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How Flickering Lights or Electrical Stimulation Might Banish Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s

By
Andy Corbley
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Alzheimer’s Disease, along with anxiety disorders, Parkinson’s, clinical depression, and other neurological diseases are notoriously difficult conditions to find treatment for. Because the diseases are not well understood, and therefore hard to target directly, many pharmaceutical options fail.

But a relatively new field of neurological treatment is opening up in the form of things like tACS (transcranial alternating current stimulation) and other non-invasive, non-drug methods.

For example, on March 2015, Li-Huei Tsai, a neuroscientist at MIT set up a tiny disco of flashing lights for some of the mice in her laboratory that had been engineered to develop increased amounts of an Alzheimer’s related brain-plaque called amyloid-β. They were later found upon dissection to be carrying far less – sometimes even none – of the plaque than was present before the disco parties began.

The experiment baffled Tsai; and even after checking the results multiple times, she had a hard time believing them. The strobe light within the little rodent dance party, which was tuned to 40 hertz, was designed to help manipulate the rodents’ brain waves and produce a large number of biological benefits, including the elimination of the amyloid-β forming proteins – and it worked.

RELATED: Magnetic Brain Treatment Erases Suicidal Thoughts in Dramatic Portion of Depressed Patients

“The result was so mind-boggling and so robust, it took a while for the idea to sink in, but we knew we needed to work out a way of trying out the same thing in humans,” Tsai told Nature. How can the simple repetitive flashing of lights help to suppress the development of things like Alzheimer’s disease? A brief look into brainwaves will help provide the clues.

When the neurons in your brain communicate with each other, electrical impulses, created by the flow of ions into and out of each cell can be observed on a computer as oscillating waves of electrical energy. Gamma-type brain waves flow at the highest frequency, and are less common in Alzheimer’s patients. These waves are observable when a person is in a period of deep sleep characterized by rapid eye movement (REM sleep).

Scientists believe the synchronized firing of neurons help sort out all the stimuli and sensory input into the correct centers of the brain for processing; taste, motor function, hearing, etc. Neurodegenerative diseases disrupt these brain wave oscillations and seem to deliver their pathologies through their own altering of brain waves; like Parkinson’s which impedes the natural suppression of the Beta-type brain wave leading to impeded motor function.

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

Now, a growing body of evidence, including Tsai’s findings, offers the possibility of forestalling or even reversing the damage caused by such conditions without using a drug. More than two dozen clinical trials are aiming to modulate brainwaves in some way — some with flickering lights or rhythmic sounds, but most through applying electrical currents to the brain or scalp.

TACS, which involves the direct application of low-level electrical currents into certain parts of the brain, has been suggested to be even more effective than rodent (or human) disco parties of external stimulation. Emiliano Santarnecchi at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts have been using tACS in research for years, and after seeing Tsai’s results, thought it a no-brainer to test the method on Alzheimer’s patients.

MORE: These Scientists Have Managed to Stop the Progress of Alzheimer’s in Animals

His team has begun an early clinical trial in which ten people with Alzheimer’s disease receive tACS for one hour daily for two weeks. A second trial, in collaboration with Tsai, will look for signals of increased microglia – unique and important immune cells designed just for the brain and nervous-system. According to earlier studies by Dr. Tsai, microglia can be made more active by brain wave manipulation, causing them to accelerate the speed and effectiveness in which they clean the brain and nervous system of debris. Results are expected from both trials by the end of the 2018.

The popular Radiolab podcast released an episode in 2014 titled “Nine-volt Nirvana,” in which they catalogued instances of tDCS (trans-cranial DIRECT current stimulation) being used to accelerate the learning processes of complex skills such as languages immensely, but also aiding in the quitting of smoking habits, the overcoming of depression, and even boosting rifle marksmanship.

ALSO: This One Peptide Could Treat MS, Alzheimer’s, Crohn’s, and More

For Dr. Tsai, understanding the relationship between neurological diseases and the regulation of different brain wave oscillations is personal. The grandmother who raised her was affected by dementia and that confused face made a deep impact. Tsai is now giving everything she has to try and solve the mystery.

Remember To Share This Exciting News With Your Friends –Image by digitalbob8

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.

