After Childhood Cancer Diagnosis, Donor Bone Marrow from Little Sister Sends it into Remission

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Apr 30, 2024

Sisters Mabel Leaning, left, and Ruby Leaning hold hands in the hospital. The younger sister saved the older one with a bone marrow transplant. (Amanda Fawcett via SWNS)

A young girl in the English city of Sheffield has seen her rare blood cancer go into complete remission, and she has her even younger sister to thank for it.

Diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in 2020 at age 6 after collapsing in the school playground, the family was desperate for donor stem cells from bone marrow to treat the rare form of the disease.

Remarkably, it was none other than 6-year-old Ruby Leaning’s 2-year-old sister, Mabel, who came up as a perfect match and was able to donate her bone marrow to keep Ruby alive and treat her cancer.

It was a long and difficult road that involved scares and good fortune. Ruby’s grandmother, Amanda Fawcett, spoke to SWNS about how difficult it was.

“It’s every parent’s nightmare… I was in the room with her mom when we found out, and you just can’t take anything in at all. It was all just heart-shattering,” she said.

Typically, ALL is treatable with just chemotherapy, but the kind which Ruby had been diagnosed with required a bone marrow transplant in addition.

“When Ruby’s leukemia did not respond well to chemotherapy, she received a relatively new drug called blinatumomab, which got her leukemia into remission and allowed us to perform her bone marrow transplant.”

Blinatumomab, or “blina” as it’s affectionately called for short, is a gentler chemotherapy and immunotherapy drug that has cured children of cancers with significantly less pain and despair than heavier chemo treatments.

ALSO READ: These Twins Are Thriving 10 Years After Open Heart Surgery at Queensland Children’s Hospital

Blina is a kind of targeted therapy drug called a bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE). It’s administered via a pump and plastic bag through a tube inserted into the patient’s arm. The bag is carried around in a slim backpack, and the supply lasts a few days.

Ruby Leaning, pictured in the hospital in 2020

When the blina was initially successful, Ruby’s medical staff began to look for donors.

“We [weren’t] expecting [Mabel] to be a match at first, but thankfully she was, so we just couldn’t believe our luck,” Fawcett told Fox News. “It was amazing – we were so thankful.”

MORE CHILDREN SAVED: Botswana Cuts HIV Transmission Rates to Children from 40% to 1% in ‘Groundbreaking Achievement’

Declared cancer-free in 2022, the family says that because Mabel has come to realize what she did for her sister, she asks to “borrow” nearly everything of Ruby’s, but Fawcett said it’s all “fun and games.”

“She’s a happy, normal, and healthy 10-year-old who loves swimming, dancing, and piano lessons,” she said of the girl.

SHARE This Sweet Story Of Sisterhood From the UK Cancer Wards…

Analysis Strongly Supports Turmeric Supplementation to Improve Arthritis and Osteopenia

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Andy Corbley

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Apr 30, 2024

In a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, was found to improve mobility and stiffness in those suffering from osteopenia and osteoarthritis.

Curcumin is simply one of the most incredible natural therapeutic compounds known in foods and has been investigated for its effects on everything from cancer to autoimmune disorders.

As strange as it might seem, this tuber may also be beneficial for preventing age-related degeneration in bone tissue and joints through the stimulation of osteoblast formation and activity, and the inhibition of osteoclasts.

Osteoblasts and osteoclasts are both bone tissue cells, but if the former outpace the latter, bone degeneration can occur. Curcumin also has other effects on bone tissue.

While some studies have shown robust effects of curcumin supplementation on bone health, others have been far less conclusive. A team of Iranian scientists led by Mohammed Bideshki at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences ran an umbrella analysis of meta-analyses of randomized-controlled studies on the topic to hopefully provide a clearer picture.

Over one-half of older women have osteopenia and nearly 37% of U.S. adults have osteoarthritis, making easy-to-take, natural compounds urgently needed to address the phenomenon.

“The results strongly support curcuminoid supplementation in relieving pain, improving joint mobility and stiffness, and shortening medication usage of [osteoarthritis] patients,” the authors conclude.

Curcumin is actually poorly absorbed into the body when consumed through food.

Chris Kresser, MD, from the California Institute of Functional Medicine, wrote recently on the topic that supplement companies have been trying to develop a form of curcumin that is more readily taken up in the GI tract for years.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT: Porcini Mushrooms Rank Among Highest in the World for Rare ‘Essential Vitamin’

One formula called NovaSol has been shown to be 185 times more absorbable than curcumin in food, and it is the formula he recommends to his patients as a practicing clinician.

