All News - Page 676 of 1724 - Good News Network
Home Blog Page 676

Muslim Cab Driver Broke Strict Police Curfew to Drive Hindu Woman in Childbirth to the Hospital

By
McKinley Corbley
-

Despite their village being in lockdown following community clashes earlier this week, a Muslim cab driver came to the rescue of a Hindu woman in childbirth.

A strict police curfew has been effect in Southern Assam’s Hailakandi since local riots damaged a number of properties and left a dozen people injured.

Rubon Das and his wife Nandita were at home in Rajyeshwarpur Part I village when she went into labor. Rubon called for an ambulance, but no driver was willing to risk breaking the curfew.

As Nandita’s labor pains worsened, Rubon continued calling neighbors and ride services in hopes of finding someone who could drive them to the hospital 10 kilometers (6 miles) away.

LOOK: When Fire Leaves 500 Muslims Without Place of Worship, Synagogue Opens Their Doors

Thankfully, 32-year-old cab driver Maqbool Hussain Laskar heard about the couple’s predicament through a mutual acquaintance. Even though he was tempting fate by breaking the curfew, he immediately drove over to Rubon’s house and helped them into his car before taking them to the hospital.

The New Indian Express says that hospital staffers were apparently “surprised to see them given the volatile situation,” but they quickly took Nandita into care.

Shortly after they arrived at the hospital, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy who she has named “Shanti” – a name which denotes peace prevailing over conflict.

MORE: Muslims Take Out Full-Page Newspaper Ad to Denounce Anti-Semitism Against “Our Jewish Sisters and Brothers”

The young Hindu couple say that they are indebted to the compassionate cab driver for putting his own life at risk in order to help them during their time of need.

“I have no words to express my gratitude to him. The worst was possibly in store but God sent him to us,” Rubon told TNIE.

According to the Times of India, Hailakandi deputy commissioner Keethi Jalli also visited Laskar and the family shortly after the incident took place so she could “congratulate Laskar for his valor” and express hope that it would inspire “other such examples of Hindu-Muslim unity.”

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

“The hard and stiff will be broken. The soft and supple will prevail.” – Tao Te Ching

By
Good News Network
-

Quote of the Day: “The hard and stiff will be broken. The soft and supple will prevail.” – Tao Te Ching

Photo: by GWC, Copyright

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?

 

Watch Quick-Thinking Bus Driver Stop Youngster Just As He Was About to Step in Front of Speeding Car

By
Good News Network
-

This quick-thinking bus driver may have accidentally revealed herself to be a guardian angel in disguise after she saved a student from almost certain disaster.

Samantha Call has been a bus driver for the Norwich City School District of New York for the last six years, and her training came in handy last month as she was driving along her usual morning route.

Security footage shows Call stopping the bus to let a young boy exit – but just before the boy is about to rush out the doors, Call grabs the hood of his jacket at the same moment a car can be seen whizzing past the bus.

RELATED: 19-Year-old Construction Worker Uses Crane to Rescue Over a Dozen People From Apartment Fire

If Call had not intervened as quickly as she did, the boy would have most likely been hit by the car.

“Samantha did an outstanding job,” NCSD Transportation Supervisor William Loomis said. “All of our drivers undergo continuous training so they’re prepared to handle situations like this. We hope this video helps everyone to realize the dangers of passing a stopped school bus.”

Since the school district posted footage of the incident to Facebook, it has been viewed almost one million times – and school representatives hope that the video will help people to understand the importance of school bus safety regulation.

(WATCH the video below)

Be Sure And Share The Stunning Rescue Footage With Your Friends On Social Media…

China is Spending $1.5 Billion On Creating New Giant Panda Reserve Three Times the Size of Yellowstone Park

By
McKinley Corbley
-

Giant pandas will soon have a gigantic new nature reserve to call their own and ensure the future of their species.

The Chinese government is preparing to designate a massive swath of wilderness as the Giant Panda Nature Reserve.

The park is set to span 10,476 square miles – which is almost three times the size of Yellowstone National Park. With plans for the park set to be finalized in the fall, the park has already secured over $1.5 billion in funding from the state-owned Bank of China.

