(Photos) Meet Two Adorable Baby Otters Named ‘Monterey’ and ‘Jack’

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Apr 13, 2015

Sometimes, cheesy can be downright cute.

Just look at these adorable North American River Otters, named Monterey and Jack, born to their mother, Brie.

After the rare birth, the otter family was introduced to the world over the weekend by the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, New York.

“We haven’t had baby otters here since 1988…it’s quite rare for them to be born in captivity, so we’re thrilled about the birth,” Zoo Director Ted Fox told TODAY.

Baby_Otter-newborn_RosamondGiffordZoo — Photos by Jaime Alvarez, Rosamond Gifford Zoo

Weighing just four ounces at birth on March 8th., the kiddos aren’t expected to be opening their eyes for another four to five weeks, but guests will be able to catch a glimpse of them chowing down soon enough. When they’re old enough, the two will be added to the zoo’s regular otter exhibit.

Baby_Otters_in box-RosamondGiffordZoo — Photos by Jaime Alvarez, Rosamond Gifford Zoo

Monterey and Jack will be continuously observed as they get to know their new surroundings, as will mom, Brie, who was named for her favorite toy: a piece of cheese.

Something tells us her new pups will be way more fun to play with.

For more information on the baby otters, zoo visitation hours and admission prices go to rosamondgiffordzoo.org.

Why Does This Astronaut Have Two Dogs On His Official NASA Portrait?

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Good News Network

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Apr 13, 2015

Saturday was National Pet Day, but for astronaut Leland Devon Melvin every day is a day for pets–even the day he was scheduled to sit for his official NASA portrait. He insisted on including his two furry babies in the photo.

An engineer, athlete, and mission specialist several times over, Melvin is also a proud pup papa, and he wants the entire universe to know it.

Homebound Elderly Across America Will Get The Gift of Puppy Love

Melvin played for the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys before an injury led him to change career paths. He then went partially deaf after an underwater training exercise, but pushed on to fly missions on the Space Shuttle Atlantis. Later he became head of NASA education, and served as co-chair of the White House Education Task Force.

While all of these accomplishments are astronomically amazing, being a dad to dogs Jake and Scout, seems to be at the top of the list.

Does this mean they’re officially stars? Affirmative.

Over and out.

What We Can Learn From James Bond About Living a Meaningful Life (007 Tips)

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Nico Rose

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Apr 13, 2015

62 years ago today, the first James Bond novel, Casino Royale, was published on April 13, 1953. The English author, Ian Fleming, was a journalist and naval intelligence officer, who started writing the book at his Goldeneye home in Jamaica. “I wanted Bond to be an extremely dull, uninteresting man to whom things happened,” he told the New Yorker. But his 12 Bond novels and two short-story collections are anything but dull.

James Bond films are boisterous, testosterone-laden fantasies, but the most famous of secret agents can teach us a lot about a live well-lived. And I am not (necessarily) talking about the best way to serve a Martini. Here are 007 pieces of wisdom that can be distilled from 62 years of suave and savvy Bond culture:

1. Don’t get irritated

James Bond is always “cool” – at least, that’s the impression he makes on others. He focuses on the situation at hand and the overarching goal of his mission and never gets sidetracked, except for the occasional tête-à-tête – but even those often serve a purpose, e.g., annoying one of the evil dudes. At the end of the day, this is a lesson about mindfulness – which has shown to be associated with positive outcomes in several important life domains, including mental health, physical health, behavioral regulation, and interpersonal relationships.

2. Take immediate Action

007 is not much of a planner. He makes up his mind and improvises a lot of his moves on the spot, relying on his wits and physical abilities. He knows that the life as a super-agent is full of surprises and events that one cannot really prepare for. Therefore, he sticks to a few big goals and decides on the next-best move “then and there.” The ability to cope with uncertainty and unforeseen events is a critical element of resilience.

