Beyond Ugly Protests, Germans Open Hearts and Homes for Refugees

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Aug 8, 2015

Anti-refugee protests and arson attacks dominate German headlines, but countless unsung volunteers have been collecting clothing and household goods donated by Germans to distribute to some of the tens of thousands of asylum-seekers fleeing war.

Community leader Wolfgang Esser also organizes youth soccer for the children of newcomers, saying, “Sport is the best vehicle for integration.”

He told Reuters that some volunteers are teaching refugees German while others are helping them deal with the maze of German bureaucracy.

Saudi Prince to Give 10,000 Cars and Houses to Needy Families

150 civil servants have even come out of retirement to help refugees get settled and protected.

Germany has a tradition of welcoming refugees, in part, to atone for the horrors of its Nazi past. 450,000 refugees have been welcomed into the country this year alone.

(READ the full report at Reuters) Photo of Syrian Refugees by IHH Humanitarian Relief, CC

CHECK Out More Good News Headlines from the Middle East

Jon Stewart Says Goodbye to The Daily Show With A Little Help From Friends

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Good News Network

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Aug 7, 2015

After 16 years at the helm of Comedy Central’s fake news program, The Daily Show, comedian Jon Stewart signed off yesterday during a special one-hour goodbye show.

He was joined by ”senior correspondents” who had helped propel the show to number one among 18-35 year old viewers looking for satirical laughs in the midst of current events of the day. Many of these comedy correspondents have gone on to star in blockbuster movies after getting their start on the Daily Show, including Steve Carell, Josh Gad, Ed Helms (The Office, and, Hangover) and Stephan Colbert, who surprised Jon with an off-script moment (see below).

”You were infuriating good at your job,” said Colbert, who is taking over for the retiring David Letterman this year.

Jon Stewart Buys a Farm to Help Animal Victims of Cruelty

Jon’s comedy targets over the years ranged from Democrats to Republicans, CNN to Fox News, bankers to billionaires. And many of his targets, like Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Lindsey Graham and John Kerry, appeared in short clips to bid him a fond–and not so fond–farewell. The executives at Arbys fast food restaurant, which was mercilessly mocked for selling bad food, even bought commercial airtime during the show to say, “We don’t know why, but we’ll miss you, Jon.”

Time magazine said Jon Stewart changed TV political comedy by “showing folks how BS works — in politics and in the media — empowering them to spot it themselves.”

Jon Stewart’sRally to Restore Sanity Ends With Hopeful ‘Moment of Sincerity’

After Stewart made his farewell remarks at the end of the show, the New Jersey native introduced heroic blue-collar rocker Bruce Springsteen to play him off, saying, “Here it is, my moment of Zen”

In late September, The Daily Show continues with a new host, South African comedian Trevor Noah.

(WATCH some of our favorite moments from the show below)

Posing With Your Family On The Beach? Try It With Yoga

By

Ethel Baumberg

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Aug 7, 2015

With summertime in full swing, many families are hitting the beach. Instead of sitting on the beach chair all day, though, why not grab your kids and move around?

Exercising on sand is, according to one study, more effective and even better for your body than a firm surface.

So, in honor of sunny days and warm temperatures, take your fitness outdoors and feel the right kind of burn—plus, you can cool off in the water after. Below are some yoga poses that are fun and will flex your muscles.

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Airplane Pose:

Lift your leg at a 45 degree angle and point and flex your toe like a propeller (to make it more challenging, rotate your foot in a circle mimicking the propeller). While working on balance, lean side to side with your arms out like the wings of plane flying over the ocean.

Palm Trees:

When we think about the beach and ocean, our minds often drift to a vacation spot- our favorite vacation spot is Hawaii where palm trees grow. Pretend to be a palm tree by standing on one foot, bringing your right foot alongside your left calf. Bring your hands to your side and hold for five deep breaths. To make this pose more challenging, bring your arms out in a Y shape over your head. To make it even more difficult, close your eyes!

