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Kirk Douglas Gives $15 Million on 99th Birthday to Build Alzheimer’s Center

Image includes photo by Angela George, CC license

Kirk Douglas Care Pavilion screenshot MPTF CC Angela George

Screen legend Kirk Douglas celebrated his 99th birthday last week, but instead of receiving gifts, he used the occasion to give one — a new Alzheimer’s treatment facility to Southern California.

He used his birthday party to announce the $15 million donation to the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF). The money will help pay for the Kirk Douglas Care Pavilion, which will be able to take care of up to 80 Alzheimer’s patients from the entertainment industry.

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Douglas and his wife, Anne, have donated $40 million to the fund over the years and in 1992 launched the fund’s first Alzheimer’s facility, Harry’s Haven, named for Douglas’ father.

The star of “Spartacus” broke the news as party guests including his wife and four children gathered at his Beverly Hills, California home.

WATCH:  Dick Van Dyke Celebrates 90th Birthday With Flash Mob of Chimney Sweeps

“My son Michael is here,” Douglas said, “Which just proves if you have enough money, you can have Michael Douglas speak at any event.”

(WATCH the video from MPTF below and READ more at Deadline Hollywood) — Photo: Angela George, CC; MPTF, video

Berlin Turns Former Secret Police HQ into Home for 500 refugees

Stasi HQ Home to Refugees 2 CC MetropolicodotOrg CC Claire

Once the most feared building in East Berlin, the headquarters where the communist secret police plotted Cold War spy operations, is now a welcoming safe-house shielded against the cold for asylum seekers.

Offices leftover from the dreaded East German Stasi now provide warm beds for more than 400 refugees. Plans for the three-month temporary shelter include housing up to 900 refugees at any point during the winter.

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City leaders in Berlin raced to convert the building in late November, as they saw the first snow of the season and temperatures drop into the thirties while refugees arrived at the border.

800,000 displaced people are being welcomed into Germany as the country looks for places to put them all. Gyms, public halls, and empty airplane hangars at the former Tempelhof Airport are all being used as temporary shelters, according to The Telegraph.

(Photos: NikiSublime, CC; Claire, CC; Metropolico.org, CC)

Cancer Cells Self-Destruct With New Therapy, Patients Live Longer

Prostate cancer cells by National Institutes of Health

640px-Prostate_cancer Public Domain National Institutes of Health

Jimmy Carter’s quick cancer recovery in 2015 is part of a revolution in how doctors treat cancer – it’s called Immunotherapy.

While the former president’s medical staff used it to quickly and effectively treat his brain cancer, doctors in Texas report their work with immunotherapy and prostate cancer is letting more patients live longer with the disease.

GNN-app-banner-ad-optTheir process causes prostate cancer cells to self-destruct, leading to a 20% improvement in the number of patients surviving at least five years following treatment.

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Researchers combined traditional radiation therapy with what they called “suicide gene therapy” to get the results. The new process works by genetically altering the cancer cells so they alert the body’s immune system to attack them. It’s effectively a personalized cancer vaccine created with a patient’s own cancer cells.

The immune system normally doesn’t attack cancer cells because they evolve from existing, healthy cells already in the body, and the immune system can’t tell them apart. Now it can.

Doctors at Houston Methodist Hospital in Texas tried the combined radiation-gene therapy on 62 patients. After five years, the survival rate was 97% for patients who’d been in early stages of prostate cancer and 94% for patients facing a more aggressive form of the disease. That’s 20% better than average survival rates.

RELATED:  Science Just Saved A Baby, Beating Cancer With Untested, Last Try

“We may be able to inject the agent straight into the tumor and let the body kill the cancer cells,” Dr. Brian Butler said. “Once the immune system has knowledge of the bad tumor cells, if they pop up again, the body will know to kill them.”

The work was supported by grants from the National Cancer Institute, the Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation and the General Clinical Research Center.

The researchers’ study was published in the online issue of the Journal of Radiation Oncology (JRO).

(Photo: National Institutes of Health)

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Muslims Raise Nearly Quarter Million Dollars for San Bernardino Victim Families

Muslims United for San Bernardino Families-fundraising page

A fund started by American Muslims to raise money for families of the San Bernardino shooting victims reached nearly a quarter-million dollars in its closing hours last night.

