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$1 Billion Offered for Perfect NCAA Tournament Bracket

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Jan 23, 2014

billion dollar bracket challenge

Talk about March Madness. With a little luck — maybe a lot of luck — you could become a billionaire overnight.

Detroit-based Quicken Loans, America’s fourth largest mortgage lender, has joined forces with Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway to pay a billion dollars to anyone who completes a perfect bracket, predicting the winner of every game in the March 2014 men’s college basketball championship tournament.

Any U.S. citizen over 21 years of age who correctly enters the contest and predicts the winner in all 63 tournament games will win, or share, the $1 billion prize. In addition to the potential grand prize, Quicken Loans will award $100,000 each to the contest’s 20 most accurate “imperfect” brackets submitted by qualified entrants in the contest to use toward buying, refinancing or remodeling a home.

Kenya to Generate Over Half its Electricity With Solar Power by 2016

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Jan 22, 2014

sunset African Masai-angela7dreams-CC-Flickr

Kenya currently gets most of its power from hydroelectricity, but by 2016 fifty percent will be renewable energy from the sun.

Construction of the plants, expected to cost $1.2 billion (£73 million), is set to begin this year and initial design stages are almost complete, according to the Guardian.

The move, which is funded by both the state and private companies will protect the environment while bringing down electricity costs.

(READ the full story from the Guardian)

Texas Police Officer’s Kind Gesture Caught on Camera

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Jan 22, 2014

cop gives boots to homeless man in Odessa

Police Cpl. Jeremy Walsh’s gesture of kindness toward a homeless man was captured in a photograph that is touching hearts on Facebook and elsewhere.

The picture, taken through a shop window, shows Walsh giving a new pair of boots and bottle of water to Anthony Young, who spends a lot of time keeping to himself on the streets that make up the cop’s beat in Odessa, Texas.

Walsh said he was only doing what anyone would do.

The photo, which was taken by Ronda Fox while inside her family’s storefront, was posted by Odessa on its official Facebook page. Odessa Police spokesman Cpl. Steve LeSueur said the photo was good way to show the other things that police officers do.

The new boots had been sitting in the officer’s closet not being used because they were too small.

(READ the full story in the Osessa American)

Flash Mob Teaches Shoppers to Tango in the Market

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Jan 22, 2014

tango taught in the marketplace

On a blustery day in Darlington market, English video artist Anton Hecht brought a flash mob of one to teach the people there to dance the tango.

“It was a great day, and we really saw a new side to the people, who were great about getting involved,” Hecht told the Good News Network.

WATCH the video below – More info at: www.artplayer.tv…

Outdoorsman Makes Final Journey by Boat Instead of Hearse

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Jan 21, 2014

casket gets to funeral in a boat-Chris Dunn

Every year when the weather warmed enough, Ronald Bloss Sr. would tow his fishing boat to the river. The Pennsylvania man would spend all day on the water.

Bloss died of cancer Saturday at age 78, but he took one last boat ride.

His family brought his boat to the Diehl Funeral Home in Mount Wolf and hoisted Bloss’ casket aboard his johnboat for one final trip to the cemetery.

Surely someone might have already hung a sign on the headstone that says, “Gone Fishing”.

(READ the story from the York Daily Record)

Photo by Chris Dunn via the Daily Record

Good Samaritan Gives Driver $225 After Cab Fare Skips Out

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Jan 21, 2014

sticker Thoughtful Stranger-Guerilla Good

A longtime Victoria cab driver got a taste of the kindness of strangers Friday after he was stiffed on a $225 cab fare.

BJ Roberts picked up a man in his 20s, who said his mother would pay the $220 fare once they arrived at the hospital where he said she was inside working.

When they arrived at the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, the man disappeared.

When Roberts learned he had been scammed, a stranger turned up out of nowhere and pushed a wad of cash into his hand.

(READ the story from The Province)

Thanks to Joel Arellano for submitting the link on our Facebook Page!

Vertical Farms Sprouting All Over the World

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Jan 21, 2014

Farming urban Chicago-photo The Plant

Urban warehouses, derelict buildings and high-rises are the last places you’d expect to find the seeds of a green revolution. But from Singapore to Scranton, Pennsylvania, “vertical farms” are promising a new, environmentally friendly way to feed the rapidly swelling populations of cities worldwide.

In March, the world’s largest vertical farm is set to open up shop in Scranton. Built by Green Spirit Farms of New Buffalo, Michigan, it will only be a single story covering 3.25 hectares, but with racks stacked six high it will house 17 million plants. And it is just one of a growing number.

