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Random Math Teacher Turns NYC Subway into Classroom for Struggling Dad

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Good News Network
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This photo of two subway passengers sharing a moment of compassion is going viral for all the right reasons.

Corey Simmons had been taking advantage of his lengthy New York City train ride to study up on mathematics. His son, who is in the 3rd grade, was having trouble with fractions – so Simmons took it upon himself to relearn the formulas.

But considering it has been almost 30 years since Simmons had to do elementary school math, he was having trouble with some of the problems.

As he was studying on the subway, however, a man sat next to him and asked what he was doing.

LOOK: Man Extends Huge Kindness to Mom of Screaming Kids After Stranger Did the Same For Him

Simmons explained how he was trying to relearn fractions so he could help his son in school. The other man then said that he used to be a math teacher and he would be more than happy to help Simmons.

A nearby subway passenger named Denise Wilson overheard the exchange, snapped a photo of the two men, and posted it to Facebook.

“[Simmons] asked the guy to quiz him and everything he got wrong or was confused about, he broke it down and corrected him,” says Wilson. “By the end of my train ride, [Simmons] had a better understanding.”

WATCH: Bus Driver Has Been Braiding Girl’s Hair Every Morning Since Mother Passed Away

Though the math teacher left before anyone could catch his name, Wilson was struck by how inspiring the interaction had been.

“I started tearing up,” Wilson told CBS. “It was just one person helping another, and I thought that was beautiful.”

(WATCH the video below or international viewers can watch the video on the CBS News website)

By Our Calculations, Your Friends Would Love This Story: Click To Share – Photo by Denise Wilson

UPDATE: North and South Korea Commit to Denuclearization, End of War, and Unity

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McKinley Corbley
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In a historic summit on the border, the leaders of North and South Korea met for peace talks and announced their commitment to total denuclearization, the end of the 68-year Korean war, and – in the words of Kim Jong Un – reunification.

The summit was resplendent with symbolism. For the first time in history, a North Korean leader crossed the military demarcation line and set foot into South Korean territory. Immediately after stepping over the official border, Kim then invited South Korean president Moon Jae-in to step over into his own country – which they did, hand-in-hand.

Journalists and spectators present for the event could be heard gasping and cheering in surprise over the landmark gesture. According to CNN, the two countries had spent weeks planning the day’s proceedings down to the second – but Moon’s invitation into North Korea was totally unexpected.

After enjoying each other’s company for over an hour, the leaders conducted a symbolic tree-planting ceremony and proceeded to sign the Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity and Unification on the Korean Peninsula.

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

While the agreement kept the deadlines to a minimum, it commits the leaders to denuclearization and the ending of the Korean conflict. Kim also told the media that Korea “will be reunited as one country.”

At the end of the Korean war in 1954, South and North Korean officials signed a truce, and though it put an end to the violence between Pyeongchang and Seoul, they never actually agreed to sign a peace treaty.

The countries came closing to ending the war in 2007 during the “Sunshine Policy” peace talks, but it was not to be. In addition to North Korea resisting international inspections of their nuclear facilities, South Korea elected a new president in 2008 who abandoned the negotiations.

MORE: Israeli and Palestinian Farmers Find Peace Through Olive Oil

The groundbreaking meeting between the two leaders this week sets an optimistic stage for Kim Jong Un’s meeting with US President Donald Trump in the summer.

Moon and Kim also reportedly agreed to suspend propaganda broadcasts into each other’s countries, stay in touch through phone communication, and to meet again in the fall.

(WATCH the inspiring video below)

Click To Share The Exciting News With Your Friends – Photo by ABC News

EU Passes Total Ban on Pesticides That Harm Bees

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The European Union has just passed a “historic” ban on the most widely-used pesticides that are harmful to bees.

The legislation, which was passed on Friday, will prevent farmers from using neonicotinoids unless the plants are inside of a closed greenhouse. Farmers will have until the end of 2018 to find alternative pest treatments before the ban goes into effect.