Crab:

Slowly bend your knees and put your hands behind you on the floor making a table. As your feet and hands push your body up, use your imagination and crawl around the beach pretending you’re a crab. To make this more challenging, lift one leg at a time towards the sky.

Sandcastle:

With your legs shoulder with apart, slowly bend down until your hands reach the floor. Try to keep your knees straight as you bend. Once you reach the floor, walk with your hands out in front of you.

Seagull:

Bend your leg and lift in front of you at a 90 degree angle. Flutter your arms up and down as you balance on one foot.

Sand Shark:

Hold a plank pose, tightening your core and rocking your body side to side. Lift one leg off the ground, pretending to swim along the shallow water with your fin. Switch legs to strengthen both sides of the body. To make the exercise more challenging, attempt to lift your arms up over your head, alternating between arms and legs.

Flying Turtle:

Start in a superhero pose with arms and legs lifted. By bringing our arms back so our fingertips are reaching for our toes, we’ve changed the pose to strengthen not only the core, but the shoulders and back. From here, kids are encouraged to tickle their toes, working on their flexibility. In order to effectively make this pose more powerful, we work our way back into plank pose, jumping our feet into our hands….

….and finally end with a Starfish Jump: jump up in the air with your arms and legs!

Ethel Baumberg is a fitness professional and co-founder of FLYAROO Fitness. She holds an MPH in health education and behavioral sciences and a BA in psychology with a concentration in childhood development.

(Photos by FLYAROO Fitness, and Dan Zen, CC)

Study Shows Drinking Coffee Could Cut Risk of Diabetes by Half

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Linda Hernandez

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Aug 7, 2015

Besides a jolt of caffeine to get you through your day, a long-term study shows that coffee may have additional ‘perks’…

Researchers say an inflammation-lowering effect of the beverage could be the reason coffee drinkers were 54 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes as non-coffee drinkers, as reported in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Between 2001-2002, more than 1,300 men and women in Athens, Greece, were selected to participate in the study. The random sampling included 816 ‘casual’ drinkers – consuming less than 1.5 daily cups of coffee, 385 ‘habitual’ drinkers – who drank more than 1.5 cups per day, and 239 non-coffee drinkers.

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Participants had blood tests to evaluate protein levels – which are markers of inflammation, and antioxidant levels – which indicate the body’s ability to neutralize cell-damaging “free radicals”. Ten years later, 191 people had developed diabetes. The study showed those who reported higher coffee consumption had lower likelihoods of developing the disease, even after accounting for smoking, high blood pressure, and family history of diabetes.

According to researchers, levels of serum amyloid, an inflammatory marker in the blood, pointed to a connection between coffee and diabetes. Higher consumption of the beverage went along with lower amyloid levels.

Demosthenes B. Panagiotakos, Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics at Harokopio University in Athens, Greece, told Reuters, “Oxidative stress has been shown to accelerate the dysfunction of pancreatic b-cells and antioxidants intake has been shown to decrease diabetes risk, so the antioxidant components of coffee may be beneficial, but still more research is needed toward this direction.”

(READ more at Reuters) – Photo: rockindave1

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Stranger’s Facebook Post Spurs Kindness for Widowed Dad -WATCH

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Sheila Key

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Aug 7, 2015

Last week, a father was shocked by the kindness that rained down on him, courtesy of a fellow parent and the strangers she rallied on Facebook.

Marc Sable had just lost his wife, Belinda, 28, to ovarian cancer, and as an overnight custodian was wondering how he was possibly going to provide for their two young children by himself.

Holly Lafferty knew Sable from a group, Therapy for Me, where their children receive occupational therapy. She didn’t really know the man—only that, like her, he had a child with special needs. They crossed paths at the Eden Prairie, Minnesota, clinic, and that’s where she was last month when she heard the sad news.

