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Beloved Senior Who Hit the Road Instead of Fighting Cancer Passes Away at 91

By
McKinley Corbley
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Seven and a half months ago, Good News Network shined the media spotlight on Driving Miss Norma: a 90-year-old woman who said ‘no’ to cancer treatment and ‘yes’ to the open road.

After a year long adventure, Norma’s journey ended on September 30th when she died following her fight against cancer.

RELATED: They Wanted Her to Undergo Cancer Treatment, But 90-Year-old Hits The Road Instead

In September 2015, Norma Jean Bauerschmidt’s husband of 67 years passed away the same week that she was diagnosed with stage 4 uterine cancer. When the doctors were explaining the chemotherapy and treatment options, Norma looked him in the eye and said “I’m 90 years old – I’m hitting the road.”

In an RV with her son Tim and his wife Ramie, the family started traveling the United States. Her bucket list adventures ranged from hot balloon rides, to whale watching, to root beer float parties – even to scooter rides with a dog as a co-pilot.

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But as they reached Washington in early August, the party started to slow as Norma’s condition worsened.

On dealing with loss, Norma once told the Good News Network, “Keep praying every day and God will take care of you, even when it feels like you can’t care for yourself.”

Now as her 485,000 Facebook followers say goodbye to the inspiring adventurer, that advice becomes all the more special.

WATCH: Tribute to Tender Comedic Genius Gene Wilder (1933–2016)

“It dawned on us that all of you are our people,” Ramie wrote to the Facebook followers. “You have been traveling with us and cheering us on throughout this magical journey. Now that we are entering a new chapter, we hope that everyone will continue to ride the global wave of love that you all have created with us on Facebook.”

Today, Norma will be buried next to her husband Leo with a Celebration of Life funeral in Friday Harbor, Washington.

Though her shenanigans on the American roads have ended, we like to think that death might simply be her next great adventure.

Click To Share The Tribute With Your Friends – Photo by Driving Miss Norma

Pug Receives ‘Hometown Hero Award’ for Saving Entire Family

By
McKinley Corbley
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jaxon-the-pug-youtube

This sweet scrunchy-faced pup is the first animal to nab the ‘Hometown Hero Award’ for bravery and wit.

Mikaela Sebree and Todd Lavoie failed to notice sparks flying from one of their home electrical outlets in Meridian, Idaho – but Jaxon the pug did.

The little dog started barking up a storm in such a tone that suggested something was wrong. When Todd finally noticed the issue, he was able to put out the danger with a fire extinguisher.

MORE: Beloved Town Dog Has Made 4-Mile Trek Every Day For 10 Years Just to Visit Neighbors

After the firefighters arrived, the department chief said that if Todd hadn’t responded as quickly as he did to Jaxon’s warning, they could have lost a third of their home to a blaze.

The town honored courageous little 11-year-old Jaxon with the heroic award, an honorary firefighter’s badge, and a plastic fireman’s hat making him quite a formidable pooch for house fires everywhere.

(WATCH the video below)

 

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Nobel Peace Prize Winner Ended 50 Year Colombian War

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Good News Network
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The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2016 to Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos for his resolute efforts to bring the country’s more than 50-year-long civil war to an end, a war that has cost the lives of at least 220 000 Colombians and displaced close to six million people.

The award should also be seen as a tribute to the Colombian people who, despite great hardships and abuses, have not given up hope of a just peace, and to all the parties who have contributed to the peace process. This tribute is paid, not least, to the representatives of the countless victims of the civil war.

President Santos initiated the negotiations that culminated in the peace accord between the Colombian government and the FARC guerrillas, and he has consistently sought to move the peace process forward. Well knowing that the accord was controversial, he was instrumental in ensuring that Colombian voters were able to voice their opinion concerning the peace accord in a referendum. The outcome of the vote was not what President Santos wanted: a narrow majority of the over 13 million Colombians who cast their ballots said no to the accord. This result has created great uncertainty as to the future of Colombia. There is a real danger that the peace process will come to a halt and that civil war will flare up again. This makes it even more important that the parties, headed by President Santos and FARC guerrilla leader Rodrigo Londoño, continue to respect the ceasefire.

MORE: Good News on Jimmy Carter’s Cancer As He Continues Building Homes for Needy

The fact that a majority of the voters said no to the peace accord does not necessarily mean that the peace process is dead. The referendum was not a vote for or against peace. What the “No” side rejected was not the desire for peace, but a specific peace agreement. The Norwegian Nobel Committee emphasizes the importance of the fact that President Santos is now inviting all parties to participate in a broad-based national dialogue aimed at advancing the peace process. Even those who opposed the peace accord have welcomed such a dialogue. The Nobel Committee hopes that all parties will take their share of responsibility and participate constructively in the upcoming peace talks.