Environmental departments in the EU and UK say that they will do their best to help farmers with the transition.

RELATED: The Grateful Dead Helps to Save Bees and Butterflies Through Jerry Garcia’s Legacy

“Banning these toxic pesticides is a beacon of hope for bees,” said Antonia Staats of petition group Avaaz. “Finally, our governments are listening to their citizens, the scientific evidence and farmers who know that bees can’t live with these chemicals and we can’t live without bees.”

According to The Guardian, Martin Dermine from Pesticide Action Network Europe, said: “Authorizing neonicotinoids a quarter of a century ago was a mistake and led to an environmental disaster. Today’s vote is historic.”

Click To Share The Buzz With Your Friends – Photo by orangeaurochs, CC

“You only have control over three things in your life—the thoughts you think, the images you visualize, and the actions you take.” – Jack Canfield

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Quote of the Day: “You only have control over three things in your life—the thoughts you think, the images you visualize, and the actions you take.” – Jack Canfield

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?

How to Innovate in Zeros: Advice From the Co-Creator of Skype

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The Lesson: Jonas Kjellberg’s dynamic mindset has led him to take on a number of risks and make a lot of big bets – some of which failed spectacularly, and some of which became massive successes like Skype. In this podcast, Tony and Jonas talk about the evolution of Skype, and how it became one of the internet’s most revolutionary businesses, disrupting the telecommunications sector in a way no one saw coming. Jonas reveals what he has learned from his past failures, and the key lessons he’s taken with him when it comes to eliminating costs, customer acquisition, why every company should be ready to embrace change and pivot on a dime.

Notable Excerpt: “I think one of the main things for you as an entrepreneur … is to really challenge the cost-side. Because in a lot of businesses, there is a lot of cost. And it’s not about making things free, it’s basically taking away cost. Here’s an example: for Skype, a normal telecall [company would require] a lot of infrastructure, so we thought ‘well, how could we get the customer to pay for it?’ So we said, ‘okay, you already pay for your internet’ – so we found our first zero. Second thing, a telecall company needs a lot of switches. So we found that the CPU power in a lot these switches is actually the same as the ones in your personal computer. So we said ‘why don’t we let your personal computer pull the cost’, and we found another zero.”

The Guest: Jonas Kjellberg is a serial entrepreneur, author, investor, and most notably – the co-creator of Skype. When not running companies, Jonas lectures at Stanford University and Stockholm School of Economics on the topics of entrepreneurship and how to create a winning sales culture.

The Host: Tony Robbins is a best-selling author, motivational speaker, life coach, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. The California-based strategist has become such an influential lecturer, over 4 million people have attended his live seminars. In addition to founding several different companies (and his own foundation), Robbins has worked with charities such as Feeding America, Spring Health, and Operation Underground Railroad.

Podcast: The Tony Robbins podcast is available for free on Spotify and iTunes. You can also find more of his longer motivational programs on his website.

Books: Robbins is the author of “Awaken the Giant Within,” “Unshakeable: Your Financial Freedom Playbook”, “Money: Master the Game”, and “Unlimited Power: The New Science of Personal Achievement”.

(LISTEN to the inspiring talk below) – Photo by Ray From LA, CC

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Man Just Proposed to the Girlfriend He Protected During Las Vegas Shooting

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McKinley Corbley
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Marriage proposals are always special occasions, but the story behind this happy couple’s relationship is especially significant.

22-year-old Mykenzie Lane and 21-year-old Brandon Helmick are both survivors of the Las Vegas shooting in October 2017.

The country music lovers had been watching a performer at the Route 91 Harvest music festival when the shooter opened fire.

When 21-year-old Helmick heard the rounds go off, he immediately pushed his girlfriend to the ground and covered her body with his own. Then when there was a break between rounds, they ran towards some storage units for cover.

WATCH: Woman’s Near-Fatal Car Accident Led Her to Marrying the Love of Her Life

As they were running, however, Lane was shot in the ankle.

