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‘PET Pirates’ Remove Seven Tons of Trash from Hungarian Lake in Plastic Picking Competition

By
Andy Corbley
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courtesy of Plastic Cup Society
courtesy of Plastic Cup Society

It looked to be a grand day out on Lake Tisza in southern Hungary, where another edition of the PET Cup was held to great success.

The competition, sponsored by local and large businesses alike, saw hearty ‘PET Pirates’ plundering the high seas of the country’s artificial lake in search of treasure: plastic waste.

Short for polyethylene terephthalate, or the most commonly used plastic for bottles and containers, the PET Cup started in 2013 as a way to inspire residents to keep the lake clean, and has since been held at other waterways as well.

A brief respite on the coffee barge – courtesy of Plastic Cup Society
courtesy of Plastic Cup Society

The pirate captains crewed makeshift barges in search of trash, which when seen in a flotilla seems reminiscent of the Mad Max and Road Warrior films, only on water rather than a highway.

This year’s edition saw over 20,000 pounds of trash pulled from the lake by the various teams, with the winner coming from the MBH Bank team.

WATCH the story below from Euronews… 

SHARE This Awesome Recreational Clean-up With Your Friends… 

“If it were not for hopes, the heart would break.” – Thomas Fuller

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Quote of the Day: “If it were not for hopes, the heart would break.” – Thomas Fuller

Photo by: Pascal van de Vendel

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Good News in History, July 16

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Good News Network
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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

20 years ago today, Millennium Park, Chicago, Illinois’s first and most ambitious early 21st-century architectural project, is opened to the public by Mayor Richard M. Daley. Featuring a variety of public art, outdoor spaces, and venues, the park is bounded by Michigan Avenue, Randolph Street, Columbus Drive, and East Monroe Drive, the three-day opening celebrations were attended by some 300,000 people and included an inaugural concert by the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus. READ more about this iconic attraction… (2004)

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Adrift for Days in an Inflatable Tube, Woman Rescued Off Coast of Japan by Passing Sailors

By
Andy Corbley
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Released by Yokosuka Coast Guard
Released by Yokosuka Coast Guard

An amazing survival story comes from the southeast coastal waters of Japan where a Chinese woman survived days adrift at sea clinging to an inflatable intertube.

Reported missing last Monday by her friends, the unnamed Chinese national was swimming with friends on a beach in the city of Shimoda, Shizuoka Prefecture.

The coast guard was alerted that she was in her 20s and holding onto an inflatable recreational intertube.

The woman wasn’t located in Shizuoka, and it wasn’t until 8:00 am on Wednesday, 36 hours after going missing, that a passing cargo ship encountered her in the waters of the Boso Peninsula in Chiba Prefecture.

She had floated over 50 miles (80 kilometers) during that time, but mercifully the waters hovered around 24.1 degrees Celsius, or about 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

Being extremely large, the cargo ship hailed a passing tanker to help. Two of its crew members, believing the drifting speck of humanity in the vast empty ocean was a member of the cargo ship’s crew, jumped in to rescue her, while those remaining onboard called out for her not to give up.

A map of Japan with the distance the woman had floated highlighted in red from left to right – a distance of 80 kilometers. credit Lincun CC BY 3.0.

Once in the water, the crew secured a rope around her waist as she was too exhausted to climb the ladder. After 36 hours and several tense minutes, the young woman and her sodden, wobbly knees were on deck.

SALTWATER SAVIORS: Stranded Women and Dogs Rescued After 5 Months Drifting on Pacific Ocean

Video released by the Japanese coast guard who eventually air-lifted the woman to a hospital, shows her standing on the tanker’s main deck wrapped in a blanket. Apart from exhaustion, the woman was unharmed and walked out of the hospital of her own initiative.

SIMILAR CLOSE CALLS: Teen Swimmers Drifting in the Ocean Prayed for Help – And Suddenly are Rescued by Boat Named ‘Amen’

Hidetoshi Saito, a senior member of the Society of Water Rescue and Survival Research, said in a televised interview that the woman’s survival was like “a miracle.”

SHARE This Woman’s Terrifying Ordeal And Fortunate Rescue With Your Friends…

Nurse Credited for Saving Man’s Life with CPR and Defibrillator After Heart Attack in Charlotte Airport

By
Andy Corbley
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Charlotte Douglas International Airport - credit Nicola, CC 2.0.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport – credit Nicola, CC 2.0.

Like so many victims, the first sign that Ken Jeffries was vulnerable to heart disease was a heart attack—suffered when the 57-year-old was at the airport waiting for a flight.

Collapsing to the floor of the Charlotte Douglas Int. Airport, he has his lucky stars to thank for his flight being bound for Knoxville—the same place that Claire Cerbie, a registered nurse from a heart and vascular hospital center in Charlotte, North Carolina, was going.

Cerbie told news media that it was the way he was breathing and snoring that alerted her to the heart attack.

With a makeshift orderly staff of airport bystanders, Cerbie administered CPR while someone went to get a defibrillator.