3. Show Self Respect

James Bond never questions his abilities, he never falters or hesitates. While a real-life person cannot (and maybe shouldn’t) be equipped with an equally high level of self-confidence, this is probably a lesson about self-efficacy, the “power of believing you can.” Self-efficacy is the scientific version of Henry Ford’s aphorism: “Whether you think that you can, or that you can’t, you are usually right.” By believing that we can reach a certain goal, we are increasing the likelihood of actually getting there. This has been extensively demonstrated in the area of work, education, and sports.

4. Always Carry a Secret Weapon

When in desperate straits, 007 always has one more trick up his sleeve, usually a tiny gadget given to him by the armorer “Q”. Seen through the lens of Positive Psychology, this part refers to the very unique set of signature strengths that we all possess – and that we should rely on when to going gets tough, since using our personal strengths is associated with a higher likelihood of reaching our goals. Additionally, this point shows that other people matter. Even a lone wolf like Bond needs other people’s support at times.

5. Act with Style – And Simplicity

James Bond portrays a unique style, and understands that style is mostly about simplicity. He’s always dressed and groomed extremely well – which means he sticks to time-tested essentials. The suits, the hairdo, the watches all seem to say “Don’t get carried away by fashion, or unnecessary details. No frills.” This is also a lesson on efficiency. Barry Schwartz calls it the Tyranny of Choice. Bond knows that sticking to certain defaults is one of the most intelligent ways to avoid unnecessary decision-making – thereby saving up mental capacity for more precarious moments in life than choosing what to wear for dinner.

6. The true significance of your current Mission will become clear later, in the Bahamas

This point has a lot to do with the “connecting the dots,” which was part of Steve Jobs’ Stanford Commencement speech. Life can only be lived “forward,” but the sense-making happens when looking backward. Hence, we have to embark on the journey without necessarily knowing where it will end –or what it all means. We have to get moving, anyway. Otherwise, we won’t even make it to the Bahamas. This resembles the process of how entrepreneurs are finding ideas for their next start-up: they acquire knowledge in different areas of life and only later on start to recognize relationships or patterns in those seemingly unrelated events or trends in the external world.

7. You are in Her Majesty’s Secret Service

This is the most important principle, though it may not seem straightforward. Even though James Bond seems like a cynical, ruthless, and at times even nihilistic person, he’s definitely not. He is an agent in Her Majesty’s Secret Service, fighting for the safety of his country and “the free world” in general. He is not in it for himself. James Bond clearly has a higher purpose and acts according to certain unshakable values. Research has shown that people who perceive their life as having a strong purpose are more focused, resilient, and inventive in pursuing their goals. As such, having a strong purpose is the foundation for all the above-mentioned principles.

(SHARE this Bond Wisdom with your friends below)

___________________________

Although I wish I would have done so, I didn’t come up with this stuff myself. I first heard about the “James Bond Philosophy of Life” at the University of Pennsylvania shortly before Christmas 2013 from the magnificent Esa Saarinen, a “star” philosopher from Finland.

Nico Rose is a psychologist with a doctoral degree in business administration. He’s Head of Employer Branding at Bertelsmann. Since 2008 he has been a management coach at Excellis and in 2010, was awarded with the German “Coaching Award”. Nico has authored articles, appeared in German newspapers and magazines, and is a regular keynote speaker at human resource conferences. In 2012, his latest book “Lizenz zur Zufriedenheit – Positive Psychologie in der Praxis” (License for Satisfaction: Positive Psychology in Practice) was published. He lives in Hamm, Germany with his wife and a son and blogs about Positive Psychology at www.mappalicious.com.

Photo credits: (top) ClaraDon (middle) bionicteaching

Artist Adds Human Faces to Scary Ebola Protective Suits

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Good News Network

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Apr 13, 2015

Los Angeles artist Mary Beth Heffernan is the rare person who decided to actually try to solve a problem half way around the world.

Last summer, Heffernan, who is also an art professor at Occidental College, became obsessed with the images of Ebola health care workers in those white ghost-like protective suits.

She wondered, ‘Why don’t they put photos on the outside of the suit showing the health care workers wearing big smiles?’

