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Man Reunites Senior With His Pup After Standing On a Street Corner With ‘Lost Dog’ Sign for 3 Hours

By
McKinley Corbley
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Rather than advertising a yard sale or car wash, this compassionate guy spent his Saturday holding up a sign for a lost dog he found running in and out of traffic.

40-year-old Jason Gasparik first spotted Roxy the chocolate Labrador when he was driving back to his home in Charlotte, North Carolina the night before. Due to the dog’s frantic state, it took Gasparik and several other good Samaritans an entire hour to calm her down enough to get her into his car.

He then brought the pup back to his home and posted photos of her to several social media outlets and community websites for lost pets. He even took her to a 24-hour veterinary office to see if she was microchipped – but all to no avail.

When all of this failed to find Roxy’s owner, Gasparik did the only other thing he could think to do: he grabbed a piece of cardboard, a magic marker, and made a sign.

LOOK: Matches Made in Heaven (and Jail) – Look at the Troubled Dogs Saved From Euthanasia by Doting Inmates

“Saturday morning I was sitting there with her thinking ‘what else could I do?’” Gasparik told PEOPLE. “So like a total dork, I made my sign and went to stand out on the sidewalk with her.”

For three hours, Gasparik stood on the corner of a local intersection with a sign reading “Do you know this lost dog????” followed by several arrows pointing to the happy hound.

Over the course of his vigil, Gasparik said he received a lot of attention from passing drivers – but when a photographer snapped a photo of him with the sign and posted it to social media, his phone became flooded with messages.

Meanwhile, a man named Ed was anxiously driving across town with the windows down, calling Roxy’s name in hopes she was nearby. Because of his back problems, Ed can’t walk very well. After Roxy had gone missing from his home on Thursday, he was forced to search for her from the driver’s seat of his car.

RELATED: Dog Saves Its Owner’s Life When It Sniffs Out Cancer, Not Once, But Three Times

But as fate would have it, Ed saw a woman walking her dog on the sidewalk and he asked her if she had seen Roxy.

The woman had, in fact, seen Gasparik’s social media posts, which led her to pull up a picture of Roxy and confirm that Ed was the owner. She then sent a message to Gasparik saying that she had found Roxy’s rightful companion.

Gasparik later met with Ed in a parking lot, and Roxy was delighted to be reunited with her human.

“As soon as Roxy saw him, her ears perked up and she ran to him and he had all the paperwork to show that he was the owner,” said Gasparick. “And of course he had tons of pictures of her on his cellphone.”

LOOK: For Years, This IKEA Has Been Quietly Welcoming Stray Dogs Off the Streets So They Can Sleep Inside

Though Gasparick managed to complete his rescue mission, he says that he plans on staying in contact with Ed so he can volunteer to walk Roxy in lieu of the senior’s back problems.

Gasparick also mentioned that his social media photo has prompted a slew of women to ask him out on dates – but as of right now, he says he plans on waiting for the media frenzy around Roxy to die down before he considers getting involved with another girl.

(WATCH the news coverage below) – Feature photos by Jason Gasparik

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Sea Salt Could Help Beat a Common Cold, Study Suggests

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Good News Network
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A new piece of research suggests that a simple sea salt water solution could help to reduce the symptoms of a cold.

The homemade remedy was shown to shorten the length of a cold by almost two days and to reduce the need for over-the-counter medicines by a third, but researchers caution that more studies are needed.

Experts say the method could be a cheap treatment for the cold and provides evidence that this traditional tonic could be effective.

Most adults in the UK suffer at least one cold every year. Families with school-age children contract up to 12 annually. There is no treatment for the common cold. Its symptoms are usually minor and short-lived, but the cold has a substantial impact on the economy, causing many people to take time off work.

RELATED: Woman Makes Drug-free Patches That Treat Nausea, Cramps, Vertigo, Hangovers – And Even Car Sick Pets

The small pilot study – known as the Edinburgh and Lothians Viral Intervention Study, or ELVIS – recruited healthy adults within two days of them contracting an upper respiratory tract infection – commonly known as a cold.

The study results were published in Scientific Reports. Participants in the trial kept a diary of their symptoms for up to two weeks. Doctors also collected swabs to measure the amount of cold virus they were carrying.

The participants were divided into two groups with one group asked to gargle and clear their nose with a salt solution as they felt necessary.

MORE: Drinking Baking Soda Could Be Cheap, Safe Way to Combat Autoimmune Disease, Says Scientists

Those who did nasal irrigation and gargling with the salty solution had a shorter cold, were less likely to pass it on to their family, had faster viral clearance and were less likely to use medicines from a pharmacy.

Scientists led by the University’s Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics carried out the trial to test the safety and feasibility of the study. Researchers say sea salt may work by boosting cells’ antiviral defense that kicks in when they are affected by a cold.

The team have now started a larger study – known as ELVIS Kids – which will involving studying the use of salt water nose drops in almost 500 children with a cold.

