are with fewer people.

LOOK: Young Man Invites Solitary Senior to Eat With Him and Discovers She is a Widow On a Special Anniversary

Each member of a group must relinquish their cell phone and allow it to be stashed in a storage area for the duration of their visit in order to receive the discount. After they are finished with their meal, patrons can either receive a free large pizza to take home with them or they can claim their pie during their next visit.

Since the pizzeria also gives away free meals to the homeless every week, visitors can opt to donate their free pie to the hungry.

“Our goal is to get families/friends to stop using their phones while eating and talk to each other and communicate more,” the restaurant wrote in a Facebook post. “If you like, you may receive a free large (per group) on your next visit (must be at least 24 hours) or you can donate your free large pizza to the needy.”

MORE: Taco Bell Cashier Has Written Hundreds of Kind Messages on Customer Receipts to Brighten Their Days

Varinder Malhi, who is the co-owner of the restaurant, told Fox News that he got the idea for the discount after he stopped using his own cell phone at home as a means of being a good role model to his kids.

Since launching the discount program last month, Malhi says that they have given away between 40 to 50 pizzas – and he hopes that more patrons will take them up on the discount in the future.

(WATCH the promo video below)

Pie It Forward By Sharing The Good Idea With Your Friends On Social Media…

Check Out the Stunning Photos of a Rare Moment When Ice Cave is Illuminated By Setting Sun in Iceland

By

Good News Network

-

Jun 13, 2019

This is the incredibly rare moment that an ice cave can be seen glowing in the golden light of the setting sun just as it aligned with the entrance of the crevice.

The amazing images were taken at the exact minute the sun set over the entrance to the glacier in Iceland – a phenomenon that only occurs once or twice in a year.

23-year-old photographer Sarah Bethea was lucky enough to capture the moment the walls looked as if they were on fire, bathed in golden light.

“For five minutes or so, the sun lined up just right with the cave entrance, and the ice was lit up to look like amber,” says Bethea. “We were exploring an ice cave tunnel and the sun didn’t rise far above the horizon, giving a beautiful golden light throughout the short daylight hours.

“The whole phenomenon lasted perhaps five or ten minutes, and it was a total surprise,” she added. “I have seen some beautiful light conditions in ice caves at other times, but nothing quite like that.”

The caves, which are located in southern Iceland, are famed for their solitude.

Bethea, who is from Oregon, added: “I think it’s wonderful if people see my photos and are inspired to get outside and see these places for themselves, but first and foremost I hope to connect people with nature, and show them that these places are worth saving.”

Be Sure And Share The Stunning Photos With Your Friends On Social Media…

Blood Types May Soon Be Indifferent As Scientists Use Our Gut Bacteria to Make ‘Universal’ Blood Type

By

McKinley Corbley

-

Jun 13, 2019

Worrying about matching blood types may soon be a thing of the past now that scientists have developed a revolutionary technique for making a “universal” blood type.

Three-quarters of the world’s population have one of four different kinds of blood types: A, B, AB, or O. The first three blood types each carry different strains of antigens and antibodies on the surface of their blood cells which provoke different immune responses. Since certain type A blood cells provoke immune responses against type B blood cells, we have thus far been unable to mix incompatible blood types for operations and treatments without the patient suffering a dangerous autoimmune reaction.

The O blood type, on the other hand, is considered the “universal” blood type because it only contains neutral antigens that can safely interact with the antigens of other blood types.

Now in a groundbreaking new study from the University of British Columbia, researchers say they have managed to identify a bacterial enzyme that can neutralize antigens and render their immune responses harmless.

MORE: Be Sure and Floss! Researchers Say Good Dental Health ‘Substantially’ Decreases Risk of Alzheimer’s

Interestingly, the researchers discovered the bacteria inside of our own gut microbiome. Upon mixing the bacteria with a type A blood sample, the bacteria stripped the cells of their aggressive antigens and turned it into a universal type O blood sample.

“Blood transfusion is an indispensable part of the health care system, saving many thousands of lives annually,” writes Peter Rahfeld, a postdoctoral research at the university. “The blood used must be carefully matched since transfusion with mismatched blood types can lead to fatal consequences.

“However, this can be problematic in emergency situations, where there is no time for blood matching: in that case the use of universal donor blood (Type O) is essential, but supply of O Type blood is often short.

