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Amazon’s Bezos Makes Small Amends, Gives $2 Billion to Help Homeless Families and Create Free Preschools

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With cuts in recent years to government preschool program Head Start, and more of the program’s funds on the chopping block in Washington, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has decided to devote $2 billion to benefit homeless families and education.

Alongside mounting pressures on the Seattle billionaire to pay his workers more money, he has this week, along with his wife, MacKenzie, committed a fraction of his wealth to serving low income families with the creation of the “Day 1 Fund”.

The philanthropic effort will divide its money between the Day 1 Families Fund, which will help homeless families, and the Day 1 Academics Fund, which will create a “network of new, non-profit, tier-one preschools in low-income communities.” They will be Montessori-inspired, and free to underserved families.

“By so many important measures the world keeps getting better, (but)… if our own great grandchildren don’t have lives better than ours, something has gone very wrong,” wrote Bezos, who also owns the Washington Post.

RELATED: Banker Picks Up College Tuition for School’s Entire Graduating Class… Again

Last year he solicited ideas on Twitter for ways he could make a difference with his estimated $164 billion fortune.

“I want to thank everyone who sent me [charity] suggestions, and for the inspiring examples of innovation I see every day, large and small. It fills me with gratitude and optimism to be part of a species so bent on self-improvement.”

There were no other details announced regarding how the funding will be used, but some are speculating that he will use it to mitigate homelessness in Seattle, where Amazon fought to defeat a proposed tax that would have helped the city raise money to pay for homeless services.

Help Your Friends Find The Good News By Sharing This To Social Media – Photo by Seattle City Council, CC

“Most powerful is he who has himself in his own power.” – Marcus Seneca

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Quote of the Day: “Most powerful is he who has himself in his own power.” – Marcus Seneca

Photo: by Brett Curtiss, 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?

Half-Marathon Ditches Plastic Water Bottles in Favor of Edible Water Pouches

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Remember when news outlets were reporting on these funny-looking blobs back in 2017? Well, they will now be replacing plastic water bottles at a half-marathon in England.

Marathons are notorious for generating massive amounts of plastic waste through their excessive utilization of single-use water bottles – so as a means of helping out the environment, the Ooho! water pouches will be handed out to runners during the Harrow half-marathon in London on Sunday.

RELATED: City Installs ‘Vending Machines’ That Recycle Plastic in Subway Stations, in Exchange for Free Transportation

Designed by London-based startup Skipping Rocks Labs, the biodegradable container is made out of a thin, flexible membrane composed of sodium alginate – a natural derivative of brown algae – and calcium chloride. It can either be ripped open, allowing the individual to drink the liquid out of the membrane, or simply consumed whole.

Each glob contains 250 ml each, costing only about 2 cents to make.

Other English marathons will be testing Ooho! packets filled with sports drinks later this month.

Power Up With Positivity And Share The Good News With Your Friends – Photo by Ooho!

When Concerts Turned Meaningless, Pianist Finds Fulfillment Playing Music for Blind Elephants

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McKinley Corbley
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This concert pianist was unsatisfied with performing on a stage for humans – so instead, he brought his piano to Thailand and played for elephants.

It all started when he traveled to Thailand in 1996 in search of adventure. He and his wife eventually found fulfillment caring for old rescued pachyderms at Elephants World near Kanchanaburi, in Northern Thailand.

After working with the rehabilitated elephants for ten years, Barton finally decided to achieve his lifelong dream of playing piano for the mammals.

He hauled his piano up the mountain to where the elephants were roaming and started playing Beethoven – and the animals loved it, particularly a blind elephant named Pla-Ra.

RELATED: Watch Persistent Elephant Stop at Nothing to Summon Busy Caretaker to Get a Lullaby For Her Baby

“Each time I played music for Pla-Ra, whether flute or piano, there was an identical reaction,” says Barton. “Pla-Ra would stand for a while, and then he would curl his trunk and hold his trunk in his mouth until the piece was over. No matter how long that piece was, he would stay like that.”

And, the elephants love to play the keys, too. (screenshot from video)

Barton originally filmed the exchange and posted it to YouTube as a means of raising funds for the donation-run sanctuary – but after seeing how much the elephants enjoyed the tunes, he started hosting regular concerts.

The clip was shared so widely on social media, Barton’s story was eventually made into a documentary called Music For Elephants.

(WATCH the documentary trailer below)

Be Sure And Pass On This Sweet Story To Your Friends

Got Kidney Stones? Ride a Roller Coaster, Says Study

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Are you struggling with a kidney stone? This study says that you can dislodge them by riding a rollercoaster – and the research just won the Ig Nobel Prize for Medicine.