Over the 12 days, more than 2,000 people contributed $215,515 to the “Muslims United for San Bernardino Families” crowdfunding campaign on LaunchGood. The initial goal was just $50,000.

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“We wish to respond to evil with good, as our faith instructs us, and send a powerful message of compassion through action,” Faisal Qazi wrote on the page he set up after learning the shooters were Islamist radicals.

The money will be distributed to families by MiNDS (Medical Network Devoted to Service), a Southern California community development center.

Photo: Muslims United for San Bernardino Families, LaunchGood

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Ed Norton Moved to Tears by Syrian Scientist Story, Raises $400K to Bring Him to USA

the scientist and ed norton FB HONY and CrowdRise

Hollywood superstar Edward Norton was so “moved to tears” by the story of a Syrian scientist whose home and family was bombed that he launched a campaign to bring him to America – raising more than $400,000 in just two days.

Dubbed “The Scientist” on the Humans of New York (HONY) Facebook page, the man tells a tragic story of loss, but never loses his optimism and determination to use his engineering talents for good in the world.

The Scientist was away from home, working on a project, when Syrian government missiles crashed into his neighborhood two years ago. His brother’s entire family died in the attack along with the Scientist’s wife and daughter.

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His two remaining children suffer – one from PTSD having been at home during the attack and the other with shrapnel in her body.

He fled with his surviving children to Turkey but has been unable to fulfill his potential while waiting in Istanbul the two years it takes to be vetted before coming to America. Even with a doctorate, he can only earn as a refugee about one percent of what a Turkish citizen would make for the same work.

The stress and strain of all these issues he thinks contributed to the development of his stomach cancer, which they cannot treat in Turkey without insurance. Despite all this, he still wants to make the world a better place.

“I still think I have a chance to make a difference in the world,” he told HONY. “One of my inventions is being used right now on the Istanbul metro to generate electricity from the movement of the train.” He also has created plans for a plane that can stay in flight for 48 hours without fuel and an invention for detecting earthquakes.

RELATED:  Refugee Selling Pens Benefits From Huge Outpouring, Hires Refugees to Work in His Bakery

The Scientist learned recently he and his family will be relocated to Troy, Michigan. He knows nothing about the town, but looks forward to returning to his work when he arrives.

“I still think I have a chance to make a difference in the world. I have several inventions that I’m hoping to patent once I get to America.” the Scientist says in the Facebook post accompanying his portrait. “I just want to get back to work. I want to be a person again. I don’t want the world to think I’m over. I’m still here.”

President Obama answered him with his own Facebook comment, “You and your family are an inspiration. Yes, you can still make a difference in the world, and we’re proud that you’ll pursue your dreams here.”

The three-time Oscar-nominated actor’s fundraiser will pay for the family’s relocation costs and medical expenses for the Scientist’s cancer treatment. Any money left over will go toward relocating 11 other Syrian refugee families profiled on the HONY site.

“Let’s show that a country built by the energy and dreams of immigrants still believes in brave people who come here with hope for better life,” Norton wrote.

WATCH:  Canada Welcomes Refugees At the Airport With Coats and Healthcare

Norton also talked CrowdRise into waiving credit card transaction fees for the campaign to get the most money possible to the Scientist and his family.

In his desire to make difference in the world, the Scientist has a great start. His story has triggered a wave of human kindness – and awareness of refugees – as people around the world contribute to make a difference for his family.

(READ more at ABC News) – Photos: HONY, Facebook; Ed Norton, CrowdRise

20 Women Elected in Saudi Arabia as Females Vote for the First Time

Saudi-Arabia-women-voting-youtube

In a landmark election on Saturday, 20 women were elected to public office in Saudi Arabia– a first in that country’s history.

Not only were they allowed to run for local municipal council seats, this was the first election in which women could vote. 131,000 registered females showed up at polling place to participate.

Because Saudi women still are not allowed to drive a car, although some have openly defied the ban in posted videos, female voters had to rely on men to drive them to the polls–until Uber stepped in. The transportation app offered a free ride to any ladies who needed to cast their votes and were in need of a lift.