Grandson Has Spent 20 Years Using Doodles to Help His Illiterate Grandma Identify Phone Numbers

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Good News Network
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Encarna Alés was taken out of school when she was just 8 years old. Now 74, the Spanish grandmother is still unable to read or write.

Though she has managed well enough, Alés loves to call her friends and family, and her inability to read people’s names in her contact book has proved difficult.

Thankfully, she has a dedicated grandson who developed a creative solution for her illiteracy—and he’s been maintaining it for many years.

RELATED: An 8-Year-old Asked, What if the Whole World Made a Painting Together? And it Sort of Happened.

Since Pedro Ortega was 11 years old, he has been doodling small illustrations to correspond with his grandmother’s contact phone numbers. This way, she can identify the number based on its drawing, rather than its name.

Ortega has been adding new drawings to his grandmother’s phone book for the last 20 years.

“Every time I’m back home, I sit down and add new drawings for her,” the 31-year-old told BBC. “It’s become something special between the two of us.”

While there may be obvious drawings to correspond with more common numbers, such as the hospital or dentist, Ortega has even found a way to identify his grandmother’s personal connections, too.

 

Whenever they sit down to write down the phone number of a friend, Alés picks an object that reminds her of the acquaintance, such as a bundle of asparagus or a daisy.

 

 

“On every page and for every number, I would draw a picture that she felt would identify the person she wanted to call,” Ortega told the news outlet.

 

“It was something we thought of together,” he added. “She says something unique about every person and I draw it out for her. It’s a system we’ve had for twenty years.”

 

Ortega recently published photos of his artworks to social media where they have been shared thousands of times by people praising his creative labor of love.

Share This Sweet Story Of Familial Kindness With Your Friends – Photos by Pedro Ortega

“Only a mediocre person is always at his best.” – W. Somerset Maugham

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “Only a mediocre person is always at his best.” – W. Somerset Maugham

Photo: by Jack Torcello, 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?

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

By
McKinley Corbley
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This man has been planting a tree every day since he was just 16 years old. Now, almost 40 years later, he has grown a forest that is larger than New York City’s Central Park.

Jadav Payeng is the Indian man who has nurtured 1,360 acres of forest on what was once a barren landscape devastated by erosion.

A father of three, he lives on Majuli, the world’s largest river island. As a teenager, he was mortified after witnessing hundreds of animals dying from drought amid the dwindling greenery on the island, so he resolved to plant one sapling every day.

He started with simple botanical powerhouses, such as bamboo and cottonwood. After almost four decades of growth, his forest is now inhabited by hundreds of elephants, Bengal tigers, rhinos, boars, deer, reptiles, and birds. Payeng says that he has lost count of how many trees he has planted – but he believes there are now hundreds of thousands of trees providing shade and shelter to the wildlife.

RELATED: Orange is the New Green For Thriving Costa Rican Forests, Thanks to Orange Peels

“It’s not as if I did it alone,” Paying told NPR. “You plant one or two trees, and they have to seed. And once they seed, the wind knows how to plant them, the birds here know how to sow them, cows know, elephants know, even the … river knows. The entire ecosystem knows.”

Island locals used to call Payeng “crazy” for his ambitions, but since he was accidentally discovered by a wandering wildlife journalist in 2007, the “Forest Man of India” has been hailed as a civilian hero by the government and an internationally-recognized conservational role model.

Photos via Forest Man Film, Youtube

Payeng doesn’t plan on stopping any time soon, either – though he makes money selling cow’s milk in his nearby village, he wants to continue planting trees “until his last breath”. The botanical expert hopes to one day rejuvenate the entire island in Assam with 5,000 acres of trees.

“I see God in nature,” he told the news outlet. “Nature is God. It gives me inspiration. It gives me power … As long as it survives, I survive.”

LOOK: Man Single-handedly Repopulated Butterfly Species in a City Using His Backyard

(WATCH the 16-minute documentary below)

Plant Some Positivity Amongst Your Friends And Share The Inspiring Story

This Guy Has Fed Dogs of the City’s Homeless for 5 Years; Now He Has Bigger Plans

By
McKinley Corbley
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For the last five years of his life, Paul Crowell has been a guardian angel to hundreds of homeless people and their dogs.