“OK,” Lafferty thought, “We have to do something here.”

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What she did was take to Facebook.

“Do you ever witness a moment that you can’t shake?” she wrote in a post titled “It takes a village…” Respectful of the young family’s privacy, she simply invited her friends to join her in doing “Something nice to brighten their day.”

By the time she got home, Lafferty already had donations piling on her doorstep….and they just kept coming. Eventually, the donated money, toys, food, and other goods were enough to fill an office inside the clinic.

“Wow, look at all this stuff, you guys!” Sable said to his children, when the door was opened to reveal the bounty.

(WATCH the video below from KARE-11 News)

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What Are These Seniors Doing At a Skate Park? (WATCH)

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Good News Network

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Aug 7, 2015

We all know seniors need to keep their minds and bodies active, but taking folks from an assisted living center to the local skateboard park seems a bit extreme.

It turns out Cody Kohlhagen knew what he was doing all along.

The Activities Director at Willowbrook Place headed out with his group of spunky seniors armed with lemonade and lawn chairs to partake in some inter-generational fun and schooling–with inspiration flowing back and forth– and wheels of all kinds.

The seniors in Littleton, Colorado handed out cool drinks, chatted and cheered while the youth showed off their stunts at Clement Park July 25.

These Playgrounds Designed for Seniors Help Keep Them Active, Sharp

“The skate park is unique because it evokes sensations like, vitality, youthfulness, resilience, and eagerness,” Cody told Good News Network. “Every resident was stimulated socially, intellectually, emotionally, physically, and spiritually.”

Whether they roller skated or skateboarded themselves back in the day, the seniors really pick up on the kids’ energy.

With twenty plus kids on the grounds that day, there was always someone dropping in, popping out, or just cruising around; the constant activity never lost the attention of the residents who live two miles away.

“Its good to get them out here to watch the young people and to interact with them,” said one pint-sized boarder in the KMGH-TV video below.

CHECK Out More Inspiring Stories on Aging at GNN Here

A 96-year-old resident named John said he’s learned more about the sport in one day than he ever thought he would, and his friend Gary agreed that it was something totally different—and “awesome.”

“Most of my female residents were very nervous for the kids when they ‘bailed,’ but I assured them these kids fall down quite often,” Cody added.

Finding new things to do for the more than 50 residents at Willowbrook Place is a dream job for Cody. He reads to them regularly from Good News Network and says he has really found his calling and would gladly spend the rest of his life working there.

“I always say give the residents what they want, and also give them things they didn’t know they might enjoy–shake things up from time to time.”

Shake, rattle, and roll–at whatever age–on whatever wheels you’ve got.

(WATCH the video below) Photo: KMGH Video

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Grandparents Convert House Into “Safe School” for Bullied Students

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Terry Turner

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Aug 7, 2015

At least 20 kids have recovered from years of bullying thanks to a special “safe school” founded by a pair of grandparents in the U.K..

Three years ago, Fred and Vivian Morgan turned their 10-bedroom home into a private school called Northleigh House School in Hatton, Warwick, in order to give the kids a safe place to learn and heal.

Half of the children struggle with severe depression, and all of the kids that come to them are usually so troubled from their experiences with bullying that they are unable to function at their normal school.

One of the students, who gave wrong answers in class to keep bullies from picking on him, completed the Morgan school a “straight A” student.

“When they leave here, they’re like normal happy, laughing teenagers, and they’ve caught up on their work,” Vivian told the Telegraph.

The kids, aged 11 through 16, spend a year at the school learning English, math, science, and piano, all taught by a staff of 22 part-time employees.

There’s even an Italian therapist on staff, in case the kids want to flex their bi-lingual muscles.

The Morgans ask the kids to stay in touch in case they ever need help when they return home.

(READ more at the Telegraph) Photo: LoveShareCare.com, YouTube —Story Tip from Jan

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Beyond Carrot Sticks: Serve Great Party Foods That Don’t Pack on Pounds

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Good News Network

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Aug 6, 2015

When you’re watching what you eat, party can sound like a four letter word.

