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This Hacker Built a Vending Machine for Crows as an Ingenious Response to a Cocktail Party Argument

By
Asher Israel
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The Lesson: A strange experiment in wildlife behavior turned into a jaw-dropping lesson on the importance of reassessing our predispositions towards new ideas. In this presentation, Joshua Klein talks about how building a vending machine for crows has helped to teach people about the empowerment of embracing diversity—particularly biological diversity—as we navigate the ever-changing world together with our animal counterparts.

Notable Excerpt: “It turns out, we’ve been finding more and more that crows are really intelligent. Their brains are in the same proportion as chimpanzee brains are. There’s all kinds of anecdotes for the different kinds of intelligence they have. For example, in Sweden, crows will wait for fishermen to drop lines through holes in the ice. And when the fishermen move off, the crows fly down, reel up the lines, and eat the fish or the bait. It’s pretty annoying for the fishermen.”

The Speaker: Joshua Klein is a fervent hacker of all things—including animals and people and the way they behave. After years of pursuing his fascination for crows, he created a vending machine that mutually benefits him and his feathered friends by training them to collect coins in exchange for peanuts. His CrowBox design has tremendous implications for human-animal relationships in the future—and you can even build your own CrowBox using the free, open source instructions on his website.

Podcast: TED is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas in the form of short, powerful talks and ideas delivered in 18 minutes or less. TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged; today, it covers every topic ranging from science and business to global issues and current events in more than 100 languages. To learn more about TED, check out their website, TED Talks library, Facebook, or YouTube channel.

(WATCH the incredible lecture below)

Like The Lecture? Be Sure And Share It With Your Friends—And Check Out More On Our Good Talks Page…

TV Medical Dramas Are Donating All Their Gowns, Gloves, and Masks to Real Hospitals Fighting COVID-19

By
McKinley Corbley
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File photo by Senior Airman Nancy Hooks

 

Although these popular television shows are filmed with fake medical professionals, they do use real medical supplies—which is why the production crews are donating it all to real hospitals and firefighters combatting the COVID-19 outbreaks.

In an Instagram post from the Ontario Fire Department, firefighters can be seen holding several boxes of protective face masks that were donated by firefighting TV drama Station 19 earlier this week.

Medical supplies from the set of Grey’s Anatomy are also reportedly being donated to hospitals in Los Angeles.

RELATED: After Rediscovering Warehouse Treasure Trove of 50,000 Face Masks, IKEA Donates Them All to Hospital

“At Station 19, we were lucky enough to have about 300 of the coveted N95 masks, which we donated to our local fire station. They were tremendously grateful,” Krista Vernoff, the showrunner for both series, said in a statement to TV Guide.

“At Grey’s Anatomy, we have a backstock of gowns and gloves which we are donating as well,” she added. “We are all overwhelmed with gratitude for our healthcare workers during this incredibly difficult time, and in addition to these donations, we are doing our part to help them by staying home.”

According to TV Guide, Vancouver-based medical drama The Good Doctor is working with local government officials to donate an undisclosed amount of medical supplies from their film set to hospitals and organizations in need.

 

Atlanta-based TV show The Resident has already donated a heap of unused gloves, gowns, and face masks to the Grady Memorial Hospital.

Hospital rheumatologist Dr. Karen Law thanked the television crew for the donation in an Instagram post that has now been shared hundreds of times.

CHECK OUT: 10 Positive Updates on the COVID-19 Outbreaks From Around the World

“Yesterday, I had a serious discussion with the residents about how, though supplies are low, a magical shipment of masks is unlikely to arrive,” she wrote. “And yet, a magical shipment of masks DID arrive, in the form of this very generous gesture. This kind of community support means so much to our #frontlineproviders who are making many sacrifices to staff our hospitals and care for our community.”

“Thank you, [The Resident] and [Fox TV] for being helpers. We needed this kind of good news today,” she added.

This is just one of many positive stories and updates that are coming out of the COVID-19 news coverage this week. For more uplifting coverage on the outbreaks, click here.