And then she thought, Maybe I am the one that is suppose to do this.

(WATCH the video below or READ the story from NPR) – Photo by Marc Campos courtesy of Occidental College

Sheriffs Pack Patrol Cars With Little Orange Boxes of Sunshine

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Good News Network

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Apr 12, 2015

In Minnesota, Hennepin County sheriff’s deputies are patrolling downtown Minneapolis carrying boxes filled with granola bars and other nutritious goodies to hand out to anyone in need on the streets.

The deputies’ cars are being filled by the nonprofit group, Matter, which wants to get healthy food to people who aren’t going to food banks. The faith-based charity launched in 2000 partnered with food giant, Cargill, during March Madness week to raise $46,000 for the 2nd annual “Food Madness” day, where volunteers packed 23,000 meal boxes.

Patrol vehicles will be loaded with the bright orange cartons that Sheriff Rich Stanek says will help officers to immediately help people they come into contact with.

(READ more from Minnesota Public Radio) – Photo via Matter’s FB Page

After 2-Year Campaign, Lowe’s Falls in Line With Bee-Lovers

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Good News Network

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Apr 12, 2015

Environmentalists are praising the Lowe’s hardware chain for making a commitment to eliminate neonicotinoid pesticides –a leading contributor to global bee declines – from its stores.

Following a two-year public campaign urging Lowe’s and other garden retailers to take action, the company announced Thursday it will phase out neonicotinoids as suitable alternatives become available.

“Following studies that say many factors, including neonicotinoid pesticides, could potentially damage the health of pollinators, Lowe’s has committed to take several steps to support pollinator health,” says the company’s new Corporate Social Responsibility Report.

Honey on Tap Directly From Your Beehive Without Disturbing Bees

Lowe’s also promises to offer greater non-neonic product and organic selections and work with growers to eliminate the use of neonic pesticides on bee-attractive plants. The company also says it will try to educate customers about pollinator health.

Friends of the Earth and its allies led the campaign that urged Lowe’s and others to drop neonicotinoids and neonic pesticides from their shelves. More than one million people signed petitions and thousands of activists delivered letters directly to Lowe’s stores in cities across the U.S. and Canada asking for this change.

A study released by Friends of the Earth and Pesticide Research Institute, Gardeners Beware 2014, showed that 51 percent of garden plants purchased at Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Walmart in 18 cities in the US and Canada contained the pesticides at levels that could harm or even kill bees. In the past year, more than twenty nurseries, landscaping companies and retailers—including Home Depot, Whole Foods and BJ’s Wholesale Club have taken steps to eliminate bee-killing pesticides from their stores. The UK’s top garden retailers including Homebase, B&Q and Wickes, have also stopped selling neonicotinoids.

“We are pleased Lowe’s is listening to consumer concerns and to the growing body of science telling us we need to move away from bee-toxic pesticides by taking steps to be part of the solution to the bee crisis,” said a director at Friends of the Earth. “Bees are canaries in the coalmine for our food system and everyone, including the business community, must act fast to protect them.”

America’s Largest Grocer Rolls Back Organic Food Prices

The European Commission in 2013 banned the use of three neonicotinoids on flowering plants after the European Food Safety Authority found that exposure to the chemicals created “high acute risks” to bees.

Meanwhile, the US Environmental Protection Agency is reviewing their use after President Obama last year established a national Pollinator Health Task Force to study the causes of colony collapse disorder. Pesticides, varroa mites, viruses, and fungi all appear to contributors to the widespread death of bees. Until the study is completed, the EPA said last week, it was unlikely to approve new uses for the class of pesticides.

Other governments aren’t waiting for definitive studies. Last week, the City Council of Portland unanimously approved a ban on the use of neonicotinoid insecticides on city-owned property effective immediately.

(Photo: Wikipedia)

Woman Feigns Injury to Rescue Scared, Starving Dog

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Good News Network

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Apr 12, 2015

As soon as they found out that an emaciated dog was roaming in the woods of Evans Creek, Amanda Guarascio and Dylan Parkison were on the case.

