This veteran-run nonprofit has been pairing ex-service members suffering from isolation and PTSD with senior dogs rescued from overcrowded shelters where they could potentially be euthanized.
Because many veterans live alone without family or friends nearby, they can often become isolated and lonely from the lack of connection. As some veterans also suffer with post traumatic stress disorder, their social interactions can also become difficult.
That’s when the Vet Friends Foundation can step in with a helping hand. The organization delivers companionship to both the vets and the senior shelter dogs who need caring homes to live out the rest of their lives.
Joel Rockey, the Foundation’s founder, says that he came up with the idea for the organization after spending five years in the Navy in Iraq and Afghanistan. When Rockey returned home from his deployment, he wanted to focus on something he felt truly passionate about.
As fate would have it, he found his calling one day when he stumbled upon an old dog in a freezing snowstorm. He took the dog home and nursed it back to health even though the dog was blind, deaf, and badly injured.
Although the dog only lived for a few more months, Rocky made sure that those last days were filled with love and attention. He realized that it didn’t matter how long senior dogs still had to live—it mattered that their last moments were spent in a caring home.
Since senior dogs in shelters are often overlooked and have a very hard time getting adopted, Rockey knew that he could make a real difference; so he got his other veteran buddies together and launched Vet Friends Foundation.
Since 2016, they have found homes for more than 130 dogs from shelters across the US. Once the medical needs and personalities of the dogs are evaluated, the canines are ready to be adopted into loving homes.
Part of the reason why senior dogs make great pets for veterans is because they are calm, relaxed, and laid-back. Whenever a veteran chooses a dog to adopt, the organization covers the pet’s medical bills for the rest of the pup’s life.
Although this nonprofit is based in the Detroit area, they also have volunteers working to expand the mission in Ohio, Missouri, and California—to provide a sense of purpose and connection for American war veterans.
“A child on the street with nothing to do is a dangerous thing.”
The words echo back to American civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. or Malcolm X—and I heard them again after walking into a local art gallery in the Namibian beach town of Swakopmund.
The man behind the counter wearing pressed slacks and a thin-striped sweater, named Toivo, runs the shop where tourists can buy African-flavored art. Most visitors probably just have a quick look around, before heading across the street to get gelato at the Italian-themed eatery, but I find myself quickly engaged in conversation.
“What we do today, this is tourism. This is totally not something that a local person walks in and buys everyday,” he tells me, as our conversation drifts back from combatting poverty to his shop.
Now 25 years old, Toivo grew up on the streets of Namibia’s capital city of Windhoek, and described a rough upbringing that anyone from Baltimore, Chicago, or Detroit could easily relate to. He told me he used to be part of a nonprofit that tried and bring kids off the street and into donor-funded projects to give them confidence.
“The thing that destroys us, what really kills the whole thing is that we don’t try, we always have this certain negativity before us,” he says, showing me the pieces in his gallery. “In most of the country for people like us, employment is very seldom—maybe 48 to 49 percent.”
Namibia was owned by South Africa until 1990 when she won her independence. Swakopmund, where Toivo now lives and works, was a German colony until 1915. 100 years later, there is still a shocking disparity of wealth between the German neighborhoods and the black communities around them.
We stop at a sculpture of undulating wooden beams wrapped about each other and stretching 6 feet or more off the ground; Toivo’s recent piece.
“I’ve been working on this piece here. I call it The Rope. It’s the business bond, because if you pull here and here it makes two knots.”
“The Business Bond”
A Sense of Meaning
Across Namibia, locals were keen to discuss with me the issues that make life challenging—like corruption, unemployment, and wealth disparity. Toivo recounted how, back before he opened his shop, he would specifically visit folks recently released from prison and offer to sell artistic pieces of theirs.
While he never detailed how he managed it one way or another, he seemed to suggest that he would contact people actually in prison and encourage them to pick up drawing, painting, sculpting, or something else creative, so that they had a chance to make something of themselves after their sentence.
“A lot of people’s confidence has been boosted since we opened the shop. There’s a lot of people that know ‘I’ve got something at the end of the day,’” he says. “A lot of what’s here is done by local artists.”
“Percentage-wise how often are these pieces made by people whose livelihoods depend on selling art?” I ask. He looks at the ceiling trying to come up with a number, fingers pressed together, before telling me “about 70 percent”.