View this post on Instagram

"Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." . To the entire team @theresidentonfox, thank you for this incredibly generous donation of #PPE from your set, including gowns, masks, gloves, and all the things our healthcare workers need to provide safe care for our community during #COVID19. . Yesterday, I had a serious discussion with the residents about how, though supplies are low, a magical shipment of masks is unlikely to arrive. And yet, a magical shipment of masks DID arrive, in the form of this very generous gesture. This kind of community support means so much to our #frontlineproviders who are making many sacrifices to staff our hospitals and care for our community. . Thank you, @theresidentonfox and @foxtv for being helpers. We needed this kind of good news today. . PS: Sorry it's not a great pic, but the focus was not on the photo at the time. Similarly, the team @theresidentonfox are good citizens doing good deeds and not looking for a shout out. Though I encourage all to support The Resident and the great team behind the show and to pay their good deed forward any way you can. . #Hurstlife #residentlife #emoryIMresidents #lookforthehelpers #gratitude

A post shared by klaw (@karen.ll.law) on

Help Your Friends See The Good News By Sharing This To Social Media – File photo by US Air Force / Senior Airman Nancy Hooks

From Terrifying to Terrific: Man Redesigns MRI Machine to Delight Children Instead of Scare Them

By
Good News Network
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Hospitals can be scary places for children to endure even without leaving the hallways—those MRI scanners, however, could make it into a real nightmare.

Magnetic resonance imaging tests and CT scans require children to lie still on a metal bed for anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes, and the machines usually make loud noises that frighten young patients. Anywhere from 80 to 95% of patients under the age of nine require sedation in order to undergo the ordeal.

For industrial designer Doug Dietz, witnessing the trauma of the young patients was more than he could bear. He first saw the horror it caused one child when he designed an MR scanner for the University of Pittsburgh Hospital.

RELATED: Grandpa Spends 12 Years Cuddling Tiny Babies Who Have to Live in Intensive Care

“I see this young family coming down the hallway and I can tell as they get closer that the little girl is weeping. As they get even closer to me, I notice the father leans down and just goes ‘remember we talked about this, you can be brave’,” said Dietz in a statement.

As he looked at the room with his precious MR machine, he realized why the child was so scared.

“The room itself is kind of dark and has those flickering fluorescent lights … that machine that I had designed basically looked like a brick with a hole in it.”

CHECK OUT: Tesla Restores Power to Puerto Rican Children’s Hospital– And That’s Not All

The experience did have a positive outcome, however—it inspired Dietz to create the MR Adventure Discovery Series.

In partnership with GE Healthcare and the University of Pittsburgh Hospital, Dietz redesigned the rooms with the MR scanners to feature “adventure” environments that excited kids, rather than scared them.

The adventures include aromatherapy, calming decorations, and in some cases, disco-ball bubbles that transport patients to another, more imaginative world where simple commands to get the scan done accurately become part of the adventure. In one of the Adventure Series, children are asked to lie down inside of a canoe.

WATCH: Entire Football Stadium Wave to Sick Kids in Children’s Hospital Next Door

“They tell children to hold still so that they don’t rock the boat, and if you really do hold still, the fish will start jumping over the top of you,” Dietz explains.

The Coral City Adventure in the emergency room gives children an underwater experience. It has a disco ball that makes light-like bubbles around the room; children get into a yellow submarine and listen to the sound of harps whilst the procedure takes place. The Cozy Camp adventure gives children the chance to be scanned in a specialized sleeping bag, under a starry sky in an impressive camp setting.

Dietz says that the satisfaction that he gets from the children’s reactions made all of his hard work worth it.

“There is nothing like one of your main customers telling you this is a great idea,” Dietz said in a TED talk. “That probably was the biggest reward I could ever have.”

(This article was originally published by GNN.org in November, 2017.)

(WATCH the video below)

Click To Share The News With Your Friends — Photo by University of Pittsburgh Hospital

Stalking Lions, Pandas, and Penguins During Your Social Distancing With These 10 Awesome Animal Livestreams

By
Good News Network
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If you’re practicing social distancing amidst the COVID-19 outbreaks, there are dozens of virtual animals to keep you company during your time at home.

Here are just a few of the zoo and aquarium livestreams that you can enjoy from the comfort of your own sofa.

1) BELUGAS AND OTTERS AND PENGUINS, OH MY!: The Georgia Aquarium has a number of live video streams which allow internet users to enjoy the daily goings-on of the facility’s resident African penguins, beluga whales, sea otters, and barrier reef-dwellers.

2) JELLY CAM: The Monterey Bay Aquarium website has a similar line of marine livestreams, although their website also boasts a jellyfish livestream—and it’s surprisingly enchanting.

3) GIANT PANDA CAM: What better way to while away your time at home than keeping an eye on giant pandas Tian Tian and Mei Xiang at the Smithsonian National Zoo in DC?

4) BALD EAGLE NEST CAM: This livestream—which is also filmed in Washington DC—captures the daily nesting activity of two bald eagles named Mr. President and First Lady.

5) GIRAFFES GALORE: In Texas, the Houston Zoo webcam allows you to check up on the resident giraffes—and you can even control the angle of the webcam from your computer.

6) HUMMINGBIRD WATCHING: An anonymous California homeowner set up an online livestream for Bella—a hummingbird that has been returning to the same tree since 2005.