RELATED: Saudi Girls Get Gym Classes for the First Time (And Other Advances)

Recent political reform in the conservative patriarchy began in 2011 when King Abdullah granted women the rights to hold office and participate in local elections. Years earlier, he began to encourage their pursuit of higher education and employment.

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The conservative capital of Riyadh saw the most women candidates win, with four elected. The Eastern Province, where minority Shiites are concentrated, saw two women elected, and a small town where the Prophet Muhammad’s first mosque was built also elected a woman, reports the New York Times.

Women in Kuwait gained the right to vote and run for local office in 2005. The first woman to run for a seat on that country’s national assembly was finally elected four years later in 2009.

(WATCH a video below from India)

Orphan Burn Survivor Gets 185,000 Christmas Cards, $300K in Donations

Burn survifor FACEBOOK Safyre Schenectady Super Survivor

Thousands of people have fulfilled an eight-year-old’s wish for Christmas cards — and also donated $300,000 for her future.

Safyre Terry survived an arson attack on her upstate New York home two years ago that killed the rest of her family. She has endured 20 surgeries since then.

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When her aunt, Liz Dolder, brought home a tree that could hold dozens of Christmas cards, the little girl wanted to fill every spot.

“My response was ‘I don’t think it’s gonna get filled up but I am sure we will get a few more cards’,” Dolder wrote on her Facebook page.

Hundreds of thousands of people viewed the post, and were moved to action.

On Friday a two-ton Postal Service truck pulled up to the Dolder home to unload 18,000 cards, letters, and packages for the holiday-loving orphan. Today, another 185,000 cards and 4000 packages.

The local postmaster expects the next delivery will require a tractor-trailer rig later this week.

GIVING Back: Syrian Refugee Feeds Homeless to Thank Germany for Taking Him In

In September Christine DelGallo started a crowdfunding campaign at YouCaring, hoping to raise $15,000 for the little girl, but after the massive media given to the card drive, the fund has reached $331,000 with the last week.

“She believed… and all of you are making it happen,” Dolder wrote in an update.

In addition, The non-profit “Baking Memories” granted the whole family an all-expenses-paid one week trip to Disney World–with a pass that puts them at the head of every line.

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Read more details from Associated Press – The mailing address is Safyre, PO Box 6126, Schenectady, NY 12306

(Photo via Safyre Schenectady’s Super Survivor, Facebook)

New Cure For Hepatitis C Heals 90% of Patients

Steve PB

pills CC stevepb

Scientists have announced they now have a cure for the hepatitis C virus.

The pills not only wipe out the virus in nine of ten patients who suffer from the disease, they also restore liver function.

When attacked by the virus the liver gets scarred or even cancer as a result, making hepatitis C the leading cause of liver transplantation in the United States.

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In just 12 weeks, the new drug treatment can cure advanced cases of the disease and eliminate the need for a transplant.

The treatment involves a combination of two drugs — sofosbuvir and velpatasvir — in a single pill.

Over the course of 36 months, doctors at Utah’s Intermountain Medical Center oversaw drug trials at 47 sites around the country, at which 260 hepatitis C patients took one to two pills a day for three months each.

The doctors announced Friday, 90% of the patients in advanced stages of the disease – on the verge of needing a transplant – were cured. Those in earlier stages of hepatitis saw a 99% rate of being cured — with no resurgence of the disease.

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“The virus will go away and not come back,” lead researcher Dr. Michael Charlton told Deseret News. “You’re cured of Hep C.”

As recently as five years ago, only 25% of people who went through standard treatments were cured.

The pills studied in Utah are a completely new class of drugs that attack the disease differently — and more effectively — than existing treatments.

Gilead Sciences, makers of two expensive hepatitis drugs, funded the Utah research. Gilead’s pills on the market can cost as much as $95,000 for a full course of treatment.

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It’s not clear how much the new pills will cost, but they could be available as early as mid-2016 if the FDA approves it.

The researchers published their study in the New England Journal of Medicine.

(WATCH the video below from KxWIKINews) — Photo: stevepb, CC

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Tinder Users Can “Swipe Right” to Become Organ Donors in UK

Tinder Organ Donor 1 screenshot Tinder UKIt’s a match made in heaven.

The dating app that can find your perfect match — can now find the perfect organ donor for people awaiting transplants.