For months, random hikers had reportedly been throwing the dog food to help keep him alive, but could never get close enough to capture him.

Amanda, who is president of Lost & Founds Pets WA State, spent the entire day trying everything she could think of to lure the dog to a lead, from tempting him with bologna and hot dogs to laying in the fetal position and faking injury, risking an attack from the unknown dog now known as “Baby Bear.”

Though he sometimes growled, Baby Bear was as much of a gentle giant as Guarascio hoped he would be. He eventually allowed her to cuddle up against him for warmth. She chronicled the moment on Facebook:

“I got down on the ground with my back to the pup. . . and slowly started crawling backwards towards where he was laying.”

“Once he started to get uncomfortable, I curled up in a ball and stopped moving. The next hour was spent slowly inching closer and closer to Bear.

“By now, Dylan had pulled back up across the road to watch us, and was also warning cars that her insane girlfriend was laying on the side of the road and not to hit me (please).”

“Finally, I got right up next to Bear. He growled a little bit, so I started whimpering and yawning (which is a calming signal), and continued to slowly get closer and closer until I was rested up against the sweet little Baby Bear! (At one point, he got up to try to find us shelter because he saw me as a pathetic human girl that had no survival skills, he sort of took me under his wing!)”

Before Dylan could approach to slip a lead on Baby Bear, a truck came and scared the pooch away.

Strangers Rally for Dog in Colorado Rescue at 14,000 Feet

The two women, from Enumclaw, Washington returned later that night and found Baby Bear in exactly the same spot. It was then that they were finally able to slip on the lead.

“The slip lead part got interesting, as I was so tired and it was really dark so I couldn’t see what I was doing,” Guarascio continued on Facebook. “I ended up resting the slip lead on his snout, and accidentally put my fingers in his mouth and nose. He wasn’t amused, but he allowed it!”

He then decided walking was no longer an option, so Guarascio carried the big pup down the mountain, into Parkinson’s truck, and over to a vet’s office.

Baby Bear, who is believed to have been separated from his family, is currently being treated for some bumps, bruises, and mild skin infections. He should be good as new in no time, and if his family isn’t found, the folks at Useless Bay Sanctuary, in Seahurst, Washington will make sure he finds a new forever home.

SHARING is Caring (do that below)…

And the Happiest City in the United States is…

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Good News Network

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Apr 12, 2015

Which big cities in America have the most people who are thriving?

According to the 2014 Well-Being Index, Sarasota, Florida is probably the happiest metro area in the country.

Renown for its sandy beaches, the community is characterized by residents with particularly good health, low financial stress and supportive relationships in their lives.

Of the largest 100 cities in the U.S. polled by Gallup-Healthways, the top five with the greatest well-being also includes Honolulu, Hawaii; Raleigh, North Carolina; Thousand Oaks-Ventura, California; and El Paso, Texas.

The report is based on responses from more than 176,000 randomly-selected adults across 50 states and the District of Columbia. The survey included questions about what people like to do and if they achieve their goals– and if they like where they live and feel safe.

Of the top ten best cities to live in, two were in Texas, two were in California and two in North Carolina.

Here are the top 10 cities on the list:

Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida
Honolulu, Hawaii
Raleigh, North Carolina
Thousand Oaks-Ventura, California
El Paso, Texas
Austin, Texas
Provo, Utah
San Jose-Santa Clara, California
Washington, DC and Northern Virginia
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

People in these cities exercised more often, were more healthy, and less obese.

You can see all the findings in the report, released last week, including the bottom ten cities, which reported the least amount of well-being– five of which were in Ohio.

SHARE the Good News (below) / Photo of Saratoga by Lawrence Lazare (CC)

J.K. Rowling Uses Her Fame For Good, Launching Lumos Nonprofit in US

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Good News Network

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Apr 11, 2015

J._K._Rowling_2010-CC-Daniel_Ogren-Flickr-cropped — 2010 Photo by Daniel Ogren, CC license

“Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling is hoping to tap into America’s philanthropy and influence as she launches the U.S. arm of her nonprofit Lumos that works to keep disadvantaged children worldwide out of orphanages when they already have their families.