7) MAN’S BEST VIRTUAL FRIEND: This livestream from the Warrior Canine Connection allows users to admire puppies that are training to be service dogs for veterans.

8) ADMIRE THE ANIMALS OF AFRICA: As a means of raising awareness on the problems of poaching, the Tembe Live Wildlife webcam monitors a popular watering hole that is often visited by elephants, giraffes, and buffalo in the bushlands of Africa.

9) SENIOR DOG STREAM: If you’re not already hip to the awesome activities at the Old Friends Senior Dogs Home, this livestream allows you to get a sneak-peek inside the retirement home for elderly pups.

10) CRITTERS FROM DOWN UNDER: The Melbourne Zoo recently kicked off their #AnimalsAtHome livestream initiative by installing active webcams in their lion, snow leopard, giraffe, and penguin enclosures.

Be Sure And Share These Helpful Tips With Your Quarantined Friends On Social Media…

15-Year-Old Girl is Giving Away Hundreds of Free ‘Sanitation Kits’ to Homeless People

By
McKinley Corbley
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Photos by Shaivi Shah

This 15-year-old girl is helping to protect some of California’s most vulnerable people from the dangers of the novel coronavirus outbreaks.

Shaivi Shah has rallied her fellow honor society students into helping her give away more than 250 low-cost “sanitation kits” to homeless shelters around Los Angeles.

Each kit contains hand sanitizer, lotion, antibacterial soap, and handmade reusable face masks to help homeless people stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

RELATED: Chef Andrés Turns Michelin-Starred Restaurants into Kitchens Serving Take-Out Food to Anyone Who Needs It

Although the Tesoro High School student already has an impressive track record for charity work, she says that she was inspired to pursue this particular labor of love after hearing Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recent speech on addressing the state’s homelessness crisis.

“They don’t have necessities right now that are crucial to remain clean and stay germ-free,” Shaivi told CNN. “It’s important for people to step in and just do whatever they can, even if it helps just one person.”

Shaivi has since launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise additional funds for expanding her initiative outside of Los Angeles. The page has already raised more than $13,000 in nine days.

Clean Up Negativity By Sharing This Inspiring Story With Your Friends On Social Media…

“Your choices of action may be limited—but your choices of thought are not.” – Esther Hicks

By
Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “Your choices of action may be limited—but your choices of thought are not.” – Esther Hicks

Photo: by Tim Gouw – public domain

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

Businesses Are Giving Away All Their Excess Toilet Paper to People in Need During COVID-19 Shutdowns

By
McKinley Corbley
-

 

As supermarket shelves around the world are cleared of hand sanitizer and toilet paper amidst the COVID-19 outbreaks, businesses are taking it upon themselves to share their wealth with community members in need.

Atlanta-based marketing firm Trevelino/Keller is just one of many companies that have temporarily closed down during the quarantine. With storage closets filled with enough toilet paper for 1,000 employees, the company decided to give away all of their TP for free.

The company has since launched the Toilet Paper Exchange—an employee-run initiative to distribute the toilet paper to the community through “Toilet Paper Tosses”.

Company employees have already given away heaps of toilet paper by hosting drive-thru giveaways during which they maintain social distancing by hurling rolls of TP through peoples’ car windows

 

In Wisconsin, the Milwaukee-based Mequon Pizza Co. has taken a similar approach by giving away free rolls of toilet paper with their pizza deliveries.

“Our regular, massive shipment was just delivered so for every large pizza you purchase we will give you a free roll of Cottonelle, 2-ply toilet paper, if you need it! Just ask,” the restaurant wrote on Facebook. “If you need toilet paper, rolls are available for purchase (limit 6) at our cost of $1.”

 

While other individuals and restaurants from New York to San Francisco have also started their own toilet paper exchanges, they are all hoping to inspire other people to take similar action in their own neighborhoods.

This is just one of many positive stories and updates that are coming out of the COVID-19 news coverage this week. For more uplifting coverage on the outbreaks, click here.

Multiply The Good By Sharing The Positive Story With Your Friends On Social Media…

After Rediscovering Warehouse Treasure Trove of 50,000 Face Masks, IKEA Donates Them All to Hospital

By
Good News Network
-

As world healthcare systems clamor to keep up with medical supply demands amidst the COVID-19 outbreaks, an IKEA in Sweden has become an unexpected benefactor of the nation’s biggest hospital.

Earlier this week, employees at the Stockholm location were reportedly stunned to discover a stash of more than 50,000 medical face masks gathering dust in their warehouse.

The store had purchased the masks during the most recent bird flu outbreak. Upon rediscovering the forgotten treasure trove of supplies, store logistics manager Johan Andersson immediately phoned the Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg—the largest hospital in the nation—and offered to donate the masks.

