Guy Pilots Great Pumpkin Across the Boston Harbor

By

-

Oct 7, 2017

Traveling about 2 mph. So far no issues, and he's about half way. pic.twitter.com/NMnjmzVDLT
— Steve Annear (@steveannear) October 1, 2017

Whenever autumn rolls around, consumers brace for the pumpkin frenzy to begin – pumpkin food, pumpkin decorations, pumpkin coffee, pumpkin everything.

One event from Boston, Massachusetts, however, propels the seasonal spirit to a whole new level.

31-year-old Christian Ilsley is being hailed for not only growing a 520-pound pumpkin, but rigging it for a voyage across the Boston Harbor.

His notion to do something fantastic with the gourd succeeded, after he piloted the massive veggie-fruit from Jeffries Point to the Fish Pier and back again on Sunday morning.

“I just wanted to grow the biggest pumpkin I could in my backyard,” Christian Ilsley told Steve Annear from the Boston Globe. “But I was just like, ‘All right, I have got to do something with it that’s insane, or fun.’ And I was like, ‘That would be [expletive] amazing if I crossed the harbor — in a pumpkin.’ ”

Pumpkin regattas, though rare, are not new. Every year in Nova Scotia, Canada, a tiny town holds a race where folks take their orange vessels seriously, as you can see in this video. The same goes for Maine and Oregon.

While the hollowed-out Bostonian squash only traveled at about 2 miles per hour, it made the entire journey in a little over an hour. The trip was mostly uneventful, but the intrepid pilot says that he was a bit nervous when his makeshift boat got caught in the wakes of passing yachts, yet remained seaworthy.

Now THAT’S what we call a great pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

One last shot of the vessel he built around the pumpkin he grew (520ish pounds) in his Revere backyard. pic.twitter.com/bvtpHr5S5j
— Steve Annear (@steveannear) October 1, 2017

Click To Share The News With Your Friends – Photos by Steve Annear/Boston Globe

Watch Hamilton Star Push Awkward Celebrity Photo Fundraiser to $1 Million For Puerto Rico

By

McKinley Corbley

-

Oct 6, 2017

Thanks to an online campaign created by comedian and talk show host Stephen Colbert, social media was flooded with awkward photos of celebrities in their teen years – and the pictures managed to raise $1 million.

During a segment on The Late Show, Colbert and television actor Nick Kroll called on their fellow stars to post pre-pubescent pictures of themselves to social media under the hashtag #PuberMe.

Colbert and Kroll both agreed that for every celebrity who posted an embarrassing teen photo, they would donate $1,000 to Hurricane Maria relief in Puerto Rico.

CHECK OUT: Shakira Built 7 Schools in the Poorest Areas of South America

A whopping 233 celebrities ended up sharing their embarrassing photos to Twitter, resulting in an initial donation from Colbert of $233,000. The host then pledged another $266,000 for the 75,000 awkward photos that were shared by the show’s viewers. After tallying up additional donations from CBS, Nick Kroll, and Colbert’s Americone Dream Fund, the fundraiser was at $999,000.

Lamenting over how they had come up short of $1 million, Colbert remarked: “We came so close, but what can we do? If only we had one more awkward celebrity puberty photo, but we just don’t.”

Then, Broadway heartthrob Lin-Manuel Miranda of the hit musical “Hamilton” leaped onto the stage.

MORE: Remember Britney Spears? She Just Donated Heaps of Cash to Child Cancer Treatment

In order to contribute to the campaign, the musician played a video of himself as a young teenager making up a song about Puerto Rico. Colbert was so delighted by the clip, he agreed to contribute the final $1,000.

“That video was absolutely worth $1,000, which means our new grand total is a whopping $1 million,” said Colbert.

(WATCH the video below)

Click To Share The News With Your Friends

Lost Pet Found Years Later, Thanks to Hurricane Irma

By

McKinley Corbley

-

Oct 6, 2017

Every cloud has a silver lining—even hurricanes.

It was 2012 when Wizzer the golden retriever first disappeared on a Fort Myers Beach in Florida. His owner, Pete Mayher, assumed that the faithful hound would eventually return – but as the months passed, he eventually lost hope.

Then, Hurricane Irma tore through Florida last month, displacing thousands of families and animals.

While the property damage caused by the hurricane was immense, it did have one positive outcome: a man walking on a Floridian beach found Wizzer lying in a puddle.

WATCH: Clever Pup Opens 4 Doors So He Can Reunite With His Family

The pedestrian took the exhausted canine to the vet where they checked his microchip and called Mayher to say that they had found his long-lost companion—and he immediately shed a tear when he heard the emotional news.

The veterinarians at Lee County Domestic Animal Services assume that Wizzer’s disappearance was because he was taken in by another owner for the last five years.

