Home Blog Page 1098

Effective Phone Alerts Help Uganda Nab Forest Criminals

By

Good News Network

-

Aug 2, 2014

Forest stream deep green Tasmania DSEWPaC-attribution

A forest monitoring system that uses text messaging on mobile phones has helped the Ugandan government to intercept six cartels involved in forest crimes, within just four months of its launch.

Anyone who witnesses suspected illegal activity in a Ugandan forest can send an SMS message to a common code: 6006.

(READ the story from Thomas Reuters Foundation)

Photo (top): Forest Peoples Programme, the Congo

Photo of the Day – Artists Document Lost Tasmanian Wilderness

By

Good News Network

-

Aug 1, 2014

When conservationist and philanthropist Rob Purves decided to preserve a lost Tasmanian wilderness, he also wanted to share it.

He arranged for 11 artists to camp out at Skullbone Plains in the Australian Central Highlands over four days in February last year – and be inspired by the experience.

Thus, he created The Skullbone Experiment.

(READ the story or WATCH the report from Australia’s ABC)

Photo credit: Blacktipped goldinger by Vera Möller, courtesy of the Tasmanian Land Conservancy

Homeless Man Cries Tears Of Joy Over Birthday Surprise (WATCH)

By

Good News Network

-

Aug 1, 2014

Over the past year, Chris Hooley and his daughter have recruited friends and taken supplies of sports drinks and granola bars to homeless people on the streets of Phoenix, Arizona. It felt so good, they wanted to do it every week. They made videos and held MeetUps that moved other people to hit the streets until it became a full-fledged charity.

ReKindle.org now regularly organizes “I Got Your Back” Backpack Drives to help the homeless live more comfortably. It was one of these drives in Chicago that resulted in a wonderful video posted July 28.

The marketing group CopyPress partnered with Hooley, who is also in that field, to create a free internet marketing conference with the cost of attendance being a fully-stocked backpack donated to reKindle. The next day, Stefan Winkler of CopyPress hit the streets with Hooley to hand out the free goodies to Chicago’s least fortunate.

The highlight of the day was this encounter with Albert, because they found out it was his birthday. During the conversation, they learned that his birthday wish was to “see a show.” He wanted to catch a movie downtown, so Winkler reached into his pocket and gave him money to buy a ticket and dinner for himself. Albert was so overwhelmed with joy, saying he knew that “God was good,” and this was proof. Watch it now…

This is what reKindle is all about — to try to brighten someone’s day with a bit of kindness. They also want to inspire others to do the same, through sharing videos and stories. Seeing Albert might make you inspired to hand out bags of supplies on the street. If you want to go bigger, reKindle has a tutorial about running your own backpack drives.

You can learn a simple way to help in a 2013 video posted by a Tacoma, Washington couple who share their ideas for what to stock in backpacks for under $20. Some on social media have called these, Blessing Bags.

This reminds us of a story we featured six months ago about a woman who simply asked on Facebook. She received boxes of donations from friends, and then handed out 73 decorated shoeboxes fully-stocked with small gift items. It was so rewarding for all.

SHARE this Beautiful “Albert” Moment (Click below)

Saying Thanks in Public to Favorite Teachers = Heart-warming

By

Good News Network

-

Aug 1, 2014

hugs for students from teacher-WCNCvid

With the onset of August comes preparations for a new school year for many families and young adults.

Some people were given an opportunity recently to broadcast their thanks to a favorite teacher.

When they say a few words before a camera about how those teachers changed their lives for the better, the video becomes a moving testament to millions of teachers. It becomes a “thank you” that millions of us can relate to when recalling our own favorite teachers.

#ThankYouTeachers

(WATCH the video below created by Walmart)

Photo (Top): Stevenson Elementary teachers show off new tees donated by Good News Network fans a few years ago.