Have no fear: if you’re throwing the shindig yourself—or attending someone else’s— nibbles nutritionist Tanya Zuckerbrot gave us these suggestions to keep you on a nutritious, yet yummy, track.

OUT: Crab Cakes IN: Shrimp Cocktail

Classic crab cakes are often filled with fattening fillers and are fried, making them a less than healthy appetizer option. Just one fried crab cake will cost you 290 calories and 19g fat, and that’s before the creamy dipping sauce! Instead, reach for waistline friendly shrimp cocktail.

Five large shrimp with 2 tablespoons cocktail sauce is only 45 calories and 0g fat. Shrimp is a great source of lean protein, which will help fill you up before dinner is served.

OUT: Chicken Wings IN: Chicken Strips

An order of Buffalo wings can be over 1,700 calories. Chicken wings contain a minimal amount of meat, and are mostly skin and bones. Spicy foods, though, have the added benefit of spiking thermogenesis, the heat-producing effect that raises metabolism.

To get the hot flavor (and metabolism spike) without the over-the-top amount of calories and fat, replace wings with chicken breast strips. Crisp them in the oven, and coat in a sizzling buffalo sauce.

OUT: Italian Meatballs IN: Turkey Breast Meatballs

An average serving of four meatballs can have as much as 560 calories and 42g of fat. That’s because a traditional meatball consists of fat-filled beef, or a mixture with fatty pork.

To save on calories and fat, swap out traditional meats for fat-free ground turkey breast—a recipe of which can pack around 250 calories and 4g fat. That’s almost 90% less fat!

OUT: Spinach And Artichoke Dip With Cheese, Chips In: Spinach And Artichoke Dip With Yogurt, Veggies

A typical serving of spinach and artichoke dip contains up to 1,100 calories and 100 grams of fat, which is almost a day’s worth of calories. If you want to make your own, substitute fat-free Greek yogurt for the mayo and cheese. It will retain the creamy texture while slashing more than half the calories and saturated fat.

Additionally, spinach and artichoke is commonly served with bread or tortilla and pita chips. If the option is available, cut calories by skinny-dipping. Skip the chips and instead dip with veggies like carrots, celery, or red pepper strips. Because these vegetables have a high water content, they fill you up on minimal calories.

OUT: Mayo-Filled Deviled Eggs IN: Less Devilish Eggs

Low-carb and packed with flavor, savory deviled eggs are delicious, super-portable and they fill you up. However, with the addition of mayonnaise to the egg yolk, the calories and fat are nearly doubled.

Skip the mayo and add nonfat plain Greek yogurt, diced peppers, and a little paprika for a spicy, high-protein bite. Another option is swapping the mayo for mashed avocado, a healthy Omega-3 fat that will turn the eggs green–great for Christmas, Irish, or sports-themed events. Try swapping salsa to turn the eggs red.

Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS RD, is a Registered Dietitian in private practice in Manhattan and founder of the F-Factor Diet.

Photos: Jo del Corro, Steven Depolo, Meal Makeover Moms, CC

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After Wedding, Instead of Fancy Meal Couple Serves 4000 Syrian Refugees

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Good News Network

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Aug 6, 2015

A young Turkish couple wanted to celebrate their wedding day by bringing happiness to some of the refugees who have fled Syria since the outbreak of the civil war four years ago.

Fethullah Üzümcüoğlu and Esra Polat, who married last week in a province near the Syrian border, pooled the money they got from friends and family and used it to host a party for thousands of strangers.

“I was shocked when Fethullah first told me about the idea but afterwards I was won over by it. It was such a wonderful experience. I’m happy that we had the opportunity to share our wedding meal with the people who are in real need,” Esra told i100.