RELATED: 10 Positive Updates on the COVID-19 Outbreaks From Around the World

“They were over the moon and said ‘What!? Wow! Just come!’” Andersson told Reuters. “It feels great, in these times, when you read about so much unpleasantness with corona(virus) and all that, that we can show some solidarity. It think it’s important to do that.

“We’re just happy to have been able to contribute something,” he added.

This is just one of many positive stories and updates that are coming out of the COVID-19 news coverage this week. For more uplifting coverage on the outbreaks, click here.

Be Sure And Share The Kind Gesture With Your Friends On Social Media – File photo by Gerard Stolk, CC

How to Make a Paper Airplane That Can Set a World Record – From the Man Whose Name is in the Guinness Book

By
Good News Network
-

If you want to be good at something, you have to learn from the best.

Back in 2012, John Collins made a paper aircraft that set the Guinness World Record for farthest flight—and now, he is sharing his secret to success with the world.

In this video from Great Big Story, Collins demonstrates how to fold three different paper airplanes: his record-setting Suzanne design, the Tube (which is shaped exactly how it sounds), and the Boomerang model for doing tricks.

(WATCH the video below) – Photo by Great Big Story

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Scientists Can Now Accelerate COVID-19 Testing By Screening Multiple Samples at the Same Time

By
Good News Network
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Health care professionals may be able to dramatically speed up the COVID-19 testing process now that Israeli scientists have successfully demonstrated a technique for simultaneously screening up to 60 patient samples at a time, rather than individually.

Communities around the world are emphasizing the need for virus testing amidst the coronavirus outbreaks. In Seattle, health care professionals are setting up drive-through test sites that allow patients to submit samples in as little as 3 minutes—all without having to leave their vehicle. Meanwhile, a small town in northern Italy has reported zero new infections since they blanket tested all 3,300 of the town’s residents.

Now, researchers at Technion—Israel Institute of Technology and Rambam Health Care Campus have tested a method that will dramatically increase the current COVID-19 testing capacity using existing available resources. This method, known as pooling, enables simultaneous testing of dozens of samples.

Its implementation has the potential to greatly accelerate the rate of testing and detection of COVID-19 infected patients in the population. The trial was completed in a matter of days thanks to the support of the Ministry of Health and the close collaboration between Technion and Rambam.

RELATED: 10 Positive Updates on the COVID-19 Outbreaks From Around the World

Testing for COVID-19 is currently being conducted in Israel with the focus on people with specific symptoms. The current rate of testing—about 1,200 a day—does not allow for monitoring of asymptomatic carriers in the population, which is vital to curb the epidemic.

COVID-19 is diagnosed with PCR testing, which is common for virus monitoring. This test examines the presence of a unique genetic sequence of viruses in a sample taken from the patient. The test takes several hours thus generating a bottleneck in identifying COVID-19 infected people in Israel and around the world.

“Today, we receive approximately 200 COVID-19 test samples a day, and each sample undergoes individual examination,” said Dr. Yuval Gefen, director of the Rambam Clinical Microbiology Laboratory. “According to the new pooling approach we have currently tested, molecular testing can be performed on a ‘combined sample,’ taken from 32 or 64 patients. This way we can significantly accelerate the testing rate. Only in those rare cases, where the joint sample is found to be positive, will we conduct an individual test for each of the specific samples.”

CHECK OUT: Gates Foundation Commits $100 Million to Speeding Up Coronavirus Treatments and Response

According to Professor Roy Kishony, head of the research group in the Faculty of Biology
at Technion, “This is not a scientific breakthrough, but a demonstration of the effectivity of using the existing method and even the existing equipment to significantly increase the volume of samples tested per day. This is done by pooling multiple samples in a single test tube. Even when we conducted a joint examination of 64 samples in which only one was a positive carrier, the system identified that there was a positive sample.

“Although there are some logistical challenges in implementing the method, we expect that it will greatly increase the volume of samples tested per day so that we can identify the asymptomatic carriers. This approach should reduce the chance of infection and flatten the infection curve.”

Director of the Rambam Virology Lab, Dr. Moran Szwarcwort-Cohen estimates that, “implementing pooling in the final stage of the PCR test will make it easier for us to shorten the entire process and significantly increase the test rate.”

CHECK OUT: CDC Director Commits to Free Coronavirus Testing for Anyone in the US Regardless of Insurance

The American Technion Society supports visionary education and world-changing impact through the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. Based in New York City, the institution represent thousands of US donors, alumni, and stakeholders who invest in the Technion’s growth and innovation to advance critical research and technologies that serve the global good. Now with a presence in three countries, the Technion will prepare the next generation of global innovators.