LOOK: Check Out This Yoga Studio Made Entirely of Salt For Extra Health Benefits

“We hope to build on these early promising findings with a follow-on larger trial and with studies in high-risk populations such as those with asthma,” says Professor Aziz Sheikh from the University of Edinburgh

Dr. Sandeep Ramalingam of NHS Lothian added: “We are very encouraged by these suggestions from our pilot study that the misery caused by a cold can be effectively reduced with such a simple and cheap method.”

Reprinted from The University of Edinburgh

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Unemployed Man Wants to Find Stranger Who Returned His $273M Lotto Ticket So He Can Share the Wealth

By
McKinley Corbley
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An unemployed New Jersey man is now searching for a good Samaritan whose honesty helped him win a $273 million jackpot last week.

Following a recent divorce, 54-year-old Mike Weirsky has been struggling to find a job, but to no avail.

His luck took a turn, however, when he bought two Mega Millions lottery tickets from a convenience store in Phillipsburg, New Jersey for $2 each. Upon getting distracted by something on his phone, he left the store without taking his tickets.

A mysterious stranger then found the tickets and turned them in to store employees. Weirsky returned to the store the next day, verified that the tickets were his, and went home.

LOOK: When Stranger Finds Lost Wallet on Airplane, He Returns It to Owner With Even More Cash Inside

He was later stunned to discover that one of the tickets had won the $273 million prize.

If it had not been for the integrity of the unidentified shopper, Weirsky would not have been a winner – and now, he wants to track down the stranger so he can offer the man a reward.

“I’m looking for the guy that handed them in, I want to thank him,” Weirsky told Associated Press. “I’m going to give him something, but I’m going to keep that private.”

WATCH: When Homeless Man Finds $17,000 Outside of Food Bank, He Turns It In So It Can Help Feed Others

Weirsky says that the sudden financial windfall is a welcomed stroke of luck following his long and unsuccessful job hunt. Ironically, he says that he finally got a call for his first job interview just days after he won the jackpot – but now, he plans on using the money to buy his mother a new car and take his family on a vacation before consulting with lawyers on what to do next.

“I was down, and somehow now, all of a sudden, I’m way up,” Weirsky told news conference reporters with a laugh.

(WATCH the news coverage below)

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5-Year-old Girl is Now Cancer-Free Thanks to a Routine Dental Checkup 18 Months Ago

By
McKinley Corbley
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5-year-old Hunter Rose Jones may not have been fortunate enough to be cancer-free today if it had not been for a simple routine dental checkup 18 months ago.

The last time that the youngster went to Stellar Kids Dentistry in Everett, Washington, all seemed normal – except that her dentist, Dr. Harlyn Susarla, thought it was odd that Hunter had several loose teeth at once.

Upon ordering a panoramic X-ray, she was stunned to find a tumor in Hunter’s jaw.

Hunter’s family then took her to Seattle Children’s Hospital where she was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma. Over the course of the next year and a half, Hunter reportedly endured dozens of rounds of radiation, surgeries, and therapy sessions – but throughout it all, the youngster stayed strong.

LOOK: Boy Thought to Be Nonverbal Can Speak After Dentist Discovers He is Simply ‘Tongue-Tied’

Susarla’s husband, who is a surgeon at Seattle Children’s hospital, says that if it had not been for his wife’s keen eye, Hunter may not have survived the cancer.

“This is such an aggressive disease process, early recognition and diagnosis is the key, I think, for treatment,” he told KOMO. “I’ve always been proud of my wife. She’s certainly a lot smarter than I am, and this is just one more piece of evidence that suggests that.”

A few weeks ago, Hunter was finally declared cancer-free and she was able to return to the dentist with a homemade thank you card in hand.

MORE: Boy is Cured of Aggressive Cancer Thanks to Stem Cell Treatment Using Donated Umbilical Cord

Dr. Susarla, however, says that she was simply grateful that she could have a hand in saving the youngster’s life.

“The fact that this was something that was found in the dental chair, I’m grateful that I saw this and that she was able to get the care the treatment that she needed,” said Susarla. “Honestly, I probably think about her every day.”

The dental office is now raising money for the Jones family’s GoFundMe campaign, which will help pay for Hunter’s participation in a clinical trial that will hopefully prevent the cancer’s possible return in the future.

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“To reach people no one else is reaching you’ll have to do things no one else is doing.” – Craig Groeschel

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “To reach people no one else is reaching you’ll have to do things no one else is doing.” – Craig Groeschel

Photo: by Tor Lindstrand, 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?

 

High School Seniors Wake Up at 4am So They Can Shovel Neighbor’s Driveway Before Her Dialysis

By
Good News Network
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Rather than sleeping in on a snow day, a group of high school students got together at 4:30AM so they could make sure that an elderly woman could get to her dialysis appointment.

Brian and Patrick Lanigan are both students at Parsippany High School in New Jersey. They also live next to an older woman who relies on ambulance transportation to bring her to her dialysis treatments.

Brian, who works as an EMT, had shoveled his neighbor’s driveway last week in order to make way for the ambulance – but then the weather forecast called for eight more inches of snow.

The night before the snowstorm, the brothers knew that they had to help their neighbor, but since Brian had work early in the morning, they knew they wouldn’t be able to clear the driveway before the ambulance arrived at 6AM.