“From that point, he said we have to find a way to the hospital. I tried to walk but couldn’t, so he threw me on his back and carried me until we found an ambulance,” Lane told Fox News.

The ambulance was already filled with people who had suffered more serious injuries, so the couple flagged down an Uber driver who volunteered to drive them and a few other people to the hospital.

LOOK: An Amazing Story of Synchronicity as Heirloom Ring is Found by Strangers in Time for Marriage Proposal

Lane says that she and Helmick have been infinitely grateful for every day that they have spent together since the incident – and after three years of dating, Helmick proposed to her on Friday using a heart filled with rose pedals on Laguna Beach, California.

“I had some idea but I still cried my eyes out,” said Lane.

“Our relationship has always meant the world to me,” she added. “But when someone sacrifices their life for you, how could you ever get more reassurance than that?”

The California students are set to tie the knot on August 3rd.

Click To Share The Love Story With Your Friends

These Cool New Shoes Are Made From Recycled Chewing Gum

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One of the most annoying things in the world is getting chewing gum stuck to your shoe – but what if your shoe was already made of chewing gum?

Amsterdam-based clothing company Explicit Wear is helping to eliminate the second most common form of litter in the city by turning used chewing gum into shoe soles.

Explicit Wear launched the “Gumshoe” by partnering with sustainability company Gumdrop and tourist organization IAmsterdam to break down the synthetic properties of gum and convert it into a whole new kind of rubber called Gum-tec.

It takes about 2.2 pounds of ABC gum for every four pairs of Gumshoes; and since there are roughly 3.3 million pounds of used gum on the streets of the Dutch city, the material is not hard to come by.

RELATED: Man Creates ‘Shoes That Grow’ So Poor Kids Don’t Outgrow Them

“With these shoes, we take a step closer towards gum-free streets and at the same time, create awareness among gum users without being preachy,” says Mustafa Tanriverdi from the Amsterdam marketing and investments department.

Gumshoes are currently available for pre-order and they will go on sale in June for $232 per pair.

(WATCH the video below)

Chew It Over With Your Friends: Click To Share – Photo by GumShoe

Photo of Young Athletes Paying Respect to a Funeral is Restoring People’s Faith in Humanity

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Some people might hold a pessimistic view of what the future looks like, but these young athletes are restoring people’s faith in the next generation.

Sisters Lynn Bienvenu and Johannah Stroud were attending their cousin’s funeral in Denham Springs, Louisiana last week when a group of basketball players made them stop in their tracks.

The young men had stopped in the middle of their pickup basketball game so they could take knee out of respect for the funeral.

“It was really impressive. It meant a lot,” Stroud told KABC.

LOOK: Student Gives Her Ice Cream Money to Help Pay For Funeral of Teacher’s Father-in-Law

Stunned by the compassionate display of respect, Bienvenu snapped a quick photo of the athletes and posted it to social media.

“While attending a family funeral the procession passed a group of young boys shooting hoops,” wrote Bienvenu. “They took a knee not out of disrespect, but honor. [This] was not an adult insight to tell them to stop playing. This meant a great deal to our family. May God bless each one as I feel they will achieve greatness.”

Not only that, but Louisiana news outlets say that the youngsters later reached out to the family to express their condolences. Bienvenu then called the local schools so she could thank them for the “values they are instilling in tomorrow’s leaders.”

RELATED: The Homeless in San Diego Are Getting Jobs Thanks to a 16-Year-old Boy

Since her photo was published earlier this week, it has also been shared thousands of times by people eager to praise the athletes.

“People are hungry to see good things and encouraging things,” Stroud told KABC.

Pass The Positive News To Your Friends: Click To Share – Photo by Lynn Bienvenu

Foo Fighters See ‘Kiss Guy’ With a Sign in Audience, and Pull Him On Stage—And He Nails it

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A talented and confident guitarist is going viral after Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl allowed him to steal the show at one of their concerts last week.

