Man Wins Multi-Million Jackpot for Christmas Thanks to His Wife Urging Him to Check the Ticket

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Dec 21, 2018

Frank Kaminsky has no issue catching rebounds or maintaining his grip on a basketball – so it’s only natural he could handle carrying his neighbor’s child down 49 flights of stairs during a bomb threat earlier this week.

In a strange turn of events, Kaminsky’s night went from his daily post-practice session of playing Fortnite and eating Cheez-Its to evacuating his apartment building in Charlotte, North Carolina due to a bomb threat.

“I had to walk down 49 stories because they shut off the elevators. Instead of grabbing my keys and my wallet, I grabbed a box of Cheez-Its for the long journey down,” Kaminsky, who plays as a center for the Hornets basketball team, recalled to the Charlotte Observer.

By the time he had already made it down three stories, he suddenly encountered a struggling neighbor. Seeing that she was trying to balance her child, her dog, and some valuables, Kaminsky set aside his Cheezits and helped her by carrying her baby down the last 46 flights of stairs.

When asked about the event, Kaminsky chuckled, saying: “I’m just a good Samaritan, not a hero.”

While it wasn’t long before the residents were allowed to go back inside, the NBA center said that he was content to wait for the elevators to be turned back on so he didn’t have to take on the 49-flight journey a second time.

Score Big With Your Friends By Sharing The Good News To Social Media – Photo by Frank Kaminsky

“It’s not what happens to you that determines how far you will go in life; it is how you handle what happens to you.” – Zig Ziglar

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Dec 21, 2018

Quote of the Day: “It’s not what happens to you that determines how far you will go in life; it is how you handle what happens to you.” – Zig Ziglar

Photo: by Meg Lauber, CC license on Flickr

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Retiree Has Driven Over 64,000 Miles to Ensure Low-Income Students Can Get to Class

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Dec 20, 2018

Regardless of the weather, the driving conditions, or the distance, you can bet that New York native Paul Goetchius will make sure low-income students arrive to their college classes on time.

A retired environmental toxicologist (and wonderful conversationalist, according to the students), 76-year-old Goetchius has been offering free rides to college students for the past 8 years. Since he first started volunteering his automobile to the youngsters, Goetchius has logged an astounding 64,000 miles, and has shared a countless amount of meaningful, insightful, and often humorous conversations with the students he transports to and from school.

The students he’s driven have gone on to become physicians, teachers, and visual marketers, but what they also gotten out of their time in school is finding Goetchius as a role model and a friend. Some students even call him “Grandpa”.

26-year-old Nina Irby received rides from Goetchius for all four years she was in college, and the trips meant much more to her than just free transportation.

LOOK: Human Chain of People Help Move A Bookstore, Book By Book

“It’s not just a ride, you’re not just sitting there in awkward silence or with your headphones on,” Irby told the Washington Post. “He asks you questions and actually remembers the answers, so the next time you ride with him, he’ll check in on those things.”

Goetchius first started volunteering as a student driver through the nonprofit On Point for College. Although the program only asks its volunteers to drive students to and from their classes, Goetchius often goes above and beyond to ensure the welfare and safety of the students. If they have issues with registration, Goetchius is there to assist them. If their dorm room doesn’t have window screens or air conditioning, Goetchius will drive to the nearest Home Depot and purchase what’s needed. If a student gets hungry on the long drives to and from class, Goetchius never hesitates to get them a meal – which he always insists on paying for.

For many students, Goetchius’s help is not only appreciated, it’s entirely necessary for them to be able to complete their college education. Some students don’t have a reliable car, while others have to share vehicles with parents who work 6 days a week. For them, riding with Goetchius has allowed them to complete their education – but according Goetchius, he benefits just as much from the experience.

“I just love driving, and I love these kids,” the septuagenarian told the Post. “I like to drive, and it’s such a blessing and a privilege to be a part of these kids’ lives, even just for a few hours, getting to know them and hearing their stories.”

