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Your Inspired Weekly Horoscope From Rob Brezsny: A ‘Free Will Astrology’

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Our partner Rob Brezsny 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 November 19, 2022
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
Scorpio author Sylvia Plath had a disturbing, melodramatic relationship with romance. In one of her short stories, for example, she has a woman character say, “His love is the twenty-story leap, the rope at the throat, the knife at the heart.” I urge you to avoid contact with people who think and feel like that—as glamorous as they might seem. In my view, your romantic destiny in the coming months can and should be uplifting, exciting in healthy ways, and conducive to your well-being. There’s no need to link yourself with shadowy renegades when there will be plenty of radiant helpers available.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
I like Sagittarian healer and author Caroline Myss because she’s both spiritual and practical, compassionate and fierce. Here’s a passage from her work that I think will be helpful for you in the coming weeks: “Get bored with your past. It’s over! Forgive yourself for what you think you did or didn’t do, and focus on what you will do, starting now.” To ensure you make the most of her counsel, I’ll add a further insight from author Augusten Burroughs: “You cannot be a prisoner of your past against your will—because you can only live in the past inside your mind.”

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
I suggest you use this as a prompt to engage in leisurely meditations on what you might do to reduce the world’s suffering. It’s an excellent time to stretch your imagination to understand how your personal life is interwoven with the lives of countless others, many of whom you don’t even know. And I hope you will think about how to offer extra healings and blessings not just to your allies, but also to strangers. What’s in it for you? Would this bring any selfish benefits your way? You may be amazed at how it leads you to interesting connections that expand your world.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
Aquarian philosopher Alfred North Whitehead wrote, “The silly question is the first intimation of some totally new development.” He also said, “Every really new idea looks crazy at first.” With these thoughts in mind, Aquarius, I will tell you that you are now in the Season of the Silly Question. I invite you to enjoy dreaming up such queries. And as you indulge in that fertile pleasure, include another: Celebrate the Season of Crazy Ideas.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
We all love to follow stories: the stories we live, the stories that unfold for people we know, and the stories told in movies, TV shows, and books. A disproportionately high percentage of the entertainment industry’s stories are sad or tormented or horrendously painful. They influence us to think such stories are the norm. They tend to darken our view of life. While I would never try to coax you to avoid all those stories, Pisces, I will encourage you to question whether maybe it’s wise to limit how many you absorb. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to explore this possibility. Be willing to say, “These sad, tormented, painful stories are not ones I want to invite into my imagination.” Try this experiment: For the next three weeks, seek out mostly uplifting tales.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):
Virginia Woolf wrote a passage that I suspect will apply to you in the coming weeks. She said, “There is no denying the wild horse in us. To gallop intemperately; fall on the sand tired out; to feel the earth spin; to have — positively — a rush of friendship for stones and grasses — there is no getting over the fact that this desire seizes us.” Here’s my question for you, Aries: How will you harness your wild horse energy? I’m hoping that the self-possessed human in you will take command of the horse and direct it to serve you and yours with constructive actions. It’s fine to indulge in some intemperate galloping, too. But I’ll be rooting for a lot of temperate and disciplined galloping.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
“The failure of love might account for most of the suffering in the world,” writes poet Marie Howe. I agree with that statement. Many of us have had painful episodes revolving around people who no longer love us and people whose lack of love for us makes us feel hurt. That’s the bad news, Taurus. The good news is that you now have more power than usual to heal the failures of love you have endured in the past. You also have an expanded capacity to heal others who have suffered from the failures of love. I hope you will be generous in your ministrations!

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
Many Geminis tell me they are often partly awake as they sleep. In their dreams, they might work overtime trying to solve waking-life problems. Or they may lie in bed in the dark contemplating intricate ideas that fascinate them, or perhaps ruminating on the plot developments unfolding in a book they’ve been reading or a TV show they’ve been bingeing. If you are prone to such behavior, I will ask you to minimize it for a while. In my view, you need to relax your mind extra deeply and allow it to play luxuriously with non-utilitarian fantasies and dreams. You have a sacred duty to yourself to explore mysterious and stirring feelings that bypass rational thought.

CANCER (June 21-July 22):
Here are my two key messages for you. 1. Remember where you hide important stuff. 2. Remember that you have indeed hidden some important stuff. Got that? Please note that I am not questioning your urge to lock away a secret or two. I am not criticizing you for wanting to store a treasure that you are not yet ready to use or reveal. It’s completely understandable if you want to keep a part of your inner world off-limits to certain people for the time being. But as you engage in any or all of these actions, make sure you don’t lose touch with your valuables. And don’t forget why you are stashing them.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
I know I don’t have to give you lessons in expressing your sensuality. Nor do you need prods and encouragement to do so. As a Leo, you most likely have abundant talent in the epicurean arts. But as you prepare to glide into the lush and lusty heart of the Sensuality Season, it can’t hurt to offer you a pep talk from your fellow Leo bon vivant, James Baldwin. He said: “To be sensual is to respect and rejoice in the force of life, of life itself, and to be present in all that one does, from the effort of loving to the breaking of bread.”

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
Many Virgos are on a lifelong quest to cultivate a knack described by Sigmund Freud: “In the small matters, trust the mind. In the large ones, the heart.” And I suspect you are now at a pivotal point in your efforts to master that wisdom. Important decisions are looming in regards to both small and large matters. I believe you will do the right things as long as you empower your mind to do what it does best and your heart to do what it does best.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
Social media like Facebook and Twitter feed on our outrage. Their algorithms are designed to stir up our disgust and indignation. I confess that I get semi-caught in their trap. I am sometimes seduced by the temptation to feel lots of umbrage and wrath, even though those feelings comprise a small minority of my total emotional range. As an antidote, I proactively seek experiences that rouse my wonder and sublimity and holiness. In the next two weeks, Libra, I invite you to cultivate a focus like mine. It’s high time for a phase of minimal anger and loathing—and maximum reverence and awe.

