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Sir Richard Branson Will Give $3 Million to Whoever Can Save the Planet By Reinventing the Air Conditioner

By
McKinley Corbley
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Inventors from around the world now have three million reasons to reinvent one of the most basic household appliances: the air conditioner.

When people start to earn more money, reports show that one of the most common first purchases they make is an air conditioning unit. With global temperatures slowly rising and more people earning higher incomes, the amount of utilized AC units could multiply to a whopping 4.5 billion units by 2050, generating thousands of tons of carbon emissions as a byproduct.

That is why Sir Richard Branson recently helped to launch an international competition that is searching for participants who can come up with a more sustainable design for the air conditioner.

As a means of combatting climate change, the Global Cooling Prize is offering a $3 million prize for anyone who can design an AC unit that has five times less of the environmental impact as the standard unit, but for less than two times the shelf price.

RELATED: Instead of Burning Coal, New Fuel Emits Zero Harmful Emissions – and It’s Made From Sewage

The Indian government is also backing the competition, as their nation’s residents are expected to buy 1 billion AC units during the coming decades.

A winning technology could prevent up to 100 gigatons of carbon emissions by 2050, and put the world on a pathway to mitigate up to 0.5º C of global warming by 2100, according to the Global Cooling Prize’s report.

“The increase in energy consumption for cooling represents a massive risk to meeting our climate goals … [and the prize] can literally help save the world from the disaster it’s facing,” says Branson.

LOOK: Totally Green Machine That Uses Biowaste to Generate Clouds for Clean Water Wins $1.75 Million XPrize

“This is a $20 billion market ready for a shake-up,” he added. “The challenge is that the market is broken. Incumbent manufacturers follow market signals, which currently reward high volume and low price. High R&D costs present a major barrier to entry.”

By offering up an incentive for a new design, however, competition organizers hope that smaller startups will finally have a chance to get their foot in the door of an industry that is dominated by a few multi-billion dollar corporations.

(WATCH the video below) – Photos by Global Cooling Prize

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

Anonymous Man Calling Himself Santa Picked Up the Tab for Dozens of Walmart Customers

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Good News Network
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Kris Kringle was working his magic for some unsuspecting Walmart customers in Vermont last week.

An anonymous man who was photographed wearing a New England Patriots jacket waltzed into the Derby store and paid for every single item on layaway.

Walmart was not allowed to disclose how much money the man spent or how many people he helped that day, but judging by the amount of gifts that were stacked on the store’s layaway shelves, it was a lot.

LOOK: When Dog Chews Girl’s Beloved Elf on the Shelf, Hospital Works Magic With a Little Help From Santa

When asked who could afford to pay for so many items, the man simply said: “Santa Claus can.”

“There were people ahead of me who were eight, nine, hundred-dollar layaways,” customer Julie Gates told WCAX in the interview below. “I get goosebumps thinking that – that is the true magic of Christmas, that’s the Christmas spirit walking among us.”

“I left the store in awe, with tears in my eyes,” she told CNN. “That some man that didn’t know any of us would just walk into a Walmart in a little place like Vermont and pay for everyone’s layaway.”

(WATCH the news coverage below) – Photo by Julie Gates

Be Sure And Inspire Your Friends With This Cool Christmas Story By Sharing It To Social Media

Watch NASA Scientists’ Emotional Reaction to Successfully Landing Robot on Surface of Mars

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Good News Network
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Mars has just received its newest robotic resident.

NASA’s InSight machine (Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport) successfully touched down on the Red Planet after an almost seven-month, 300-million-mile (458-million-kilometer) journey from Earth.

InSight’s two-year mission will be to study the deep interior of Mars to learn how all celestial bodies with rocky surfaces, including Earth and the Moon, were formed.

After InSight launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on May 5th, the lander touched down Monday, November 26th, near Mars’ equator on the western side of a flat, smooth expanse of lava called Elysium Planitia, with a signal affirming a completed landing sequence,

RELATED: NASA Engineer Saves Passenger Jet From Disaster When He Spots Malfunction From Window Seat

“We hit the Martian atmosphere at 12,300 mph (19,800 kilometers per hour), and the whole sequence to touching down on the surface took only six-and-a-half minutes,” said InSight project manager Tom Hoffman at JPL. “During that short span of time, InSight had to autonomously perform dozens of operations and do them flawlessly – and by all indications, that is exactly what our spacecraft did.”