After being reunited with Mayher, the pooch quickly returned to his spunky old self.

“I know there’s people in rough shape without power or food or shelter, but for me, this was the best hurricane ever,” Mayher told WBBH.

(WATCH the video below)

Click To Share The Pawesome News With Your Friends

When You’re Feeling Down, Dance Your Blues Away With These Folks

By

Good News Network

-

Oct 6, 2017

Dance is a universal language of joy and expression – so, what could be a better cure for the blues than watching a group of insanely talented dancers bust a move on roller skates?

In a music video created by filmmaker Adam Bainbridge aka Kindness, twenty different dancers from the Central Park Dance Skaters Association are filmed doing what they do best: dancing and having fun.

The song, “Fantastic Man”, is a product of psychedelic funk musician William Onyeabor.

WATCH: ‘Dancing Doctor’ in Boston Busks a Move to Raise Tips for Charity

“We were looking for a group of individuals that had something otherworldly about them,” says Bainbridge. “I then remembered the energy, the sense of camaraderie and above all, the love of music of the Central Park skaters.”

Additionally, the catchy tune recently gained traction because of its feature in an Apple advertisement for the new iPhone 7 Plus.

Regardless of the song’s place in marketing, however, its tune is contagious – check out the music video and you’ll see what we mean.

(WATCH the video below)

Bust A Move: Click To Share

Obama Invites Civic Leaders to a Summit for Solving the World’s Most Common Problems

By

Good News Network

-

Oct 6, 2017

Amidst a political whirlwind of division, former US president Barack Obama is bringing together some of the greatest civic leaders in the world for a conference on how to make the world a better place.

In September, the Obama Foundation released a video statement on social media announcing that the foundation would be holding a leadership summit at the end of October.

“This October, we’re bringing together hundreds of leaders from all around the world for a hands-on exchange of ideas in my hometown – the city of Chicago,” said the former president in the video.

CHECK OUT: All 5 Living Former U.S. Presidents Join Together for Hurricane Relief Effort

“This leadership summit will be a place to gather and learn from one another and then go back to your communities to lead others in the hard work of change.”

Additionally, the foundation is organizing its own fellowship for civic leaders, which will accommodate “a diverse set of community-minded rising stars – organizers, inventors, artists, entrepreneurs, journalists, and more – who are altering the civic engagement landscape.”

(WATCH the video below)

Click To Share The News With Your Friends

Watch Adorable Baby’s Spot-on Imitation of Mom’s High-Pitched Singing

By

Good News Network

-

Oct 5, 2017

While some parents might be celebrating a baby’s first steps, this mom is delighted to discover that her 15-month old daughter is probably going to be on American Idol one day.

Michelle Neely and her daughter were on the couch one day back in 2015 when the mother-of-three started singing “I love you”.

When she pauses to smile at her daughter Gemma Kate, the youngster glances at her mother before looking back at the camera and imitating her mother’s singing.

Gemma Kate then repeats the little tune after her mother several more times – and each rendition is as adorable as the last.

The endearing video of the Arizona family’s exchange has wracked up 6 million views over the years – but it only serves to get even cuter with age.

(WATCH the video below)

We Love Youuuuuuuuu! Click To Share With Your Friends, Too

Giant Straw Animals Erected From Crop Leftovers at Harvest Time Are Absolutely Wicked

By

Good News Network

-

Oct 5, 2017

As autumn approaches, some people might be getting excited over the reintroduction of pumpkin spice lattés – but what is even more stunning are these massive sculptures made from the leftover straw of harvested crops.

The creations are for the Wara Art Festival at the Uwasekigata Park in Japan. Because farmers are reluctant to let the materials go to waste, all of the hay used for the sculptures are made from recycled rice-straw.

LOOK: Stolen Gnome Returned to Driveway After 8 Months With Book Detailing Epic Trip

Since this year marks the 10th Wara Art Festival, the sculptures are bigger and better than ever – so big, in fact, that they require wooden frames to stay upright.

Some of this year’s creations include a massive rhino, an angry gorilla, and a shocking depiction of a growling lion.

Say Hay To Your Friends: Click To Share – Photos by Wara Art Festival

Cutest Job Title: Dog Who Works At Post Office is Official Stamp Licker

By

McKinley Corbley

-

Oct 5, 2017

While dogs may be notorious for holding grudges against the local mailmen, this happy pup actually joined forces with the post office – and he has become a celebrity ever since.

Jax is just one of the faithful employees at the post office in the Scottish village of Portree on the Island of Skye. He may be one of the only workers with four legs, but he is still an important part of the workforce all the same.

His job description? The official stamp licker.