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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“Hope is an embrace of the unknown and the unknowable, an alternative to the certainty of both optimists and pessimists.” – Rebecca Solnit

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Quote of the Day: “Hope is an embrace of the unknown and the unknowable, an alternative to the certainty of both optimists and pessimists.” – Rebecca Solnit

Photo by: Capt_tain Tom, CC license

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Adorable Grandmother Took Notes During 30 Marvel Superhero Films so She Can Relate to her Grandkids

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Andy Corbley
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Grandma Cheryl - by Jackson King on TikTok / SWNS
Grandma Cheryl – by Jackson King on TikTok / SWNS

A grandmother was filmed taking notes during a Marvel superhero movie marathon, which at this point includes 30 films, all so she can be closer to her grandkids and talk to them about their interests.

Cheryl Skiados, who is in her 70s, was filmed by her grandson Jackson King, partway through her Marvel movie-fest.

Whether you live in Kuala Lumpur, Kingston, or Vancouver, grandparents can probably all relate over “the kids today.”

Skiados has 13 grandkids in total, from age 6 to 22, and they’re all big Marvel fans. Rather than writing off their interests as frivolous, as grandparents are wont to do, she decided to try to get on the same level as the whippersnappers.

“I just moved in with my grandparents, and my grandma is making her way through all the Marvel movies,” said 18-year-old Jackson. “She is watching them in the order they came out and she asked if I wanted to watch one with her, so of course, I said ‘yes’.

“I think it really shows how much she cares about her grandchildren, because she is willing to sit there for hours on end and watch superhero movies, and take notes on them, just so she can have something extra to talk to her grandkids about.”

The watchlist, which starts with 2008’s Iron Man, has 30 films on it, including the latest ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’, with even more films lined up for 2023 and beyond.

The video has touched the hearts of many online and racked up nearly seven million views on one video, and hundreds of thousands of likes, along with it.

LOOK: Video Game-Streaming Grandma is Making Profound Impact on the Lives of Strangers Across the Internet

“It went viral really quickly. It hit one million views within the day I posted it,” said Jackson. “I remember I posted the video on TikTok. Then I set my phone down and watched an episode of a tv show, and then when I picked up my phone I had 3,000+ notifications.”

In one clip Skiados has just finished Spiderman: Homecoming from 2017, and has around 14 films left to watch.

According to Jackson, her favorite film so far is Thor—’because the actor is hot.’

RELATED: Watch Marvel’s Video Tribute to the ‘Unmatchable Accomplishments‘ of Stan Lee (1922-2018)

“The family loves it. We all think gran is getting the recognition she deserves for being an amazing grandmother.”

Skiados, in response to the attention, says she “thinks it’s funny,” and “her heart was warmed, and she felt touched by all the comments.”

KEEP The Viral Train Rolling And Share This With Your Friends…

Island Paradise Declared Rat-Free After Massive Volunteer Eradication Campaign

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Andy Corbley
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Tetiaroa Atoll team at work credit - Tahiti Infos
Tetiaroa Atoll team at work credit – Tahiti Infos

After more than three years of work, the Tetiaroa Atoll has been declared rat-free following a massive effort to poison off two invasive species devastating the ecosystem.

The mission required the cutting of some 160 miles of trails across 1,250 acres of tropical atoll forest, and a team that were willing to suffer the bugs, humidity, rats, and days without showers.

Tetiaroa Atoll is as paradisiacal a tropical island as anyone could imagine. It was bought by actor Marlon Brando on a 99-year lease, and is home to one of the world’s most expensive island resorts.

It is also the home—or was the home, of two species of introduced rat, the black rat and the Polynesian rat, both of which wrecked havoc on the local ecosystem of nesting sea turtles, skittish ghost and coconut crabs, and dozens of sea birds like the blue and red-footed boobies.

After three years of work and research in the field, the summer of 2022 saw the NGO Island Conservation initiate an operation to eradicate all the rats from all 12 islands in the atoll, in collaboration with the luxury hotel Le Brando and the non-profit organization non-profit Tetiaroa Society.

More than 60 staff and volunteers set out to open more than 160 miles (260 kilometers) of paths in the vegetation in order to spread rat poison across around 1,250 acres (520 hectares).

“It is the largest operation of its kind carried out by hand in the world,” Richard Griffiths, chief operating officer of Island Conservation, said in a statement. “Usually, surfaces of this size are treated from the air with helicopters and drones. But for technical and Covid-related reasons, we decided to do it manually.”

– Tetiaroa Society
Small chicks like this were often preyed upon by the rates – Tahiti Infos.

The successful project will provide a massive boost for seabird populations and other “connecting” species that link island and marine ecosystems. With time, the flourishing island could become a safe haven for critically endangered species such as the Polynesian Ground Dove and the Tuamotu Sandpiper, and the concurrent marine benefits will lead to recovered coral reefs and thriving marine life.

The connecting mainly occurs from the nutrients deposited into the sea by a diverse panoply of seabird species, which had declined dramatically under the rat occupation. More nutrients means heathier zooplankton and phytoplankton, and coral reefs. These in turn mean larger small fish populations, and those of large predators like devil rays.

RELATED: Guam Kingfishers Could Soon Return to the Wild After a 30-Year Absence Thanks to Ambitious Scientists

“I’m very proud of the team,” Baudouin des Monstiers, project manager for the rat eradication program, told Mongabay, reporting on the gritty work on the island of Tiaraunu.

“[Of the rats] they’d get in the tents, climbing around along with the land crabs. Some rats ate my plastic shoes, and ate through Tupperware to try and get to our food. We also had one guy we had to evacuate by boat. He had chills and fever,” said des Monstiers.

Introduced animals like the black rat are huge dangers to island ecosystems, but islands in general are some of the finest conservation success stories in terms of these eradications taking place around the world.

KEEP READING: Island Overrun With Rats Completely Recovers in Only 11 Years After Ecosystem Had Been Decimated

In 2021, GNN reported that invasive rats on two of the Galapagos Islands were successfully eradicated. In May of this year, Lord Howe Island off the coast of Australia was declared rat free, and in summer, news that Macquarie Island, which had a rat and rabbit problem, was finally recovering after a successful eradication program there.

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2 Viking Swords Buried Upright May Have Been a Guide to Odin and Valhalla – Discovered By Road Crew

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Andy Corbley
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(Image credit: The Archaeologists/National Historical Museumscredit - The Archaeologists/National Historical Museums, CC BY
(Image credit: The Archaeologists/National Historical Museumscredit – The Archaeologists/National Historical Museums, CC BY

Swedish archeologists have unearthed two Viking swords from a burial mound in which they had been buried vertically, as if resting on their points.