“We put the pads on him,” Cerbie told WBTV News. “It indicated a shockable rhythm, and it shocked him in between while we were doing compressions.”

After he recovered his own pulse, Jefferies was rushed to the Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center where Dr. William Downey, a cardiologist at the Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute, where Cerbie actually works, performed life-saving surgery.

Neither nurse nor doctor believed Jeffries would have survived if not for the CPR and shocks administered by Cerbie and the good Samaritans who helped.

“It’s a miracle that I was at that place at that time when it happened and the people around me are there,” Jeffries said on TV when interviewed alongside Cerbie. “A ‘thank you’ is not enough, Claire. Thank you for what you did I am so appreciative and indebted to you.”

NURSES SAVING PEOPLE: A Nurse and Her Boyfriend Saved a Man’s Life on Flight Home from Bahamas Vacation

“I’m very glad that I was there that day to help you out. I’d obviously do it again in a heartbeat,” Cerbie responded. “I’m so happy to see that you’re doing so well.”

Cerbie was upgraded to first class on her American Airlines flight as a reward for her heroism.

MORE LIFESAVERS: ‘Hero’ Dogs From Rescue Operation in Turkey Get First Class Seats on Airliners Flying Them Home

Jefferies said he hadn’t observed any symptoms before his heart attack—which is actually common. Symptoms are few and often general—like shortness of breath or soreness in the neck and jaw—the kind of thing one is far more likely to chalk up to a poor night of sleep.

WATCH the story below from WBTV…

SHARE This Super Nurse Saving Lives In Her Off Hours—GO NURSES… 

Canada Post Worker Saves the Day After Child Forgets Stamp on Postcard to Grandma

By
Andy Corbley
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The new Canada Post mailbins - credit in pastel CC BY 2.0.
The new Canada Post mailbins – credit in pastel CC BY 2.0.

A set of grandparents in rural Nova Scotia are likely looking for where to frame a handwritten letter from their granddaughter, who wrote them a postcard from summer camp.

But the only reason they got the opportunity in the first place was because of the “decency” of a Canada Post worker, who went above and beyond her job requirements to ensure the letter got where it needed to go.

Daya Modayur, a 12-year-old from Nova Scotia attending summer camp at MacPhee Centre for Creative Learning in Dartmouth, thought she would return the favor and reply to some letters she received from her grandparents while they were on a road trip.

But the rural address was “so complicated” and in her focus to get it right, the all-important postage stamp slipped her mind before she slipped it into the mailbin.

Realizing her mistake, Modayur asked her camp counselor what to do, and the woman replied she would make a note and tape it onto the mailbin asking the mail carrier for help.

“Dear postal worker, at our summer camp we made postcards and one person sent one to their grandma without a stamp,” read the letter taped above the mailbox’s lever. “If you find it, can you please return it to the MacPhee Centre or use the stamp on the back of this page? We would really appreciate it.”

A day later, a reply appeared at the bottom of the note.

ALSO CHECK OUT: Social Media Goes Crazy for Customer Who Went Above and Beyond to Mail $20 Tip

“Found it and stamped it! Have a great day.”

Christine Fong, the carrier for Canada Post who found the letter, told Global News that her act of kindness and consideration was just “human decency.”

MORE MAILMEN SAVING THE DAY: Massachusetts Mailman Scoops Toddler Away from Traffic After Day Care Escape: ‘Right place at the right time’

“When I read that a child had sent a postcard from a day camp to their grandmother with no postage, obviously, the first thing I thought when I opened it was to find this missing piece of letter mail,” she explained.

“Just to see that there was a simple request, it’s human decency just to follow through and do what you got to do.”

WATCH the story below from Global News… 

SHARE This Wholesome Canada Post Appreciation Post With Your Canadian Friends…

Ancient Temple and Theater 3,500 years Older Than Machu Picchu Discovered in Peru

By
Andy Corbley
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Field Museum scientist Luis Muro Ynoñán with the carving of a mythological bird creature in La Otra Banda, Cerro Las Animas. Ucupe Cultural Landscape Archaeological Project
Field Museum scientist Luis Muro Ynoñán with the carving of a mythological bird creature in La Otra Banda, Cerro Las Animas. Ucupe Cultural Landscape Archaeological Project

An ancient temple and theater has been identified in Peru as dating back 4,000 years, placing it among the oldest man-made structures in Peru.

Located in the northern Peruvian town of Zaña, archaeologists had been alerted by authorities of looting taking place at a site called La Otra Banda / Cerro Las Animas, and a team from the Field University of Chicago accompanied by institutions in Peru got to work last June.

A mere 6 feet below the surface, the excavators found walls of mud and clay. Extending the survey plot to 33 feet in length, they uncovered what seemed to be a theater—with a backstage area and staircases that led up to a raised platform.

“It was so surprising that these very ancient structures were so close to the modern surface,” Luis Muro Ynoñán, a research scientist at the Field Museum who led the team, said in a release from the college. “This could have been used to perform ritual performances in front of a selected audience.”