While it’s important to seek proper medical advice before taking anything in high doses, some studies have shown that humans can tolerate as many as 8 grams (8,000 mg) of curcumin per day without issue, which is far above the levels commonly seen in commercial supplements.

OTHER NUTRICEUTICALS: Hydrolyzed Collagen Supplements Are Good for Health: Benefitting Hair, Skin, Joints, and Muscles

While it’s no guarantee that curcumin supplementation will improve outcomes in osteopenia and osteoarthritis, it has powerful anti-inflammatory effects that may alleviate the pain associated with these conditions.

SHARE This Interesting Insight With Anyone You Know Suffering With Arthritis…

“How little do they see what really is, who frame their hasty judgment upon that which seems.” – Daniel Webster

Quote of the Day

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Apr 30, 2024

Quote of the Day: “How little do they see what really is, who frame their hasty judgment upon that which seems.” – Daniel Webster

Photo by: Alejandro Luengo

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Good News in History, April 30

This Day In History

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Apr 30, 2024

Atomic-orbital-clouds_spd_m0 — Hydrogen atomic orbitals at different energy levels. The more opaque areas are where one is most likely to find an electron at any given time - CC 4.0.

127 years ago today, J. J. Thomson announced his discovery of the electron as a subatomic particle, over 1,800 times smaller than a proton (in the atomic nucleus), at a lecture at the Royal Institution in London. It put to rest a long history of experimentation seeking to determine whether or not a “cathode ray” as the electron was first studied, was a ray or a wave. Thomson discovered that, in fact, it was neither. READ more about this groundbreaking discovery… (1897)

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Welcome to ’Gnome Island’ a Remote Scottish Outcrop Adorned With Mysterious Garden Ornaments – LOOK

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Apr 29, 2024

'Gnome Island' is remote outcrop covered with the garden ornaments — Inchgnome Island in the Firth of Forth where garden gnomes have mysteriously been appearing since 2010 – SWNS

Inch Gnome Island in the Firth of Forth where garden gnomes have mysteriously been appearing since 2010 – SWNS

A remote outcrop in Scotland is covered with garden gnomes but nobody knows exactly how they got there.

The gnomes beam their mischief from the rock of Swallow Craig which sits just off Inchcolm Island in the Firth of Forth.

The gnomes first appeared there in 2010, with some people speculating they were left by a local fisherman.

But one local legend muses the gnomes escaped from a local garden centre attempting to flee up the Forth under the cover of night.

Another myth speculates that they were shipwrecked, and have spent the last 14 years on the island.

The population is always growing and the isle has since been dubbed Inch Gnome Island.

Scott Aston, skipper of the Maid of the Forth, takes dozens of tourists per day to the island, and says that visitors “crack up” at the sight.

ROCK OPERA? Spiders From Mars? Phenomenon Evokes David Bowie Song in These Photos Taken Near South Pole of Red Planet

“One story behind it is that they made a bid for freedom, escaped over to Inch Gnome – and they’ve established their own colony out there. That’s how the legend goes.

“We hear people on the boat all the time asking, “is that a gnome?” and then they see the sign that says Inch Gnome and start to laugh.”

Scott has run sightseeing cruises on the Forth for 18 years, with trips running daily from Easter until October.

During his time in the job, he says he has seen the gnome population mysteriously increase each winter—but says he has no idea how.

“Nobody knows how they got there, and nobody knows why they’re there – but they do seem to multiply every winter!”

A BIT TOO REAL: Couple Orders a Cake Replica of Their Dog But it Was So Realistic They Couldn’t Cut it

If you’re ever in this estuary north of Edinburgh, consider visiting the outcropping which seems to be gnome sweet gnome.

SHARE THIS LITTLE GNOME FACT With Gnome Lovers on Social Media…

There’s Now a Fast Charging EV Station for Every 5 Gas Stations in California

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Andy Corbley

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Apr 29, 2024

Here’s a stat most Californians have likely never heard: for every five gas stations in California, there’s now one electric vehicle fast charging station.

105,000 public or shared private electric vehicle chargers have been installed throughout California, which is on top of over 500,000 at-home chargers. The state also recently approved a $1.9 billion plan to build a bigger, better charging network.

Governor Gavin Newsom dropped by a Tesla supercharger on Earth Day to highlight the state’s progress in reaching the goal of a better charging network, as well as Tesla’s recent work to open its fast chargers to non-Tesla vehicles.