RELATED: After Saving Money for Two Years, Teen Finally Gets to Surprise His Friend With New Electric Wheelchair

Patrick then pulled out his phone and started calling people on his contact list for help.

The next morning at 4:30AM, four of Patrick’s friends arrived with shovels in hand. Within thirty minutes, they had successfully cleared the driveway.

Patrick’s father snapped a picture of the teenage “snow angels” and posted it to Twitter, praising the youngsters for their compassion.

It has since been shared by dozens of people, all of whom expressed their appreciation for the gesture.

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FDA Approves First Depression Treatment in Decades: A Nasal Spray Doctors Can Administer for Quick Relief

By
McKinley Corbley
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For the first time in decades, the FDA has approved a new treatment for depression – and it has the potential to offer relief to millions of patients who have exhausted all other options.

The treatment is a nasal spray called esketemine, which is being marketed under the brand name Spravato. The spray will be prescribed alongside an oral antidepressant to adults who have developed treatment-resistant depression.

Most antidepressants on the market can take weeks, even months to take effect on a patient’s depressive symptoms. Additionally, these oral antidepressants often have little to no effect on a patient’s depression.

Spravato, on the other hand, is designed to relieve depressive symptoms within a matter of hours. That being said, the drug has received some controversy because it is a chemical variant of ketamine, an anesthetic which has historically been abused for recreational purposes in club scenes and party situations.

RELATED: ‘The Next Frontier in Cell Therapy’ to Treat Crohn’s Disease in Upcoming Clinical Trials

It is for this reason that the spray can only be administered by health care professionals in a supervised clinical environment. It is also expected to be covered under most insurance plans.

“There has been a long-standing need for additional effective treatments for treatment-resistant depression, a serious and life-threatening condition,” said Tiffany Farchione, acting director of the Division of Psychiatry Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

“Controlled clinical trials that studied the safety and efficacy of this drug, along with careful review through the FDA’s drug approval process including a robust discussion with our external advisory committees, were important to our decision to approve this treatment. Because of safety concerns, the drug will only be available through a restricted distribution system and it must be administered in a certified medical office where the health care provider can monitor the patient.”

MORE: Blue Light Reduces Blood Pressure, Just as Effectively as Medication – UK Study

Over the course of the clinical trials, esketemine received “breakthrough” and “fast track” designations from the FDA. In a long-term clinical trial researching the drug’s effect on 1,700 adults with treatment-resistant depression, patients were 51% less likely to experience a relapse of depressive symptoms compared to those who were given a placebo and oral antidepressant.

In a short-term study, patients “experienced superior improvement in depression symptoms at four weeks, compared to those who received a placebo and an oral antidepressant.” Side effects included relatively minor symptoms, such as dizziness, fatigue, sedation, lack of energy, and spinning sensations.

“Spravato has the potential to change the treatment paradigm and offer new hope to the estimated one-third of people with major depressive disorder who have not responded to existing therapies,” said Mathai Mammen, the global head of Janssen Research & Development, LLC. “This unique and innovative medicine is a testament to our heritage of advancing solutions in neuroscience to heal minds and improve health outcomes.”

CHECK OUT: Drug That Can Stop a Dozen ‘Untreatable’ Cancers Gets Approval—And Company Vows to Help Every Patient Afford It

A 57-year-old patient who has struggled with depression throughout her life described her experience with the nasal spray to The New York Times, saying that her third and fourth infusions of the drug had a noticeable effect on her underlying mood.

“It’s a hard thing to describe,” she told the news outlet. “I was still anxious, but I felt somehow more solid, like something gelled within me, and my husband has noticed it, too.”

Another patient with treatment-resistant depression testified to the drug’s success in a statement announcing its FDA approval.

“It was hard to have any emotions, because I was just numb,” said the esketamine clinical trial patient. “When I began treatment with esketamine and my symptoms started to lift, I could see very clearly just how depressed I had been. I’m now able to appreciate a wider range of emotions than when I was depressed. My long-term goals have taken shape and actually seem attainable.”

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NASA Confirms First All-Female Spacewalk in History (Just in Time for Women’s History Month)

By
McKinley Corbley
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Two women are set to make history by conducting the first ever all-female spacewalk – and it’s just in time for Women’s History Month.

NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Christina Koch will be making the historic Expedition 59 on the International Space Station (ISS) later this month on March 29th.

For 39-year-old McClain, the expedition will be her first time in space, although she has been broadcasting to social media from her position on the ISS for Expedition 58.

40-year-old Koch will be taking her first ever spaceflight on March 14th so she can join her crew on the ISS for the expedition.

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

The 7-hour mission will reportedly be live-streamed on NASA’s website at 6:30AM eastern time.

“As currently scheduled, the March 29th spacewalk will be the first with only women,” NASA spokeswoman Stephanie Schierholz told CNN in an emailed statement confirming the mission.

“It is the second in a series of three planned spacewalks. Anne also will join Nick Hague for the March 22nd spacewalk. And, of course, assignments and schedules could always change.”

The expedition is taking place 35 years after Soviet astronaut Svetlana Savitskaya became the first woman to participate in a spacewalk on July 25th, 1984.