Alongside one of the theater’s staircases were carved stone slabs decorated with intricate bird designs that are typical of carvings from a time dating back as far as 2,000 BCE known as the ‘Initial Period’ and that continued until 900 BCE.

If the temple were built during this period, it would long predate the Inca, but even the makers of the mysterious geoglyphs known as the Nazca Lines, as well as another civilization called Moche.

ALSO FROM THIS PART OF THE WORLD: Circular Stone Plaza Moves Up Start of Stone Age Construction in the Andes on Par with Stonehenge

Archaeologists also found several large murals painted on the walls. Muro Ynoñán collected samples from paint pigments, which should provide a very accurate date for the finishing touches on the temple via radiocarbon dating.

Among the major takeaways from the discovery is that this theater perhaps represents the starting pistol of organized religion on a societal scale.

MORE SUCH DISCOVERIES: Extremely Elaborate 2,200-Year-old Tomb Discovered That May Have Belonged to a King–‘Most Complex Structure of its Kind’

It dovetails with the more recent belief of the origin of civilization around the world following the discovery of Gobeklitepe in Turkey—that instead of agriculture being the organizing factor that brought humans out of the hunter-gatherer stage of society, it was religion and ceremony.

SHARE This Crucial Discovery In Northern Peru With Your Friends… 

“Time is more than money. Time is life.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “Time is more than money. Time is life.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

Photo by: Kevin Ku (cropped)

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Good News in History, July 15

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Good News Network
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The original scientists, by Vincenzo108 – CC license

And, 69 years ago today, 18 Nobel laureate scientists signed the Mainau Declaration publicly decrying nuclear weapons. Within one year, 34 others—mostly chemists and physicists—joined the German nuclear scientists Otto Hahn and Max Born in calling for an end to perilous radioactive bombs. READ the text of the Declaration… (1955)

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Grandma Dances All Night at Granddaughter’s Wedding After Being Told She Wouldn’t Live to See it (Watch)

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Good News Network
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Doreen Cooke enjoying her granddaughter's wedding in Marbella, Spain - SWNS
Doreen Cooke enjoying her granddaughter’s wedding in Marbella, Spain – SWNS

A proud grandmother danced into the night at her granddaughter’s wedding, despite doctors predicting she would never live to see the day.

Doreen Cooke has been dealing with a heart condition called aortic stenosis for several years, which blocks blood flow in the aortic valve.

She was told late last year that no treatment or operation would help, and her family were advised to prepare for the worst.

But the 93-year-old defied the odds and happily joined the week-long festivities surrounding the wedding in Marbella, Spain.

“I’ve always loved Marbella.I really enjoyed myself.”

“It was so nice to see everyone together.”

The bride, her granddaughter Rhea Cross, described her as “the life and soul of the party.”

The 27-year-old from East Yorkshire said, “It was so wonderful having her there for the entire trip.”

“Especially knowing the doctors didn’t think she’d make it. It feels so special for her to have seen it. She was living her best life all night.”

SURPRISE, DAUGHTER! My Dad Sent Me A Card on My Wedding Day–20 Years After His Death

Rhea said the wedding guests stayed in Spain from June 25 to July 3.

“We took every day as an opportunity to have fun.”

Doreen Cooke enjoying Spain – SWNS

Despite Doreen’s inability to walk long distances, she was dancing the night away. The video below shows her dancing through a crowd of family and friends and singing in karaoke with a microphone.

One memorable photo even shows Doreen the next day snoozing by the beach after one too many drinks.

WEDDING CRASHER CANINE: Stray Dog Crashes Couple’s Wedding – and Becomes Part of Their New Family

Upon her return to the UK, Doreen has been mostly resting at home in Hull.

“It was fantastic. I loved it,” she said.

“My favorite part was watching my granddaughter get married, after being worried I wasn’t going to make it.”

CHEER FOR THE SENIOR BY Sharing This on Social Media…

Bullied Man With Facial Disease Quits Job to Speak to Schools And Help Kids With Differences

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Good News Network
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Amit Ghose – SWNS
Amit Ghose – SWNS

A man living with a facial disease has quit his job to focus on helping children who are bullied for being different.

Amit Ghose was born with neurofibromatosis type 1, a condition that causes tumors to grow along nerves.

But the 34-year-old took a “leap of faith” recently when he quit his role as a regional manager at a law firm, in favor of pursuing a career as a motivational speaker.

At the age of 11, Amit had his left eye surgically removed in a grueling 18-hour procedure which left him wearing an eye patch for six months, while his prosthetic was developed—all of which invited cruel abuse and shunning from his classmates.

“With Halloween coming up, a kid said to me: ‘You don’t need a Halloween mask, you’ve got one for life,’” he recalls. “That comment absolutely broke me, I still think about it every Halloween.”

Amit, who is from Birmingham, England, said he now channels this experience when he is talking at schools.

“I tell school children to be mindful of what they say to others, as what might be banter for them was a lifelong scar to me.”

While Amit acknowledges that many schools cannot afford to pay his half-day fee of $300 for talks (£250), he has set up a GoFundMe page which has, so far, raised more than $3,900 (£3,000) to provide them for free.

