Quote of the Day: “Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.” – Albert Einstein
Photo by: Jr Korpa
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?
43 years ago today, Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life was released in the United States to modest box office success and enormous cult acclaim. Less of a continuous film like the comedy troupe’s previous Life of Brain, and Monty Python and the Holy Grail and more of a collection of sketches, The Meaning of Life is divided into various chapters of a human life, but begins when six fish in a restaurant fish tank watch one of their friends get taken for dinner and start wondering “what’s it all for?” READ more about this hilarious film from the comedy masters… (1983)
Luis Perez is no stranger to pain.
At 45-years-old, he has been battling MS most of his life, lost his vision at age 23 due to complications with his condition, and now receives regular plasma infusions to combat symptoms of his autoimmune disease.
All of this has been extremely difficult and has led to him experiencing depression, anxiety, self-isolation.
In a heartwarming page turn, the story was shared with GNN about how Luis decided a guide dog may benefit his life.
He turned to the 501(c)3 nonprofit Dogs Inc., where he was matched with a black lab named Jerry in September, 2024. Jerry does more than lead Luis, he has improved his confidence and socialization, is a trusted friend and loving companion, and helps Luis live his life to the fullest.
Then, he become something further still—a hero.
Recently, Luis was experiencing pain and discomfort that he attributed to MS, but this time it felt slightly different. He had a lot of pain when moving his left leg in certain positions, so he was remaining in his recliner chair.
Jerry kept persistently coming over to Luis and pressing his chin down on Luis’s leg. Jerry had never acted like this before, and eventually, Luis and his wife decided to go to the hospital.
After hours of waiting and testing at the hospital, Luis was diagnosed with a blood clot in his left leg called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). It was exactly where Jerry had laid his head.
DVT is a very serious condition that can progress quickly, and it was crucial for Luis to receive treatment that very night. If his dog had not alerted him, Luis says he would have accredited the pain to his usual symptoms and would not have taken it seriously.
The dog is now not only his guide and dear companion, but also his hero.
SHARE This Incredibly Intuitive Dog And His Story With Your Friends…
A breathtaking expedition high among limestone escarpments and deep in the cave systems they contain has revealed several new reptile species, including a dazzling pit viper you have to see to believe.
Exploring over 60 caves across 10 hills in the Battambang province, western Cambodia, the survey uncovered a treasure trove of extraordinary creatures besides, many found nowhere else on Earth.
The survey was led by Fauna & Flora International in collaboration with Cambodia’s Ministry of Environment and field experts. The team identified 6 new geckos, 2 micro-snails, and 2 millipedes in addition to the viper.
They also confirmed the presence of many threatened species in the landscape surrounding the caves—such as the Sunda pangolin, Indochinese silvered langur, long-tailed macaque, and green peafowl, further highlighting the critical need to protect this habitat.
Karst covers 20% of the Earth’s landscape. This soluble bedrock made of limestone has created some of the most spectacular rocky landscapes on Earth—including the upturned egg cartons shapes along the great South China Karst, Ha Long Bay in Vietnam, Tsingy de Bemaraha in Madagascar, The Burren in western Ireland, the world’s largest wellspring in Vrelo Bune, Bosnia, the Cenotes of the Yucatan, in Mexico, and Mammoth Cave in the US.
The susceptibility of karst to erode from rainfall has seen it carved into a million beautiful and dramatic shapes that often play host to microclimates where threatened animals can thrive.
Dr. Lee Grismer, a professor of biology at La Sierra University in the US, was part of the expeditionary team, and spoke to F&F about the importance and uniqueness of the landscape.
“Each one of these isolated karst areas act as their own little laboratory where nature is performing the same experiment over and over and over independently. The results are species that exist nowhere else—not just nowhere else in the world, or that country—but in no other cave.”
Indeed, caves from easily in karst landscapes, and many of the world’s longest and largest—and least-explored—cave systems are found in East and Southeast Asia.
This is certainly the case in Battambang, where the survey team had first to ascend the steep forested slopes of the karst outcrops before scrambling and squeezing through crevices and crawlspaces to reach the cave systems.
Inside, they documented a rich array of life, both endemic to the caves and others—like a big reticulated python—who were just visiting. While the chatter of the Endangered silvered langur troupe, faded behind them, the team began encountering animal after animal that had never been described by science.