On April 12th, the California Energy Commission (CEC) approved a $1.9 billion investment plan that advances the state’s electric vehicle (EV) charging and hydrogen refueling goals. This funding builds on $1.8 billion already invested and will help deploy 40,000 new public EV chargers statewide and other zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure across California, creating the most extensive charging and hydrogen refueling network in the country.

Combined with funding from the federal government, utilities, and other programs, the state believes that these investments will help it achieve its goal of deploying 250,000 public EV chargers at sites throughout California, such as highway corridors and shopping centers. This is in addition to private installations and home chargers.

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The need for chargers goes just beyond trying to encourage and incentivize people to buy an EV, that’s already happening on a wide scale.

25% of all new cars sold in California last year were ZEVs, according to the California Energy Commission (CEC), while the 1,846,874 total ZEV sales to date mean that of new ZEVs sold in the U.S., 34% are sold in California, according to data presented by the governor.

SHARE This Rapid Progress To Zero Emission Roadways In California…

First High-Speed Rail Line in US Breaks Ground: Brightline Vegas to LA at 200 mph to Save Thousands in Emissions

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Andy Corbley

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Apr 29, 2024

An artist's impression of Brightline West - credit, Brightline, released

Last week, Dept. of Transportation officials celebrated the groundbreaking of America’s first high-speed rail line between LA and Las Vegas.

The Brightline West will travel at 320 kilometers per hour or around 200 mph, which for American readers is standard for high-speed rail around the world.

Expected to be finished in four years, Brightline is envisioned as being a crucial piece of tourist infrastructure for the upcoming 2028 Summer Olympics.

Fortress Investment Group has gathered $9 billion in financing for the project, but is being helped with a $3 billion grant from the Biden Administration’s infrastructure funding bill.

“This is a historic project and a proud moment where we break ground on America’s first high-speed rail system and lay the foundation for a new industry,” said Wes Edens, Brightline founder at the groundbreaking ceremony where in place of a ribbon, project leaders pounded miniature nails into miniature railroad track.

“Today is long overdue, but the blueprint we’ve created with Brightline will allow us to repeat this model in other city pairs around the country.”

Brightline is expected to serve 11 million passengers every year running alongside US Interstate 15, which can be hindered by weekend traffic jams. In a typical year, 50 million passenger vehicles make the trip between these two iconic cities, and estimates place the number of total vehicle miles that will be saved at around 700 million.

Fortress Investment claims that 400,000 tonnes of CO2 will be eliminated for every year that Brightline West is in operation.

MORE HIGH-SPEED RAIL: High-Speed Railway Progresses Towards a 200-mph Train Line From Dallas to Houston

The state-of-the-art, all-electric trains enriched with amenities will offer Americans what Asians and Europeans have enjoyed for decades.

This high-speed railway line is the second that Brightline as a firm will operate, having opened a modern luxury connection between Orlando and Miami in 2018.

SHARE This Monumental Improvement In American Railway Infrastructure…

3,400-Year-old Head of King Ramses II Statue Returned to Egypt After Theft

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Andy Corbley

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Apr 29, 2024

The Ramses II fragment that was returned to the country after being stolen. Credit Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Egypt.

A statue fragment of the great pharaoh Ramses II has been recovered in a joint effort and repatriated to Egypt.

Carved 3,400 years ago, it was stolen from the Temple of Ramses in the southern Egyptian site of Abydos over 30 years ago.

Shaaban Abdel Gawad, who heads Egypt’s antiquities repatriation agency, said the piece is estimated to have been stolen in the late 1980s or early 1990s.

It is now in the possession of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in Cairo where it’s being restored.

The story of its recovery involved eagle eyes trained on the antiquities and art markets in Europe, where suddenly the statue fragment appeared on auction in London 10 years ago before being transferred to Switzerland.

“This head is part of a group of statues depicting King Ramses II seated alongside a number of Egyptian deities,” Gawad told Reuters.

YOU’LL ALSO LIKE: Archaeologists Unearth Ancient Egyptian Tombs With Colorful Mummy Masks and Treasured Statues

Working alongside Swiss officials, Gawad and his colleagues were able to establish rightful ownership, and the artifact was seized for transfer to Cairo.

Perhaps no other nation has had to recover more artifacts from plunderers and illegal traders than Egypt, but they’ve become quite adept at it over the decades.

MORE NEWS LIKE THIS: Man Discovers Attic Filled with Looted Art from Battle of Okinawa–Works with FBI to Repatriate it All to Preserve History

In a time when men lived to be 40 years old, Ramses II, aka the ‘Ozymandius’ of Percy Shelly’s poem, ruled for 40 years until his death at 91. It’s believed he sired nearly 100 children—and outlived almost all of them as well as many of his grandchildren.

