All News - Page 709 of 1726 - Good News Network
Home Blog Page 709

Patton Oswalt Responds to Online Troll by Rallying Followers to Pay For the Guy’s Medical Bills

By
McKinley Corbley
-

Instead of firing back at a Twitter user who insulted him for his political comments, comedian Patton Oswalt responded with kindness.

The Twitter troll, 64-year-old Michael Beatty, has not been faring very well since he recently returned to his home in Huntsville, Alabama. He was only just released from a 2-week stay in the hospital as a result of sepsis and diabetes complications which landed him in a coma.

Additionally, the retired Vietnam veteran is only able to sustain himself on “meager retirement checks”.

RELATED: When I Was Alone at the Hospital at 4AM, a Lyft Driver Restored My Faith in Humanity

Upon returning home and finding his social media feed filled with political arguments and opposing opinions, he felt angry and frustrated.

His irritation finally came to a tee when he saw a criticizing tweet from Oswalt about President Trump. Beatty responded by calling the comedian a “sawed-off little man” and saying “I just realized why I was so happy you died in Blade Trinity!”

Beatty says that he didn’t expect the comedian to respond – and if he did, he only expected to be insulted in return.

He was stunned, however, when Oswalt made a Twitter post asking his 4.5 million followers to donate to Beatty’s GoFundMe.

Over the course of 10 days, Beatty’s page had only raised about $600 for his medical bills – but then in addition to Oswalt donating $2,000 of his own money, the comedian’s followers immediately started making their own contributions.

The page has now raised over $36,000 in just 24 hours.

Needless to say, Beatty was stunned.

“I would never have [imagined this] based on what I tweeted to him,” said Beatty, according to the Washington Post. “If anything, I expected a scathing retort or just to be ignored, but that’s not what happened.”

LOOK: Child With ‘Nothing to Give’ Sacrifices the ‘Best Part of Her Breakfast’ as Gift for Her Teacher

After exchanging some good-natured jokes with Oswalt, who just turned 50 years old on Sunday, Beatty says that the experience has completely transformed his perspective on politics and dissertation.

“Patton, you have humbled me to the point where I can barely compose my words,” wrote Beatty. “You have caused me to take pause and reflect on how harmful words from my mouth could result in such an outpouring.”

Be Sure And Share This Inspiring Story Of Compassion With Your Friends On Social Media

Being Rocked to Sleep is Good for Adults and Babies – and it Could Be a Future Cure for Insomnia

By
Good News Network
-

Being rocked to sleep not only helps adults and babies get a better night’s sleep – new research says that it also boosts their memory.

Most people are accustomed to rocking their babies in order to send them off to dreamland, but this study suggests that the rocking motion could also help adults too.

Young adults who were rocked to sleep not only experienced better sleep quality, but Swiss scientists found it also boosts memory consolidation during sleep.

The study’s volunteer participants were gently rocked from side-to-side by a specially-designed bed until they fall asleep. Not only did the rocking help them to fall asleep faster, but once asleep, they also spent more time in non-rapid eye movement sleep, slept more deeply, and woke up less.

RELATED: Got Kidney Stones? Ride a Roller Coaster, Says Study

They also had better recall memory the next morning.

The findings could lead to new treatments that don’t rely on sleeping tablets for insomniacs or even for those who suffer memory problems as they age.

“Having a good night’s sleep means falling asleep rapidly and then staying asleep during the whole night,” said biologist Laurence Bayer from the Sleep Medicine Centre of the University of Geneva.

“Our volunteers – even if they were all good sleepers – fell asleep more rapidly when rocked and had longer periods of deeper sleep associated with fewer arousals during the night.

MORE: Want to Stop Eating Junk Food? New Research Says You Should Get More Sleep

Previous research by Bayer and colleagues showed continuous rocking during a 45-minute nap helped people to fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly. In the new study, 18 healthy young adults were brought into the lab for three nights of sleep.

The first night was intended to get them used to sleeping there. The second night, they slept on a gently rocking bed. On the third night, they slept on an identical bed that wasn’t moving.

After analyzing the participants’ sleep patterns, the researchers subjected them to memory tests.

“To see if this effect also affected memory, we subjected our participants to memory tests: they had to learn pairs of words in the evening and remember them in the morning when they woke up,” said postdoctoral fellow Dr. Aurore Perraul. “And here too, rocking proved beneficial: the test results were much better after a night in motion than after a still night!”

MORE: Next Time You’re Feeling Stressed or Anxious, This Study Says You Should Play Tetris

Further studies showed that rocking affects brain oscillations during sleep.