The rock and roll fan had been attending the band’s sold-out show in Austin, Texas when he held up a sign that said: “Let Me Play Monkeywrench”.

Grohl spotted the sign and invited the fan on stage. Upon giving him the nickname “Kiss Guy”, because of his Kiss-inspired makeup, the frontman hugged the guy and offered up his own guitar.

“You ever done this before?” says Grohl cheekily. “It’s really fun.”

LOOK: Weezer Fan Club Surprises Boy Who Lost His Dad, Sends Special Item That Was Irreplaceable

With a small nod of his head, the fan pulls his own pick out of his pocket, takes the guitar, and launches into the iconic opening riff.

The fan, who was later identified as Yayo Sanchez, proceeds to blow everyone’s minds by headbanging, shredding guitar, harmonizing Grohl’s vocals, and dashing across the stage.

The song caps off with Grohl literally bowing before Sanchez while the crowd screams their approval.

And the Austin fans weren’t the only ones who loved the performance – since the video was uploaded by John Scurek to YouTube last week, it has quickly garnered over three million views.

(WATCH the cool video below) – Editor’s note: video contains cursing.

There Goes My Hero: Click To Share The Incredible Performance With Your Friends

“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive—to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” – Marcus Aurelius

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Quote of the Day: “When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive—to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” – Marcus Aurelius (born 121 AD)

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?

Why You Should Be Optimistic About the Future

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The Lesson: While mainstream media may paint the future of humanity as all doom and gloom, this theoretical physicist has some intriguing ideas on why we should feel optimistically about the years ahead. In this podcast, Michio Kaku describes how his family background influenced his outlook on life; how to create and develop wonder in the human mind; his process of discovery and what keeps him curious; and what the future of humanity looks like.

Notable Excerpt: “Well, let’s take a look at the timeline; NASA has published it now. We’re going back to the moon next year. Think about that – after a 50-year gap, next year in December 2019, we’re going to send an unmanned Orion space capsule right around the moon. Four years after that in 2023, we’re back to the moon with astronauts. Now it takes 3 days to go to the moon and 3 days to come back. You could do it in one week. [So] I firmly believe that our grandkids will honeymoon on the moon. Three days! Instead of simply waxing eloquently about the moon at night, ‘honey, why not just visit the moon?’ It’s going to be that cheap and that close to us.”

The Guest: Michio Kaku is a theoretical physicist who is “following in the footsteps of Einstein”. With his String Field Theory, he aims to crack open the answers of the universe. His gift for making such an intimidating subject so accessible is his way of helping to popularize science for others to digest and explore on their own. In addition to being a professor of theoretical physics in the City College of New York and CUNY Graduate Center, Kaku is a bestselling author, radio shot host, and a highly-demanded guest speaker for media and television.

The Host: Tom Bilyeu is the American entrepreneur responsible for co-founding Quest Nutrition: a health food brand that has been called the second fastest growing company in North America. Additionally, he is the co-founder and host of Impact Theory: a podcast dedicated towards educating the masses about business and success.

Pocast: Impact Theory is available for free listening and download on iTunes and YouTube.

(LISTEN to the inspiring talk below)

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Instead of Motherhood Claiming Crucial Physicians, Tech Connects Stay-at-Home Doctors to the Poor

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GNN.org is the exclusive media partner for the 2018 ‘Global Good Fund’ Fellows—12 extraordinary young social entrepreneurs who are making the world a better place. Chosen annually, the 12 Fellows are each matched with an executive mentor, leadership coach, and $10,000. Hand-selected from 2,400 applicants in 100 countries, these visionaries are being celebrated—one each day on GNN—leading up to the 6th Annual Global Good Fund Gala, on April 26.

Dr. Iffat Aga’s story dates back to when her grandparents migrated to Pakistan.

Ordinary people living in a rural area, Iffat’s grandfather worked day and night to ensure that her father went to the best university in town. Iffats father then ended up marrying a wealthy woman, which – at the time – was viewed as an impossible relationship due to status differences.