Striking a balance between the need for national reconciliation and ensuring justice for the victims will be a particularly difficult challenge. There are no simple answers to how this should be accomplished. An important feature of the Colombian peace process so far has been the participation of representatives of civil war victims. Witnessing the courage and will of the victims’ representatives to testify about atrocities, and to confront the perpetrators from every side of the conflict, has made a profound impression.

RELATED: Obama Quietly Signs Ban on Products Made by Children and Slaves

By awarding this year’s Peace Prize to President Juan Manuel Santos, the Norwegian Nobel Committee wishes to encourage all those who are striving to achieve peace, reconciliation and justice in Colombia. The president himself has made it clear that he will continue to work for peace right up until his very last day in office. The Committee hopes that the Peace Prize will give him strength to succeed in this demanding task. Furthermore, it is the Committee’s hope that in the years to come the Colombian people will reap the fruits of the ongoing peace and reconciliation process. Only then will the country be able to address effectively major challenges such as poverty, social injustice and drug-related crime.

The civil war in Colombia is one of the longest civil wars in modern times and the sole remaining armed conflict in the Americas. It is the Norwegian Nobel Committee’s firm belief that President Santos, despite the “No” majority vote in the referendum, has brought the bloody conflict significantly closer to a peaceful solution, and that much of the groundwork has been laid for both the verifiable disarmament of the FARC guerrillas and a historic process of national fraternity and reconciliation. His endeavors to promote peace thus fulfill the criteria and spirit of Alfred Nobel’s will.

(Source: Nobel Prize)

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Boy Spends Summer Mowing Lawns to Buy Headstone For Father He Never Knew

By
McKinley Corbley
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While most boys his age were spending their summers playing video games or hanging out with their friends, Brandon Bakke was mowing lawns.

But not because he had to – he was saving money to buy a headstone for the father he never knew.

This year, the 11-year-old boy from Fargo, North Dakota started asking his adopted family questions about his father: like who and where was he?

WATCH: Bride Tracks Down Man with Father’s Heart So He Can Walk Her Down The Aisle

It was revealed that Brandon’s biological father Terrence was buried under an unmarked grave in Chicago.

So the determined son started saving money by mowing the lawns of neighbors, friends, and strangers.

When he contacted Dakota Monument to design the perfect headstone, however, they were so impressed by his hard work that they gave him the grave marker free of charge.

Though they may have never known each other in life, we’re sure that Terrence would’ve been proud of his son looking after his legacy in death.

(WATCH the video below)

 

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This Scientist Created Art Out of Living Brain Neurons (LOOK)

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Good News Network
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What happens when you mix neuroscience with Andy Warhol’s “Marilyn Diptych” and “Eight Elvises”?

Dana Simmons, an art-loving neuroscientist at the University of Chicago, had an opportunity to answer that very question.

With $500,000 worth of sophisticated lab equipment, and Mr. Warhol as a source of inspiration, Dana injected living neurons with special dyes using an incredibly difficult procedure to create artworks that encourages other scientists to explore their creative side.

LOOK: Filmmaker’s Drone Accidentally Snaps Striking Image of Newlyweds on Rooftop

“Just as Andy Warhol wanted to show that there is art in everyday objects, I wanted to show that there is art in the brain,” said Dana.

While most brain art are hand-drawn or digitally created, Dana’s approach is unique because she uses actual Purkinje cells, a special group of neurons that reside at the back of the brain. As a result, Dana’s first-of-its-kind images were recently honored when she became a recipient of New England Biolabs Passion in Science Awards®, which recognizes scientists from all over the globe, but not in the traditional sense.

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“The Passion in Science Awards is turning conventional science awards on their heads by showing that science goes beyond just basic research. We often forget that science also has a vibrant culture that parallels the art community, which helps make science more accessible to a wider audience,” said Dana.

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All Photos by Dana Simmons

Dana isn’t the first person to receive the Passion in Science Awards for her artistic undertakings. In 2014, Tal Danino from MIT was also a winner for using cancer cells and bacteria to create living tessellated art.

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“Spiking” Water Supply With Cleansing Agent Could Prevent Multitude of Diseases

By
Good News Network
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water glass cc Kurt S

A University of Cincinnati scientist has engineered an environmentally friendly technology to zap outbreak-causing viruses and bacteria from public drinking water.