SEE More Inspiring Weddings on Good News Network Here

The idea was first proposed by the groom’s father, Ali Üzümcüoğlu, who said he hopes others will follow their example and help feed their Syrian neighbors in need.

(WATCH the video below or READ more at Telegraph.UK) Photo: YouTube

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How a Divine Chocolate Company Gives Women Workers a Sweet Life in Ghana

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Sheila Key

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Aug 6, 2015

Unwrap a bar of Divine Chocolate and you’ll find…not a golden ticket, but the story of one of the company’s owners.

Peel back one more —why not? Life is short!—and the stories inside may continue to surprise you. That’s because, as the only fair-trade chocolate maker owned by a farmers cooperative, Divine Chocolate has transformed the lives of tens of thousands of growers, many of them now-powerful women.

With profits shared by its family of cocoa producers, a cooperative of farmers in Ghana called Kuapa Kokoo, which means “good cocoa,” has turned out to be a great deal for cocoa growers and their children.

In a country where women are not always given the tools they need to succeed, Kuapa Kokoo has provided a delicious array of resources to empower women workers and their families.

For instance, Kuapa Kokoo has recently started a program to distribute 100 free bamboo bicycles to children of co-op member growers. Many of the children, between the ages of 9 and 16, normally have to walk over 4 miles to school.

To keep jobs in the local economy, Kuapa Bikes and Divine Chocolate worked with Ghana Bamboo Bikes, an enterprise that trains young people to make and fix bikes, using local bamboo to construct the frames. Free workshops, ensure the bikes’ owners have the skills to maintain and fix them after miles of enduring the rough terrain of Western Ghana. (Watch a video about Bamboo Bike project here)

“As a single mother, it was very difficult for me to cater to my children, it was difficult to have three meals a day,” Mary Appiah, Kuapa Kokoo treasurer and mother of seven, told Global Envision.

Kuapa Kokoo provides their workers with social services, worker protections, a credit union, even a weekly radio show that keeps growers in remote locations (many of whom are unable to read) up-to-date on issues of critical importance in the industry.

CHECK Out More Inspiring Stories About Women Leading the Way

Through Divine Chocolate’s Women’s Cocoa Farming Training program and the Kuapa Kokoo Women’s Fund, women learn everything from reading, writing and arithmetic to small business skills and new trades—things like soap-making, batik and vegetable gardening—to supplement their income.

Praising Ghana’s leading chocolate cooperative, and its 85,000 member growers, Ms. Appiah says, “They have empowered women in our communities to become leaders, which was not always encouraged in Ghana.”

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Baby Otter Learns How to be an Otter From Expert Humans

By

Terry Turner

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Aug 6, 2015

This wee one has been enrolled in Otter School.

“Luna” was only a week old when found lost and alone on a California beach. Weighing just two pounds at the time, she was taken in by Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium, where people have been teaching her the ways of the world — an otter’s world – how to swim, how to groom, and how to eat.

How to be adorable, however, comes naturally.

As part of the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Sea Otter Program, six to eight animal care experts will give her round-the-clock attention until she’s eight months old.

“Our animal care team is teaching the pup how to be an otter,” said Tim Binder, Vice President of Animal Collections at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium.

Over the past 25 years, nearly 700 sea otters—adults and pups—have come through the program, which rescues, treats and releases injured otters; raises and releases stranded pups through a surrogacy program; provides care for sea otters that can’t return to the wild; and conducts scientific research.

Luna is on track to graduate with a diploma in ottering.

(WATCH the Reuters video below or READ more at the Washington Post) Photos: ©Shedd Aquarium/Brenna Hernandez

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Mountain Gorilla Population Bounces Back, Quadruples to 1000

By

Terry Turner

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Aug 6, 2015

mountain gorillas 2 CC Sara&Joachim — Photo by Sara & Joachim, CC

The largest population of mountain gorillas in the world has grown to four times the size of its once-dwindling number, as poaching has become virtually non-existent among the magnificent apes of Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Nearly 1,000 gorillas live in the park now, quadruple the number from 30 years ago, and a very special organization is to thank for the population boom.