Rowling was in New York City on Thursday to mark the start of Lumos USA, and said in an interview with The Associated Press that she is certain Lumos can solve “the problem of institutionalization” by 2050.

James Patterson Gives a Million Dollars to Independent Bookstores

“This is a solvable problem,” she said.

She talked with the Today Show Friday about her charity and also talked about whether she is might write another Harry Potter book.

(WATCH the video below, or READ the full AP article in the San Diego Tribune)

Share the story below… Photo credit by Daniel Ogren, CC

Young Woman’s Instagram Photos Show Hidden, Positive Side of Somalia

By

McKinley Corbley

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Apr 11, 2015

When a young 26-year-old Somali woman created her Instagram account in 2014, it was to reassure her grandmother that she was safe and well 12,000 kilometers away in her long-suffering homeland of Somalia.

Having fled to Canada as a young child to escape the Somalian civil war with her grandmother, Ugaaso Abukar Boocow had to leave behind her mother in the chaos. After two whole decades of separation, Ugaaso crossed the Atlantic from Toronto to return to her mother once again.60,000 followers later, the seemingly innocuous act of comforting her grandmother overseas has made her an inspirational star to natives all over Somalia.

Ugaaso’s Instagram is filled with hundreds of photos of beautiful beaches, lunch dates, selfies, and cleverly humorous videos cataloging the hidden, positive side of Somalia that is not often depicted in media. While trying to show that it wasn’t all bad in her country, she not only managed to comfort her Canadian relatives through her pictures, but also managed to reach out to a much larger audience than she could have imagined.

“I did not know that there were so many other people who were hungry for those positive pictures, those beautiful pictures, those random sometimes irrelevant pictures of everyday life in Somalia,” Ugaaso told NPR News. “So now it’s become a responsibility to continue showing the world the beauty Somalia is.”
“To people who think I’m ‘concealing’ the chaos in Mogadishu with pretty pics of the beach,” Ugaaso posts on Twitter. “Bruh. Do u even have a beach in your city? Ha!”

Now, a year after the creation of her account, Ugaaso describes herself in her Instagram bio as a happily married trilingual writer, story teller, and the Artistic Director of Ugaaso Media Group — all at the young age of 27. Though she grew up in Toronto, Ugaaso is fluent in Somali and French, as well as English.

She now sees herself carrying on the Somalian cultural tradition of story telling. “You need new forms to keep the old alive, and that’s what I’m doing.”

Ugaaso’s Instagram feed can be found at Instagram.com/ugaasadda or through Twicsy.

NASA Challenges Public to Help With Space Exploration

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Good News Network

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Apr 11, 2015

“All weekend long, civilians will be all up in NASA’s business.”

On Saturday and Sunday, volunteers will be hard at work in a marathon session of computer coding, engineering and general brainstorming as part of the annual International Space Apps Challenge.

More than 138 cities around the world will be joining Space Apps 2015 for the two-day competitive hack-a-thon to see who can come up with the best ideas for solving planetary and space challenges.

It’s the fourth year of the challenge that one Virginia participant called, “a global event where NASA is opening up all of their data and providing a ton of tools for developers in the world who want to help NASA solve mission-related challenges.”

Find a location for nearby events, or read an article about a Virginia event in the Newport News Daily Press.

Millions of Indian Officials Being Lured into Daily Yoga Classes

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McKinley Corbley

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Apr 11, 2015

The Indian government announced in March that millions of its country’s stressed and out-of-shape officials would be participating in free daily yoga lessons in order to improve public services.

Police, fire fighters, teachers and bureaucrats are among the estimated three million officials –and their families– who were invited to follow India’s new yoga minister of state, by practicing regular morning sun salutations.