InSight will begin to collect science data within the first week after landing, though the teams will focus mainly on preparing to set InSight’s instruments on the Martian ground. At least two days after touchdown, the engineering team will begin to deploy InSight’s 5.9-foot-long (1.8-meter-long) robotic arm so that it can take images of the landscape.

LOOK: Girl Sends A Message to Dad in Space Using 11 Cars

“Today, we successfully landed on Mars for the eighth time in human history,” said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. “InSight will study the interior of Mars and will teach us valuable science as we prepare to send astronauts to the Moon and later to Mars. This accomplishment represents the ingenuity of America and our international partners, and it serves as a testament to the dedication and perseverance of our team. The best of NASA is yet to come, and it is coming soon.”

InSight will operate on the surface for one Martian year, plus 40 Martian days, or sols, until November 24, 2020.

(WATCH the heartwarming reaction video below) – Photo by Nasa Jet Propulsion Laboratory

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“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill (Today is Giving Tuesday)

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day:  “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill (Today is Giving Tuesday)

Photo: by Geoff Livingston, CC license

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

Everyone is Celebrating Congo’s Massive New Park Since Similar Preserve Saved Gorillas From Extinction

By
Ryan Morris
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The Republic of Congo has just created its fifth ever national park – and with conservationists celebrating the recent rebound of a critically endangered gorilla species in a neighboring park, the new patch of protected land is expected to help dozens more struggling wildlife species.

Due to its location in the savannah transition zone, and its coverage of over 860,000 acres (500,000 hectares), the new Ogooué-Leketi National Park is of considerable significance regarding the protection and hopeful recovery of several vulnerable animal populations.

The park, which offers some of the greatest biodiversity within the Congo, is home to mandrills, forest elephants, forest buffalos, gorillas, orangutans, and a diverse plant population.

Conservationists are hailing the park’s creation as similar stories are surfacing of how such cautionary measures can truly impact the lives and welfare of the region’s great ape family.

LOOK: Once Thought to Be Extinct, First Ever Photograph of the Tree-Kangaroo Proves Its Survival

In 1978, the mountain gorilla was listed as “critically endangered” – the highest level of threat – due to unlawful poaching practices in its neighboring Rwandan habitat. Its community had reached a low of 240, with conservationists and scientists predicted their species would go extinct by the year 2000.

Due to extensive protective measures that were taken to preserve the apes’ habitat, however, their population recently increased to 600, which resulted in their reclassification from “critically endangered” to “endangered”, according to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.

MORE: First-Ever Test Tube Rhino Embryos Give Hope for Functionally Extinct Species

“We are proud to be part of this international effort to save the world’s remaining mountain gorillas,” says Felix Ndagijimana, director of the Fossey Fund’s Rwanda programs and Karisoke Research Center.

“It is a great example of collaboration between governments, conservation organizations like the Fossey Fund, and local communities, and we remain committed to supporting the efforts of the Rwandan government to preserve its biological heritage,” he added.

The mountain gorilla’s success story shows what we can expect when the proper measures are taken to protect the lives of endangered and critically endangered species. With the right efforts, the Republic of Congo’s new park can be a foundation for similar stories and the restoration of various hominid populations from their current endangered status to one of significantly less concern.

Be Sure And Share This Exciting News With Your Friends On Social Media – Photo by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund

Fearless Uber Driver Stops Mid-Trip to Scoop Up Injured Hawk and Save It From the Highway

By
McKinley Corbley
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This red-tailed hawk is no small bird of prey – but that didn’t stop a courageous Uber driver from lending a hand when he saw that it was injured on the side of a major highway earlier this month.

58-year-old Kasim Eldilemi was in the middle of driving a passenger across the FDR Drive when he spotted the distressed hawk on the shoulder of the Manhattan road.

Though some motorists were content to take pictures of the taloned creature from their windows, Eldilemi stopped his car so he could scoop the bird into his arms.

“I put on the emergency lights and I jumped out and grabbed the hawk,” Eldilemi told the New York Daily News. “My passenger was surprised. He was like ‘What are you doing?’ I said, ‘Look, I’m gonna drop you off first and then do something with the bird.’”

RELATED: Watch Olympic Sprinter Run Onto Busy Highway So He Can Save Tortoise From Traffic

“I tell it, ‘Look, I’m going to save you,’” he added. “The bird just looked at me, like, friendly.”

Eldilemi then drove all the way to Brooklyn with the bird held firmly in one arm. True to his word, he dropped off his human passenger before flagging down a police officer and handing off the bird.