Set up by governments and conservationist in 2005 to totally overhaul the failing park’s management, The Virunga Foundation battled the root causes of poaching by creating jobs and doing what governments normally do, like building new schools, businesses, and a $22 million hydroelectric project that will provide electricity and 1200 local jobs over the next three years.

WATCH: Newborn Baby Gorilla Born in Virunga Snuggles With Mama (WATCH)

The foundation also raised the salaries of honest park rangers to unprecedented levels — $200 a month, eight times the average salary in Congo – to ensure loyalty among the workers.

The changes led to a dramatic decline in poaching and since 2007, only one gorilla has been killed in the park.

The gorillas themselves have contributed to greater peace in the region, too.

The Virunga park’s bordering countries — Congo, Uganda, and Rwanda — have long mistrusted each other, but agree on one thing – the value of the gorillas and the hundreds of millions of tourism dollars brought in every year.

Working together to protect gorillas has led to cooperation on other issues that will bring peace not only to the apes but the humans in the three nations, as well.

Photo by Sara&Joachim, CC

Teens Rescue 89-yr-old Who Didn’t Know Her House Was On Fire

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Terry Turner

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Aug 6, 2015

An elderly South Carolina woman didn’t realize her house was on fire until two teenage neighbors pulled her out of the burning building.

Logan Campbell and step-brother James Brown were startled by an exploding electrical transformer in the middle of the night. When they went to check it out, they realized it had set fire to their neighbor Pearl Mabry’s house.

Coast Guardsman Swims a Mile in Dark and Rough Seas to Save Fishermen

“I’ve known her my whole life, and she’s helped my grandma raise me. I’d do anything for her,” Brown told WBTW News.

What he and Campbell did was race into the burning house.

The 89-year-old Mabry was still asleep as the building was going up in flames all around them. She said she wasn’t even sure why the were helping her out of the house until she was outside.

Firefighters Pay it Forward Big Time After Waitress With Heart of Gold Picks Up Tab

In the end, none of them were hurt, and the boys proved they would do anything for neighbor Pearl.

(WATCH the video at WBTW-TV) Photo: WBTW video

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After Finding Courage To Ask Cafes For Leftovers, She Feeds Homeless for Years

By

Terry Turner

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Aug 5, 2015

For Amy Murphy, the hardest part of feeding the homeless was working up the nerve to ask a restaurant for leftovers.

After that, finding the courage to wear a chicken hat in public every day was a piece of cake.

The people in Greensboro, North Carolina know Murphy as the chicken lady, or, “the lady in the funny hat.”

CHECK Out: Restaurant Invites Only the Homeless for 5 Nights of Dining in Baltimore

It helps her stand out in the crowd every Monday when she serves a hot meal to the homeless in town, which she’s been doing for years.

Murphy says she was out of her “comfort zone” and nervous about asking the manager at a fried chicken restaurant for unsold food when she first started.

“I’m trying to figure out how to ask him,” Murphy told WGHP news. “‘There are these people in this camp, and I wanted to see if — do you ever have any leftover chicken?’”

MORE: Homeless Man Reunited w/ Inheritance Thanks to Good Samaritan and Police

Blurting out that question got the manager onboard with her idea. She’s been picking up chicken from that restaurant ever since – and more restaurants have started donating their unsold food as well.

And with that, getting over a case of butterflies in her own stomach helped Murphy put food in hundreds of hungry ones.

(WATCH the WGHP News video) — Photo: WGHP video – Story Tip: Kelly Harrington

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UPS Cuts Greenhouse Gases with 46Mil Gallons of Renewable Diesel

By

Terry Turner

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Aug 5, 2015

United Parcel Service (UPS) has committed to buying 46 million gallons of renewable diesel made from waste oils and animal fats, delivering on its promise to cut petroleum-based fuel use by 12% in the next two years.