Officials estimate that the park will be under construction until 2023. Once finished, the reserve is also expected to boost local economies and help alleviate poverty for the 170,000 people living within the designated territory, according to the Associated Press.

LOOK: With Only 147 of World’s Fattest Parrots Left, This Year’s Baby Boom Has Left Researchers Positively Squawking

Collectively, the park will connect 67 different nature reserves and protected areas, most of which are located in the Sichuan Province.

The region is already home to 80% of wild pandas and a variety of other endangered species. Much to the relief of conservationists, the giant panda species was reclassified from “endangered” to “threatened” in 2016.

Giant panda populations have steadily been increasing since their numbers dwindled to dangerous levels in the 1980s. Now, wildlife experts say that the creation of the Giant Panda Nature Reserve will enable conservationists to keep a close eye on the species and prevent additional harm from coming to the pandas – especially from climate change.

Protect Your Friends From Negativity By Sharing The Good News To Social Media – Photo by Chi King, CC

When Colorblindness Almost Cost This Student Her Career, Her Classmates Rallied to Help

By
McKinley Corbley
-

Savannah Allen has always been aware that she suffers from colorblindness – but when she was recently told that her impairment could keep her from achieving her dreams, she was devastated.

The 22-year-old student has spent the last two years studying to be a dental hygienist at the University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College.

Ever since she was a little girl, Allen knew she wanted to work in healthcare – and after she began working with patients through the university’s Dental Hygiene Clinic, it seemed that her dream was going to come true.

But when Allen’s instructor realized that the young student could not differentiate between the color of plaque and gum tissue, there was a strong chance that Allen would have to give up her academic career.

WATCH: High School Performance of ‘Alien’ So Impressive, Sigourney Weaver Surprises Students at Second Show

Heartbroken by her predicament, four of Allen’s friends created a GoFundMe page to raise money for a pair of EnChroma colorblind corrective glasses.

Every single one of the 40 students in their dental program donated to the campaign until the page had successfully reached its $400 goal.

When Allen’s classmates surprised her with the glasses, she could barely contain her emotions.

Not only was Allen able to see color for the first time in her life, she was also able to continue with the dental program.

“It literally took my breath away. I haven’t seen color in 21 years; it was overwhelming,” said Allen.

“That they would do something like this for me is amazing,” she said of her friends. “The glasses have improved my quality of life 100 percent!”

(WATCH the news coverage below) – Photo by Michele Cartuyvelles

Help Your Friends See The Good News By Sharing It To Social Media…

In Bid to Include More Women, ‘Request a Woman Scientist’ Has Recruited 10,000 Researchers

By
McKinley Corbley
-

Female researchers are sick and tired of being excluded from scientific conversation – but they are now rallying behind a new initiative that will help to make their voices heard in the public sphere.

Over 10,000 female scientists have joined “Request a Woman Scientist”: an online database that lists the names, contact information, and research conducted by various women in STEM-related field.

The index was created by 500 Women Scientists, a US-based nonprofit that is dedicated to promoting equality and gender inclusivity in science. They launched the database as a means of encouraging journalists, universities, legislators and scientific conferences to bridge the gap between male and female scientists having a voice in the public sphere – and it has quickly been gathering steam.

In the 11 months following its creation in January 2018, the database racked up a list of researchers from 174 different scientific disciplines in 133 countries, according to a recent study that was published in PLoS Biology.

RELATED: Watch the Badass Footage of Africa’s First All-Female Anti-Poaching Team in Action

There is an overwhelming amount of evidence on how female scientists are ignored within the scientific community. This 2015 study of international gender bias shows that most nations – even ones as progressive as The Netherlands – still believe that science is a profession for men; and despite the obvious female presence in scientific departments, research also shows that men are invited to be keynote speakers twice as much as women.

Even in news articles and scientific reports, men are quoted three times as much as women.

Thankfully, people are quickly taking advantage of the “Request a Woman Scientist” database to balance the bias. Within one year of the project’s launch, 1,278 database participants were contacted for quotes and keynote speaker invitations.