A spectacular new species of pit viper (from the Trimeresurus genus) was collected during the survey and is currently being described. Recognized by their triangular heads, these highly venomous snakes track down their warm-blooded prey using the heat-sensitive pits behind their nostrils.
4 populations of the striped Kamping Poi bent-toed gecko were found and identified as a new species: Cyrtodactylus kampingpoiensis. Despite being described as just one species, it is thought that, due to the geographic isolation of the karst formations, these 4 populations are on separate evolutionary trajectories, and further genetic analyses may reveal whether they are in fact 4 different species instead of 1.
Another new species of gecko was named after the Hindu god of destruction: Shiva.
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In a statement, Fauna & Flora International said it is working with local partners to help conserve Cambodia’s karst landscapes, epitomized through the recent release of guidelines for sustainable development and management of cave ecosystems.
The guidelines integrate international best practices with Cambodian context, providing practical measures to safeguard bat colonies, preserve rare and endemic cave biodiversity, promote sustainable guano harvesting and ensure responsible tourism development.
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“Cambodia’s karst areas are a treasure trove of scientific secrets waiting to be uncovered,” said Sothearen Thi, Karst Biodiversity Coordinator at Fauna & Flora in the statement.
“But, without sustainable management, we may never find out what these areas truly hold. Karst landscapes are facing many human-driven challenges, and biologically significant species could go extinct before they have even been discovered. We are working with the Cambodian government and local partners to increase protection of the landscapes, with sustainable management being the number one priority.”
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Though an event neither singular nor inaugural, the hatching of an endangered seabird and national icon of Bermuda is still being celebrated wildly by a special group of conservationists who’ve created a “living museum” on Nonsuch Island.
Measuring just 14 acres and found in the northeast corner of the Bermuda island chain, Nonsuch Island is the only place the world’s 3rd-rarest seabird, known locally as the cahow, comes to breed.
The fact that it is breeding at all is nearly a miracle, as the cahow was believed to be extinct for a period of 300 years that started in the early days of British colonial governance and extended all the way to the second-half of the 20th century.
The animal, also known as a Bermuda, or gadfly petrel, bears all the quirks of an animal doomed to follow the dodo into history. It takes 3-6 years for adults to return to Nonsuch Island to breed, and if they do, the female may produce one egg.
That one egg may hatch, although it might not; some 50% of the eggs don’t hatch. Adults abandon that single chick one-week before it fledges, when instinct drives it to seek food out at sea while still learning how to fly. Between 28 and 35% of fledglings don’t survive their first year.
Nesting on the ground, they’re extremely vulnerable to predation from invasive animals, and in 1960, British ornithologist and Bermuda’s first conservation officer, David Wingate, identified just 18 breeding pairs on Nonsuch Island.
Wingate would go on to pioneer the Cahow Recovery Program, which today is recognized as one of the most successful restoration projects anywhere in the world for a Critically-Endangered species.
By the time Wingate’s successor as chief of the program, Jeremy Madeiros, took over, their numbers had grown to 55. Today, there are 450 birds of all ages on the island, a remarkable turnaround.
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Part of that turnaround was making sure these birds had good nesting habitat. Cahows nest in underground burrows or deep rock crevices; only nests deep enough to be completely dark are chosen.
Today, 85% of all cahows nest in artificial concrete nest burrows constructed for them as part of the Recovery Program.
The recovery program gestated a transformation of Nonsuch Island into a complete wildlife sanctuary, wooded, and with a small freshwater marsh where access to the public is strictly limited to prevent invasive species introduction. The restoration of the once barren island into a ‘Living Museum of pre-colonial Bermuda’ was Wingate’s life’s work.
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65 years into this rewilding experiment, key endemics have repopulated the island, including the yellow-crowned night heron, West Indian top shell, land hermit crabs, and the beautiful Bermuda skink.
Expeditions there are organized by the environment ministry for educational and research purposes, while several live camera feeds allow those interested to observe the cahow in its natural habitat.
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The Quapaw Nation of Oklahoma has brought one of the most contaminated areas in America back into agricultural production, and is now ranching cattle and growing wheat and corn.
Taking over the remediation efforts in 2013 which began 20 years earlier, the Quapaw have done most of the work to clean up the old mining site, starting with bulldozers and ending with cultivators.
Mining isn’t what it used to be. North American mining companies are held and indeed hold themselves to rigorous industry standards for pollution control and reclamation responsibility.