Zin Maisiri is a local artist who does the abstract, richly colored pieces that cover the walls—elephants and giraffes made of cloth, newspaper, and thick globs of paint. “He is the reason we have survived.”
“The most important principality in business is discipline. If you don’t have the certain push, it’s not going to work,” he continued after my tour had been concluded. “It needs to start inside.”
Toivo’s shop in Swakopmund
It Needs to Start Inside
Toivo seemed as eager to talk about art as a business, as a method of giving meaning to people who have it only in rations, more so than art as an expression of self, the world, perspective, color, or anything else you might learn in an art history course.
I asked him if it was mainly to give an outlet to struggling black artists that he opened his art gallery.
“That as well,” he responded, always straight-backed and managing a swagger without motion. “But it was more like ‘let’s try this, let’s give it a shot and see where we’re at.’”
“It’s like when you dive in a pool of crocodiles—you don’t really care how they’re going to strike or not, you just dive in. You just take a chance,” he explains (although he was perhaps using a local metaphor that doesn’t particularly translate into English).
“We break even sometimes. Sometimes we don’t even break even. But we’re still here, we’re still here pushing.”
By now, we’ve exchanged email addresses and I regret that I don’t have the kind of disposable income to purchase marked-up art pieces; even though I would love to have a large stone springbok on my bookshelf in Washington D.C.
“If we sit back and relax and complain that we don’t got anything and this and that, the world is not going to feel pity for us,” Toivo says, again echoing the sentiments of black American figures like Malcolm X. “You can go out and compete. You’ve got a brain, you’ve got two hands.”
“I don’t have a degree, but I can make a piece that you can buy. So why not make a piece?”
“Most of the time you would rather do something than do nothing. Something’s always better than nothing, so why not try?”
It’s a powerful message, reflecting the powerful challenges that a young man has overcome in his life. But whether it’s Selma, or Swakopmund, it reflects the truth.
Nate Boyer is a former football player renowned for being the oldest rookie to ever play in the NFL, but he wasn’t always a professional athlete.
After serving six years and multiple tours as a U.S. Army Green Beret in both Iraq and Afghanistan, Boyer enrolled at the University of Texas and wanted to play college football, despite never having played a single game of organized football in his life.
After he decided to try out for the school’s team that Fall, he learned that their starting long snapper was getting ready to graduate.
Despite not even knowing what a long snapper was, he decided to try out for the position. Unfortunately, since he was deploying to Afghanistan that summer in the Army National Guard, he did not have time to train for a new position.
Just two weeks before his mother suddenly died, a devoted son was able to surprise his Christmas-obsessed mom with a giant handmade sleigh.
51-year-old Jeffrey Michaels secretly constructed the massive carriage as a birthday surprise for his 80-year-old mother Rita Ruffner back in October.
Ruffner, a grandmother-of-ten in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, adored Christmas so much, she decorated her home with festive ornaments all year round.
“Christmas was her best holiday. It was an all-year-round thing for her,” recalled Michaels. “She kept up her holiday decorations and listened to Christmas music all-year-round. She watched Christmas movies no matter the season.”
Michaels—a former Hollywood set designer who now lives in Nevada—flew home from Las Vegas and snuck into her garage to build the holiday structure before she had any idea that he was even in town.
“She always wanted a big Santa Claus sleigh in her yard. This year I finally decided to go ahead and build one for her,” said Michaels.
“She had no idea I was even in town. I was staying at my sister’s house and working in my mother’s garage. It was a real labour of love.”
SWNS
Michaels cut the 8-by-4-foot structure out of birch wood before painting it red and gold. The two-person sleigh, which only cost him about $300 in materials, is also pulled by a prancing grey horse.
Michaels says that while reindeers pull Santa’s sleigh at Christmas, he surmises that horses take over the task for the rest of the year.
After Michaels finished the sleigh, Ruffner’s family threw her a surprise party for her 80th birthday—and he was finally able to unveil the sleigh in her front yard.
“I put it in the front yard for her and told her to come outside. She was shocked and ecstatic,” says Michaels. “She was so proud of it—she called everyone to tell them about her sleigh.”
Jeffrey Michaels with his mom Rita Ruffner. SWNS.
Sadly, just a fortnight after her son unveiled the surprise gift, Ruffner passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack.
After his mother’s death, Michaels says the sleigh has become even more important to the family.