The officer put the hawk into a cage and transported it to the Wild Bird Fund of New York City. The hawk, which had likely been hurt from flying into a car or skyscraper, was named Taxi after rescuers mistakenly thought that she was rescued by a cab driver.

Taxi spent four days in recovery before she was deemed to be in good health and was released back into the wild from Central Park.

Uber was quick to praise their courageous driver for rescuing the bird, saying: “Uber’s driver-partners do incredible things every day … but we’re particularly amazed by Kasim who ensured the hawk was safe.”

MORE: Watch Good Samaritan Teenager Revive a Squirrel With CPR After it Ran Into His Car

Eldilemi, however, is humble of his rescue efforts.

“This is an example for America,” he told the Daily News. “If I go to drive anywhere, and I see something — animal, human — I stop to help.”

Be Sure And Fly This Story Over To Your Friends On Social Media – Photo by Wild Bird Fund

Groom Can’t Contain His Laughter When Bearded Best Man Shows Up in the Dress Where His Bride Should Be

By
Good News Network
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SWNS
SWNS

A groom burst out in hysterical laughter at the altar when he turned​ to ​look at his bride ​on their wedding day and found​​​​​ his bearded best man standing there instead.

32-year-old David Hofmann was expecting to see his wife-to-be Brianne Dennis​​ in her white gown, but to his surprise, she had traded places with their friend 37-year-old Timmy Horton.

Photographer Anna Morrison captured the moment David almost collapsed in hysterical laughter after seeing his bearded pal squeezed into a dress and wearing a veil.

David, who works as an electrician, said: “Right in that moment, I was anxious. I was trying to calm my nerves because I was about to see my bride for the first time.

LOOK: Police Praise Creative Students for ‘Best Senior Prank’ They’ve Ever Seen

“I was expecting to see Brianne and I turned around to see Timmy in a wedding dress.

“He was pale and hairy and we love each other very much, but not in that way. I was falling down laughing.”

29-year-old Dennis and Horton plotted their prank after they saw some funny wedding gags online.

SWNS

While the bride was reluctant at first, she eventually came around and suggested tricking Hofmann during a fake “first look” photoshoot.

The “first look” refers to a wedding tradition where brides may debut their look to their husband-to-be moments before walking down the aisle.

MORE: Cop Surprised – and Delighted – When He Finds the Car He is About to Ticket is Made of Snow

Dennis, who lives with David in Marysville, Washington along with her 4-year-old son, said: “I really wanted a serious ceremony at first. I didn’t want any of their shenanigans on the day, but a few months down the road, I changed my mind.”

SWNS

On the special day, an emotional Hofmann waited anxiously while Horton slipped into a spare wedding dress and donned a delicate chiffon veil.

Then, the dolled up trickster tapped the groom on his shoulder as friends and family looked on, trying to stifle their giggles.

WATCH: Math Teacher Impresses Students With Most Genius April Fools Prank

Horton, who lives in Snohomish, said: “I was really nervous and anxious because it’s my best friend and I love the bride and groom so much.

“[But] when it happened, I just couldn’t restrain myself and I burst out laughing. I think it really broke the ice and the tension.”

SWNS

​Moments after the prank, Hofmann got to see his real bride for the first time and was overcome with emotion, saying: “Brianne has always been beautiful so I didn’t expect anything less.

“There had been so much building up to that moment that when I first saw her, all of a sudden I just felt complete. I’ll remember the day and that moment forever.”

Hofmann and Dennis went on to tie the knot in a ceremony surrounded by their loved ones at Lord Hill Farms in Snohomish on November 17th.

SWNS

“When I look at the photos I’m really happy. I’m so glad we did it. It was hilarious,” says the now Mrs. Hofmann.

Photographer Anna, a close friend of the couple, added: “We made a forever memory and laughed so hard, everyone was crying.”

(WATCH the amusing video below) – Photos by SWNS

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After Years of Research, Scientists Finally Develop Army-Ready Pizza That Can Cheer Hungry Soldiers in the Field

By
John Large
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“Lean, mean, pizza-eating machines” may be the new recruiting slogan of the United States Army, because soldiers will soon be receiving the best combat-ready tool that they could possibly get: pizza.

An old adage states that “soldiers march on their stomachs” and the truth of this could not be understated. Since soldiers rely on MREs (meals ready to eat) in the field, Army scientists have spent two decades working around the clock to make food that is palatable, rather than the distasteful “mystery meat” predecessors.