Dog Saves Owner From Choking to Death on a Sweet

By

Good News Network

-

Jul 31, 2014

We reported on another dog in April that jumped on her companion while she was choking, creating a Heimlich maneuver-like rescue. Turns out, this type of miracle isn’t so rare.

Within a few weeks, Rachel Hayes was doubled over gasping for breath when her worried springer spaniel hit her on the back and dislodged the strawberry pastille stuck in her throat.

She had been pushing Mollypops away, but the animal persevered.

“She came up behind me put her paws on me and bashed on my back with such force the sweet came out,” she told the Mirror.

Ms. Hayes thought she would die right there in her kitchen, and says her beloved dog now has a new name, Hero.

(READ the story in the UK Mirror)

Photo by Anne Hornyakvia CC license on Flickr – Story Tip from Sergio Belli in Italy

New Gadget Helps the Vision Impaired to Read Graphs

By

Good News Network

-

Jul 31, 2014

People who are blind can now read more than just words, such as graphs and graphics, following the development of an affordable digital reading system by Curtin University researchers in Australia.

Opening up new career paths and educational opportunities for people with vision impairment, the system combines a number of pattern recognition technologies into a single platform and, for the first time, allows mathematics and graphical material to be extracted and described without sighted intervention.

Senior Lecturer Dr Iain Murray and PhD student Azadeh Nazemi of Curtin’s Department of Electrical and Computing Engineering developed the device to handle the extraordinary number of complex issues faced by the vision impaired when needing to read graphics, graphs, bills, bank statements and more.

“Many of us take for granted the number of graphics and statistics we see in our daily lives, especially at work. We love to have graphics and diagrams to convey information, for example, look at how many statistics and graphs are used in the sports section of the newspaper,” Dr Murray said.

Dr Murray said the small device, which uses audio format with navigation markup, runs on very inexpensive platforms, with an expected production cost as low as $100 per device, which could make a difference in third world countries.

He said previously there have been many methods to convert graphical material but all are very labour intensive and generally not easily transferable to other users.

“Our system is easily operated by people of all ages and abilities and it is open source, meaning anyone with the skill can use and modify the software to suit their application,” Dr Murray said.

The player has built-in user instructions and a speech engine that converts to more than 120 different languages.

Dr Murray said he was now looking for philanthropic finance to set up production.

(Source: Curtin.edu) – Story Tip from K. Alexander

Photo of the Day – World Ranger Day

By

Good News Network

-

Jul 31, 2014

Today is the sixth annual World Ranger Day, first organized by the International Ranger Federation to honor the work and sacrifice of park and wildlife reserve employees worldwide.

On July 31, we remember the approximately 1,000 rangers killed or injured around the world in the line of duty in the last ten years –103 in 2013, and 56 so far this year. Many in remote areas deal every day with the realities of extreme violence amid their anti-poaching efforts, and live in hard conditions, often earning low wages.

For more info, visit the Thin Green Line Foundation, an Australian group that works to protect rangers, or the excellent website of the International Rangers Federation.

Photo credit: Park Rangers in Alaska by Marina via CC license on Flickr

Transit Company Surprises 102 Year-Old Rider With ‘Birthday Bus’ Party

By

Good News Network

-

Jul 31, 2014

Portland’s transit company sent a special bus to pick up one of their regular riders, 102 year old Vida Trout.

The distinguished East Portland retiree uses the bus to travel to her many volunteer positions and last Wednesday was surprised when the sign identifying the approaching bus read, “Happy Birthday Vida”.

Inside was a TriMet employee who led the passengers in a birthday song, and passed out cupcakes and a gift for Vida — free rides for the rest of her life. OregonLive.com reports that Vida’s sister lived to be 104, so she might be enjoying her special status on the bus for a long time.

Obviously TriMet deserves one check one box for excellent customer service and another for the appreciation shown its customers — at least on this July 29 run

(WATCH the short video below or READ the story at Oregon Live)

A Happy Dancing Retirement Home (WATCH)

By

Good News Network

-

Jul 30, 2014

Seniors at this New Zealand retirement home created one of the best dance tributes out there using the Pharrell hit, Happy.