President of the Technion Professor Uri Sivan said: “This experiment conducted by Technion and Rambam researchers is complex, and under normal circumstances would take months. This is a remarkable example of the mobilization of an outstanding team in a time of crisis. The initial experiment was completed in less than four days. This achievement emphasizes the importance of the close relationship between Technion and Rambam and between medicine and engineering. Technion researchers have been enlisted in the war against the coronavirus and this is one of the many activities currently underway at Technion to combat the spread of the disease.”

Multiply The Good By Sharing The News With Your Friends On Social Media – Representative photo by U.S. Air Force/Senior Airman Stephanie Sauberan

So Many Celebrities Are Donating Time and Money Amidst COVID-19 Shutdowns

By
McKinley Corbley
-

 

Dozens of celebrities are devoting their time, money, and attention to supporting food banks and charities amidst nationwide COVID-19 shutdowns.

This week, Hollywood A-lister Ryan Reynolds and his wife Blake Lively announced on social media that they would be donating $1 million to Feeding America and Food Banks Canada.

Reynolds encouraged his followers to follow suit, and to look after themselves during these trying times. “Take care of your bodies and hearts. Leave room for joy. Call someone who’s isolated and might need connection,” he tweeted.

RELATED: 10 Positive Updates on the COVID-19 Outbreaks From Around the World

“We are so grateful for Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively’s extremely generous donation, and for all of the donations we’ve been receiving,” Dan Nisbet, vice president of Major Gifts at Feeding America, told Variety. “The Feeding America network of 200 food banks is working tirelessly to aid and provide meal assistance to our most vulnerable neighbors—children, the elderly, families struggling with food insecurity and individuals facing job disruptions—throughout our nation during this unprecedented time. Generosity like theirs will make all the difference.”

Reynolds and Lively aren’t the only ones to announce their donations this week—pop star Ciara and Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson donated 1 million meals through Seattle’s Food Life Line; Jimmy Fallon donated money to Feeding America and is choosing a different charity every day to raise money for; and Lady Gaga’s makeup brand Haus Laboratories said they would be donating to the Los Angeles and New York City food banks.

Meanwhile, country musician Brad Paisley posted an Instagram video on how his free grocery store for the hungry in Nashville would be mobilizing to deliver food to the elderly. The guitarist will also be taking song requests during a livestreamed performance on Thursday, March 19th.

Elsewhere on social media, Amy Adams and Jennifer Garner partnered with Save the Stories to read stories on social media in order to raise money for Save the Children and No Kid Hungry. And Jimmy Fallon raised $20,000 for Feeding America after airing his first “Tonight Show Home Edition” while in quarantine, with his wife shooting camera.

In the business department, Delta Airlines CEO Ed Bastian published a letter to his employees on how he would be forgoing 100% of his salary for the next six months in order to avoid layoffs.

These are only a few of the uplifting stories on how people are responding to the COVID-19 outbreaks. If you need more good news, here are 10 positive pandemic updates from around the world that is sure to lift your spirits.

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Welcome to @SAVEWITHSTORIES (and please welcome my friend @amyadams to Instagram!)—a spot to watch your favorite celebrities read your favorite children’s books. We are galvanizing (without hair and makeup!!) as a community to support a new fund for a combined effort between @savethechildren and Share Our Strength’s @nokidhungry (and thank you to our founding publisher, @scholasticinc ♥️). . THIRTY MILLION CHILDREN in the United States rely on school for food. School closures will hit vulnerable communities hard and #SaveTheChildren and #NoKidHungry are on the ground and ready to serve. They just need our help! . These funds will help us make sure that families know how to find meals when schools are closed, support mobile meal trucks, food banks and other community feeding programs, provide educational toys, books and worksheets, and support out-of-school-time programs to help kids make up for lost time in the classroom. . If you can manage a one time gift of $10, please text SAVE to 20222. If another amount would work better for you, please visit our website—link in bio. There is no maximum and there is no minimum—together we will rise and together we can help. . Thank you and stay safe. XX #SAVEWITHSTORIES

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“The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it.” – William Mather Lewis

By
Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it.” – William Mather Lewis

Photo: by Darya Tryfanava – public domain

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

New Positive Podcast – Inspiring Daily COVID Updates from Geri & Anthony!

By
Good News Network
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Episode #4 of our quarantine-inspired podcast just dropped—and we are doing shows every few days during this COVID-19 craziness, as the perfect antidote to today’s 24-hour cable news.

Join Geri and Anthony as they talk about the ‘corona kindness’ breaking out all over the world, the silver linings, pandemic-positives, and the most exciting breakthroughs in technology, business, and health this week.