It all started when Crowell used to walk to work in San Francisco, California. A self-professed animal lover, he was heartbroken by the number of dogs he would see struggling alongside their homeless human counterparts on the streets.

Coincidentally, Crowell worked at a doggy daycare and boarding facility that would always throw out their extra pet food. Instead of letting it go to waste, Crowell came up with a perfect solution for the excess kibble.

“I started rescuing that food from being thrown in the garbage, and I delivered it to the many homeless dogs I saw in the encampments around here,” Crowell told GoFundMe. “Pretty quickly, I became known as ‘the doggy food man,’ and I started bringing it all the time.”

POPULAR: ‘Gilligan’s Island Crew’ of Puppies Rescued From Uninhabited Island

His strategy was disrupted, however, when his facility was bought out by a new company that told Crowell he could no longer take the excess food.

“I got really upset,” he said. “I really loved doing it, and it brought so much joy to my life. I didn’t want to lose that.”

Crowell loved feeding his neighborhood dogs so much, he refused to give up. In November 2015, he launched a GoFundMe campaign with the hopes of raising some money for more dog food. He then took some pictures of local homeless pups that he helped cared for and posted them to social media.

WATCH: Dog Rushes to Rescue Struggling Canine Pal After He Falls into Backyard Pool

When the donations started pouring in, Crowell decided to create Project Open Paw, an organization dedicated to caring for the homeless and hungry animals in San Francisco.

It costs about $200 to $300 to feed all of Crowell’s canine friends every week. If an animal is in need of a veterinary visit, it typically costs another $200.

“I provide vet care for a lot of dogs,” says Crowell. “When I go down to the ASPCA, they probably pull up my name and see 40–50 dogs. So now, I’m the big poppa of them all.”

The Project Open Paws GoFundMe page has raised over $98,000 since its creation. In addition to using the money to provide food and care to the dogs, Crowell hopes to raise enough money to open his own facility that can take care of homeless dogs when their owners are arrested or sent to rehab.

“The dogs give these people a reason to carry on, and a lot of times, that may be the only thing. They’re a team out there; they help each other live,” says Crowell. “My goal has always been to keep them together, unless there’s abuse. I’d like to be able to reunite owners with their dogs when they’re able to have them again.”

Share This Pawesome Story Of Compassion With Your Friends – Photos by GoFundMe

Alan Alda Announces Parkinson’s Diagnosis, But He Wants to Use It to Inspire People

By
Chris Smith
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Alan Alda has been one of the most enduring, and beloved figures on TV screens for over 30 years – and now, he intends to use his most recent medical prognosis to inspire others who have the same condition.

Known for his role in the TV sitcom M*A*S*H and as host of the PBS show, Scientific American Frontiers, the author, director-screenwriter was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease—but Alda insists he isn’t letting the diagnosis get the better of him.

The actor continues to live a vivacious life, married since 1957 to wife Arlene. To illustrate his enthusiasm, Alda published a video of himself juggling on Twitter as a means of announcing the disease to his social media followers.

“I decided to let people know I have Parkinson’s to encourage others to take action,” he wrote in the caption. “I was diagnosed 3 and a half years ago, but my life is full.”

MORE: Dolly Parton Quietly Gives Away 100 Millionth Book for Her Child Reading Program

“I act, I give talks, I do my podcast, which I love. If you get a diagnosis, keep moving.”

“I take boxing lessons 3 days a week, play singles tennis twice a week, and… I even juggle a little. And I’m not entering dementia. I’m no more demented than I was before,” joked Alda. “Maybe I should rephrase that.  Really, I’m good.”

Alda adds that he made the decision to come clean about his Parkinson’s after he noticed himself displaying certain symptoms on camera.

RELATED: Watch Neil Diamond Come Out of Retirement to Serenade Exhausted Firefighters

“I could see my thumb twitch in some shots, and I thought it’s probably only a matter of time before somebody does a story about this from a sad … point of view,” he told CBS News. “That’s not where I am.”

The star encourages others who are diagnosed with Parkinson’s not to be “immobilized by fear.” In the mean time, Alda will continue to delight his fans and raise awareness of Parkinson’s Disease, saying himself: “If there’s anything I can do, I want to do it.”

In the last decade, Alda has published two memoirs, Never Have Your Dog Stuffed: and Other Things I’ve Learned, and Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself.

