LifeDaily

Despite the fact that our movies and television shows are full of acts of heroism, most people are simply never put in a situation where heroism is called for. Because of that, the question of how we would act in those scenarios goes largely unanswered.

We each have different ideas about how we would react when the time comes but the truth is, we really don’t know until we’re there. When one man found himself confronted by an awful situation, he didn’t hesitate to take the noble course of action, proving himself to be a true hero.

Sunday Meetup

On a typical Sunday in Bakersfield, California, Blaine met up with his friend Joe at a Starbucks for coffee. It was the sort of meeting they’d had countless times before where nothing more exciting happened than occasionally picking up the wrong person’s drink.

The Usual Scene

This time started off exactly the same as all the others with some Starbucks patrons sitting and chatting with each other, others tapping away on their laptops, and still more milling in, grabbing their coffee and heading out.

Suden Commotion

Then out of nowhere, a woman came screaming through the door. “She was panicked,” Joe told local news station KGET. “She was saying, ‘Help me.’ Then, at one point, she said, ‘This guy’s going to kill me.’”

What?

People inside the Starbucks were all responding to the woman’s behavior in the way people tend to react to other people’s problems in public. Some did their best to watch without seeming to stare while others did everything in their power to avert their eyes and put on an impassive face. Then he came in.

Panic at the Starbucks

The man that the woman was apparently panicked about came in through the door with a look of fury on his face and worse, a machete in his hand. The Starbucks customers scattered and screamed while the man advanced toward the woman, but not Blaine.

Frantic

The man darted over to the woman and began attacking her with the blade, striking and slashing her just as fast as he could. “She was just frantic while he was just stabbing her and stabbing her and stabbing her,” said Blaine. He was compelled to act.

Absolutely Not

“It was that fear on her face,” Blaine said. “I couldn’t just let it keep happening. You’ve got to do something. No way. […] No. That was what was going through my head. No. Absolutely not.” With that thought, he sprung to his feet and rushed toward the armed man as the customers scrambled away from him.

Into the Fight

Blaine Hodge grabbed the attacker by the shoulders and pulled him off of the wounded woman, throwing him to the ground. But in the struggle, one of his feet slipped out from under him and Blaine found himself on his back, with the machete-wielding man’s furious attention pointed right at him.

An Eternity

The man brought the machete down on Blaine again and again for what seemed like an eternity as he tried desperately to protect his head and torso. In truth, only a few seconds had passed but it was enough time to inflict several horrendous injuries.

Fleeing the Scene

When the man raised his sights to find his original target, he found out that it was also long enough for her to escape the store. Not seeing her, he ran out the door in an attempt to make an escape.

Badly Wounded

Blaine was severely wounded as he lay there on the floor of the Starbucks, as was the woman, who was somewhere outside of the building. Thankfully, someone had called 911 and paramedics arrived in time to stabilize their conditions before rushing them to the hospital.

Got Him

The police also arrived on the scene quickly enough to catch the suspect before he got very far away. The man would later be identified as the 31-year-old Robert Rivas and the woman who he’d allegedly attacked had reportedly been his girlfriend.

Domestic Dispute

The dispute supposedly began as a domestic disagreement at a nearby apartment complex and had escalated to the point where the woman feared for her life and ran to the Starbucks for help. Rivas was charged with a number of felonies, including two attempted murder charges for the attack on the woman and on Blaine.

Getting Patched Up

While details about the woman were withheld to protect her privacy, we know that Blaine Hodge’s injuries were extensive. He was hit with the machete in both hands, both arms, and in the knee. Doctors had to perform surgery on one of his hands and give him over 200 stitches as treatment.

Ordinary Guy

You may be thinking that Blaine Hodge had some sort of combat or military training to be willing to put himself in harm’s way in that situation, but the truth is he was just a local artist and musician. In fact, he was preparing to release an album just a few weeks after the attack coincidentally called “The Mind Of A Hero.” He was clearly someone who practiced what he preached.

That’s Him

And to those around him, it came as no surprise that Blaine had thrown himself into harm’s way. His girlfriend Tori Toney said that it was a move completely in line with his character, adding “He would do it again. He could lose an arm and he would still do it again. And that’s just Blaine.”

Lasting Scars

The price Blaine paid was more than just physical. In a post to his Facebook page, he said that he had decided to postpone his scheduled album release show. “I’m getting better by the day, however, when it comes back down to it, I’m still in a lot of pain and dealing with flashbacks/PTSD,” he wrote.