Listen and Subscribe to Episodes on iTunes—or Spotify, here — or, on Podbean…

Our Good News Gurus are bringing you the most inspiring positive news from the last few days, like a breakthrough company that uses recycled aluminum instead of batteries to store solar energy; and a new treatment for lyme disease (and other good news).

Email Us: We’d love to share your story, answer questions, or interview you on the show: [email protected]

JackBurdenDesign.com

Go Listen and Subscribe to Episodes on iTunes—or Spotify, here — or, on Podbean…

Good News Network Founder Geri Weis-Corbley along with GNN co-owner Anthony Samadani will be recording a couple episodes each week to serve their fans with a reassuring and uplifting focus. If you enjoy it, give us a review and share with friends.

Subscribe to our email newsletter the Morning Jolt, if you need more good news… xxoo

How to Wake Up From the Trance of Unworthiness

By
Asher Israel
-

The Lesson: “Though we’re rarely conscious of it, we continually evaluate ourselves—and are convinced that something is wrong with us.” In this audio session, acclaimed psychotherapist and Buddhist practitioner Tara Brach takes us through the process of waking up from a mental state we might not realize we’re caught up in; and once we can let go of constant self-judgement, we can actually live up to our potential. Join her as she explores the factors which lead to the trance of unworthiness, how we can identify it as it happens, break free of the cycle of self-doubt, and—most importantly—develop trust in our own natural inner goodness.

Notable Excerpt: “I’ve found that usually there’s a gap between our standard of how we should be, and our own experience, and it’s that gap which makes us feel like we’re not okay. The number one deepest regret of the dying are that they didn’t live true to themselves—that they lived according to the expectations of others, of the ‘should’s’… and I thought it would be tremendously useful for people to have a guided passageway through and beyond the forces that guide us to live unfaithfully to ourselves.”

The Speaker: Tara Brach is an American psychologist, author, and proponent of Buddhist meditation. She is a guiding teacher and founder of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC, although Dr. Brach teaches her Wednesday night meeting in Bethesda, Maryland.

Download Tara Brach’s audio session The R.A.I.N. Meditation—and browse her other audio meditations—at the Sounds True digital library.

Podcast: Sounds True was founded in 1985 by Tami Simon with a clear mission: to disseminate spiritual wisdom and to wake up the world. Since starting out as a project with one woman and her tape recorder, the group has grown into a multimedia publishing company with more than 80 employees, a library of more than 1,500 titles featuring some of the leading teachers and visionaries of our time, and an ever-expanding family of listeners from across the world. If you want to learn more, you can check out their YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, or website.

(LISTEN to the inspiring lecture below)

Good Advice? Share It With Your Friends—And Check Out More On Our Good Talks Page…

Anonymous Love Letters Lift the Spirits of Anyone Signed Up On This Website

By
Sheila Key
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More Love Letters 2 Copyright TiffanyFarley
Photos copyright of Tiffany Farley, used with permission

You know that little lift you feel when you open your mailbox and find a personal letter among the bills and junk mail?

Imagine finding not one cheerful note, but dozens of anonymous, hand-written envelopes filled with words of encouragement.

Such joy was the vision of Hannah Brencher, who started the More Love Letters movement after navigating the ups and downs of her 20-something life, just out of college, living in New York City and struggling with depression.

Hannah_Brencher submitted

Desperate for a solution, she started filling notebooks with the words she herself most needed to hear, then tearing out these “love letters” and leaving them around the city—on buses, at the library, in clothing store coat pockets—for strangers to find.

“I published a simple question on my blog: ‘Do you need someone to write you a love letter today?’ and my inbox filled up with heartbreaking stories,” Brencher told Good News Network. “That one question changed my life forever as I spent the next year writing hundreds of love letters to strangers in all parts of the world.”

Soon after, she created a website-based organization that launches letter-writing campaigns to support individuals who need a little uplifting TLC. Random letters of kindness in communities are also encouraged.

RELATED: City Gives Trees Email Addresses So Folks Can Report Problems, But They Send Love Letters Instead

Anyone can post a request for letters on behalf of someone they know, and the site posts new batches of requests weekly and invites visitors to respond to any or all of them. Each request includes a deadline for participation, after which volunteers bundle up all the submitted letters and deliver them—surprise!—to the recipient.

More Love Letters 1 Copyright TiffanyFarley

With a community of 42,000 on Facebook, the organization has collectively mailed more than 250,000 letters to people in need since its inception in 2011. Brencher herself has been known to spur 500 letter writers to join her in responding to a specific request.