Amit Ghose giving a talk at a school – SWNS

Fortunately, Amit was encouraged to play sports in his youth, and took up cricket. He made it onto his school’s team at Selly Oak Academy—and now advises students to do the same.

“Nobody wanted to talk to me or sit next to me (until) I went from the boy with a funny face to the boy who plays cricket.”

LITTLE ROLE MODEL: 7-Year-old Boy Who Was Bullied Opens a Huge Food Pantry, Making His Life All About Positive Energy

Amit was encouraged to give his first speech when his manager at work asked if he would speak at his daughter’s school.

After his first talk, Amit saw an article written by the mother of one of the boys who heard his talk. He had undergone multiple open heart surgeries and a heart transplant.

After hearing Amit’s talk, the boy, Vinnie, came home from school feeling inspired, with plans to take up football and become a motivational speaker some day.

Amit says, “It moved me to the point I quit my job and decided to do this full time.”

TEEN BULLY-BUSTERS: After Bullied Boy Has Terrible First Day of School, Upperclassmen Take Him Under Their Wing

His father had always encouraged Amit to live a normal life, and he stood up for his son when others voiced concern about the safety of playing cricket.

“He would say: ‘If he wants to play, he’ll play.”

Other areas of Amit’s life would also become a success. In 2021, he met a woman originally from India, and the pair fell in love and got married.

He is also a global advisor to Billion Strong and an ambassador for Face Equality International.

ADORABLE: 70 Million People Cheer on Young Texan Boy Who Rang A Doorbell to Ask for Help Finding Friends

Who knows how many other students’ lives will be changed forever, inspired by his resume of overcoming adversity and reaching for success.

INSPIRE STRANGERS By Sharing The Idea on Social Media…

Dogs Trained to Sniff Out Post-Traumatic Stress – by Smelling Patients’ Breath – With 90% Accuracy

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Laura Kiiroja with support dog for PTSD released by Dalhousie University - SWNS
Laura Kiiroja with Ivy, a support dog-in-training for PTSD – Dalhousie University / SWNS

Two dogs have been trained to sniff out post-traumatic stress by smelling survivors’ breath—with an accuracy success rate following initial training of 90 percent.

Scientists say the breakthrough will make post-traumatic stress disorder support dogs more effective.

PTSD is a mental health condition that’s triggered by a terrifying event such as a car crash or terror attack, with symptoms that include flashbacks, nightmares, and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.

Dogs’ sensitive noses already can detect the early warning signs of medical situations, such as an impending seizure. Now, researchers have evidence that assistance dogs might be able to sniff out an oncoming PTSD flashback, before it happens.

In the pilot study, the team taught two dogs to decipher the breath of people who have been reminded of traumas, by recognizing the scent of trauma reactions on human breath.

A Golden Retriever named Ivy and a German Shepherd-Belgian Malinois mix named Callie, were the only two of 25 dogs “skilled and motivated enough” to complete the rigorous training process.

Study first author Laura Kiiroja, of Dalhousie University, Canada, said: “Dogs are currently trained to respond to behavioral and physical cues. Our study showed that some dogs can also detect these episodes via breath.”

She said assistance dogs currently help patients by alerting to and interrupting episodes when their companions are struggling with their symptoms. Responding to stress markers on their breath, these four-legged medics can potentially interrupt episodes at an earlier stage, making their interventions more effective.

All humans have a ‘scent profile’ of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)—molecules emitted by the body in secretions such as sweat—influenced by our genetics, age, activities, and other variables.

There was some evidence that dogs may be capable of detecting VOCs linked to human stress, but until now, no studies have investigated whether dogs could learn to detect VOCs associated with PTSD symptoms.

By Laura Kiiroja / Dalhousie University via SWNS

ADORABLE: After Fatal Disease Arrives, Zoo Calls in the Only Team of Turtle-sniffing Dogs in the World to Help Out

Dr. Sherry Stewart’s clinical psychology lab at Dalhousie University collaborated with Dr Simon Gadbois’ canine olfaction lab, bringing together two distinct sets of expertise.

The scientists recruited 26 people as scent donors who were also taking part in a study about the reactions of people with trauma when reminded of that trauma; over half of the patients met the diagnostic requirements for PTSD.

To donate scents, the participants attended sessions where they were reminded of their trauma experiences while wearing different face masks. One face mask provided a calm breath sample that acted as the control, while another, which was worn as the participants recalled their traumatic experience, provided a target breath sample.

The participants also completed a questionnaire about their stress levels and their emotions.

Ms. Kiiroja, currently working on her PhD in biomedical scent-detection dogs, said: “Both Ivy and Callie found this work inherently motivating.

“Their limitless appetite for delicious treats was also an asset. In fact, it was much harder to convince them to take a break than to commence work.

“Callie in particular made sure there was no dilly-dallying.”