Environmental stewardship is all over mining today. One example is the South African company DRD Gold, which produced over 4,0000 pounds of gold last fiscal year entirely from re-processing old mine tailings: the giant mounds of ground-up stone that can contain toxic heavy metals left over from stone and ore milling. They power the re-treatment process with a 40 megawatt solar farm.
Junior developer Free Gold Ventures hired specialized metallurgists for its Golden Summit project, who pioneered a mineral recovery method that extracts the gold from the ore body while simultaneously turning the dangerous arsenic it contains into harmless, sci-fi looking sheets of glass.
In the 20th century, this proactive stewardship was rarely observed, and was certainly never observed at the zinc and lead mines in northeast Oklahoma which came to be called the Tar Creek Superfund site.
Mining in the area boomed after a major ore discovery near what became Picher, Oklahoma.
“Picher Field,” covering areas of Oklahoma and Kansas, was mined for over 70 years. Excavations from the area were primarily used to make ammunition. Over 75% of American bullets and shells used in both World Wars could be traced back to this area. In fact, at one time, nearly 55% of the world’s heavy metals came from Pitcher.
However, profits declined with the depletion of ores in the 1960s and the mines were completely abandoned by 1974. In 1979, the nearby Tar Creek turned bright orange. What had once been a water source and gathering place for the community quickly became the first sign of serious environmental issues.
Acidic water flowing from the mineshafts dumped toxic elements like lead, zinc, arsenic, and cadmium into the creek, killing plant and animal life downriver and sickening the community.
Sinkholes became a common hazard, dragging infrastructure, cars, and even a house or two, down into abandoned mineshafts. Above ground, man-made mountains of mine tailings, contaminated with similar heavy metals, glowered over the landscape.
The Quapaw Nation has lived in the area since 1834, long before lead was first discovered and mining operations began. Between 1997 and 2013, the nation worked in close partnership with the EPA to receive the training needed to clean up the whole area, for which they would be compensated by the agency.
In 2013 they embarked on their first remediation effort alone: a sensitive, 40-acre area named “Catholic 40” after the Catholic indoctrination school set up to “civilize” the Quapaw. In this way, the nation looked to dress two wounds with one bandage.
“We started cleaning up the land, we found topsoil to dress the land back up, we seeded, we mulched it, we tallied our expenses and sent a bill to the EPA,” Chris Roper, who during the time learning from the EPA, worked as the tribe’s director of construction and agriculture. He told the Guardian about the experience.
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In less than a year of cleanup efforts (and ahead of schedule), the Quapaw Nation excavated, hauled, and disposed of over 107,000 tons of mine tailings within the Catholic 40.
A decade later and the tribe had become a remediating machine, says Summer King, an environmental scientist with the Quapaw.
“The Quapaw Nation Environmental Office (QNEO) has overseen the removal of more than 7 million tons of mine waste from Tar Creek and remediated more than 600 acres of land,” she said in a statement 3 years ago.
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“Our construction department has doubled in size, and the Nation has invested in new and upgraded equipment. On the technical side, QNEO environmental scientists have learned about soil amendments that bind metals in-situ and reduce the amount of waste that needs to be removed from a site. They have designed and overseen construction of wetlands and planted thousands of native plants and seeds.”
One of those soil amendments has been mushroom compost, the Guardian reported, which various scientists have investigated for its potential to clean up toxic waste, from lead to nuclear radiation.
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There is now enough good grassland in the Quapaw Nation to run a herd of 400 cattle on a rotational basis, as well as bison. It’s expected the budding agriculture division will turn a profit this year for the first time since clean-up efforts began.
“Working in the Superfund field can be backbreaking and heart-wrenching. But seeing a site change from actively hazardous to a beautiful green pasture is all the reward needed. I won’t live to see this site completely clean, but I can train the next generation who may be lucky enough to see that day,” King said.
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Quote of the Day: “I would always rather be happy than dignified.” – Charlotte Brontë
Photo by: Faruk Tokluoğlu for Unsplash+
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?
Happy 81st Birthday to Eric Clapton, the blues-rock musician, singer, and songwriter that Rolling Stone magazine named the second greatest guitar player of all time. The British rocker was a founding member of the Yardbirds, Derek and the Dominos, and Cream, and produced huge hits like Layla, Crossroads, and Let It Rain. He survived heroin addiction to launch a successful solo career and open his own recovery center for addicts in Antigua, called the Crossroads Centre. READ more about the great guitarist… (1945)
Aquifers are like bank accounts for groundwater, and they’re replenished with each deposit of rain, snowmelt, or surface infiltration.