“Something special happened with the sleigh itself after we lost my mother,” said the Las Vegas musician. “It has taken on its own identity. It is still sitting in the front yard of the house and people come by to have their pictures taken with it.
“One of the things my mother wanted was for families to take pictures in the sleigh,” he added.
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Michaels believed that he was meant to make the sleigh just before she passed away. Though she had been talking about a sleigh for the past few years, this year he finally had the time to build it.
“I’m so glad she saw it before she was gone.”
Michaels now hopes that people who see Ruffner’s sleigh will consider making a donation to the American Heart Association in her name.
“It’s about Rita’s love of Christmas and the spirit of giving.”
Be Sure And Share This Sweet Yuletide Story With Your Friends On Social Media…
Quote of the Day: “The Winter Solstice is a powerful time—a time to contemplate your immortality. A time to forgive, to be forgiven, and to make a fresh start. A time to awaken.” – Frederick Lenz
Photo: by Kerttu, CC license via Flickr, cropped and enhanced
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Madame Tussauds Wax Museums are famous for bringing visitors face-to-face with their favorite celebrities—but when Jimmy Kimmel was gifted his own wax replica earlier this week, he couldn’t help but use it to have a little fun in his own workplace.
The lifelike Kimmel dummy is set to be the centerpiece of the new “Jimmy Kimmel Live Experience” at Madame Tussauds in Hollywood.
Prior to the exhibit’s launch, however, the prankster TV show host used the dummy to prank his co-workers—particularly his cousin Micki.
Soon after, on his show, Kimmel shared a cheeky film reel of his staffers’ reaction to the dummy moving around the office throughout the day—and the results are hilarious.
(WATCH the footage below)
Multiply The Laughs By Sharing The Video With Your Friends On Social Media…
A team of neuroscientists at Georgetown University Medical Center have zeroed in on a new way to “switch off” epileptic seizures in animal models—and it could revolutionize the way we treat the disorder.
The findings, published online in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), provide the first evidence that while different types of seizures start in varied areas of the brain, they all can be controlled by targeting a very small set of neurons in the brain or their tendril-like neuronal axons.
Zeroing in on specific neurons suggests that treatment for epilepsy can be improved, researchers say. For example, the deep brain stimulation used today could be minutely targeted at the cell body of these neurons or at the areas their axons touch, depending on the type of seizure, says the study’s senior investigator, Patrick A. Forcelli, an assistant professor in neuroscience and in pharmacology and physiology at Georgetown.
“We have found a major choke point in epilepsy circuits in rat brains that we believe can be harnessed to disrupt the onset of seizures or to stop their propagation within the brain,” he says. “Circuit-based therapy for people will help offset the known side effects that come with drug therapy and other techniques.”
According to the CDC, about 3 million adults and almost 500,000 children in the US suffer from epilepsy, making the incidence about 1% of the population, and the fourth most common brain disorder. (Epilepsy is diagnosed when a person has had more than one seizure.)
Seizures occur when nerve cells in the brain misfire. While there are about 30 specific types of seizures, there are two main categories: focal, which start in particular areas of the brain, and generalized, which occur when nerve cells on both sides of the brain misfire. Within this category are tonic-clonic (formerly known as grand mal) convulsive seizure and absence (formerly known as petit mal).
File photo by Jesse Orrico / Unsplash
Researchers have known for about 30 years that while inhibiting a certain area of the brain, the substantia nigra pars recticulata (SNpr) can help stop a seizure, the circuits by which the SNpr controls a seizure have remained unclear. The SNpr is a small area deep within the brain.
“It is usually thought to be involved in movement and movement disorders,” says Forcelli. “We knew targeting SNpr can stop a seizure, but we didn’t know how. Neurons in this area have axonal projections that go to many different parts in the brain.”
This study, he says, is built upon the pioneering work done at GUMC in the 1980s when researchers, led by Dr. Karen Gale “built a metaphorical Rand McNally-type atlas of neuronal pathways involved in seizures and epilepsy—these maps have moved forward both basic biology and for pharmacological treatment of epilepsy.”
The aim of his research is “to make a ‘Google maps’ version with higher resolution and the ability to zoom in on each address, to improve brain stimulation therapy,” says Forcelli.
With his team, Forcelli used four models of experimental epilepsy in seizure-prone rats, designed to reflect a different type of seizure (absence, forebrain tonic-clonic, brainstem tonic-clonic, and limbic) seen in human epilepsies.