Spread Love

“It is much worse in public spaces and though it hurts to say, I am not ready to deliver the kind of performance that you and the music deserve,” he added. But that didn’t stop him from trying to add the maximum good to the world, assuring his fans that he was “not alone because I have all of you supporting me” and imploring them to “spread as much positivity and love as you can.”

Small Price

When asked by a reporter for a local ABC news affiliate if he would change anything about what he’d done, Blaine’s response was simple. “No because when I think about it, no one else came to help. She would have died, so no. This is a small price to pay for somebody else’ life.”

Overwhelming Support

Blaine’s friends and family began a GoFundMe to try and cover his $9,000 worth of medical bills. But in a matter of days, his story went viral and they closed the donations after the incoming money shot up to over $53,000. “The outpour of love and support from everyone has been absolutely overwhelming,” he said.

Musician Turned Hero Saves Woman’s Life Inside Starbucks After Witnessing Viscous Act is an article from: LifeDaily

While we like to think we’re in control of everything in our lives, that’s far from the case. We have very little control over the things that happen to us. But what we can control is how we react to those things.

As a teenager, one Brooklyn native was robbed of his freedom after he was found guilty of a crime he didn’t commit. Rather than succumbing to the nightmare that was his reality, the teenager used it as an opportunity to grow. Now, he’s using his experience to help others.

Summer Morning in Brooklyn

On the morning of August 14, 1991, John Bunn was sitting at the kitchen table in his mother’s apartment in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. He and his 2-year-old baby sister had been waiting for their pancakes to finish cooking. According to Bunn, he remembers every excruciating detail of that day.

A Memorable Morning

While waiting for his mother, Maureen, to finish making breakfast, Bunn remembers it was already 90 degrees outside. However, it felt hotter inside since the air conditioner was broken. Bunn also remembers being able to hear music coming from outside and the sound of people bouncing basketballs on their way to the local courts.

The Plan

According to Bunn, it was a day he would never forget as it was the day his life changed forever. Bunn, who was just 14 years old at the time, had planned on going outside and spending his day playing basketball with friends. However, he never got the chance to do that.

The Police Arrive

Everything got interrupted that morning when police showed up at the apartment and started banging on the front door. “They wanted to take me down to the police station for questioning,” Bunn told CNN decades later. Once Bunn arrived at the 77th precinct in Brooklyn, he was put into an interrogation room and handcuffed to a pole.

The Interrogation Begins

“The interrogation was led by a detective by the name of Louis Scarcella. And he was threatening me, telling me that I was never coming home if I wouldn’t tell him what he wanted to know. He also told me that they already had beat up my co-defendant, that they had slammed his head into a wall and they already had him,” Bunn told CNN.

The Main Suspects

Bunn was terrified and completely confused. He learned from the police that the co-defendant they were talking about was a 17-year-old named Rosean Hargrave. Bunn knew Hargrave, but they weren’t friends since he was a few years older. According to Bunn, police told him that he and Hargrave were the main suspects in the killing of Rolando Neischer, a Rikers Island corrections officer.

The Shooting

The day before, Neischer had been sitting in a car at about four in the morning talking to Robert Crosson, a friend and a fellow Rikers Island correction officer. As they were talking, two men on bikes came up to the car, pulled out guns, and ordered the pair to get out of the car. Within seconds, the situation escalated when Crosson was shot in the hand. He managed to get out of the car and run away.

Denying the Accusations

Neischer, however, wasn’t so lucky. He tried to fight the two men off with his own gun but ended up being shot five times. The two men drove off with the car and left Neischer, who was still alive at the time, slumped against a fence. “I kept telling them, ‘No, I didn’t have any knowledge of it,'” Bunn told CNN.

The Ignored Alibi

Bunn insisted that he was innocent and had no knowledge of the shooting. Maureen even tried to offer an alibi for her son. According to Maureen, she had heard the gunshots from her apartment at approximately 4:30 in the morning. Just to be sure, Maureen got up and checked on all of her children. She remembered feeling relieved that all of her children, including Bunn, were all safe and asleep in their beds.

The Lineup

But the police refused to listen to them and sent Bunn and Hargrave in for a police lineup. The detectives were so unsure Bunn was guilty that they made everyone sit on stools during the lineup to keep him from being ruled out as a suspect since the teen was so much shorter than everyone else. They were both identified by Crosson as Neischer, who would later die from his wounds in the hospital.

The Charges

A few days later, on August 17, Bunn and Hargrave were formally charged with robbery and the murder of the officer. For the next 16 months, Bunn was placed in the Spofford Juvenile Detention Center, which was infamous for violence and abuse, while he waited for his trial. “One of the most violent places I ever experienced,” Bunn told CNN about the now-closed juvenile detention center. “The staff members were very abusive. It was like gladiator school. You had to fight maybe three or four times a day.”