In order to qualify for the field, food rations need to be able to survive everything from spending years in darkened storage to staving off insects and withstanding every kind of adverse weather condition on the planet. On top of that, scientists worry that typical food rations that are designed without taste in mind are bad for soldier morale.

With the end of the draft in 1972 and the beginning of the Gulf War in 1991, the culture of the Army has changed so that soldiers’ tastes have been taken into account. Even General Colin Powell, who was the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, came down from on high and told the Combat Feeding Directorate to “fix it” – the food.

CHECK OUT: University Becomes First to Offer Free Tuition to Children and Spouses of Fallen Service Members

Since that simple order was given, the scientists in charge of creating meals for the boys and girls in green have literally dug through the trash to see what soldiers choose to eat on their off time. These dumpster dives combined with military questionnaires revealed that soldiers have only one true desire: pizza.

Now, after years of surprisingly difficult development, the MRE pizza meal is ready for deployment.

“It scored pretty well, On our scale it got a seven. Nine is the highest. I think M&M’s get an eight,” Army food technologist Michelle Richardson told the New York Times. Few soldiers have reportedly had the opportunity to try this carb-bomb delight, but it is currently being shipped to military bases around the world.

RELATED: Two Veterans Have Spent an Unbelievable 15,000 Hours Driving Disabled Vets to the Hospital

Some civilians have already bought the pizza MREs online and given the pizza a rating ranging from “not bad” to something reminiscent of school lunch.

A spokesman for the Combat Feeding Directorate, David Accetta, gave his take, saying “You have to remember, these were designed to be eaten when you are wet, cold and hungry. They taste better then.”

The Times even interviewed Jeff Pond, a chef of an artisanal pizza restaurant from Area Four in Boston, in order to get the melty scoop.

MORE: Soldier Gets to Attend Mother’s Funeral After Kindness Delivers Her to the Doorstep

“There is a philosophy that no pizza is bad pizza,” he said while looking at the pouch, “but I’m wondering what I’ve gotten myself into.” Finally, after taking a few bites, he delivered his verdict. “You know, they’re not far off … It reminds me of the frozen pizzas I had as a kid.”

“I actually like this,” he said after a few more bites. “Think about it — their job, designing a pizza that will last, is much harder than what I do. It’s cool they would go through all that to deliver something like this for the average soldier.”

While it is not the most stellar review, the Army food technologists are probably pleased, given the circumstances: they managed to make a decent pizza that could last months in a pre-sealed pouch – and they did it in a way that could bring back memories of childhood slices.

Be Sure And Pie This Story Forward To Your Friends: Share It To Social Media – Photo by Senior Airman Marcus Morris / U.S. Air Force

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

By
McKinley Corbley
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A compassionate airline passenger ensured that a 20-year-old man was reunited with his lost wallet – along with a little extra something to make up for their time apart.

Hunter Shamatt first lost his wallet while he was on a Frontier Airlines flight from Omaha to attend his sister’s wedding in Las Vegas earlier this month.

Upon realizing that his wallet was lost, he contacted the airline to see if anyone had turned it in – but to no avail. Since the wallet contained his ID, a signed paycheck, his debit card, and $60 in cash, he “feared the worst”.

Shortly after the flight, however, Hunter was stunned to receive a package in the mail from an anonymous sender. Inside was his wallet – along with an additional $40 in cash.

WATCH: 48 Years After Reading the Christmas Card That Got Him Through the Vietnam War, He Finally Got to Meet the Sender

“Found this on a Frontier flight from Omaha to Denver-row 12, seat F wedged between the seat and wall,” read a letter that was enclosed with the package. “Thought you might want it back. All the best. PS: I rounded your cash up to an even $100 so you could celebrate getting your wallet back. Have fun!!!”

Hunter’s mother, Jeannie, posted a photo of the letter to social media in hopes that they would be able to track down the sender and thank them for their kindness. All they had to go on was that the letter was sent from Applied Underwriters in Omaha and the sender’s initials were signed: “T.B”.

The Good Samaritan was later identified as Todd Brown, a father-of-five who was delighted at the chance to “have a little fun” with helping out a hard-working stranger.

“I saw he was just a kid, 20 years old, he had a paycheck in there, so I figured, ‘Well, he’s doing his best to make ends meet,’ but I was 20 once, and that’s a lot of money for a kid,” Brown told Yahoo Lifestyle.

“They were very thankful. Hunter was very thankful. He told me he has some student loans and a car payment that he needed to make so the timing was right,” Brown added. “They assumed it was gone forever. So when he opened it, [Jeannie] said he just started screaming, ‘No way! No way!’”