Currently, many aquifers around the world have low balances, but there have been some success stories.
“Groundwater depletion is not inevitable,” said Environmental Science Professor Scott Jasechko at the University of California-Santa Barbara. “Humans have solved this problem in different places around the globe.”
He dove into the details of multiple cases of aquifer recovery in a study published this month in Science.
Jasechko’s findings highlighted successes in finding alternative water sources and replenishing aquifers—and showed that sometimes recovery can happen over just a few years.
Beijing provides a great illustration of how combining different strategies can tackle even a megacity’s water woes.
Between 1950 and 2000, groundwater pumping around Beijing had caused the water table to plummet by more than 20 meters in some places.
In 2003, the government started construction of canals and pumping stations, and by 2015 it was delivering water to the city and surrounding areas from wetter regions farther to the south.
At the same time, the city began using more reclaimed water in the 21st century, with much of this allocated to environmental uses like watering trees and grasslands as well as replenishing lakes and rivers. Furthermore, the authorities banned pumping from the region’s deep confined aquifers for industrial uses after the water deliveries began.
Both the area’s shallow aquifers and deep ones have started recovering. Springs that had previously dried-up began flowing once again. Meanwhile, the region’s irrigated agriculture remains highly productive—and its sustainability is no longer jeopardized by falling groundwater levels.
We can’t always succeed within a decade, cautioned Jasechko.
In 1957, Green Bay, Wisconsin constructed a 43-kilometer pipeline to augment their groundwater supply with water from Lake Michigan. This helped restore their stressed aquifer for a while, before additional demand sent it falling again for decades. In 2006, the city built another, 100 km-long pipeline to bring in more water from the Great Lakes, which has brought their aquifer back on the path to recovery.
At the moment, Jasechko is investigating why recovery speed and distribution can vary so widely across different basins. These case studies will help develop better predictions of how quickly groundwater levels may recover under different interventions—but every place is different, and solutions will need to be adapted to local conditions.
“These cases highlight that there are ways to turn things around,” Jasechko said. “I am somewhat encouraged by the clever ways that stakeholders have addressed the problem of groundwater depletion, because they show that the menu of strategies is longer than I anticipated.”
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Five friends from California have been taking the same photo while on vacation together since 1982.
The 62-year-old pals—John Wardlaw, Mark Rumer-Cleary, Dallas Burney, John Molony and JD Dickson—all attended Santa Barbara High School when they were teens.
After graduation, they vacationed together at Wardlaw’s grandfather’s cabin on Copco Lake near the Oregon border. There, JD took the first photo of the five of them sitting next to each other.
Wardlaw had the idea to duplicate the snapshot five years later when the quintet was again vacationing in the same spot.
“We didn’t plan it—and didn’t make a vow to keep it going until it was done four times,” he said, from his current home in Bend, Oregon. “By the time it was 1997 we vowed to keep doing this no matter what.”
Since they were 19, the friends have taken the same photo in 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017, and 2022. They plan to shoot their tenth portrait in 2027.
The jar held by John Molony in all the photos originally held a cockroach they caught, which became their “mascot” on the guys’ first trip.
“We all liked the photo. I even had a 20×30 inch poster of it hung in my house at the time.”
When their story was featured on CNN 14 years ago, it went viral, with millions of views logged on their website.
“The reaction was almost 100 percent positive”.
The reactions taught John Wardlaw and his buddies “how rare” their friendship was, and for the last three summers they’ve all gathered at the lake cabin.
The trip is a 12-hour drive—or an airline flight—for most of the friends, with John Dickson the only one remaining in Santa Barbara.
“But it’s been wonderful to have a friendship like this. When the story got a lot of press in 2012 we realized how rare it was and it made us stay in touch more—and made us feel how special it was.
“Online people are saying ‘I wish I had friends like that’.
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“I actually think it’s changed me a little bit—to appreciate life and friendships more.”
The five have gathered at the lake, but not taken the photo, for the last three summers, and a few of the men are semi-retired with more free time.
“We’ve been enjoying it, and spending more time together over the last few year,” said Wardlaw.
Their next photo is planned for the summer of 2027, when they’ll meet at the same house in Lake Copco.
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A stretch of English coastline overlooking the sea has been saved for future generations, thanks to a dying gift from a local vicar who treasured his walks amid the spectacular landscape.