CHECK OUT: A Man Got the Nobel Prize for Her Discovery. Now, 44 Years Later, She’s Awarded Breakthrough Physics Prize and $3Mil

Elizabeth McCullagh, who is a neuroscientist at the University of Colorado–Anschutz and co-author of the recent study, told Nature: “We need men to know about the platform so they can use it but, even more than that, we need men to realize that equity and representation not only matters, but should be as important as other considerations when organizing a research team or a speaker panel.”

“This experience has reminded us that we need to rethink science, and to be an inclusive organization for women from all sorts of backgrounds,” she added.

(WATCH the video below) – File photo by Lori Hughes / U.S. Air Force

Be Sure And Share The News With Your Friends On Social Media…

After Spending 7 Years in Hawaii Shelter, Dog Finally Adopted By Couple Visiting From Michigan

By
McKinley Corbley
-

Despite spending the last seven years cooped up inside of an animal shelter, this sweet pup has finally been given a loving home thanks to a fateful encounter with a woman living on the other side of the country.

Brad the Australian cattle dog mix had been at the Oahu SPCA shelter in Hawaii for so long, the staffers were worried that he would be there forever.

He had been adopted several times before, but he was always brought back to the shelter once the people realized that they didn’t have the space to accommodate his boundless energy and nervous barking.

Brad finally experienced a stroke of luck earlier last year when Hannah, a young woman from Michigan, stopped by the shelter during a visit to Hawaii with her boyfriend.

WATCH: Dog Chained Up For 15 Years is Finally Freed

“While on a tour of the facility, she noticed a sad and rather plump boy (our Brad!)” wrote the shelter. “She asked if she could spend some time with him and that’s all it took – Hannah instantly fell in love with his sweet face!

“After hearing his story about how he has been with us for over 7 years and has been adopted out and returned a few times, she decided she couldn’t let him live at the shelter any longer.”

Hannah resolved to bring Brad all the way back to her farm in Michigan where he could have plenty of room to play and roam. Though she and her boyfriend offered to pay the transportation fees, the shelter started a GoFundMe page to raise money for the Brad’s airfare and travel expenses.

LOOK: This Dog’s Adoration for His Food Bowl Got Him Adopted Just in the Nick of Time

Within days, the page reached its goal.

“While it makes his Oahu Ohana so sad to see him leave us, it also makes us SO HAPPY!” wrote the shelter.

“Their family owns a cabin in northern Michigan where Brad will spend his weekends hiking in the forest and chasing squirrels. Hannah knows of all Brad’s quirks and is fully prepared to do whatever it takes for him to have a happy and enjoyable life with them!”

Be Sure And Share The Pawesome Story With Your Friends On Social Media – Photo by Oahu SPCA

“People are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” – Abraham Lincoln

By
Good News Network
-

Quote of the Day: “People are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” – Abraham Lincoln

Photo: by Stephan Geyer, 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?

 

Watch What Happens When Martial Arts Classmates Rally Behind Tearful Boy Who Failed to Break Wooden Board

By
McKinley Corbley
-

This adorable video of a young martial arts student in Florida has been shared millions of times across the internet – and it’s not hard to see why.

In the video, a little boy named Phoenix Swonger is being asked to kick a wooden board in half.

The test was being held at at Bobby Dixon’s American Martial Arts Academy in Orlando earlier this month. Erik Gianini, who is the manager of the dojo, tries to coach Phoenix through the test – but despite the youngster kicking the board again and again, he can’t seem to break through the plank.

WATCH: Instead of Telling Student Not to Cry, Instructor Gives The Best Life Advice Ever 

Frustrated by his failed attempts, the discouraged youngster starts to cry – but then, Phoenix’s classmates start to cheer him on.

At first, the other students can only be heard yelling occasional words of encouragement to their classmate. After Phoenix began to cry, however, the other kids start chanting his name.

The chanting gets louder and louder until finally, Phoenix breaks through the board with one swift kick – and the crowd goes wild.