Drive This Story To Your Friends By Sharing It To Social Media – Photo by Barbara Goetchius

U.S. Just Finalized the Largest Offshore Wind Sale in the Nation’s History

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MORE: ‘City of the Future’ is First Solar-Powered Town in America – and It Was Created by a Former NFL Player

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Dec 20, 2018

Offshore Wind Turbines-CC Andy Dingley via Wikipedia Commons — File photo by Andy Dingley, CC

In an exciting new display of America’s shift towards sustainability, the government has just leased out 390,000 acres of federally-owned waters for offshore wind farming.

The leasing rights collectively sold for $405.1 million, making it the largest offshore wind deal in the nation’s history.

The land is located just off the coast of Rhode Island and Martha’s Vineyard. According to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), they decided to auction off the rights to the land after they were approached by two different power companies that expressed interest in using the acreage for wind turbines.

It was not just the two companies that ended up competing for the land, however – the auction ended up attracting 11 different bidders.

“These lease prices and the fact that we had 19 companies eligible to bid on these leases is great news for the overall US offshore wind marketplace,” said Liz Burdock, President & CEO of the Business Network for Offshore Wind.

“Remember that just three years ago, these lease areas had no bidders at all. This strong interest from the offshore wind marketplace demonstrates the economic potential of the offshore wind industry,” she added.

Earlier this week, the leasing rights were sold to three different renewable energy companies: Equinor, Vineyard Wind and Mayflower Energy.

All three of them paid $135 million for a portion of the land, which shattered the previous record for offshore wind deals that was set in 2016 when energy company Statoil reportedly paid $45 million for a portion of the waters off the coast of New York.

The companies will now be submitting assessment reports and building plans to BOEM for review and approval. Provided the plans pass environmental assessment and show that the farms will not interfere with the local fishing industry, the companies could begin building the turbines anytime within the next few years.

Forbes hailed the sale as a “rare bipartisan success story”, and they estimate that the farms could collectively generate up to 4.1 gigawatts of wind energy, which is enough to power more than 1 million New England homes.

Blow Your Friends Away With The Good News: Share It To Social Media – File Photo by Andy Dingley, CC

Watch Homeless Man Delight in Giving Away $100 Bills to Strangers on Behalf of Secret Santa

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

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Dec 20, 2018

A Secret Santa in Phoenix, Arizona enlisted the help of an unlikely elf to spread some Christmas cheer earlier this week.

An anonymous, kind-hearted businessman asked a homeless man named Moses Elder to hand out $100 bills to complete strangers who he believed demonstrated kindness or a need for generosity.

Elder was given $3,000 in total for his mission, and he started by standing on the street and holding out a cup to ask pedestrians for loose change. Some people hurried past him, while others stopped and offered him their money – and those who did were in for a complete surprise.

In exchange for acknowledging him, Elder would hand them a $100 bill and thank them for their “kind heart”, or he would simply exclaim “God bless” as they parted ways – and many people who received the cash gifts had to fight back tears.

Most of them didn’t expect someone who is homeless to offer anything back, and that’s the exact notion that the Secret Santa wanted to expel with his gift-giving.

“You know, it’s a myth that the homeless just take. From my experience, the people with the least give the most of what they have,” the Secret Santa told CBS News.

One of the people who received cash from Elder was Danny McCoy, a father of 7 kids who was struggling to provide Christmas gifts for his family.

While most of Elder’s cash recipients where strangers, he did offer some money to two people he knew from church. One man received $400, while a homeless mother-of-five received $500.

Needless to say, Santa was sure to give Elder some money as well, but the homeless man said that the best part of the entire experience was being able to show kindness and help others in need.

“Today we changed a lot of people’s lives. But I believe my life was changed the most,” Elder told CBS News – and his holiday benefactor would agree.

“You know, kindness is a bridge between all people, so if you’re ever down, and you want to lift yourself up, go do something kind for somebody,” said the Secret Santa.

(WATCH the emotional footage below)

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Family Accidentally Transforms Weed Growing From the Sidewalk into a Beloved Charlie Brown Tree

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WATCH: Firefighter Dresses Like Buddy The Elf And Starts Pillow Fights With Shoppers–and it’s Hilarious

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Dec 20, 2018

This roadside weed has become the beating Yuletide heart of its city thanks to how its residents took some time to show it a little love.