The rocking motion caused an entrainment of specific brain oscillations of non-rapid eye movement sleep (slow oscillations and spindles). As a result, the continuous rocking motion helped to synchronize neural activity in the thalamo-cortical networks of the brain, which play an important role in both sleep and memory consolidation.

“Taken together, the present findings demonstrate that applying a rhythmic sensory stimulation, here, using a rocking bed during a whole night of sleep, promotes deep sleep and memory consolidation in healthy sleepers,” said Bayer.

Another study that was conducted on mice by researchers from the University of Lausanne was the first to explore whether rocking promotes sleep in other species.

CHECK OUT: Give Yourself a ‘Dry January’ – You’ll Sleep Better, Save Money, and Lose Weight

It used commercial reciprocating shakers to rock the cages of mice as they slept. While the best rocking frequency for mice was found to be four times faster than in people, results showed rocking reduced the time it took to fall asleep and increased sleep time in mice as it does in humans. However, the mice did not show evidence of sleeping more deeply.

Researchers had suspected the effects of rocking on sleep were tied to rhythmic stimulation of the vestibular system, the sensory system that contributes to our sense of balance and spatial orientation.

To explore this notion in the mouse, the researchers studied animals whose vestibular systems were disrupted by non-functioning otolithic organs, found in their ears.

They found that mice who lacked functional otolithic organs experienced none of the beneficial effects of rocking during sleep.

MORE: Exciting New Study Shows That Zapping the Brain ‘Acutely’ Relieves Symptoms of Depression

“Together with the companion animal study, the present human experiment thus provides new insights into the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the effects of rocking stimulations on sleep,” said Bayer. “These results may be relevant for the development of non-pharmacological therapies for patients with insomnia or mood disorders, or even for aging populations who frequently suffer from decreased deep sleep and/or from memory impairments.”

The researchers say it will be essential in future work to explore the more precise, deeper brain structures involved in the effects of rocking on sleep.

Associate Professor Dr. Paul Franken, who conducted the second study in mice, said: “The results of the current study support previous observations on the effects of rocking on sleep and provide insight to the mechanistic aspects of the phenomenon.

LOOK: Put These 5 Plants In Your Bedroom Window for a Better Night’s Sleep

“Overall, our findings strengthen the view that the vestibular system can be utilized to promote non-rapid eye movement sleep, supporting efforts toward a non-pharmacological, non-invasive approach to aid patients suffering from sleep disorders.

“Current tools, such as optogenetics, can help us decipher which structures, or even neuronal populations, receive the stimulus from the otolithic organs and transfer it further to the structures of the sleep circuitry.

“Mapping the network of communication between the two systems will provide with basic understanding, as well as novel clinical targets to cope with sleep disorders, like insomnia.”

The studies were published in the journal Current Biology.

Be Sure And Pass On This Fascinating Article To Your Friends On Social Media – Photo by Predi, CC

15-Year-old Autistic Boy Gets Lifetime Supply of Favorite Peanut Butter, Shares With Furloughed Workers

By
McKinley Corbley
-

A 15-year-old boy who managed to charm his way into earning a lifetime supply of peanut butter is now sharing his fortune with furloughed workers during the government shutdown.

Eric “Beans” McKay from Woodbridge, Virginia has autism – which means he is especially sensitive to the taste and textures of food.

He does, however, really like peanut butter; so when his mother saw that there was a sale on his favorite brand of peanut butter at Lidl, she bought 72 jars of peanut butter for 78 cents each.

RELATED: Refugee-Run Restaurant Voted ‘Nicest Place in America’ is Now Feeding Furloughed Workers Too

Delighted by his new treasure trove of peanut butter, Beans labeled each jar with a number and challenged himself to finish every single one of them. In October, Beans finally made it to the 72nd jar of peanut butter.

To celebrate his achievement, he sent a tweet to the Lidl grocery store chain jokingly telling them that it was time to have another sale.

Lidl was so impressed by the boy’s peanut butter passion, they responded to his tweet saying that if he managed to get 72,000 retweets on his original post, then they would give him a lifetime supply of peanut butter.

As a means of sustaining his nutty addiction while he collected retweets, Lidl sent him another 72 jars of peanut butter.

Social media users were more than happy to get Beans his lifetime supply of peanut butter, and after just three months, he had accumulated 76,000 retweets.

“Congrats Bean! We’re over the moon that you reached your goal,” Lidl tweeted. “The Lidl elves have just received a fresh shipment with your name on it! Could you stop by our warehouse tomorrow?”

True to their word, Beans stopped by a nearby Lidl supply facility and was gifted 5 years worth of peanut butter.

