All News - Page 952 of 1716 - Good News Network
Home Blog Page 952

“Paparazzi For Good” Cameras Paid to Catch Average Folks in Acts of Kindness

Paparazzi screenshot Jimmy Dean

A sausage-maker is getting paparazzi to refocus their cameras away from celebrities to the real stars of this world — people who do good for others.

Amateur photographers, like you, can also get paid the big bucks for snapshots – earning $500 for capturing the best weekly picture of someone committing an act of kindness.

Jimmy Dean launched “Paparazzi For Good” to pay professional celebrity photographers their going rate to capture images of everyday people helping others.

CATCH KINDNESS EVERY DAY …GET OUR GOOD NEWS APP—>  Download FREE for Android and iOS

In the video below, professional photographer Giles Harrison captures shots of a man who cleans his local beach and a chef who hands out food to the homeless. The company will use the images in ads splashed across magazines that that mainly cover the rich and famous such as US Weekly and People.

CHECK OUT: Christians Protect Mosques on Friday, Muslims Guard Churches on Sunday in Nigeria

“Looking back on the pictures I took today it fills me with a sense of passion, a sense of purpose,” the paparazzo says of his change of pace assignment.

Paparazzi For Good, part of Jimmy Dean’s “Shine it Forward” campaign, was extended to the general public last Friday and the company says it will choose the best photo of the week and pay $500 for the submission.

You can post your pictures of people doing good to their website, or just post on social media with the hashtag #ShineOnPics.

MORE: Small Voice That Urged Big Act of Kindness Lets Stranger Walk Again

Photos so far include images of a man who runs a horse rescue operation, people collecting used medical equipment to donate to others, and a Boy Scout simply changing a flat tire for a friend’s parents.

(WATCH the video from Jimmy Dean below)

Spread the Chance to Win $500: Share This…

Jimmy Carter Stops Treatment as Cancer Seems to Have Vanished

 

After being cancer-free for nearly two months, former President Jimmy Carter announced Sunday that his doctors say he no longer needs treatment.

He made the announcement during a Sunday school class at Maranatha Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. Carter told those attending he’d continue to get checkups, and if needed, restart immunotherapy therapy in the future.

CHECK OUT: Mom Adopts Hospice Babies No One Else Wants

Carter, 91, had been undergoing cancer treatment since August when doctors determined that stage 4 melanoma had spread to his brain.

(WATCH the video above for full story)

Share the Good News…

Van Gogh Paintings Come to Life in Spectacular Oil Animation Film (WATCH)

Loving Vincent - Youtube Screenshot

Vincent Van Gogh is beloved for creating numerous great works with oil – now a team of 100 inspired artists have brought those masterpieces to life in 12-frames-per-second oil animation.

Directed by Polish painter Dorota Kobiela and Oscar-winner Hugh Welchman, ‘Loving Vincent’ will be the world’s first fully painted feature length film.

DO YOU LOVE INNOVATION? …GET OUR NEW GOOD NEWS APP—>  Download FREE for Android and iOS

The Poland-based geniuses from Breakthru Films have released a trailer showing the technique they are working with meticulously. Check out one minute and seven seconds that will make you feel like you are walking inside the lush countrysides of van Gogh landscapes.

Soup Kitchen Disguised as Cafe Offers Side of Dignity to Kansas City Poor

Soup Kitchen 2 screenshot KC Star

There’s no waiting in line at this soup kitchen where food is served with plenty of humanity.

The staff takes your custom order right at your table and brings healthy meals even if you don’t have a dime in your pocket.

The Kansas City Community Kitchen feeds the city’s hungry in a restaurant setting. When someone comes in off the street for a hot meal, they’re met by a greeter who takes them to a table where a waiter takes the person’s order.

GET A FULL SERVING OF GOOD NEWS WITH OUR APP—>  Download FREE for Android and iOS

It sometimes catches the homeless off-guard.

“It’s different,” Brian Oglesby told the Kansas City Star “They’re treating me good, like they don’t know I’m homeless.”

The kitchen staff whips up healthy fare based on the ingredients they have for the day, and the presentation on the plate looks like what something from an upscale restaurant.