LOOK: Overcoming Doubt, 14-Year-old Who Made Jaw-Dropping Prom Dress for Older Sister Now Flooded With Requests

According to his mother Claudia, Phoenix did not have to break the board in order to advance to his next martial arts level – but the incident has now given the boy a whole new level of confidence.

“While it may have been a struggle, with encouragement, instruction, and lots of love, he overcame and advanced,” writes Claudia. “My boy learned one of the most important lessons in his life today! NEVER… EVER GIVE UP!!!”

(WATCH the sweet video below)

Be Sure And Share This Inspiring Video With Your Friends On Social Media…

Nation’s First ‘Hempwood’ Factory Could Be Sustainable Lifesaver for Endangered Oak Trees in the US

By
McKinley Corbley
-
Hempwood

A new facility in Kentucky has become the nation’s first factory to begin cultivating “wood” out of hemp.

In addition to being 20% tougher than oak, “hempwood” grows 100 times faster. It looks and feels like traditional oak materials – but instead of waiting several decades for a tree to fully mature, hemp can be harvested and regrown in just six months.

Additionally, there are about 78 species of oak tree that are now in danger of going extinct as a result of logging and deforestation.

Hempwood, which is made from hemp fibers and soy-based adhesives, has been in development for the past decade. Greg Wilson, who is the mastermind behind the new Fibonacci hempwood factory, created the company back in March 2018 following 13 years of research and development in the wood products industry.

LOOK: First Marathon to Swap Plastic Bottles for Biodegradable Pouches Made Out of Plants

The $6 million Fibonacci factory, which opened in Murray in the spring March, only recently started producing their specialized material with more than 40,000 acres of hemp.

“We look forward to being a productive member of Kentucky’s agricultural and manufacturing communities, and the enormous opportunities of hempwood as a renewable alternative to oak,” said Wilson.

Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Ryan Quarles said in a press release that this is another step toward the diversification of the state’s burgeoning hemp industry.

MORE: Rooftop Panels of Tiny Plants Can Cleanse Polluted Air at 100 Times the Rate of a Single Tree

“When I became commissioner of agriculture, I said I wanted to make Kentucky the epicenter of the hemp industry in the United States,” Quarles said. “The fact that Greg Wilson and Fibonacci LLC are choosing Kentucky to locate the first HempWood operation in the United States is a testament to the work we’ve done to strategically position Kentucky’s hemp industry.”

Calloway County Judge-Executive Kenneth Imes also praised the impact of the company’s decision to buy products locally.

“As judge-executive, I am always glad to see new jobs in our community but this particular project is especially exciting,” Judge-Executive Imes said. “Not only will Fibonacci create 25 new jobs and invest almost $6 million, but they will also buy from our local farmers.”

Plant Some Positivity Amongst Your Friends By Sharing The Good News To Social Media…

Man Abandons His Own Birthday Party to Rescue Panicked Dog Swimming Through Chilly NYC River

By
McKinley Corbley
-

When this 2-year-old pup got herself stranded in the chilly waters of New York’s East River, a heroic man abandoned his own birthday party so he could swim to her rescue.

The incident took place last week in Brooklyn when Harper the dog was out on a stroll with her petsitter.

As they were walking down the street, the petsitter was suddenly hit by a taxi that had run through a stop sign. Though the petsitter only sustained minor injuries, Harper took off in a panic and charged into the river.

Meanwhile, Gabe Castellanos had been celebrating his birthday with some friends on the Brooklyn Barge when they saw the dog in the water. Since it was a warm day, the group assumed that the dog was simply going for a swim while its owner watched from the shore.

RELATED: 19-Year-old Construction Worker Uses Crane to Rescue Over a Dozen People From Apartment Fire

As the dog swam farther and farther away from the pier, however, the dogwalker suddenly approached the group and said that Harper had run away.

Castellanos noticed that Harper was quickly losing steam and he knew that he had to do something; luckily, Castellanos is a graduate from the SUNY Maritime College.

Using his maritime experience, Castellanos grabbed a nearby lifejacket, stripped down to his underwear, climbed out to a safe part of the pier, and plunged into the water.