Environmental and biomedical engineer David Wendell, an associate professor in UC’s College of Engineering and Applied Science, developed a protein-based photocatalyst that uses light to generate hydrogen peroxide to eliminate E. coli, Listeria, and potentially protozoa like giardia and cryptosporidium.

If mass produced, he predicts this protein (called StrepMiniSog) could be used to safely “spike” the public water supply in the event of an outbreak.

MORE: Electricity From Salt Water: A New Abundant Clean Energy Source From Rivers

“We designed this protein to attach to pathogens of interest using antibodies, so that when the attached photocatalyst is exposed to light it generates hydrogen peroxide and kills the pathogen,” said Wendell.

Importantly, Wendell points out that this technology neutralizes viruses and bacteria in water without adding troublesome contaminants — such as antibiotics or disinfection by-products — to the environment.

“In the environment or engineered water treatment systems there are many bacteria that you want to preserve,” he said. “We need a disinfectant that can ignore helpful bacteria while neutralizing pathogens responsible for sporadic outbreaks. It is essentially a seek-and-destroy technology where it will only attach to the organisms of interest. By using a selective approach we can preserve existing microbiomes, which makes them more resistance to opportunistic pathogens.”

RELATED: Waters at Jersey Shore Take on Tropical Hue, Thanks to Wind and Plankton

Wendell said current methodologies for treating outbreaks involve increasing chlorine concentrations at water treatment plants, but too much chlorine can produce other types of water contamination, commonly referred to as disinfection byproducts (which are regulated by the EPA) and certain bacteria — Legionella for example — are gaining resistance to Chlorine.

Wendell received a $500,000 grant as part of an NSF CAREER Award earlier this year to develop a mass-production system for his protein-based photocatalyst.

“I think it is feasible to have a mass-production technology in less than five years,” Wendell said.

CHECK OUT: Man Digs Well in 40 Days For His Wife After She’s Denied Water, Whole Town Benefits

His recent publication in the journal PLOS was titled “Selective Photocatalytic Disinfection by Coupling StrepMiniSog to the Antibody Catalyzed Water Oxidation Pathway” and was written in conjunction with former graduate student Elizabeth Wurtzler.

Beyond the potential use in water treatment, Wendell adds that the technology could also be used as a personal disinfectant product. And unlike antibacterial products (which kill all types of bacteria, including helpful types) his would target only harmful pathogens.

“The technology is also very useful for any sort of surface disinfection, including treating human skin,” said Wendell.

(Source: University of Cincinnati)

Clean Up Negativity: Click To Share With Your Friends – Photo by Kurt S, CC

Brussels to Plan Free Holidays for European 18-Year-olds

By
McKinley Corbley
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train-window-mckinley-corbley

Now European teenagers won’t just be looking forward to their 18th birthdays because of adulthood – they might also be receiving the adventure of a lifetime as well.

The European Parliament is looking into the prospect of giving away $450 value Interrail train passes to 18-year-olds for their birthdays.

The passes allow unlimited travel for one month through any countries in the European Union. Officials believe that allowing youth to explore the continent would lead to stronger cultural ties and international community.

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

Assuming the proposal goes through, British teens would be exempt from the gift due to England’s decision to leave the European Union.

Since the operation would cost millions, the fiscally conservative opposition is against the proposal. However, a blurb from the #FreeInterrail campaign provides a sweet argument: “Imagine it is your 18th birthday and you find a personalized letter from the European Commission in your postbox. In it: a voucher to travel Europe. Your life will change.”

RELATED: They Wanted Her to Undergo Cancer Treatment, But 90-Year-old Hits The Road Instead

The EU’s transport chief Violeta Bulc told the European Parliament on Tuesday: “We admire the boldness and the level of ambition — and we are ready to explore it further.”

Multiply The Good News: Click To Share – Photo by McKinley Corbley

Strangers Help Return Military Doll to Son of Soldier

By
McKinley Corbley
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Kim Lane the cashier was working behind the counter when a customer brought a lost doll up to the counter that had been left on the gas pumps.

Since Kim works at the Jack Flash truck stop in Farina, Illinois, she knew that the owners of the doll had probably already driven away – and left an important treasure behind.

The doll was a military plush toy that said “Hey buddy, it’s dada. I miss you and I love you,” when you squeezed its tummy.