CHECK OUT:  Chef Wins Reality Show and Uses Money To Feed Chicago Homeless

Substitutions are no problem. The Kitchen can make changes to meet health, dietary, or religious requirements.

The selections are low in sodium and high in nutrients — an effort to reduce the cases of hypertension, diabetes, and expensive hospital visits for the homeless.

The people behind the project have something more than just food on their menu — they want to find jobs for the homeless.

LOOK: Homeless Man Hands Out Resumes Instead of Asking for Cash-and Lands Job

Episcopal Community Services, which runs the kitchen, offers volunteers a six-month training program in culinary arts. The final two months, they work in restaurants as interns — with requirements that they receive a minimum wage of $13 an hour.

Kansas City isn’t the only American city using this model to feed the hungry. Masbia—which means “to satiate” in Hebrew—is a three-kitchen network in New York City serving healthy kosher food to the poor in a setting that runs exactly like a cafe, except without requiring payment, in Brooklyn and Queens.

(WATCH the video below) — Photo: news video

Serve This Story as Inspiration: Share it…

College Kids Give Sweet Online Surprise to Snack Stand Worker (LOOK)

cafe worker gets note -submitted

The internet can often be a cesspool of negativity and criticism – but every once in a while, it can be used for good, like this online tribute that said, “Good job” to a simple worker.

Ashraf, affectionately known as the Leaky Beaker man, works at that snacks stand on the Wellesley College campus in Massachusetts. He always finds time to ask students how they’re doing, which makes him a wonderfully positive part of the school.

NEED A DOSE OF GOOD NEWS EVERY DAY? …GET OUR APP—>  Download FREE for Android and iOS

One day, Liah Watt was doing some homework near the Leaky Beaker and was feeling the pressures of school particularly keenly.

“I was sitting and working for a few hours in the Science Center, very stressed out about the work I was doing,” Liah told the Good News Network. ”But every now and then, I would hear Ashraf in conversation with a student and it would brighten my mood. He is incredibly kind and caring, and asks each student about how their day is going, and seems to actually care about the answers.”

RELATED: Harvard Tells College Applicants: Focus on Kindness, Not Overachieving

She decided to jump on the anonymous online college forum, called Yik Yak, and post a note about Ashraf so her fellow students would see it:

“Watching the Leaky Beaker man interact with students makes me so happy. He’s so kind, caring, and positive,” she wrote on February 23rd.

WATCHHigh School Kids Start Food Pantry to Keep Classmates From Hunger

A slew of affirming likes and comments agreeing with Liah proceeded to boost the social media post until it became the most popular Yak of the week.

Message board compliments cafe worker-submitted

Shortly after the post’s creation, another student printed out a screenshot of the comments as a gift to Ashraf with a written comment in the margin reading “I thought you might like a copy of this. Thank you for being such a kind and supportive part of our community. With Love, The Wellesley College Classes of 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.”

LOOKTeen Foregoes Date to Formal, Asks Dying Little Sister Instead: “She Trumped Them All”

A few days later, Jesslyn Tannady was having a chat with Ashraf about his day when the subject of Yik Yak came up. When asked if he knew what the website was, he proudly retrieved the printed forum post that he’d been given from beneath the desk.

Jesslyn photographed Ashraf with the Yik Yak page and posted it to Facebook with a caption reading “We’ve only spoken a handful of times, but you brighten up my day every time we do. You’re honestly so wonderful.

MULTIPLY the Good… Share the Idea!

10 Easy Ways To Positively Improve Your Romantic Relationship Today

People In Love - CC Paul Saad

With the everyday stresses associated with work, kids, caring for aging parents, maintaining a home, volunteering, and shuttling to different activities, it’s not surprising that life can get in the way of our most important relationships.

Even if you have a rock solid relationship with your partner, life’s demands can wedge their way in and interrupt the sentimental and loving things you would typically do for each other. The kiss before leaving for work, the snuggling on the sofa while watching the evening news or remembering to grab their favorite snacks at the grocery store.