It all started in early December when 20-year-old Alyssa Emrick and her family were driving through Toledo, Ohio. They were stopped at a busy intersection when the college student noticed an impressively tall weed growing out of a crack in the sidewalk.

Emrick remarked on how it resembled the sparse little tree from the Charlie Brown’s Christmas special. Her dad then suggested that they all pitch in to decorate it – and once her brother and grandmother agreed to the festive scheme, they pulled over at a local convenience store to buy ornaments and tinsel.

They quickly raced over to the sad piece of greenery and brightened it up with their decorations before heading home.

Over the course of the next few days, Emrick was delighted to see pictures of the festooned Christmas weed appearing on her social media feeds. She was surprised, however, when the photos started to show that more and more decorations were appearing on the tree.

One of the photos showed that someone had hung ornaments on the weed’s branches; another person then wrapped it up in Christmas lights; and while it wasn’t Linus’s blanket, someone else added a tree skirt to the base of the weed.

People became so enthralled by the jolly community hotspot, a Facebook page was created for the Toledo Christmas Weed so people could post their pictures of the shrub.

LOOK: Read the Amusing Card That Two Cheeky Mailmen Have Been Sending to Each Other for 43 Years

The contributions didn’t stop at decorations, either – soon after the weed started to garner more decorations, wrapped presents, warm winter clothing, and non-perishable food items started to accumulate under the weed.

One family posed with the shrub for their yearly Christmas photo. Carolers on the Toledo Christmas Weed Facebook page made plans to sing carols at the intersection.

On top of all of that, the weed now shows up on Google Maps as a city attraction.

A local Grinch tried to spoil the fun by stealing the Christmas weed – but someone else immediately replaced it with a dead potted houseplant.

MORE: JetBlue is Delivering Gift-Wrapped People to Their Loved Ones for Christmas

People continued to leave so many gifts and donations under the Toledo Christmas weed, it almost became invisible under the avalanche of free toys, food, and clothing. The outpouring of garlands even stretched to a nearby streetlight so that its base was wrapped in stockings, bows, and wrapping paper.

Furthermore, the mayor of Toledo recently released an official city proclamation that celebrated the beloved Christmas weed.

Emrick, meanwhile, was stunned.

“We were mind-blown,” Emrick told The Washington Post. “We just expected people would see it and smile.”

But according to Toledo residents, the real-life Charlie Brown tree had become so much more.

“A community coming together and creating something beautiful out of a weed – there is a lesson to be learned here; With love, caring and attention anything, and anyone can be a light to others. I thank you. Happy Christmas to all,” wrote one resident.

CHECK OUT: Secret Santa Pays Off $430,000 of Layaway Items at Walmart – Turns Out it Was Tyler Perry

Emrick also has an idea about why a shrub became such a beloved part of the city.

“People are looking for positivity in the world,” she told The Post. “The fact that people saw this small little weed and were able to make it a community project, they’re trying to focus on the good.”

Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown! Be Sure And Share This With Your Friends On Social Media

“Music is not technique and melody, but the meaning of life itself, infinitely sorrowful and unbearably beautiful.” – Pearl Buck

Quote of the Day

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Dec 20, 2018

Quote of the Day: “Music is not technique and melody, but the meaning of life itself, infinitely sorrowful and unbearably beautiful.” – Pearl Buck

Photo: by Mari Ma, CC license on Flickr

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Tattoo Shop Has Been Giving Away Free Services to Anyone Who Brings in Clothing for the Homeless

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Dec 19, 2018

A Nebraska tattoo shop owner has given away thousands of dollars worth of free services in exchange for clothing that he can give to the homeless.

Mark Hennant, who is the owner of the Ink Link Tattoo shop in Nebraska, first started asking for donations over one month ago. Initially, the shop was offering free tattoo certificates in exchange for donated gloves, warm hats, winter coats, boots, and new socks and underwear.