Suneel Singh, a yogi in Delhi, strongly believes that with daily classes in the ancient exercise, officials will be able to function with more clear-minded productivity in their jobs. Though it is unconfirmed whether it will be compulsory, attendance is being encouraged.

“Yoga is part and parcel of India’s heritage,” Singh told the Guardian. “Many bigshots like [Mahatma] Gandhi have (done) it.”

India’s new prime minister, Narendra Modi, practices yoga religiously every morning and is enthusiastic about introducing the discipline to the “famously out-of-shape” police officers. In order to forward the mission, Modi has created an entire ministry, with Shripad Yesso Naik at the helm, to organize the training of yoga and traditional medicines over the next five years.

“Physical and mental therapy is one of yoga’s greatest achievements,” says Singh on his website. “The greatest martial is the gentlest.”

Photo credit: My Yoga Vidya

Mystery Donor Pays For Toddler’s Life-Altering Facial Surgery

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Good News Network

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Apr 11, 2015

Thanks to an anonymous benefactor a three-year-old girl will be able to smile, talk, and laugh, just like the other kids.

A lymphatic malfunction caused a benign lump on Kaitlin Nguygen’s face that not only hindered both talking and eating, but also made a huge bulge in her cheek. The toddler’s mom reached out to Dr. Gregory Levitin, Director of the Vascular Birthmark Center at Mount Sinai Roosevelt in New York, to inquire about its removal.

Unfortunately, health insurance would not cover the facial procedure and Kaitlin’s parents could not afford its high cost. But Levitin reached out to a nameless contributor who previously paid for the removal of a patient’s large birthmark. The backer was happy to help and the girl’s deformity was repaired on Tuesday.

After surgery, Kaitlin Nguygen enjoys juice — After surgery, Kaitlin Nguygen enjoys a juice break.

Before the surgery Kaitlin’s mom said to ABC News, “I want to say thank you to the donor who made this happen.”

The procedure has been called a “real game changer” and offers hope for Kaitlin to live a normal life. She already has been taught the right attitude: before surgery the toddler answers a question on camera, saying she knows that she’s already pretty.

(WATCH Kaitlin’s moments before surgery below)

Photo Courtesy of Dr. Gregory Levitin

Brilliant Idea: Free Housing for Student Volunteers in Senior Home (w/ Video)

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Kristy Cooper

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Apr 10, 2015

Talk about a win-win situation.

A special program at a Netherlands retirement home is offering young people free apartments on site, in exchange for spending 30 hours a month helping its residents with computers, email, shopping, and other chores.

The initiative was designed two years ago after the facility’s director, Gea Sijpkes, after a college student complained to him about his school’s poor housing conditions.

In exchange for a nicer place to rest his head, rent-free, that student now participates in numerous activities with the grateful residents, including celebrating birthdays, and offers the seniors companionship when they are sick. He is currently joined by five other program participants, who are also students.

“The students bring the outside world in, there is lots of warmth in the contact,” Sijpkes told PBS NewsHour.

With similar inter-generational initiatives springing up in Cleveland, Ohio and Lyons, France, we’re hoping this brilliant new trend soon becomes an international classic.

SHARE the Idea (below)…

New Study Reveals Surprising Benefit to Being Overweight

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Apr 10, 2015

Overweight-obese-beach-women-CC-ColinRose — By ColinRose (via CC license)

People struggling with their weight often face frustration, failure and constant reminders they run the risk of heart disease, diabetes and a litany of other health problems.

But they may be doing something right when it comes to fighting dementia.

A new study shows that middle-aged, overweight people have a greatly increased chance of avoiding dementia later in life, a conclusion that has spurred scientists to hunt for clues as to how their approach might somehow help the rest of us avoid the degenerative disease.

Diet May Cut Risk of Alzheimer’s by 50% (Long-term Study of 900 Seniors

“If we can understand why people with a high body mass index have a reduced risk of dementia, it’s possible that further down the line, researchers might be able to use these insights to develop new treatments,” said Stuart Pocock, professor of Epidemiology and Population Health at the London School of Medicine.