THE DOG HELPED MY HOMEWORK: Dogs Placed in Elementary Schools Making a Big Difference in Academics and Mental Health for Michigan Students

Ivy and Callie – by Laura Kiiroja / Dalhousie University

They achieved 90 percent accuracy in discriminating between a stressed and a non-stressed sample from pieces of the face masks, according to the study published by the journal Frontiers in Allergy.

The dogs were then presented with a series of samples, one at a time, to see if they could still accurately detect the stress VOCs. In the second experiment, Ivy achieved 74 percent accuracy while Callie achieved 81 percent.

Comparing Callie and Ivy’s successful identifications with the human participants’ self-reported emotions revealed that Ivy’s performance correlated with anxiety, whereas Callie’s correlated with shame.

HERO JACK RUSSELL: Tiny Bomb-Sniffing Jack Russell is a National Hero, Sporting a Presidential Medal

“Although both dogs performed at very high accuracy, they seemed to have a slightly different idea of what they considered a ‘stressed’ breath sample,” said Kiiroja.

“We speculated that Ivy was attuned to sympathetic-adreno-medullar axis hormones—like adrenaline—and Callie was oriented to the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis hormones, like cortisol.

“This is important knowledge for training service dogs, as alerting to early-onset PTSD symptoms requires sensitivity to sympathetic-adreno-medullar axis hormones.”

CHECK OUT: Nation’s Largest No-Kill Rescue Shelter Opens in Alabama to Save 5,000 Dogs a Year

Following the proof-of-concept study that included 40 sample sets, the team will attempt to validate the results with larger sample sizes.

“In addition to enrolling more participants, validation studies should collect samples from a higher number of stressful events to confirm dogs’ ability to reliably detect stress VOCs in the breath of one human across different contexts.”

SEND THE SWEET STRESS RELIEF To Friends By Sharing on Social Media…

People-Person Pet Mouse was Lost at Renaissance Fair But Showed Up for the After-Party

By
sammystew99
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Cotton Ball after she was found outdoors after a 10 hour adventure and late night party – Sam Stewart
Cotton Ball after she was found outdoors after a 10 hour adventure and late night party – Sam Stewart

I have a pet mouse that I hand raised since she was 10 days old. She was originally supposed to be snake food, but the snake wouldn’t eat her so I decided to raise her instead.

I never believed she would actually pull through— she was so small. But she did survive, and became the best mouse ever.

She is about 7-months-old now and completely imprinted on me. Her name is Cotton Ball and she loves people, being held, and going on adventures.

I take her out to play on my bed every night, and she never leaves. Sometimes she gets lost in my laundry, but she always comes back, no matter what.

This past Sunday I took her with me to a Renaissance fair, and while I was walking she completely disappeared. She has never jumped off or tried to leave me before, and I was absolutely heartbroken. I frantically searched for her to no avail.

She was outdoors, in a busy multi-acre fairground surrounded by grassland – not to mention hawks and snakes everywhere. It was 100 degrees outside, and I was sure she was going to die. She’s albino, so she would stick out like a sore thumb to predators and has no idea how to survive in the wild.

I told a few workers that I had lost her and gave them my information on the 0.001% chance that someone might find her. They posted about her on their Facebook group, but the chances were close to zero that she could actually be found. I went home completely distraught, knowing I had just killed this mouse by bringing her to the fair.

I know it’s just a mouse, but this one was special. I’ve never met a mouse who isn’t afraid of anything and absolutely loves people – she was really the most special mouse in the world.

The next day I got a text from a friend who worked at the fair—they actually found my mouse.

I was told that she was found at 1:00 am at a castle party that the workers were having to celebrate the last day of the fair. Apparently she was getting a lot of love from the workers who found her and she had a great time at the party!

LOOK AT THIS CUTENESS: You Won’t Believe Your Eyes Watching This Mouse Tidy up a Man’s Garden Shed Workbench

I drove an hour and a half to get her from the woman who took her home. I was sure I was never going to see this mouse again, and yet here she was. A little dirty, but otherwise completely unharmed – not even a scratch.

The woman who I picked her up from told me she had spotted Cotton Ball about an hour before she was found at the castle, and she saw her being chased under one of the sheds by a king snake. She felt bad, assuming Cotton Ball had become a snack. But, the lucky mouse emerged unscathed—ready for a party.

I can’t imagine any mouse choosing to go to an indoor party with tons of people—instead of hiding in the grasslands, but this mouse has always been different. She’s a people-person, so it wasn’t a surprise that she’d found some strangers to befriend.

NO MOUSETRAPS HERE: Man Builds Adorable Tiny Log Cabins in His Backyard to Keep Mouse Families Safe From Cats

I still can’t believe I have her back. So many people came together to help me find my beloved friend, from the woman that took her home to the people who found her at the party to my friend who worked there putting me in contact with them. It makes me believe that good people truly exist, and miracles can happen.

Cotton Ball is safe and sound, running on her wheel like nothing ever happened. And I’m still trying to wrap my head around just how incredible she is—and how she proves there is always reason to have hope.