As well as marking the rare discovery of a sword, the vertical placement reflects a deliberate symbolism that has the archeologists ruminating over what it means, and suggestions include honoring the god Odin, or even keeping the dead person from rising as a “draugr,” an undead warrior.

Ahead of a highway construction is Västmanland in Sweden, the archeologists discovered a Viking Age cemetery of about 100 cremated graves stretching over one acre of ground. Most of the burials date from 600 – 1000 CE, encompassing the entirety of the Viking Age, in a period known technically as the Late Iron Age, (most historians have now disowned the term “Dark Age”).

“The placement of the swords reflects an action with a lot of symbolism,” Anton Seiler, Fredrik Larsson, and Katarina Appelgren, archeologists at Arkeologerna, an archeology firm in Sweden, told Live Science in an email. “When you find swords in graves—which you don’t do very often—they often lie beside the buried individual, as a faithful companion on the voyage to the next world.”

The graves were about 19 feet wide, and the whole of the cemetery was built atop an older burial mound, a very uncommon occurrence. Both swords were about 35 inches long, and have been broken in several places due to the weight of the earth and the ravages of time.

(Image credit: The Archaeologists/National Historical Museumscredit – The Archaeologists/National Historical Museums, CC BY

It’s possible that traces of a leather scabbard, or decorations around the hilt and pommel of the sword could be revealed through the conservation process that will take place, and could inform more about the overall wealth of the individual.

A variety of other grave goods were found, including the ashes from animal sacrifices, a set of bear claws, glass beads, game board pieces made from whale bone, as well as some iron nails, silverwork, and pottery pieces.

MORE VIKING NEWS: Viking Age Shipyard Uncovered at Birka is Like Nothing Ever Found Before

But why were the swords pointing down? It’s possible that it was to consecrate the path of the dead warrior to Odin’s hall of Valhalla, where half of all warriors who died in battle went to enjoy a rip-roaring afterlife.

It’s also possible that it was to prevent the rising of the dead man into the service of evil, and that the sword had impaled the ashes of its former owner.

“We do not think that applies to these graves, as the swords were such precious objects,” the team added in their email. “Instead, knives or arrowheads could have been used, which would have been significantly cheaper.”

Lastly, there’s the possibility that the pommel of the sword would have rested just above the level of the earth, allowing visitors to the grave to reach out and touch some part of the one interred below.

RELATED: While Excavating 1000-Year-old Viking Ship, Norwegians Find Remnants of Elite Society

The team has not radiocarbon dated the graves. It’s likely the grave, the sword, and the human remains date to around the same period, and more details such as whether the warrior was a male or female, and what they might have looked like, can also be made available.

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Protein Changes in Blood Could Become New Test for Catching Breast Cancer Up to 2 Years Early

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Newly discovered protein changes in the blood could pave the way for a new test to catching breast cancer up to two years early.

On Wednesday, researchers revealed they found the levels of six proteins in people’s blood changed before they were diagnosed with breast cancer.

They claimed this could form the basis of blood testing to catch the disease early in those who are genetically predisposed or have a family history of breast cancer, and catching the disease early means a reduced chance of death.

According to the American Cancer Society, the 5-year relative survival rate for breast cancer detected early is just about 99%, but if the cancer is detected late and spreads beyond the breast tissues, that rate falls by about 10%.

These new results came from the “Trial Early Serum Test” Breast, or TESTBREAST, cancer study initiated in 2011.

Currently the study includes 1,174 women who are at high risk of breast cancer because of a family history or carrying gene variants known to raise breast cancer risk.

Women taking part in the study have given blood samples at least once a year for ten years, when they go for a screening. If they develop breast cancer they give samples when they are diagnosed too.

A team from Leiden University made detailed analyses of 30 blood samples from three women who were diagnosed with breast cancer and three who had not.

They discovered distinct differences: a group of six proteins were at higher or lower levels one or two years prior to a breast cancer diagnosis.

Presenting the findings at the 13th European Breast Cancer Conference, Ms. Sophie Hagenaars from Leiden University Medical Center in The Netherlands noted that greater variations in the levels of the marker protein were found in between individuals, rather than in the same individuals overtime.

“This shows that testing should probably be based both on proteins that differ between women with and without breast cancer and on proteins that alter in an individual person over time,” said Hagenaars.

SIMILAR: Screening For Breast Cancer Might Soon Use Simple Blood Test Following Milk Discovery

“If further research validates our findings, this testing could be used as an add-on to existing screening techniques. Blood tests are relatively simple and not particularly painful for most people, so people could be offered screening as often as needed.”

Next, the team will try to validate their discovery in a large group of TESTBREAST women with and without breast cancer.

RELATED: Doctors Hail New Era for Cancer Screening as Single Blood Test Spots Multiple Cancers in Early Stages

“Women at a high risk of developing breast cancer take part in screening programs at fixed time-points,” said Dr. Laura Biganzoli, co-Chair of the European Breast Cancer Conference, and who was not involved with the study.

“If this research ultimately results in a blood test for people with a high risk of breast cancer, that could guide personalized screening and help to diagnose breast cancer at the earliest possible stage.”

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“Hope locates itself in uncertainty… where you recognize that you may be able to influence the outcome—you alone, or you in concert with several million others.” – Rebecca Solnit

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Quote of the Day: “Hope locates itself in uncertainty… (where) you recognize that you may be able to influence the outcome—you alone or you in concert with a few dozen or several million others.” – Rebecca Solnit

Photo by: Tachina Lee

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Florida Paramotor Pilot Helps Save Woman Clinging to Submerged Car That Crashed into Canal –WATCH

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Screen Grabs from footage showing a paraglider, Cristiano Piquet, out for a routine flight spotted a woman clinging to her submerged vehicle in a canal - and swooped in to her rescue. See SWNS story SWFSparaglider. Cristiano Piquet was filming his flight near Homestead, Miami, Florida, USA, when he spotted the woman 'holding on for her life'. Video shared by Piquet shows the woman in the water, screaming for help as she desperately holds onto her car. Cristiano landed and shouted “Need help?” to which the stricken motorist relied: “Oh my God. I fell with my car in here.” He enlisted the help of a nearby resident, and the pair used ropes to pull the woman to safety. The woman, exhausted from the ordeal, can be seen hugging the good Samaritan. Cristiano added: “Mission accomplished.”
Screen Grab from video by paraglider, Cristiano Piquet – SWNS

A paraglider out for a routine flight spotted a woman clinging to her submerged vehicle in a canal—and swooped in to her rescue.