They were able to stop these seizures by placing light-sensitive ion channels into neurons in the SNpr; when exposed to light, the neurons can be turned on or off. They found that seizures could be turned off by either silencing activity of the SNpr cell bodies or, in some cases, the areas that these neurons project to.
“We can’t target therapy if we don’t know how the circuits work. Discovering that silencing one area that a SNpr projects to can turn off specific seizures suggests a much more targetable therapy. For example, deep brain stimulation could be aimed at that area,” Forcelli says.
“These findings clarify a long-standing question in the field: the role these individual SNpr neural pathways play in the control of seizures,” he says.
After calmly providing her address to the dispatcher, the youngster waited until EMTs arrived on the scene so she could use a chair to reach up and unlock the front door.
According to New Jersey 12 News, Isla then kept the family’s three 80-pound rescue dogs under control as medical officials attended to her mother. On top of that, she kept her 2-year-old sister and twin 1-year-old brothers calm by feeding them yogurt.
Isla’s mother ended up being hospitalized for a bacterial infection for four days—and it is quite likely that she may not have survived the medical emergency if it had not been for her daughter.
Isla was later honored by the police department with a certificate of heroism, an official police badge, and a tour of the station.
“I know adults that cannot handle that kind of incident with that much bravery, poise, and distinction,” Lt. Philip Rizzo of the Franklin Township Police Department said during the news conference. “For that, this young lady needs to be commended.”
(WATCH the news coverage below) – Feature photos by Franklin Township Police Department
Save Your Friends From Negativity By Sharing The Inspiring Story To Social Media…
This 2-story building in the United Arab Emirates is being hailed as the largest 3D-printed structure in the world—and its developers are now using the technology to bring affordable housing to the US.
The building, which was 3D-printed on site in Dubai using locally sourced materials, was finished after just two weeks of construction. Measuring in at 6,900 square feet (640 square meters), the building will now be used as an administrative facility for the Dubai Municipality.
Apis Cor, the San Francisco-based company responsible for the project, required only three workers and a construction crane on site to finish the building in October.
Now, the startup says that they will be using the same technology to build the first ever 3D-printed house in Santa Barbara County, California.
Jennifer McGovern, President and CEO of Housing Trust Fund of Santa Barbara County, hailed their partnership with Apis Cor for the project, saying: “It has become increasingly difficult and expensive to develop affordable housing, particularly in high cost housing markets. We must create a paradigm shift if we are to begin to meet local, regional and national affordable housing needs for our residents.
“We are excited about the potential for 3D-printing to significantly lower the time and cost involved in constructing affordable housing and to promote the use of sustainable building materials. We believe that 3D-printing of homes will have broad future application for meeting a range of local housing needs. We plan to share the results of this trail-blazing collaboration with Apis Cor with our peers in the affordable housing industry and to promote this innovative new housing technology.”
This is not the first building developed by Apis Cor—the company made international headlines back in 2017 after they premiered a demo building at their Moscow testing facility. Not only did they finish the simplified structure in just one day, they also used about $10,000 in materials.
Apis Cor now hopes to debut their first permitted, 3D-printed US home in early 2020. After that, the company plans to make their printers available for purchase later the very same year.
“Construction 3D printing technology is only at the early stages of development,” said Nikita Cheniuntai, CEO and Founder of Apis Cor. “We do extensive R&D work to make the technology available for mass use.
“We are thankful for the opportunity to collaborate with Dubai Municipality,” he added. “The project gave us unique knowledge and invaluable experience that will help us improve our technology and develop a new version of our 3D printer.
“The improved version will be more reliable and time-efficient (twice as fast). Moreover, during the project we tested and improved our own-developed 3D mixture. This project is a huge step forward in the concrete 3D printing industry.”
(WATCH the video below to see the project in action)
Build Up Some Positivity By Sharing The Good News With Your Friends On Social Media…
Dozens of Florida families can breathe a sigh of relief this holiday season thanks to a veteran whose past struggles inspired him to give back.
When Michael Esmond received his utility bill for the month of December, he was reminded of a time back in the 1980s when he had trouble making ends meet.
Since Esmond was unable to pay the bill on time, the utility company had actually cut off his gas connection during what he calls “one of the coldest winters in Florida history”. For the rest of the cold season, Esmond was without heating—all while temperatures dropped into the single-digits.
Thankfully, Esmond is not as cash-strapped as he once was; he now owns a small business called Gulf Breeze Pools and Spas in Gulf Breeze, Florida.