Temples, cities, and statues were constructed across the realm in his honor as he extended the borders from as far south as Nubia, to as far north as Canaan and Phoenicia.

SHARE This Great News For Justice In The Art World…

“The fairest thing in nature, a flower, still has its roots in earth and manure.” – D. H. Lawrence

Quote of the Day

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Apr 29, 2024

Quote of the Day: “The fairest thing in nature, a flower, still has its roots in earth and manure.” – D. H. Lawrence

Photo by: Paul Felberbauer and (below) corina ardeleanu

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Good News in History, April 29

This Day In History

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Apr 29, 2024

Duke Ellington with his piano-1954-publicdomain — Ellington with his piano, 1954

125 years ago today, the musician and composer Duke Ellington, one of the most influential jazz musicians of all time, was born in Washington, DC. The pianist composed (or co-wrote) more than 1,000 pieces, many of which became popular standards like Mood Indigo, Sophisticated Lady, It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing), I Got It Bad and That Ain’t Good, Don’t Get Around Much Anymore, East St. Louis Toodle-Oo, and I’m Beginning To See the Light. He led his renowned 15-piece orchestra for almost 50 years until his death in 1974. READ more and watch a mini tribute… (1899)

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Watch Rope-Dangling Rescue of Young Mountain Lions Before Dam Deluge ‘Likely Would Have Drowned Them’

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Apr 28, 2024

Mike Canterbury and John Livingston - Colorado Parks and Wildlife released on FB

A nerve-wracking scene unfolded as Colorado wildlife officials pulled all the stops to rescue two young mountain lions in the path of a deluge of trouble.

A worker at the Pine River Irrigation District Dam was about to release a large amount of water down a concrete spillway when he spotted the yearlings at the bottom of the steep wall.

According to posts on social media, he called the Colorado Parks and Wildlife to alert them about the animals’ presence, before releasing the water from Vallecito Reservoir near Durango.

The high walls of the spillway meant the mountain lions wouldn’t be able to get out on their own.

“A release of water likely would have drowned the two lions,” writes the CPW.

Officer Ty Smith responded and pondered possible solutions.

He grabbed a long rope and dangled it in front of the young mountain lions to see if they would grab onto it so he could lift them out.

Mountain lion rescue-Mike Canterbury and John Livingston – Colorado Parks and Wildlife released on FB

The first mountain lion took the bait and held on, with legs dangling, as it was pulled to the top of the barrier—and quickly ran off into the woods.

“The second lion, however, wouldn’t hold onto the rope and ran down the spillway to where the Los Pinos River continues below the dam,” reported the Parks Officials.

“Unwilling to swim to reach the bank, the young lion continued to pace around at the water’s edge and moved into a corner of the spillway. Our wildlife officer climbed down a ladder into the spillway with the rope hoping to find a way to free the lion.

“With the lion interested in the rope, we were also able to use a catch pole and lift the lion over the concrete wall to quickly release it.”

MUST SEE: Dramatic Video Shows Strangers Desperately Fight to Remove Man from Car Engulfed in Flames–And Succeed

Everyone knows how cats like string, and in this case, it saved one of their nine lives.

Watch the video below–and hold your breath…

SHARE This Paw-sitively Amazing Rescue on Social Media…

Man Reveals Heart-Warming Friendship With Young Fox That He Cured of Illness in the Wild

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Apr 28, 2024

A wildlife fan has struck up an extraordinary friendship with a young fox after he noticed she was ill.

Bob Dunlop realized the fox had developed mange on her tail after spying her lack of hair on wildlife cameras set up near his home in Littleport, Cambridgeshire.

The 69-year-old worked out where the animal’s den was located and began to treat the cub by feeding it bread with a homeopathic remedy recommended by a wildlife expert.

Their heart-warming friendship blossomed as the young kit began to greet Mr Dunlop on his daily walks through the English forest.

Mr Dunlop said he knows he must let her re-wild and is slowly cutting down the amount of time he visits—and has already stopped feeding her.

“She’s such a special animal, it will be hard to let go.”

“But I do not intend to make her tame as she is a wild fox.”

In the video below, the fox can be seen rolling on her back and affectionately biting at Mr Dunlop’s trousers for his attention. She also greets him as he approaches, yelping and whining with excitement.

Dunlop began treating the mange—a skin disease caused by microscopic mites that burrow into skin—back in December.