Iffat was born into a middle-income expatriate Pakastani family living in Saudi Arabia. Because her mother’s wealthy, elite background directly contradicted her father’s conservative family who believed that a woman’s place was only in the kitchen, Iffat always felt that she had a lot to prove to herself and to the world. She wanted – and needed – more.

MORE: This Simple Self-Defense Program is Halting Sexual Assault Rates in Their Tracks

Iffat then attended one of the best medical universities in Pakistan, became a doctor, and started working at a leading global pharmaceutical company upon graduation. It was during this time that she became pregnant and lost her baby to premature death.

The next time she conceived, Iffat quit her job, which prompted her to recognize the importance of flexible work options for women.

Women outnumber men in local medical schools, but more than half of those women never end up practicing because they give up their professional aspirations in order to care for their families.

CHECK OUT: Defying Stereotypes, Female Mechanic Fixes Worries of Women Drivers in the Middle East

Iffat joined forces with other like-minded women, and together, they founded Sehat Kahani to connect home-based female physicians to communities in need.

Sehat Kahani is a revolutionary tele-health platform that connects at-home, out-of-work doctors who can provide quality health care to underprivileged patients in low and middle-income markets.

The organization currently constitutes a network of 14 facilities across Pakistan which have served more than 550,000 patients. When a patient visits the clinic, a nurse logs their basic medical history, and then doctors are called in to continue the consultation through a video conferencing system.

RELATED: Octavia Spencer Says Jessica Chastain Helped Her Make Five Times Her Asking Salary

Sehat Kehani upholds strong criteria for their hiring process. Each doctor must have a valid degree and practitioner’s license, and must not have been out of the workforce for more than three years.

With a vision to create an all-female health provider network, Sehat Kahani simultaneously promotes women’s empowerment and entrepreneurship, and the basic need for affordable, quality healthcare in rural and urban communities – all without the doctors ever having to leave their homes.

Among Iffat’s recognitions and engagements, she has been a guest speaker at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City and Nairobi, and at the APPS-UK Conference at the Royal Society of Medicine in London. She is an alumna of the MIT Entrepreneur Development Program and the i2i Accelerator Program in Pakistan.

Iffat is currently completing her Masters in Global E-Health at the University of Edinburgh for which she has been awarded the Commonwealth Scholarship.

Through its Fellowship program launched in 2012, The Global Good Fund invests in high potential leaders committed to social impact worldwide. It also created the 360 MIRROR – the first evidence-based leadership assessment for social entrepreneurs and CEOs.

Click To Share The Innovative Story With Your Friends

First Ever Successful Transplant of Male Genitals Restores Function, Confidence for Wounded Vet

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Many veterans will inevitably return home from war with the emotional and physical scars of their service – and some of these injuries are less visible than others.

Thankfully, there may now be a procedure to fix them.

Surgeons at Johns Hopkins University have just conducted the world’s first ever successful transplant of a penis, scrotum, and partial abdominal wall. Using the organs from a deceased donor, the 14-hour procedure was carried out by nine plastic surgeons and two urologists.

The recipient, a US war veteran who chose to remain anonymous, sustained the devastating injury from stepping on a hidden bomb in Afghanistan.

CHECK OUT: Lung Cancer Patient Given a Year to Live is in Remission Thanks to Cuban Vaccine

“It’s a real mind-boggling injury to suffer, it is not an easy one to accept,” says the transplant patient.

While it’s possible to reconstruct a penis using tissue from other parts of the body, says the surgical team, a prosthesis implant would be necessary to achieve an erection, and that comes with a much higher rate of infection. Additionally, due to other injuries, servicemen often don’t have enough viable tissue from other parts of their bodies to work with.

The team hopes that after 6 to 12 months of healing, their patient’s urinary and sexual function will feel “near-normal”.

RELATED: Alzheimer’s Gene is Neutralized in Human Brain Cells for the First Time

They also hope to be able to perform the surgery on more patients in the future.