NEED A SMILE EVERY DAY? …GET OUR GOOD NEWS APP—>  Download FREE for Android and iOS

Life’s demands aren’t going to stop, so it’s up to you to make time during your busy day to acknowledge your partner. An important thing to remember is it should not be viewed as just another task. To keep your relationship strong and meaningful, you need to put your partner ahead of the chaos even if it’s for a few minutes each day. Here are 10 ways to renew your long-time relationship starting today:

1. Unplug When You’re Together

You may have originally met online, but no great relationships are nurtured and maintained when you’re both separately on Facebook in the free time you have to spend together. If you’ve got your nose in your iPad, you’re not really listening to your partner or really paying attention to them. Prove to your partner they are deserving of your attention and step away from the technology.

2. A Simple Deed Goes a Long Way

Take a couple of minutes to make your partner a cup of tea or coffee in the morning, grab their favorite ice cream at the grocery store, leave a love note in their work bag telling them why you love them, send a text during the day that simply says “I love you,” let them pick the next movie or stop them in the hall for a hug. These little gestures remind them you care, you’re thinking of them and they are important.

3. Plan Date Nights

Between finding a good babysitter, the cost of going out and exhaustion from a long week, sometimes it’s hard to find a “good” time for date night. But dating your partner is just as important today as it was when you first met. Your relationship deserves the time to connect, have a laugh and relax without the worry or demands of the home. Actively find ways to make date night a possibility. Save for a once a month date night or organize a date night at home but treat it as importantly as if you went out.

NEED A MOVIE CHOICE? Watch One of These 13 Best Romantic Comedies

4. Say One Positive Thing Each Day

Each day give a compliment, a wish for a great day, a good luck on a presentation or a statement that lets them know you care. It’s quick, easy, doesn’t take any planning and can turn your partner’s mood around in a heartbeat. Who wouldn’t want to hear, “You look beautiful today”? Until it becomes second nature, set a reminder on your phone so you don’t forget.

5. Write a Love Letter or Poem

You don’t need to be a good writer or know a thing about poetry to pen your partner a love letter. Just take the thoughts from your mind and put them on paper. You can make it serious or funny, that’s up to you. Just be sure to make it from the heart.

LOOK: The Many Health Benefits of Being Kind –and Ideas for Rocking It

6. Apologize for Something You Did to Hurt Your Partner

It could have been yesterday or 10 years ago, but if there’s something you know you did to hurt your partner and you never really gave a sincere apology, it’s never too late. It could even be a small thing but it doesn’t matter. Your significant other most likely forgot about it or is over it by now, but they’ll appreciate the fact that you’re willing to own it now.

7. Make Meals Together

The simple act of cooking a meal together does wonders (even if neither of you can cook!). Select the recipe and get the ingredients together. Put on your favorite tunes and pour a glass of wine. Toast, chop, laugh and sauté together. You’ll find the oft times chore of cooking dinner can be a pleasant reprieve filled with fun memories.

MOREMiddle-Agers Are Fending Off Dementia With Healthy Living: Study

8. Offer to Help with Mundane Daily Tasks

If your partner doesn’t love doing their daily tasks, you’re probably not going to love them either. However, the points you’ll get will be worth it. Offer to throw a load of laundry in, pick-up the dry cleaning, change the cat litter, take out the garbage or walk the dog. Honestly, you’ll be glad you did.

9. Agree on a Joint Bedtime

Many people will let out a deep sigh upon hearing this and begin busting out the excuses like one of you is a night owl, one has to work late on their laptop, one wants to watch the new episode of The Walking Dead and the list goes on. Keep in mind that sometimes this may be your only opportunity to spend some alone time together in your busy life. The plus side is you’ll get more sleep, you’ll have time to talk and reconnect at the end of each day, and you’ll get more snuggle time.

LOOK4 Ways To Manifest Your Soul Mate And Give Up Looking for ‘Perfect’

10. Put Your Partner’s Feelings and Wants Ahead of Yours

Ok, it might be hard to do this all the time, every single day, but do this at the very least once a day. Which takeout restaurant do you prefer? Where do you want to go on vacation? Do you want to take a bath while I play with the kids? This is a guaranteed win-win for both of you.

The unavoidable truth is relationships take work. Even wonderful relationships take work and stay wonderful because both partners are willing to put in the effort to make it good. Follow these tips to lay the foundation for a stronger connection and lasting bond over time.