Now, with Canadian aerospace engineer Kristen Faccio operating as the crew’s ground support from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, the historic mission will be an appropriate milestone for female trailblazers during the month of March: Women’s History Month.

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Girls Lost in Forest for 44 Hours Finally Rescued After They Survived on Rainwater and ‘Happy Thoughts’

By
McKinley Corbley
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These two young girls were finally rescued and reunited with their parents after spending 44 hours in the Northern Californian wilderness.

The ordeal began on Friday afternoon when 8-year-old Leia Carrico and her 5-year-old sister Caroline asked their mother if they could go on a hike.

The family routinely goes on weekend camping trips and hikes, so it was nothing out of the ordinary – but things took a turn when the sisters accidentally wandered too far down a deer trail through their parents’ 80-acre property in Benbow. The girls then realized that they were walking in circles when they passed the same set of metal poles in the forest.

Though Caroline and Leia were frightened, they remembered all the survival skills that they learned from their camping trips, 4H camps, and favorite television shows.

RELATED: Indonesian Teenager Spends 49 Days Adrift at Sea in Fishing Hut, His Tears Turning to Joy With Rescue

As temperatures plunged during their first night in the wild, the girls sheltered themselves from the rain by draping one of their jackets over a huckleberry bush and huddling together for warmth. They used the huckleberry leaves to drink rainwater, and Leia encouraged her younger sister to think happy thoughts and have faith that their father would rescue them.

Meanwhile, their parents became panicked when their children failed to return home before dark. They phoned the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department and launched a 250-person rescue crew to scour the woods.

The next day, Carolina says that she remembered the most important rule for surviving in the wilderness: staying put. The two girls spent another night huddled in their “huckleberry home” as they waited for rescuers to find them.

LOOK: Rescuers Pull Car From Frigid Water, Find a Driver Who Survived for 5 Hours Using an Air Bubble

Both nights, Leia kept watch for wild animals while her younger sister slept.

Finally on Sunday afternoon, they heard rescuers calling their names, and after yelling back in response, two firefighters emerged from the woods and were relieved to find that the youngsters were safe.

“Hypothermia could have set in, but they kept dry. That was the key thing for these girls,” Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal told ABC News after the rescue.

“As far as their appearances go, no scratches, they weren’t wet,” he added. “They were smart enough to stay under canopies of tall trees and stay near tree trunks. They hiked all the way to the location and stopped when they knew they were lost. That was exactly what they were supposed to do.

CHECK OUT: Heroic Momma Hiked 26 Miles Through Heavy Snow to Save Husband, Son

“They looked like they were out for a stroll, like they were gone an hour from the house.”

An hour after they were found, the girls had an emotional reunion with their frantic parents – and there was not a dry eye in the crowd.

The girls were then taken to the hospital where they were checked out and given pizza for their empty stomachs.

Their mother, Misty Carrico, says that the girls won’t be allowed on any more daytime hikes until they are equipped with GPS trackers for safety.

“I’m trying not to punish them,” she told the news outlet. “They saved each other. I’m the proud mom. I raised super heroes.”

(WATCH the news coverage below)

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“Everything will be all right in the end and if it’s not all right, then it’s not yet the end.” – The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “Everything will be all right in the end and if it’s not all right, then it’s not yet the end.” – The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Photo: by Riccardo Maria Mantero, 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?

 

When His Fortune Cookie Said it Was His Lucky Day, He Bought a Lottery Ticket That Proved it Was Indeed

By
McKinley Corbley
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Though fortune cookies might be a bunch of mumbo jumbo, one of the Chinese treats recently spurred a Maryland man to win a multi-thousand dollar lottery prize.

Diego Caceres had been enjoying lunch at a Chinese buffet with his brother Diego in Riverdale last month when his fortune cookie told him that it was his lucky day.

After finishing their meal, the siblings stopped by a local 7-11 to buy a soda. Remembering his fortune, Diego borrowed $10 from his brother so he could buy a Power 8s scratchoff ticket.

Even though he had only ever bought an instant lottery ticket once before, he opted for the scratchoff because 8 is the number of his favorite soccer player, midfielder Ricardo Kaká who used to play for São Paulo, Brazil and Real Madrid, Spain. He also just believes 8 to be a lucky number.

RELATED: Good Manners Pay Off – When Man is Desperate to Meet Lotto Deadline And Stranger Lets Him Go First

The first scratchoff he ever bought was a bust – but as his luck would have it, his purchase of the lucky ticket won him the top prize of $100,000.

“I have to credit my brother. He loaned me the money,” the 25-year-old told the Maryland Lottery, adding that he will be sharing his winnings with Domingo.

The brothers say that they are considering using their winnings to visit family in Argentina, Guatemala, and Italy – and for the sake of honoring their lucky number, they might use the prize to see some soccer games as well.

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These New Biodegradable Mardi Gras Beads Could Save Thousands of Tons of Trash From Landfills

By
Good News Network
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Photos by Paige Jarreau / Alison Satake – Louisiana State University

The debaucherous celebration of Mardi Gras may be fun for party-goers, but it’s terrible for the environment.