Bob Dunlop’s friendly fox in Littleport, England (via SWNS)

LOOK: Woman Turns Her Apartment Into Hummingbird Hospital for Dozens of Battered Beauties–LOOK

Arsenicum and sulphur

He was unwilling to leave it untreated and sought advice from the National Fox Welfare Society. They sent Dunlop an arsenicum and sulphur 30c homeopathic remedy to treat it, free of charge.

He put the drops on some bread, alongside some dried food, delivering it every day.

Curing the mange also resulted in a unique bond between the compassionate Scotsman and the fox, which began acting more like a dog than a wild animal.

“It was a labor of love,” he told SWNS news service. “I monitored and fed her on a daily basis.

STRANGER KINDNESS: She Was About to End it All, Until a Stranger She’d Never Meet Told Her ‘Don’t Jump’

“I think she’s coming up to a year old because I believe she is the last remaining cub of a previous fox family who lived there.

“The mother of those cubs had some mange on her tail too – I think that’s where she got it from.”

“The day I put the food down and she first showed her belly, it was just wonderful.

“I know at some point I’ve got to stop and let her rewild. I think she was just a lonely animal that was ill, has recovered and is showing her appreciation.

WATCH: The Incredible Moment 69-Year-Old Stops a Bank Robbery with Words and a Hug

“She hides when she hears other people approach and is hunting at night which I see on my camera so I’m not concerned she’s at risk of being too tame.”

And he hopes that she might have her own cubs one day.

SHARE THE CURE With Fox Lovers on Social Media…

Spiders From Mars? Phenomenon Evokes David Bowie Song in These Photos Taken Near South Pole of Red Planet

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Apr 28, 2024

David Bowie was right, there are spiders from Mars — Image shows features known as ‘spiders’ near Mars south pole, as seen by the CaSSIS (Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System) aboard ESA’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter – ESA / SWNS

Image shows features known as ‘spiders’ near Mars south pole, as seen by the CaSSIS (Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System) aboard ESA’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter – ESA / SWNS

David Bowie would love this! There are spiders from Mars—if you believe these photos.

Incredible images taken by the European Space Agency’s spacecraft, the Mars Express and ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO), shows distinctive arachnid shapes.

The apparent creepy crawlies are actually small, dark features that form when spring sunshine falls on layers of carbon dioxide deposited over Red Planet’s dark winter months.

The phenomenon was viewed at the outskirts of a part of Mars nicknamed Inca City in the southern polar region, named because as the linear, almost geometric network of ridges reminiscent of Inca ruins.

“The sunlight causes carbon dioxide ice at the bottom of the layer to turn into gas, which subsequently builds up and breaks through slabs of overlying ice,” said the ESA. “The gas bursts free in Martian springtime, dragging dark material up to the surface as it goes and shattering layers of ice up to a meter thick.”

The emerging gas, laden with dark dust, shoots up through cracks in the ice in the form of tall fountains or geysers, before falling back down and settling on the surface. This creates dark spots of between 45 meters and 1 km across.

“This same process creates characteristic ‘spider-shaped’ patterns etched beneath the ice—and so these dark spots are a telltale sign that spiders may be lurking below,” teased the agency in a media release.

LOOK: A Formation That Looks Like a Giant Grizzly Bear Spotted on Mars by NASA Camera

Mars image from the ESA Visual Monitoring Camera aboard Mars Express showing Inca City in the southern polar region-ESA / SWNS

Another ESA Mars explorer, the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO), has imaged the spiders’ tendril-like patterns especially clearly. The spiders captured by TGO lie near, but outside, the region shown in the new Mars Express image.

The Mars Express view shows the dark spots on the surface formed by escaping gas and material, while the TGO perspective also captures the spidery, web-like channels that are carved into the ice below.

Mars Express has revealed a great deal about Mars in the last two decades and counting, like when it peered into the depths of Mars’ own grand canyon to find that water made up as much as 40% of the ground there.

The orbiter continues to image Mars’s surface, map its minerals, explore the composition and circulation of its atmosphere, probe beneath its crust, and study the martian environment.