“When I first woke up, I felt finally more normal… [with] a level of confidence as well. Confidence… like finally I’m okay now,” said the patient.

The world’s first successful penis transplant took place in 2014 – but this is the first “total” transplant that has included the scrotum and abdominal wall.

Click To Share The Groundbreaking News With Your Friends – Representative photo by Tareq Salahuddin, CC license

Carjacker Flags Down Police and Surrenders After Realizing Child is in the Vehicle

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What could have been just another case of carjacking turned into a surprising display of morality.

Earlier this week, a mother left her running car in the parking lot of a Salt Lake City motel so she could run into the lobby and check in to her room.

That’s when 23-year-old Francisco Esmerado seized his chance and stole the vehicle.

As the carjacker was pulling out onto the interstate, however, he realized that he had stolen more than just the woman’s car – her 12-year-old son was sitting in the back seat.

Instead of escaping, Esemerado flagged down a police cruiser, told the officer about his crime, and turned himself over so the child could be returned to his mother.

LOOK: When Woman Leaves Giant Sign For Thief Who Stole Her Bike, People Start Knocking on Her Door

“We believe he was just trying to steal the vehicle and didn’t know the kid was in there,” Sgt. Brandon Shearer told The Salt Lake City Tribune.

Officers told the Miami Herald that Esemerado had stolen the car because he was “trying to get away” – but he did not tell police exactly who or what he was trying to escape.

Thankfully, the unharmed boy was reunited with his mother shortly after the carjacker turned himself in.

Click To Share The Story With Your Friends – Representative photo by An Errant Knight, CC

Teens Mount Rescue Operation For Helpless Kangaroo Stuck in Neck-Deep Mud

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Two teenagers are being praised for their resourceful rescue of a distressed kangaroo that had gotten stuck in neck-deep mud.

Nick Heath and Jack Donnelly were riding their motorbikes near the Nepean River on the outskirts of Sydney over the weekend when Jack spotted a tiny animal head poking out from the surface of a mud quarry.

The head belonged to a little kangaroo that had gotten stuck in the muck 100 feet (30 meters) away from solid land.

The critter could be heard growling and grunting in anguish as it struggled against the thick terrain.

LOOK: When Goats Get Themselves Stuck on Narrow Ledge of Bridge, Humans Come to Their Rescue

Unable to reach the roo on their own, the 19-year-olds rushed home and collected a length of rope.

After returning to the quarry, Nick tied the rope around his waist and crawled through the mud towards the kangaroo. Once he had the animal in his arms, Jack helped to pull them both back to solid land.

“The roo’s life was important to us so we went out on an arm and leg and got it,” Nick told TODAY. “We think he went searching for water there and it was really muddy so he got himself really stuck.

“It’s a pretty patriotic thing to do and we’re proud of what we did. If we saw something like that again, we’ll do it all over again,” he added.

The teens then called the Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service (WIRES), which is Australia’s largest rescue organization.

Due to dry weather in the region, wildlife specialists say that the roo had most likely been searching for water when it got stuck. Judging by the state of its kidneys, the rescuers also say that it must have been stuck for some time.

CHECK OUT: Student Saves Drowning Squirrel By Doing CPR She Learned From Watching ‘The Office’

Though the hapless animal was suffering from dehydration, the rescuers say that it will most likely pull through once it is given proper treatment.

Meanwhile, the boys were happy to see the roo receive a well-deserved bath – and they decided to name it Lucas.

“We just agreed on the name. We liked it; it’s cute,” says Nick.

Don’t Get Caught Up In Negativity: Click To Share The News With Your Friends – OR, Watch The Full Rescue Video At 9 News

Major League Baseball Team Hits Home Run for the Earth: Stops Serving Plastic Straws

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Minorfreak, CC license

The Chicago White Sox will officially become the first Major League Baseball team to stop serving single-use plastic straws at their representative stadium.

Last week, the team announced that they would no longer be automatically giving out straws with their stadium food at Guaranteed Rate Field – although biodegradable straws will be available upon request.