The Ig Nobel Prize is a spoof award for amusing – but still real – scientific research. All the studies that are given awards are published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, but they all live within the realm of strange and improbable research.

This year, a Michigan State University professor received the prize for discovering that riding a roller coaster helps patients pass kidney stones with nearly a 70% success rate.

David Wartinger, a professor emeritus in the Department of Osteopathic Surgical Specialties, led both a pilot study and an expanded study to assess whether the stories he was hearing from patients were true.

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

His pilot study is published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.

“Basically, I had patients telling me that after riding a particular roller coaster at Walt Disney World, they were able to pass their kidney stone,” Wartinger said. “I even had one patient say he passed three different stones after riding multiple times.”

This resulted in Wartinger going out and testing the theory. Using a validated, synthetic 3D model of a hollow kidney complete with three kidney stones no larger than 4 millimeters inserted into the replica, he took the model in a backpack on Big Thunder Mountain at the theme park 20 times. His initial results verified patient reports.

WATCH: Hundreds of People Are Being Cured of Blindness Every Day With Cheap, Minutes-Long Surgery

“In the pilot study, sitting in the last car of the roller coaster showed about a 64 percent passage rate, while sitting in the first few cars only had a 16 percent success rate,” Wartinger said.

The expanded study, conducted with Mark Mitchell, an MSU resident at the time, included riding the same roller coaster with multiple kidney models attached to the researchers. They discovered even better results while sitting in the back of the coaster, with a passage rate of nearly 70%. They also found that both studies showed a 100 percent passage rate if the stones were located in the upper chamber of the kidney.

“In all, we used 174 kidney stones of varying shapes, sizes and weights to see if each model worked on the same ride and on two other roller coasters,” Wartinger said. “Big Thunder Mountain was the only one that worked. We tried Space Mountain and Aerosmith’s Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and both failed.”

CHECK OUT: 8-Year Study Shows That Simple Treatment Can Reverse Type 1 Diabetes to Almost Undetectable Levels!

Wartinger went on to explain that these other rides are too fast and too violent with a G-force that pins the stone into the kidney and doesn’t allow it to pass.

“The ideal coaster is rough and quick with some twists and turns, but no upside down or inverted movements,” he said.

It’s estimated that around 300,000 people per year go to an emergency room suffering from kidney stones and the cost for treatment could range anywhere between $5,000 to $10,000.

MORE: First Ever 3D-Printed Cornea Could Restore Vision for Millions of People

Lithotripsy, which breaks apart kidney stones that are too large to pass, is a common treatment for the problem. Wartinger said the procedure is usually used in cases where the kidney stone is larger than 5 millimeters.

“The problem though is lithotripsy can leave remnants in the kidney which can result in another stone,” Wartinger said. “The best way to potentially eliminate this from happening is to try going on a roller coaster after a treatment when the remnants are still small.”

He added that patients could even try going on a coaster once a year as maintenance, lessening the chances of future issues and minimizing health care costs.

“You need to heed the warnings before going on a roller coaster,” he advised. “If you have a kidney stone, but are otherwise healthy and meet the requirements of the ride, patients should try it. It’s definitely a lower-cost alternative to health care.”

Reprinted from Michigan State University

(WATCH the video below)

Cure Your Friends Of Negativity And Share The Good News To Social Media

Before He Dies, Architect Designs Living Space With Everything You Need in a Green Oasis of Stunning Beauty

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While this exotic building may seem like a castle that is fit for a king, it was actually built as “an oasis for humanity and nature in a sea of rational houses.”

The Green Citadel was built in Magdeburg, Germany as a means of bringing people together with its eccentric design and co-existence with nature. In addition to being adorned with gardens and green spaces, the citadel also contains apartments, cafés, hotels, shops, and a kindergarten.

RELATED: World’s Coolest Library Opens in China and It’s Breathtaking

The pink structure is considered to be one of the first pre-fabricated buildings in Germany. It is also the final architectural work of Friedensreich Hundertwasser.

He designed the citadel so that no two pillars, doorways, or features of the building were built the same – everything in the citadel is unique, just like the people who inhabit it.

(WATCH the video below)

Be Sure And Share The Fun Facts With Your Friends – Photo by Great Big Story

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” – Socrates

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Quote of the Day: “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” – Socrates

Photo: by Ken Mattison

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?

Sweet Senior Has Given Away 6,000 Chocolate Bars to Strangers in Decade-Long Act of Kindness

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McKinley Corbley
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This 93-year-old man might be the new successor of Willy Wonka.

