Fortunately for Timur the goat, dinner didn’t go quite as expected. He was supposed to be a meal for Amur the tiger, but became the big cat’s best friend instead.
Timur was released into the tiger’s enclosure at Primorye Safari Park in Russia as live prey for hungry Amur. But something about this goat earned him a reprieve.
“The goat showed his bravery and the tiger respected that,” park director Dmitry Mezetsev told BBC News. “He said, ‘Let’s be friends.’”
And they have been the best of friends for more than a month now, roaming the enclosure and playing together to the delight of park visitors, whose numbers have tripled since the formation of the unlikely alliance a month ago.
(WATCH the video from BBC News below) — Photo: Timur and Amur Facebook page
Volunteers have started remodeling hundred-year-old apartments in Ohio to serve as new homes for homeless veterans.
Iron Soup Historical Preservation is reworking old buildings in Campbell, Ohio, and hope to have the first apartments completed shortly. They believe they can remodel 160 old apartments in town to create a “veteran community” and roll back homelessness among vets.
Brian Reed owns a construction company and spent the weekend putting down tile, setting up drywall, and modernizing bathrooms in two apartments—all for free. Other companies and professionals have donated building materials and furniture to the cause.
The old apartments are part of a “company town” housing development constructed by Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company for its workers a century ago, which are abandoned but now on the National Registry of Historic Places.
Work started on the first pair of units which will provide shelter for four vets until they can find permanent housing.
“There are all kinds of units around here,” Iron Soup’s executive director Linda Gens told WKBN News. “They can all be rehabbed and it doesn’t take much money.”
Iron Soup has raised thousands of dollars toward their goal, but volunteer labor is going a long way in rehabbing the apartments. DONATE toward this major effort at the group’s GoFundMe campaign.
(WATCH the video below from WKBN News) — Photo: YouTube
A dog rescued from a shelter in August turned into the hero who did his own rescuing this week– finding a missing elderly woman who was lost in the cold wearing just a nightgown.
Rebecca Burley was taking Roxanne the Labrador-hound mix for a walk around their Suffolk, Virginia neighborhood last week when they ran into a police search party.
The officers were looking for an elderly woman who’d wandered away from a relative’s house.
Rebecca promised to keep her eyes open for the missing woman, but it was the dog who tracked down the senior later on their walk.
The dog started tugging on her leash, pulling Rebecca off the sidewalk and toward a ditch where the dog had spotted the missing woman, lying on the ground in distress.
A man risked his life to save a young deer after it fell through the ice covering a freezing Minnesota river.
Steven Peterson didn’t know how long the doe had been languishing in the Kettle River outside Duluth when he first spotted her, but he knew every minute was critical.
Peterson is deaf, and decided that trying to communicate with an emergency operator could waste precious time. So, instead of calling 911, he set out across the ice to rescue the deer himself.
Carrying a tree branch to spread out his own weight across the ice, he crawled out to tie a rope around the deer’s neck, before returning to pull the animal out of the water.
The deer was covered in ice but had only minor wounds. Peterson stayed with her for about an hour to make sure the doe, which he’d named “Miss Ice River,” could take care of herself.
207 years ago today, the man who devised a system for reading and writing for the blind, was born. Now, Louis Braille’s system of dots has been given a hi-tech design upgrade by a company called Dot, Inc.
The Dot Watch, which turns text messages into braille for the blind, is being celebrated as the first major innovation for visually impaired readers in nearly 15 years.
After seeing a blind classmate lugging around a heavy braille bible, which contained only five percent of the contents of the holy book, Eric Ju Yoon Kim was surprised that nothing like a Braille iPad existed.
So the University of Washington student set out to invent one.
His first product is a smart watch that raises and lowers pins on its face to create four Braille characters at a time. The watch works with both iOS and Android devices, allowing the blind to immediately read texts, alerts, and other short messages.
Electro-mechanical Braille readers can translate text on computer screens in a method similar to the DOT watch, but the bulky machines can cost more than $2,000.
His company, DOT Inc, plans to sell their wearable device for about $300.
It’s impractical for reading longer text such as an e-book, so DOT Inc’s next project is the world’s first Braille smart device which they plan to deliver in 2017.
The DOT Pad will feature multiple layers of Braille pins, allowing a more natural reading experience. The DOT Pad will also let users feel shapes, math symbols, and read e-books.
Only about one percent of all books in print have been translated for the blind. Having a pocket device that could translate vast libraries of e-books into Braille would write a whole new chapter in reading for the blind.
(WATCH the video from Arirang TV below) – Photo: DOT Inc
Imagine treating cancer as easily as taking a monthly shot in the arm.
Doctors in Texas have been cleared to move forward with another round of human trials on a “cancer vaccine” that turns a deadly disease into a chronic one that can be more easily treated — allowing patients to live far longer.