Justin Lavelle is the Communications Director at BeenVerified, a source to check whether your new date is who they say they are. BeenVerified allows individuals to find more information about people, phone numbers, email addresses, property records and criminal records in a way that’s fast, easy and affordable. (Photo by Paul Saad, CC)

Chef Wins Reality Show and Uses Money To Feed Chicago Homeless

Quentin Love - Youtube

Thanks to his winning a recent reality television show, Quentin Love can open his big heart to all the big appetites in the Chicago homeless community.

Every Monday for the last two years, Love’s restaurant, the Turkey Chop Grill, would close for business and fire up their grills for anyone in the city in need of a hot meal. With the help of a weekly team of volunteers, Love has paid nearly $2,000 a month out of pocket for over 60,000 free meals.

MORETeen Volunteer Wins $70,000 SUV in Charity Raffle, Then Stuns Crowd

The compassionate business model, however, was not sustainable enough to keep going on its own.

That’s when Guy Fieri called with an invitation to compete for a $36,000 prize on the Food Network reality television show Guy’s Grocery Games.

It was a gamble, but Love won the action-packed competition and not only used half of the prize money to continue feeding hungry Chicagoans in need, but he also donated the other half to the United Services Organization.

NEED A SMILE?….GET OUR NEW GOOD NEWS APP—>  Download FREE for Android and iOS

Whether this kind, talented, and good-looking chef is single, we don’t know – but we do know that the Turkey Chop Grill will stay open for business and continue to be a hot spot for the homeless.

(WATCH the Give Black interview with Quentin below…)

Feed Your Friends Some Good News… Click To Share

So Beloved Was This High School Janitor They Made a Hero Plaque

Shortridge High School indianapolis-FB

“The plaque had been missing for decades.”

“Commissioned in 1916 by Shortridge High School, the 2-by-3-foot bronze tablet memorialized one of the school’s most storied people, a man whose dedication to teachers, students and staff earned him praise, admiration and, when he fell very ill, newspaper stories and a guaranteed salary for life.”

“The man was not a teacher, though, or a coach or a generous alumnus,” reports the Indianapolis Star.

He was a janitor – and he probably had as many friends as any one living in the city.

The plaque shows the image of the Indianapolis cleaning man between two quotes: “Seest thou a man diligent in his business he shall stand before kings” and “He dignified labor for he knew no master but duty Had no comrade but truth Desired no approval but self respect.”

Now, the plaque has been discovered again in a local salvage shop…

(READ the Full Story at the Indianapolis Star)

Donations Pour in to Make Home Accessible for 106-yo Who Met the President

Virginia Mclaurin - White House

Virginia Mclaurin became an internet sensation recently when she danced with the Obamas at the White House during Black History Month. The more details people learned about the 106-year-old lady, the more they loved her and wanted to do something nice for her.

Ms. Mclaurin volunteers as a foster grandmother 40 hours every week, but though she is still spry, the day may come where she will not be able to climb the difficult flight of stairs to her apartment in Washington D.C. where she has lived since 1939.

MORESingle Mom Parlays Small Lottery Win into Fund For Homeless Man In the Cold

That’s why a YouCaring crowdfunding campaign was set up for the centenarian by her family and neighbors upon the request of social media followers asking how they can help the super senior.

$22,000 has already been raised toward the $50,000 goal to pay for a first-floor home close to her church and a cell phone so she can continue leading an active role in the community.

LOOKHomeless Man Hands Out Resumes Instead of Asking for Cash-and Lands Job

“Thank you to everyone who has helped me so much to run this race that I’m trying to run,” Virginia expressed on the page. “I pray every day that the Lord will look down on each one of you and shine his light and send the blessing to you that the Lord has sent to me.”

(WATCH the White House meeting below)

Multiple the Good…. Share the story.

Orangutan Population Is Double the Previous Estimate in Sumatra

Orangutans - CC Hadi Zaher

Sumatra has a lot more monkey business going on than we originally thought.

In a new survey taken in the northern parts of the Sumatran jungle, the population count of the native orangutan clocked in at 14,600 apes – more than double the original estimate.

MOREManatee Population Has Rebounded 500 Percent, No Longer Endangered

The increased number is credited to the spread of the mammals to further reaches of the country which were previously thought to be uninhabitable for the orangutans.