Trusting the Legal System

However, Bunn kept his spirits up during that time trusting that justice would prevail and that his innocence would be proven during the trial especially since he didn’t even match the original description Crosson gave of the shooters. And in November 1992, Bunn finally saw his day in court. But a single day was all he would get.

The Setences

The trial, which lasted only a day, consisted of testimonies from the medical examiner, a detective, Crosson, and the police officer who arrived at the scene first. By the end of the day. Both Bunn and Hargrave were found guilty. “The truth didn’t prevail, it didn’t come out … My side of the story never came out, either. I never got a chance to have a voice. I never got a chance to say anything,” Bunn told CNN. He was sentenced to 20 years to life for a crime he didn’t commit. Later, that sentence was reduced to nine years to life since he had been illegally charged as an adult.

An Opportunity to Learn

After his sentencing, Bunn was taken to a youth facility in upstate New York. Bunn had never learned to read or write, and during that time, he became determined to learn so that he could write letters to his mother. “I was further away from my family. I wanted to communicate with my mother because I felt like me and her didn’t have the best relationship. And I was out there, and I just wanted to tell her how I felt, and that motivated me,” Bunn explained.

Graduating to Prison

Learning to read and write in prison was difficult, but the more he learned, the more Bunn’s self-esteem and self-worth grew. After mastering both skills, Bunn went on to get his GED when he was 17 years old. After that, however, he was considered an adult and sent to a state prison, where he became bitter and aggressive in order to survive in his new surroundings. “I became institutionalized to the point where I start letting that experience make me angry. I started being bitter in there and started getting into violent situations,” Bunn told CNN.

The Power of Reading

However, Bunn refused to let himself become a product of his situation. Instead, he started taking anger management courses and found a new sense of freedom thanks to the books in the prison library. “I wrote my mother one day … and I said, ‘They can lock my body, but they can’t trap my mind,'” Bunn explained. “The power of reading made me feel that way. I felt trapped without a voice for so long, but the power of reading could take my imagination, and take me to anywhere in this universe.”

Justice is Finally Served

In 2006, however, Bunn was released from prison after saving a prison counselor from being assaulted and raped by an inmate. But Bunn, who was struggling with PTSD and depression, ended up back in prison for another year after missing a parole meeting. However, the challenging chapter of his life was finally put to an end after the Exoneration Initiative, a nonprofit organization, helped bring Bunn and Hargrave’s case before a judge as many of Detective Scarcella’s convictions were falling apart. In May of 2018, after 27 years of being wrongfully convicted, Justice ShawnDya Simpson officially exonerated both Bunn and Hargrave.

An Innocent Man

“I am an innocent man, your honor, and I have always been an innocent man,” Bunn told the courtroom after Judge Simpson announced he was a free man and slammed Detective Scarcella’s ‘disregard for rules, law, and truth.’ Bunn and Hargrave were the 12th and 13th men to be exonerated from cases investigated by Scarcella. Since Scarcella’s retirement in 1999, more than a dozen of his convictions have been overturned because of tainted evidence and forced confessions. Currently, there are about 70 of Scarcella’s cases that are flagged for review. However, Scarcella claimed he did nothing wrong and has never faced any consequences for his corruption. He currently lives in Staten Island and receives a full NYPD pension.

‘A Voice 4 the Unheard’

Bunn, on the other hand, has moved on with his life and used his experience to find his purpose in life. He now spends his days mentoring at-risk youth and running his non-profit organization called ‘A Voice 4 The Unheard’, which donates books to prison libraries and under-resourced communities. “Reading changed my life,” Bunn told CNN. “I want to share that experience with other people.” So far, he has donated 20,000 books.

From Nightmare to Dream

In addition to his non-profit, Bunn works at Rikers Island twice a week and also leads a book club for teens. “I explain to them, ‘Anything is possible. Feel like you’re too good to be in here!'” Bunn said. “There’s no greater feeling than me feeling like I’m existing for a purpose, and this is what gives my life purpose right now,” he says. Through my nightmare … I found my dream.”

Wrongfully Convicted Man Finds Unexpected New Purpose After 27 Years Behind Bars is an article from: LifeDaily

The idea of ‘free college’ is a subject of debate as of late. Some argue that education is a right and others say they simply don’t want to pay the tax increases needed to implement such a policy. As the debate continues though, remember: charity is always an option.