Despite peanut butter being his favorite food, Beans still knows that this is more than enough for one teenager – so he decided to share the wealth with those in need.

RELATED: 12-Year-old Boy Gives Away Thousands of Lunches to the Homeless – and He’ll Soon Have His Own Truck

Since Beans’s dad is a federal worker who is currently on furlough, he volunteered to give away his free peanut butter to government employees who have not been receiving their paychecks since the US shutdown began in December.

Furloughed workers are now being encouraged to pick up three jars of free peanut butter from the Lidl store in Dumfries – and it’s all courtesy of Beans.

(WATCH the video below)

Be Sure And Spread This Sweet Story Of Kindness With Your Friends On Social Media

“A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous.” – Ingrid Bergman

By
Good News Network
-

Quote of the Day: “A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous.” – Ingrid Bergman

Image: Casa Blanca film poster

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?

Wes Anderson’s Amusing Retelling of How His First Movie Bombed is Perfect Example of Why You Should Persevere

By
Ryan Morris
-

The Lesson: Before Wes Anderson’s movies were being nominated for Academy Award, they were bombing in local movie theaters. However, the director’s disastrous first screening is a prime example of why you should never give up in the face of failure.

Notable Excerpt: “[Regarding Bottle Rocket], I feel like I was never more confident in my life than when we made that film, and never less confident than when we screened it … I was sitting in the back row with all the movie executives and I began to see people leaving … in groups. At a certain point, I left.”

The Guest: Wes Anderson is a highly-regarded director and auteur whose unique and visually-compelling style has earned him critical acclaim from around the world. and a distinctive directorial style. His first-feature length film, Bottle Rocket, was well-liked by critics, but received very mixed reviews among general audiences. That being said, he then went on to direct such cinematic hits as Fantastic Mr. Fox, Moonrise Kingdom, and The Life Aquatic.

The Host: Noah Baumbach is an Academy Award-winning screenwriter and director. His debut feature film, Kicking and Screaming, helped to established his career rooted in both film and television.

(LISTEN to the inspiring interview below) — Photo by Diana Ringo, CC

Good Advice? SHARE It – Or Check Out More On Our Good Talks Page…

Scientists Are ‘Thrilled’ to Report That Hawaiian Coral Reefs Are Finally Stabilizing After Mass Bleaching

By
McKinley Corbley
-

Roughly four years after the worst mass bleaching event in Hawaii, scientists are “thrilled” to say that the state’s coral reefs are finally stabilizing.

According to surveys conducted by The Nature Conservancy, Hawaiian coral reefs are showing signs of growth and stabilization. The healthier reefs were generally located away from excessive exposure to human influences, but even the vulnerable cauliflower coral species that experienced 98% bleaching in 2015 has shown signs of recovery.

“Bleaching events like what occurred in 2015 can overstress a coral reef to the point where it may never recover,” said Eric Conklin, director of marine science for the organization’s Hawaii program, as reported by West Hawaii Today.

RELATED: Man Postpones Retirement to Save Reefs After He Accidentally Discovers How to Make Coral Grow 40 Times Faster

“We surveyed over 14,000 coral colonies at 20 sites along the West Hawaii coast from Kawaihae to Keauhou and were thrilled to see that many of the area’s reefs have stabilized, which is the first step toward recovery.”

The news outlet goes on to say that only 6% of state waters and 12% of nearshore waters are currently managed by the Hawaiian government — but legislators are aiming to increase nearshore protection to 30% over the course of the next eleven years.

With the help of the TNC surveys, state lawmakers hope to implement legislation that will efficiently protect reefs from stressors such as pollution runoff and commercial fishing.

It’s Not Hard To Sea That You Should Share This Good News With Your Friends On Social Media

Watch 9-Year-old Rush to Take Off His Shoes So He Can Give Them to a Homeless Boy on the Street

By
Good News Network
-

While adults are working to provide housing for the homeless, this youngster took it upon himself to give a little boy his shoes and socks.

9-year-old Cheikh Faizal was walking with his father through Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia last week when they passed a transit station that is often frequented by homeless people.

Cheikh then spotted a barefooted homeless boy sitting with his mother on the street. According to Chekih’s father Sofian, his son felt compelled to help the youngster because he looked about the same age as Cheikh.

Cheikh then ran to the boy’s side, sat down, and removed his sneakers and socks so he could personally put them on the feet of his new friend. Not only that, he gave the boy several kisses on the cheek before continuing down the street with his father.

LOOK: China’s ‘Ice Boy’ Has New Home–and New Hope–After Viral Photo Sparked Flood of Donations

Sofian was so proud of his son’s compassion, he filmed the exchange and later posted it to social media in hopes that it would inspire other people.