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

“By screening a library of gut microbiome enzymes using fluorogenic substrates that mimic the blood antigen carbohydrates, we identified a set of enzymes expressed by a particular bacterium, Flavonifractor plautii, that are able to cleave the A antigen very efficiently.

“Their ability to completely convert A to O of the same rhesus type at very low enzyme concentrations in whole blood will simplify their incorporation into blood transfusion practice, broadening blood supply.”

The researchers now hope that they will quickly be able to develop the procedure so that physicians can soon have virtually unlimited access to type O blood around the world.

“In the future we hope these enzymes will be widely deployed for the production of enzymatically converted universal donor blood (ECO O Type RBCs) directly after blood donation,” he added. “In addition to their use in RBC conversion we plan to test the use of these and related enzymes in the removal of antigens from other important cell surfaces and tissues. Such approaches could widen the availability of good ‘matches’ in organ and stem cell transplantations.”

The researchers published their findings in Nature Microbiology earlier this week.

Be Sure And Pass On The Positive News To Your Friends On Social Media…

Rather Than Pay $150K in Ransom, Radiohead Publishes Stolen Music and Donates Sales to Environmental Group

By

McKinley Corbley

-

Jun 13, 2019

When the members of legendary English rock group Radiohead were faced with ransom demands for their unreleased music, they used the opportunity to prove that they are anything but creeps.

According to a statement that was released by the band earlier this week, 18 hours of unreleased content were stolen from the band’s musical archive.

The hacker demanded $150,000 in ransom money for the music’s return – but rather than hail the demands of a thief, the band published the material to their Bandcamp page.

“Instead of complaining—much—or ignoring it, we’re releasing all 18 hours on Bandcamp in aid of Extinction Rebellion,” Radiohead guitarist and composer Jonny Greenwood wrote on social media. “Just for the next 18 days. So for £18, you can find out if we should have paid that ransom.”

Radiohead lead vocalist Thom Yorke also insisted that the material was “not very interesting”, but the content has apparently already garnered hundreds of buyers.

Environmental group Extinction Rebellion were quick to thank the rock group for their contribution on social media.

https://t.co/iTcF2VjYRd https://t.co/6Pao0hThbU pic.twitter.com/OepiMlEL73
— Jonny Greenwood (@JnnyG) June 11, 2019

“The climate and ecological emergency demands courage, truth-telling and generosity like never before,” wrote the organization. “We are so grateful to Radiohead for showing us how that’s done … Words are inadequate, but actions do change the world.

“From the bottom of our hearts and on behalf of the Extinction Rebellion movement – now in 59 countries from the US to India to China, with 348 groups across 248 cities and towns – we thank Radiohead for supporting us so that we can continue to build our already far reaching and powerful movement of non violent civil disobedience,” they added.

Sending a massive thank you to @JnnyG and @radiohead. To get involved in the rebellion, check out https://t.co/PzxBohj9iu. A thank you from us is here - https://t.co/u5etJqdCQA #ExtinctionRebellion #Radiohead https://t.co/QdqgADhN1L
— Extinction Rebellion 🐧 (@ExtinctionR) June 11, 2019

Don’t Let Your Friends Get The Bends: Share The Good News To Social Media…

“Treat a man as he is and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he could be and he will become what he should be.” – Goethe

Quote of the Day

By

Good News Network

-

Jun 13, 2019

guy alone on park bench-lonely-sad-cc-Blue Diamond Photography — Credit: Blue Diamond Photography (CC license)

Quote of the Day: “Treat a man as he is and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he could be and he will become what he should be.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Editor’s note: This quote was previously incorrectly attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson

Image: by Blue Diamond Photography, CC license via Flickr

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?

Frantic Trucker Miraculously Reunited With Cat Co-pilot After Posting Photo to Obscure Online Forum (GNN Podcast)

By

Good News Network

-

Jun 12, 2019

This 23-year-old trucker was sick with worry when his beloved cat co-pilot went missing – but incredibly, an obscure online forum helped to reunite them within 24 hours. Hear our Good News Guru tell the miracle story on the radio in Los Angeles—during the May 31, 2019 Ellen K. Morning Show on KOST-103.5.

SEE the video and full story on GNN…

Subscribe to our Good News podcast on iTunes, or for Android devices on Podbean.

Also, Check Out Our Little Paperback Book of Good News—Buy on Amazon or White Cloud Press!