(READ the story from NewScientist)

Photo: Urban farm in Chicago

D.C. Barbecue Joint Serves Food For Soul And Mind

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Jan 21, 2014

Inspire BBQ-kitchen

Washington, D.C., has a thriving restaurant market with a plethora of restaurants serving its multicultural residents. But this barbecue eatery offers more than food on its menu.

“Inspire BBQ” aims to reclaim troubled young people, teach them a trade, and give them a chance at success.

Chef Furard Tate is the kind of man who never sits still. He flits from the order desk at Inspire BBQ back to the busy kitchen, where young men are seasoning sauce, cooking macaroni and cheese, and finishing off some dry-rubbed ribs smoked on a grill.

(HEAR or READ the story from NPR’s All Things Considered)

Iran Halts Higher-grade Uranium Enrichment

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Jan 20, 2014

iran-reading-statement

Iran has halted its most disputed nuclear activity under a ground-breaking deal with six world powers, a confidential U.N. atomic agency report obtained by Reuters showed, paving the way for the easing of some Western sanctions against Tehran.

The report by the International Atomic Energy Agency, which has had one to two pairs of inspectors on the ground in Iran virtually every day of the year and will increase that number significantly, also said Iran had begun diluting its stockpile of uranium.

(READ the story from Reuters)

10 Nutrients That Can Lift Your Spirits

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Jan 20, 2014

Avacado-Flickr-arash rk-CC-500px

If you want some pep in your step or a dash of good cheer, look no further than the grocery store’s shelves. Not only are foods rich in vitamins, minerals and fatty acids healthful, but studies show they can also increase happiness, lessen symptoms of depression and quell anxiety.

How can foods improve our moods? It all comes down to the brain. A healthy cognitive system is essential to regulating mood, and certain nutrients have a profound impact on maintaining normal brain function. Researchers have studied the association between foods and the brain and identified 10 nutrients that can combat depression and boost mood: calcium, chromium, folate, iron, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D and zinc.

The Washington Post featured an informative article listing the foods that give you the quickest boost.

(READ the story from the Washington Post)

Family Goes to Playoff Despite Cancer – With Encouragement From 49ers Themselves

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Jan 20, 2014

visiting Seattle 49ers fan w cancer-KTVUvid

Even though his favorite team, the San Francisco 49ers, lost yesterday, Brian Rozelle, who has terminal cancer, will never forget the cheers echoing from his football idols who sent him an email after his family decided to trek up to Seattle for the playoff game.

“I decided I wanted to come up to Seattle and (my parents) said – ‘Fine, let’s make it a family adventure.’”

So, the Rozelle family piled into a van on Thursday morning, but before they left the 28-year-old got a surprise email. The 49ers had heard about Rozelle’s story and wrote to share some touching and supportive thoughts.

MLK Day: Ex-White Supremacist Thanks Black Teen Who Said No to Violence in 1996

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Jan 20, 2014

hand-shake-bi-racial

Arno Michaelis was once a thriving member of the Neo-Nazi movement who frequented white supremacist rallies. Michaelis says that “single parenthood, love for my daughter, and the forgiveness shown by people I once hated,” changed him and guided him toward a life of tolerance, acceptance and peace.

This week he wrote a short tribute to Keshia Thomas, a black teenager who during a 1996 KKK rally saved the life of a white supremacist in danger of being killed by a mob of counter-demonstrators.

(READ the stories in the Huffington Post)

U.S. Bankers Voice New Optimism as Businesses Line Up for Loans

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Jan 20, 2014

1stwisconsinbldg

Loans to businesses have risen to a record high and bank executives say they are increasingly optimistic about the U.S. economy.

Increasing demand for bank loans often is a prelude to higher economic growth. With the U.S. government budget crisis fixed for now and Europe showing signs of economic recovery, companies feel more comfortable borrowing to invest in machinery, factories, and buildings.

(READ the story from Reuters)

Photo: First Wisconsin Bank headquarters, Milwaukee

Incredible Animal Communicator Translates Deadly Leopard’s Woes

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Jan 19, 2014

leopard in The Animal Communicator video

Anna Breytenbach believes she can communicate with animals through her thoughts. If you watch this video shot at a wildlife sanctuary in South Africa, which documents a deadly snarling leopard seemingly transformed into a relaxed cat after a visit from Anna, you likely will believe it too.

She ends up delivering a solution like a therapist would, translating his woes into human language so the keepers can understand what’s going on.