Jax first started at the post office two years ago when he was hired by his owner and boss: Ray Chandler. Ever working day since then, he has been waiting attentively for a customer; and whenever one of the villagers needs to mail a letter, they can simply approach Jax at his counter for a free stamp lick.

WATCH: This Giant Sheepadoodle’s Hilarious Battle For a Sip of Wine

Some villagers don’t even visit Jax for the mail – some residents just want to give him a treat.

Chandler says that while Jax takes his job very seriously, he sometimes gets a little overzealous and swallows the entire stamp – but customers don’t tend to mind too much.

“He’s great to have around, because he becomes the focal point,” Ray told the Dodo. “In Britain, everyone tends to talk about the weather, but in the office, people want to talk about Jax. Some people come in just to say hello, or to bring him a treat; others want to give him hugs. He has become quite a character.”

Click To Share The Pawesome Story With Your Friends – OR,

Here’s Your Antidote to Current Events: Positive News About 10 Death Rates That Keep Going Down

By

Good News Network

-

Oct 5, 2017

While the media today might cause you to believe that we’re surrounded by death and destruction, these positive trends will convince you many things are improving.

With advancements in medicine, along with better safety practices, fewer and fewer people are dying of common diseases, accidents, and problematic lifestyles.

Don’t believe us? Here is the list of declining death rates:

10) Breast Cancer

According to new research by the American Cancer Society, breast cancer deaths in the USA have dropped by almost 40% since 1989 – that roughly translates to about 322,600 averted breast cancer deaths. This trend is largely attributed to more consistent testing and efficient treatment.

CHECK OUT: Fewer Babies Having Babies: U.S. Teen Birth Rate Cut in Half

It’s not just breast cancer, either – a steady decline over more than two decades has resulted in a 25% drop in the overall cancer death rate in the United States. The drop equates to 2.1 million fewer cancer deaths between 1991 and 2014.

9) Malaria

Thanks to the world’s most effective malaria vaccine, global efforts in the last 15 years have led to a 62% reduction in malaria deaths between 2000 and 2015. While there is still an excess of malaria cases in Africa, development of the vaccine is expected to stop infections throughout Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi in 2018.

8) Measles

In 2014, deaths from measles plunged by 78% since 2000 as global vaccination campaigns curbed outbreaks of the disease. According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, measles was eliminated entirely from the United States in 2000 alone.

7) Child Deaths From Disease

An article from the Global Burden of Disease Child and Adolescent Health Collaboration says that mortality among children and adolescents decreased worldwide from nearly 14.2 million deaths in 1990 to just over 7.2 million deaths in 2015.

6) Child Deaths From Car Collisions

In 2014, a government report showed that the rate of American children dying in car accidents declined by 43% over the course of a decade. This is largely credited to enforcing seat belt use and proper safety procedures for children.

5) Maternal Deaths

In 2000, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were established by the United Nations to drive maternal and child deaths down by 2015, and indeed the pace of improvement accelerated, resulting in maternal deaths falling significantly between 1990 and 2013.

The vast majority of countries saw accelerated reductions in maternal and child deaths – with child deaths declining by 3.5% per year since 2000 and maternal deaths by 2.7% per year since 2003.

4) Aviation

According to a report from the Aviation Safety Network, 2016 was the second safest year for aviation on record. Lead only by 2013 – which experienced only 265 deaths out of the 3 billion people who boarded planes – this most recent year ended with 325 deaths in total, which is about 1 in every 10,769,230 travelers.

Over the course of the last decade, airlines have experienced fewer and fewer deaths per capita thanks to newly enforced safety procedures.

3) HIV/AIDS

Thanks to the tireless efforts devoted to education and treatment of the disease, a new report says that HIV/AIDS is no longer the leading cause of death in Africa.

The research published by the fact-checking organization Africa Check, which is based on numbers from the World Health Organization (WHO), shows a 24% decrease over five years in the number of deaths from AIDS/HIV. The data reflects a continuous downward trend in AIDS/HIV mortality, with 760,000 people dying from the virus and its complications in 2015, compared to 1 million in 2010 and 1.5 million in 2005.

2) Stroke

Fewer Americans are having strokes and those who do have a lower risk of dying from them finds a new study led by researchers at Johns Hopkins.

MORE: 4 U.S. States Show Decline in Obesity For First Time in 10 Years

The study found a 24 percent overall decline in first-time strokes in each of the last two decades, especially among people 65 and older. A dramatic 20 percent overall drop in deaths after stroke was recorded each decade, primarily among those younger than age 65. The results were similar across race and gender, a finding that researchers were heartened to discover since a previous study suggested African-American stroke rates were not improving.