It’s a form of immunotherapy that eliminates the need for chemotherapy and other difficult treatments — allowing cancer to be treated like diabetes or hypertension.
“We don’t cure, but we control the disease,” Dr. Maurizio Ghisoli told KTVT News.
The immune system doesn’t recognize cancer cells on its own, so it needs outside help to attack the disease. With this particular type of immunotherapy, doctors create a personal shot for each patient. They take cells from the patient’s tumor, modify them so the immune system can attack the cancer, then re-inject the cells back into the body.
Monthly doses allow the immune system to keep cancer growth in check.
Researchers at Baylor Hospital in Dallas, Texas have been working on the experimental treatment for two decades. They have used it to control a wide range of cancers including throat and ovarian cancer and Ewing’s Sarcoma, a fast-spreading bone cancer that typically targets children, teens, and young adults.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved more extensive human trials on the Baylor treatment and the “cancer vaccine” could be available in four to five years.
It’s 2016 and many people have set resolutions to create a fresh start to the New Year. But sometimes we need help sticking with it.
Scientific research has shown what works best for achieving your goals. For example, did you know that you are more likely to reach a goal if you partner up with someone else? In one study, couples that were part of a 12-month fitness program had a drop out rate of 6% compared to a whopping 43% for people trying to stick to the program on their own.
Check out this info-graphic for a quick perusal of helpful strategies for success.
For more info on building happiness skills through scientifically designed activities and games, visit Happify. (Updated from a post in 2015)
When Kaylee Peebles was recovering from her intestine surgery, she asked if her doctor could make her feel better by singing her a song.
Ready to serenade the young 17-year-old, Dr. Leinwand grabbed a guitar from the Bronson Methodist Hospital’s music therapy room and strummed out a sweet cover of “Closer To Fine” by The Indigo Girls–while someone recorded the impromptu music on their cell phone..
Over 100 volunteers from Greenpeace, MSF, and other organizations just kicked off 2016 with more compassion and grace than ever.
Designed to be a message of hope, 3,000 abandoned life jackets were arranged in the shape of a peace sign on the Greek island Lesbos where thousands of refugees arrived in 2015 seeking solace.
Greenpeace’s Facebook page posted the video today with the tagline “Peace and #safepassage to all in 2016.”
On the first day of the new year, more than 100 volunteers from Greenpeace, MSF and other organisations used 3000 discarded refugee life jackets to form one simple message to the world.Peace and #safepassage to all in 2016
Lori Hiles boarded her usual bus in Washington with tears running down her cheeks: her bike had been stolen.
When Lori’s bus driver Sylvie Pelesasa asked why she was crying, she explained how difficult it is getting around the city without wheels due to her mobility issues.
Caleb White may be young, but he sure knows how to party.
Since handing out Christmas packages of food and toiletries to the homeless as a 6-year-old, Caleb’s philanthropic efforts have evolved into giving those in need something a little more fun to raise their spirits.
Now, as a young teen, he hosts monthly game nights in Detroit area shelters filling out the fun with board games (like Operation), pizza, and soda, for the women and children.
“I love it,” said Kisha Woods-Mathis, director of the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministry’s Genesis House II, which provides transitional housing and employment and educational services to women and children. “The kids love him.”
(WATCH the Video above, and MULTIPLY the Good by Sharing this Inspiring Idea)
In his solemn end-of-year church service at the Vatican, Pope Francis asked journalists to shine more light on the GOOD news in the world.
The pontiff doesn’t want the world to ignore the suffering of so many people, but he said the good deeds shouldn’t be forgotten, either.
He said to the congregation, ”How many great gestures of goodness, love and solidarity have filled the days of this year, even if they are not on television news programs?”
“Good things don’t make the news.”
The Argentine pope said the media should not keep “so many great gestures of goodness” hidden while only reporting on the evil deeds. “Good always wins, even if sometimes it many seem weaker and hidden.”
When a family was in need of a Christmas miracle to get them back on their feet, a compassionate police officer became their guardian angel.
Grisela Andino and her two kids were living in their car in Boynton Beach, Florida after the person they were sub-leasing their apartment from stopped paying rent to the landlord. Between working a full time job and getting the children to school on time, sleeping in the Walmart parking lot was their only option left.
When Hanning looked into the family’s background, he found Andino had never missed a day of work and her girls had excellent grades, while never missing a day of school–even during recent hard times.
With that news, Hanning did what he does best: he reached out to his contacts in the community. Rallying support at the real estate agency Remax Direct, they not only found Grisela a place to live, but all 120 agents at the company agreed to contribute money to cover the first and last month’s rent and security deposit, and supply some furniture and supplies for the family.