After researchers began their population count, nests were found in higher elevation, and near Toba lake, and in already logged forests–all locations which had never been surveyed before.

LOOK: Monarch Butterfly Population More Than Triples Over Last Year

The survey, beefing up the population by 60 percent, comes as welcome news for the Sumatran orangutan species decimated by poaching and logging and once thought to number just 6,600.

Photo by Hadi Zaher, CC

Thriving Yellowstone Grizzlies to Leave the Endangered Species List

Grizzly Bear - CC Aquila-chrysaetos

In response to the successful recovery of one of the nation’s most iconic animals, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today proposed to remove the grizzly bear in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem from the Federal Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife.

The restoration of the grizzly bear in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho during the last three decades stands as one of America’s great conservation successes—a testament to the value of the Endangered Species Act and the strong partnerships it drives. The Yellowstone grizzly bear population has rebounded from as few as 136 bears in 1975 to an estimated 700 or more today.

CHECK OUT: Manatee Population Has Rebounded 500 Percent, No Longer Endangered

“The recovery of the Yellowstone grizzly bear represents a historic success for partnership-driven wildlife conservation under the Endangered Species Act,” said FWS Director Dan Ashe. “Our proposal today underscores and celebrates more than 30 years of collaboration with our trusted federal, state and tribal partners to address the unique habitat challenges of grizzlies. The final post-delisting management plans by these partners will ensure healthy grizzly populations persist across the Yellowstone ecosystem long into the future.”

To ensure robust monitoring of Yellowstone grizzly bears, balanced management and effective conservation going forward, the FWS is also releasing two other draft documents for public comment, which detail how both grizzly bears and their habitat will be managed in a post-delisting environment.

MORE: Humpbacks Whales Leap Off Endangered Species List

“Even with this proposed delisting, the FWS remains committed to the conservation of the Yellowstone grizzly bear, and will stay engaged to ensure that this incredible species remains recovered,” Ashe said. “We will continue to be part of a strong monitoring program, implementation of the conservation strategy, and partnership with our state and federal partners. We are look forward to hearing from the public about the proposal and consulting with Native American tribes.”

Population and habitat monitoring efforts undertaken by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team indicate that grizzly bears have more than doubled their range since the mid-1970s. They now occupy more than 22,500 square miles of the Yellowstone ecosystem, an area larger than the states of New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island combined. Stable population numbers for grizzlies for more than a decade also indicate that the Yellowstone ecosystem is at or near its carrying capacity for the bears.

RELATED: US Endangered Species Act Turns 40, With Hundreds of Comeback Stories

Determining recovery is based on more than just the number of bears in the ecosystem. It includes the quantity and quality of habitat, adequate regulatory mechanisms to maintain a healthy and viable population, and a good balance of male and female bears that are well-distributed throughout the ecosystem.

The proposed rule, and the supporting documents, will publish in a couple days in the Federal Register. The Service will be seeking review and comment by the public, other federal and state agencies, and independent scientists. Comments are requested 60-days after publication, and will be accepted electronically at www.regulations.gov.  In the Search box, enter Docket Number FWS–R6–ES–2016–0042, and click the “Comment Now” button.  (Learn more about commenting at FWS and view the complete Federal Register notice that publishes, here.)

Photo by Aquila-chrysaetos, CC

Your Friends Couldn’t Bear To Miss This… Click To Share

Libraries Install Exercise Bikes So College Students Can Study and Work Out

Exercise Bikes Edited - Troy University Libraries Facebook

Alabama’s Troy University is stepping up their exercise game, big time.

Work out bikes with laptop stands have been installed at the Troy and Dothan campus libraries so students can exercise and study at the same time.

NEED A SMILE?….GET OUR NEW GOOD NEWS APP—>  Download FREE for Android and iOS

Since exercise is proven to positively affect health and wellness, the installations could have a huge impact on the mental state of hardworking students.

“We are also ordering 6 elliptical machines that can go under desks that we will be adding to this room,” said the Troy University Libraries Facebook. ”Most likely more bikes will be added as well.”