MORE: Watch Bus Driver Intervene When Dog Was in the Hands of Dubious Stranger Claiming to Be Its Owner

With dozens of pedestrians cheering him on from the shoreline and a police helicopter flying overhead, Castellanos swam out to Harper. She had already been paddling for over ten minutes, and when she caught sight of Castellanos heading towards her, she started to swim even more determinedly.

Castellanos eventually managed to catch up to her and start steering her back towards land – but unfortunately, since Harper was so panicked by the experience, she bit Castellanos on the hand and face, chipping his tooth in the process.

Unfazed by the attack, Castellanos continued guiding her back to the shore until she was finally reunited with her emotional petsitter.

LOOK: Five Days After Disappearing, Dog is Finally Found and Rescued From Underground Rabbit Hole

Even though Harper’s attack forced Castellanos to get a temporary fake front tooth, he later expressed his sympathy for the dog and said there were no hard feelings between them.

“I was like, ‘Aw it’s alright, I needed teeth work anyway,’” he told Inside Edition.

Harper’s owner has expressed her bottomless gratitude for Castellanos’s actions and she says she hopes to throw him another birthday party as a thank you for the rescue.

(WATCH the video below)

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

You Can Now Use These Pocket-Sized ‘Bee Savior’ Cards to Rescue Hungry Honeybees on the Sidewalk

By
McKinley Corbley
-

An English inventor has designed an ingenious little device that can act as a lifeline for exhausted honeybees – and you can keep it tucked right next to your credit card.

40-year-old Dan Harris designed the Bee Savior Cards in order to ensure that anyone can save hungry honeybees this summer simply by using the contents of their wallet.

The cards hold three different stashes of sugar solution which can be used as a life-saving snack for pollinators.

Since bees have such a speedy metabolism, they will often starve if they are unable to find flowers or nectar within forty minutes of their last meal.

RELATED: Mathematician Reports Breakthrough on Non-Toxic Pest Control Which Doesn’t Harm Bees

If you have ever seen a bee crawling around on the sidewalk, there is a good chance that it was unsuccessfully searching for food – but now if you happen to be carrying a Bee Savior Card, you can simply peel back the foil on one of the formula stashes and offer it up as a quick energy boost.

That being said, ecologists caution that people should be careful of how they handle exhausted bees. Pedestrians should refrain from feeding stationary honeybees in late summer, as they are usually worker bees that have been banished from their hive, and feeding them may only prolong their struggle.

Additionally, since sugar solutions are devoid of essential proteins, people are encouraged to try and revive hungry pollinators by moving them onto a flower.

MORE: Over 1 Million Gardeners Have United to Create Global Network of Greenery That Nourishes Bees and Butterflies

The cards, on the other hand, are designed to be used by people in warm urban areas where there may not be as much greenery or foliage. The cards can also be used if the flowers have already been drained by other pollinators.

“When we heard about bees getting so exhausted so quickly, the fact that we can revive them with sugar solution just struck us as a really great opportunity to connect with nature – especially in a city,” Harris told BBC.

Although Harris successfully crowdfunded the production of his cards in just 36 hours, the campaign is now raising additional funds to buy new manufacturing equipment. He hopes to sell the refillable cards online for £4 ($5.15) apiece starting in June.

(WATCH the video below) – Photo by Savior Bees

Be Sure And Share The Buzz With Your Friends On Social Media…

Shaquille O’Neal Gives Teen 10 Pairs of New Size 18 Shoes to Pay Forward Childhood Good Deed

By
McKinley Corbley
-

Shaquille O’Neal has just made a new fan for life in a teenager who has been struggling to find shoes that fit his feet.

Zach Keith may only be 13 years old, but the young basketball player already has size 18 feet.

His mother has been unable to afford new extra-large sneakers for her son – but luckily, O’Neal heard about the family’s dilemma and was inspired to help.

Since O’Neal famously wears a size 23, he could empathize with Zach’s struggle for fitted footwear. The retired NBA legend faced the same predicament when he was just an 18-year-old college student searching for size 18 penny loafers to wear to his high school prom.