Every Saturday for the last 11 years, Bob Williams has gone to his local Dollar General store in Long Grove, Iowa so he can take advantage of their special weekly sale.

Since the store offers a $5 discount on any purchase of $25 or more, Williams always buys three Hershey’s chocolate bars – but he never buys them for himself. Instead, he gives two to the store employees and one to the person in line behind him.

Over the course of the last decade, Williams has solidified his role as a local legend by giving away roughly 6,000 chocolate bars to strangers. He has even been nicknamed “The Candy Man”.

WATCH: Watch Boy’s Secret Act of Kindness When He Finds Empty Bowl of Halloween Candy

When Hershey’s heard about Williams’s chocolate-driven campaign to make his neighbors happy, they promised to keep his fridge stocked with as many chocolate bars as he could give away. They also shot a promotional video for Williams’s generosity in which they interviewed city residents.

“I don’t think he realizes the effect he has on people,” said one adoring town local of Williams. Another one remarked that he’s “teaching all of us how to pay it forward.”

The Candy Man, on the other hand, says that he is simply happy to make other people smile.

“You’d think that I’d given them keys to a new car,” Williams told Inside Edition. “They’re thrilled

(WATCH the promotional video below)

Be Sure And Share This Sweet Story Of Kindness With Your Friends – Photo by Hershey’s

Watch Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s Heartfelt Message for Grieving Young Man in Honor of Late Mother

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A young man has found a small amount of peace with his mother’s death after he received an emotional message from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

19-year-old Angelo Pizarro has recently been dealing with the loss of his mother and sister after they passed away in a car accident last month in San Diego, California.

So as a means of honoring his late mother, he created a Twitter post asking for Johnson to create a small video message that could be played at her funeral.

Since his mother, Aileen Pizarro, had been a huge fan of the movie star, Angelo posted a photo of her posing with a poster of Johnson.

RELATED: Internet Finds Out ‘Gilligan’s Island’ Actress Needs Help, Fans Flock to Support Her

“My beautiful mom who passed away loved The Rock so so SO much,” wrote Angelo alongside the photo. “I’m trying to get him to do even a video saying her name for the funeral. If you could retweet the crap outta this for him to see it that’d mean the world.”

The tweet was shared hundreds of times until it was finally seen by The Rock. The ex-wrestler then recorded a minute-long video for the young man with his heartfelt condolences.

“Hey Angelo, Dwayne Johnson here. I had turned on my phone and saw a flood — thousands and thousands of tweets had come through — informing me about the devastating loss you and your family are going though with your sister and your mom,” said Johnson in the video. “I believe from what I’m told, your mom was a very, very big fan of mine. So, anyway man, I am sending you so much love and light and strength your way, from my family to yours.”

WATCH: Schwarzenegger Cheers Depressed Stranger On the Internet Who Asked Him for Motivation

“And, if your mom could see me now, which I’m sure she can, I just want to thank her for all the love and for being such a big fan,” he added at the end of the video.

Pizarro later made the video publicly available to Twitter, thanking Johnson for this kindness.

“THANK YOU SO MUCH, SIR,” Pizarro wrote in the caption about Johnson. “I hope everyone knows how amazing you are. I can’t stop smiling knowing she’s smiling so much. Just, thank you.”

MORE: Pearl Jam Raises Millions for City’s Homeless, Rallies 100 Businesses to Join In

When the young man was approached by news outlets about using the footage, he said that he didn’t even care about being properly credited so long as his mom and sister were honored.

“As long as you mention my sister and mom I don’t care if I’m credited,” said Pizarro. “Just make sure anyone and everyone sees how amazing The Rock is and the legacy that my mom and sister have left behind.”

Additionally, Pizarro was able to get a personal video message from singer Alessia Cara, who was his sister’s favorite musician. The family’s GoFundMe page for the funeral expenses has also surged past its original goal and raised over $67,000.

(WATCH the video below)

Pass On The Positive Story Of Celebrity Kindness To Your Friends – Photo by Dominic Pizarro

Tiny Wind Turbine That Generates Power From Your Apartment Balcony Wins Dyson Award

By
McKinley Corbley
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In a “technological first”, thousands of apartment dwellers may soon be able to enjoy the same green energy benefits as homeowners thanks to this exciting little device.

The O-Wind Turbine is a small wind turbine that can generate power in urban environments by catching wind that blows in any direction.

Typical wind turbines are only able to harness wind that is blowing horizontally. In a complex urban environment where buildings interfere with air flow, winds are more likely to be traveling in every direction.

That’s why the O-Wind is made with vents in the exterior so that it can still catch city crosswinds and spin accordingly. The turbine then feeds into a generator that can create electricity from the device’s rotations.