VIDEO: Homesick Son Returning From Military is Surprised by Dad Flying the Plane

Toys like these are often given to children by their military parents when they’re overseas.

So Kim took to Facebook with a picture of the lost doll and a plea for help finding the owners.

WATCH: Military Dad Jumps Out of Wrapping Paper To Surprise Kids

3,000 shares later, and the cashier found Grayson, a 2-year-old boy who’s father was deployed.

At the request of the family, his father’s identity has been kept a secret – however, they were overjoyed to be reunited with the special toy.

(WATCH the video here at wfmynews2 )

 

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Mall of America to Close on Thanksgiving For the First Time Ever

By
McKinley Corbley
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This may not be such good news for Black Friday shopping fanatics, but for the 15,000 employees working in the biggest mall in the USA, it’s a much-appreciated gesture.

Mall of America officials announced on Wednesday that it was abandoning their previous policy of staying open from Thanksgiving morning into Black Friday. The super mall will stay closed on November 24th except for certain operations like the Walk to End Hunger fundraiser. Then on 5am the next day, the mall will reopen with a special ribbon cutting ceremony for the eager consumers.

WATCH: Thanksgiving Hero Nurses Who Work the Holiday, Get Surprise Feast

Though shops will have the choice of staying open on the holiday, mall officials expect few will actually do so.

The 520-plus stores in the Bloomington, Minnesota mall have historically made themselves available to consumers for the Christmas shopping madness, but this year, workers are grateful for the chance to be with their family instead.

Let’s Be Thankful Together: Click To Share With Your Friends – Photo by Aine D, CC

New York Pet Owners Now Allowed to be Buried With Their Furry Companions

By
McKinley Corbley
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Cats and Dogs Cuddle Instagram PupFlix

Now when you start looking forward to an afterlife spent buried next to your family, you can enjoy being buried next to Fido as well.

New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo just signed a bill that allows four-legged companions to be buried with their owners in human cemeteries.

There are some rules to this new law – the pets must be cremated and religious cemeteries have the right to refuse animal burials.

RELATED: Dogs Can Now Join NYC Diners at Outdoor Tables, Say New Rules

But apart from those pesky details, Cuomo figures that cats and dogs are like family for some city residents, so who are we to deny them the luxury of arranging their own funeral?

Though the law still needs state approval, it is just one of many New York initiatives to ensure the humane treatment of animals. Dogs are now allowed to join their human owners at outdoor restaurant tables and there are also more severe state consequences for animal abusers.

Click To Share This Pawesome Story With Your Friends – Photo by Pupflix

Filmmaker’s Drone Accidentally Snaps Striking Image of Newlyweds on Rooftop

By
McKinley Corbley
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drone-wedding-couple-brandon-li

This mysterious wedding couple has been the subject of an internet search ever since a drone accidentally took their picture.

Brandon Li was trying to capture the sunset with his Phantom 3 drone in Hong Kong on September 28th.

When he was reviewing the footage later, however, he saw a pair of newlyweds sprawled out on a rooftop garden.

LOOK: Hawaiian Volcano Erupts Into Smiley Face Just as its Flow Reaches the Sea

Hoping his friends might know who the anonymous duo was, Brandon posted the photo to Facebook.

Though the couple’s identity hasn’t yet been discovered, people all over social media have fallen in love with the striking image.

Fly This Story Over To Your Friends: Click To Share – Photo by Brandon Li

This Village is Set to Become England’s First Carbon-Neutral Community

By
McKinley Corbley
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ashton-hayes-ashton-hayes-website

This quiet English village is just like any other countryside community – except for its carbon footprint.

For the last ten years, the population of Ashton Hayes in Cheshire County has been reducing their carbon emissions to combat climate change

“We want to show our children, grandchildren and future generations that we have done our best to stop Ashton Hayes contributing to global warming,” says Parish Council leader Naomi Deynem.

RELATED: Costa Rica Has Been Powered Only By Renewable Energy For 122 Days

The town of 1,000 people do everything from using clothes lines instead of dryers, installing solar panels, and even sharing an electric car.

Since their efforts started in 2006, Ashton Hayes has cut their carbon dioxide emissions by 40%.

However, the initiative did not come from government encouragement – when a member of parliament came to visit the village during a public meeting in 2006, he was told he was not allowed to speak. He was free to listen, but they said it was the people’s turn to speak – not his.

MORE: California Breaks Solar Record, Generates Enough Electricity for 6 Million Homes

Ever since that discussion, no politicians have attempted to address the group. The project has been kept separate from party system debates because the resident in order to prevent political division.