Needless to say, the donations started pouring in. In fact, the shop received so many donations, they were forced to downsize their offer to certificates that were only worth 50% off of their tattoos followed by simply offering $20 worth of store credit for every item of important winter clothing.

To Hennant’s delight, however, the donations have kept coming, resulting in thousands of articles of clothing – and he says he doesn’t plan on stopping his mission anytime soon.

“It does feel good to help people, but it also just makes you realize, you know, how much people need,” Hinnant told KETV, adding that he would “keep it going, you know, because the winter is a long way from over.”

(WATCH the video below) – Photo by Ink Link Tattoo

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Watch Magician Perform Magic Tricks for Bewildered Shelter Dogs in Hopes of Getting Them Adopted

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Dec 19, 2018

As a means of encouraging people to adopt a homeless pup before the holidays, this magician performed magic tricks for the dogs in order to show off their unique personalities.

In a clip that was uploaded by the TBS television network, magician John Stessel used his sleight of hand to make treats magically disappear.

Some of the confused canines could not contain their surprise, while others simply shrugged off the let-down and asked for head scratches instead.

Stessel performed the trick for about a dozen different dogs, and every single one of their reactions is cuter than the last.

Unless they have already been taken home by enchanted viewers, then all of the dogs are available for adoption at the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter in New York City.

Although considering how the video has already wracked up over 1 million views in two days, it’s quite possible that some of these cute canines have already found loving homes.

Additionally, the shelter has been continuing their holiday tradition of waiving adoption fees until January 6th.

(WATCH the adorable video below) – Photo by TBS

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World’s First Cell-Grown Steak Doesn’t Cause Harm to Animals

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Dec 19, 2018

Scientists have succeeded in growing the world’s first cell-based steak that was created in a lab without causing any harm to cows.

Israeli startup company Aleph Farms says that the lab-grown meat has the exact same texture and smell as that of regular steak. Though the taste is still fairly similar to the real deal, the researchers want to develop the steak so that it is thicker and identical to the taste of animal steak.

The steak prototype currently costs about $50 to make, which the company says is “not insane” compared to the $285,000 price tag of the first lab-grown beefburger that was developed in 2013. Additionally, the steaks are expected to become even cheaper as demand increases and production is expanded to a commercial scale.

The steak has already been put to the test in a real kitchen, too – Amir Ilan, who is a chef at the Paris Texas restaurant in Ramat Gan, Israel, praised the lab-grown achievement.

“Aleph Farms’ steak is thinly sliced and will cook in just a minute or so,” says Ilan. “For me, it is a great experience to eat meat that has the look and feel of beef but has been grown without antibiotics and causes no harm to animals or the environment.

Cell-grown meat is typically grown using a few cells of a living animal, which are extracted painlessly. These cells are then nourished and grown to produce a complex matrix that replicates muscle tissue.

One of the barriers to grown-meat production has been getting the various cell types to interact with each other in order to build a complete tissue structure similarly to an animal’s. The challenge is finding the right nutrient combinations that allow the multicellular matrix to efficiently grow together into a complete structure.

MORE: Animal Activist Makes Historic Deal With Meat Market to Close All Slaughterhouses

The company managed to overcome this obstacle thanks to a bio-engineering platform developed in collaboration with the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa.

“We’re shaping the future of the meat industry — literally,” says Didier Toubia, co-founder and CEO of Aleph Farms. “Making a patty or a sausage from cells cultured outside the animal is challenging enough – imagine how difficult it is to create a whole-muscle steak. [But for us], this is not science fiction. We’ve transformed the vision into reality by growing a steak under controlled conditions. The initial products are still relatively thin, but the technology we developed marks a true breakthrough and a great leap forward in producing a cell-grown steak.”

CHECK OUT: In Bid to Cut Food Waste, Kellogg’s is Using Their Rejected Cornflakes to Make Beer

The steak is expected to be commercially available sometime in the next four years. Since large-scale agriculture is one of the largest contributors of greenhouse gases, accounting for roughly 9% of the world’s emissions in 2016, the steak could be a big game-changer in the fight against climate change.