The O-Wind’s small design means that it could easily be affixed to apartment balconies and give renters access to the feed-in green energy tariffs that are currently available in 80 countries. It could also benefit people in other kinds of residential locales, such as motor homes or boats.

LOOK: Book-Sized Solar Panels Could Power a Whole Home in New Breakthrough

The turbine’s creators 36-year-old Nicolas Orellana and 24-year-old Yaseen Noorani, have been awarded this year’s prestigious James Dyson Award in the UK. This means that the turbine will go on to compete in the international James Dyson competition for a chance to win the grand prize of $39,000 (£30,000).

“We hope that O-Wind Turbine will improve the usability and affordability of turbines for people across the world. Cities are windy places but we are currently not harnessing this resource,” said Orellana.

“Our belief is that making it easier to generate green energy, people will be encouraged to play a bigger own role in conserving our planet. Winning the James Dyson Award has validated our concept, and given us the confidence to approach investors to secure the capital we need to turn our idea into a reality.”

MORE: Tesla’s Giant Record-Breaking Battery Shows Stunning Success By Saving Consumers Millions

The inventors are both students at Lancaster University, and they plan on using the school’s facilities to further develop the O-Wind. Wind power currently only generates about 4% of the world’s electricity even though it could produce over 40 times the amount of electricity consumed – and the inventors hope that their backyard turbine could help reach that goal.

Professor Harry Hoster, director of Energy Lancaster at Lancaster University, said: “When the two students first approached us about test facilities for a new wind turbine design, we first thought it would just be the 23rd variation of some plain vanilla system.

“When they humbly showed their video and their prototype, however, we were, excuse the pun, blown away. Only holding it in your hands and playing with it gives you a chance to understand what their new device actually does and how, if things go right, its ability to capture any random breezes will take urban energy harvesting to another level.”

(WATCH the video below)

Power Up With Positivity And Share The Good News With Your Friends

Meet the World’s First ‘Non-Melting’ Ice Pop

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McKinley Corbley
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Ice pops melting in the heat of summer may soon be a thing of the past thanks to this food design company.

Bompas & Parr has created the “world’s first non-melting ice lolly” using an adapted recipe of “pykrete”, an ultra-resilient ice that was developed during WWII.

English inventor Geoffrey Pyke developed the material as a means of building invincible floating structures in the middle of the ocean. His recipe consisted of mixing sawdust and wood pulp with water that was eventually frozen. Due to its similarities with concrete, it was named “pykrete” as a combination of the inventor’s name and concrete.

Instead of using wood pulp and sawdust, however, Bompass & Parr used fruit fibers for their resilient treats.

RELATED: Man Comes Up With Ingenious Way to Keep Dementia Patients Hydrated After His Grandma’s Close Call

The popsicles have the capability of withstanding temperatures of 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius) for one hour. The treat will eventually melt after 24 hours, but the extended lifespan is still far superior to its average competitors.

The London-based company unveiled the sweet treats at the start of August and announced that consumers would only be able to try the popsicles on August 22nd at SCOOP, an ice cream exhibition that took place at the British Museum of Food.

If the prototypes are considered successful, we may soon see them on supermarket shelves.

(WATCH the video below)

Treat Your Friends To This Great Story And Share To Social Media – Photo by Bompas & Parr

“The quality of your life is in direct correlation with the amount of uncertainty you’re able to deal with.“ – Tony Robbins

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Quote of the Day: “The quality of your life is in direct correlation with the amount of uncertainty you’re able to deal with.“ – Tony Robbins

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?

Hospitals Slam the Industry by Creating Their Own Nonprofit Drug Company, Hitting the Market in 2019

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Healthcare providers are sick of price gouging and drug shortages – so as a means of taking on the pharmaceutical industry, hundreds of American hospitals and healthcare workers are creating their own not-for-profit drug company.

The company, Civica Rx, is being officially launched to help patients by addressing shortages and high prices of lifesaving medications. Since the initiative was announced in January 2018, more than 120 health organizations representing about a third of the nation’s hospitals have contacted Civica Rx and expressed a commitment or interest in participating with the new company.

The seven organizations currently acting as the governing members of the company, including Mayo Clinic, SSM Health, and Intermountain Healthcare, represent about 500 U.S. hospitals. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will also work in consultation with Civica Rx to address its particular needs. Other health systems participating with the company will be announced later this year.

Several major philanthropies have also joined the collaboration as a means of further supporting and safeguarding the company’s not-for-profit, social welfare mission.