RELATED: When Radio Station Hears About Mom Struggling to Care for Sick Son, They Give Her Surprise She Will Never Forget

Brown says that he often tries to do good deeds without any recognition, hence why he neglected to sign his full name on the letter, but Jeannie later insisted on praising the Nebraska native on social media.

“I try to teach my children to do the right things in life, help people when you can regardless of the outcome,” she wrote on Facebook. “This story is more about restoring faith in people than anything.

‘Everything in the wallet we could of replaced. We hear a lot of bad news but not enough good news. I personally want to thank Todd Brown and his wife for restoring faith that there are amazing people out there, the world is not as grim as it’s being made out to be.”

Be Sure And Share This Sweet Story Of Kindness With Your Friends On Social Media – Photo by Jeannie Shamatt

“Gratitude is a sign of maturity. Where there is appreciation: there is also courtesy and concern for the rights and property of others.” – Gordon B. Hinckley

By
Good News Network
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Quote of the Day:  “Gratitude is a sign of maturity. Where there is appreciation: there is also courtesy and concern for the rights and property of others.” – Gordon B. Hinckley

Photo: by Pablo Andres, CC license

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

Take a Look Inside Britain’s Tallest Cottage – It’s Filled With Fairies

By
Good News Network
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SWNS
SWNS
Written by Yasmin Harisha / SWNS

The stunning “House in the Clouds” is one of Britain’s tallest cottages and towers 70 feet above the surrounding landscape.

The 1920s structure was originally designed to hide an old water tower in the village, and included housing at the bottom for children’s author and poet Malcolm Mason.

Today it is the “fairytale home” of Sylvia Le Comber who has filled its interior with dozens of intricately crafted fairy dolls.

The fairies are scattered all around the house as a tribute to Mrs. Mason who featured them in her writings.

RELATED: Watch Artistic Hairdresser Use a Paint Roller to Create Beautiful Highlights in Woman’s Hair

The 78-year-old, who actually uses the “fairy house” as her home, said: “I have changed very little since I bought the house in 1976. The house looks exactly as was in 1922.”

The 5-story-tall home provides five bedrooms – two with double beds, three with twin beds – three bathrooms, drawing room, dining room and one room at the top where the water tank holding 50,000 gallons had been located.

SWNS

There is also one acre of private grounds surrounding the home, in Thorpeness, Suffolk which includes a tennis court.

The structure was built in 1923 to provide Aldringham Mill with water but was turned into a family home with impressive views across the Suffolk Coast.

MORE: Couple Fights Lawsuit Until Judge Rules They Can Keep Their “Starry Night” Home

The house was originally converted for Mrs. Mason by the Ogilvie family – farmers who used to own the Thorpeness village. Sylvia, who is has now retired, said Mason authored a book filled with poems all about fairies. Granted the home by the Ogilvie family she lived there with her children, and named it ‘House in the Clouds’.

SWNS

Mason wrote in her book about the home: “The fairies really own this house or so the children say. In fact, all of them moved in upon the same day.”

WATCH: This Jolly King Has Lived in His Sandcastle for the Last 22 Years

“It is funny because the number of fairies I have is constantly rising,” adds Sylvia. “More fairies keep arriving at the home, they just appear all of a sudden because someone has come round and dropped one off.”

“There is more than 30 fairies around my house all different shapes and sizes as well. There are so many I can’t keep count. People who come and stay find the fairies all over the house and it surprises me, as well, sometimes.

SWNS

“It’s lovely, I have big giant mushrooms that have grown at the front of my house and they are for the ‘real’ fairies… Well, that is what I tell people.”

The grandmother of three says she is thankful to own a house which is a well-known landmark and says it is great for when her family comes to visit.

CHECK OUT: Watch Diver Perform Expressive 6-Minute Dance Underwater in One Breath

“All the children love the fantasy of the house, as they see the mushrooms outside the house and imagine the fairies flying to the mushrooms.”

SWNS

Sylvia, who says she loves to continue to fuel the imagination of her young guests, adds: “It is quite an extraordinary house … It is lovely when the whole family comes.”

(WATCH the video to see the interior below)

Be Sure And Share This Stunning Piece With Your Friends On Social Media

DJ Spins Records From His Garden Shed Since 1974 for an Audience of One – His Wife

By
McKinley Corbley
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LISTEN to this story in our podcast, told by The Good News Guru (GNN Founder) on Friday’s radio broadcast with Ellen K on KOST-103.5 — Or, READ the story below… (Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes – or for Androids, on Podbean)

For the last 44 years, Deke Duncan has been spinning records from a studio in his garden shed for “the smallest audience in the country” – also known as his wife.