The National Trust acquired the 34 acres (14-hectare) near the historic port town of Fowey in Cornwall, using a bequest from Reverend Anthony Mapplebeck.
He left an undisclosed amount of money to the Trust’s ‘Neptune Coastline Campaign’ launched in the 1960s. The money has now been used to buy the site, known as Alldays Field, to preserve both the natural habitat and public access to it.
The site’s location—bordered by countryside already owned by the Trust on three sides, and the sea forming its southern boundary—makes the purchase especially significant.
“By joining this land with what’s around it, we can look after the coast as a whole,” said Andy Simmons, National Trust Ranger for South East Cornwall, “supporting wildlife, keeping paths open and making sure this landscape stays welcoming and alive for everyone who visits.
“It feels especially fitting that this land was secured thanks to someone who dedicated his life to serving Cornish communities and who loved walking the coastal paths himself.”
Though born in Surrey and raised in elsewhere, Rev. Mapplebeck’s ministry and later life were closely intertwined with Cornwall—and he was well acquainted with this coastline.
Educated at Cambridge in the 1940s the priest was known as an ‘erudite and reserved man’ who ‘carried out his duties diligently’ with ‘quiet dedication’.
The vicar, who never married, lived modestly with his mother, close to the coast he cherished and the town of Fowey which is nestled within a beautiful river estuary.
Former parishioners remember him christening babies, supporting bell-ringers and serving village congregations faithfully.
The newly acquired land secures uninterrupted access along this iconic section of the South West Coast Path, which runs along the southern edge of the field, ensuring walkers will continue to enjoy the dramatic scenery for generations.
The Neptune Coastline Campaign has enabled the Trust to safeguard hundreds of miles of coastline across England, Wales and Northern Ireland—with Rev. Mapplebeck now living on as part of that legacy.
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Grab a friend or partner who loves Ranch dressing and apply for a dream opportunity to be paid and travel (all expenses paid) across Europe this summer for the Hidden Valley Ranch company.
The brand is recruiting four ‘Ranch-ambassadors’ (two teams of two) to serve as on-the-ground cultural explorers for seven weeks, documenting the experience and how America’s iconic ranch dressing pairs with international dishes.
In two days, March 31, Hidden Valley will release a number of questions that you would need to answer beginning April 6. By the end of that month, applicants will be chosen.
And, make sure your passport is not expiring or already expired, before getting your hopes up.)
Over seven weeks this summer, two Ranch-bassador duos will crisscross Europe as fork-first content creators, pairing ranch with local dishes and even sharing it with local people.
It’s a real job, with real pay, and a very real excuse to put ranch on everything. From Italian pizzas to British fish & chips, they’ll see how well America’s favorite ranch fuses with European specialties.
“Ranch is unmistakably American,” said Stacy Stokes, Vice President of Marketing at Hidden Valley Ranch. “As we celebrate America’s 250th, we’re sharing this original taste with the world and inviting our biggest fans to help us bring The Flavor of America abroad.
“Does ranch taste good on literally anything? We can’t wait to find out.”
The Ranch-bassadors will capture video of the world’s reactions to the creamy dip, from “wait… you’re putting that on WHAT?” to “okay, that’s actually incredible.” Every stop, every bite, and every cultural crossover will be documented across social platforms. Along the way, the two teams will discover delicious food, meet new friends, and make the world their dipping cup.
2 duos must apply as a pair and be comfortable sharing housing. The full duration is 8 weeks; including seven weeks of international travel.
You will receive compensation for approximately forty hours of time a week. Paid expenses include travel expenses like airfare and train travel, lodging, a daily food stipend, and activity stipends.
Expectations for weekly content per team include: 4 short‑form videos (e.g., Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts) and 1 long‑form YouTube episode, along with supporting photo and video assets captured throughout the journey. All required equipment will be provided.
Each duo will embark on a different multi-country itinerary, which may look like this northern route: London → Ireland → Iceland → France → Germany → Switzerland → Sweden. Or, a southern route could look like this: London → Spain → Portugal → Italy → Croatia → Greece.
Applicants can preview the questions beginning on March 31, at the web page hiddenvalley.com/ranchbassador. You will have seven days to come up with your answers and file an application online beginning April 6. (Get them in right away, because it sounds like being one of the early birds will have advantages.)
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According to a media statement, “The brand is seeking outgoing, culturally curious individuals with a passion for food, travel, storytelling and content creation. Interested candidates can sign up to be notified as soon as the posting goes live.”