(Watch a classic clip from M*A*S*H)

Pass On This Role Model’s Positive Story To Your Friends – Photo by Jake Alda Coffey

Each Pair of These Stylish Kicks Are Made With 17 Recycled Plastic Bottles

By
Good News Network
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This shoe company has unveiled a new line of shoes that saves hundreds of single-use plastic bottles from ending up in the ocean.

Instead of allowing the bottles to biodegrade over the course of 400 years, eco-friendly shoe company Vivobarefoot has developed the innovative shoe line as a means of recycling a portion of the waste and raising awareness of plastic pollution.

LOOK: These Cool New Shoes Are Made From Recycled Chewing Gum

Each pair of shoes is made with 17 bottles that were diverted from the ocean. In addition to Business Insider describing the shoes as incredibly comfortable and healthy for your feet, the recycled materials also make the kicks more durable.

The new line includes different shoe models, from running and hiking shoes to street wear, as well as several children’s sizes. Prices range from $90 to $190, and you can buy them on Amazon.

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Nutritionist Explains How You Can Use Your Brain to ‘Reverse Aging’

By
Paula Iulia
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The Lesson: Many people long to look younger than the number on their birth certificate – and according to this nutritionist, it’s easier than they might think. In this talk, Marias Peer describes the mindset that we need to slow the down aging process so we can live longer, younger, and healthier lives than ever before. She also explains the benefits of “neurobics”: mental exercises that are designed to stimulate the brain and improve your memory by using real-life stories and scientific evidence.

Notable Excerpt: “This is what you can do if you want to be younger. Changing your thoughts, beliefs and language can make you younger, make you live longer, make you physically look and feel better, make you retain a great memory and sharp mind in your 90s, keep you fit, active and healthy throughout your long life. Your biological age is completely different and you can change it – the thing that changes it is your psychological age, the age you feel … Aging is an expectation that you live up to.”

The Speaker: Marisa Peer is a best-selling author, nutritionist, relationship therapist, hypnotherapist, and motivational speaker. Her list of clients over the past 25 years includes royalty, international superstars, Olympic athletes, political leaders, and the CEOs of multibillion dollar companies. She frequently appears on TV, radio, and in the press; she was named “Britain’s Best Therapist” by Tatler magazine; she has been described as a “great British pioneer” by Men’s Health magazine; and she is the only woman to ever be featured in an article on “The Best Of British”.

Books: Peer is the best-selling author of four books which have been translated into Swedish, German, Icelandic, and Korean. In addition to her “Ultimate Confidence” title being used as a core curriculum component in the Korean education system, her book, “You Can be Thin” has received over 260 five-star reviews on Amazon and has remained a bestseller for the last five years.

(LISTEN to the talk below) – Representative photo by Melodi2, CC

Good Advice? SHARE It – And, CHECK Out More on our Good Talks Page…

Watch Adorable Toddlers Play Fetch With the Neighbor’s Dog Through a Fence

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Good News Network
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These neighborhood pals are proving that friendship and determination can overcome all kinds of barriers – even fences.

Two toddlers and their canine buddy are going viral after one of their mothers posted a video of the kids playing catch with the dog through a hole in the fence.

Sometime last year, 3-year-old Landon Richter discovered that if he threw a ball over to the neighbor’s yard, Dozer the Labrador retriever would poke his head through a gap in the divider and drop the ball back into the boy’s yard.

RELATED: Watch Strangers Encourage a Dog to Get a Big Stick Through a Little Fence

Ever since that fateful discovery, Landon and Dozer have played hundreds of games of catch from their respective homes in Savage, Minnesota.

Landon’s 2-year-old friend Conway has also grown fond of playing fetch with the eager pup.

The video of the mini sports team in action has melted the hearts of millions of users since it was uploaded last month – and based on the footage, it’s easy to see why.

(WATCH the cute clip below or our international viewers can watch it on the CBS News website)

Be Sure And Share The Pawesome Video With Your Friends

People Are No Longer Discriminating Against Tattoos in the Workplace, New Study Says

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Good News Network
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Contrary to popular belief, tattoos are no longer impeding your chances of landing a job – in fact, they might be doing the opposite.