Because he did not have a radio license, Duncan was only able to ‘broadcast’ through a speaker placed in the living room of the home he shared with wife Teresa.

His friends in Stevenage, England would often join him for non-stop weekend broadcasts in which they would record all of their shows onto the same old spools of tape because they couldn’t afford to buy new ones.

WATCH: Man Takes Mom on Bucket List Adventure as Redemption for Unappreciative Younger Years

Though Duncan and his wife now live in the Greater Manchester area, he still plays records for her through their own special little radio setup – but now, his lifelong wish of broadcasting to a wider audience is coming true.

Back in October, BBC Archives tweeted a video interview they did with Duncan back in 1974, and it immediately prompted a social media search to find the self-made DJ.

When the radio network finally managed to track him down, they asked him to co-present on a morning show with BBC Three Counties host Justin Dealey.

While recording the radio segment, Dealey told Mr. Duncan that they had an even bigger surprise in store for him.

LOOK: Hospital Grants Dying Patient’s Last Wish For Wine, Cigarette

Dealey explained how – during Duncan’s vintage interview from almost half a century ago – he had mentioned that his “ultimate ambition” was to DJ for his city of Stevenage, which has a population of about 87,000 people.

The Three Counties host then played a recording of his station editor telling Mr. Duncan that they wanted him to be the DJ of his very own hour-long radio show over Christmas—playing music not only for one town, but for the hundreds of thousands of people living in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, and Buckinghamshire.

Now 73, the amateur DJ was beyond thrilled and emotional. “Pass the tissues,” he said, feeling speechless.

To top off the extraordinary saga, Host Dealey brought Deke Duncan back to the very home where he first started spinning records for his wife – and though the shed is no longer there, Duncan called the moment “magical”.

Be Sure And Share This Sweet Musical Story With Your Friends On Social Media – Photo by BBC Three Counties

If You Send a Free Online Letter to Santa, Macy’s Will Donate Money to Cheer Sick Children

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Good News Network
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You’re never too old to write a letter to Santa Claus – and now, a department store is offering to donate money to charity in exchange for your note.

For the eleventh year in a row, Macy’s is donating $1 for every letter to Santa for the first one million entries submitted on their website or through the red mailboxes located inside their stores.

All of the money pledged through their “Believe” campaign will be given to Make-A-Wish so the charity can grant the holiday wishes of sick children around the world.

Since 2003, Macy’s has donated more than $112 million to Make-A-Wish, including more than $17 million through the annual Believe campaign, helping grant more than 13,000 wishes and impact more than 2.6 million people, including wish kids and their families, volunteers, community groups, nurses, doctors, and more.

CHECK OUT: People Have Passively Planted Over 30 Million Trees Simply by Surfing the Web

“National Believe Day brings our Macy’s colleagues and customers together to help celebrate the holiday season by giving back in a big way,” said Sam Harrison, vice president of giving and volunteerism at Macy’s. “The amazing wishes bring unmatched joy and hope to children and families across the country, and Macy’s is thrilled to support such wonderful moments.”

“We have collected millions of letters throughout the years – each one representing an individual who was moved by the message of hope, love and generosity,” she added. “The result has been the creation of a holiday tradition for families across the country, and ultimately, wish fulfillments that deliver joy and hope to the most amazing children. Macy’s is incredibly proud to play a part in that magic.”

If you want to send a letter, Macy’s will be accepting the messages until December 24th – so if you don’t have to pay for stamps, what are you waiting for?

Be Sure And Send This To Everyone On Your Nice List By Sharing It To Social Media – Photo by Macy’s

Cotton Seeds May Soon Become a Game-Changing New Source of Food and Income

By
Ryan Morris
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After nearly two decades of research, this doctor has finally been given the go-ahead to start turning thousands of pounds of biowaste into food.

Last Tuesday was a career-defining moment for Dr. Keerti Rathore after his work in growing edible cotton seeds was approved for commercialization by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

Rathore managed to develop the edible cotton seeds by silencing a gene in the seeds that produced a toxin called gossypol. Once the seeds are made edible, they reportedly taste similar to hummus.

Now that the seeds have been approved, edible cottonseed could be an effective way to feed millions of people. Being naturally high in protein, the plant is expected to be beneficial for individuals living in countries where the diet is primarily low-protein, plant-based diets. The seed could be ground into a flour and implemented into various recipes and cuisines, all while remaining low in cost and incredibly abundant in supply.