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Quote of the Day: “During all these years there existed within me a tendency to follow Nature in her walks.” – John James Audubon
Photo by: Joshua Earle For Unsplash+
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?
155 years ago today, the Royal Albert Hall opened in London and quickly became one of the world’s most prestigious concert spaces. It hosts more than 390 shows in the main auditorium annually, including classical, rock and pop concerts, ballet, opera, film screenings with live orchestral accompaniment, sports, awards ceremonies, school and community events, and charity performances and banquets, with another 450 shows in the secondary halls and spaces. READ more about this famous venue’s historical highlights… (1871)
A 78-year-old woman became a daredevil last week when she decided to go ‘rope swinging’ for the first time.
Barbara took the plunge at what operators are calling the longest rope swing in the US—hung between two 500-foot rock cliffs in the desert of Moab, Utah.
Andy Lewis, co-founder of Moab Swingers, shot a video of the heart-stopping moment, with Barbara saying she’s “never done anything like this before”.
The footage below shows Barbara leaping off the cliff’s edge and swinging like a giant pendulum, before being hauled back to the top of the red rocks.
“I was fully inspired,” said Andy. “To be able to do what she was doing at 78— what a legend!”
“She loved every second of it.
“We really try to design the swing so anyone can use it, including elderly people, children and those with disabilities.
“So it’s great seeing it taken full advantage of,” he concluded.
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW… And, Check Out More Adventuring Seniors:
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PLAN A LITTLE EXCITEMENT When You Share This With Friends on Social Media…
Two hours after Dale Steele passed away, his son received a call.
The circle of life was spinning and Dale’s legacy would soon live on. Even at 100 years old, his liver was 100% healthy and he could donate it.
“How could that even be?” his son, Roger, wondered.
Officials from the organ donation nonprofit Live On Nebraska explained it to Steele’s children: the way the liver constantly replaces cells and regenerates makes its ‘functional age’ usually less than three years old.
His liver was successfully transplanted into a grateful patient just one day after his death. And at 100 years old, the procedure made Dale the oldest organ donor in U.S. history.
“One of the myths we hear out in the community often, is that ‘I’m too old to be an organ donor. I might not be healthy enough to be a donor.’ And I think a case like this truly proves that there is no age limit,” Kyle Herber, president and CEO of Live On Nebraska told Nebraska Public Media.
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Dale was born near Ainsworth, Nebraska in 1925 and served in Europe during World War II. After that, the cattle rancher returned home and met his wife Doris, who he was married to for 72 years. Dale remained active throughout his life by raising cattle, working at a farming co-op, and selling irrigation and grain handling equipment.
“If he could help people, he would. But he wasn’t showy about it,” said Roger. “He had a strong body that was able to carry him through his 100th birthday. I think that came from hard work.”
So, as Dale’s life was nearing its end in February, the organ donor group inquired about his organs. The answer was an easy one.
“We consented without any hesitation,” Roger said. “We thought, this is the kind of thing—if he were able to be asked, he’d agree to.”
“I just know his response would be, ‘Well, if I can help somebody else, fine.”
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According to Herber, more than 100,000 patients in the U.S. are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant, including nearly 400 in Nebraska alone. And it’s estimated that approximately 17 people die every day while waiting for a transplant.
Dale was able to save at least one of them.
“This is a story about a life of service that didn’t end at death,” Herber told Live On Nebraska. “Mr. Steele lived a full century giving to others, and through (organ) donation, that generosity continues in a way that will impact lives for years to come.”
WATCH the video below…
HELP DALE’S STORY REACH PROSPECTIVE DONORS By Sharing it on Social Media…
Moose, elk, black bears, and mountain lions are now able to cross six lanes of interstate highway traffic along I-25 near Larkspur, Colorado, thanks to the opening of North America’s largest wildlife overpass.
The Colorado Department of Transportation completed construction of the structure in Douglas County in December, by covering the overpass surface with dirt and vegetation.
Completed in less than a year—ahead of schedule, and on budget— the Greenland overpass was specifically designed to provide safe passage for elk and pronghorn, which need more space.
It connects 39,000 acres of habitat on both sides of the 6-lane highway between Larkspur and Monument, and completes a system of smaller overpasses and underpasses constructed to improve safety along the 18 mile stretch near Castle Rock. (Watch a video below…)
Prior to the system being built, there was an average of one wildlife-vehicle crash per day in the fall and spring, when wildlife is most active.