Renewable diesel produces up to 90% less greenhouse gas emissions than conventional diesel. That means the deal could prevent more than 51,000 tons of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere.

Japan’s Abandoned Golf Greens Find New Life As Solar Power Farms

The UPS decision comes as other companies are looking for alternatives to oil based fuel. United Airlines recently invested $30 million into a company that makes aviation biofuels and FedEx is planning to use at least three million gallons of renewable jet fuel every year starting in 2017.

(READ more at the New York Times) – Photo: frankieleon, CC

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Trophy-Hunted Lion’s Tragedy Leads to Animal Rights Triumphs

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Good News Network

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Aug 5, 2015

On July 2, Cecil, a 13-year-old male Southwest African lion, was killed in a hunting expedition in Zimbabwe.

A main attraction at the Hwange National Park, Cecil was shot with a cross bow by an American dentist who was led by a licensed local game-hunter.

Whether he believed he had the proper permit or not, people around the world were horrified and began signing a Care2 petition, which led to significant victories for animal rights groups, as well as creative tributes to the lion.

Before the petition gained traction, most people outside Zimbabwe had no idea that Cecil existed.

Within 24 hours, the black-maned cat’s death was an international news topic and the petition has since gained more than one million signatures.

“The petition demanding justice for Cecil was the fastest growing petition Care2 has ever seen in our 17 year history. It absolutely took off and this topic clearly resonated with people worldwide,” said Care2 CEO Randy Paynter.

As a result, trophy hunting was officially suspended in Cecil’s home country, Zimbabwe.

Additionally, Zimbabwe has suspended the hunting of lions, leopards and elephants in the area where Cecil was killed, until further notice, the country’s wildlife authority said Saturday.

This is What a Tiger Growl Sounds Like From Tiny Newborn Triplets (WATCH)

On Friday, U.S. Senator Bob Menendez announced that he will be introducing a bill in Congress, the Conserving Ecosystems by Ceasing the Importation of Large Animal Trophies Act (CECIL), to curb the sport killing by Americans of species that are proposed to be listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

Other good news has announced by three major airlines, who have banned the transportation of buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion, or rhino “trophies.”

American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta have all implemented this new policy, effective immediately.

Heartwarming tributes have surfaced as well, like the TY Beanie Baby company’s new Cecil the Lion, created in memory of the beloved cat.

Ty has pledged 100% of profits from the original sale to WildCRU, the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit of University of Oxford in England.

“Hopefully, this special Beanie Baby will raise awareness for animal conservation and give comfort to all saddened by the loss of Cecil,” said Ty Warner.

Also on the topic, Aaron Blaise, an animator who worked on Disney’s Lion King, created a speed paint tribute video in honor of Cecil.

“As you may be able to tell I am a HUGE animal lover and it drives me crazy when I see these beautiful creatures destroyed for no good reason,” Blaise wrote.

“In fact, I’ve decided to get personally involved and hopefully our efforts can help educate people and prevent these horrible things from happening in the future. It’s not much, but hopefully it will make people think.”

Photos: CC Vince O’Sullivan, angela7dreams.

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Skyrocketing Donations Save the First Spacesuit Worn on the Moon

By

Terry Turner

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Aug 5, 2015

When the Smithsonian Institution took the small step of launching a Kickstarter campaign to save the spacesuit Neil Armstrong wore on the first moonwalk, there was a giant leap of donations.

The museum reached its half-million dollar goal to “Reboot the Suit” in just five days — so it raised the goal to $700,000 to also restore the suit Alan Shepard wore (pictured left) on another historic mission–America’s first manned space flight.

The campaign is the largest project any museum has tried on the crowdfunding site. It is also a way for the Smithsonian to let individuals play a part in preserving a piece of history.