“My son saw the young boy without shoes and made the decision to help him,” said Sofian.
“He showed his love for everyone there, even though they are homeless. He then went home without his shoes.

“Hopefully, everybody in the world will see this positive message and we can make life better for every human being. There are many homeless people but if everybody makes a small gesture of kindness we can improve their lives.”

(WATCH the video below) — Photo by Viral Press

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

Hospital ‘Bouncer’ Nurses Are Saving Lives By Dramatically Cutting Down on Hospital Waiting Times

By
Good News Network
-

A British hospital has unveiled the nation’s first hospital “bouncer” nurses to redirect non-urgent patients away from emergency rooms — and the initiative has already reduced waiting times dramatically.

The “gatekeeper” nursing staffers are stationed at the front door before receptionists
so they can immediately assess patients when they arrive. They can then decide if they are in genuine need of urgent care — and if not, the nurses can then redirect the patients to their pharmacies or general practitioners.

The initiative at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital is aimed at cutting waiting times for overstretched emergency room departments, and it has already made a dramatic difference.

Known as “clinical streaming”, the procedure is always carried out by a trained clinician. Furthermore, it operates under the strict policy that no one is sent home, only redirected to other professionals.

RELATED: Blue Light Reduces Blood Pressure, Just as Effectively as Medication – UK Study

Streaming nurse Deborah Thompson is waiting at the door to greet patients before they even get to the receptionist so she can ask a few basic questions and tell the patient where they should go.

“It has sped up times in the A&E because the doctors and nurses aren’t seeing the minor cases,” says Thompson. “People who come here with a sore throat or a chest infection thinking that they should attend an emergency department and clearly it’s not appropriate.”

Meanwhile in other parts of the country, the pressure on emergency departments is ramping up, says The Royal College of Emergency Medicine — and senior A&E doctors are warning that hospitals are teetering on the edge of safety.

LOOK: Dunkin’ and Baskin-Robbins Pay $2 Million to Bring Hundreds of Therapy Dogs into Children’s Hospitals

Thompson added: “If we weren’t streaming, the department would be packed and there would be people sitting here for hours on end when they don’t need to be.”

Tracey Turley, another streaming assessment nurse practitioner in Bournemouth, said: “An ED streaming service is not a new concept, but it is one that the Trust has seen a great deal of benefit from.

“As an Advanced Nurse Practitioner, we are able to identify patients’ needs quickly and refer to the most appropriate service available. Providing this service ensures patient safety is paramount, and no patient will be sent away without a suitable clinical pathway.”

Leanne Aggas, who is an emergency department matron, added: “It is important to bear in mind however that A&E is not an alternative to a GP appointment. If your GP is closed, you can call 111 which will direct you to the best local service.”

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

After He Suffered From String of Bad Luck, Watch Families Open Their Hearts to Crossing Guard

By
Ryan Morris
-

Being a crossing guard can often be a thankless job — but after experiencing a string of bad luck, Wallace Peoples was recently given one of the most heartfelt gifts of all.

Peoples has worked for Sherwood Forest Elementary in Winston-Salem, North Carolina for two years, and in that short time, he has become a “superhero” to the students, parents, and staffers.

“He’s just extraordinary,” one student told WXII. “He helps all of us and keeps us safe, and we all love him.”

Last month, Peoples was unable to come into work because his car broke down. On top of that, the school community discovered that Peoples had spent Christmas Eve in the hospital. Having noticed his absence and heard about his misfortune, school parent Sloane Johnson took to Facebook to find him some help.

LOOK: When Stranger Finds Lost Wallet on Airplane, He Returns It to Owner With Even More Cash Inside

The response was immediate. “Within a span of two hours, we had $800 raised and a car donated by another parent,” Johnson remarked.

That very same week, Peoples was taken by surprise when a group of parents and students greeted him with signs, cheers, applause, and a donated SUV.  As if this wasn’t enough, they included a check for $2,500.

“…they showed me so much love,” Peoples tearfully told the news outlet. “And I don’t take it lightly…”

As he starts his new car with a smile, it’s clear that Peoples will be arriving on time for a job he loves in order to ensure the safety of those who love him too.

(WATCH the video below) — Photo by WXII

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

“I will never be an old man. To me, old age is always 15 years older than I am.” – Sir Francis Bacon

By
Good News Network
-

Quote of the Day: “I will never be an old man. To me, old age is always 15 years older than I am.” – Sir Francis Bacon

Photo: by Matt Preston, 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?