(Written and submitted by Sam Stewart)

“Great thoughts come from the heart.” – Luc de Clapiers

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “Great thoughts come from the heart.” – Luc de Clapiers

Photo by: Aleksandr Popov

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Good News in History, July 14

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Good News Network
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On this day in 1912, Woody Guthrie was born in Okemah, Oklahoma. The folk singer and songwriter who traveled with farmers displaced during the Dust Bowl, became famous for writing “This Land Is Your Land.” He was a major influence on Bruce Springsteen and the young Bob Dylan, whom he mentored before he died in 1967. Woody’s protest songs were often performed on his guitar decorated with the slogan This Machine Kills Fascists. WATCH Woody perform below… 

Woody_Guthrie_1943-pubdomain

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Scientists Have Spotted a ‘Bejeweled Ring’ in Space – Revealing a Sparkling Quasar

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Good News Network
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James Webb Space Telescope image shows gravitational lensing of quasar - ESA NASA SWNS
James Webb Space Telescope image shows gravitational lensing of a quasar – ESA NASA SWNS

An intriguing new image captured by the James Webb Space Telescope shows a quasar sparkling in the cosmos.

Quasars are the blazing centers of active galaxies, and are powered by supermassive black holes feeding on titanic quantities of gas.

Astronomers were able to observe the quasar, known as RX J1131-1231, thanks to gravitational lensing.

One of the consequences of gravitational lensing is that it can magnify distant astronomical objects, letting astronomers study objects that would otherwise be too faint or far away.

RX J1131-1231, located roughly six billion light-years from Earth in the constellation Crater, is considered one of the best lensed quasars discovered to date, showing the foreground galaxy smearing the image of the background quasar into a bright arc, created by four images of the object.

The composite was named the Webb Telescope’s ‘Picture of the Month’, and was described by the European Space Agency (ESA) as a “bejeweled ring”.

NASA shared the image with the heading, “Diamonds of the season,” explaining that these glittering “gems” are actually four images of the same thing — an extremely bright quasar.

 

According to a statement from ESA, gravitational lensing, first predicted by Einstein, offers a rare opportunity to study regions close to the black hole in distant quasars, by acting as a natural telescope and magnifying the light from these sources.

“All matter in the Universe warps the space around itself, with larger masses producing a stronger effect. Around very massive objects, such as galaxies, light that passes close by follows this warped space, appearing to bend away from its original path by a clearly visible amount.”

This image was captured with Webb’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) as part of an observation program to study dark matter, an invisible form of matter that accounts for most of the Universe’s mass.

LOOK SKYWARD IN LATE JULY! Two Meteor Showers Peak in the Same Region of the Sky on the Same Night This Month

Webb’s observations of quasars are allowing astronomers to probe the nature of dark matter at smaller scales than ever before.

SHARE THIS GEM With Astronomy Fans on Social Media…

Woman Who Nearly Died After Bacteria Ate Her Nose Says Baking Soda Saved Her Life

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Good News Network
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Beatrice Johnson in UK hospital – SWNS
Beatrice Johnson in UK hospital – SWNS

A woman who nearly died after a deadly bacteria ate away the tip of her nose credits baking soda with saving her life.

Beatrice Johnson came close to death after falling ill with sickness and an upset stomach six months ago.

Doctors at Tunbridge Wells Hospital in Kent, England, discovered the 60-year-old was in septic shock—and advised her loved ones to say their goodbyes.

But during a final ditch attempt to save her life, medics added sodium bicarbonate into her IV drip, as an alternative to dialysis.

The unusual treatment was a success and within days, Beatrice was “feeling miles better”.

After 36 days, she was released from the hospital and is recovering well with her sister.

“I never thought something so simple would save my life,” said Beatrice. ”I really thought I was going to die.

“I’m thankful they never gave up on my life.

“The baking soda made me rise like a cake! No one thought I’d be here today.”

WORLD-FIRST CURE: 13-year-old Successfully Undergoes World-First Treatment to Cure Rarer-Than-Rare Wild Syndrome

Beatrice’s ordeal began at home when she started to feel weak. Throughout the course of the day her condition deteriorated and she even struggled to walk up the stairs.

Realizing something was wrong, she called an ambulance and within 10 minutes was being rushed to hospital.

“When paramedics came, they couldn’t find my blood pressure. They were surprised I was still conscious.”

The scans revealed her kidneys had started to fail and that she would need to be put onto dialysis. Beatrice lost consciousness and was put on life support, and the doctors called her three children to say their final goodbyes.

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Despite medics’ best efforts, she continued to decline—until they introduced sodium bicarbonate, commonly known as baking soda, which is an accepted alternative to dialysis in serious cases.

Within a few days, Beatrice made a miraculous recovery and came out of the coma within a week.

She “quickly felt like a new woman” and was taken off life support.

“Within one day I was like another person.”

After coming round, doctors broke the news that the tip of her nose had been eaten by a flesh-eating bug called necrotising fasciitis, a rare bacterial infection that spreads quickly and can cause death.

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Antibiotics stopped the spread and her nose is now on the mend, after being discharged from the hospital 43 days after being told she was going to die.