Tinder is working with the UK’s National Health Service to let its users become organ donors by “swiping right” — the same action that lets a user “like” a profile on the dating site.

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British celebrities, including actress Gemma Oaten (pictured above), got involved by creating Tinder profiles to promote the campaign.

Users who swipe right on those profiles will get a message saying: “If only it was that easy for those in need of a life-saving organ to find a match.”

The user will then be asked to join the donor registry.

CHECK OUT:  Long Separated Brother and Sister Are Reunited… After Matching on Tinder!

The idea is to show people that signing up as an organ donor takes only as much time a few seconds using the app.

About 7,000 people are on transplant waiting lists in the UK and the NHS believes the partnership with Tinder will encourage younger people to sign up as donors.

(READ more from BBC News)

France Votes to Force Supermarkets to Give Away Unsold Food

French Produce Section CC francois schnell

The French parliament has voted unanimously to require supermarkets to give away — rather than throw away — the food that reaches its “sell-by” date.

France throws away 7.8 million tons of food every year — more than a quarter of that is by restaurants and shops, which could result in as many as 858,000 tons redistributed to the nation’s hungry.

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The law will take effect when it is expected to be passed by parliament’s upper house — the Senate — on January 13.

It allows citizens to seek approval from the agriculture ministry for creating groups to collect and distribute the saved food.

At least 100 Paris restaurants already take part in a program to redistribute unused food to the city’s poor and hungry.

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Activists who backed the law are now turning their attention to the rest of the European Union and passing similar laws in each of its member nations.

The plan had already been adopted in May by France’s National Assembly as part of another law, but courts annulled it on a series of technicalities. This time, it passed quickly on its own, after lawmakers fixed the issues raised by the courts.

(READ more in The Guardian) — Photo: francois schnell, CC

24 Ideas for Raising Kind and Grateful Kids

Brad Aronson submitted his boy in spiderman costume

It’s a great time of year to remind ourselves how we can reinforce and encourage kindness and gratitude in our kids. Especially in December, there are so many great opportunities to do this.

Brad Aronson and his wife have often thought about how to make sure their son will turn out to be a grateful, kind and compassionate young man, but parenting is difficult.

“We have no idea what we’re doing, but we wanted to share some ideas and related thoughts.”

From these examples, you will agree the Aronsons DO know what they’re doing:

  • Help develop your child’s identity as a caring person. Rather than telling your child “That was a kind thing to do,” say, “You’re such a kind person.”
  • At dinner we discuss acts of kindness that each of us saw during the day. As we’ve been doing this, I’ve noticed that our son has begun doing many of the things we mention in conversation.
  • Give stuff away. At Halloween our son loved giving out candy. Jack even chased down adults clearly returning from work to give them candy. Even the people who seemed to be in a bad mood smiled. And, Jack learned the joy of giving. Set up a free lemonade stand or find something else to give out. Practice giving.

(READ the full article at Bran Aronson’s blog)

How An Angel Tree Gift Changed One Boy and 1000s of Lives

angel-tree-purchased-bradaronson submitted

Jimmy Wayne’s introduction to music came in the form of a guitar he received through the Christmas Angel Tree Program when he was eight-years-old – a random act of kindness from a caring person. The guitar, the first gift he ever received, ignited Wayne’s love of music. That love took Wayne down the path of becoming a musician, and eventually, an award winning country music star.

“None of this would have happened had it not been for a guitar.” said Wayne. “So I’m in debt and making sure that I do my part in raising awareness for a program that helped me out when I had nothing.”

WATCH: Seinfeld Cast Makes Dying Man’s 67th Birthday One To Remember

To “do his part” Wayne wrote a song that tells of the enormous impact Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Program has on the kids in need who receive gifts from strangers. Wayne hopes people will hear Paper Angels and be inspired to participate as gift givers in the Angel Tree Program.

The singer wound up doing a lot more than writing a hit song. In the middle of his career, Wayne decided to take a break from music and use his stardom to help nurture foster children in ways that go beyond lyrics.

(READ the full story at Brad Aronson’s blog)

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Canadian Kids Are The Most Welcoming People Ever (WATCH)

 

Canadian kids sure know how to make people feel special, eh?

A video of Canadian children singing a historical song from the Middle East was published Friday as a welcome gift to the the new refugees flying to safety in North America.