1) Smoking-Related Deaths

While it may not technically be a decline in actual deaths, smoking cigarettes is the leading cause of preventable diseases in the U.S.A. – and thankfully, more and more American smokers are quitting the harmful habit every year.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report last year stating that the amount of American adult smokers dropped by 27.7% since 2005 – that’s 8.5 million adults. This decline in smoking is credited to increased tobacco prices, comprehensive smoke-free laws, anti-tobacco mass media campaigns, and barrier-free access to tobacco cessation counseling and medications.

Additionally, the amount of British smokers has fallen to a new record low of 8 million – a decline of roughly 2 million smokers. More importantly, adolescent smoking dropped from 26% to 17%, which is the lowest it has ever been.

Click To Share The Good News With Your Friends – OR, (Photo by jill111, CC)

When Woman is Unable to Retrieve Her Ring From 5,000 Miles Away, Stranger Delivers it Herself

By

SGonnella

-

Oct 4, 2017

Imagine the feeling in the pit of your stomach when you realize you left your wedding ring somewhere. Now, imagine that the place is more than 5,000 miles away across the Atlantic Ocean.

Sarah Gonnella realized as she arrived at the airport, ready to head back to Atlanta, Georgia, that she had left her ring in the drawer of an apartment that they rented in Rome, Italy. Even if she tried to hustle back to the room, she didn’t have a key to get into the apartment again. She sent a desperate message to the renter and hoped for the best.

The entire flight back she worried about whether her ring would be found by the cleaning crew and – more importantly – would they admit to it. As she landed, she received the good news; her ring was found exactly where she said it would be.

You would think the story would easily end there, but shipping the ring back to America was a nightmare because shipping valuables from Italy is prohibited. So, the wedding ring could have been returned, but it would not be insured.

After a couple weeks of trying different shipping options, Sarah thought she would ask social media for help. Though it seemed like a long shot, she asked her Facebook community if they knew of anyone traveling to Rome.

To her surprise, she received about a dozen offers in less than 24 hours, one of which was from a woman who was actually flying back to Atlanta.

CHECK OUT: While Fishing, 11-yo Boy Reels in a Purse Lost 25 Years Ago… and Returns it to Owner

The woman named Emily, who was in Florence celebrating her 24th birthday, offered to pick up the ring for Sarah. After multiple emails back and forth, Emily stated she would arrive in Rome at 5:30 PM that evening on the train. The man with the ring said he would take her the ring at 9:00 PM. Sarah anxiously waited to hear back. Finally, an hour after the drop off time, Sarah heard from Emily – and she was in possession!

The two were able to make arrangements after Emily returned from Italy. Sarah drove down to the young woman’s apartment and gave her a bottle of Opus One as a thank you for her compassion. The two hugged and documented the return of the ring with a selfie.

The ring was returned to its owner; reunited and it feels so good!

Fly This Story To Your Friends: Click To Share (Photo by Sarah Gonnella)

Catholic Church to Make Record Divestment From Fossil Fuels

By

McKinley Corbley

-

Oct 4, 2017

In a groundbreaking stance against climate change, over 40 different Catholic institutions have announced a collective divestment of oil, coal, and fossil fuels.

Some of the institutions, including the Archdiocese of Cape Town, the Episcopal Conference of Belgium, and the diocese of Assisi-Nocera Umbra-Gualdo Tadino, made the pledge on the anniversary of St Francis of Assisi’s death.

WATCH: St. Peter’s Basilica Lit With Breathtaking Climate Change Art Projections

While the amount of money to be divested is still unclear, Carnitas, the Catholic church bank and charity participating in the divestment, is worth $5.2 billion (€4.5 billion) alone. Additionally, the number of Catholic groups who have joined the environmentally-driven initiative has broken the previous record for Catholic institutions banding together against climate change, says the Guardian.

Former UN climate chief Christiana Figueres said: “I hope we will see more leaders like these 40 Catholic institutions commit, because while this decision makes smart financial sense, acting collectively to deliver a better future for everybody is also our moral imperative.”

CHECK OUT: Pope Francis is Paying the Rent of a Private Beach for the Disabled

The gesture is indicative of a larger stance against climate change, too – earlier this year, Irish Parliament announced the historic Fossil Fuel Divestment Bill, which divested over $8.5 billion from the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, making Ireland the first country in the world to divest its sovereign wealth from coal, oil, and gas. The legislation passed in a 90 to 53 majority vote.

“With a climate-skeptic recently inaugurated into the White House, this move by elected representatives in Ireland will send out a powerful message,” said Éamonn Meehan of Trócaire. “The Irish political system is now finally acknowledging what the overwhelming majority of people already know: That to have a fighting chance to combat catastrophic climate change we must phase out fossil fuels and stop the growth of the industry that is driving this crisis.”