CHECK OUT: Listen to the First Eerie Sounds From Mars: China’s Rover Films Itself Driving on Red Planet, Making History

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“You exist only in what you do.” – Federico Fellini

Quote of the Day

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Apr 28, 2024

Danielle Gletow giving loving gift to black foster youth hug-submitted — Danielle hugs one of the winners - One Simple Wish

Quote of the Day: “You exist only in what you do.” – Federico Fellini

Photo by: One Simple Wish

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Good News in History, April 28

This Day In History

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Apr 28, 2024

A coal power plant in India - credit Rawpixel

6 years ago, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India had achieved its goal, ahead of schedule, of providing electricity to every village in India, one of the greatest achievements in the history of electrification. Once the absolute portrait of unaddressable grinding poverty, since 2000 around half a billion people have gained access to electricity in India, with political effort during the twenty-teens significantly accelerating progress. READ more about the staggering achievement… (2018)

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Rubber Duck Washes Up 18 Years After it Lost a River Race and Headed for the Hills–400 Miles Away

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Apr 27, 2024

Filip Miller holds a rubber duck released 18 years ago in Dublin race-SWNS — Filip Miller holds a rubber duck released 18 years ago in Dublin race via SWNS

Filip Miller holds a rubber duck released 18 years ago in Dublin race via SWNS

A rubber duck that escaped a failed world record race 18 years ago has been found by a teen washed up on a beach 423 miles away.

The record attempt, held in Dublin in the summer of 2006, was part of “World Duck Race Ireland” which corralled 150,000 rubber ducks at the starting line in the River Liffey.

Despite organizer’s attempts to collect them all, several escaped into the sea. This one was found on the island of Stronsay in Orkney, Scotland.

Filip Miller, 13, stumbled across the rubber duck while walking the dog and brought it back home to show his mom.

“He didn’t really look at it, he just put it in his pocket,” said Marion. “I had a look at it and saw the writing.”

“It said “World Record Duck Race, Ireland 2006,” and so we got a bit excited and started Googling it.”

Each duck was sponsored for the race that required each duck to pass under five bridges, with the fastest one declared the winner—earning its sponsor a trip to the United States.

Other ducks that flew the coop in the race have been found in Morecambe and the Isle of Wight—with one even being discovered in Sweden in 2016.

LOOK: Little Boy Reunited With LEGO Man After Creating a ‘Missing Person’ Poster

Rubber duck found 18 years after it was released in Dublin race – SWNS

“It’s always fascinating finding things on the shore—a bit like a message on the bottle,” said Marion.

“You always wonder what the story is and where it’s come from, so it’s really special to be able to learn about its journey.

“It was so long ago as well…18 years ago and the writing is still intact on it and it even has a number on it.”

As the find was posted on social media, commenters began wondering about the future of the duck, but Marion says there’s no chance she’s throwing it out.

WOW: Daughter Gets Dad’s Long Lost Message in a Bottle 50 Years Later

“I don’t think we’ll keep him in the bath, but we’re definitely going to keep it on the shelf!”

FLOAT THIS REBEL DUCKIE Story to Pals on Social Media…

One in 5 Americans ‘Always’ Think About Planning Their Next Vacation–While On Vacation: New Survey

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Apr 27, 2024

airplane window jet carribean sea ocean vacation-pubdomain-Jakob Owens — Jakob Owens

A survey of 2,000 travel-loving adults found that one in five people long for another vacation again the day they get back and another 27% said this feeling wells up within a week.

Looking ahead, the average respondent wants to spend 15 days on vacation in 2024, after the average said they grabbed 11 days last year in 2023.

Just a quarter of respondents said they traveled more than the average person they know, but nearly half say they want to be known as the frequent traveler.

Conducted by OnePoll for Club Wyndham, the survey found that 89% of those surveyed said vacation reduces their stress levels, even temporarily, with 84% saying a vacation can relax them and decrease stress for weeks upon returning.

A majority of respondents said that they consider vacations as a form of self-care (86%).

And, because they can reduce stress, 80% would be interested in a “do-nothing” vacation where they sit by the pool or beach, reading a book or relaxing.

“According to the survey, more than 70% of potential travelers count down to their vacation, and a majority long to travel again just one week after returning home,” said Annie Roberts, senior vice president of club and owner services at Club Wyndham.

“It’s not surprising that they want to experience the ‘vacation glow’ again and again.”

To make sure they get what they’re looking for, many of those surveyed go to great lengths to dream of and plan a vacation well tailored to their interests.

Respondents want to steer clear of discomforts, like sharing a bathroom with others (27%) and want to avoid situations where they would have difficulty sleeping (27%).

When on vacation with others, 79% prefer having their own—or extra—space to spread out, including 82% of parents.

“People want to ensure their vacation decisions bring them quality, consistency, and peace of mind—the chance to gather comfortably to enjoy shared moments that become lifelong memories.”

Couple Who Met as ‘Miracle Babies’ in Hospital Were Meant to Be Together–Now Have a Child of Their Own

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Apr 27, 2024

Screenshot — Bronwyn and Jack being held by their mothers in 1994 - now hold their own (SWNS)

Bronwyn and Jack being held by their mothers in 1994 – now hold their own (SWNS)

Jack and Bronwyn were both born prematurely in the same hospital at the same time.