Photo by Troy University Libraries

Pedal This Idea To Your Friends… Share it:

Lyft Ride Service Helps Foster Youth Get to Work On Time

Lyft_004

Over 50% of foster youth who age out of the system are unable to find a job.

However, two social enterprises, iFoster and Doing Good Works, are now working to change that statistic.

NEED A SMILE?….GET OUR NEW GOOD NEWS APP—>  Download FREE for Android and iOS

On October 17th, we arranged for twelve young adults who have spent time in foster care to attend their first day of job training at the Ralph’s grocery store headquarters in Compton, California. The youth were picked up by Lyft drivers–all requested and scheduled by the Doing Good Works team so they could arrive on time at 7:30 a.m.

The youth sat in a boardroom set up to look like a classroom. Despite the early hour, they all remained engaged and enthusiastic as the training manager gave them advice on how to succeed. They were prepared, ready to respond to questions without hesitation.

MOREWoman in Paris Creates Revolutionary Car Service For People With Disabilities

How did iFoster and Doing Good Works make this happen? iFoster, a non-profit that provides resources to former foster youth, has continued the jobs program and encouraged grocery stores to hire these young people. Though the youth aren’t guaranteed a job, they get the opportunity to impress a hiring manager during an in-person interview. Once the youth is hired, iFoster continues to support them on their road to success. This includes collaborating with Doing Good Works to make sure that the youth arrives to their training on time.

Doing Good Works, a California benefit corp, focuses on enriching life after foster care. In this instance, they arranged for the Lyft transportation. Without their aid, the youth might’ve needed to rely on social workers to drive them to Compton before sunrise, or navigate Los Angeles’ unreliable public transportation system.

Thirsty Koala Sits On a Bicycle to Get Water From Cyclists (LOOK)

Thirsty Koala -- Nick Lothian Facebook

These Australian cyclists were joined by a surprisingly spry little companion while journeying through Adelaide on Tuesday.

A koala by the side of the South Eastern Freeway accosted the travelers during their break from pedaling. The wee marsupial crawled up on the nearest bicycle wheel and took a hefty drink of H2O while animal services was called.

CHECK OUT: Scruffy Stray Dog Follows Extreme Sports Team Through Miles of Mud

The thirsty koala was later given a clean bill of health and released back into the wild, while his new Facebook photo accrued some fame.

Photo by Nick Lothian on Facebook

Share With Your Cyclist Friends…

Homeless Man Hands Out Resumes Instead of Asking for Cash-and Lands Job

Homeless man and resume FB Michael Marteen

A homeless man needed more than a place to sleep.

He needed a job, so he parked himself outside a grocery store and turned one encounter into a networking opportunity — and it swung his life around.

Frederick Callison had come to California two years ago for a job with the Salvation Army, but it didn’t work out and the experienced line cook wound up on the streets.

GET A DAILY DOSE OF GOOD NEWS: WITH OUR 5-STAR APP—>  Download FREE for Android and iOS

When Michael Marteen first spotted him, the homeless man was sitting on a sleeping bag with a stack of resumes. Marteen asked to read a copy and Callison stood up and treated the discussion as a job interview.

His resume listed eight past employers and touted Callison’s experience, including 35,000 hours of experience and seven years in kitchen management.

WATCH: Homeless Man Gets Job From Home Owner Who Kicked Him Off Property

The homeless man even had his Social Security card, food handler’s certificate, and other documents ready to show that he could start right away.

Marteen posted the resume to his Facebook page and put out the word to people he knew in the catering industry.

In less than a week, Callison landed a job at a pizza restaurant, which also gave him new clothes.

CHECK OUT: Homeless Woman and Her Dog Stop Burglary, Receive Thousands for New Home

“He was ecstatic about landing a job and very grateful for the opportunity,” Marteen told TODAY. “He was up the night before studying the menu for hours.”

Photo: Michael Marteen, Facebook Spread the Good Feelings… Share it.

Truffle Hunting Offers New Life for Shelter Dogs in Australia

Truffle Hunting Dog released Jayson Mesman

An Australian farmer is giving abandoned dogs new life as farm hands — and they work for hugs.

Jayson Mesman, who once trained dogs to work for the country’s customs department, now trains them to look for truffles on his farm.