Toubia, however, emphasizes that his company is not planning on replacing smaller-scale livestock businesses that boast more ethically raised, grass-fed cattle – they only want to take a stance against factory farming.

“We are not against traditional agriculture,” Toubia told The Guardian. “The main issue today is with intensive, factory farming facilities, which are very inefficient and very polluting and have lost the relationship to the animal.”

(WATCH the video below) – Photo by Aleph Farms

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Student-Designed Electric Car Breaks World Record by Crossing Australia in 6 Days Using Only $50 of Power

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MORE: Solar Panels Recoup Cost Faster by Following Sun From Dawn Till Dusk, Thanks to Clever Teen Scientist

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Dec 19, 2018

A team of 14 college students have just set a Guinness world record with a solar-powered car that drove across Australia in 6 days using only $50 worth of energy.

The car, which has affectionally been named Violet, broke the record for using the lowest amount of energy on a cross-country drive earlier this month after it traveled roughly 2,500 miles (4,100 kilometers) from Perth to Sydney – and it arrived at its destination two days ahead of schedule.

The car was designed by the student-led Sunswift team at the University of New South Wales.

“I’m so excited we made it,” said 20-year-old Courtney Morris, a mechanical engineering student involved with the project. “It’s always so nerve-wracking to see the car that you built with your own hands on the road; I’m always afraid that something could change at any moment, but it all went pretty well and the team dynamic was great.”

To set the record, the team had to keep the car’s energy consumption to under 5.5 kilowatt hours (kWh) for every 62 miles. Actual energy consumption throughout the journey was an average of 3.25kWh per 62 miles, which is about 17 times less than an average Australian car.

By traveling an average of 372 miles (600 kilometers) a day, Violet used about the same energy per day as that of a standard household. When the vehicle is coasting at just 37 miles per hour (60kph), it uses about the same amount of energy as a four slice toaster.

“These students have pushed the boundaries of modern engineering and proven that solar powered cars are likely to be a big part of Australia’s motoring future,” said UNSW Dean of Engineering Professor Mark Hoffman, who was waiting for the students at the finish line.

“They worked extremely hard to prepare for this journey and despite setbacks, they’ve shown resilience, bounced back like professionals and got on with the job. This is what a university degree should entail – actual, hands-on experience and overcoming real-world challenges. I am incredibly proud of the calibre of young adults we have studying here at UNSW. A wholehearted congratulations to every one of you.”

Drive This Good News Story To Your Friends By Sharing It On Social Media – Photo by University of New South Wales

When Icy Roads Delay School Day, Bus Driver Buys 50 Breakfast Meals for His Students

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Joao Freitas

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Dec 19, 2018

Due to how icy roads delayed an Alabama school from opening, staffers announced that they would not be able to serve breakfast to the kids – but this bus driver was not about to let his students go through their classes while hungry.

Wayne Price had already picked up a lot of the students on his route for Montevallo Elementary School – so when the school announced that there wouldn’t be any time for breakfast, Price purchased 50 McDonald’s breakfast biscuits for his young passengers.

The school later made a Facebook post to highlight their driver’s good deed, saying: “Mr. Price, one of our bus drivers, truly demonstrates the spirit of Christmas!

“On Tuesday, when school was delayed due to icy roads and we weren’t able to serve breakfast, he purchased biscuits from McDonald’s for his entire bus of students! What a kind act that our students will forever remember! Thank you, Mr. Price, for making a lasting impact in the lives of our students!”

Price has since been praised for his kindness across social media platforms and news outlets – but according to some Facebook comments, the compassionate gesture wasn’t exactly out of the ordinary.

“Anyone who knows Wayne Price would know that this isn’t a random moment,” said Facebook user Derek Wilson. “In the almost 20 years of knowing him, I’ve seen this man give so much of himself to his community. I’ve experienced first hand the hope and guidance he brings to people who may not find it anywhere else. I’m glad he’s getting the acknowledgment he deserves.”

WATCH: ‘Coolest Bus Driver Ever’ Halts Pedestrian Accident in London

At the same time, Montevallo’s hero does not seem to think much of his act of kindness.