The Community Caring Center and Easy Pay Tire also gave money for Christmas gifts, food for the pantry, and tires for Andino’s car so she could get to work safely.
“My husband has been a police officer for 18 years,” Hanning’s wife Amanda told the Good News Network. “He has the biggest heart of anyone I have ever met.”
“This is an inspiring reminder of how going above and beyond to help others in their time of need can have a lasting impact,” she added. “So proud of him and wanted to share the story of this dedicated mother who refused to give up hope.”
(WATCH the video and READ the story at WPBF) – SHARE This Good News to Ring in 2016…
Police officers in Bend, Oregon didn’t just ignore the children after a father was arrested on drug charges shortly before Christmas. In fact, they went out of their way to make it possible for the three kids to enjoy some gifts during the holiday.
After deputies approached the man who had been trafficking in street level quantities of methamphetamine, he attempted to flee on foot but was arrested. Detectives learned that his 12-year-old son had been left in the car at the Dairy Queen–and that the 38-year-old also had two younger children at home.
Child Welfare services arrived at the scene to help the boy and officials pieced together the sad story of a family living “under hardship”. Rather than walking away after dropping off the children with extended family members, the drug enforcement detectives got to work like busy elves at the North Pole.
They reached out to the ‘Shop with a Cop’ program for assistance, and started collecting their own personal funds to buy all three children presents for the holidays. The gifts were delivered to the children on Christmas Eve by the detectives, along with a grocery gift card for the family who began caring for the kids.
Other angels in this story were the folks at Dairy Queen, who provided the 12-year-old free ice cream during the long arrest procedure and the Food for Less company, which donated the gift certificate for the holiday meal.
“Both businesses showed the true meaning of the holiday season, making sure all these children were taken care of,” said Lieutenant Clint Burleigh of the Bend Police Department.
The ‘Shop with a Cop’ program, now in its fifteenth year, helps make the holidays a little brighter for less-fortunate families and the families of those incarcerated.
“This is another example of our community coming together, making a difficult situation easier to navigate through,” added Burleigh. “With the thoughtfulness of these detectives, the businesses involved and the resources we have come to depend on, we have captured the true spirit of community.”
Stereotypical crooks wearing masks are known for robbing banks or holding up restaurants. Then, there’s this little bandit getting famous on YouTube for stealing a single doughnut from a cafe.
In a video posted a few days ago, a Mission Impossible plot came to light when a raccoon lowered himself from the ceiling panels just to get his mischievous paws on a pastry.
One recent morning I captured this moment out my back door in Virginia, USA.
The bell is a nice symbol for us in the New Year. We need to remind ourselves of what we are grateful for, and recount those good things regularly, like enjoying a church bell ringing every day at noon. (And, of course, use our new app or website to remind you of the good outside in the world.)
As far as New Year’s resolutions, I hope we each can set at least one intention to do better in 2016. (“Resolution” is a rather daunting word for some; I prefer “intention”.)
Working toward a few goals is something I intend to do, especially regarding Good News Network. (This year I will connect with a wonderful corporate partner who will purchase all our advertising banners on the site; I will launch radio content and post in podcasts; I also want to attract video partners to create original video content.)
However much I am hustling to get these accomplished I want to remember–and urge you to remember–an important truth: Life is a dance between making it happen and letting it happen.
How to choose when to let go, and when to keep pushing? That’s not an easy question, but meditation or quiet contemplation will help. I believe that my inner guidance, if I can hear it, knows the best course, but even that is subject to question. We can end up in the same place whether we take the easy graceful way, or the hard, painful way.
A company known for speeding Formula 1 race cars around a track, is slowing the spin on electric moters, saving money and reducing the carbon footprint of supermarkets.
Williams Advanced Engineering, the innovation division of Williams F1, adapted a design by Aerofoil Energy that uses simple plastic strips — and the complicated physics of fluid dynamics — to
throttle down the cold air escaping from refrigerated aisles in grocery stores.
The strips work like an airfoil — on a airplane’s wing or a race car’s tail — to effectively keep cold air from escaping, eliminating the need for the refrigerator to create more.
Williams relied on the same supercomputers used to design streamlined race cars to refine the refrigerator airfoils.
Depending on the size of the fridge, it cuts electricity usage anywhere from 10% to 30%.
That’s a substantial savings since refrigeration accounts for more than half of all electricity a supermarket uses.
Their new device is set to roll out in January, but UK supermarket chain Sainsbury’s has been testing the device since June and has already ordered more.
As many as eight of the UK’s ten largest supermarket chains are also considering adding the strips to their stores — to save some cold cash while rolling back their planet-warming carbon footprint.
On Tuesday’s broadcast of the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors, Aretha Franklin proved she is still the indisputable Queen of Soul.