The New Orleans holiday can generate up to 960 tons of trash in a year, and the iconic Mardi Gras beads are a major contributor with hundreds of pounds of plastic beads ending up in the city’s water system.

Thankfully, a biologist from Louisiana State University has developed several formulas for biodegradable Mardi Gras beads – and he already has patents pending on some of his designs.

For one of his inventions, biological sciences professor Naohiro Kato has developed a process in which to grow a species of microscopic algae called diatoms, which he can then harvest and process into a powder that can form throw beads and doubloons. After the fun is had, these celebratory throws will biodegrade in soil in about one to two years.

RELATED: Scientists Are Replacing Plastic With Algae, a Revolutionary Idea That Can Suck Carbon Out of the Air

“I believe we can change and do better. We have great resources to make our Mardi Gras celebrations more sustainable and to protect our environment and health,” said Kato.

Kato first began his research when one of his students at LSU accidentally discovered the basic ingredients which he has since refined to produce biodegradable Mardi Gras beads.

“My student was supposed to come into the lab three nights in a row to move our test tube samples of algae from the centrifuge to the freezer, but one night he forgot,” Kato said.

MORE: Researchers Have Finally Created Simple Eco-Friendly Machine That Recycles Used Diapers

The next morning, Kato experienced his “Aha!” moment when he found a large glob of algae accumulating oils on the bottom of the centrifuge.

Kato immediately thought of using it to make Mardi Gras beads. Earlier, he had been at a party chatting with people who wanted to make Mardi Gras more “green” – and he believed that the algae could be the biodegradable solution they were looking for.

He got down to work growing a large quantity of microscopic algae, or microalgae, in a six-foot kiddie pool outside. Louisiana’s warm climate, sunshine, water and nutrients, such as fertilizer, make it an ideal environment to naturally mass-produce microalgae. He grows a species of microalgae that is easy to grow, strong and profitable, especially for the nutraceutical industry, which produces vitamins and supplements and uses microalgae to market their products as vegetarian or vegan.

LOOK: He Has Created a Single-Use Bottle That Fully Decomposes in 3 Weeks, and All Profits to Charity

The biggest challenge for producing more environmentally sustainable beads is offsetting the high cost of manufacturing – but the growing demand for microalgae from the nutraceutical industry makes Kato’s invention potentially profitable. He plans to produce microalgae for nutraceutical companies to offset the relatively high cost to make biodegradable Mardi Gras beads, which can cost up to three times as much as plastic beads to produce.

He has a patent pending to make beads entirely out of microalgae using the leftover biomass unused by the nutraceutical industry. He has launched a spinoff company called Microalgae LLC in Baton Rouge to support this business model, and he says that he has already been approached by some angel investors.

Kato is also collaborating with several other university professors in order to develop a variation of the bead that is made with wood fiber.

Meanwhile, Kato is in discussion with a nutraceutical company and awaiting a contract in order to begin production of the biodegradable Mardi Gras beads.

Clean Up Negativity By Sharing The Good News With Your Friends On Social Media – Feature photo by McKinley Corbley

After Saving Money for Two Years, Teen Finally Gets to Surprise His Friend With New Electric Wheelchair

By
McKinley Corbley
-

Rather than spending his hard-earned cash on game systems or goodies, this teenager has been saving up money for the last two years so he could buy his friend a new electric wheelchair.

Tanner Wilson and Brandon Qualls have been friends for years. Though both of them go to Caddo Hills High School in Norman, Arkansas, Brandon has a harder time getting through the hallways.

Since Brandon uses a push wheelchair to get from class to class, he says his arms start to hurt after using it for extended periods of time.

RELATED: Dad Confronts Bully by Treating Him Like a Son – Now the Homeless Boy Has Money and Friendship

Little did he know, Tanner has spent the last two years secretly stashing away all of his paychecks from his part-time job at a local car repair shop to buy Brandon an electric wheelchair model.

Tanner finally managed to buy the wheelchair last month – and when he used it to surprise Brandon in class last month, the stunned teenager said he could barely contain his emotions.

“They came in and my face just blew up,” Brandon told News9 in the interview below. “I was just crying everywhere. I was like, ‘Wow I can’t believe he did that for me.’

 

“It’s been my dream to just have one of these,” Brandon added, “and my dream came true.”

Tanner’s mother Colleen Carmack says that the boys have been happy to read all the messages of praise that they have received from social media viewers since their story was shared by national news outlets – especially Tanner.

LOOK: When Helicopter Upsets Tennis Player With PTSD, His Teammate Abandons Game to Comfort Him Using a Song

“[Tanner has] had some bad experiences over the last year, so him being able to help somebody else has really brought him out – being able to know that he made a difference,” Carmack told CNN. “And I can see a difference in him – like wanting to get out and do more.

“We’re talking about college. He’s had that goal, but he’s talking about it more now.”

(WATCH the heartwarming news coverage below) – Photo by Caddo Hills High School

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See How Generations of Muslims Have Taken Care of a Jewish Synagogue in India

By
McKinley Corbley
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Throughout history, there has been generations of conflict between Muslims and Jews – but there is nothing but peace and respect to be found between the two faiths at this Indian synagogue.