RELATED: World’s First Pay-What-You-Can Grocery Store! It Saves Food Otherwise Destined for Trash

To illustrate the significance of this research and its potential, let’s do some quick math. Considering how the world produces 48.5 million tons of cotton each year, and each pound of cotton fiber produces 1.6 pounds of cottonseed, Rathore’s edible innovation could result in roughly 155 billion pounds of edible cottonseed annually, which would have a tremendous impact in the fight against world hunger and malnutrition.

“Growing up in rural India as the son of a doctor, I had seen the effects of malnutrition firsthand in my father’s patients,” said Rathore, according to AgriLife. “Many of their health issues were due to inadequate food and nutrition.”

By introducing this modified cotton for mass consumption, Rathore hopes to eradicate these issues. The seeds still need to be approved by the FDA, but Rathore is confident that it will receive the green light within the next few months.

CHECK OUT: Student Proves We Can Grow Millions of Pounds of Food By Planting it on Top of Trash

In addition to its impact on world hunger and malnutrition, Rathore’s research could also lead to a significant increase in revenue for farmers and the cotton industry at large.

“I also realized the value to cotton farmers everywhere … because such a product is likely to improve their income without any extra effort on their part or additional input,” said Rathore. “Such a product can also be important from the standpoint of sustainability because farmers will produce fiber, feed and food from the same crop.”

Plant Some Positivity Amongst Your Friends By Sharing The News To Social Media – Photo by AgriLife Today

“I have a very strong feeling that the opposite of love is not hate – it’s apathy.” – Leo Buscaglia

By
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Quote of the Day:  “I have a very strong feeling that the opposite of love is not hate – it’s apathy.” – Leo Buscaglia

Photo: by J. S., CC license

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23-Year-old Wins Top Prize for Cheap Bamboo Housing That Can Be Constructed in 4 Hours

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A 23-year-old Filipino inventor has just won a multi-thousand dollar prize for designing a cheap bamboo house that could be assembled in 4 hours.

Earl Forlales, who is from Manila, designed his “CUBO” housing as a means of solving the housing crisis in his home country. He drew inspiration for the innovative design from his grandparents’ bamboo cabin outside the city.

This week, the engineering grad was given the top $64,000 prize by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) for their Cities for Our Future competition. Forlales plans on using money to begin construction on the houses during the coming year.

Materials for the modular CUBO homes cost just $64 (£50) to manufacture—and growing the sustainable material will release 35% more oxygen than trees would, without causing soil degradation. He estimates being able to rent the housing for 0.20£ per person per day.

LOOK: These Will Be the First 3D-Printed Homes That You Can Actually Live In

“The world’s cities are growing all the time and there is a real need to make sure they are safe, clean and comfortable places to live for future generations,” said John Hughes, the competition’s head judge and Rics president.

“There were many exciting, original designs among the submissions. However, Earl’s idea stood out for its simple yet well thought through solution to the world’s growing slum problem.

“As we look at our entrants, who are our next generation of leaders, I believe that real progress will be made in tackling the world’s biggest issues.”

See an overview video of how this design can serve as a great alternative for very low-income housing… (Note: The audio is only music, so you can turn speaker down.)

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48 Years After Reading the Christmas Card That Got Him Through the Vietnam War, He Finally Got to Meet the Sender

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It’s been almost fifty years since John Metzler received the Christmas card from Donna Caye that meant so much to him.

At the time, he was a 23-year-old helicopter sniper who was in the middle of fighting in the Vietnam War – and while his time overseas was brutal, he says there was one thing that kept him going: a small note that was mailed to him on Christmas Day from a little girl back in the United States.

Caye, who was in the sixth grade at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church and School, wrote inside the card: “Dear Serviceman … I want to give my sincere thanks for going over to war to fight for us. The class hopes you will be able to come home.”

Metzler is now a 71-year-old Army veteran, but he still keeps the card on a shelf in his Wendell, Idaho home.

RELATED: When Student Accepts Stranger’s Accidental Invitation to a Funeral, She Becomes ‘Brightest’ Part of the Day

“Fact is I think it means more today than it did when I got it,” John told CBS News.

He recently asked his family members to try and track Caye down so he could meet her, but they told him they couldn’t find her. Little did he know, however, his family had found Caye—and they arranged for her to fly out to Idaho from her home in Florida so she could surprise Metzler.

Needless to say, their meeting was incredibly emotional.