WATCH: High School Performance of ‘Alien’ So Impressive, Sigourney Weaver Surprises Students at Second Show

Bruce Teilhaber, who is the owner of Friedman’s Shoes in Atlanta, Georgia, gave O’Neal a free pair of shoes for prom – and O’Neal has been shopping at the shoe store ever since.

O’Neal has never forgotten that act of kindness from his childhood; so as a means of paying it forward, he invited Zach and his mother to Friedman’s Shoes and bought the teenager 10 new pairs of different shoes.

“I thought this was a good thing to do,” O’Neal told CBS News. “Kid plays basketball, and Bruce did it for me, and I just want to return the favor.”

(WATCH the video below or our international viewers can watch the footage on the CBS website) – Photo by CBS News

Score Big With Your Friends By Sharing The Sweet Story To Social Media…

“Remember! The Force will be with you, always.” – Obi Wan in Star Wars (George Lucas, 75-years-old today)

By
Good News Network
-
A star cluster in the constellation Sagittarius - credit NASA.

Quote of the Day: “Remember! The Force will be with you, always.” – Obi Wan in Star Wars (George Luca, 75-years-old today)

Photo: by NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, Star Cluster in Milky Way, 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?

 

Waterboy Becomes Unlikely Savior for Basketball Team That Bullied Him (MOTH Monday)

By
Good News Network
-

Today is MOTH Monday on Good News Network: In partnership with The Moth, a nonprofit dedicated to the art of storytelling, we bring you the most uplifting speakers from live stages across the world.

When Chris Rasheed first started coaching his high school basketball team, he had no experience with coaching the players – and to put it simply, the team “sucked”.

Every time the team played, they lost by a few dozen points, and the players often expressed their disappointment by bullying their optimistic waterboy.

Despite being bullied, the waterboy never gave up on trying to rally the team’s spirits, so Rasheed recruited the youngster onto the team.

During one particularly bad game, Rasheed’s players were reluctant to even step onto the court – so imagine their surprise when they were saved by none other than their former waterboy.

Listen to his inspiring story below…

The Moth gives people an opportunity to tell a true story in front of a live audience, and sometimes their stories are chosen to air on the radio show, now celebrating its tenth year, and broadcasting on 485+ public radio stations—and on The Moth podcast, which is downloaded over 52 million times a year.

The Moth’s third book, Occasional Magic: True Stories About Defying the Impossible is now available for purchase through your favorite booksellers.

Score Big With Your Friends By Sharing This Story To Social Media…

‘World’s First Eco-Sensitive Cooler’ Brings Us One Step Closer to Ditching Polystyrene

By
McKinley Corbley
-

We are now one step closer to ditching harmful polystyrene products thanks to this new cooler than is made entirely out of biodegradable materials.

Up until now, polystyrene – more commonly known as “styrofoam” – has been a popular material for disposable coolers, but it is quickly being eliminated from product supply chains because of how toxic it is for people and the environment.

That’s why cooler company Igloo has just released the “RECOOL”, a biodegradable container which they are calling the “world’s first eco-sensitive cooler”.

LOOK: First Marathon to Swap Plastic Bottles for Biodegradable Pouches Made Out of Plants

The container, which is made out of paraffin wax and recycled tree pulp, can hold up to 75 pounds of weight and retain ice for 12 hours. Additionally, it can go up to five days without leaking water. After that, it can either be recycled or dried out for reuse.

The RECOOL is currently being sold for $10 a pop on the Igloo and REI websites.

(WATCH the video below)

Be Sure And Share The Cool Story With Your Friends On Social Media…

Dairy Company Rearranges Entire District Truck Schedule So Their Biggest Fan Could Get to Bed On Time

By
McKinley Corbley
-

The world’s biggest dairy exporter just rearranged their entire district work schedule solely so their biggest fan could get to bed on time.

Andrew Oliver is only one of eight people in the world living with Fryns-Aftimos syndrome. He is also the only person in New Zealand living with the condition.

Though he is 35 years old, the genetic mutation means that Oliver has the mental maturity of a 6-year-old. Additionally, he suffers from five forms of epilepsy and a variety of other symptoms.