Tanzania is Finally Protecting its ‘Globally Unique’ Endangered Rainforest After 40 Years of Research

By
Good News Network
-

Conservationists are rejoicing over Tanzania’s latest announcement that they will be protecting a globally unique forest ecosystem in East Africa, following research that demonstrated it is under threat from illegal activities including tree-cutting for charcoal and the poaching of elephants and other animals.

Previous research had shown that the Magombera Forest in Tanzania could disappear by 2018 if action wasn’t taken to protect it.

A conservation program, called the Udzungwa Forest Project and the Tanzania Forest Conservation Group (TFCG) and with help from local villages, demonstrated the significance of the unique wildlife and importance of the land to the people of the region.

In 2018, the Udzungwa Forest Project and TFCG, reached their target of $1 million to protect the forest in partnership with nearby villages and the Tanzania Forest Services Agency.

RELATED: Island on the Brink of Disaster Plants Thousands of Trees and is Now a Poster Kid for Adapting to Climate Change

The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania, with financial and scientific support from the several conservation groups, will now create a 6,463-acre Magombera Nature Reserve to protect the plants and animals of the forest.

“Protection for these lands follows more than 40 years of research and consultation,” said project leader, Dr. Andy Marshall of the University of York. “When I first began work in the forest 15 years ago, it was clearly a biologically important place, but it rang with the sound of axes and machetes.

“Over the past few years we have worked with local villages to find alternative sources for wood and have even managed to reduce the frequency of wildfires, invasive vines and tree-cutting in Magombera, leading to thousands of small trees now growing back into the once almost empty forest.”

The conservation value of the forest first became known in the 1970s, but received international attention through the discovery of a new chameleon species that was spotted escaping the jaws of a snake by University of York researcher, Dr Andy Marshall, in 2009.

CHECK OUT: The Best Environmental News of 2018 — Earth Seems to be in Good Hands After All

The discovery of several new species of monkeys, trees, and chameleons was reportedly a major incentive for increased donor support and interest in protection of the forest.

“As well as the Magombera chameleon and the red colobus monkey, the region is also home to numerous other internationally threatened species of plants and animals, including the Udzungwa dwarf galago, African elephants, and hippopotamus,” said Dr. Paul Salaman, Chief Executive Officer of Rainforest Trust, one of the organizations contributing to the park’s protection.

“It is also an important place for local communities who depend on the adjacent land for rice and sugar farming.”

Without the environmental services provided by the adjacent forest, the agricultural region would become under serious threat from floods and soil erosion, making life in the surrounding villages increasing challenging.

MORE: Swiss Businessman is Contributing $1 Billion Towards Protecting 30% of the Planet

In partnership with the Udzungwa Forest Project, additional funds from Rainforest Trust are now being used to develop and implement a conservation management plan for the new reserve, which will include the ways in which tourists can visit the forest, to the benefit of the local communities, and view the colobus monkeys without disrupting any wildlife habitats.

“The Magombera Nature Reserve will break boundaries in forest conservation in Tanzania, by ensuring that tourist entrance fees will go both to local communities and to the government managing authority,” said Charles Meshack, Executive Director at TFCG.

“This is a major achievement for forest conservation that will help both wildlife and people, in a way that differs from any other reserve that I know.”

(Source: University of York)

Plant Some Positivity By Sharing The Good News With Your Friends — Photos by Dr. Andrew Marshall

Photo of Multitasking Mom At Work Drums Up Support for Other Working Mothers

By
McKinley Corbley
-

This multitasking mom has garnered a flood of appreciation and support after her boss posted a photo of her effortlessly juggling job duties with a baby girl in hand.

Melody Blackwell works at Maryland Farms Chiropractic in Brentwood, Tennessee. After enjoying three months of maternal leave with her newborn daughter Nora-Jo, she returned to work last month.

Blackwell’s boss, Dr. Elizabeth Baker, has been working with Blackwell in order to ensure that her work schedule is as flexible as possible in order to accommodate her parenting duties.

LOOK: Strangers Offer Flood of Support for White Mom Who’s ‘Clueless’ About Styling Black Daughter’s Hair

Since Blackwell primarily handles insurance billing for the clinic, she has been able to do most of her work from home — but when Baker recently walked past the young mother at her desk during one of her first days back at the office, the chiropractor was impressed by what she saw.

In a viral picture which Baker later uploaded to Facebook, Blackwell can be seen cradling her sleeping baby in one arm while simultaneously cradling a phone against her ear and taking notes with her other hand.

“She makes it look so easy,” marveled Baker.

Struck by her employee’s casual disposition, Baker snapped a photo and posted it to the clinic’s social media page where it was shared hundreds of times.

She says she published the photo in hopes of increasing awareness and support for accommodating working mothers.