Cristiano Piquet was filming his motorized flight near Homestead, outside of Miami, Florida, when he spotted the woman ‘holding on for her life’.

Video shared by Piquet shows the woman in the water, screaming for help as she desperately holds onto her car.

Cristiano landed in a field and shouted “Need help?” to which the stricken motorist relied:
“Oh my God. I fell with my car in here.”

He called 911 and shouted across the canal to enlist the help of a nearby resident, who used ropes to pull the woman to safety.

The woman, exhausted from the ordeal, can be seen hugging the good Samaritan that lifted her out of the water.

LOOK: 6 High School Football Players Combine Their Strength to Rescue Injured Woman Trapped in a Wrecked Car

“Mission accomplished,” concluded Cristiano, who looked on. “God’s timing is perfect.”

Watch his narration of the experience in real time in his video below.

SAIL This Rescue Video Over to Social Media and Uplift Your Friends… 

Cruise Line Awards 100 Teachers With Free Voyage, Cash, and Kelly Clarkson on a ‘Giving Joy’ Trip

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Norwegian Cruise Line commemorated a new ship by awarding 100 teachers from the U.S. and Canada with a free voyage that included an exclusive concert by Kelly Clarkson.

Norwegian’s Giving Joy awards ceremony also recognized the teachers with $170,000 for the top three Grand Prize winners and their schools.

The contest was launched during National Teacher Appreciation Week (May 2–6) to recognize deserving educators for their unwavering commitment to bringing joy to the classroom.

To celebrate these incredible individuals and their often-times undervalued profession—as well as to kick-off Norwegian Prima’s first voyage—Clarkson delivered a stellar performance of her chart-topping hits, including “Miss Independent,” “Stronger,” and “Since You’ve Been Gone.”

“Teachers are our true everyday unsung heroes, and they play an integral role in our society, not only shaping the future of their students, but the future of their communities as well,” said Clarkson. “I couldn’t miss the opportunity to participate in this program and give a special performance before they set sail on the trip of a lifetime!

The top three Grand Prize winners who garnered the most votes were flown to Galveston, Texas, from their homes in New Jersey, Florida, and New York, to embark on the cruise.

• Patricia Hosmer from Bayonne High School in Bayonne, New Jersey Hosmer has been a dedicated teacher and curriculum writer for over 35 years. With her incredible dedication, the widowed breast cancer survivor also teaches at an Alternative High School in the evening and tutors students who are unable to attend school due to illness.

As the President of New Jersey Collaboration and Partnership Schools Mrs. Hosmer unites colleges and universities with local schools to provide professional development for educators. Described as “a marvelous science educator,” she keeps in touch with many students as they grow into adulthood—attending their weddings and baby showers.

POPULAR: Author Spends Lifetime Searching for Woman Who Taught Him to Read, and Then She Surprised Him

She and her 27-year-old daughter thoroughly enjoyed their balcony stateroom on the 4-night cruise that sailed Oct. 27 to Merida, Mexico.

• Theresa Schrager from Falcon Cove Middle School, is Weston, Florida, won second place. “Many children have hurdles to overcome, but hard work and creativity is what makes a student strive in my Film and Creative Writing classes. Sometimes, I am the only class that keeps students coming to school, and I have to motivate them to do their best in other classes.”

• Third prize went to Anthony Stirpe from New Rochelle High School in New York called teaching ‘the privilege of a lifetime’. “As teachers, we have superpowers; when we put a grade on an assignment, we have the ability to make a student see or him or herself in a particular way. We label them a success, mark them as average, or, worst case, we set them up for failure. I like to create a classroom where all kids find something they excel in. When students struggle, I let them know it is okay to fail forward, make mistakes, correct those mistakes and grow.

WATCH: Teacher Shares Brilliant Band-Aid Lesson to Teach Kids About Fairness – And it Goes Viral

“I was not always this way. Once upon a time I was a traditional English teacher, and I would number my desks, teach generic writing formulas, and demand a quiet classroom. Years later, with opportunities to teach in new ways and realize it is not my job as a teacher to ask my students to move to me, instead I now realize I must find my student where they are—or at least meet them half way.”

In addition to their schools getting donations, each of the Grand Prize winners received another surprise—nearly $40,000 each in prize money, thanks to partners of the Giving Joy annual teacher recognition program.

To date the Giving Joy program has awarded 230 teachers across the U.S. and Canada with free cruises and donated over $350,000 to schools and educators since 2019.

SAIL This to Social Media to Share With Teachers That Deserve Nomination Next Year…

A Good Night’s Sleep Really Does Make Us Happier – By Dampening Negative Emotions

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Egor Vikhrev
Egor Vikhrev

A good night sleep really can make us happier—because the brain triages emotions, solidifying the storage of positive emotions while dampening the negative ones—according to a new study.

Mental health issues can be squashed during sleep, including chronic stress, anxiety, depression, and panic.

Researchers at the Department of Neurology of the University of Bern and University Hospital Bern found that this process occurs during REM sleep, the time when people have the most intensely emotional dreams.

The study, published in the journal Science, shows how sleep is a vital method of improving mental health, as it dampens negative emotions and reinforces positive ones.

Rapid eye movement (REM or paradoxical) sleep is a unique and mysterious sleep state during which most of the dreams occur together with intense emotional contents. How and why these emotions are reactivated is unclear, however the prefrontal cortex integrates many of these emotions during wakefulness—but they appear to be paradoxically dormant during REM sleep.

The brain seems to favor the discrimination of safety versus danger, but blocks the over-reaction to emotion, in particular danger.

“Our goal was to understand the underlying mechanism and the functions of such a surprising phenomenon,” said Professor Antoine Adamantidis, of the Swiss university.

RELATED: Moving Your Sleep Time An Hour Earlier Could Cut Depression Risk by 23%, Study Says

The researchers used mice to reach their conclusion. To do this they exposed some to a sound that they associated with safety and others to a sound they associated with danger.