Andrew, who lives and works with his parents on a dairy farm in the Te Rapa district of Hamilton, also has to abide by a specific nightly routine. Every evening for the last 15 years, Andrew ate dinner, took a bath, and then waited to greet the milk truck that would drain their milk tanks every night.

RELATED: With School District Struggling Against $77,000 in Student Lunch Debt, Chobani CEO Offers to Lend a Hand

Unfortunately, the milk tanker would not arrive until the wee hours of the night, and Andrew could not go to bed until the tanker arrived. Since Andrew’s father Ken has to wake up at sunrise in order to manage the dairy farm, the family struggled to manage their sleep schedule.

When Ken’s wife suffered a stroke, he couldn’t endure the late nights any longer – so he called Fonterra, the dairy company that picks up their milk, and told the customer service representative about his predicament.

“Surviving on three or four hours sleep, I’d just run out. I’d hit the wall and so I phoned the call center and actually started crying on the phone, I was just so shot,” Ken told RNZ. “I just said look, my life has just become impossible and just explained what was going on. I need sleep and I can’t get sleep until this boy’s in bed.”

MORE: When 7-Foot-Tall ‘Gentle Giant’ With Autism Outgrows His Swing Set, Handyman Steps in for Free

Upon hearing about the family’s dilemma, the company then rearranged the tanker routes and schedule of the entire district so that the Oliver family was guaranteed pickup between 6:30 and 8PM.

“A big outfit like Fonterra doesn’t have to do that,” Ken added. “They simply could’ve ignored the request but no, they came through. And we’re very grateful.”

(WATCH the news coverage below) – Photo by RNZ

Deliver This Good News Story To Your Friends By Sharing It To Social Media…

Look at New Eco-Friendly Rooftop Designs for Notre Dame Cathedral With Solar-Powered Glass Spire

By
McKinley Corbley
-
- CC 3.0. Vincent Callebaut

Though the world has been in mourning for the roof of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, several architects have come forward with designs to breathe new life into the building.

Last month, French legislators announced that they would be holding an international design competition for how the beloved cathedral ought to be reconstructed.

French architectural firm Vincent Callebaut recently released their own ideas for the cathedral’s reconstruction – and news outlets are marveling over the eco-friendly new designs.

RELATED: IKEA Releases Free Design For Garden Sphere That Feeds a Neighborhood

The Palingenesis roofing design, which means “rebirth” or “regeneration” in Greek, features a massive stain-glassed spire and greenhouse system which would generate clean energy for the cathedral.

“Through energetic solidarity with the body of the historic monument, the contemporary, three-dimensional Gothic stained glass graft produces all the electricity, heat and passive ventilation that the cathedral might require, by combining passive systems and advanced renewable energies,” the firm said in a press release.

“The new wooden frame is covered with a three-dimensional crystal glass dress subdivided into faceted diamond-shaped elements. These crystals consist of an organic active layer, made of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen, which absorbs light and transforms it into power. This energy, stored in hydrogen fuel cells, will be directly redistributed throughout the cathedral.”

“To avoid any greenhouse effect, these crystalline scales open at the bottom of the frame along the acroterion of the nave and transept, creating a natural air flow towards the top of the spire which mimics a wind powered chimney.”

Furthermore, the roof could support a new fruit and produce garden which could be managed by cathedral staffers or charity workers.

“Up to 21 tons of fruits and vegetables could be harvested and directly redistributed for free each year,” said the firm. “To that end, a farmers’ market would be held every week on the forecourt of Notre Dame.”

LOOK: Trees Growing Out of Buildings Could Help Heal China’s Air Pollution Problem

Despite the obvious innovation behind their blueprints, Callebaut is not the only firm which has taken an eco-friendly approach to their designs.

Representatives from Summum Architecture told Fast Company that they hope to reconstruct the roof as a sanctuary for endangered birds and insects which would be closed off from the public. Studio Nab, on the other hand, wants to build a greenhouse that would house beehives as an homage to the 180,000 honeybees that survived the Notre Dame fire. The pollinator sanctuary would also serve as an educational center to the public.