So as Esmond was preparing to pay this months gas bill, he felt inspired to share his good fortune with other people struggling with the same financial difficulties.
He then called the local utility company and asked to pay the bills for all of the households at risk of having their gas and power cut off. In total, he paid $4,600 worth of utility bills for 36 families.
Not only does Esmond hope his good deed will help struggling homeowners during the holiday season, he also hopes the gesture will inspire other small business owners to give back to their community.
Quote of the Day: “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always try just one more time.” – Thomas Edison (unveiled his electric light 140 years ago)
Photo: by Susanne Nilsson, CC license via Flickr, cropped
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A sleep technology company claims to have solved the age-old battle over who hogs the duvet: a “rolling” bed cover that cannot be pulled off by either partner.
The bed, which was developed by Simba, features an “infinite duvet” with a roller-based system in the frame to ensure the cover is always evenly distributed.
As the user tosses and turns during the night, the revolving duvet moves with them by feeding itself through a series of rollers and tensioning systems in the base before feeding out the other side.
The company came up with the idea after research revealed that “duvet stealing” is one of the top areas of bedtime conflict between couples.
One in four people believe a restless night from a blanket-greedy partner can make them see red; and one in six people have even ended relationships over it.
Computer-generated images of the bed—dubbed the “Duvet Diplomat”—show that it could also appeal to interior aesthetes and cleaning enthusiasts with its remote-controlled “self-making” function, which uses motorized rotary irons within the bed base to automatically revolve the blanket as it is simultaneously pressed and steam-cleaned.
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The bed is currently in the design stage to test feedback from consumers.
“Duvet stealing is a sore subject among British couples—a bedroom habit that’s the catalyst for hundreds of arguments,” said Simba CEO Steve Reid. “When you sleep better, you are more likely to make better decisions, take less risks and start the day in a more positive and peaceful frame of mind.
Simba’s survey of 2,000 adults found that duvet-stealing, coming home to an unmade bed, and snoring are among the things that send tempers soaring between British couples.
SWNS
One-third of participants are infuriated by ‘blanket bandits’; three in ten feel tensions rise when they come home to an untidy bedroom or unmade bed; and one in five have argued with their partner about their inability to make the bed in the morning.
Four in five adults also cite that one of life’s most simple pleasures is getting into fresh bedding—yet one in five never wash their duvet.
An additional 75% of participants said a tidy and stylish bedroom environment makes them feel happier and more peaceful than more chaotic décor.
TOP 10 SLEEP AND BEDROOM HABITS THAT SEND TEMPERS SOARING IN BRITISH COUPLES…
1. Snoring (39%)
2. Being woken up by a duvet-stealing partner (24%)
3. Not putting clothes in the laundry bin (23%)
4. Encroaching on your partner’s side of the bed (22%)
5. Fidgeting / tossing and turning (20%)
6. Coming home to untidy bedroom (15%)
7. Keeping the light on too late (14%)
8. Coming home to an unmade bed (14%)
9. Long toenails that scratch (13%)
9. Your partner doesn’t make the bed (11%)
10. Cold feet (10%)
Don’t Sleep On The News—Be Sure And Share It With Your Friends on Social Media…
Rather than allow his patients to go bankrupt from medical debt, a Nebraska surgeon has partnered with several local charities so his patients can pay for their operations with community service.
Doctor Demetrio Aguila III is the mastermind behind the Healing Hands of Nebraska surgical clinic for reconstructive and nerve-related surgeries in Norfolk. He says he was inspired to launch the M25 program after he got sick and tired of American patients suffering from the debilitating financial burden of medical care.
Through the M25 program, Aguila allows his patients to select a nonprofit from their list of participating organizations. He then designates a certain amount of volunteer hours for the patient to complete in order to pay off the surgery.
“We’ve eliminated a lot of the administrative hassle that’s associated with healthcare,” Aguila told local reporters. “We’ve lowered the cost of healthcare. We’ve made it fair for everybody involved. Nobody loses. That is the core of the M25 Program.”
Jeffrey Jensen became the first patient to participate in the program in October after he was assigned 560 volunteer hours in exchange for the surgery to fix the numbness and nerve damage in his leg. While 560 hours may seem like a lot of work, patients are encouraged to recruit the help of family and friends to help fulfill the hours.