“We need more small and large businesses to see this is doable and should be allowed more often! The newborn months are so short,” wrote Baker. “[Blackwell] has transitioned to working from home mostly, but comes in when we need the extra hands. She’s still breastfeeding and baby needs mama!”

MORE: Three Women Are Being Praised for Coming to the Rescue of Stressed Mother at the Airport

Blackwell says that she was delighted when her boss first proposed working remotely, as the costs of daycare can often be debilitating to a family’s finances. Baker was even the one to suggest that Blackwell could bring her daughter into work once a week in order to attend the weekly staff meetings — and far from being a nuisance, the staffers and patients have been delighted to have Nora-Jo’s sweet face in the office.

Though Blackwell understands that some workplaces are less able to accommodate children and babies, she hopes that the clinic’s positive experience with Nora-Jo will encourage other businesses to consider similar options.

“If it’s an environment where baby crying is okay,” she told Yahoo! News, “I think more small and large businesses should look more towards allowing that.”

(WATCH the video below)  — Photo by Maryland Farms Chiropractic

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

Thinking About Loved Ones is Just as Effective for Reducing Stress and Blood Pressure as Having Them in the Room

By
Good News Network
-

Next time you’re faced with a stressful situation, this new study says that you can keep your blood pressure and stress levels under control simply by thinking about your romantic partner — and it is apparently just as effective as having your partner in the same room.

A new study from the University of Arizona asked 102 participants to complete a stressful task: submerging their foot into 3 inches of cold water ranging from 38 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Researchers measured participants’ blood pressure before and after the task.

The participants, all of whom were in committed romantic relationships that had lasted longer than a month, were randomly assigned to one of three conditions when completing the task. One group had their significant other sitting quietly in the same room with them during the task; another group was instructed to think about their romantic partner as a source of support during the task; and the final group was instructed to think about their day during the task as a control.

Surprisingly, the group that was only required to think about their partner had a much lower blood pressure response to the cold water than the control group. Not only that, the group that focused on the mental image of their partner showed the same rate of decreased blood pressure as the group participants who had their partners in the same room.

RELATED: This Inspiring Couple Made It Their New Year’s Resolution to Go On 52 Dates – and They Are About to Succeed

Although previous studies have suggested that having a partner present or visualizing a partner can help manage the body’s physiological response to stress, the new study, which was led by psychology doctoral student Kyle Bourassa and published in Psychophysiology, suggests that the two things are equally effective — at least when it comes to blood pressure reactivity.

The findings may help explain, in part, why high-quality romantic relationships are consistently associated with positive health outcomes in the scientific literature, Bourassa said.

“This suggests that one way being in a romantic relationship might support people’s health is through allowing people to better cope with stress and lower levels of cardiovascular reactivity to stress across the day,” Bourassa said. “And it appears that thinking of your partner as a source of support can be just as powerful as actually having them present.”

WATCH: Customers Keep Buying Up All of Donut Shop’s Pastries So He Can Go Home Early to Be With Ailing Wife

Future studies should look at members of the general community in varying age ranges, Bourassa said.

If replicated, the findings could have implications for those facing everyday stressful situations, said Bourassa, who co-authored the study with UA psychologists David Sbarra and John Ruiz.

“Life is full of stress, and one critical way we can manage this stress is through our relationships – either with our partner directly or by calling on a mental image of that person,” Bourassa said. “There are many situations, including at work, with school exams or even during medical procedures, where we would benefit from limiting our degree of blood pressure reactivity, and these findings suggest that a relational approach to doing so can be quite powerful.”

(Source: University of Arizona)

Be Sure And Share This Sweet Piece Of Science With Your Friends On Social Media — Photo by University of Arizona

Watch Golden Retriever Lead Ambulance Through a Maze of Alleyways to Save His Owner

By
Good News Network
-

Paramedics may have had a very difficult time locating their patient if it had not been for a devoted Golden retriever who was waiting to show them the way to its owner.

The Chinese emergency crew had received a call about a garbage man who had collapsed in a residential alleyway in Yuncheng, Shanxi Province.

As their ambulance rushed through the narrow alleyways, a Golden Retriever suddenly appeared in front of the vehicle.

RELATED: Girl Who Could Die From Any Strong Smell is Saved by a Specially-Trained Dog

Instead of simply moving out of the ambulance’s path, however, it started to lead them in the direction of its collapsed owner.

Dashcam footage shows the dog anxiously looking over its shoulder several times in order to make sure the paramedics are following it before the pup picks up speed and runs through the maze of alleyways.

Thanks to the dog’s clever hand in the rescue, paramedics were able to find the man and bring him to the hospital for treatment.