“You can drop $50 going out to dinner, and it was nothing more than taking my family out to dinner”, Price told WBMA-LD. “We get caught up in materialistic things, even buying biscuits to a certain element is a little materialistic, but Christmas is giving. Christmas is showing love,” he concluded with a smile.

Be Sure And Drive This Story To Your Friends By Sharing It To Social Media – File Photo by Coastline09, CC

“It is not good for all our wishes to be filled. Through sickness we recognize the value of health; through evil, the value of good; through hunger, the value of food.” – Greek Proverb

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Dec 19, 2018

Quote of the Day: “It is not good for all our wishes to be filled. Through sickness we recognize the value of health; through evil, the value of good; through hunger, the value of food.” – Greek Proverb

Photo: by Keith Williams, CC license on Flickr

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From No Cure To No Trace, Texas Girl’s Inoperable Brain Tumor Disappears

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Dec 18, 2018

A girl’s inoperable brain tumor has vanished—and her doctors have no explanation.

In June, Roxli Doss was diagnosed with a rare cancerous tumor known as diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, or DIPG.

Dr. Virginia Harrod with Dell Children’s Medical Center in Austin, Texas, said the 11-year-old went through weeks of radiation, even though there is no cure.

The family and community members prayed for a miracle, and they got it.

“When I first saw Roxli’s MRI scan, it was actually unbelievable,” Harrod told news reporters.

“The tumor is (now) undetectable on the MRI scan, which is really unusual.”

WATCH the USA Today video below and hear from the parents…

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Unique New Study Proves Pharmacists Working in Barbershops Drastically Improves Men’s Health

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Dec 18, 2018

This unique healthcare initiative is improving men’s health simply by utilizing their regular trips to a barbershop.

Based on previous research suggesting that people are more likely to accept medical advice if they’re in familiar environments, pharmacists have spent the last 12 months working in barbershops so they can prescribe, monitor, and adjust blood pressure medication for African-American men, one of the most at-risk demographics for high blood pressure and hypertension.

The novel study, which was published in the journal Circulation earlier this week, involved 52 Los Angeles County barbershops. The new set of of data backs up previous research which proves that a pharmacist-led, barbershop-based medical intervention can successfully lower blood pressure in high-risk African-American men.

“Our initial six-month data showed a marked reduction of blood pressure in the intervention group,” said Adair Blyler, an author on the study and one of two clinical pharmacists from the Smidt Heart Institute Cedars-Sinai who traveled to the black-owned barbershops to treat patients.

“Now, our 12-month data shows that this significant reduction in blood pressure can be sustained, and in some cases, even improved, despite fewer in-person visits with a pharmacist,” added Blyler.

The study was led by the late Ronald G. Victor, one of the world’s foremost experts on hypertension and community-based healthcare interventions. Victor was the first to study, and prove, that high-risk populations are more likely to be receptive to medical care in an environment where they’re most comfortable.

MORE: The Proven Health Benefits of Positive News—and How to Deal With the Reality Today

“This study will have a lasting impact on one of our nation’s most at-risk populations when it comes to high blood pressure,” said Eduardo Marbán, director of the Smidt Heart Institute. “As an institution, we are proud of these results and know Ron Victor would have been proud to see his vision produce such successful results that will have a positive effect on thousands of lives.”

Patients with hypertension have a blood pressure score above 130 over 80, although those with the first number above 120 are now considered to have elevated blood pressure. If left untreated, hypertension can lead to heart failure, stroke and kidney disease. It’s often considered a silent killer because patients typically don’t feel symptoms.

CHECK OUT: Give Yourself a Break – New Research Says Kicking Back in a Sauna Has Surprising Health Benefits

According to the research, at 12 months, the average systolic blood pressure – the top number in a blood pressure reading – fell by nearly 29 mmHg in the intervention group and by 7.2 mmHg in the control group – a difference of just over 21 mmHg.

With these positive results, Smidt Heart Institute researchers will now shift their focus to identifying cost-effective ways to broaden barbershop-based care and implement this novel model to other high-risk communities outside of Los Angeles County.