The state’s research shows that the five underpasses are successfully being used by both large and small mammals.
“The I-25 Greenland overpass is a momentous feat,” said Governor Jared Polis. “Colorado is leading the way in reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions, and protecting critical habitat for generations to come.”
Transportation Director Shoshana Lew said the wildlife crossing system, called the I-25 South Gap Project, is expected to reduce wildlife-vehicle crashes by 90%.
Measuring 200 feet wide and 209 feet long, it covers 41,800 square feet (3,900 sq meters), making it the single largest bridge structure for wildlife in North America—and one of the largest in the world.
76 girders hold up the bridge deck, allowing big game animals such as moose, bear, mountain lions, elk, mule deer and pronghorn to pass, while 100,000 vehicles travel daily below.
“After more than nine years of planning and work, Colorado Parks and Wildlife is excited,” said Wildlife Manager Matt Martinez. “We look forward to deer, elk, bears, mountain lions and many other species safely crossing I-25, once a major barrier to migration and wildlife movements.”
MORE GRRREAT NEWS: World’s Biggest Wildlife Crossing Will Protect Animals From Drivers on the 101 in Los Angeles
Funding and expertise for the project came from a multi-agency public-private partnership, including the Federal Highway Administration. However, a federal grant award called the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program, provided the bulk of the construction cost, which ended up being $15 million.
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Our partner Rob Brezsny, who has a new book out, Astrology Is Real: Revelations from My Life as an Oracle, provides his weekly wisdom to enlighten our thinking and motivate our mood. Rob’s Free Will Astrology, is a syndicated weekly column appearing in over a hundred publications. He is also the author of Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia: How All of Creation Is Conspiring To Shower You with Blessings. (A free preview of the book is available here.)
Here is your weekly horoscope…
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY – Week of March 28, 2026
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com
ARIES (March 21-April 19):
Aries poet Maya Angelou proclaimed, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” In that spirit, Aries, I urge you to tell everyone everything—all your secret thoughts, hidden feelings, and private opinions. Post your diary online! Confess your fantasies to strangers! Share your unfiltered inner monologue with authority figures! APRIL FOOL! I lied. Angelou urged us to bravely communicate our authentic truths, but not to overshare or be careless about observing good boundaries. Here’s the deep wisdom: Express thoughts and feelings that make you feel real and whole, but be discerning about when, where, and to whom.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
Taurus writer Charlotte Brontë said, “I would always rather be happy than dignified.” Given your current astrological potentials, I think you should tattoo her motto across your forehead so everyone knows you’re committed to pleasure over propriety. Burn your dressy clothes! Quit doing boring duties! Dance naked in the woods! APRIL FOOL! I don’t really think you should tattoo your forehead or dance naked in public. But Brontë’s sentiment is sound: In the coming weeks, if forced to choose between joy and respectability, pick joy every time. Just do it with a modicum of common sense.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
Gemini actress Marilyn Monroe said, “A wise girl knows her limits. A smart girl know that she has none.” I propose we expand that counsel to include all genders. And I especially recommend this approach to you right now. It’s time to shed, ignore, and surpass ALL your so-called limits. Be as wild and free and uninhibited as you dare. APRIL FOOL! I worry that it’s irresponsible to give you such utter carte blanche. Would you consider honoring one or two limits that prevent you from indulging in crazy and extreme behavior? Otherwise, be wild and free and uninhibited!