Th initiative, which kicked off on Earth Day, is expected to prevent more than 215,000 plastic straws from ending up in the landfill over the course of the season.

The project was also made in collaboration with the Shedd Aquarium’s “Shedd the Straw” campaign to get Chicago businesses and individuals to stop using plastic straws.

RELATED: World’s Second Largest Fast Food Chain Begins Phase-Out of Plastic Straws

Brooks Boyer, vice president of sales and marketing, said in a White Sox press release: “We are honored to be the first ballpark to take the step of reducing our single-use plastic straws for nearly a full season…”

“The entire Guaranteed Rate Field family – the White Sox, Delaware North and Levy (concession partners) – is proud to collaborate with Shedd to share this important message with our fans and hope it will inspire others to do what they can in their own lives.”

Pitch This Story To Your Friends: Click To Share – Photo by Minorfreak, CC

“Every day is a new beginning. Treat it that way. Stay away from what might have been, and look at what can be.” – Marsha Petrie Sue

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Quote of the Day: “Every day is a new beginning. Treat it that way. Stay away from what might have been, and look at what can be.” – Marsha Petrie Sue

Photo: by Anoop Kumar, CC

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

When Student Could Not Find His Calling, He Used Architecture to Build Some Stability for Refugees

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GNN.org is the exclusive media partner for the 2018 ‘Global Good Fund’ Fellows—12 extraordinary young social entrepreneurs who are making the world a better place. Chosen annually, the 12 Fellows are each matched with an executive mentor, leadership coach, and $10,000. Hand-selected from 2,400 applicants in 100 countries, these visionaries are being celebrated—one each day on GNN—leading up to the 6th Annual Global Good Fund Gala, on April 26.

Millions of refugees across the globe are forced to out of their homes due to natural disasters; but thankfully, there are plenty of people who are ready to help – like Scott Key.

During Scott’s senior year at Auburn College, he recalls flipping through a book on Rural Studio, a humanitarian focused design/build program housed within the school’s architecture department. The synthesis of professional skills and impact resonated with Scott as he grappled that year with what his life would look like post-college. Scott then decided to enroll in a graduate architecture program at Rice University a few years later so he could search for a way to fuse his passion and his vocation.

It was around this time that he learned about the deplorable conditions experienced by millions of refugees around the globe. In 2014, 38 million refugees fled conflict and natural phenomena. Upon further research, Scott learned that between 15-20 million of them still live in tents, essentially camping in terrible conditions for 12 to 17 years on average. Between that, and the general lack of innovation as it relates to shelters, Scott quickly realized he’d found his calling.

LOOK: Gym Gives Free Lifetime Pass to Refugee Boy Staring Longingly Through the Window

To relive unnecessary suffering for refugees living in shelters, Scott and classmate, Sam Brisendine created Emergency Floor: a flooring system that can be interlocked and combined in different ways to fit any kind of shelter.

The Emergency Floor, specifically, re-purposes shipping pallets, one of the most common materials to be found in temporary camps for refugees. This process ensures that people won’t have to sleep on the ground and be exposed to cold soil and parasitic infections.

The Emergency Floor initiative, which received $2,500 from the Initiative for Houston grant program of the Rice Design Alliance, is the first project under Good Works studio, the social enterprise that Scott founded in Houston, Texas.

RELATED: Clooney’s Foundation to Open 7 Schools for 3,000 Syrian Refugee Children

Good Works studio seeks to harness the power of good design and the economies of scale of mass production to introduce life-saving, dignity-bearing goods that have significant and measurable impact.

“No one should have to sleep in the dirt. We believe in the power of design to innovate, we believe we should be actively working to make the world a better place,” Scott says.

Through its Fellowship program launched in 2012, The Global Good Fund invests in high potential leaders committed to social impact worldwide. It also created the 360 MIRROR – the first evidence-based leadership assessment for social entrepreneurs and CEOs.