They then recorded the brain activity of each mouse while they were awake and asleep to work out how emotional memories are transformed during REM sleep.

They found that two mechanisms work together to help process emotions. When the brain is awake it focuses on danger much more than the feeling of safety, but during REM sleep, the cells in the brain completely block out these emotions.

The researchers believe this coexistence of mechanisms keep organisms, such mice and humans, stable.

CHECK OUT: The Weirdness Of Dreams May Be Why We Have Them, Says New Theory of Dreaming

“This bi-directional mechanism is essential to optimize the discrimination between dangerous and safe signals,” said study first author Dr. Mattia Aime, a postdoctoral researcher at the Bern college.

Without the ability to discriminate between these emotions, humans are more likely to experience excessive fear, which can lead to anxiety disorders.

The findings pave the way to a better understanding of how humans process emotions during sleep and gives scientists new ideas on how to help those suffering from mental health problems such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorders.

POPULAR: Study Reveals the Perfect Number of Extra Minutes’ Sleep Per Night For Improved Mindfulness

“We hope that our findings will not only be of interest to the patients, but also to the broad public,” concluded Adamantidis.

SEND The Mental Health Tip to Friends By Sharing on Social Media…

Love Letters Written by Bob Dylan to his High School Sweetheart Are Expected to Sell Today for $800,000 –LOOK

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Bob Dylan's love letters to high school sweetheart Barbara Ann Hewitt – RR Auction / SWNS
Bob Dylan’s love letters to high school sweetheart Barbara Ann Hewitt – RR Auction / SWNS

A remarkable archive of 42 hand-written love letters by Bob Dylan to his high school sweetheart are up for auction today.

The music icon—known as Bob Zimmerman in those days—sent Barbara Ann Hewitt over 150 pages of notes to her home at Silver Lake Road in New Brighton, Minnesota.

Wide-ranging in scope and content, the young Dylan revealed his dreams of changing his name and selling a million records.

He offered bits of poetry, and professed his never-ending affection.

One letter describes his preparation for the Hibbing High talent show; one invites Barbara to the Buddy Holly show in Duluth. He comments on the cars and clothing becoming popular in the late 1950s and describes the records he’s listening to.

Every letter is accompanied by its original mailing envelope addressed in Dylan’s own hand, without a return address but simply signed on the flap: ‘Bob’.

The collection of 42 amorous letters from Ms. Hewitt’s estate is being auctioned off today online at RR Auction with a starting bid of $250,000. With 7 hours left in the auction, as of this writing, they’ve received no opening bid yet.

“The archive is a never-before-seen window into Bob Dylan’s formative years,” said Bobby Livingston, Executive VP at the Boston-based auction house.

POPULAR: Box of Stained Glass Bought at Auction Solves 80-year Mystery of Church Windows Gone Missing During WWII

RR Auction

While handwritten Dylan letters have sold individually in the past, the trustees of Hewitt’s estate wanted to keep this archive together to document the transformation of Bob Zimmerman into Bob Dylan.

“This archive is one of the most historic and culturally important that I’ve ever had the honor to curate and offer,” said Livingston. “They tell a story from beginning to end.”

The auction also contains an unrelated archive of 24 handwritten poems by Dylan with the subject header, Poems Without Titles, penned while at the University of Minnesota. This item currently has a bid of $76,000.

RELATED: Round Spectacles Belonging to Gandhi Were Mailed to an Auction House–With Owner Having No Idea of Their Value

Other items up for auction from Hewitt’s estate include early drawings and several photos, including one of the earliest of signed Dylan photos known to exist, which is expected to fetch $3,000.

SHARE The Rock and Roll History With Friends on Social Media…

Colorado Legalizes Psychedelic Mushrooms–And They Might be Growing in Your Own Garden

By
Andy Corbley
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Psilocybe cyanescens, or 'wavy caps' - CC 3.0. Alan Rockefeller.
Psilocybe cyanescens, or ‘wavy caps’ – CC 3.0. Alan Rockefeller.

A November 8th referendum legalized possession and use of psychedelic mushrooms in Colorado, making it the second state after Oregon to do so.

However with no recreational sales component to the Natural Medicine Health Act, there are some Coloradoans who will no doubt be looking up guides on how to identify a mushroom containing psilocybin in the wild.

Of the commonly taken mushrooms that contain the psychoactive compound psilocybin, three of the most potent and well-researched are Psilocybe cyanescens, Psilocybe allenii, and Psilocybe ovoideocystidiata.

Foraging for these species is quite common in the Pacific Northwest, in places like Oregon, where mycologists studying these fungi believe they may have even first evolved.

Why Oregon? There’s a lot of already decayed and broken down wood in the forests there, as well as high humidity and rainfall—all conditions they thrive in.

They’ve found a particular niche above all that coincides with human habitation even in the urban environment—wood chips.

In a feature for National Geographic, Daniel Merino writes that they can be found growing in piles of woodchips, such as mulch beds, and even in business landscaping. They key seems to be that the wood needs to have lost its nutrients.

“Humans do extremely unnatural things—erecting large concrete jungles where we lay down copious amounts of wood chips,” Jordan Jacobs, a fungi forager and chemist who runs a lab in Oregon, told Nat Geo.

“It’s fascinating that a psychoactive mushroom that has potential long-lasting effects on human consciousness has decided that this ecological niche suits it well.”

RELATED: The Many Health Benefits of Eating Mushrooms That Are Wild – And Picking Them Doesn’t Deplete Supply

P. cyanescens and P. allenii never grow more than a few inches tall, and both have white stems and a chestnut brown cap. Their spores are dark purple, and if you expose the inner flesh to oxygen they turn a deep purplish blue. P. cyanescens develops a wavy, ruffled edge to its cap that lends to its colloquial name—wavy caps.

P. ovoideocystidiata looks much the same, only it’s a little bigger with a thicker stem and wider cap.

Psilocybe ovoideocystidiata CC 3.0. Alan Rockefeller.

National Geographic heard from experts who believe the spores of these woodchip-loving species have now infested the commercial woodchip supply chain, mostly based on anecdotal accounts of mushrooms growing in isolated places that have had contact with woodchip supplies.