OUR APP SNIFFS OUT GOOD NEWS FOR YOU! —>  Download FREE for Android and iOS

He’s even created his own “Truffle Dog University” to rescue and train as many shelter dogs as he can for other farms around Australia.

Many of the dogs he adopts have been shunned for digging up people’s yards. Now, they get rewards to dig for the “black gold” that sells for as much as $1,000 a pound.

WATCH: Give a Prisoner an Abused Dog and SEE What Happens–Karmic Connection

It’s almost impossible to find truffles without a pig or dog, and their super sense of smell. Dogs, however, are easier to train — and easier to keep from eating the precious truffles, when compared with a 200-pound pig.

truffles-released-truffle-dog university

LOOK: Family Finds Piglet Freezing in Snowbank, Saves it From Snowplow

The dogs on Mesman’s farm — Nala, Simba, Willow, and Samson — all have their own “pay scale.” They each prefer different rewards.

Simba ignored treats and toys during training, but as soon as Messman’s partner Danielle gave the pup a hug, Simba found his first truffle.

“All he wants is a hug,” Mesman told ABC News.

Fetch This Story For Your Friends…. (Photo courtesy of Jayson Mesman)

Drink 1 to 3 Extra Cups Of Water Daily For Weight Loss, Health – Study

glasses of water-Sun Star permissionFor people who want to control their weight or reduce their intakes of sugar, sodium and saturated fat, water may be just what the doctor ordered.

A new study that examined the dietary habits of more than 18,300 U.S. adults found the majority of people who increased their consumption of plain water – tap water or from a cooler, drinking fountain or bottle – by 1 percent reduced their total daily calorie intake as well as their consumption of saturated fat, sugar, sodium and cholesterol.

People who increased their consumption of water by one, two or three cups daily decreased their total energy intake by 68 to 205 calories daily and their sodium intake by 78 to 235 grams, according to a paper by University of Illinois kinesiology and community health professor Ruopeng An. They also consumed 5 grams to nearly 18 grams less sugar and decreased their cholesterol consumption by 7 to 21 grams daily.

CHECK OUT: Knit Two Mittens and Call Us in the Morning: Knitting Has Health Benefits

“The impact of plain water intake on diet was similar across race/ethnicity, education and income levels and body weight status,” An said. “This finding indicates that it might be sufficient to design and deliver universal nutrition interventions and education campaigns that promote plain water consumption in replacement of beverages with calories in diverse population subgroups without profound concerns.”

The professor examined data from four waves (2005-12) of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics. Participants were asked to recall everything they ate or drank over the course of two separate days that were three to 10 days apart.

RELATED: Mediterranean Diet and Extra Olive Oil Can Lower Risk of Breast Cancer

He calculated the amount of plain water each person consumed as a percentage of their daily dietary water intake from food and beverages combined. Beverages such as unsweetened black tea, herbal tea and coffee were not counted as sources of plain water, but their water content was included in the calculations of participants’ total dietary water consumption.

On average, participants consumed about 4.2 cups of plain water on a daily basis, accounting for slightly more than 30 percent of their total dietary water intake. Participants’ average calorie intake was 2,157 calories, including 125 calories from sugar-sweetened beverages and 432 calories from discretionary foods, which are low-nutrition, calorie-dense foods such as desserts, pastries and snack mixes that add variety to but are not necessary for a healthy diet.

MORE:  You May Be Reducing Your Alzheimer’s Risk Already With Everyday Habits

A small but statistically significant 1 percent increase in participants’ daily consumption of plain water was associated with an 8.6-calorie decrease in daily energy intake, as well as a slight reductions in participants’ intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and discretionary foods along with their consumption of fat, sugar, sodium and cholesterol.

The study was published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics. (Photo courtesy of  Sun Star)

Machine Creates Beautiful Music with 2000 Marbles and Bells (MUST SEE)

Wintergatan Marble Machine-Released Samuel WestergrenSeveral instruments in one machine played by one man using 2000 marbles? It certainly makes for one beautiful song.

Martin Molin of the Swedish band Wintergatan just published a debut video of his completed ‘Magical Marble Machine’ following a tedious 14-month building process staged in a windowless Gothenberg building.