“I’m shocked that I’m still here.

“The recovery time was incredible and I have the doctors to thank for that.

“I never thought baking soda would save my life.”

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Two Rare Parrots Sent From Different Zoos So They Might ‘Fall in Love’ and Save Species With Just 300 Wild Birds Left

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Twycross Zoo's new red-fronted macaws. Release date – July 11, 2024. Leading conservation charity, Twycross Zoo, has today announced the arrival of two red-fronted macaws — one of the most endangered species of parrot in the world. The pair recently arrived at Twycross Zoo from Edinburgh Zoo and Welsh Mountain Zoo thanks to a carefully curated move as part of a European zoo conservation programme, designed to help protect and preserve endangered species and support their wild counterparts. Native to Bolivia, the red-fronted macaws are currently listed as “Critically Endangered” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List as its global population is continuing to decline, leaving less than 300 in the wild. The move, which was carefully planned and recommended by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), marks an important milestone in the conservation of this species and in Twycross Zoo’s conservation efforts.
Twycross Zoo’s new red-fronted macaws – SWNS

Two of the world’s most endangered parrots have been united as part of a breeding program to help save the beautiful species from extinction.

The pair of red-fronted macaws have arrived at Twycross Zoo in Leicester, England, with the hope they will “fall in love” and breed—adding to the total number of fewer than 300 remaining in the wild.

Native to Bolivia, the macaws are one of the most endangered species of parrot on the planet, currently listed as “critically endangered” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.

The bird donations from the Welsh Mountain Zoo and Edinburgh Zoo were arranged as part of a European conservation program that called it an “important milestone” in their global effort.

Assistant bird curator Rhys McKie was previously working at Edinburgh Zoo when one of the macaws was hatched there last year.

“It’s always an exciting day when a new animal arrives at the zoo but being reunited was a really special moment.

“When he hatched it was the first time in over 15 years that the species had been successfully bred at the zoo.

“So, to now give him a home at Twycross Zoo where he will continue the conservation journey and hopefully breed more of this rare species, is very momentous for me.”

The species stands out for their bright red forehead of feathers and long blue-green tail.

By Frank Wouters (originally posted to Flickr as papegaai, CC-by-2)

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In the wild, these parrots can only be found in a small semi-desert, mountainous region of Bolivia, making them unique amongst macaws.

In this arid climate, the birds feed on desert plants like cactus and are one of the main seed dispersers for the plant.

“I’m looking forward to our visitors getting the chance to see them together—and our other stunning parrot species—in our parrot habitat.”

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Dr Rebecca Biddle, director of conservation at Twycross Zoo, added: “I’m so proud to see Twycross Zoo leading the way for the conservation of this incredibly important species.

“Bringing this pair to Twycross to hopefully facilitate breeding further down the line, is a necessary and important step to save this species.”

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Your Weekly Horoscope – ‘Free Will Astrology’ From Rob Brezsny

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Our partner Rob Brezsny, who has a new book out, Astrology Is Real: Revelations from My Life as an Oracle, provides his weekly wisdom to enlighten our thinking and motivate our mood. Rob’s Free Will Astrology, is a syndicated weekly column appearing in over a hundred publications. He is also the author of Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia: How All of Creation Is Conspiring To Shower You with Blessings. (A free preview of the book is available here.)

Here is your weekly horoscope…

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY – Week of July 13, 2024
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com

 

CANCER (June 21-July 22):
Even though you and I were both born under the sign of Cancer the Crab, I have a taboo against advising you to be like me. I love my life, but I’m not so naïve or arrogant as to think that what has worked for me will also work for you. Now, however, I will make a temporary exception to my policy. Amazingly, the astrological omens suggest you will flourish in the coming weeks by being at least somewhat like me. Therefore, I invite you to experiment with being kind and sensitive, but also cheerfully irreverent and tenderly wild. Be on the lookout for marvels and miracles, but treasure critical thinking and rational analysis. Don’t take things too personally or too seriously, and regard the whole world as a holy gift. Be gratefully and humbly in awe as you tune into how beautiful and wonderful you are.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
Over 3,700 years ago, a craftsperson living in what’s now Israel fashioned a comb from an elephant’s tusk. It was a luxury item with two sides, one used to smooth hair tangles and the other to remove lice. On the handle of the ivory tool is an inscription: “May this tusk root out the lice of the hair and the beard.” This is the oldest known sentence ever written in Canaanite, a language that created the world’s first alphabet. In some ways, then, this comb is a precious object. It is unspeakably ancient evidence of a major human innovation. In another way, it’s mundane and prosaic. I’m nominating the comb to be a symbol for your story in the coming weeks: a blend of monumental and ordinary. Drama may emerge from the routine. Breakthroughs may happen in the midst of everyday matters.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
Some astrologers assert that Virgos are modest, humble, and reluctant to shine. But a Virgo New Yorker named Ashrita Furman provides contrary evidence. His main activity in life is to break records. He holds the Guinness world record for having broken the most Guinness world records. His first came in 1979, when he did 27,000 jumping jacks. Since then, he has set hundreds of records, including the fastest time running on stilts, the longest time juggling objects underwater, and the most times jumping rope on a pogo stick. I propose to make him your spirit creature for the coming weeks. What acts of bold self-expression are you ready to make, Virgo? What records are you primed to break?