RELATED: To Repent for Their Part in Patient Hardship, Doctors Team Up to Forgive $1.4 Million in Medical Debt

Civica Rx has identified 14 hospital-administered generic drugs as the initial focus of the company’s efforts. It will be an FDA-approved manufacturer and will either directly manufacture generic drugs or sub-contract manufacturing to reputable contract manufacturing organizations.

Martin VanTrieste, former chief quality officer for Amgen, one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, has been named CEO of Civica Rx – and he will be managing the position without compensation.

“We are creating a public asset with a mission to ensure that essential generic medications are accessible and affordable,” said VanTrieste. “The fact that a third of the country’s hospitals have either expressed interest or committed to participate with Civica Rx shows a great need for this initiative. This will improve the situation for patients by bringing much needed competition to the generic drug market.”

WATCH: News Anchor Announces On-Air That He is Helping to Forgive Over $1 Million in Medical Debt

Civica Rx will first seek to stabilize the supply of essential generic medications administered in hospitals, many of which have fallen into chronic shortage situations, putting patients at risk. The initiative will also result in lower costs and more predictable supplies of essential generic medicines, helping ensure that patients and their needs come first in the generic drug marketplace. The company expects to have its first products on the market as early as 2019.

Research into the actual costs of manufacturing and distributing generic drugs suggests that, in many instances, prices for generic drugs used in hospitals can be reduced to a fraction of their current costs. This can save patients, and the healthcare systems that care for them, hundreds of millions of dollars each year.

(Source: Intermountain Healthcare)

Be Sure And Pass On The Positive Story To Your Friends – Photo by Intermountain Healthcare

‘Groundbreaking’ Type 1 Diabetes Drug Has Just Been Trialed on First Human Patients–With No Side Effects

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A ground-breaking clinical trial of a new investigational drug has been launched to help prevent and manage Type 1 diabetes, and researchers have already dosed the first patient in the world with the treatment.

The drug, which was developed by scientists Clinical Research Facility (CRF) at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board (UHB), aims to help the regrowth of insulin making ‘beta’ cells of the pancreas, which are lost in patients living with the disease. Despite being an early phase trial, the CRF has now dosed two patients with this new drug.

Type 1 diabetes is a serious, lifelong condition where blood glucose levels are too high because the body cannot make a hormone called insulin. Those with Type 1 diabetes are dependent on insulin but if this clinical trial works, the regrowth – or regeneration – of beta cells may mean those with Type 1 diabetes becoming far less dependent on insulin injections. The benefits of the new drug would reduce lifelong conditions and complications associated with the chronic disease.

RELATED: Scientists Have Developed a ‘Breakthrough’ That May Defeat Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

Patients who have taken part in the trial so far have spoken very highly of the treatment and the overall experience they have received at Cardiff and Vale UHB. The first patient to receive the dose said; “I’m really grateful that I was given the opportunity to take part in this study. I hope that my participation will help with the management of Type 1 diabetes for future generations.”

After being monitored for 72 hours after the treatment, the two patients showed no side effects. Cardiff’s CRF team are hoping to attract up to eight more adult volunteers to take part in the clinical trial who have had diabetes for more than two years.

CHECK OUT: First-of-its-Kind Clinical Trial Will Try and Cure Parkinson’s Disease Using ‘Reprogrammed’ Stem Cells

The results of this innovative trial in diabetes treatment could be ground-breaking and is part of a wider program of studies to preserve and regrow the insulin making cells in Type 1 diabetes being pursued by the Cardiff team, with trials in both adults and children.

Carys Thomas, interim Director of Health and Care Research Wales, said: “The CRF in Cardiff is not only leading the way in this ground-breaking study but the team’s hard work also shows that Wales is competing successfully on an international level to attract global pharmaceutical companies and commercial investment. It will also pave the way to bring more high quality research into Wales, which could help treat other conditions.”

(Source: Cardiff and Vale University Health Board)

Treat Your Friends Of Negativity And Share The Good News To Social Media – Photo by Cardiff and Vale University Health Board

When Football Fans Destroy Young Man’s Car, Community Immediately Rallies to Restore It

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McKinley Corbley
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A young man’s car fell victim to some rowdy football fans earlier this week, but in the spirit of good sportsmanship, fellow fans and community members came to his rescue.

19-year-old Matt had left his car parked in the street as he went to watch the University of Kentucky’s football team play the Florida Gators on TV – and after 31 years of suffering defeat at the hands of their rivals, the Kentucky team finally won.

Though the game took place in Gainesville, fans in Lexington took to the streets to celebrate the victory. Unfortunately, Matt’s humble automobile fell victim to the celebrations.

The little white car was flipped two times, and according to Matt’s mother, Amy Rademaker Given, the car was only recently uninsured.