A new study shows that the perception of tattoos in the workplace has changed so much that even a visible tattoo is not linked to individual employment, wages, or earnings discrimination. Specifically, the study found wages and annual earnings of tattooed employees were statistically indistinguishable from those without them.

Surprisingly, tattooed job seekers are also just as likely, and in some instances even more likely, to gain employment, though the specifics of this statement are not readily available to us, although the full paper is published in Human Relations.

About 20 percent of all American adults and 40 percent of millennials have tattoos, according to the Pew Research Center. The research team at the University of Miami Business School and the University of Western Australia reached their results by surveying more than 2,000 subjects from all 50 US states, with roughly half of the respondents coming from urban areas with a population over 1 million. The team started collecting data in the summer of 2016.

MORE: Café Chain Celebrates Its Buyout By Giving Massive Cash Bonus to Every Single Employee

The lead author, Professor Michael French, says hiring managers who continue to discriminate against job candidates with tattoos may be settling for a less-qualified pool of applicants.

“The long-held stigmas associated with having tattoos, and particularly visible ones, may be eroding, especially among younger individuals who view body art as a natural and common form of personal expression,” French said. “Given the increasing prevalence of tattoos in society – around 40 percent for young adults – hiring managers and supervisors who discriminate against tattooed workers will likely find themselves at a competitive disadvantage for the most qualified employees.”

RELATED: Homeless Are Getting Six-Figure Jobs in Poor Neighborhood Overrun by Tech Companies

Previous research found that hiring managers widely perceived tattooed people as less employable than people without tattoos. This was especially the case for those with visible or even offensive tattoos that are difficult to conceal at work.

But now, workers with ink can breathe a sigh of relief when they start sending off their resumes.

(Source: University of Miami Business School)

Be Sure And Share The Good News With Your Tatted Friends – Photo by

80-Year-old Man Rescues Drowning Boy Only to Find Out That He Saved the Kid’s Father 30 Years Earlier

By
McKinley Corbley
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When an elderly man came to the rescue of a drowning boy earlier this week, his life-saving efforts revealed a surprising connection between the two of them.

80-year-old Xu Weifang had been resting in his Zhutang home when he heard someone crying for help from the river.

He and his wife rushed outside only to find an 8-year-old boy struggling to keep his head above the water. The youngster had been playing with his grandmother near the riverside when he accidentally fell in.

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

Now, Xu is not as fit as he used to be. According to Jiangsu Television, the senior sustained some long-term injuries after he fell down a set of stairs two years ago – but that didn’t stop him from leaping into action.

Without hesitating, Xu jumped into the river and pulled the boy to safety.

When Xu later stopped by the hospital to make sure that the boy was okay, he discovered that he knew the boy’s father as well.

RELATED: Quick-Thinking Gas Station Cashier Saves Kidnapping Victim by Locking Her in the Store’s Bathroom

That’s because Xu had rescued the man from drowning in the very same river 30 years ago.

The father and son are not the only people who the spry senior has rescued from the river, either – he has saved three other drowning people from the water since he moved into his home, and his wife has saved one.

Though he is humble about his riverside rescues, Xu admits that his old age might soon prevent him from playing the hero in the future.

Save Your Friends From Negativity And Share The Good News – Featured representative photo by Haha169, CC

Europe May Push Cell Phone Companies to Use the Same Standardized Charger

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Good News Network
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Have you ever been at a friend’s house with a dying cell phone only to find out that they don’t have the right kind of charger to save your struggling battery? Well, that may soon be a thing of the past in Europe.

The European Union has spent almost a decade trying to nudge cell phone manufacturers into using the same standardized charger. Since their efforts have been unsuccessful thus far, they may be implementing legislation that will put an end to the frustrating tech situation.

The EU isn’t just pushing the issue because it’s an inconvenience to consumers – their studies indicate that over 51,000 tons of electronic waste end up in landfills every year as a result of old and incompatible chargers.

Due to increasing pressure from lawmakers, a dozen cell phone manufacturers, including Apple, Samsung, and Nokia all signed a memorandum of understanding in 2009 agreeing to adopt the same micro-USB charger. When the memorandum expired in 2012, however, several of these companies signed their own letters of intent in contradiction to the agreement.