More Love Letters is not to be mistaken for a pen pal program—writers are instructed not to include personal contact information. Brencher believes the connection forged briefly and indelibly through a single letter, even an anonymous one, benefits the individuals on both ends of the exchange.

“I always hope someone will feel loved, valued, and not so alone when they pick up a letter,” Brencher, who resides in Atlanta, Georgia, said in an email. “But the letter writing can be just as much about the person who is writing. It’s about finding those words that you need to hear yourself and passing them on.”

If You Don’t Have Time To Send A Love Letter, Be Sure And Share This Inspiring Story With Your Friends On Social Media…

Videos Capture Penguins Going On Adorable ‘Field Trip’ Around Their Aquarium During Shutdowns

By
McKinley Corbley
-

 

Cute animal videos may not necessarily be a cure-all for everything, but this particular set of Twitter posts has been helping to relieve some of the stress of the COVID-19 shutdowns.

Although the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago has been closed to the general public amidst nationwide quarantines, the facility’s animal caretakers took advantage of their closure by taking some of their resident rockhopper penguins for a little field trip.

RELATED: Watch the Adorable Moment a Little Girl in Star Wars Costume Gets to Meet Her Hero BB-8 Droid in Real Life

In a series of videos that have already been viewed several million times since they were uploaded earlier this week, several of the aquarium’s penguins were given the opportunity to explore the public areas of the facility—and they seemed pretty amused by the adventure.

“While this may be a strange time for us, these days feel normal for animals at Shedd,” the aquarium wrote on Twitter.

“Without guests in the building, caretakers are getting creative in how they provide enrichment to animals, introducing new experiences, activities, foods and more to keep them active, encourage them to explore, problem-solve and express natural behaviors.

 

Since the Shedd staffers will be continuing to care for the penguins during the aquarium’s closure, their Twitter account has now become a welcomed source of cute animal pictures—and it is the perfect remedy for quarantine-induced social media stress.

“Our caregivers are constantly providing new experiences for the animals to explore and express their natural behaviors with [so] let us know what penguin activities you would like to see!”

Be Sure And Share This Sweet Story With Your Friends On Social Media…

Great Things to Do at Home While Quarantined: Let’s Be Pandemic-Positive

By
Good News Network
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As more and more people bar themselves inside their homes amidst the COVID-19 shutdowns, it may be tempting to keep your eyes fixed on the TV or social media news feeds. You might try and keep yourself informed by reading every quarantine update that pops up on your phone—but worrying yourself can be like sitting in a rocking chair: it can give you something to do, but it doesn’t necessarily get you anywhere.

That’s why we’re encouraging our readers to use this time as a gift. Take this rare opportunity and turn the isolation to your advantage; because the world is improved when its occupants are inspired and motivated, rather than anxious and overwhelmed.

First thing you can do is, sign up to receive 3 good news headlines every Monday-Friday in your Inbox, with our Morning Jolt email.

Now, here are 16 tips on how to face this pandemic with positivity and productivity.

1) TAKE THAT COURSE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO TAKE: There are hundreds of Ivy League courses from schools like Harvard, Princeton, and Yale, that you can take online for free. From Art & Design and Business to Social Sciences, Engineering or Medicine, you are sure to find something to broaden your horizons and fire those sleepy synapsis.

2) COLOR THESE PRINTABLE PAGES: Get out the color pencils and markers because Just Color has some fabulous free downloadable coloring pages on topics like travel, art, nature, and history.

3) ENJOY MUSEUMS: Google Arts and Culture has partnered with more than 2,500 museums and galleries around the world in order to offer virtual tours and online displays of their collections to internet surfers (and if you screenshare with a friend, it’s like you’re touring the museum together!) You can also use the “Send Me Art” texting service courtesy of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

4) READ A BOOK: Not to brag, but our recently-published book “And Now, The Good News” is a great gift for news junkies…

5) ORGANIZE SMALL AREAS: Clean out and organize your junk door—it will feel like a huge accomplishment.

6) CLEAN YOUR SCREENS: Remove smudges and grime from your screens and keyboards.

7) TALK ON THE PHONE: Now that everyone is focused on social distancing and isolation, you can take some time to recharge old friendships by dropping them a line.

8) DO THE ONCE-A-YEAR JOBS: Flip over and rotate your mattress so you can sleep better; purge your phone of bad photos and contacts you don’t want anymore; dust the bookshelf; clean out your clothes closet and load up a giveaway bag.

9) MAKE A PANDEMIC PLAYLIST: feel-good songs only.

10) FOCUS ON SELF CARE: You now have more time to sit quietly and meditate. Do some stretches in the morning. Soak in a tub with some candles. Scrub your feet. Do a facial masque if you have some on hand. Bring flowers in the house. Use your good china and table clothes to eat a homemade dinner with some soft music playing—and remember to drink plenty of water, especially after the wine.