WATCH: Despite Local Racial Tension, Good Samaritan Leaps Into Action to Rescue Cop From Smoking Car

“We did have full coverage insurance for the past four years,” says Given. “Less than two weeks ago, I dropped the coverage down to just liability since the car was getting older. Less than 2 weeks!!!”

Given then created a GoFundMe page to raise money for a new car for her son.

“While no couches were burned this year, probably due to the rain, and no human injuries surfaced, a small white car lost its life,” wrote Given.

MORE: After Youth Walks 7 Hours to First Day of Work, CEO Hands Over His Own Car as a Thank You

“My son, Matt, equally a die-hard UK fan, parked his little white car on the street in front of his friend’s house. And, while spared by the parking services and traffic control of Lexington, it was not spared by the celebrations.”

Within days of creating the GoFundMe page, sympathetic football fans raised $3,000 for a new car.

As it turns out, however, the funds were not necessary. A local car dealership heard about Matt’s plight and gave him a blue 2004 Mazda 3. They also accepted Matt’s old car as a donation so that Kentucky football fans could take a swing at the hunk of metal in their parking lot instead of automobiles on the street.

CHECK OUT: Watch Emotional Auction of Car Being Bought and Donated 3 Times to Help Support Orphan Siblings

All of the donations that were made to the GoFundMe page have since been refunded.

“We are just overwhelmed and humbled by this entire experience,” wrote Given. “Something that started out so terrible has ended with an amazing story and memories!”

Score Big With Your Friends: Share The Good News With Your Friends – Photo by Amy Rademaker Given

“The only lasting trauma is the one we suffer without positive change.” – Leo Buscaglia

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Quote of the Day: “The only lasting trauma is the one we suffer without positive change.” – Leo Buscaglia

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?

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

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Good News Network
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Ever since she was 8 years old, and both her parents were hospitalized with undiagnosable illnesses, Nicole Burdock has aspired to become a “good doctor.” Drawn to holistic methods of healing, she spent years studying naturopathic medicine and integrative health. Now, after treating hundreds of patients, she may have found a way to become a “good doctor” to millions.

She invented what is believed to be “the world’s first homeopathic patch” which is successfully relieving and preventing nausea in people suffering from motion sickness, chemotherapy, or hangovers—as well as other debilitating symptoms, including vertigo and menstrual period cramps. The two drug-free products, which have no known side effects, are safe for kids over 4-years-old. The patch even works on pets.

One customer reported that their 140-pound Great Dane loved to go hiking, but would inevitably get terribly carsick on the way to the trail. When they applied the product, called GoPatch, the huge dog stayed relaxed in the backseat for the first time ever.

The idea for GoPatch—which is formulated with micro-doses of diluted essences from plants, minerals, and natural ingredients—came to Nicole while she was on a cruise ship in the Mexican Riviera. She was gifted the trip to celebrate having completed her California State board exam to become a licensed acupuncturist. She noticed families with children onboard getting seasick.

“My head was full of information from my studies and I watched them getting sick—seeing them all holding their stomachs—and I said to my friend I have an idea for motion sickness.”

The Secret is in the Stomach

With a Masters in Oriental Medicine, the 30-year-old knew one thing at that moment: the delivery point for a remedy would be the navel–a powerful acupuncture point in Oriental medicine.

“The navel was really the magic for me,” she told Good News Network, pointing out that it was the crucial delivery point where the umbilical cord delivers nutrients to sustain life in the womb.

She went home and sat down with duct tape and bandages at her kitchen table in Santa Monica, California, envisioning a patch that would be worn over the belly button. She eventually discarded the choice of using herbs or essential oils in favor of the more sustainable method of using homeopathy.

Whatever the method, it apparently works. And her company, GoPatch, offers a money-back guarantee if it doesn’t work. To date, with over a thousand packages sold, no one has ever returned a product—and GoPatch’s testimonials speak loudly that there is something at work here.

The company especially gets rave reviews from seafaring captains and sailing schools. Even a competitor, who manufactures a natural remedy made of ginger (which is not in GoPatch), admitted that “everyone knows nothing stops seasickness after it has begun.” But when he gave two passengers the patch who were sailing with him out of Berkeley, they both recovered within 20 minutes.

The Santa Barbara Sailing Center speaks highly of the patch’s effectiveness, and is GoPatch’s top seller. We talked with Manager Ian Fitzgerald who sails with his kids, but his wife had always stayed home because she got so nauseous, and never liked the side effects of using pharmaceuticals. “We threw GoPatch on her belly button, and she didn’t get sick, at all—now we can sail as a family.” Kayla Horowitz, who works at the front desk used it once when she had a hangover and claims: “It worked really well, and it works right away so you don’t have to wait.”