After he was born at 30 weeks, and she was delivered after just 26 weeks, their families forged a friendship during the many weeks spent waiting in the neonatal ward in 1994.

After finally going home from Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham, England, the families stayed in touch over the years, and the two kids grew up together.

Jack and Bronwyn drifted apart in their teens before surprisingly realizing at age 27 that they were made for each other.

Two years later they decided to get married and now have a young daughter of their own—who was also born at the same hospital.

“I always knew there was something,” Bronwyn Tacey told SWNS news service, “but I didn’t think we would make anything of it.”

She talked about the unlikely beginnings with Jack Richardson.

“Jack was in intensive care for a year. I was there for 14 weeks. It was touch and go whether we would both make it. It’s a complete miracle that we are both here.”

Their parents stayed close for years, raising their kids alongside one another and keeping each other’s birthdays on the calendar.

The kids went off to different schools, and had several romantic relationships before everything changed in October 2021.

Bronwyn recalls posting a selfie after her hair was styled and he messaged her on Facebook.

The pair got to chatting and Jack asked if she was seeing anyone. After a few dates they realized they were “right for each other”.

In May, last year, the couple announced they were getting married—and their parents were “ecstatic” at the news.

Jack’s mom Sharon Pickering said she “couldn’t quite believe it”.

“It was just amazing. The first person he met is the person he’ll have a baby with.”

AMAZING: Tiny Baby That Fit Inside Mom’s Hand is Home Laughing After 181 Days in Hospital Not Expected to Survive

She gave birth to Sienna in February 23, 2024 in the same hospital that she and Jack were born in.

Bronwyn admits it’s “strange” how they got together.

“I don’t know anyone else or any other relationships that are like this.”

But now living in Nuttall, on the skirts of Nottingham, the couple couldn’t be happier.

Bronwyn said, “It’s a great partnership.

We’re like best friends as well as partners. It’s the best of both worlds.

“We just get each other, finish each other’s sentences. We know what each other is thinking before we say it.

LOOK: 12-yo Leap Year Quadruplets Celebrate ‘Third Birthday’–Brothers Are All Unique But 3 Are Triplets

“It feels really natural to be together.”

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Your Weekly Horoscope – ‘Free Will Astrology’ From Rob Brezsny

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Apr 27, 2024

Our partner Rob Brezsny, who has a new book out, Astrology Is Real: Revelations from My Life as an Oracle, provides his weekly wisdom to enlighten our thinking and motivate our mood. Rob’s Free Will Astrology, is a syndicated weekly column appearing in over a hundred publications. He is also the author of Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia: How All of Creation Is Conspiring To Shower You with Blessings. (A free preview of the book is available here.)

Here is your weekly horoscope…

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY – Week of April 27, 2024
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
Bordering the Pacific Ocean for a thousand miles, Chile’s Atacama Desert is a place of stark and startling beauty. Unfortunately, its pristine landscape is also a dumping ground for vast amounts of discarded clothes that people bought cheaply, wore out quickly, and didn’t want anymore. Is there any other place on earth that more poignantly symbolizes the overlap of sacred and profane? In the coming weeks, Taurus, you will possess a special aptitude for succeeding in situations with metaphorical resemblances to the Atacama. You will have an enhanced power to inject ingenious changes wherever messiness is mixed with elegance, wherever blemished beauty requires redemption, and wherever lyrical truths need to be rescued from careless duplicity or pretense.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
My Gemini friend Alicia thrives on having a quick, acute, whirling-dervish-like intelligence. It’s one of her strong points now, but it wasn’t always. She says she used to be hyperactive. She thought of serenity as boring—“like some wan, bland floral tea.” But after years of therapy, she is joyous to have discovered “a kind of serenity that’s like sweet, frothy hot chocolate spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg.” I’m guessing that many of you Geminis have been evolving in a similar direction in recent months—and will climax this excellent period of relaxing growth in the coming weeks.