You’ve got to see to believe it!

This video excerpt is from a full-length documentary called The Animal Communicator produced in 2012 by Vyv Simson and directed by Craig Foster.

Born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa, Breytenbach holds a degree in Psychology, Economics and Marketing from the University of Cape Town. Today she works with both domestic animals and wildlife, and runs workshops around southern Africa, Europe and the US. Her work includes working with wild dolphins and whales, elephant and lion management, leading animal communication safaris in Botswana, interspecies projects at organic farms, and giving numerous public talks. You can learn more about Anna at her website, www.animalspirit.org.

The DVD is sold through the South African website, Kalahari.com

YOU MUST SEE this video below…

Autistic Man’s Gift for IKEA Assembly Turns into Business

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Jan 19, 2014

furniture assembly from IKEA-julessilver-Flickr-CC

Canadians in Edmonton who are baffled by assembly instructions for IKEA furniture can hire Brad Fremmerlid, a 24-year-old man with severe autism who can build anything.

Although he doesn’t read or speak, Fremmerlid has an amazing ability to understand the most complex diagrams, blueprints and pictorial instructions.

His father is helping him market his skill to bring more meaning to his life. For a small fee — currently about $20 — he’ll put together any piece of furniture in your home.

(READ the story from the Toronto Star)

Thanks to Gordon Gray for submitting the link!

16-yo Lewis Clarke Youngest to Reach the South Pole

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Jan 19, 2014

South Pole trek Lewis Clarke

A British teenager has become the youngest person to reach the South Pole.

Lewis Clarke, 16, from Bristol, spent almost 50 days on ice, skiing for an average of eight hours a day and battling temperatures as low as -50C (-58F) and winds of 120mph.

His father, Steven, said he had set off on Saturday “really motivated to make it – but it was -50, the coldest so far, and with really ferocious winds”.

But on Saturday night, Lewis was celebrating in a heated tent eating pasta with fresh parmesan — his first real meal in nearly seven weeks.

Lewis will stay overnight at the Pole and then he has been offered a tour of the Amundsen Scott Polar Research base tomorrow. He will fly back to Union Glacier base camp tomorrow afternoon and will be back in the UK on January 24th.

– READ the story from the Telegraph

– LEARN more at Clarke’s blog, youngesttosouthpole.wordpress.com

Gene Simmons Raises $450,000 For Saskatchewan Children’s Hospital

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Jan 19, 2014

GENE SIMMONS Twitter-GRIMREAPEROFROC

The lead singer for the rock group Kiss has raised $450,000 for the new Saskatchewan Children’s Hospital, the hospital where Simmons’ wife, Shannon Tweed, grew up.

Gene Simmons auctioned off a custom 1956 Ford F-100 truck, named Snakebit, which was built in Saskatoon and has the front end of a Shelby Mustang.

(READ the story from CTV News)

Woman Can Buy Her Home Thanks to the Honesty of a Stranger

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Jan 18, 2014

Brian DiCarlo finds 40K and returns it

On Friday, Jan. 10, a Portland woman lost an envelope containing $2,000 in cash and a $38,000 cashier’s check. It was the down payment she needed for a house.

She dropped it on the pavement of a parking lot in front of a Safeway store in Clackamas.

Lucky for her, Brian DiCarlo, a 23-year-old aspiring teacher, found the envelope.

“I never really had the ‘I could keep this’ thought,” he said.

(READ the story from KATU News)

New Gene Therapy Holds Blindness At Bay

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Jan 18, 2014

blind-glasses-implant

Surgeons in Oxford have used a gene therapy technique to improve the vision of six patients who would otherwise have gone blind.

The operation involved inserting a gene into the eye, a treatment that revived light-detecting cells.

The doctors involved believe that the treatment could in time be used to treat common forms of blindness.

(READ the story – or watch the video –watch the video – from the BBC)

Thanks to Andrew N. for submitting the link!

Safer Bike Helmet Crumples Before You Stop, Inspired by a Bird

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Jan 18, 2014

corrugated paper for helmet-BBC

The unique design of a woodpecker and the cycling crash where he landed on his head has led Londoner Anirudha Surabhi to come up with a more effective design for a bike helmet.

The woodpecker pecks at about ten times per second and every time it pecks it sustains the same amount of force as us crashing at 50 miles per hour,” says Surabhi. “It’s the only bird in the world where the skull and the beak are completely disjointed, and there’s a soft corrugated cartilage in the middle that absorbs all the impact.”

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