Since participating in the program, Jensen says that the volunteer work has helped to positively change his life as much as surgery.
“The M25 program is not about money—it’s about how if people come together to help other people, then your community thrives,” said Jensen.
Aguila now hopes that the program will inspire other physicians to launch similar initiatives in their own community.
“I’d like to inspire other doctors and other medical professionals to find that hope again,” he said. “To find that reason for being a doctor and to bring it back to the core of what they do everyday.”
(WATCH the interview with Jensen below)
Heal Your Friends Of Negativity By Sharing The Good News To Social Media…
Last week, the European Commission presented a groundbreaking new legislative roadmap to making Europe the first continent to achieve carbon-neutrality.
In what is being called “The European Green Deal”, the drafted package of policies is set to undergo debate and approval by representatives from all 28 member states in January. If approved, the ambitious new laws could be implemented as soon as 2021.
The European Green Deal provides a roadmap with actions to boost the efficient use of resources by moving to a clean, circular economy that stops the climate crisis, reverts biodiversity loss, and cuts pollution. Furthermore, it covers all sectors of the economy, notably transport, energy, agriculture, buildings, and industries such as steel, cement, ICT, textiles and chemicals.
“The European Green Deal is our new growth strategy—for a growth that gives back more than it takes away,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. “It shows how to transform our way of living and working, of producing and consuming so that we live healthier and make our businesses innovative. We can all be involved in the transition and we can all benefit from the opportunities.
“We will help our economy to be a global leader by moving first and moving fast. We are determined to succeed for the sake of this planet and life on it—for Europe’s natural heritage, for biodiversity, for our forests and our seas. By showing the rest of the world how to be sustainable and competitive, we can convince other countries to move with us.”
Meeting the objectives of the European Green Deal will require significant investment. According to The New York Times, the deal is designed to incentivize some of the continent’s most fossil fuel-dependent nations to move towards climate-friendly infrastructure with billions of euros worth of payouts.
The legislation also calls on member states to cut their emissions from 40% below pre-1990s levels—which had previously been set in the Paris Agreement—to 50%.
Achieving the current 2030 climate and energy targets is estimated to require €260 billion of additional annual investment, which the Commission says will require the mobilization of the public and private sectors.
The Commission will present in early 2020 an investment plan to help meet investment needs. At least 25% of the EU’s long-term budget should be dedicated to climate action, and the European Investment Bank, Europe’s climate bank, will provide further support. For the private sector to contribute to financing the green transition, the Commission also plans to present a financing strategy next year.
Since not all member states are prepared to make such a dramatic shift towards sustainability, the package will also launch an initiative to support the regions relying heavily on carbon-intensive activities. It will also support the citizens most vulnerable to the transition, providing access to reskilling program and employment opportunities in new economic sectors.
In March 2020, the Commission will launch a “Climate Pact” to give citizens a voice and role in designing new actions, sharing information, launching grassroots activities and show-casing solutions that others can follow.
The European Union already has a strong track record in reducing its emissions of greenhouse gases while maintaining economic growth. Emissions in 2018 were 23% lower than in 1990 while the Union’s GDP grew by 61% in the same period—but the EU says that more needs to be done.
File photo by Dimitar Nikolov, CC
An overwhelming majority of Europeans consider that protecting the environment is important (95%). Almost 8 in 10 Europeans (77%) say that protection of the environment can boost economic growth.
“We are in a climate and environmental emergency. The European Green Deal is an opportunity to improve the health and well-being of our people by transforming our economic model,” said Commission Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans.
“Our plan sets out how to cut emissions, restore the health of our natural environment, protect our wildlife, create new economic opportunities, and improve the quality of life of our citizens,” added Timmermans. “We all have an important part to play and every industry and country will be part of this transformation. Moreover, our responsibility is to make sure that this transition is a just transition, and that nobody is left behind as we deliver the European Green Deal.”
Power Up With Positivity By Sharing The Good News With Your Friends On Social Media…
This 78-year-old man named Terrence brought millions of television viewers to tears last week after he appeared on a BBC news interview and mentioned that he had spent the last twenty Christmases alone since his mother passed away.
The only reason that the pensioner will not be spending this year’s Christmas alone is because—through his volunteer work for Age UK—he will be spending the holiday with a 90-year-old woman with dementia.
The hosts of BBC Breakfast were so touched by the heartfelt interview, they returned to Terrence’s house the very next day to give him the gift of Christmas cheer.