SIMILAR: Magic Mushrooms Are Safe to Treat Mental Health Conditions, Says Another Landmark Trial

Anywhere there are woodchips put down, two days following a good rain, (a waxing moon may be better though that’s not been proven) there is a chance of foraging these psychedelic mushrooms which often have their hyphae growing out of a woodchip itself—another useful clue.

All mushrooms should be identified with 100% confidence, i.e. they should tick every box and leave no doubt in your mind. Otherwise foragers risk being envenomed.

SHARE These Psychoactive Foraging Tips With Your Friends In Colorado…

“Nothing worth doing is completed in our lifetime; therefore, we must be saved by hope.” – Reinhold Niebuhr

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “Nothing worth doing is completed in our lifetime; therefore, we must be saved by hope.” – Reinhold Niebuhr

Photo: Public domain

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Check Out the 21 Winners of GNN’s 25th Anniversary Book Giveaway for Mental Health Providers

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Good News Network
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I announced last month that Good News Network was giving away 2,500 free books for our 25th anniversary—and it took many weeks to read and assess the hundreds of requests. But all the books have now been packaged, and I wanted to share the wonderful list of groups that are receiving them.

The paperback—And Now, The Good News: 20 Years of Inspiring News Stories—is a collection of my favorites published on GNN over its first two decades (which makes a great stocking stuffer or holiday gift, by the way!)

For this giveaway, I chose groups that are making a big difference in large populations of people struggling with mental health, substance abuse, homelessness, incarceration, and cancer.

Check out this inspiring group of providers, who every day work to make our world a better place by helping those having the hardest time:

Women’s Prison in South Burlington, Vermont – Alexandria Kerrigan works as a mental health clinician at a women’s prison where inmates have “experienced so much trauma”. She aims to facilitate a group to discuss the inspiring stories.

Psychiatric Hospital in Louisville, Colorado – Centennial Peaks hospital provides psychiatric stabilization and around-the-clock nursing care for patients experiencing critical mental health issues, such as suicidal ideation, depression, anxiety, homicidal ideation, or psychotic episodes.

Veterans Hospital in Tampa, Florida – The James Haley Veterans Hospital will distribute books on the rehabilitation floor, where many of the Vets suffer from depression and anxiety.

At-Risk Youth in Rancho Cucamonga, California – Mental Health Systems / Turn is a nonprofit organization outside of Los Angeles offering early wraparound programs that help at-risk youth with different diagnosis like depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

Detox and Recovery in Chandler, Arizona – Buena Vista Recovery is a substance abuse and detox treatment center with three campuses that accepts government-funded insurance, as well as private—treating all walks of life.

Residential Treatment in Frederick, Maryland – ClearView Communities is a nonprofit residential treatment program for those with severe and persistent mental illness that focuses on helping people learn how to manage their illness, so that they can reintegrate into the community and live a better life.

Homeless Shelters in Down East Maine – H.O.M.E. is a nurturing 55-bed community housing the homeless and low-income residents in Orland. The Emmaus Homeless Shelter in Ellsworth is a 25-bed facility which can accommodate four families, six single women, and five single men. Both are part of Healthy Peninsula.

Mental Health in Ann Arbor, Michigan – Ann Arbor Center for the Family employs 16 psychologists, social workers, and psychiatrists, who see all kinds of clients—many with depression and anxiety—including kids and families.

Community Services in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – Milestone cares for over 1,200 individuals per year within their mental health programs, including outpatient, partial hospitalization, peer support, supportive housing, food bank, drop-in center, social rehabilitation, and community residential rehabilitation.

Vulnerable Teens in Alameda, California – The Alameda County of Education operates juvenile court schools, community schools, and programs to educate students not served by local school districts in the San Francisco Bay area. They provide academic instruction and support services to the county’s most vulnerable students including justice-involved youth, pregnant and parenting minors, foster youth, and homeless youth.

Crisis Response in Tucson, Arizona – The Connections Health Solutions Crisis Response Center serves anyone experiencing a behavioral health crisis. Their youth unit provided therapeutic crisis services to over 2,900 youth last year, with 1,200 of those staying on-site for up to several days.

Intervention and Treatment in Lexington, Virginia – Rockbridge Area Community Services provides help for a rural region of around 40,000 Virginians—from intervention and treatment for mental health and substance use to developmental disability services.

Women’s Treatment Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota – Wayside Recovery is a Women’s Treatment Center with two residential sites that have treated women and women with children for over 65 years, improving the lives of more than 32,000 women and 6,100 children impacted by trauma and addiction.

Spiritual and Educational Support in Prisons – LinkOutside, founded 7 years ago in Orange County, California, serves the spiritual, moral, and educational well-being of incarcerated men and women in the U.S. and will distribute the books among multiple prisons, like Wasco State Prison in California, Marion Federal Penitentiary in Illinois, and the Texas correctional facility’s Coffield Unit.

Caregiver Support in Snohomish County / Seattle, Washington – This local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is a small all-volunteer nonprofit treating those in behavioral health crisis—with a particular interest in caregivers who themselves are in the throes of depression, anxiety or PTSD, while caring for someone else with illness.

Mental Health Support for Teens in Manchester, Connecticut – The Manchester Clinical Day School serves middle and high school students who have a variety of severe mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, trauma, psychosis, ADHD, and difficult family situations.

High School Students in Baltimore, Maryland – A social worker at Perry Hall High School serving 2,000 students in Baltimore County has seen that many of the teens are struggling to manage their emotions, with disorders including anxiety, depression, and stress—especially since the pandemic.

PTSD and Bipolar Disorder in Chicago, Illinois – RebeccasDream.org promotes compassionate understanding of depression and bipolar disorder among teachers and students struggling with mental health challenges. Many in their Highland Park community were traumatized by a July 4th shooting and the group hopes to launch a book discussion via zoom with mental health professionals and the GNN team to explore the use of positive news to promote emotional wellbeing.

Cancer Center in Paterson, New Jersey – The Valerie Fund Children’s Center, a children’s hematology and oncology outpatient clinic at St. Joseph’s Hospital, will be giving books to families who are visiting to receive cancer treatments and placing them in waiting rooms.