Though it may be a small community, their influence is widely-spread: representatives from as far away as Norway and Taiwan have visited the community searching for guidance on similar efforts in their own villages.

(WATCH the video below)

 

Multiply The Good: Click To Share With Your Friends – Photo by Ashton Hayes

UN to Launch Space Mission for Countries That Can’t Afford Their Own

By
McKinley Corbley
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dream-chaser-wikipedia

The final frontier is no cheap endeavor for countries lacking the funding.

But in 2021, those nations will finally be given the chance to conduct their own experiments in space with the Dream Chaser: a reusable aircraft that can take off and land at an ordinary airport.

The 14-day space mission will hang in low Earth orbit with up to 25 different laboratory stations for different countries to experiment in less gravity.

MORE: UN Passes Declaration to Finally Address Refugee Human Rights

Nations will still have to pay a fee in order to get the project off the ground, however that payment should be manageable enough for participation.

The Sierra Nevada Corporation, creators of the Dream Chaser, announced their partnership with the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs during the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico last week.

RELATED: NASA Responds on Facebook to Climate Change Deniers Who Dissed Bill Nye‘s Science

“At SNC our goal is to pay it forward,” said SNC’s owner and President, Eren Ozmen. “That means leveraging the creation and success of our Dream Chaser spacecraft to benefit future generations of innovators like us all around the world.”

Even though UNOOSA started in 1958, this will be the organization’s first ever space mission.

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Romanian Shelter Gives Paraplegic Dogs Love, Care, and Wheelchairs (LOOK)

By
McKinley Corbley
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This shelter doesn’t believe in euthanizing dogs just because they aren’t perfect – that’s why they not only take in abandoned pups, but they also give them a set of wheels as well.

 

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Romanian dog shelter Adăpostul Speranța takes in injured and paralyzed hounds and gives them wheelchairs so they can play with their friends.

 

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“At Speranța, we insist not to leave any dog behind,” says the organization’s Facebook. “Beside the worst of cases, when putting a dog to sleep can save him from a life of torment and pain, we absolutely refuse to end a life that, with proper care, can be a happy one. And we’re also the ones who provide that care, and the happiness of our paraplegic dogs is our reward.”

 

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Since the shelter only runs on donations, however, the organization is quickly running out of funds to replace wheelchairs that have broken or grown too small for their owner.

 

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“As winter is getting closer and our accounts are almost empty, you are our only hope. Any donation, no matter how small, is a real life jacket for our canine friends.”

 

You can find Adăpostul Speranța’s donation information by going to their website – otherwise you can follow their activity on Facebook.

Click To Share With These Pawesome Pooches With Your Friends – Photos by Adăpostul Speranța

Baby From Nirvana Album Cover Recreates Iconic Image 25 Years Later

By
McKinley Corbley
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nevermind-album-specer-elden

25 years later and the iconic baby who blessed one of the most famed 90’s album covers of all time has skipped past his teen spirit phase and into young adulthood.

Grunge rock band Nirvana released Nevermind in 1991 containing such hits as “Come As You Are”, “In Bloom”, and “Smells Like Teen Spirit”.

The baby in the swimming pool named Spencer Elden, decided to honor his musical roots and recreate the historic photo a quarter of a century later.

RELATED: The Couple From Woodstock LP Cover is Still Married 46 Years After Concert

After paying the photographer $200 – which happened to be the sum that his parents were paid for the use of his photogenic infant face 25 years ago – Spencer paid homage to the beloved band.

The photographer talked Spencer out of doing the shoot naked like the original, but even with the lights out, the resemblance is still entertaining.

You Don’t Have To Stay Away From Sharing This Story With Your Friends – Photo by Spencer Elden

Butterfly Befriends Koala in Best Video Photobomb Ever (WATCH)

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Good News Network
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koala-and-butterfly-youtube

If Willow wasn’t glamorous enough on her own, check out this footage of when she becomes friendly with an unlikely companion.

The Symbio Wildlife Park in New South Wales, Australia was attempting to shoot some footage of their resident koala joey Willow for a video documenting their sustainability initiatives when this monarch butterfly photobombed the clip.

RELATED: Baby Deer Refused To Leave Side of Man Who Rescued It

The resulting cuteness has been spreading like wildfire around the internet.

(WATCH the adorable video below)

 

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All 8 Harry Potter Films Will Be Returning to IMAX Theaters For One Week

By
McKinley Corbley
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harry-potter-films

Hold onto your hats and wands – because all eight Harry Potter films will be returning to IMAX theaters on October 13th.