11) TRY A NEW RECIPE: Make something you “never have time” to cook (Michelin-starred chef Massimo Bottura is posting free cooking lessons to his Instagram account.)

12) SEW THOSE BUTTONS OR SMALL HOLES: Yeah, remember that hole that was left after you ripped the tag off your shirt? Repair it in 15 minutes with some needle and thread.

13) TAKE VITAMINS: People deficient in Vitamin D (and, most of us are) who start taking the supplement every day (400iu/40mcg), can get a 70% reduced risk of contracting any viral (or bacterial) respiratory disease. This is based on a rigorous scientific double blind, placebo study of 10,000 people. If you don’t get enough sunshine, take Vitamin D pills, or eat foods like tuna and egg yolks (watch this intriguing YouTube lecture to learn more).

14) DO SOME PUZZLES: traditional puzzles like crosswords and jigsaws can be wonderfully beneficial for your cognitive health. You can also play online trivia games that benefit good causes for every answer you get correct, such as helping to pay off other people’s student loans or planting trees around the world.

15) WRITE A GOOD OL’-FASHIONED LETTER: There is no limit to just how many different kinds of heartfelt letters you can write to anyone—or anything.

16) LEARN AN INSTRUMENT (BONUS TIP FROM GNN EDITOR): In addition to working for GNN, McKinley also works as a part-time music teacher and staffer at the House of Musical Traditions in Washington DC. Since the local foot traffic has died down, the online shop is offering free shipping on everything—from accordions and balalaikas to guitars and ukuleles. So if you have ever dreamt of picking up an instrument, this is the perfect time to fulfill that dream while also helping out a local business—plus, there is not an instrument under the sun that can’t be learned through YouTube videos.

Do you have any additional tips for using your quarantine time productively? Let us know in the comments below!

Be Sure And Share These Helpful Hints With Your Friends On Social Media — Feature photo by Good News Network

Charles Barkley is Auctioning Off His Award ‘Clutter’ to Fund Affordable Housing in His Hometown

By
McKinley Corbley
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Charles Barkley - CC 3.0. Ytoyoda via Wikipedia Commons

Charles Barkley has won a number of trophies and medals over the course of his career as one of the most prolific basketball players of all time—but he recently admitted that he doesn’t care very much for the treasures.

In fact, he plans on selling all of his NBA memorabilia in order to build 20 affordable houses in his hometown of Leeds, Alabama.

Barkley had been a guest on the Dan Le Betard Show earlier this month when he revealed his plans for auctioning off his Olympic gold medals and NBA MVP award.

“I don’t think I have to walk around with my gold medal or my MVP trophy for people to know I’m Charles Barkley, so I’m going to sell all that crap,” Barkley told the radio hosts. “It just clutters my house.”

RELATED: Passing at Age 103, Actor Kirk Douglas Gives Away Entire $61 Million Dollar Fortune to Charities

Although he gave his daughter special permission to keep one of his gold medals, Barkley will be working with the Panini sports card company to auction all of his valuable memorabilia.

This is not the first time that Barkley has made national headlines for his philanthropy—the retired NBA star has made several million dollar donations to a number of historic black colleges over the course of the last few years. Now, however, he wants to give back to his hometown.

“I want to do something really nice for Leeds. And if I could build 10 to 20 affordable houses—I want to do green housing too—(and) if I could sell all that stuff, it would just be a really cool thing for me,” he told WJOX 94.5.

(LISTEN to the interview below) – Feature photo by Ytoyoda, CC

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“Dreams become reality when we put our minds to it.” – Queen Latifah (Happy 50th Birthday)

By
Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “Dreams become reality when we put our minds to it.” – Queen Latifah (Happy 50th Birthday today)

Photo: by Marcos Paulo Prado – public domain

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

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day By Watching Adorable Toddler Join Irish Woman for Dance in the Street

By
Good News Network
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Since the COVID-19 shutdowns may have shut down the majority of our beloved St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, we are celebrating the Irish holiday by taking inspiration from this adorable dynamic duo.

In an adorable video clip that was published by Galway Now Magazine back in 2016, a woman can be seen tap dancing in the street for tips when she is suddenly joined by a pint-sized fan.

The inquisitive toddler takes a few tentative steps forward from the sidelines to watch the dancer’s moves before enthusiastically joining in—and although the little girl’s motor control doesn’t seem advanced enough to keep up with her counterpart, the resulting jig might be the cutest thing you’ll see today.

(WATCH the video below)

Be Sure And Share The Luck Of The Irish With Your Friends By Sharing This Sweet Video To Social Media…

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