Veterans in the Justice System in Montgomery County, Texas – Tri-County Behavioral Health assists military veterans to cope with depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Books will also go to those involved with the justice system through Vet Court programs that help restart lives following bad decision due to PTSD.

Seniors With Mental Health Disorders in Alliance, Ohio – The Acute Psychiatric Unit at Aultman Alliance Community Hospital provides senior care for adults 55 and older with mental health disorders such as depression or anxiety. The books will be used to improve self-esteem, optimism, and self-confidence.

Thanks to all of you who wrote in. I wish I could have sent books to everyone. You are GOOD people doing great work. We love you all! xxoo

Geri, GNN’s Founder and CEO

 

These States Allow Visitors Free Off-Road Wheelchairs In Their Parks and Nature Areas

By
Andy Corbley
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Credit - Aime Copeland Foundation
Credit – Aimee Copeland Foundation.

Parks departments across the country are beginning to offer free all-terrain wheelchairs at their visitors centers for disabled people to explore their states’ treasures of nature.

Such programs have already cropped up in Colorado, Michigan, and South Dakota, and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, a National Park Service unit, has also added off-road wheelchairs to their park’s resources.

With some weighing 500 pounds or more, the motorized all-terrain wheelchair is like a Caterpillar but without the scoop and the cabin. The tracks can allow it to go up or over some serious obstacles, such as stumps, mud, snow, and more.

The first state to set the trend was Colorado, who started in 2017 with their Staunton State Park Track-Chair Program which provides free wheelchair access with the regular entrance fee.

Later the Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources placed all-terrain wheelchairs in 12 of their state parks, boat launching sites, and trails.

Georgia and Minnesota recently joined this group, with the latter recently-wrapping up a pilot program that tested chairs in 5 parks, the Washington Post reports.

RELATED: Teens Build Bus Stop Shelter for 5-Year-old Wheelchair User, Protecting Him From Harsh Weather

“We want to create an unforgettable outdoor experience for everyone, not just for people who can walk,” Jamie McBride, a state parks and recreation area program consultant with the Parks and Trails division of the Minnesota DNR, told the Post.

“People have told us this is life-changing.”

Aimee Copeland in her Action Track. Credit – Aimee Copeland Foundation

 

Healing space

Minnesota have only five chairs, as they are expensive assets, and they recommend calling ahead to reserve the use of them ahead of time.

The dozen or so “Action Track” chairs used by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources were acquired by the drive and determination of Aimee Copeland, who after a zip-lining accident in 2012 lost several extremities to a flesh eating bacteria.

Avid outdoorswoman, Copeland wasn’t going to let the disability interfere with her love of nature, and so established the Aimee Copeland Foundation, which just recently raised $200,000 for 11 chairs to donate to the Georgia DNR.

READ ALSO: France’s First Public Official with Down Syndrome Helps Everyone See Disability Differently

“I started this out of my own inner passion. And to see how many people share my passion, not only people with disabilities, but everybody, is incredible,” Copeland told the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

“I wouldn’t be the person I am today if I didn’t have the outdoors as a space of healing and growth.”

Indeed, she says the chairs are for any activity, even hunting.

Her goal is to target North Carolina for the same project. There is a certification course on how to navigate tough terrain in the Georgia chair, which interested parties can take here.

SHARE This Inspiring Story With Your Friends In These States… 

Prehistoric Human Footprints Unearthed in Spain are Nearly 300,000 Years Old and Unique in All of Europe

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Good News Network
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300,000 years ago, children were playing on the shore of a lagoon while their parents hunted in the shallows nearby

These are the stories contained in what were once believed to be 100,000-year-old foot prints, but which are now confirmed to be much older.

A state of the art scanning technique has now dated them to 295,800 years ago, which means they predate the Neanderthals, and were made just before an ice age.

The 87 prints, some smaller than others, were left by small children, teenagers and adults, and were found on a beach at Matalascañas, Spain, a popular holiday resort today.

“Recent investigations carried out at the site, in the surroundings of the Donana National Park, now shows an age almost 200,000 years older,” said lead author Professor Eduardo Mayoral, of the University of Huelva.

“These new data place the site in the Middle Pleistocene… a period characterized by important variations in the landscape that would have consisted of an extensive coastal plain with large dune systems,” he added.

At Matalascañas, researchers used drones and photogrammetry technology to stitch together high resolution images and record and create a digital model of the tracks before they were once more engulfed by sand within a few days of their discovery.

Measurements of the prints revealed adults were present, but about 71% were teenagers and youngsters as little as six years old.

– SWNS

There are also animal prints, but they are largely in the wettest areas, while the hominin tracks were walking up to and away from the water’s edge, rather than along the shore.

Some even appear to have waded in a short distance, and the researchers speculate that they may have been stalking animals or fish.

RELATED: Evidence of Amputation in Prehistoric Times Shows Patient Surviving for a Decade–Proves Medical Expertise Existed

Those in the shallows include youngsters, and it’s possible they were there watching and helping to forage, while perhaps also paddling and splashing, mixing play with learning as children do today.

“Until now, the taxonomic attribution was based solely on the chronological context, as is always the case in most hominid footprints, which is why they were initially attributed to Neanderthals,” said Dr. Mayoral.

“All fossil records of Middle Pleistocene European hominids belong to the Neanderthal lineage. Therefore, the most likely taxonomic assignment for the Donana footprints would be one of the species of this lineage.”

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Prehistoric People Created Art by Flickering Firelight, New Research Reveals

The study in Scientific Reports suggests it was a time of profound climatic changes, which went from warm to cold.

“That is why these footprints represent a crucial record for understanding human occupation in Europe during much of the Pleistocene,” he said.

CONNECT Your Friends With This Human Prehistory… 

Lab-Grown Blood Given to People in World-First Clinical Trial

By
Andy Corbley
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NHSBH - Released.
NHSBH – Released.

British scientists have grown human red blood cells in a lab for the first time, and conducted a clinical trial to give it to patients.

The blood is grown by encouraging stem cells found in a blood donor’s sample to become new red blood cells, and opens the door to transfusion treatments for those with ultra-rare blood types.

For the near total majority of blood transfusions, British hospitals will still rely on people rolling up their sleeves and donating. This is, and will remain the case for, A, B, O, and AB blood types.