The choir’s performance has not only scored a half million views for its beauty, but also touched the hearts of foreign speakers for a wonderful reason: the kids are singing in Arabic.

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The song’s significance comes from its reputation for having been sung to the Prophet Muhammad when he was looking for solace. For the 163 Syrian refugees who were greeted with residency and warm winter coats by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after landing at the airport, the new video is just one of many gestures by Canadians to make the asylum-seekers feel safe and welcomed.

And speaking of feeling welcomed, the kindness doesn’t stop there.

CHECK Out: Refugee Selling Pens Saw Huge Outpouring, Now Owns Bakery, Hires Refugees

An adorable video produced by World Vision Canada featuring Canadian children joyfully exclaiming “Welcome to Canada!” has gotten 150,000 views since it was posted Wednesday.

Kids of all ages filmed clips of themselves saying “I love you,” “See you in school,” and “I hope we get to be friends” to welcome every refugee to their new home.

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Instead of Giving In to Grief, Musicians Celebrate Christmas With Song

Nat Zegree and Eric Holmes, both lost parents when they were young, but instead of giving into the hopeless feeling that can accompany loss, especially during the Holidays, they decided to create a song celebrating the memories of holiday’s past.

The gratitude for the time we have with those we love can shine light on our darkest times. The power of music brings us all together, to heal, to laugh, to love.”

Dick Van Dyke Celebrates 90th Birthday With Flash Mob of Chimney Sweeps (WATCH)

Dick Van Dyke-90-flashmob-permission-Nicola Buck-social links required

Fans dressed as Cockney chimney sweeps helped Dick Van Dyke celebrate his birthday yesterday with a surprise flash mob at The Grove in Los Angeles, California.

The event was organized to mark his 90th birthday by his wife of 3 years, Arlene Silver-Van Dyke, who he met at the SAG award ceremony in 2006.

The choreographed dancers stepped in time to a medley of memorable songs from the 1964 Disney film Mary Poppins– Jolly Holiday, Chim Chim Cher-ee, Step In Time, and Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

In a grand finale, Van Dyke himself came down from the balcony where he viewed the performance and led the group in sing-a-long to Let’s Go Fly a Kite.

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Known the world over for his beaming smile, physical dexterity, impeccable comic timing, and unforgettable screen roles, the actor, comedian, writer, singer, dancer, and producer starred in the films Bye Bye Birdie, Mary Poppins, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and in the TV series The Dick Van Dyke Show and Diagnosis Murder. Over his seven-decade career he has won Emmy, Grammy and Tony awards.

WATCH DICK VAN DYKE TALK ABOUT AGINGHow He Stays Feeling Young at 90

In his 2012 memoir, My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business. he recalled the remarkable moment when he got his first big break.

In 1960 Van Dyke auditioned for a small part in Bye Bye Birdie. He had no dance experience, so after he sang his audition song he did an impromptu soft-shoe out of sheer nervousness. Gower Champion, the show’s director and choreographer, was watching, and promptly went up on stage to inform Van Dyke he had the lead role of Albert Peterson. An astonished Van Dyke protested that he could not dance, to which Champion replied “We’ll teach you”. That musical won four Tony awards including Best Featured Actor for Van Dyke.

ALSO WATCH: Morality Christmas Ad Will Leave You Feeling All Warm Inside

(Photo by Nicola Buck – Follow her photography on Facebook, and Twitter, and Instagram)

Canada Welcomes Refugees At the Airport With Coats and Healthcare

 

The 163 refugees that stepped off the airplane into the chilly Toronto air on Friday were given a very warm welcome indeed: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau handed them winter coats with their new citizenship.

The airport terminal was converted into a special processing center that not only conducted the normal customs and immigration screenings, but also greeted the Syrians with completed paperwork for citizenry, along with winter clothing, and toys for the children.

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Sponsors from all over Canada have volunteered to aid the asylum-seekers in finding housing and have already raised $24,000 for each Syrian family to ease their settlement.

“You’re safe at home now,” said the new prime minister to the disembarking displaced persons.

The country expects to welcome 20,000 more refugees by the end of February.