Click To Share The Groundbreaking News With Your Friends (Photo by Thomas Depenbusch, CC)

Cop Rescues and Finds Homes For 63 Kittens Because it’s ‘Cheaper than Having Kids’

By

Good News Network

-

Oct 4, 2017

A post shared by Bocaratona (@bocaratona) on Sep 11, 2017 at 5:50am PDT

This compassionate police officer is known as the “cop who loves cats” – and that is because she has rescued and found homes for 63 different felines from the streets.

Officer Gretchen Byrne of the Boca Raton Police Department in Florida first rescued a family of stray kittens two years ago. Since she already had four cats in her own home, she brought the felines back to the precinct.

She then continued to bring every cat that she found on the streets back to the police station. Byrne makes sure that every cat is spayed and neutered – and she pays for it all out of pocket.

WATCH: Rookie Cop Saves Dangling Suicidal Man Who Changed His Mind

While 42-year-old Byrne usually keeps the older cats at her home, she will take then younger kittens to the police station so she can check up on them throughout her longer shifts.

“I will get three breaks: A 40-minute lunch break and two 10-minute breaks. Instead of going for pizza with my colleagues I use that time to run to the station and feed them,” Byrne told SWNS. “It all comes out of my paycheck at the end of the day but I don’t have kids so it is probably still cheaper than having kids.”

Inspired by how much attention the police officers were giving to the kittens, Byrne then created an Instagram page to find homes for the strays.

“At times I’ll have eight cats in my home at once. It’s a lot, but if I wasn’t doing this, there would be an abundance of cats on the streets,” she explained. “The other thing is that is really nice to come home and have kittens to help me destress. I’m dealing with a lot of stuff on road patrol.”

(WATCH the video below)

Click To Share The Pawesome Story With Your Friends

A ‘Love Army’ of People Donate $9 Million to Las Vegas Heroes

By

Good News Network

-

Oct 4, 2017

Within hours of a tragic shooting, online fundraising campaigns began collecting donations for victims and their families. In two days they raised more than nine million dollars.

Whether it be for a Marine Veteran who stole a truck to drive dozens of the wounded to a local hospital, or those whose lives were lost, these GoFundMe campaigns have captured the hearts of the public who want to become helpers.

The Las Vegas Victims’ Fund, set up by Clark County Commission Chair Steve Sisolak has raised the most, $8.42 million. Three million of that came from MGM Resorts International and $50,000 each was donated by the Oakland Raiders and NFL Foundation. Funds will be used to provide relief and financial support to the victims and families.

GoFundMe itself has also donated $50,000 to #LoveArmy, one of the nonprofits collecting money for relief.

Jonathan Smith survived the shooting, reportedly saving multiple lives while ushering people to safety before he was shot and wounded. Jonathan’s sister-in-law has raised $49,000 in her campaign to help with medical and living expenses for the father of three until he can get back to work. He was in the celebrated city for his brother’s 43rd birthday.

ALSO: Shakira Built 7 Schools in the Poorest Areas of South America

Las Vegas businesses are pitching in to help with the aftermath, too – Uber is offering free rides to anyone going to or from blood donation centers around the city. Additionally, United Airlines announced that it would waive their fees for changed flights, and Allegiant Airlines said that they would be offering free flights to any family members of the shooting victims.

MULTIPLY the Good! SHARE the links… OR,

Celebrity Chef Brings 45,000 Meals to Puerto Rico—and Won’t Stop There

By

Good News Network

-

Oct 3, 2017

For nine days celebrity chef José Andrés has been in Puerto Rico cooking and delivering thousands of daily meals for hungry survivors of Hurricane Maria—and he’s only getting started.

“We have big dreams, because people have big needs,” the Spanish-American chef told his Twitter followers in a video update.

Today alone he says the crew from his nonprofit World Central Kitchen will be giving away 45,000 meals – ten thousand sandwiches, ten thousand chicken with rice dishes, paella galore, cooked up in huge roadside pots, and even hot dogs and burgers.

LOOK: In Viral Video Puerto Rican Pup Lends a Paw to Help Clean Up

“The supermarkets around here, they have no food,” he reported, using his hashtag #ChefsForPuertoRico. “But people have their hopes up—you can see them smiling and they don’t complain.”

The chef, known for his restaurants in Washington, DC also announced on Twitter that he and his volunteers have set up a kitchen in the area, where there is no electricity or water, and hopes to be able to deliver 100,000 meals daily by the end of the week.