It turns out that spacesuits are pretty delicate — they’re breaking down from age. It’s been 46 years since Armstrong first set his boot on the moon’s surface and 54 years since Shepard’s flight.

The money will pay to repair the suits (pictured right), put them on pubic display, and preserve them for years to come. The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum’s Alison Mitchell tells Good News Network it means creating climate-controlled display cases and custom-built mannequins to support the suits.

Eventually, they’ll be the centerpiece of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum’s “Destination Moon” exhibition.

She says the donations will also pay for creating a 3-D scan “of the spacesuits, helmets and gloves and the production of an online 3-D model.”

The Smithsonian will also research the best ways to preserve the suits, create a webcast about them, and publish work on the cleaning and preservation of spacesuits.

NASA Just Emailed A Wrench To The International Space Station

While the Smithsonian gets some federal money, it doesn’t pay for all the Institution’s projects. They have always relied on donations for major restoration projects but this was the Smithsonian’s first effort at crowdfunding.

More than $620,000 given by nearly 8,000 people provided the lift-off to their Kickstarter campaign, which still has 13 days to go.

(WATCH the Kickstarter video or READ more at the Washington Post) — Photos: Smithsonian Institution; NASA

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Adorable: Bride Has 89-year-old Grandmother as One of Her Bridesmaids

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Good News Network

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Aug 5, 2015

At Christine Quinn’s Pennsylvania wedding in May, one of her bridesmaids was her 89-year-old grandmother.

Nana Betty was hesitant at first, worried that she wasn’t as “young and pretty” as the other bridesmaids—but the sassy senior happily donned the same dress as the other ladies in the bridal party–and even joined them in the party bus on the big day.

“She had the entire wedding party laughing with her words of wisdom and funny comments throughout the day,” the bride told Huffington Post. “It was amazing.”

(READ more – and see more pics – at Huffington Post)

Photo Credits: Sweetwater Portraits

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Homeless Shelter’s 80-Bed Rooftop Garden Cultivates Fresh Food and Job Skills

By

Linda Hernandez

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Aug 5, 2015

Shelter residents are harvesting organic produce to nourish themselves while growing their skills for an eventual return to the workforce.

The Metro Atlanta Task Force for the Homeless started its rooftop garden in 2009 to teach homeless people about urban farming and organic food production.

Now the gardeners harvest from 80 beds that grow various greens, vegetables and fruits. The scope of its sustainable agriculture initiative includes beekeeping, with 1,300 bees for pollination and producing honey, and collecting rainwater to irrigate the crops.

Inmates Grow Along With the Gardens They Tend Behind Bars

Shelter resident-volunteers tend to the garden as part a partnership with Truly Living Well – a training program that also distributes fresh produce to farmer’s markets and local restaurants.

In addition to harvesting food for the homeless, the program provides volunteers with training in garden planning, plant selection, food storage and a whole ‘crop’ of invaluable skills to prepare them for careers in urban farming.

(READ more at Upriser) – Photo: Metro Atlanta Task Force on Facebook

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Boxing Champ Helps 4-yo “Get Back Up” After iPad is Snatched From His Little Hands

By

Terry Turner

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Aug 5, 2015

After a four-year-old lost his iPad to a thief, he soon discovered that he had a former boxing champion in his corner.

When Howard Davis, Jr. and his wife saw the video of a boy in Tamarac, Florida, getting the gadget snatched from his hands, they decided to stop by to provide relief, and a little lesson.

Davis, who won a gold medal for boxing at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, says that when you get knocked down, you have to get right back up.

NFL Names Man of the Year Award for Good Works Off the Field

The little boy, identified only as Alejandro, is clearly elated, and once he’s old enough to understand how big a deal it is for a complete stranger, and an Olympic champion, to have helped, we’re sure that iPad will be all the more valuable….even 10 generations of new iPads later.

(READ more at the Sun Sentinel) – Photo: WTVJ video

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