For years, Muslim families have been caring for the Magen David Synagogue in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta).

The ornate place of Jewish worship, which was built back in 1884, is the oldest synagogue in the entire capital city.

Back in the 1940s, the city had a thriving Jewish community which maintained close, amiable ties with their Islamic counterparts. Due to their proximity and friendship, the two religious groups co-existed alongside each other for decades.

LOOK: Young Muslims Wake Up Early to Clean Up the Streets After New Years Celebrations

Due to various national and global events, however, the Jewish people of Kolkata started to migrate away from the city. Today, the number of Jewish city-dwellers has dwindled from roughly 6,000 to a few dozen.

Even though the synagogue is now mostly devoid of worshippers save for a few elderly residents, a group of Muslims has spent decades looking after the breathtaking building.

“People are startled to hear that members of the Muslim community are caretakers of this synagogue,” Rabul Khan told Atlas Obscura filmmakers in the video below. “But we feel good about the synagogue. I was born and raised in Kolkata. This city taught me to love.”

WATCH: 3,000 Jews and Muslims Sign Up to Learn a Song Together–the Result is Perfect Harmony

Khan is now one of the caretakers of the synagogue after he took over for his father in 2008. His father had spent 50 to 60 years maintaining the building before he retired.

Though the aisles of the synagogue have emptied, their Islamic guardians hope that it can one day be filled with worshippers once more.

“What is important is that we are human beings,” another caretaker told BBC. “We may work in a temple, in a mosque, in a gurdwara – they are all homes of God. They are just called different names.”

(WATCH the short film below) – Screenshot from film by Ana Gonzalez / Atlas Obscura

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Empathetic Gamers Make Braces for Kitten Who Couldn’t Find Forever Home Because of Wobbly Legs

By
Good News Network
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SWNS
SWNS

A wobbly kitten can now walk straight thanks to 3D-printing technology.

Carly the cat has a rare condition called swimmer’s syndrome, which makes her extremely unstable on her paws.

The 6-month-old kitty was surrendered to the All Paws Rescue group in Brampton, Ontario, but her disability made it tough for her to find a forever home.

Then in December 2018, Carly was fostered by Karen Boerner, a professional pet groomer who lives in Guelph.

WATCH: Man Who Loves Cats Transforms Home into Feline Playland – And You Can Too (For Charity)

Boerner desperately wanted to help the lively kitten find a home – so she created a social media post about Carly’s condition with the hopes of finding someone who could help.

Luckily, it caught the eye of a Canadian company that makes gaming equipment for people with disabilities.

25-year-old Andrew Cameron and his 22-year-old brother Joshua are the co-founders of Andosh Accessible Gaming. The siblings felt an affinity for Carly because they were were both born with a rare condition called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a condition that causes their bodies to dislocate easily due to a lack of connective tissue.

SWNS

“Andrew has had numerous dislocations in his life and has has worn a number of braces. He felt empathy for Carly … they both know what it’s like when your joints just won’t support you,” said Jennifer Cameron, the 52-year-old administrator for Andosh Accessible Gaming who initially spotted Boerner’s social media post.

LOOK: Frozen Cat That Was Found Unresponsive, Buried in Snow Makes Miraculous Recovery

So as a means of helping their furry counterpart, the brothers then collaborated with a certified orthotist to create two 3D-printed braces that would help Carly to move.

Earlier this week, Carly was fitted with the devices for the first time, and she took off like the wind.

SWNS

“It was amazing to see how quickly she was getting around,” said Cameron. “It was so cute, she stood there upright for the first time, like ‘I’m a big kitten now’, she was so proud of herself.”

Carly is now back at home with her foster mother, and if all goes well with her new braces she’ll be put up for adoption in the next couple of weeks.

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

“She could kind of walk before, but her hind legs dragged behind her, or her bum would drag along the ground,” said Boerner. “She is much more active now. She loves playing with the other cats in the house, now she can keep up with them, before she used to get left behind. With the braces she can now climb in and out of a regular litter box, just like a big girl.

“She seems even happier than before. Nothing gets her down.”

(WATCH the news coverage below)

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

“I have lived with several Zen masters—all of them cats.” – Eckhart Tolle

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Quote of the Day: “I have lived with several Zen masters—all of them cats.” – Eckhart Tolle

Photo: by McBeth, 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?

 

When College Senior Couldn’t Find Someone to Watch His Baby Daughter, Professor Lends a Hand

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A professor is being praised for his simple, yet powerful act of compassion towards a students who was struggling to juggle his education with his parenting responsibilities last month.

Whenever he is not holding down two jobs, 26-year-old college senior Wayne Hayer studies kinesiology at Morehouse University in Atlanta, Georgia.

Additionally, he is a father to his 5-month-old daughter named Assata. Though his wife generally stays home to take care of their baby, she was left searching for someone to care for the infant while she ran errands last month.

Hayer had been in his mathematics class when she texted him about watching Assata the following day. Nathan Alexander, the mathematics professor, usually has a strict “no texting” rule in class – but when Hayer explained his dilemma, the 34-year-old educator invited his student to bring Assata to class.