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
Libran author Diane Ackerman says, “We can’t enchant the world, which makes its own magic; but we can enchant ourselves by paying deep attention.” I’m telling you this, dear Libra, because you now have exceptional power to pay deep attention and behold far more than usual of the world’s magic. It’s the Season of Enchantment for you. I invite you to be daring and imaginative as you probe for the delightful amazements that are often hidden just below the surface of things. Imagine you have the superpower of X-ray vision.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
If I’m reading the astrological omens correctly, you are in the midst of major expansion. You are reaching further, opening wider, and dreaming bigger. You are exploring frontiers, entertaining novel possibilities, and daring to transcend your limitations and expectations. And I am cheering you on as you grow beyond your previous boundaries. One bit of advice: Some people in your life may find it challenging to follow you freely into your new territory. They may be afraid you’re leaving them behind, or they may not be able to adjust as fast as you wish. I suggest you give them some slack. Allow them to take the time they need to get accustomed to your growth.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
Sagittarian actor Jeff Bridges has wise words for you to heed: “If you wait to get all the information you think you need before you act, you’ll never act because there’s an infinite amount of information out there.” I think this advice is especially apropos for you right now. Why? Because you will thrive on making strong, crisp decisions and undertaking strong, crisp actions. The time for pondering possibilities must give way to implementing possibilities.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
People may be attracted to you in the coming weeks because they unconsciously or not-so-unconsciously want to be influenced, stirred up, and even changed by your presence. They hope you will be the catalyst or medicine they need. Or maybe they want you to provide them with help they haven’t been able to give themselves or get anywhere else. Please be aware that this may not always be a smooth and simple exchange. Some folks might be demanding. Others may absorb and integrate your effects in ways that are different from your intentions. But I still think it’s worthwhile for you to offer your best efforts. You could be a force for healing and benevolence.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
Sometimes when gifts arrive in our lives, they are not recognized as gifts. We may even mistake them for obstacles. In a worst-case scenario, we reject and refuse them. I am keen on helping you avoid this behavior in the coming weeks, Aquarius. In the oracle you’re now reading, I hope to convince you to expand your definition of what gifts look like. I will also ask you to widen the range of where you search for gifts and to enlarge your expectations of what blessings you deserve. Now please meditate on the following riddles: 1. a shadow that reveals the hidden light; 2. a twist that heals; 3. a secret that no longer wants to be secret; 4. a shy ally who will reward your encouragement; 5. a boon that’s barely buried and just needs you to scrape away the deceptive surface.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
Lake Baikal in Russia is the world’s deepest, oldest, and largest lake by volume. It contains over 22 percent of the fresh surface water on the planet. I propose we make this natural marvel your prime symbol for the next 11 months. At your best, you, too, will be deep, fresh, and enduring. And like Lake Baikal, you will be exceptionally clear. (Its underwater visibility reaches 120 feet.) PS: Thousands of plant and animal species thrive in this vital hub. I expect you will also be a source of richly diverse life, dear Pisces.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):
I trust that your intuition has been guiding you to slow down and disappear from the frenzied, agitated bustle that everyone seems addicted to. I hope you have afforded yourself the luxury and privilege of exulting in the thrill of doing absolutely nothing. Have you been taking long breaks to gaze lovingly up at the sky and listen to music that moves you to tears? Have you been studying the children and animals in your life to learn more about how to thrive on non-goal-oriented fun? Have you given your imagination permission to fantasize with abandon about wild possibilities? Homework: Name three more ways to fuel your self-renewal.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
Actor Carrie Fisher put a strong priority on being both amusing and amused. For her, almost everything that happened was tolerable, even welcome, as long as it was entertaining. She said, “If my life wasn’t funny, it would just be true, and that’s unacceptable.” I recommend you experiment with those principles, Taurus. Be resourceful as you make your life as humorously interesting as possible. If you do, life will conspire to assist you in being extra amused and amusing.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
As you charge into the upcoming period of self-reinvention, don’t abandon and forget about your past completely. Some of your old emotional baggage might prove useful and soulful. A few of your challenging memories may serve as robust motivators. On the other hand, it will be healthy to leave behind as much oppressive baggage and as many burdensome memories as possible. You are launching the next chapter of your life story! Travel as lightly as you can.

WANT MORE? Listen to Rob’s EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES, 4-5 minute meditations on the current state of your destiny — or subscribe to his unique daily text message service at: RealAstrology.com

(Zodiac images by Numerologysign.com, CC license)

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“Anything less than a conscious commitment to the important is an unconscious commitment to the unimportant.” – Stephen Covey

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Quote of the Day: “Anything less than a conscious commitment to the important is an unconscious commitment to the unimportant.” – Stephen Covey

Photo by: Ryan Franco

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quote of the Day page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

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