In preparation for the release of Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them on November 18, Warner Bros. is creating a week-long movie fest for Potterheads everywhere.

WATCH: Harry Potter Spinoff ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Leaks New Film Trailer

The films will also contain snippets of Fantastic Beasts as well as messages from the cast.

It will be the first time that Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets have ever been fitted for IMAX.

Make sure you order your tickets in advance, or else the magic might sell out before you can say “Expecto Patronum!”

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World’s Longest Marriage Ends in Husband’s Death: Wife Says It was Blessing to be Married

By
McKinley Corbley
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married-couple-karam-chand-and-katari

Karam Chand and Katari had been married for 90 long, happy years before Karam passed away this week a month before his 111th birthday.

The couple who is believed to hold the world record for the longest marriage had eight children – four boys and four girls – who grew up to give them 27 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren.

Once they were married in the December of 1925, they migrated from Jalandhar, India to the U.K.

MORE: Husband Plants Field of Flowers for Blind Wife to Smell, So Spectacular it Gets Visitors

Katari, who will be turning 104 on November 1st, told the Indian Express that “it was a blessing to have been married and lived for [so] long. She said now that he has gone, she will pray for his peaceful rest.”

According to their children, the two never argued and before Karam passed, they still had their good health even in old age.

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This Guy Is Giving Away His Homestead – As Long as You Care For The Animals

By
McKinley Corbley
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raptor-eagles-nest-wildlife-sanctuary

If someone’s giving away a house on five acres of land for free, you know there must be a catch.

That catch is hundreds of healing animals in need of a caretaker.

Harry Kunz of the Eagle’s Nest Wildlife Hospital is giving away his property to a successor who will promise to care for all of his current animal patients.

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The sanctuary takes in anywhere from 800 to 1,000 injured animals a year. If they’re able to properly heal, the creatures are released back into the wild – if not, then they’re free to always have a home with Harry.

Eagle’s Nest also provides the only rehabilitation services for rescued raptors and eagles in northern Queensland.

Situated in the beautiful Atherton tablelands, Harry has never discriminated against any wildlife species in need of care. For 30 years, he has welcomed emus, birds, kangaroos, wombats, crocodiles, and koalas.

RELATED: Retirement Home For Unwanted Senior Pets Offers Love In Final Years

His veterinary expertise has ensured a staggering 78% survival rate for his patients.

Harry’s career in animal care, however, will come to an end once he concludes his 5-year search for a proper heir to the land.

Spread The Word: Click To Share This Sweet Story – Photo by Eagle’s Nest Wildlife Hospital

Inmates Reduce Sentence by Growing Thriving Gardens for Charity

By
Joao Freitas
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They may be behind bars, but that doesn’t stop them from helping life thrive outside of them.

Convicts at the Relocation Center Prisons in Brazil are producing 100 pounds of vegetables a year in their facility yard. All the produce is donated to institutions that help vulnerable kids and poorer regions in the south west.

Ever since the program started roughly seven months ago, the surrounding prison yard has changed – a field of trash and bushes has transformed into a luscious garden of veggies. Onions, lettuce, tomatoes, cassava, cabbage, broccoli, and other organic food items are being nursed by the inmates.

WATCH: Ex-Cop and Ex-Con Stop Battling, Team Up for Second Chances

Prisoners work from 8am to 5pm – every three days working in the yard is one less day of their sentence in prison. Each shift is made up of two agents and four low-risk prisoners tending to the gardens.

According to Tatiane Costa, the Director of the prison, the field represents a better future out of their cells. “Besides punishing, the goal of any prison is to widen the inmates perspectives of what the future holds for them. They have to see a perspective out of here to make sure they won’t come back”, Mrs. Costa explains to the O Tempo.

MORE: Confucianism Keeps Convicts on the Straight and Narrow

Jefferson Rodrigues de Faria, 27 years old, is one of the inmates approved to work in the yard. Many things changed in Mr. Faria’s life after he started producing food. “I’m much calmer, and I feel a greater sensation of freedom. The cell is depressing, but the field is therapy”, says the inmate.

The project has the support of many partners. The Mayor of Juatuba, a nearby town, lent a tractor for cleaning the field; the mayor of Betim allowed the town’s agronomist to check the health of the crops every month; and Baptist church Betel donated the seeds and necessary supplies while also distributing the harvest.

Grow Some Positivity: Click To Share – Photo by Omar Friere

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