In addition to BBC Breakfast presenter Dan Walker recruiting some local college students to bring a Christmas tree to the pensioner’s home, he also brought the Oldham College choir to his door to sing “Silent Night”—his favorite Christmas carol.
Terrence was so overwhelmed by the surprise, he could barely keep himself from crying throughout the spontaneous visit.
Since BBC published the video to social media, it has also been viewed by millions of people praising the television reporters for orchestrating such a heartwarming surprise.
(WATCH the emotional video below) – Photo by BBC Breakfast
Quote of the Day: “A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes
Photo: by Luigi Amasia Photos, CC license via Flickr, 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?
Despite a devastating medical diagnosis, a recent college graduate in Winchester, Virginia hasn’t allowed any of life’s misfortunes to get him down—and he’s spent the last four months waiting to spread Christmas cheer to all who see him.
Four years ago, Alex Argiro was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis, a rare condition that causes tumors to grow in crucial areas of your head, neck, and spine. He endured a 14-hour brain surgery to remove three tumors, which left him permanently deaf in his left ear.
A baseball player on the Shenandoah University team, Alex bounced back and played the following season, much to the surprise of his coach, Kevin Anderson. Although his dreams of playing professional baseball were cut short due to his condition, he continued to participate however he could, inspiring the team to win a championship in 2017 and 2018.
Though the tumors in his head were gone, taking their place was a new desire to inspire others and bring a smile to people around him whenever he could.
His plan to share Christmas cheer with people around Winchester this year was born in 2017 after his beloved Nissan 350Z was mangled in a car accident, two months before the holidays.
“The bumper was hanging off and dragging, so I went back and zip tied it back together,” the 22-year-old told GNN. “But I didn’t like how that looked, so that’s what led me to make a Christmas-themed bumper—and, this year, a Christmas hood.”
With a nod to the movie franchise, he called his concept car ‘Fast and Joyous’.
‘Fast and Joyous I’
The car-enthusiast worked for weeks to piece together the broken vehicle, then called on friends to help him decorate it for the Christmas season. Using colored sharpies, stickers, and creative thinking, he now had a broken car that turned into a fast way to share his love of Christmas: “Once broken and unusable, it was resurrected and ready to hit the road and ready to start making others smile!”
After selling the original Fast and the Joyous car in January—noting that the new owner fully intends to duplicate his Joyous concept—Alex purchased a Christmas Red Mazdaspeed3.
This past summer, he bought a white hood for the car and has spent the last 4 months custom drawing on the hood, with the help of friends and family.
He receives compliments wherever he goes—and he’s noticed people taking group selfies around the hood. His ‘Christmas Red’ bundle of cheer has also inspired others to want to decorate their cars in the future.
It’s nice to know that someone who’s had a rough young life takes some time away from his phone and social media to focus on what matters most during the holiday season—bringing joy and smiles to others.
Alex, with Fast and Joyous II, before the white hood and decorations
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Being an adult is no easy walk in the park—and for these four English boys, the hardest part about living on their own was their first landlord, and his NO-PETS policy.
LISTEN to the inspiring story told on the radio by our GNN founder (in the Good News Guru podcast below) or READ the full story after that…
The young men, who had just moved into a shared flat in Bristol, England, had all spent their lives surrounded by pets—which is why they were dismayed to learn that animals were not allowed.
When they saw an energetic young Labrador pup in the neighbor’s window, however, they got an idea.
The four friends quickly penned a letter to the dog’s owner explaining their predicament along with an offer to let them play with the pup.
“If you ever need someone to walk him/her, we will gladly do so,” they wrote. “If you ever get bored (we know you never will, but we can dream) we are more than happy to look after him/her. If you want to come over and bring him/her to brighten our day, you are more than welcome. If you want to walk past our balcony windows so we can see him/her, please do.”
“We hope this doesn’t come off too strong, but our landlord won’t allow pets, and we’ve all grown up with animals,” the letter concluded. “The adult life is a struggle without one.”
The roommates signed the note as “the boys from 23” and left it in the neighbor’s mailbox with baited breath.
Not only did they receive a response a short while later, they received a response directly from Stevie Ticks the dog.