Cure Your Friends Of Negativity By Sharing The Good News To Social Media – Photo by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Newly-Discovered Cave Big Enough to Fit the Statue of Liberty Proves the World is Still a Wondrous Place

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WATCH: After Planting a Tree Every Day for 40 Years, Man Has Created Blossoming Forest on Barren Wasteland

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Dec 18, 2018

A “honking big” cave has been discovered tucked away in the rugged Canadian landscape – and geologists are in awe of its magnitude.

The cave, which is located in British Columbia’s Wells Gray Provincial Park, was first spotted by researchers when they were performing a routine caribou survey by helicopter. From their air-borne position, it looked like a black hole amidst a sea of snow.

After waiting for the snow to melt, the researchers raised about $5,000 – a large chunk of which came out of their own pockets – for a day-long expedition. They returned to the massive void in early September and were stunned by what they found.

At its opening, the cave is 330 feet in length and almost 200 feet across – which is wide enough to comfortably accommodate the State of Liberty.

John Pollack, who is a governor of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and an archeological surveyor who went on the expedition, revealed the existence of the cave in an interview with Canadian Geographic explaining the enormity of the discovery.

“I’ve been in some of the biggest caves in the world, and this thing has an entrance that is truly immense, and not just by Canadian standards,” said Pollack.

“The opening is 100 meters long by 60 meters wide, and when you’re standing on the edge looking down into it, your line of sight is nearly 600 feet [183 meters],” added Pollack. “You don’t get lines of sight of 600 feet in Canadian caves — it just doesn’t happen. And this is a shaft. It goes down quite precipitously, it had a large amount of water flowing into it and is wide open for as far down it that we’ve gone.

“The scale of this thing is just huge,” he added, “and about as big as they come in Canada.”

The pit as been affectionately dubbed the “Sarlaac Pit” in a reference to the tentacled creature that briefly appears in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. The name is only temporary, however, as the British Columbian parks department is currently consulting First Nations tribes to see if the cave has already been given a more culturally significant name.

Researchers are also keeping the location of the cave a secret not only to keep the area unsullied by human presence, but also to prevent amateur mountaineers from attempting to explore the fissure because “this cave is truly in the middle of nowhere,” Pollack added in his interview with the geological magazine.

“We don’t even think it’s feasible for someone to walk in and do anything. You might be able to reach it, but you couldn’t bring in enough equipment to do anything about it. It’s out there in mountainous terrain, surrounded by glaciers and at the bottom of a 45-degree avalanche slope that rises 2,000 to 2,500 feet above it, meaning you can’t go to it in winter. The only time you can really do anything there is in September, when the water flow is at its lowest. This is a wild place.”

(WATCH the video taken by Catherine Hickson below)

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Newlyweds Celebrate Tying the Knot By Bringing Wedding Guests to Shop for Toys to Give Away

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Dec 18, 2018

A Florida couple celebrated their wedding day by taking their entire reception party to buy gifts that they could donate to needy children.

Brad and Jennifer Bond’s unique wedding reception stemmed from when they first started dating seven years ago.

According to WESH, Brad always knew that Jennifer was the one he was destined to marry – so when they were on their first date, Brad introduced her to one of his family traditions.

Since Christmas is a special holiday for Brad’s family, they always go shopping for gifts that they can donate to Toys for Tots – and he took Jennifer to do the very same thing.

Jennifer and Brad have been continuing the special tradition every year since that first date, so when they finally tied the knot earlier this week, they brought all of their guests to a Target in Orlando to shop for goodies to donate.

They gave all of their guests $10 gift cards to spend on the toys, but according to WESH, everyone spent much more than that.

(WATCH the news coverage below) – Photo by WESH

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“Let them call it mischief. When it is past and prospered, it will be virtue.” – Ben Jonson

Quote of the Day

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Dec 18, 2018

Quote of the Day: “Let them call it mischief. When it is past and prospered, it will be virtue.” – Ben Jonson, Elizabethan playwright, poet

Photo: copyright GWC

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After Learning From Deadly Mistakes in the Past, 7.0 Magnitude Earthquake Resulted in Zero Casualties in the City

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