(WATCH the video below) — Feature photo by Pear Video

Be Sure And Share This Pawesome Rescue Story With Your Friends On Social Media

“Forget mistakes. Forget failures. Forget everything except what you’re going to do now and do it. Today is your lucky day.” – Will Durant

By
Good News Network
-

Quote of the Day: “Forget mistakes. Forget failures. Forget everything except what you’re going to do now and do it. Today is your lucky day.” – Will Durant

Photo: Col de Joux Plane, The Alps, by will_cyclist, 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?

 

This Gymnast’s Performance Was So Flawless and Fun, She Scored a Perfect 10 – and Millions of Views

By
McKinley Corbley
-

A panel of judges gave Katelyn Ohashi a perfect score after she delivered a show-stopping gymnastics routine last week – and based on how the performance has already racked up millions of views on YouTube, it’s not hard to see why.

The 21-year-old UCLA student was awarded full marks during the college meet performance last week. Not only is Ohashi being praised for executing a flawless series of flips and tricks, she also punctuated her routine with an infectious sense of fun.

Throughout the entire routine – which included tunes from Tina Turner, Michel Jackson, and Earth, Wind & Fire – Ohashi can be seen dancing with sass, radiance, effortless self-confidence, and a contagiously stunning smile. Her fellow gymnasts can even be seen excitedly copying her moves from the edge of the stage.

The routine earned a perfect ten from the judges, which is the sixth of her college career, according to The New York Times. Additionally, the viral performance has garnered praise from California Senator Kamala Harris and Rev. Jesse Jackson on Twitter.

RELATED: Grocery Worker’s Dream Comes True When Music School Sees This Viral Video and Invites Him to Apply

The curly-haired gymnast is renowned for winning the American Cup in 2013, which involved beating future Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles.

Though injuries and body image issues deterred Ohashi from ever competing at an Olympic level, she says that she has found more peace and joy from competing alongside the UCLA Athletics team.

Ohashi says that she plans on continuing to use the toe-tapping routine throughout the NCAA championships in April.

(WATCH the jazzy performance below)

Don’t Let Your Friends Flip Past This Fun Story: Share It To Social Media

Refugee-Run Restaurant Voted ‘Nicest Place in America’ is Now Feeding Furloughed Workers Too

By
McKinley Corbley
-

This refugee-run restaurant was voted to be the Nicest Place in America last year – and its latest initiative to care for furloughed government workers only reenforces the title.

Yassin’s Falafel House in Knoxville, Tennessee has been offering free meals to federal employees who have not been receiving paychecks since the US government shut down in December.

RELATED: Instead of Dumping Rejected Food Shipments into Landfills, Truckers Are Donating Them to Local Charities

Furthermore, local community members are pitching in to cover the costs of the free meals by making donations to the restaurant.

“Government employees are our brothers and sisters and they are not going be alone during the longest shutdown and we can’t be the nicest place in America if we leave them alone,” the restaurant wrote on Facebook.

The owner of the restaurant, a Syrian refugee named Yassin Terou, has become a beloved part of the community since he migrated to the US in 2011.

For the last four years, Terou has used the restaurant as a neighborhood sanctuary for everyone, regardless of their religion, race, or politics. During a local candlelit vigil in 2017, Terou was praised for reaching out to a man who attended the gathering and spent the event yelling to the crowds about how immigrants were stealing American jobs.

Instead of reciprocating the man’s venom, however, Terou approached him and offered to buy him dinner so they could talk – and he even offered the man a job at his restaurant.

(WATCH the news coverage below) – Feature photo by Yassin’s Falafel House

Pay The Positivity Forward By Sharing The Good News To Social Media

Aldi Celebrates Record-Breaking Year By Giving UK Employees a Raise Above the Living Wage

By
McKinley Corbley
-

Aldi, the beloved international supermarket chain, reported record-breaking income for 2018 – and they are celebrating the milestone by giving their UK employees a raise.

For the first time ever, the company made over £12 billion ($15.6 billion) in income from the UK and Ireland stores.

As a means of touting the achievement, the German-based corporation is raising the hourly wages of UK workers from £8.85 to £9.10. Furthermore, they are raising the hourly wages of London workers from £10.20 to £10.55.

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

The new hourly wages outside of London are above the “real living wage” rates recommended by the Living Wage Foundation, which only continues to reenforce Aldi’s status as the UK’s best-paying supermarket.

According to iNews, Aldi’s UK store managers also make roughly double the average starting salary of a junior doctor or a newly-hired police officer.

“Our store colleagues do a fantastic job every day and the excellent service they produce to customers is a key reason why we are the UK’s fastest-growing supermarket,” said Aldi UK CEO Giles Hurley.