As it happens, one wealthy Wisconsin businessman understands that idea very well. He’ll be using his money to give two entire graduating classes the gift of a lifetime. This is his story.

An Assembly

Luck Public Schools Superintendent Cory Hinkel had just received some very good news and he was anxious to speak to his seniors about it. Hinkel decided to call an assembly to announce it because the news was so monumental that it needed to be disseminated to the community in a big way.

Two Years

As Superintendent Hinkel stood before the 2019 graduating class of the Luck Public school system, he revealed the news they had all come to hear. A local businessman and philanthropist had offered to pay for two years of technical college for all 34 graduating students. They couldn’t believe what they were hearing.

Priceless Reaction

Hinkel, speaking to KARE11, explained how jubilant the students looked when he delivered the wonderful news. “The look on the kids’ faces was priceless,” he recalled. He added that he believes the donation will make a huge impact in many of the children’s lives. Especially some of those children who hadn’t thought college was even possible before them.

The Specifics

The scholarships that the businessman is offering are all for Pine City Technical College in Pine City, Minnesota. The two-year degree programs offered by the scholarship are in things like nursing, education, automotive repair, gunsmithing, computer science, and other vocational trades. In addition to that, students will also receive a $1,000 stipend for books and tools.

So Important

Superintendent Hinkel added that the gesture and two years’ tuition is in fact far more important to these students than the billionaire benefactor might understand at first glance. Luck is a small community and many families of students there do not have the available resources to easily pursue higher education.

Opening Doors

The cost of college these days is among the most expensive things that budding academics can invest in. With the constantly shifting economy and job market, it is also more uncertain a prospect than it had been in past years. Nevertheless, as Hinkel explains, “This just opens up doors for those whose doors may have been closed a little harder…”

Few Would Question

Giving money for an entire class to attend college is no small feat and not a cheap enterprise to become involved in. Clearly, a man of such generosity bears further investigation; if only to learn more about what sort of a man would be willing to give such a magnanimous gift. Then again, this isn’t the first time Dennis Frandsen has extended this offer to the students of Luck.

Self-Made Man

Dennis Frandsen was not always a billionaire. Nor was he born into money. His father was a dairy farmer who made his living through hard work and self-sacrifice. It was by this stellar example that Frandsen would model his own ascent to wealth and power, and it began just as he finished high school.

Never Attended

Ironically, Frandsen never attended college himself but entered the workforce almost immediately following high school. After graduating, Frandsen took a job logging trees near Luck, Wisconsin, the place he was born. It was thankless work, but necessary for him to make a living.

Successful

Frandsen’s hard work in the logging industry eventually paid off. A lifetime later and the now elderly billionaire owns 35 branches of his own Frandsen Bank and Trust in similar communities all across Minnesota and Wisconsin. He also oversees a collection of manufacturing companies and other banks in four states.

Born and Bred

Though Frandsen had been born in Luck, he moved to nearby Frederic, Wisconsin a year into high school because of better bus routes. After that, no matter how far his businesses took him, Frandsen always maintained roots with his lucky hometown. He even bought his father’s old dairy farm after he got older.

Respected Employer

Frandsen’s myriad businesses employ more than 1,000 people across four separate states. The Frandsen Corp., a private company, holds assets somewhere in the realm of about $1.5 billion. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that a man like Frandsen, a hometown boy, wants to give back to his community.

Grandchildren

At first, Frandsen only paid for his grandchildren’s college educations. He had seen firsthand how difficult it had been for them to transition back to the workforce as they were laden with student debt. He compared it to “a terrible anchor around their neck,” and posited that it would be better if everyone to come out of college with no debt.

Spread the Wealth

As a pillar of his community and a great lover of education, Frandsen attends high school graduations quite regularly. Recently, he noticed that nearly all scholarships end up going to the very top students in the class. This was all well and good, but it left the average students, talented in their own right, out of luck.

Average Kids

“What about the average students?” he asked hypothetically, during a recent interview. “Are we just going to forget about them?” He added that he himself was always an average student as well, and a hard worker. Frandsen saw it as his mission to spread the wealth and opportunity around a bit to those who weren’t necessarily academically adept.

A Year Before

He began implementing this new scholarship in his hometown of Luck but also made the same offer to the 59-member graduating class at Rush City High School as well. All of whom were just as thrilled as the seniors at the Luck high school. “I thought it was the right thing to do,” said Frandsen.

Why Not?

In fact, Frandsen decided he would make the same two-year scholarship offer to Rush City’s class of 2019 as well. “I was able to do it and why shouldn’t I,” he said during the interview. The reason that he had chosen Pine City Technical was quite simple; he wanted to bring more skilled workers into the workforce.