Quick report from #PuertoRico: Our main @WCKitchen operation is growing here in San Juan! Tomorrow 10k meals in Ponce! #ChefsForPuertoRico pic.twitter.com/I1Cisdg1yR
— José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) October 3, 2017

MULTIPLY the Good– Click to Share and Donate… OR,

Watch Convict From Women’s Prison on the Front Lines as Firefighter

By

Good News Network

-

Oct 3, 2017

Convicted of drinking and driving, she was hoping to go to an alcohol treatment center during her time in prison, but California “needed bodies” for fighting fires. She decided to sign-up for training at “Fire Camp” and now her transformation is taking place in the blazing heat where she also battles her personal demons.

Her life-changing course of action is part of Netflix’s new documentary series called Fire Chasers

Her work is part of a program offered by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation in Corona which allows non-violent offenders to volunteer, while serving their sentence.

“These women in orange are side by side with firefighters across the state,” said one of the trainers. “You are here to save lives; you are here to save property; but most of all you are here to change who you are.”

With a strong focus on the lessons learned and her drive to change the course of her life, the video offers a glimpse into the new firefighters’ sense of duty and pride for what she is doing, and how she’s fighting to become the best version of herself.

Even the most negative of events can lead a person’s life in a positive direction.

(WATCH the video below from Goalcast)

Click to SHARE the Inspiration… Or,

Resentments Versus Freedom: Which Do You Want to Choose?

By

Good News Network

-

Oct 2, 2017

All of us have experienced simmering anger that turned into resentment. The problem is, resentment does nothing to address the real problem. Resentment wastes time and makes you suffer.

How do you know if you suffer from resentment?

You keep talking about a past wrong
You identify with something that should not have happened
You secretly wish for revenge
Your mind is occupied with a past transgression
You tell other people about old problems that never go away
Your wins are all about out-doing someone else
You talk endlessly about someone you don’t like

Resentment is a sign that a conversation is well over-due.

Maybe you need to set a boundary. Maybe you need to ask for what you want. Perhaps you need to tell someone the truth about how something really affects you instead of pretending everything is OK. The point being that nothing is going to change unless you initiate a difficult conversation.

One way to ease the difficulty of such conversations is to speak about the observable behaviors, rather than your feelings or assumptions about what’s going on. Look at the difference between saying, “You have a bad attitude and don’t care about others” versus “Yesterday I saw you slam down the phone and leave work early.” While unable to accurately measure someone’s attitude or motivation, you can definitely ask for a specific behavior change that is observable.

Sometimes the conversation you need to have is with yourself. There are many things you need to address:

The part you played in the problem
What you can do to make peace
What you learned
What you need to forgive
What you need to do if the same thing happens in the future
How you have done the same thing to yourself
How you have done the same thing to others

Real freedom is about how you feel. As long as you harbor old resentments (toward those living or dead) you imprison yourself.

ALSO: How Yoga Turns Your Bad Thoughts into Good Thoughts

Let go of old resentments. Set boundaries. Ask for what you want. Forgive yourself forgive others.

Now what does it feel like to really be free?

Marlene Chism is an executive educator, consultant, and author of Stop Workplace Drama and No-Drama Leadership. She works with executives, and high-performing leaders who want to transform culture in the workplace. To explore opportunities please email her here.

Click to SHARE Some Freedom With Your Friends… OR, (Photo by Giampaolo_Macorig, CC)

Ohio State to Make College Tuition-free for Low and Moderate Income Residents

By

Good News Network

-

Oct 2, 2017

Happy Graduate — By robtowne0, CC license

Ohio State University announced an unprecedented offer to make tuition affordable for all Ohio students.

Beginning on its main Columbus campus in the fall of next year, the school will fill any financial aid gaps to ensure that all in-state students who qualify for federal Pell Grants will have the full cost of tuition and mandatory fees covered.

This historic step will expand aid for any qualifying new, existing and transfer students—an estimated 3,500 Ohio residents.

“Ohio State’s tuition coverage program will help bring the American Dream closer to many more individuals and families throughout the Buckeye State,” said President Michael V. Drake. “We are thrilled to open our doors even wider to so many more deserving students.”

According to the U.S. Department of Education, about 90 percent of Pell recipients have family incomes of $50,000 or less.

This follows a commitment made by Drake in 2015 to invest $100 million in additional need-based aid for students by 2020. The three-year-old President’s Affordability Grant program has provided $60 million in aid to low- and moderate-income students thus far.

Ohio State will invest more than $11 million each year in the tuition coverage program, and is working to enhance financial aid for Pell students on its regional campuses, as well.

MORE: Michigan Families Making Under $65K Can Now Qualify for 4 Years of Free Tuition

Current in-state tuition and mandatory fees on the Columbus campus total $10,591 annually for first-year students and $10,037 annually for continuing students. These totals include the university’s instructional, general, student activity, recreational, student union and COTA fees.