(WATCH the tear-jerking video below or our international viewers can watch it on the CBS website) – Photo by CBS News

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South Korea is Shutting Down Their Largest Dog Slaughterhouse and Turning It into a Public Park

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By Michael Bernard, HSI

Animal rights activists are rejoicing over South Korean officials closing down the largest dog meat slaughterhouse in the country.

The Taepyeong-dong complex in Seongnam previously hosted six slaughterhouses that supplied much of the country’s demand. This week, however, officials started tearing down the facilities and turning the grounds into a public park.

The closure of the complex comes at a time when dog meat consumption is declining rapidly in South Korea, particularly among younger generations. A survey from June shows that 70% of South Koreans say they will not eat dog meat in future, and a series of recent moves to curb the dog meat trade reflects a society increasingly ill at ease with the practice.

In April this year, a district court in Bucheon fined a farmer under the Animal Protection Act for unlawful animal slaughter, ruling that meat consumption was not a legal justification to kill dogs. In August, Seoul City announced there will be no more dog slaughterhouses at Kyungdong Market in Dongdaemun. In that same month operators of an illegal dog slaughterhouse were prosecuted for water pollution, and President Moon Jae-In’s Blue House pledged to consider removing dogs and cats from the legal definition of livestock.

RELATED: Simon Cowell Donates Over $32,000 to Close Down South Korean Dog Meat Farm

“Both as a Korean citizen and an animal campaigner, it was incredibly moving for me to a part of the historic closure of this notorious dog slaughterhouse,” said Nara Kim of Humane Society International in a statement.

By Michael Bernard, Humane Society International

“This really feels like a landmark moment in the demise of the dog meat industry in South Korea, and sends the clear message that the dog meat industry is increasingly unwelcome in Korean society.”

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Generosity Pays: Selfless People Tend to Make More Money

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What happens to those who behave unselfishly and make sacrifices for the sake of others? You might be surprised to hear that greed may not be the path to prosperity.

According to an interdisciplinary study by researchers from Stockholm University, the Institute for Futures Studies, and the University of South Carolina, unselfish people tend both to receive higher salaries, in comparison to more selfish people.

“The result is clear in both the American and the European data. The most unselfish people receive the highest salaries. And we also find this result over time – the people who are most generous at one point in time have the largest salary increases when researchers revisit them later in time,” says Kimmo Eriksson, researcher at the Centre for Cultural Evolution at Stockholm University and one of the authors of the study.

The results of the study, which have now been published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, are contrary to theories that selfish people manage to get their hands on more money through their selfishness, as suggested in previous research.

RELATED: When Town Superman Needs Help, Community Rallies Behind Him to Raise Thousands

Previous psychological and sociological research has shown that unselfish people are happier and have better social relationships, but this study focuses on unselfishness from an economical and evolutionary perspective.

In this collaboration with the Institute for Futures Studies and the University of South Carolina, researchers at Stockholm University have looked at how selfishness relates to income and family size. Selfishness was measured partly through attitudes and partly through reported behaviors according to the analyses of four major studies of Americans and Europeans.

Unselfishness is defined in the study as the desire to help others because you care about their welfare. Therefore, attitudes concern how important a person thinks it is to help others and care about their welfare. The behaviors concerned how often and how much the person engaged in various help behaviors, e.g. giving money or their time to help others.

MORE: 18-Year-Old Drives 225 Miles to Make Pizzeria’s First and Only Delivery After Receiving Special Phone Call

“In a separate study, we examined the expectations of ordinary people to see if their expectations aligned with our data. The results of this study showed that people generally have the correct expectation that selfish people have fewer children, but erroneously believe that selfish people will make more money. It is nice to see that generosity so often pays off in the long run,” says Pontus Strimling, one of the authors behind the study.

The authors themselves believe that improved social relationships may be the key to generous peoples’ success from an economic perspective, but note that their research does not definitely answer this question.

“Future research will have to delve deeper into the reasons why generous people earn more, and look at whether the link between unselfishness, higher salaries and more children also exists in other parts of the world. And it is of course debatable how unselfish it really is to have more children,” says co-author Brent Simpson of University of South Carolina.

(Source: Stockholm University) – Photo by CheapFullCoverageAutoInsurance.com, CC By 2.0

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“Whether the glass is half-empty or half-full depends on what one is drinking.” – Kim Wood

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Quote of the Day:  “Whether the glass is half-empty or half-full depends on what one is drinking.” – Kim Wood

Photo: by Evangelio Gonzalez, CC license

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

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