WATCH: Video of Teacher Goes Viral After He’s Admired For Putting Young Student’s Hair in a Ponytail

The next day, Hayer dressed his daughter in a pink onesie and brought her to class. Not only was Alexander happy to have the baby join in on the class, he also offered to hold Assata so Hayer could focus on taking notes.

Another one of Alexander’s students, Nick Vaughn, snapped a photo of the professor standing at the whiteboard with the baby strapped to his chest and posted it to social media so he could express his appreciation for the gesture.

“Not only did he teach the entire lecture with the child in his arms, but [he] also stayed after class helping those with questions about today’s lecture with the child still in his arms as seen in the pictures,” wrote Vaughn.

LOOK: Teacher Inspires Class By Chopping Off Her Waist-Length Hair to Match Bullied Student’s Haircut

“It was this encounter that truly showed me the power and impact that [historically black colleges and universities] can have for the black community – for this professor to understand that life happens and sometimes there are just no ways around it.”

The president of the college, David Thomas, also praised Alexander for his kindness.

”Dr. Alexander is an example of what our professors are willing to do to help Morehouse College scholars to succeed in their academic pursuits,” Thomas told The Washington Post. “I commend him, and senior Wayne Hayer, the father of the infant, for showing leadership and service, which is part of the mission of Morehouse College, and an expectation of Morehouse Men.”

Be Sure And Share This Sweet Story With Your Fellow Friends And Parents On Social Media – Photo by Nick Vaughn

Two Patients Make History After Essentially Being Cured of HIV Using Stem Cell Transplant

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A group of international scientists has just published research that details how they successfully managed to “cure” two patients of HIV using stem cell therapy.

Scientists found no rebound of HIV in the two patients who stopped taking their HIV medication after they received stem cell transplants for a hematological [blood] disease. Both patients underwent stem cell transplantation as part of their cancer treatment.

Thus far, only one person in the world – Timothy Ray Brown, known in 2008 as the “Berlin patient” – has reportedly been cured of HIV using stem cell transplants. Although Brown had traces of HIV, the virus never rebounded and he is now celebrating 12 years cured of HIV.

The transplanted donor cells had a gene defect called CCR5delta32mutant which results in the absence of one of the critical entry gatekeepers that HIV generally needs to infect cells.

RELATED: After Decades of Research, Mexican Scientist Successfully Eliminates HPV From Dozens of Her Patients

Transplanted cells from a CCR5delta32 donor most likely protected Brown’s immune system. He also received aggressive chemotherapy, total body irradiation, and two stem cell transplants. For over a decade, the HIV field has puzzled over which of these factors were essential for his cure.

Now, however, the groundbreaking research on the “London patient” and the “Düsseldorf patient” was presented at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Washington and published in Nature.

Professor Ravi Gupta of University College London presented a potential cure of HIV after stem cell transplantation in his London patient, while Dr. Björn Jensen from Düsseldorf University found his Düsseldorf patient has potentially been cured the same way.

MORE: Boy is Cured of Aggressive Cancer Thanks to Stem Cell Treatment Using Donated Umbilical Cord

The London patient has not experienced HIV rebound during the 18 months since he stopped taking his antiviral medication. This is the longest adult HIV remission after stem cell transplantation since the Berlin patient.

The Düsseldorf patient stopped his HIV medication for a shorter period of just three-and-a-half months, but has also remains HIV-free. Using the most sensitive techniques available to date, only traces of HIV DNA were detected.

Since there are now only these few patients who have undergone the medical procedure, researchers are cautious to call the treatment a “cure” – but the London and Düsseldorf patients show that after a single transplant and with even mild cancer chemotherapy and without radiation, remission may be achieved.

CHECK OUT: Seven Years After Undergoing Experimental MS Treatment, Woman is Still Experiencing No Symptoms

“To be clear, this is not an option yet for people with HIV, even in very rich countries, but it is a major step forward. This is incredibly exciting, as it furthers our understanding of the complex immunology of HIV and should get us closer to a cure,” says Professor Francois Venter, Deputy Executive Director at the Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute.

Both the London patient and the Düsseldorf patient received the treatment through their registration with the IciStem program, an international collaboration to guide and investigate the potential for HIV cure by stem cell transplantation.

IciStem has the largest program to investigate HIV cure following stem cell transplantation. More than 22,000 donors with the rare CCR5delta32 gene defect have been identified and there are currently 39 patients registered with IciStem who have received transplants.

LOOK: Boy Thought to Be Nonverbal Can Speak After Dentist Discovers He is Simply ‘Tongue-Tied’

“The London patient is the second HIV-positive man considered to be in prolonged remission after a bone marrow transplant from a CCR5 negative donor,” says Maria Papathanasopolous, director of the university’s HIV Pathogenesis Research Unit.

“This represents a critical moment in our search for an HIV cure. It reaffirms our belief that one day it will be possible to cure HIV infection with a safe, cost-effective, and easily accessible strategy.”