A Patch to Relieve Cramps

While Nicole was introducing the product into select stores locally, her friend Jack kept “bugging” her for months to make a patch for women with cramps. She finally relented and came up with a formula that includes homeopathic Camomile, magnesium, and more.

She didn’t know how she would test it, because she hadn’t had cramps in years—but lo, and behold, life sent her the remedy for that problem, too.

“I’ll be danged!” she recalled. “Out of nowhere I get cramps, and I let myself get white-knuckled in bed, then put the patch on my belly and set a timer… Within 15 minutes I relaxed and fell asleep.”

One of her distributors, Health First Pharmacy in Windsor, California, reported that a woman came into the store complaining that she had tried everything for her granddaughter’s cramps, so the owners showed her the GoPatch product. The grandmother later reported that when the young girl was writhing in pain on the bathroom floor and the patch was applied, she was able to get up and go to school. Guess who returned to the store and bought all the product off the shelf?

Nicole tearfully told GNN about one of the most poignant moments of her sometimes rough entrepreneurial journey. She got a note from a woman whose doctors had run out of ideas about what to do for her debilitating cramps. They were preparing to give her a hysterectomy until she discovered GoPatch could relieve the pain and, as Nicole phrased it, “she got to keep her lady parts.”

The product, which was granted a U.S. patent, contains no known allergens, and is free of corn, soy, wheat, and yeast. It is latex-free with an adhesive that can secure the patch discreetly under the clothes for up to twelve hours and is waterproof. Each pack of five currently costs $29.95, and you can order on their website (and get free shipping in the continental US).

Take advantage of our exclusive DISCOUNT for all GNN customers! Use this link for an automatic $3.00 discount.

You can read ingredient labels at TheGoPatch.com, which include warnings for pregnant or nursing mothers (and kids under the age of 4) to consult a doctor before use.

Homeopathy is a controversial topic in the medical community, although many millions of patients use the treatments worldwide. A 2015 study by Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council concluded there is no reliable evidence so far that homeopathy is effective. Science can’t explain how a product containing such diluted amounts of active ingredients can have any effect, but it remains the second largest system of medicine in the world.

I met Nicole at a summer dinner party and immediately wanted to write an article about her. After she heard about our inspiring mission at GNN to spread good news, she offered a small commission on products for GNN.

Nicole is just grateful she gets to touch more people’s lives with GoPatch, than she ever could with just her two hands.

Watch Emotional Auction of Car Being Bought and Donated 3 Times to Help Support Orphan Siblings

By
McKinley Corbley
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When a classic car was up for auction earlier this week, the auctioneer made sure to explain why the car was being auctioned – and it resulted in an emotional bidding war.

3-year-old Liam and 6-year-old Arielle Keryluke have been living with their grandparents since their parents died in a motorcycle accident four months ago.

Since grandparents Ben and Marilyn have been caring for the children, they are anticipating an influx of medical bills as a means of treating the kids for their hearing impairments.

So in order to raise money for the children’s future, the seniors decided to auction the 1973 Pontiac Parisienne that their son had been working on before he died. Though they had hoped to hold onto the car, they knew that caring for Liam and Arielle was more important.

RELATED: Woman Pays for Stranger’s Coffee Only to Receive Heartfelt Letter in the Mail the Very Same Day

A GoFundMe page for the family has already raised over $80,000 since it was created back in May – but thanks to the kindness of car enthusiasts, the Kerylukes now have more than double that amount.

The Pontiac went onto the buyer’s block at Electric Garage Auctions (EGA) in Red Deer, Alberta on Saturday. The auctioneer explained that the car was being sold to benefit the Keryluke family before kicking off the bidding.

EGA posted a video of the auction to their Facebook page this weekend. At 4 minutes and 30 seconds, the choked-up auctioneer has trouble keeping his voice in check because of the sheer emotion behind the children’s story.

MORE: When Woman Can’t Afford Her Grocery Bill, She is Stunned When Her Favorite Rapper Picks Up the Tab

At 7 minutes and 15 seconds, the car is finally sold for $29,000 – but then, the buyer donates the car back so that it can be donated a second time. At 8 minutes and 30 seconds, it is bought for $30,000 and then it is donated back again. At 9 minutes, the car is sold for a third time for $20,000.

The kindness doesn’t stop there, either – several people made individual donations to the family, bringing the total to roughly $100,000. The final buyer then ended up donating the car back to the Keryluke family so that Arielle and Luke could inherit it when they’re older.