CANCER (June 21-July 22):
Psychologist Carl Jung wrote extensively about the importance of embracing our shadows: the dark, problematic aspects of ourselves we would rather not acknowledge. In the coming weeks, I recommend that you stop hiding that weird stuff! Throw a coming-out-of-the-closet party for all the questionable parts of you. Let your inner monsters run wild! APRIL FOOL! Please don’t do that. What Jung actually advocated was recognizing and integrating your shadow, not being ruled by it. So yes, explore your moody, unruly impulses, but with consciousness, kindness, and containment, not reckless expression.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
Leo author James Baldwin observed, “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” With that in mind, I advise you to spend the next two weeks obsessively staring at every dilemma in your life. Don’t look away! Don’t take breaks! Just face every dilemma constantly until you’re overwhelmed! APRIL FOOL! Baldwin’s insight is brilliant, but it doesn’t require masochistic endurance. Here’s the truth: Yes, you should courageously acknowledge what needs attention, but do so with care and discernment. And then actually work on changing it! Awareness is the beginning, not the entire process.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
Virgo author Agatha Christie wrote 66 detective novels in which she meticulously planned every plot twist. I think you should apply her approach to your daily life: Script every conversation! Anticipate every contingency! Control every variable! Leave nothing to chance! APRIL FOOL! Christie’s obsessive planning worked for fiction, but life requires improvisation. For you, the coming weeks favor spontaneity and flexibility. So make rough plans, sure, but stay loose enough to experiment with whatever emerges. Over-control would diminish the magic.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
My favorite Libran writer didn’t capitalize her name: bell hooks. I recommend you stage a similar rebellion against all rules and structures. Ignore social conventions! Flout traffic laws! Pay your taxes with paintings and poems you’ve created! APRIL FOOL! I was exaggerating. I do love hooks’ charming revolt, but it would be counterproductive for you to randomly break *all* the rules of daily life. Instead, be judicious and selective as you question conventions thoughtfully and only violate those that genuinely deserve to be spurned. Be a strategic rebel, not a chaotic one.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
Scorpio poet Sylvia Plath wrote this passage in her journal: “I desire the things which will destroy me in the end.” I think you should consider embracing her approach—for the sheer, exotic thrill of it! Pursue interesting chaos! If it might unravel you, welcome it passionately! The more unruly, the better! APRIL FOOL! I lied. Plath was describing her struggle with depression, not offering us advice. Here’s what I think you should actually do: Examine which of your yearnings serve your evolution and which ones undermine it. Fully embrace the fact that intensity is one of your greatest gifts, but channel that intensity into experiences that build you up, not tear you down. Choose ardent aliveness over fervent destruction.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
Sagittarian philosopher Baruch Spinoza spent years alone in his room developing his radical ideas about God and nature. I recommend total isolation for you, too. In accordance with astrological omens, avoid human contact! Put your relationships on hold while you contemplate the infinite! APRIL FOOL! I totally lied. Spinoza’s solitude served his unique genius, but a similar approach won’t work for you—especially now. Here’s what I really think you require in the coming weeks: periods of meditative alone time balanced by intervals of rich connection with interesting humans. You need to commune with both your deep inner sources and nurturing alliances.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
Capricorn astrologer Linda Goodman wrote that your sign’s “ambition is boundless” and that most Capricorns dream of ruling the world. In accordance with astrological omens, I urge you to indulge this attribute. Launch a campaign for global domination! Start with your neighborhood and work your way up to more and more conquests! APRIL FOOL! The truth is, world domination is exhausting and impractical. What Goodman was referring to is your gift for structure and leadership. Use your organizational genius to improve your corner of the world, not tyrannize it. Think stewardship, not empire.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
Aquarian inventor Thomas Edison said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” In the spirit, I recommend that you falter spectacularly in the coming weeks. The more blunders and bungles, the better! Engage in a holy quest to seek as many fizzles and misfires as possible! Make Edison look like an amateur! APRIL FOOL! I lied. Edison wasn’t deliberately courting snafus, of course. His approach was similar to that of many creative artists: driven by exploratory persistence that capitalizes on mistakes and hassles. Here’s your real guidance, Aquarius: Experiment boldly, yes, and don’t fear stumbles and bumbles. But learn from each one and adjust your approach. The goal is eventual success that’s informed by humility and resiliency.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
Piscean physicist Albert Einstein said, “Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.” In the spirit of his genius, I recommend that you abandon logic completely! Never think rationally again! Make all decisions based on fantasy and feelings! APRIL FOOL! Einstein was advocating for the creative power of imagination, not the abandonment of reason. What you truly need is a marriage of visionary thinking and practical logic. Ask your imagination to show you possibilities, then call on lucid logic to help you manifest them.
WANT MORE? Listen to Rob’s EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES, 4-5 minute meditations on the current state of your destiny — or subscribe to his unique daily text message service at: RealAstrology.com
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Quote of the Day: “Time passes irrevocably.” – Virgil
Photo by: Jeremy Bishop
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?
116 years ago today, Henri Fabre became the first man to fly a seaplane. Called the Fabre Hydravion, it was the first craft ever to take off from water under its own power. Powered by a French-made Gnome Omega rotary engine driving a two-bladed Chauvière propeller, it successfully took off and flew for a distance of about 500 metres (1,600 ft) and landed on the water in Bouches-du-Rhône. READ more about this pioneering aviator and his invention… (1910)