But what if a patient needs a blood transfusion of the “Bombay” blood group? It’s a tough call, as the British NIH knows of three people in the whole of the UK with this ultra-rare blood type.

Certain diseases, such as sickle-cell anemia, require regular blood transfusions, and if this patient were to also have the Bombay blood type, or “Jka-b-” or “Rh-null” also called “golden blood,” or “SARA” type after the first person it was discovered in, they are in serious danger.

A transfusion with the wrong blood type will be viewed as foreign and attacked by the immune system.

SIMILAR: 3 Years After CRISPR Treatment 73 of 75 Patients Cured of Blood Disease – FDA Approval is Near

In the new trial, tiny spoonfuls of the lab-grown blood containing radioactive particles were given to ten healthy patients. In this way they can track how long the blood remains in the patients’ blood stream.

A red blood cell typically lasts 120 days, after which the body replaces them. Normal, donated red blood cells contain both younger and older cells, but since lab-grown transfusions would contain only new cells, it could be possible for smaller and less frequent transplants to be undertaken.

RELATED: First Sickle Cell Patient Treated with CRISPR Gene Editing is Now Thriving One Year Later, And Able to Care For Her Kids

“This world-leading research lays the groundwork for the manufacture of red blood cells that can safely be used to transfuse people with disorders like sickle cell,” said Dr. Farrukh Shah, the medical director of transfusion at NHS Blood and Transplant.

“The potential for this work to benefit hard to transfuse patients is very significant.”

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Heinz Spent 185,000 Hours Redesigning Their Ketchup Bottle Cap to Be 100% Recyclable

By
Andy Corbley
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Heinz recyclable Ketchup cap

 

Heinz recyclable Ketchup cap

After 185,000 hours, 8 years, and 45 iterations, Heinz has redesigned their superior plastic tops to be completely recyclable.

Why so much? Why’d it cost them $1.2 million in R&D? The top was not easily recyclable before, which resulted in as many as 1 billion of them every year going into landfills.

For years Heinz had the market cornered on the only ketchup bottle that moms could buy without their kids complaining over it. The superiority of its the silicone stop valve that allowed the perfect, consistent stream of uninterrupted ketchup that never spilled out over the edge, was obvious for years over other brands.

That original silicone valve however made the top “very difficult to recycle,” as companies had to separate the valve from the rest of the top—too much to ask in many cases.

“The biggest challenges were getting to similar performance of the current closure, addressing the challenges of the current one, and meeting our consumers’ needs… which led to the 45 iterations,” said Kim Bertens-Vlems, an international senior packaging manager at Kraft Heinz based in the Netherlands.

“Changing some of the aspects affected the other criteria, therefore getting the balance right was the main challenge.”

MORE GOOD CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY: How a Tiny Injured Kitten Kickstarted an Entire Sustainability Initiative to Eliminate Plastic

Heinz created 45 different designs in total on the mission to create the new cap, which were printed in-house using a state-of-the-art 3D printer. They eventually settled on a polypropylene design that performs just as before, but can be recycled immediately.

The move will mean a potential one billion plastic caps—enough to fill 35 Olympic swimming pools—can be recycled, instead of finding their way into landfill.

The new design could be perfect for other products like shampoo, and Heinz told Fast Company they are interested in sharing the design with other corporations who face similar difficulties.

RELATED: 150 Brands Unite to Clean Up Our Paper Supply – Saving Global Forests and Improving Recycling

There is currently no set date for a world-wide corporate rollout, but the caps will be launching on Heinz bottles in the UK this year.

SPREAD This Good News Around On Social Media…

“An optimist isn’t a blithe, sappy whistler in the dark of our time. Human history is one of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness.” – Howard Zinn

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “An optimist isn’t a blithe, sappy whistler in the dark of our time. Human history is one of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness.” – Howard Zinn

Photo by: The New York Public Library (cropped)

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Jeff Bezos Just Gave $100 Million to Dolly Parton for Her Charity as the 3rd Winner of His ‘Courage & Civility Award’ Prize

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Good News Network
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Jeff Bezos presents Dolly Parton withe Courage and Civility Award - Twitter
Jeff Bezos presents Dolly Parton withe Courage and Civility Award – Twitter

At a recent event, Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos named Dolly Parton as the latest winner of his Courage and Civility Award.

The award recognizes leaders who “aim high, find solutions, and always do it with civility”. Each awardee receives 100 million dollars to invest in the charities of their choice.

In Dolly’s case, the mega-donation could be invested in her Imagination Library, which two months ago hit the milestone of 190 million free books gifted to children.

“(She) embodies these ideals so thoroughly,” said Bezos, who stepped down from CEO of his company last year to focus on philanthropy.

“She gives with her heart. What she’s done for kids and literacy, and so many other things, is just incredible.”

In her acceptance remarks, Dolly said, “When people are in the position to help, you should help.” She thanked Bezos and said she believes he gives from the heart too.

The 58-year-old tech billionaire is the world’s fourth richest person. He told CNN last week that he was setting up the foundations for the ability to give away the vast majority of his $124 billion fortune during his lifetime.

A year ago, Bezos pledged $10 billion over 10 years to the Bezos Earth Fund, to be spent on expanding and monitoring protected areas and conservation. That was on top of the ten-thousand millions he’d already devoted towards combating climate change.

WATCH: Students Learn at Graduation the Snapchat Founder Paid Off Their College Debt With More Than $10 Million

In 2021, he awarded the first two Courage and Civility Awards, accompanied by the same amount of money. The first winner was José Andrés, who feeds masses of people after humanitarian disasters with his nonprofit World Central Kitchen—with some of those millions going to help war-torn Ukrainians.

Van Jones, whose work in the nonprofit world mainly in the sphere of criminal justice reform, received the second.

In 2018, Bezos topped the Philanthropy 50 list, ranking as the US’s biggest donor, compiled by the Chronicle of Philanthropy.

CHECK OUT: Shaq Brings 2,000 Nintendo Switches and PS5s To Underprivileged Kids On Christmas: A Long List of His Good Deeds

His former wife and partner of 23 years, MacKenzie Scott, has given away close to $4 billion, donating to 465 organizations in less than a year.

SHARE the Good News With Dolly Fans on Social Media…

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