CHECK OUT: When Strangers on a Plane Hear Teacher Talk About Her Students, Everyone Opens Their Wallets

“People were overwhelmed with just the generosity of people of central Alberta and the support that this family has,” Lyndsay Payne, co-owner of EG Auctions, told Global News.

“It was incredible. People were cheering, I was crying. Our auctioneer Rod had a hard time getting through it because he was crying. He was emotional.

“It was unreal. I’ve never been a part of anything like that before in my life,” Payne added.

(WATCH the video below)

Faith In Humanity Restored: Pass On The Incredible Story To Your Friends 

Special on 9/11: After Losing 66 People, Investment Bankers Make Most Memorable Investment They’d Ever Make (Podcast)

By
Good News Network
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KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA

One of the most inspiring stories to come out of 9/11 is the investment banking firm that lost 66 employees in the World Trade Center. Their response will echo for a century as the most memorable investment they would ever make. Hear The Good News Guru tell the powerful story (from the September 11, 2018 Ellen K. Morning Show on KOST-103.5 radio in Los Angeles).

Download a free Commemorative 9/11 newsletter from GNN to read dozens of heartwarming stories that sprang up in the tragedy’s aftermath…

–Featured Photo by Jackie, CC license, 2006

26 Years of Research Shows Cardiovascular Health in Dairy Lovers is Not Aversely Affected by Choosing Cheese

By
Andy Corbley
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We at GNN are all big cheese fans — the founder’s ancestors were Swiss, she grew up in Wisconsin, and one of our writers (that would be me) is a cheesemonger – so naturally, we were thrilled when this new study found that cardiovascular health was positively affected by choosing cheese over other full-fat dairy sources.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has published multiple studies on the relationship between cardiovascular health, fat content in the blood, and the consumption of saturated fats that are found in cheese. The majority of American dietary guidelines suggest keeping the intake of saturated fats to a minimum, as they are thought to increase cholesterol levels and risk of cardiovascular disease.

But since 2017, new findings are showing that one must look at the whole food item, rather than individual nutrients, in order to determine if it is unhealthy. A report published last May in the same journal details the “Food Matrix Effect”: a phenomenon involving the differences between the effects of whole foods and single-nutrients.

The dairy food matrix in particular seems to show quite the opposite of what fatty food guidelines might suggest. Cheese, for instance, has been shown in the past and present to significantly reduce LDL and HDL cholesterol levels in comparison to butter. High-fat yogurt was found to reduce risk of type-2 diabetes by a whopping 12%, with other high-fat products such as milk, cream, and cheese coming close behind.

RELATED: When Blueberries and Grapes Are Combined, a Dramatic Decline in Memory Loss and Aging – Study

The speculation is that within the creamy goodness of cheese, nutrient molecules are locked within complex structures called matrices which your body requires time to dismantle. The slower release of these nutrients into our bloodstream seems to benefit healthy cardio-metabolic function.

Contrastingly, the dairy food matrix of butter has been linked with increased cholesterol levels and other disease markers, suggesting that each food item needs careful consideration.

However, further on in the report, a stronger case for whole-cheese consumption was made when observations were compiled about the results of studies comparing cheese and other dairy foods to supplements.

LISTEN: Mushroom Coffee – The Science Behind the Trend

Calcium, vitamin D, and protein are all commonly supplemented nutrients that are also present in cheese. Yet for markers of weight loss, bone density, and blood pressure, real cheese won out over the supplements.

The lengthy report concluded with a reminder that cheese and other full-fat dairy products are linked with an inverse effect – a reduced risk of – cardiovascular disease, stroke, coronary heart disease, and type-2 diabetes along with demonstrating the effectiveness of cheese as a delivery method for vital nutrients.

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

Now it is over one year later and the dairy matrix effect is still being investigated, with this new study from the Institute of Food and Health, University College Dublin, comparing the effect of full-fat cheese and butter on LDL cholesterol levels. Again, even though the saturated fat content is similar, the effect on cardio-metabolic health varies significantly.

The dairy food matrix report is enough to make a cheese-loving man jump for joy, and though further research is always needed to fully understand the role that any kind of food plays in our long-term health, cheese – queso – fromage – formaggio – Kase, seems to be in the clear.

Although the study was funded by dairy interests, The American Journal of Clinical Nutritional states that “No industrial representatives or sponsors participated in or contributed to the scientific paper.”

Brie A Good Friend To Your Fellow Cheese Lovers And Share The Good News – Photo by SkanskaMatupplevelser, CC

Andy Corbley is the founder and editor of World At Large, a small environment, travel, and lifestyle focused journal that stresses integrity, nuance, and honesty which launched in early March 2019.

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