RELATED: US Supreme Court Rules That Police Will Need a Warrant for Cell Phone Location Data

Annoyed by the lack of cooperation, EU regulators are now conducting studies on whether or not further action should be taken to address the issue. If studies indicate that legislation should be necessary, then lawmakers will likely bring an end to the wasteful disagreement.

“Given the unsatisfactory progress with this voluntary approach, the Commission will shortly launch an impact assessment study to evaluate costs and benefits of different other options,” said Margrethe Vestager, according to Reuters.

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

Guy Knocked On Doors So He Could Ask People for Advice On Amassing Wealth – Then a Door Opened

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Good News Network
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When this young man wanted new opportunities, he literally went knocking on people’s door until one opened for him.

Reggie Nelson wanted to stand out amongst the crowd and take charge of his own life, so he came up with the perfect strategy: he went to the wealthiest neighborhood in London, knocked on the doors, and asked the occupants for advice and tips on how they amassed their wealth.

His door-to-door mission eventually led him to the home of Quintin Price, the head of Alpha Strategies at the Black Rock equity firm.

Price was struck by the young man’s motivation, so he invited Nelson inside and offered to mentor him at the firm.

RELATED: Immigrant Endures Misery, But Stays Positive Until a Brilliant Idea Unlocks the American Dream

Nelson was so excited for the job, he showed up an hour early the very next day. Two weeks later, Price offered him an internship with the company.

Of the 9,000 applicants for the position, only 115 got in, and 3 of them were black – Nelson was one of them.

Since landing the life-changing opportunity, Nelson has graduated from Kensington University, climbed the corporate ladder at his new firm, and given lectures on how young people can get into the financial sector.

(WATCH the interview below)

Don’t Knock The Good News: Share With Your Friends – Photo by BBC News

“The more important a call or action is to our soul’s evolution, the more resistance we will feel toward pursuing it.” – Steven Pressfield

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “The more important a call or action is to our soul’s evolution, the more resistance we will feel toward pursuing it.” – Steven Pressfield

Photo: California Channel Islands, by Bryan Van Wagner

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?

Minutes After Saying ‘I Do’, Hero Groom Jumps Into the Ocean to Save Drowning Teen

By
McKinley Corbley
-

Zac Edwards’s wedding day was a pretty significant event, but not just because he got to marry the love of his life – it was also because he ended up saving the life of a teenager minutes after saying “I do”.

The 37-year-old Coast Guard and his wife Cindy had just tied the knot on the sands of Shell Beach, Alabama last week when disaster struck.

As they were posing for wedding photos, they heard someone screaming for help.

18-year-old Jamel Robinson was trapped in a rip tide 50 yards out from the seashore, and it was clear that he was struggling to stay afloat. Though there were lifeguards on duty at the time, they were busy saving other drowning swimmers from the current.

LOOK: Cyclist Carries Injured Stray Dog to Safety On His Back, Then Bumps into a Stranger Who Instantly Adopts it

Cindy immediately urged her newly-wed husband to save the boy. Zac took off his wedding shirt and was about to take off his pants before his wife said there was no time – so without further delay, he took off down the beach.

Before he plunged into the surf, he grabbed a boogie board from some beachgoers and made his way out to the teen. Zac helped the boy onto the board and started helping him back to shore. As they continued swimming, however, the groom started to get tired – and slightly panicked.

“I eventually reached him but we were about half a football field away from the shore. He just kept saying ‘I can’t breathe’,” said Edwards, according to The Daily Mail. “The current was really strong and it was stopping us coming in any further… The pants were making it hard to kick too.”

RELATED: Quick-Thinking Gas Station Cashier Saves Kidnapping Victim by Locking Her in the Store’s Bathroom

Thankfully, a team of rescuers arrived by jet ski and pulled Zac and Jamel out of the water.

“I didn’t really take in the gravity of the situation until I laid down that night. Afterwards, my hands were shaking but the adrenaline was just pumping,” says Zac.

Jamel was shaken, but unharmed by the incident, and he was able to start his senior year of high school this week. He and his mother thanked Zac for the rescue, but the groom says that it was all in a (wedding) day’s work.

(WATCH the interview below)

Pass On This Positively Amazing Rescue Story To Your Friends – Photo by Dream Beach Weddings, LLC

This Guy Has the Happiest Job in the World: Calling Lotto Winners and Telling Them They’re Millionaires

By
Good News Network
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A lot of people might have different answers for what qualifies as “the best job in the world,” but Matt Hart is positive that he is working one of them.