The tuition coverage program joins a number of steps taken by Ohio State to ensure greater access to an affordable and excellent education, including:

Creating the Ohio State Tuition Guarantee, which freezes tuition and fees for each incoming class of first-year students for four years.
Freezing tuition and fees for existing Ohio students for five consecutive years.
Expanding the Land Grant Opportunity Scholarship program to cover full cost of attendance and apply to twice as many students (two from each of Ohio’s 88 counties).
Reducing summer tuition and implementing a campus-wide predictive analytics advising tool to improve student outcomes and shorten the path to graduation.
At the national level, Ohio State is a founding member of the American Talent Initiative, a first-of-its-kind partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies, Ithaka S+R and the Aspen Institute to enroll an additional 50,000 low- and moderate-income students at top-performing colleges and universities over the next decade. More than 80 public and private higher-education institutions have joined the initiative since its December launch.

Ohio State is also a charter member of the University Innovation Alliance, a collaboration of public research institutions committed to increasing the number and socioeconomic diversity of college graduates. Its efforts have helped increase low-income graduates by 24.7 percent among participating universities, marking significant progress toward a goal of graduating an additional 68,000 undergraduates by 2025.

“Addressing college costs and protecting college opportunity are defining issues of our time,” Drake said. “Ohio State is fully committed to being a leader in this effort.”

CLICK to Share This A+ News… OR, (Photo by RobTowne, CC)

In Viral Video Puerto Rican Pup Lends a Paw to Help Clean Up

By

Good News Network

-

Oct 1, 2017

Even dogs are getting involved in the tremendous clean up effort underway on the island of Puerto Rico following a hurricane that tore up roads and left tens of thousands homeless.

Truly man’s best friend, this pup sees what the people around him are doing, and joins in to help clear debris.

“Amazing!” wrote Orgulloso De SER Boricua on their Facebook Page. “We Puerto Ricans come together in times of crisis.”

LOOK: Hikers Rescue Starving Dog Trapped For 6 Weeks On Frigid Mountain

You can help by donating cash directly where it’s needed most quickly through UNICEF. The First Lady of Puerto Rico is also spearheading a campaign called United for Puerto Rico.

Meanwhile, someone give this dog a storm-sized treat!

(WATCH the video below, and SHARE with your friends…)

CLICK to Share… OR,

Grandpa Spends 12 Years Cuddling Tiny Babies Who Have to Live in Intensive Care

By

Good News Network

-

Oct 1, 2017

Every week for the past 12 years he has come to cuddle and whisper words of encouragement to the tiniest babies in this hospital’s intensive care unit—and for his dedication he is known as the ICU Grandpa.

David Deutchman holds the babies whose parents can’t be with them on that day at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. A photo taken recently by the mother of one of the baby boys was posted on the facility’s Facebook page, and earned the senior mucho public adoration.

It was a typical story. A preemie—born at just 25 weeks—had been in the hospital for six weeks, and because his mother needed to take care of her daughter, she had to go home every night. And each morning, she would drive the two hours back to the ICU feeling anxious because he’s likely been “missing his mommy.”

But this time she returned to find ICU Grandpa snuggling with her son, and snapped a photo of the legendary hospital volunteer.

The Facebook image collected 9,000 comments—some written by other parents who had also been eternally grateful to the baby whisperer for his devotion to their infants.

“He rocked our baby for countless hours,” commented Kristin Cook Walker. ”What a wonderful gift he has, and what a blessing it is that he shares that love with others.”

Kristen Brown Webber said that knowing someone was there for her baby was a huge relief. “I felt horrible leaving him but I needed to be mommy to my other son too.”

ALSO: Orphan Best Friends Unknowingly Adopted By Families Overseas in Same Town

One reply to the photo came from Susan Lilly, who knows Deutchman exceptionally well: “I’ve known David as a special man for 53 years –he’s my dad! To read the thousands of comments and see the outpouring of affection is very moving to our entire family.”

Even though he gets vomited and peed on, he says it’s the best job he’s ever had.

(WATCH his interview with WXIA-11 News) – Image from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta video

CLICK to SPREAD the Love.. OR,

Let’s Examine the Myth That Big Pharma Doesn’t Want to Cure Cancer

By

Michael Little, Science Writer

-

Sep 30, 2017

The pharmaceutical industry has delivered substantial health advances to humanity over the last several decades. They have developed medication that has prolonged the lives of your loved ones and helped to reduce the effects of debilitating disease or illness.

However, like any industry, among these heroes there are villains. Martin Shkreli’s 56-fold price increase of Daraprim in 2015, a drug that had been available since 1953, is one example. Although other incidents of bad behavior can be detailed as well, there are two very important misconceptions about the pharmaceutical industry that routinely make the rounds on the internet. One is that the industry has or is aware of a cure for cancer but refuses to develop or release it and the second is that the pharmaceutical industry does not attempt to cure diseases, preferring only to treat the symptoms.