Meanwhile, Dutch architectural firm Studio Drift has proposed to build a spire and rooftop made entirely out of recycled ocean plastic.

Regardless of the competition, Callebaut says that it believes its design is best suited for adapting the ancient building into a more useful city landmark.

“We advocate for an exemplary project in ecological engineering that feels true to its time and avoids a pastiche architecture that turns the city into an open-air museum,” said Callebaut. “Circular economy, renewable energies, inclusive social innovation, urban agriculture, protection of biodiversity, without forgetting beauty and spiritual elevation: our reconstruction project feeds on such values to deliver a deep, conscious meaning.”

Photo by Vincent Callebaut

Build Up Some Positivity By Sharing The Good News With Your Friends On Social Media…

Years After Dog Dies, Nurse Starts Collecting Pacemakers From Human Patients to Give to Pets in Need

By
McKinley Corbley
-

Terri Matula has been saving dozens of animals simply by recycling the very same medical devices that are used to save humans.

When Matula and her husband were in college 20 years ago, their beloved cocker spaniel named Gator suffered from an urgent third-degree heart blockage.

The pup was in desperate need of a pacemaker, but since the Matulas were both students at the time, they couldn’t afford the $3,000 device.

Matula has now been working as a cardiovascular nurse at the Navicent Health center in Macon, Georgia for 17 years – and she has been using her experience in the hospital to help sick pets as well.

WATCH: How a Former Teacher Beat the Mining Industry and Saved the Rare Snow Leopards

Back in 2017, Matula’s husband was told that he needed to upgrade his pacemaker. When she remembered what happened to her dog Gator, she asked if she could keep the pacemaker for an animal in need.

“The similarities between how animals and humans are treated for certain diseases are very strong,” says Matula. “When I was studying to become a nurse 20 years ago, I learned that pacemakers for human beings could be utilized in dogs, as well.

“I asked his cardiology team if I could keep the pacemaker after they replaced it and then called the University of Georgia to find out if I could donate the device to the College of Veterinary Medicine,” said Matula.

MORE: Willie Nelson Has Rescued 70 Horses Destined for the Slaughterhouse, So They Can Roam Free On His Farm

As a result of her husband’s successfully donated pacemaker benefiting the nearby veterinary school, Matula was inspired to start collecting human pacemakers in order to give them to animals in need.

In February 2018, Matula formed the Pacemaker Donation Program between the university and Navicent Health.

“When a patient’s pacemaker is exchanged, upgraded or replaced, the patient is offered the option of donating their used device to the Pacemaker Donation Program,” said Beth Mann, vice president for cardiovascular services and nursing strategy at Navicent. “Everyone – our staff and our patients – has been excited to save the lives of animals with reusable devices.”

Since launching the program, the university has received 41 pacemakers. According to Navicent, only the pacemakers of living donors are used for the program. Many of the pacemakers have at least five and a half years of battery life remaining, offering aging dogs the opportunity for many more evening walks and games of fetch.

LOOK: One Cat’s Obsession With Hunting Birds Leads to Invention That Has Saved Hundreds of Thousands

The pacemakers with less battery life are useful as teaching tools in the classroom for UGA’s veterinary students.

“This project demonstrates that with some creativity and a desire to share with others, solutions can be found,” said Gregg Rapaport, a veterinary cardiologist at UGA. “Each donated pacemaker that has benefited a person will now have benefited a dog, as well. The same resource will have positively impacted twice as many lives with no downside to anyone, and we can all feel good about that.”

Patients with pacemakers in need of replacement who wish to donate to a dog in need may talk with their Navicent Health care team about participating in the Pacemaker Donation Program.

(WATCH the news coverage below) – Photos by Terri Matula

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

“Not all those who wander are lost.” – J. R. R. Tolkien

By
Good News Network
-

Quote of the Day: “Not all those who wander are lost.” – J. R. R. Tolkien

Photo: by Alessandro Malatesta, CC license via Flickr

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?

 

1...675676677...1,724Page 676 of 1,724
© Copyright 1997–2026 GNN, LLC