Researchers believe overweight eaters are ingesting extra nutrients along with all those extra calories they eat, so scientists are now looking at the possibility that vitamin D and E may play a major role in helping prevent dementia.

The study, published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology Journal, runs counter to previous, smaller studies, and could be a useful tool in addressing rising rates of dementia.

“But if you collect them all together,” Nawab Qizilbash of Oxon Epidemiology, who led the study, said. “Our study overwhelms them in terms of size and precision.”

Researchers studying two million people in the UK found that over the course of the study, 45,507 of the people developed dementia. Overweight participants were 29% less likely to develop dementia than people of normal weight. Underweight people were 34% more likely to develop it.

However, Dr. Qizilbash cautions, “You can’t walk away and think it’s OK to be overweight or obese. Even if there is a protective effect, you may not live long enough to get the benefits.”

SHARE the News (below)… Photo credit: Colin Rose via CC license

Wife Refuses to Pull Plug on Comatose New Husband and He Finally Wakes Up

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Apr 10, 2015

Just seven months after Matt and Danielle Davis got married, Matt crashed his motorcycle and suffered traumatic brain injury that left him in a coma. Nine days after that, doctors told Danielle there was nothing more they could do for him. There was a 90 percent chance Matt would never wake up.

“They said if it was them, they’d pull the plug,” Danielle said. But it wasn’t what she wanted to do, so she took Matt home and cared for him for weeks.

Then, one day, her hope was rewarded. Matt woke up and uttered these words to his wife, “I’m trying.”

Four years later, he’s still trying. Matt’s speech is slurred, he’s missing three years of memories, but he takes yoga and is regaining motor control of his muscles through occupational therapy.

Matt says the whole experience has taught him to never take anything for granted.

A GoFundme account was set up to help Danielle and Matt pay for a full-time caregiver to come to their home, and it has raised nearly $60,000 in a months, since media reports shared their story.

(WATCH the video below or READ more from WTOC)

NBA All-Star Donates New Car To Single Mom (WATCH)

By

Kristy Cooper

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Apr 10, 2015

He is known as one of the most intimidating point guards on the basketball court, but off the court, Russell Westbrook is a big softie.

The Oklahoma Thunder player surprised a single mom on Monday with the brand new Kia Sorento that he won after being named the MVP of February’s All-Star game.

The car was donated to 19-year-old Kerstin Gonzales who cried tears of joy, sitting beside her two young boys, after Westbrook handed her the keys.

This Video About Friendship Through Adversity Will Make Your Day

“Are they playing a prank on me or something?” Gonzales said of her initial reaction. “wheelWhen he showed me the keys, I was like ‘this is real’. That’s when I started to cry because it’s been such a hard time.”

His Russell Westbrook WhyNot? Foundation reached out to a local social service agency to help him find someone who could benefit the most from the car. Gonzales, who came highly recommended, plans to finish high school this spring and study forensic science in college.

Westbrook said in a Thunder press release, “When you see somebody working hard towards a goal and finding ways every day to keep everything afloat for her two boys and her family, you can’t do anything, but help them out.”

The NBA star has committed to paying Gonzales’ insurance for the first year, registration and any other fees associated with her reward, saying, “Today was a stepping stone in showing her that everything is going to be alright.”

(WATCH the Video from OKC Thunder)

Great Photo for National Siblings Day Today

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Good News Network

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Apr 10, 2015

Today is National Siblings Day, an annual holiday in the United States to honor brothers and sisters.

Governors in 39 states have officially issued proclamations to recognize and honor siblings.

The ‘holiday’ was created in 1998 by Claudia Evart, a paralegal from Manhattan, to honor her late sister, Lisette, who was born on April 10, and also her brother, both of whom died early.

Evart set up the Siblings Day Foundation that pushes for this day to become nationally recognized by the federal government, among other efforts geared toward siblings.

This photo, by Rolands Lakis, was the best we found to symbolize the day.

Today is a perfect day to drop what you’re doing and contact your siblings just to have a laugh or share your gratitude for them.