MORE: Massive Company That Sells Your Favorite Cookies and Crackers Cuts Ties With Palm Oil Firms That Destroy Forests

“We’re committed to being the best supermarket employer in Britain and this means rewarding our colleagues for the excellent job they do with market-leading rates of pay and opportunities to process their career at Aldi.”

Aldi currently has about 800 stores in the UK alone, and they hope to open another 65 branches over the course of the next year, which will create roughly 2,500 new jobs.

Pay This Good News Forward By Sharing It With Your Friends On Social Media – File photo by Stephen McKay, CC

56% of Americans Give Their Cars Names – 15 of the Funniest Reveal Love-Hate Relationship

By
Good News Network
-

Does your car have a name? Do you talk to it regularly or even feel guilty driving another vehicle? If so, you are not alone.

Americans see their cars as so much more than just a vehicle. A new poll finds 60 percent of drivers consider their cars to be full-fledged members of the family—nearly as many owners seal this bond by naming their four-wheeled friends.

What goes into the naming process? Results found that 42 percent get their names from a prominent feature, like the color or the sound it makes. Other name inspirations come from movies, TV shows, and songs (20 percent) or famous cars and celebrities (17 percent).

The survey of 2,000 American motorists was conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Toco Warranty, a company that wants to preserve the car-driver bond for as long as possible.

Our Favorite 15 Names:

The Bug Slayer
Earth Mover
Baby Sweet Lil’ Kayden
Cujo
Fancy Jenny
Grease Lightning
Uriah (Note: “because it was a heap”)
Kermit
Lil’ Speedz
Miss Tigglywinkle
Muscle boy
Autohoward
Optimus Punto
Professor Yaffle
Yoda

Not surprisingly, the survey also found that 40% of us regularly talk to our vehicles. For 63% of owners, car conversations are primarily encouraging the car to go faster or make it up a hill.

Half of the car owners describe their car as having a “trustworthy” personality and more than one in three say their car’s personality is “fun.” Twenty-two percent believe their car is “charming”.

But mostly, it was the vehicle’s reliability that cemented its ties with the heart of a family—that, and the long-lasting memories.

Beyond vacations, the average owner sleeps more than two nights in their car, and says they have on three occasions consummated a romantic encounter.

Guy Makes Everybody Smile When He Picks Up His Girlfriend in Themed Cars Every Single Day

Seven Years After Undergoing Experimental MS Treatment, Woman is Still Experiencing No Symptoms

By
McKinley Corbley
-

Despite spending the last 9 years living with multiple sclerosis, this Alaskan mother is no longer experiencing any symptoms of the debilitating disease thanks to an experimental new treatment.

Amanda Loy was first diagnosed with MS when she was just 27 years old. Even though she was placed on a plethora of medications and spent endless hours in the hospital undergoing different treatments, she quickly started to suffer from bladder problems and loss of motor function, which made it especially difficult for her to raise her young son.

For two years, she saw little improvement in her condition – but then she heard about how researchers at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago were conducting an international study on an experimental new stem cell therapy for MS.

The treatment works by using chemotherapy to weaken a patient’s immune system. The researchers then inject the patient with a collection of their own stem cells which then rebuild the immune system from the ground up so that it can properly fight the disease.

RELATED: Boy Thought to Be Nonverbal Can Speak After Dentist Discovers He is Simply ‘Tongue-Tied’

Loy qualified to be one of the 55 patients who received the treatment after her condition continued to deteriorate in 2012. Days after being released from the hospital, she says she noticed immediate improvement.

“It was little things. Like I didn’t have to sit down to get dressed,” Loy told KTVA. “In that first year, I feel like I had all these big improvements of my symptoms, so that one by one, I stopped taking all the medications I was on before.”

MORE: Lung Cancer Patient Given a Year to Live is in Remission Thanks to Cuban Vaccine

Seven years later, Loy no longer experiences any symptoms of the disease. She even scored a zero on the MS Disability Status Scale, which physicians use to rank the severity of the disease’s symptoms.

Additionally, the researchers have spent the last five years following up with the other study participants, and all of the patients who received the stem cell therapy are faring significantly better than those who received drug treatments.

Loy, who is now training to complete her first marathon in Anchorage, and she says she hopes that the treatment will soon offer the same kind of life-changing transformation to other MS patients, too.

(WATCH the video below) – Photo by Amanda Loy

Be Sure And Share This Exciting Story Of Transformation With Your Friends On Social Media

1...708709710...1,726Page 709 of 1,726
© Copyright 1997–2026 GNN, LLC