That’s because it’s Hart’s job to call lottery winners and tell them that they’ve won millions of dollars.

Hart works for The Lott, which is Australia’s largest lottery operator. Every day, he goes into a soundproof room and calls lotto winners so he can explain how they have beaten the odds and won the draw.

In a recent interview with ABC Radio Brisbane, Hart explains how he typically makes about 700 phone calls in a year. Typically, the prizes average $10,000, but the highest win that he has ever called in was $50 million – and the winner simply said that he didn’t know whether to “laugh or cry or hug his wife.”

WATCH: Woman Wins $1,000 Weekly Lotto Payout – and Proves Money Can Buy Happiness By Giving It All Away

Some people are too stunned to speak; others can’t help but scream with delight; and many of the people on the other end of the line can’t believe the good news. Hart says that during his first ever phone call, the winner threatened to call the police before hanging up on him. When the winner finally found out it was legitimate, however, they were apparently “really apologetic.”

Despite the rocky start, Hart still insists that he has the happiest job in the country, and he “still gets butterflies” before making phone calls.

“You feel like a cross between the Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter Bunny when delivering the prize money,” Hart told VICE. “When you think about it, it’s quite surreal that we just interrupt someone’s life, every morning, to deliver the news that they’ve won a top prize and they’re now a millionaire or multi-millionaire.

WATCH: Man Living in a Shack is Saved By His ‘Worthless’ Blanket That Spurs $1.5 Million Bidding War

“We have this little insight into their lives—it’s a real emotional thing for many people, we hear about their hopes and dreams of what they’d always thought they’d do with a million-dollar win,” he adds.

Hart also says that people don’t usually blow all their winnings within the first year, as it is so commonly believed. In fact, people have told him some pretty surprising intentions after receiving the fortune; one winner simply said that he was excited to get a haircut, while another said that he wanted to quit his job and become a Buddhist monk. More commonly, people talk about how they want to pay for their parents’ retirement or help their kids financially.

“We stay in touch with the winners for a couple of months and sometimes years after they win to see what the experience was like,” Hart told ABC. “There is a misconception that people blow it all in one year, but many people say to us, ‘Don’t worry, I won’t blow it, I’ll be responsible’.”

Spread The Good And Pass On This Fascinating Story To Your Friends

First Major US City to Make Prison Phone Calls Free

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Good News Network
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New York City is about to become the first major US city to offer free phone calls from all of their correctional facilities.

The bill, which was approved by the New York City Council and signed by Mayor de Blasio this week, will save inmates and their families an estimated $8 million per year in phone calls.

“Unfortunately, the city has been profiting from some of the poorest and most vulnerable New Yorkers for years,” Corey Johnson, City Council speaker and sponsor of the bill, said in a statement. “Thankfully, that is now going to stop.”

Currently, phone calls from correctional facilities cost 50 cents per calls, plus an additional 5 cents per minute and additional fees for depositing funds. A 15-minute conversation can cost anywhere from $10 to $17 – and according to the New York Times, there are about 26,000 calls made from city prisons every day, which generate thousands of dollars in revenue for a private company.

MORE: More Dutch Prisons to Close Due to Staggeringly Low Crime Rates

Once the measure goes into full effect in 270 days, anyone being held in a prison or jail will be able to call their families and lawyers free of charge.

The measure is especially beneficial for inmates because studies show that maintaining contact with friends and families decreases the likelihood of recidivism and increases chances of employment after release. Children who maintain close bonds with incarcerated parents are also shown to display reduced rates of delinquency and behavioral problems.

Be Sure And Share The Good News With Your Friends – Representative photo LeylanR, CC

Two ‘Miracle’ Cats Are Finally Found in Rubble Three Weeks After House Exploded

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Good News Network
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These two “miracle” cats have been found safe and sound three weeks after their home exploded.

Ashley Nadeau’s house in Topeka, Kansas blew up after heavy storms caused a gas leak and a downed utility line. By the time firefighters arrived, the house was “pretty much destroyed”.

Luckily, Nadeau and her 9-month-old daughter were not home at the time, but she has spent the last three weeks frantically worrying about her two cats, Kunimitsu and Mr. Tibbs.