Been saying we’d love a dog about the house but our landlord doesn’t allow pets, so my housemate posted a letter to our neighbours asking if we could walk their dog every once and a while and the response was better than we could have ever hoped for pic.twitter.com/dcMOfPk5UH
“What a treat it was to receive your letter,” wrote Stevie Ticks (as dictated by her frisky human, Sarah Tolman). “I love meeting new people and it would be great if we can be friends. I must warn you that the price of my friendship is 5 ball throws a day and belly scritches whenever I demand them.
“We here understand how hard it is to find pet-friendly rentals—and life just isn’t full without a dog in it—right?! I’d love to hang whenever you fancy,” the letter concluded.
To their delight, Tolman and Stevie Ticks were true to their word and the boys were invited over for a playdate with the friendly 2-year-old pup earlier this week.
Jack McCrossan was just one of the young men who took Stevie Ticks for an energetic walk, and since he published the adorable photos of their encounter to social media, they have been shared thousands of times.
It’s not hard to see why, either—McCrossan said that the response from the dog and her owner was “better than we could have ever hoped for.”
Stevie Ticks, who has her own Instagram account, has also made it clear that she plans to continue her playdates with the neighbors—provided they continue with the eager belly rubs, of course.
Update: The boys from 23 just met Stevie, looks like the start of a beautiful friendship (Give Stevie a follow on Instagram: stevieticks) #stevietickspic.twitter.com/HkhDzzQcSG
This hospital trust is the first in the UK to give female Muslim doctors and medical staff disposal hijabs to wear to avoid germs being passed to patients.
Junior doctor Farah Roslan had the idea while she was undergoing her training at the Royal Derby Hospital. After enduring long, grueling hours on the wards where she had been wearing a traditional hijab, she became concerned with the risk of infection to patients.
Roslan, who is originally from Malaysia, looked to her home country for ideas of how to implement her plan for a disposable sterile headscarf. She then created a design using fabrics that maintained a balance between showing respect to her faith and being able to perform in her work.
“I’d been using the same headscarf all day, which obviously wasn’t clean and ideal,” says Roslan. “I didn’t feel comfortable taking it off and I was pulled out of the theatre, respectfully, due to infection control.
“A middle ground had to be found between dress code due to faith and the passion of being in the operating theatre,” she continued. “I am so happy my vision has become a reality and that these headscarves are now available for all of the staff.
“I’m really happy and looking forward to seeing if we can endorse this nationally.”
Gill Tierney and Farah Roslan – SWNS
Consultant surgeon Gill Tierney, who mentored Roslan, said the trust was the first to introduce the headscarves in the UK.
“We know it’s a quiet, silent, issue around theaters around the country and I don’t think it has been formally addressed,” said Tierney. “It hasn’t cost much and hopefully the effect will be enormous.”
Commenting on Twitter, National Health System worker Andy Ibbs hailed the achievement, saying: “Nice one—but on reflection, I wonder why it hasn’t been done years ago!”
The University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Trust said the new, disposable headscarves have now been available since early December.
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This may look like just an ordinary billboard—but a Dutch innovator has actually designed the structure to purify the surrounding air by eating up smog.
The billboard, which was designed by Daan Roosegaarde and his studio in partnership with the University of Monterray, is just one of the billboards currently set up in Monterray, Mexico. Each ad space has been coated with a specialized resin that attracts nearby air pollutants and converts them into oxygen when exposed to direct sunlight.
The photocatalytic nanotechnology works similarly to the mineral-based surface treatment that allows these GUNRID curtains from IKEA to cleanse airborne pollutants from indoor spaces.
The billboard generates the same amount of clean air as 30 trees every 6 hours and it can function for up to five years.
Since the heavily-polluted Mexican city is nestled in a valley where there is very little space for trees or greenery, the billboards are considered a revolutionary new tool for urban health.
“It was great to work with the [UDEM] students and take a problem and transform it into a potential,” says Roosegaarde. “I am really proud to see them go from academic research to a real project. I do not believe in utopia—a perfect solution—but protopia: step-by-step improving reality.”
This is not the first air-purifying project that Studio Roosegaarde has launched over the course of the last few years. He is also responsible for the Smog Free-Tower: the world’s “largest air purifier” which has been installed at various international locations so it can turn urban smog into diamonds.
The 23-foot tall metal structure is capable of filtering 75% of harmful PM2.5 and PM10 particles from the surrounding air, thus producing 30,000 cubic meters of clean air per hour. Plus, by using ion technology, the tower uses very little electricity—about as much as an electric kettle. The electricity that it does use, however, comes from wind power.
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