Sixty residents and staff at the Diana Isaac Retirement Village in Christchurch wanted to show their children and grandchildren just what they’re made of.

You will be tickled by their combined spunk and talent, especially with the average age being somewhere around 80.

The dancers, which have also filmed a dance performance to this song in April at a shopping mall, call themselves 80-odd years of happy.

SHARE the Inspiring Video With Buttons Below!

4-year-old Girl Seeking Donation From Every State to End Alzheimer’s

By

Good News Network

-

Jul 30, 2014

4-year-old old Lilly is on a quest to end Alzheimer’s, a disease that has claimed her great-grandmother’s memory. Although Nanny slip further and further away, her face still lights up with love at the sight of her 21 great-grandchildren. And that connection drives Lilly in her charity work.

She started raising money at the age of three, asking neighbors for donations and eventually becoming one of the top fundraisers on her team for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. She would say, “My name is Lilly and I am doing a charity walk for Alzheimer’s would you like to sponsor me?” She raised over $250.

Earlier this year, she worked with her cousins on several lemonade stands that raised more than $1,000 for the Alzheimer’s Association, but her latest goal is to get a donation from each of the 50 states. She has a map ready to mark off the states as the donations come in through her online page.

”The joy in her face when she gets to color in a new state on her map is priceless,” said her mom Amy Myers in an email to the Good News Network. “We are so proud that she has such a giving nature and we really hope she reaches her goal.”

Pledges have already come in from 31 states and 3 countries. Still needed are: Oregon, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Alabama, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

When asked what the money is for Lilly will tell you that it is for the people who are sick with Alzheimer’s. She will tell you that sometimes Nanny forgets her name but she knows that Nanny never forgets that she loves her.

You can find Lilly’s fundraising page for the September 2014 event at Act.Alz.org.

This video below shows Lily asking for donations…

Restore Your Faith in Humanity in 4-Minutes Flat by Watching This Video

By

Good News Network

-

Jul 30, 2014

The Creative Director for Animals Australia made a video montage of beautiful humanitarian rescues that were on YouTube. She added some soaring music and it became a 4-minute antidote to all the depressing news lately.

“Here’s to you — the kind-hearted,” she says at the end.

We also like that she tried to acknowledge the owners of the original footage, which lets us research more information about some of the rescues, if we wish.

Let the cheers begin…

Multiply the Good by Sharing or Emailing With These Buttons

After Six Long Years, Britain’s Economy is Back to Pre-crash Level, a New High

By

Good News Network

-

Jul 30, 2014

Britain’s economy has reached a record high – surpassing its peak before the financial crisis struck six years ago, according to official figures the Office for National Statistics released Friday.

Strong GDP growth of .8 percent in the second quarter has kept it on track to be the fastest growing industrial country this year.

“Today we reach a major milestone in our long-term economic plan. But there is still a long way to go,” Chancellor George Osborne told ITN News. “The Great Recession was one of the deepest (in history).”

(Check out the charts at the Daily Mail)

Photo credit: Aurelien Guichard via CC license

How to Rescue a Wild Leopard From a Well Without Injury

By

Good News Network

-

Jul 29, 2014

A wild leopard was rescued in July from the bottom of a well in a rural part of India. A group of villagers and forest officials rescued the animal after it found itself trapped at the bottom of a well in a rural area of Panchmahal district in the Indian state of Gujarat.

Local men involved in the effort said they had heard noises from the spot and then discovered it stuck inside.

Without a tranquilizer, the rescuers attempted to ensnare the leopard in a rope, but the animal growled and pounced fiercely when it was being caught. Eventually the lucky leopard was saved without any one getting hurt.

(READ the story from ITN News)

1...1,0971,0981,099...1,714 Page 1,098 of 1,714