CANCER (June 21-July 22):
All Cancerians in the coming weeks may feel their dormant potentials ripening. Imagine being guided to receive and bestow the love that gives your life supreme meaning. How should you prepare for this flood of blessings? Start by having a long talk with yourself in which you describe exactly why you deserve these gifts.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
A meme on Instagram said, “The day I stopped worrying about what other people think of me was the day I became free.” This sentiment provokes mixed feelings in me. I agree it’s liberating not to be obsessed with what people think of us. On the other hand, I believe we should indeed care about how we affect others. We are wise to learn from them about how we can be our best selves. Our “freedom” includes the discernment to know which ideas people have about us are worth paying attention to and which are best forgotten and ignored. In my opinion, Leo, these are important themes for you to ruminate on right now.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
The city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia is a holy place for Islam. Jerusalem is the equivalent for Judaism, and the Vatican is for Catholicism. Other spiritual traditions regard natural areas as numinous and exalting. For instance, the Yoruba people of Nigeria cherish Osun-Osogbo, a sacred grove of trees along the Osun River. I’d love it if there were equivalent sanctuaries for you, Virgo—where you could go to heal and recharge whenever you need to. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to identify power spots like these. If there are no such havens for you, find or create some.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
In my astrological opinion, you are entering a period when you can turn any potential breakdown into a breakthrough. If a spiritual emergency arises, I predict you will use it to rouse wisdom that sparks your emergence from numbness and apathy. Darkness will be your ally because it will be the best place to access hidden strength and untapped resources. And here’s the best news of all: Unripe and wounded parts of your psyche will get healing upgrades as you navigate your way through the intriguing mysteries.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
According to my astrological perspective, you are entering a phase when you could dramatically refine how relationships function in your life. To capitalize on the potential, you must figure out how to have fun while doing the hard work that such an effort will take. Here are three questions to get you started. 1 What can you do to foster a graceful balance between being too self-centered and giving too much of yourself? 2. Are there any stale patterns in your deep psyche that tend to undermine your love life? If so, how could you transform or dissolve them? 3. Given the fact that any close relationship inevitably provokes the dark sides of both allies, how can you cultivate healthy ways to deal with that?

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
I feel sad when I see my friends tangling with mediocre problems. The uninspiring dilemmas aren’t very interesting and don’t provoke much personal growth. They use up psychic energy that could be better allocated. Thankfully, I don’t expect you to suffer this bland fate in the coming weeks, Sagittarius. You will entertain high-quality quandaries. They will call forth the best in you. They will stimulate your creativity and make you smarter and kinder and wilder. Congratulations on working diligently to drum up such rich challenges!

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
In 1894, a modest agave ferox plant began its life at a botanical garden in Oxford, England. By 1994, a hundred years later, it had grown to be six feet tall but had never bloomed. Then one December day, the greenhouse temperature accidentally climbed above 68 degrees F. During the next two weeks, the plant grew twice as tall. Six months later, it bloomed bright yellow flowers for the first time. I suspect metaphorically comparable events will soon occur for you, Capricorn. They may already be underway.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
Have you felt a longing to be nurtured? Have you fantasized about asking for support and encouragement and mentoring? If so, wonderful! Your intuition is working well! My astrological analysis suggests you would dramatically benefit from basking in the care and influence of people who can elevate and champion you; who can cherish and exalt you; who can feed and inspire you. My advice is to pursue the blessings of such helpers without inhibition or apology. You need and deserve to be treated like a vibrant treasure.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
In his book Attention Deficit Disorder: A Different Perception, Thom Hartmann theorizes that distractibility may have been an asset for our ancestors. Having a short attention span meant they were ever alert for possible dangers and opportunities in their environment. If they were out walking at night, being lost in thought could prevent them from tuning into warning signals from the bushes. Likewise, while hunting, they would benefit from being ultra-receptive to fleeting phenomena and ready to make snap decisions. I encourage you to be like a hunter in the coming weeks, Pisces. Not for wild animals, but for wild clues, wild signs, and wild help.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):
Have you ever gotten your mind, heart, and soul in sweet alignment with the spiritual beauty of money? An opportunity to do that is available. During the next four weeks, you can cultivate an almost mystical communion with the archetype of well-earned wealth. What does that mean? Well, you could be the beneficiary of novel insights and hot tips about how best to conduct your finances. You might get intuitions about actions you could take to bring more riches into your life. Be alert for help from unexpected sources. You may notice that the more generous you are, the more the world’s generosity will flow your way.

WANT MORE? Listen to Rob’s EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES, 4-5 minute meditations on the current state of your destiny — or subscribe to his unique daily text message service at: RealAstrology.com

(Zodiac images by Numerologysign.com, CC license)

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“The glow of one warm thought is to me worth more than money.” – Thomas Jefferson

Quote of the Day

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Good News Network

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Apr 27, 2024

Quote of the Day: “The glow of one warm thought is to me worth more than money.” – Thomas Jefferson

Photo by: Brian Garcia

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