Then, on Tuesday, Kunimitsu was found hiding in a pipe. Apart from her singed fur and ears, she seems “all in one piece.”

RELATED: Search for Cat Litter Led Woman to Fateful Encounter With Stranger Who Adopted Her Beloved Persian

“It’s a miracle,” Nadeau wrote on Facebook, according to the Topeka Capitol-Journal. “I’ve been having dreams every night that I found her.”

The very next day, Nadeau and her friend spent hours sifting through the rubble of the house until they finally found Mr. Tibbs amongst the debris.

“Shout out to the one person in the world I knew I could call to help me dig through a dangerous pile of rubble to rescue a cat,” wrote Nadeau.

If you’d like to help Nadeau and her daughter recover from the incident, you can donate to the GoFundMe that was created for the family.

Share This Pawesome Rescue Story With Your Friends – Photos by Ashley Nadeau

“Happiness is like a butterfly, which, when you pursue it is always beyond your grasp, but, which, when you sit down may alight upon you.” – Nathaniel Hawthorne

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “Happiness is like a butterfly, which, when you pursue it is always beyond your grasp, but, which, when you sit down may alight upon you.” – Nathaniel Hawthorne

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?

Teens Singing On the Sidewalk Get to Perform With Cyndi Lauper After Chance Encounter

By
McKinley Corbley
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Two talented siblings went from busking on street corners to performing for a stadium full of people, thanks to a famous singer who happened to be walking by at the right time.

14-year-old Mya Worley and her 13-year-old brother Ronald Jr. were playing music at an intersection in Charlotte, North Carolina last week when two female pedestrians stopped to listen.

The two women had been leaving a local restaurant when they heard Mya was singing a cover of Corinne Bailey Rae while her brother played keyboard. One of the women said: “We gotta get them to play tomorrow.”

The other woman then approached the children’s father, Ronald Sr., introduced herself as Cyndi Lauper’s manager, and asked if his children would be interested in playing a song with Lauper at the Spectrum Center the following day. Not only that, the manager wanted the Worley kids to sing “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” – which is one of Lauper’s most popular songs.

RELATED: Watch Neil Diamond Come Out of Retirement to Serenade Exhausted Firefighters

“I saw this little lady also standing there — she was kind of in disguise, almost — but actually I saw her face, and I realized that it was Cyndi Lauper,” Ronald Sr. told the Charlotte Observer. “She really didn’t want anybody to know that it was her, so she gave me a ‘shh’ and put a finger over her mouth.”

The kids excitedly agreed, and the very next day, they were welcomed backstage before the show. The Worleys got to have dinner with the backing band; Mya got to rehearse with Lauper; and when the show finally got started, they got to watch the show from VIP seats.

When it came time for Mya and Ronald Jr. to perform, Lauper introduced the youngsters to the audience and told the crowd about how she found them on the sidewalk. Then, when she noticed that Mya was looking a little nervous, the pop star turned to face her new friend and said: “Hell’s bells, girl. You’ve got so much beauty in your voice.”

MORE: Dolly Parton Quietly Gives Away 100 Millionth Book for Her Child Reading Program

“Take a deep breath … You look like Miles [Davis]. Miles used to turn his back [to the audience when he performed.] But you don’t have to. Go ahead.”

Mya then kicked off the 80s pop hit with her brother on keys – and her stunning voice blew away the audience. After finishing the first chorus, the full band exploded into the upbeat dance tune that everyone knows and loves.

LOOK: Girl Takes Cardboard Cutout of Danny DeVito to Prom – and Then He Returns the Favor

Judging by the kids’ faces during the song, it’s probably pretty safe to say that Lauper has earned two more fans for life. Additionally, the once-in-a-lifetime experience thrilled their father.

“I’m an ‘80s child,” Ronald Sr. told the Observer. “I grew up listening to her music. I always loved Cyndi Lauper. … So this was just incredible. I tell you, it was so incredible. … Cyndi wrote some things down on paper for us, so I have a piece of paper with her handwriting on it that we’ll never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever lose.”

(WATCH the footage below)

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Have Fun With Your Friends And Share The Cool Story – Photo by Ann.Dree.Ugh Instagram

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