LOOKVan Gogh Themed Parade Dazzles With Amazing Dahlia-Covered Floats

The machine, containing bells, bass, and percussion, is powered by a crank lever on the side. Cranking the contraption sends marbles up to the top of the machine which then drops them onto the various instruments.

The results are magical.

Since its premier on Leap Day, the music video has generated millions of views and Mr. Molin promises an audio-only track to come and summer concerts on the horizon.

(WATCH the Wintergaten film below…) – Photo by Samuel Westergren

 

Floored by the Creativity? Show it to Your Friends…

8-Yr-old Girl Uses Her Make-A-Wish To Inspire Global Movement

This little girl decided to skip Disneyland and fairy tale reenactments to use her Make-A-Wish grant to become an environmental philanthropist.

After Amelia Meyer was diagnosed with brain cancer, the Missouri child said that her dream was to pick up huge amounts of trash in her Kansas City community.

MORE: The Health Benefits of Being Kind and Ideas for Rocking It

Police officers, the Parks and Recreation Department, and volunteer fire fighters, all showed up to support Amelia’s clean-up effort. Kansas City’s Mayor Sly James was so impressed with the little girl’s charity, he named February 27th “Amelia Meyer’s Take Care Of The World Day”

When she arrived at the location, she was amazed at the turnout. “I thought there was just going to be some people, not this much!” Amelia told WDAF.Sleeping bag for homeless screenshot TheJournal

CHECK OUT: Teen Invents Rain, Fire-proof Sleeping Bag for Homeless, and Offers Jobs

And the kindness doesn’t stop there, either.

The hashtag #AmeliasWish is trending all over social media of pictures and testimonials of people following Amelia’s inspiring example.

(WATCH the video below to see this green girl in action) –Photo: WDAF video

 

Share Like You Care…

30 Years After Shuttle Disaster, Engineer’s Guilt Eased by Flood of Letters

Shuttle ChallengerFinal Launch public domain NASA

It was a heartbreaking story that launched a heart warming response from hundreds of people – helping turn around an elderly man’s 30-year battle with depression and guilt.

Bob Eberling was almost a hero. The 89-year-old was working with NASA back in 1986, when he rallied his fellow engineers to try to stop a Space Shuttle launch. They warned that cold weather could cause cracks in its engine seals leading to a fuel leak, but officials ignored them and went ahead with the launch.

Challenger exploded 73 seconds into its final flight and Eberling silently carried guilt over the next 30 years for not doing enough.

FIND MORE KINDNESS STORIES WITH OUR GOOD NEWS APP—>  Download FREE for Android and iOS

He talked about that guilt when NPR News interviewed him for a story on the 30th anniversary of the disaster. He said that ever since then he has felt like “a loser.”

Ebeling was suddenly deluged with hundreds of messages of comfort from former associates– and even from complete strangers.

With failing eyesight, Ebeling relied on his daughter to read aloud the stacks of kind letters and emails from around the country.

“Your efforts show that your care for people comes first for you,” wrote Jim Sides, an engineer who cried over the story. “God didn’t pick a loser, He picked Bob Ebeling.”

CHECK OUT: Skyrocketing Donations Save the First Spacesuit Worn on the Moon

His former boss, Allan McDonald, didn’t want to waste precious time writing words of encouragement, he phoned Ebeling as soon as he heard the interview.

“You did something and you really cared,” McDonald told Ebeling. “That’s the definition of a winner.”

“You and your colleagues did everything that was expected of you,” wrote George Hardy, a NASA engineer who’d disagreed with Ebeling at the time. “God bless you.”

His daughter says the letters from strangers and former associates triggered an almost instant improvement in the depression that’s plagued Ebeling since the Challenger disaster. But she says it was an official statement from NASA that put his mood into orbit:

CHECK OUT:  NASA Challenges Public to Help With Space Exploration

“We honor [the Challenger astronauts] not through bearing the burden of their loss, but by constantly reminding each other to remain vigilant, and to listen to those like Mr. Ebeling who have the courage to speak up, so that our astronauts can safely carry out their missions.”

(LISTEN to the story from NPR below) — Photo: NASA

Launch This Story To Your Friends…