Singing (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman in tribute to the honoree, singer-songwriter Carole King, Franklin brought the house to its feet. As the 73-year-old singer came to the piano, the moment brought a tear to President Obama’s eye and sent Carole King, the song’s composer, into orbit.
Having come back from serious health problems a few years ago, this video shows she might just be singing better than ever.
Watch her incredible show-stopping performance below…
Duchess Sanctuary, horse, PMU, mustang, equine, rescue, pony, draft horse, Premarin, BLM, horse slaughter, fund for animals
Mustang, Humane Society of the United States
Few activist groups benefited from such sweeping legislative gains in the United States as the animal welfare movement did during 2015.
The extraordinary victories came as the federal government banned the use of chimps in experiments, pushed for new rules to protect elephants against the ivory trade, established new protections for African lions from American trophy hunters, prevented the slaughter of American horses on U.S. soil, blocked efforts to remove critical federal protections for wolves, and so much more.
Protecting Horses from Slaughter
The omnibus spending plan from Congress in December contained language that continues the “defund” policy that’s kept horse slaughter plants from reopening on U.S. soil. It restated the long-standing ban on killing healthy wild horses and burros and the sale of any wild equines for slaughter.
The law also continues reforms like reducing the number of animals rounded up and transferred to long-term holding pens and increasing the use of humane fertility control methods.
Pet Food Safety
Submitted photo
In September, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finalized a rule that requires protective measures for the safety of the food we give our pets. The standards apply to all domestic manufacturers and importers.
Additionally, in November, the FDA issued a final rule requiring foreign suppliers of animal food and treats to meet stringent U.S. standards on food safety.
Ending Invasive Experiments on Chimps
Photo by Delphine Bruyere, CC
Through a multi-pronged effort involving two federal agencies and Congress, the Humane Society of the United States worked to end the use of chimpanzees in invasive experiments, and practically shut the door on future use.
Now all chimpanzees – whether captive or wild – are listed as endangered, ending a decades-long loophole that allowed their exploitation for biomedical research and in the entertainment trades.
Additionally, in November, the National Institutes of Health announced it will no longer use chimpanzees in research, reversing a decision to keep 50 animals for future needs.
Maintaining Federal Protections for Wolves
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The Humane Society also helped block legislative maneuvering under consideration in the omnibus spending bill to remove federal protections for endangered wolves in the Great Lakes states and Wyoming.
The blocking maneuver may spare 1,000 wolves from hunters and trappers.
Anyone seeking to import a lion trophy will have to obtain an import permit from FWS, and no such permits will be granted unless the hunt is proven to enhance lion conservation. Most exporting countries will not meet this standard and so the rule will drastically reduce the number of lion trophy imports — from more than 700 a year to a trickle.
Photo Credit: Kevin Pluck, CC
Combating the Ivory Trade and Protecting Elephants
Charlesjsharp, CC
For the second year in a row, the FWS suspended imports of sport-hunted African elephant trophies taken in Tanzania and Zimbabwe.
The U.S. and Chinese presidents committed publicly in September to take action in both countries to crack down on the ivory trade.
Expansion of Marine Sanctuaries
Photo byThe Conduqtor, CC
President Obama issued an Executive Order, expanding the existing Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, making it the largest marine monument in the world. The sanctuary is expected to protect nearly two dozen types of marine mammals, along with threatened species of sea turtles.
Protecting Captive Orcas
Orca baby By Jeanne Hyde, courtesy of Center for Whale Research
NOAA issued a final rule that eliminated the split listing of Southern Resident Orcas to include both wild and captive animals as endangered.
This means that Lolita, the only Southern Resident orca in captivity, who resides at the Miami Seaquarium, is now afforded protection under the Endangered Species Act.
This has a remarkable year for animal welfare. While we celebrate these gains, we look forward to securing additional advances for animals from federal agencies and the US Congress in 2016.
Reprinted by permission of the Humane Society of the United States from an article by Wayne Pacelle, Humane Society of the United States President and CEO
A baby’s diaper was not the only thing changed after a father discovered there was no way to clean up his infant in the men’s room of a local department store.
The frustrated father went straight to the top, writing a letter to the CEO of Macy’s, and the plea prompted quick changes at one of the company’s suburban Washington, DC stores.
Anthony Dew had taken his four-month-old son shopping for Christmas gifts at the Macy’s store in Hyattsville, Maryland. When Jeremiah needed a fresh diaper, his dad went floor to floor and asked clerks for directions, but couldn’t access a changing table anywhere in the store.
Frustrated, Anthony walked out without buying anything and wrote a letter directly to Macy’s Chairman and CEO, Terry Lundgren.
Within a week, the store had completely renovated its men’s room, adding plenty of space and a changing table for fathers to fix up their fussy infants for a day of serious shopping.
(WATCH the video below from WTTG News) — Photo: WTTG video