CHECK Out: Veteran Homelessness Has Been Ended in Virginia, First State to Do It

(WATCH the remarkable welcome in the video above)

Animal Funnies: Orangutan Goes Ape Over Magic Trick (WATCH)

Orangutan Laughs At Magic Trick Screenshot YouTube

This young orangutan at a zoo in Barcelona, Spain bursts out laughing when he sees his first magic trick.

The ape watches intently as Dan Zaleski of Meriden, Connecticut pulls some sleight of hand with an object in his coffee cup.

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A couple of quick shakes and, abracadabra, the cup is empty — and, after a double-take,  the orangutan is rolling on the floor uncontrollably.

(WATCH the video below) — Photo: Dan Zaleski, YouTube

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First Grader Trades His Christmas Presents for Gifts to the Homeless

boy helps homeless for Christmas screenshot YouTube

All six-year-old Alex Hovater wants for Christmas is a happy holiday for the homeless in his town.

Since making that wish, he’s been handing out care packages filled with jackets and necessities to people living on the streets.

It all began when the little boy worried about a homeless man spending the winter outside and asked about helping.

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His mother, Machelle, thought it would be a good chance to teach her son about empathy and how money works. So she suggested he could chose between aiding the homeless in Bakersfield, California, or receiving Christmas presents for himself.

When he asked why they couldn’t do both, Machelle told him there wasn’t enough money for both. Little Alex didn’t hesitate in his reply.

“OK, we’ll help them out,” she quoted him as saying.

RELATED:  Kids Wrap Lamp Poles With Free Coats to Keep Homeless People Warm

Alex isn’t going through Christmas empty-handed; this has to qualify for Santa’s “nice” list. His mother figures they’ve spent 30% of their Christmas budget on the care packages, and she’s challenging her online friends to try the same with their kids – and moving them to the top of the “nice” list, too.

(WATCH the video below) – Photo: Machelle Hovater, YouTube

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Chinese Billionaire Buys 28K Acres of American Forest to Preserve It

Brandon Reserve screenshot LandVest Vimeo

The Chinese billionaire behind online shopping giant Alibaba has placed an order for 28,000 acres of pristine, American wilderness. It is a $28 million dollar bid to preserve the wildlife, fish, and forests in these rugged mountains of the Northeastern United States.

Jack Ma, China’s richest man and a noted conservationist, plans to turn the Brandon Reserve in New York’s Adirondack Mountains into a wildlife sanctuary and protect its timber and water from logging and mining operations in the region.

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His first action as owner is to stop the logging operations already going on there.

Ma’s purchase includes land along nine miles of the Saint Regis River, a trout fishery, multiple homes and barns, and even its own maple syrup operation.

(WATCH the video from LandVest below to see the property or READ more at Town and Country) — Photos: LandVest, Vimeo

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Community Rewards Bus Driver Who Stopped To Give Homeless Man Money

Bus driver reward Facebook Faris Khalifa

A bus driver’s surprising act of kindness on his route is paid back with a “jaw-dropping” reward.

Faris Khalifa was riding a bus in Liverpool, England last week, when the driver made an unscheduled stop.

He pulled a five-pound note from his pocket and asked Khalifa to run it over to a homeless person sitting in the rain.

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Afterward, the more Khalifa thought about the driver’s generosity, the more he wanted to thank him. With the help of the local bus company, he arranged a meeting under the guise of handing driver “Stephen” a thank you card.

In reality, Khalifa had told his story to local businessmen who’d chipped in for a gift basket. It included vouchers for lunch and dinner, a collection of cheeses and bottles of rum and bourbon.

So the most amazing thing has happened. This has totally blown me away.First, I'll explain briefly to those who didn't...

Posted by Faris Khalifa on Thursday, December 3, 2015
 

Before surprising him with the bundle of goodies, the bus driver surprised everyone else– with one more contribution to the trail of kindness. Stephen handed Khalifa his old Army sleeping bag, and asked him to give it to someone who needed it on his way home.

CHECK OUT:  Boston Bus Driver Treats Everyone on Board, Stops at Kids’ Lemonade Stand

“This was the second time he nearly made me cry,” Khalifa wrote on his Facebook page. “This ex-army, married father of one is the embodiment of what this city is. Pure love for all who need it.”

Photo: Faris Khalifa, Facebook

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