MULTIPLY the Sibling Love by Sharing…

It’s Official: NFL Scores Big By Hiring First Female Referee

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Kristy Cooper

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Apr 9, 2015

For the first time in the National Football League’s 95-year history, a woman will don the black and white striped uniform as a full-time game official.

Sarah Thomas said she was “speechless” when Dean Biandino, the NFL Vice-President of Officiating, hired her last week. Although honored to be considered a trail blazer for women, she just wants to blend in with the other six referees on field and never make a mistake.

Lego Releases Female Scientist Set After 7-year-old Girl Complains

Plucked as a top candidate from the NFL’s advanced development program for officials, the Brandon, Mississippi native has more than 20 years under her belt. She already broke ground as the first woman ever to officiate in a prestigious college bowl game.

Thomas is not the first female to ever take the field. Shannon Eastin filled in during a 2012 labor dispute between the league and staff officials, but wasn’t officially hired on staff.

All eyes may be on Thomas when the season kicks off in September, but she doesn’t want any special attention. “The guys don’t think of me as a female, they see me as just another official,” she says.

Anonymous and Encouraging Message Posted in University Womens’ Restroom

“It’s meaningful to a lot of people, and I’m honored for that. But that’s not why I set out to do this, to break a gender barrier of any sort. I just did it because I loved officiating,” she said Thursday on Today. “I’m not nervous, really…I’m just making sure that my fellow crew mates know I’m ready, and that the coaches and players know I’m there to do a job as an official.”

(WATCH the video from the NFL)

Hydrogen Fuel Breakthrough Uses Corn Husks in Revolutionary Way

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Good News Network

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Apr 9, 2015

Smoke and exhaust fumes pouring from the tailpipes of cars and coal-fired power plants could be a thing of the past if scientists’ dreams for hydrogen cars are realized. Researchers at Virginia Tech Monday announced a breakthrough that could bring hydrogen fueled cars one step closer to reality.

The scientists found a way to use waste materials from corn harvests — stalks, cobs, and husks — to produce hydrogen while significantly lowering costs.

Hydrogen-fueled cars, and their zero emissions are a big step up from even electric cars, because they don’t rely on power plants — often burning coal or gas — for recharging.

”We believe this exciting technology has the potential to enable the widespread use of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles around the world and displace fossil fuels,” researcher Joe Rollin said.

Rollin, a former doctoral student at Virginia Tech, was lead author on the team’s paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Cost has always been a major hurdle in producing hydrogen for fuel. The new process could cut costs by as much as two-thirds, while shortening the time it takes to make hydrogen from biomass — or plant sugars. The new process is at least 10 times faster than current methods.

The current, expensive method requires burning natural gas to create a chemical reaction in highly processed plant sugars. The facilities needed to produce hydrogen are massive, meaning they require high start-up and construction costs. Processing the plant sugars before they can be turned into hydrogen adds another layer of expenses. And on top of all that, there’s the cost of transporting the plant materials to the production facilities, then to fuel stations.

The Virginia Tech team found a new process that speeds the reaction time to create hydrogen. The method uses cheap crop-waste instead of expensive processed sugar. This means, the production facilities can be smaller and use less time and energy to make hydrogen. And, because the facilities are smaller, you can build more of them closer to the crops — and closer to customers — cutting the transportation costs.

“This means we have demonstrated the most important step toward a hydrogen economy – producing distributed and affordable green hydrogen from local biomass resources,” Percival Zhang, a professor at Virginia Tech’s Department of Biological Systems Engineering said.

Rollin and Zhang have co-founded Cell-free Bioinnovations to bring their ideas to market. They’ve already received funding toward their next step — scaling up production to a demonstration size.

Scientists familiar with hydrogen fuel research say it’s still difficult to predict actual costs and savings — or even when the process could be marketable. But they are watching closely, and say the Virginia Tech breakthrough is giving their field a whole new way of looking at how to create a hydrogen-fueled economy.

Photo Credit: Virginia Tech (Zhang, pictured)