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JetBlue Offsets Over 2 Billion Pounds of CO2 Emissions

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JetBlue Plane-CC Eric Salard

JetBlue airlines has just flown past a major milestone in sustainability.

By signing one of the biggest renewable jet fuel agreements in aviation history, JetBlue committed to purchasing 330 million gallons of renewable fuel in 2008.

10 year later, the company has prevented over 2 billion pounds of CO2 emissions from being released into the atmosphere.

JetBlue’s partnering organization, Carbonfund.org, is celebrating their successful campaign with the airline by giving them the “For Planet and People” Award of 2018.

LOOK: World’s First Mass-Produced, 3D-Printed Car is Electric and Costs Under $10K

“We commend JetBlue for reaching the 2 billion pound milestone,” said Eric Carlson, president of Carbonfund.org. “It is a significant accomplishment demonstrating their continued leadership in climate change mitigation.”

In addition to reducing their carbon footprint, JetBlue is being hailed for a dozen other sustainability initiatives around the world.

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According to a statement, JetBlue is currently helping to preserve nearly 500,000 acres of the Brazilian rainforest. In 2013, the company sponsored the planting of 25,000 saplings to replace the trees that burned down from the wildfires in Angeles National Forest. The planting, which was completed in August 2015, restored a vital watershed area that was in danger of post-fire erosion, and it helped maintain pre-fire levels of native biodiversity.

A few other highlights of the JetBlue Sustainability Program include creating a partnership with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to tackle the issue of illegal wildlife trade; implementing extensive inflight recycling programs in all domestic cities, which recycle an estimated 30 million bottles and cans annually; implementing a composting program at several airports; and transitioning wholly-owned ground services equipment to electric where it is safe for airport operations.

Fly This News To Your Friends: Click To Share – Photo by Eric Salard, CC

Waffle House Hero Sees Outpouring of Support After Raising Money For Victims He Defended

By
McKinley Corbley
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A 29-year-old hero is being hailed for his bravery and kindness after he stopped a shooting in its tracks early on Sunday morning.

After enjoying a night out on the town, James Shaw Jr. was getting a bite to eat with a friend at a Waffle House in Antioch, Tennessee when they heard a heart-stopping crash. According to The New York Times, it took them a moment to realize that the sound was being caused by a man who was firing an assault rifle into the restaurant.

When the shooter stopped to reload, Shaw seized his chance, charged at the man, wrestled the AR-15 out of his hands, and thew it behind the counter.

“I acted in a blink of a second,” Shaw told The Times. “When he reloaded his clip, that felt like 30 minutes. I looked at him, and he wasn’t looking at me. He just had the barrel down. It was like, ‘Do it now. Go now.’ I just took off.”

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The man fled the scene of the crime and Shaw, whose arm had been grazed by a bullet, stayed behind with the other wounded patrons.

In the aftermath of the event, Shaw has been hailed as a hero by celebrities, strangers, and politicians alike – but the humble electrician says that everything was happening too quickly to contemplate heroism. He emphasized in an interview that he would rather people just regard him as “a regular person” because he says: “I feel like everybody can do pretty much what I did.”

The GoFundMe page that he set up for the victims and their families on Monday has already raised over $98,000 in roughly 24 hours. As he healed from his injuries at the hospital, he was able to meet with some of the other survivors and their families and tell them about the outpouring of financial support.

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Meanwhile, a New Yorker named Yashar Ali was moved by all of the news stories about Shaw’s “level of humility”.

Upon hearing that Shaw was the father to a 4-year-old daughter, Ali created a GoFundMe page to raise money for her future education – and the campaign has already reached its $60,000 goal in 12 hours.

“I normally don’t get involved directly in these matters, but James’ grace has inspired me to start this page to give him the support I feel he deserves,” Ali wrote on the page. “Perhaps this money can be used for her college fund or some other education related expense.

“But I’d be just as happy if James used some of this money to take his family on a nice vacation,” he added.

Click To Share The Inspiring Story With Your Friends – Photos by James Shaw Jr.

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