(Source: University of the Witwatersrand)

Cure Your Friends Of Negativity By Sharing The Good News To Social Media – File photo by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Woman Awarded $10,000 for Examining Insurance Contract – Shows it Pays to Read the Fine Print

By
McKinley Corbley
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The most common fib of all time may be “I have read and agreed to the terms and conditions” – but this Georgia teacher has just become a prime example of why it actually pays to read the fine print.

Travel insurance company Squaremouth launched a secret contest in which they would award $10,000 to the first consumer who read through the fine print of their contract. They would also use the contest as an excuse to donate an additional $10,000 to a children’s literacy charity.

With details of the prize buried on page 7 of their insurance contract, the sweepstakes was set to last for 12 months – and if no one succeeded in reading the contract, then they would simply ditch the prize and donate to the nonprofit.

They were shocked, however, when 59-year-old Donelan Andrews claimed the prize just 23 hours after the contest started.

RELATED: School Installs Vending Machine That Dispenses Free Books to Kids Who Read

For the last 25 years, Andrews has worked as a home economics and consumer science teacher at Upson-Lee High School and Lamar County High School in Georgia. Andrews says that she uses her classes to teach senior students important life skills such as work ethic, how to find jobs, and how to interview – but one of the important skills Andrews emphasizes to all of her classes is the importance of reading a contract.

Andrews had taken out the travel insurance policy in anticipation of going to Scotland with her husband to celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary and her upcoming retirement, which she had only applied for one week before she won the contest.

She and her husband will now have more than enough money to finance the vacation after she read the following sentence on the last page of the 4000-word contract: “If you’ve read this far, then you are one of the very few Tin Leg customers to review all of their policy documentation.”

MORE: Instead of Firing Illiterate Employees, Company Teaches Them How to Read

It reminded her of a test question she used to ask her students. Andrews said: “I used to put a question like that midway through an exam, saying ‘If you’re reading this, skip the next question.’ That caught my eye and intrigued me to keep reading.”

The policy then went on to say: “In an effort to highlight the importance of reviewing policy documents, we launched Pays to Read, a contest that rewards the individual who reads their policy information from start to finish. If you are reading this within the contest period … and are the first to contact us, you may be awarded the Pays to Read contest Grand Prize of ten thousand dollars.”

After emailing the company, she received a phone call the very next day saying that she had won.

“Teaching students to read their contracts has always been close to my heart because of my consumer economics background,” said Andrews. “I always read every contract I sign. It really paid off for me this time!”

WATCH: Principal Reads Books Online in Her PJs So Her Students Can Always Have a Bedtime Story

The company was so impressed by the teacher’s diligence, they also donated an additional $5,000 to each of the high schools where Andrews teaches.

“When we first spoke with Donelan, her dedication to reading and teaching stood out immediately,” says Squaremouth CEO Chris Harvey. “Her enthusiasm inspired us to make additional donations.”

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‘First-of-its-Kind’ Law Will Protect Lake Erie From Pollution By Granting it Civil Rights

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Five years ago, millions of Americans found themselves in the middle of a water crisis that was caused by chemical pollution in Lake Erie. The runoff resulted in a toxic algae bloom that led Ohio legislators to warn state residents against drinking tap water for several days.

Last week, however, the people of Toledo successfully voted in favor of legislation that will protect the lake from similar chemical disasters in the future by granting it the same rights as person.

Despite facing an opposition campaign that was well-funded by agricultural and industrial interest groups, Toledo citizens enacted the Lake Erie Bill of Rights with a 61% majority.

The law recognizes the rights of the lake and its watershed, and empowers citizens – as part of that larger ecosystem who have “the right to a healthy environment” – to stand up for the lake and take legal action when those rights are violated.

RELATED: Man Postpones Retirement to Save Reefs After He Accidentally Discovers How to Make Coral Grow 40 Times Faster

“It was definitely a long, hard struggle to get to this day, but all the hard work and countless volunteer hours by everyone in our local community group has paid off,” stated Crystal Jankowski, a Toledoan for Safe Water organizer. “We started this more than two years ago and had to overcome election board decisions and protests in court just to get on the ballot.”

The United States law is a first-of-its-kind initiative to acknowledge the rights of an entire specific ecosystem.

The language of the amendment, which is known as LEBOR, was drafted with assistance from the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF). It is in accord with the larger Rights of Nature movement and philosophy which, over the past decade, has resulted in Ecuador’s 2008 constitutional acknowledgment of the rights of Mother Nature; New Zealand’s 2014 granting legal personhood to the Te Urewera forest; and India’s courts ruling in 2017 that the Ganges and Yamuna rivers have rights to exist, thrive, and evolve.

WATCH: Island on the Brink of Disaster Plants Thousands of Trees and is Now a Poster Kid for Adapting to Climate Change

“We’ve been using the same laws for decades to try and protect Lake Erie. They’re clearly not working,” explained activist Markie Miller with the Toledoans for Safe Water.

“Beginning today, with this historic vote, the people of Toledo and our allies are ushering in a new era of environmental rights by securing the rights of the Great Lake Erie.”

Clean Up Negativity By Sharing The Good News With Your Friends On Social Media – Photo by McKinley Corbley

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