The seemingly logical thinking is that if cancer or another disease is cured, the pharmaceutical industry will lose customers and therefore sales and profits. On the surface, this might seem to make sense, but let’s examine the reality of the business.

When a chemical or biochemical product has the potential to become a drug, no matter how small that chance may be, it is patented. These patents last for 20 years and they ensure that a competing company cannot produce the same drug and reap the rewards from the original company that actually did all the discovery work. Twenty years sounds like a long time but research, development and clinical trials require up to 7 years on average, meaning that once the drug finally hits the market, there are 13 years left on the patent. Now the company will have 13 years to earn back the over $600 million (on average) that it spent on getting that drug to market – and it doesn’t cover the costs of all the other potential drugs that the company invested time and money into but then languished. Some drugs will reach the market with less than 10 years left on the patent due to extra time required during the development and clinical stages. That is one of the primary reasons that some drugs cost so much.

During this 13 year time period there is a decent chance that this new drug will lose money when it is usurped by a better drug from a competitor that produces fewer side effects or requires a lower dose.

But what if that first drug wasn’t a treatment for a disease but a cure? What would happen then?

Gilead launched Sovaldi in 2013 for the treatment of the hepatitis C virus (HCV). When combined with other existing HCV drugs, it became a cure for people that were infected with certain types of the virus. A cure! Previous treatments could cure only up to 70% of suffers, but with significant side effects. The addition of Sovaldi to the market increased the cure rate well above 90% and has reduced side effects and even offered a shorter treatment time. Sovaldi is now on the World Health Organization’s list of Essential Medicines. When Gilead’s competitors saw the clinical trial results many of them stopped their research projects because they knew that they couldn’t compete with a cure. Not all companies gave up though, and that’s a great thing because it offers hope that in the future a better cure will come along that will treat additional types of HCV thereby curing more people.

So what happens to the cure producing company in this situation? Gilead quickly captured most of the HCV market, they had few competitors and they started to make billions of dollars selling their new drug. Billions from a cure. So a cure means few, to no, competitors, almost every patient will buy your drug and eventually, hopefully, the disease will be eradicated.

This is different for drugs that treat a disease like cancer whereby incremental advances are the norm and each new drug (depending on the therapeutic area) is under a constant threat of being made obsolete. That’s not to say that there aren’t large amounts of money to be made, there most certainly are and companies do—but that pales in comparison to releasing a cure.

If one talks to the people who dedicate their lives to discovering drugs, they all will tell you how that type of discovery would be the pinnacle of their career. It is something for which they would be forever proud. Every researcher works to find and create the best possible drug that they can. The reality is that discovering a drug that works against a disease without causing too many problems for the patient, is genuinely hard. Humans do not come from an assembly line where each one is virtually identical to the last. Despite all of the really great advances in medicine in recent decades, our understanding of human biology is still very much in its infancy. Our medicine today will likely look as archaic in 100 years as bloodletting does to us now.

MORE: Non-Chemo Cancer Treatment, Simple as Flu Shot, Moves Closer to Reality

So what about cancer? Knowing what you know now about the HCV cure, let’s add one additional component; cancer can never truly be cured—meaning that it cannot be eradicated from the planet, like smallpox or HCV could be. For the foreseeable future, there will be a need for treatments. While new advancements in immunotherapy indicate that we are getting smarter, cancer is still very complex.

It is not simply one disease, each form is unique—similar but different. It develops within us and each person’s body has the potential of being susceptible throughout their life. A cure for one cancer doesn’t mean the disease will never redevelop in your body again, at least with current technology.

So, if you operate a pharmaceutical company that has a cure for one or even all forms of cancer what would you do? Release it and make billions of dollars and be regarded as a savior to humankind? The moral, ethical and financial goals all align perfectly. Would any for-profit business keep it quiet and face an uncertain future trying to discover and release incrementally better drugs that constantly get one upped without any guarantee of making back the money they’ve invested?

It seems like an easy choice: take the billions, along with the Nobel Prize and your place in history.
Whatever problems the pharmaceutical industry has, it is engaged in developing the very best medicines possible with the current knowledge of human biology. All their goals are in alignment.

Reference:
Prasad V, Mailankody S. Research and Development Spending to Bring a Single Cancer Drug to Market and Revenues After Approval. JAMA Intern Med. Published online September 11, 2017. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2017.3601

Michael Little works in analytical chemistry and has almost 20 years experience in the research based pharmaceutical industry. Michael resides in Laval, Quebec, with his wife and three children. Michael has written occasional science articles for GNN since 2007.

CLICK to Shed Some Light … OR,