Campus Tour

The idea had actually come to Frandsen during a recent tour of the Rush City campus. He saw that the kids there needed help, they needed a head-start in life. He was impressed with the campus, and the students, but he could tell that these young people were just as deserving as their more intelligent peers. He wanted to make a true difference in his community.

Applications

Because he plans on doing it for the next few years, many of the 68 seniors slated to graduate in 2019 have already begun applying for scholarships from Frandsen’s corporation. Thus far, all of those students have been invited to meet with Frandsen prior to the graduation in order to plead their case.

Giving Back

The magnanimous billionaire has even extended the scholarship to the school’s four home-schooled students as well. Dennis Frandsen is an example of what those with wealth can accomplish if they choose to give back to the community.

Businessman Gifts Two Graduating Classes With Life-Changing Opportunity is an article from: LifeDaily

If there’s one thing that most everyone agrees on, it’s that life isn’t easy. No matter what your origins or where you are in life at the moment, you’ve almost certainly faced your share of challenges.

While things can be tough on everyone, there are some who have a little bit harder time of things than most people. But one of the most inspiring things about people is their ability to stand up against adversity and find a way to thrive…

Typical Woman

Jessica Eisenbeis Story — www.fox13news.com

In many ways, Jessica was a typical Midwestern woman. Living in St. Peters, Missouri, she was a self-described “huge sports fan” that especially loved the St. Louis Cardinals and the St. Louis Blues. Even more important to her were animals.

Animal Lover

Jessica was the proud “mom” of two dogs, Annie and Yadi (named after Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina), and two cats, Joey and Mickey. When she wasn’t attending a sporting event or spending time with her family and friends, she loved to go horseback riding too.

Rare Syndrome

But for all the things that made her similar to other people, there was one thing about Jessica that was fairly unique. She had a rare genetic syndrome called Rubinstein Taybi Syndrome, a condition characterized by distinctive facial features and moderate to severe learning difficulties.

Different Challenges

That meant that growing up, Jessica had to face difficult challenges that most of us never have to deal with. Because of her syndrome, she was treated differently by students and teachers alike, and not always in the best of ways.

Treated Differently

Jessica sometimes had to deal with the kind of harsh treatment from other students that you might expect given the fact that she was differently abled. But even after she was finished with her education, she was facing unfair circumstances as a result of her syndrome.

Trying To Find Work

Because of her learning difficulties, Jessica was having a hard time finding a job that was a good fit for her abilities with an employer who was willing to “take a chance” on someone who wasn’t the same as everyone else.

Starting A Business

Unable to find someone willing to hire her, Jessica Eisenbeis decided to take matters into her own hands. If no one was going to hire her, she was going to take one of her passions in life and turn it into her own business.

Baking Up A Storm

For the past few years, Jessica had been making high quality homemade treats for cats and dogs and she wasn’t just making them for her own pets. She began selling her treats at local fairs and markets. Business was going so well that she even set up a website so people could get her treats online.

The Next Step

The business was doing so well that the it seemed possible for Jessica to open a brick and mortar store. That could be a huge deal for her, allowing people to pass by her business as they went about their everyday lives and giving the curious a chance to walk in off the street and check out the treats.

New Market

The idea would also allow Jessica to expand her business. In addition to baking treats for pets, she could start baking things for their owners too. Handmade baked goods for people wouldn’t be all that different from what she was already doing and why should the pets have all the fun?

Doing Good

It would also give her an opportunity to do some good and help out a cause that was important to her. With the help of her mother, Cindy Eisenbeis, Jessica set up Annie’s fund, named after her second dog. The fund would help shelter dogs in need of medical help.

Expensive Treatments

“We named this fund after Annie, our Newfie, since she herself experienced several expensive but life saving surgeries and is a happy and healthy dog because of them,” read her website. “We realize dogs that have been abused and abandoned might not have access to necessary medical treatment due to cost so we set up Annie’s fund as a way to help.”

Capital Needed

But opening up an actual storefront isn’t cheap. She would need to get together the money to actually pay for the location, signage, insurance, and all the little costs that can add up to a heavy sum of money in the end.

Gathering Funds

To raise the funds through treat sales alone would take a very long time and Jessica didn’t want to put off her goal any longer. So with the help of her family Jessica organized a fundraiser through GoFundMe to raise the capital to open up her store.

We Made It

Donations came in slowly, but steadily. Over the course of a year and with the help of 99 donors — including one who anonymously donated a whopping $10,000 — she was able to meet her $20,000 goal.

Strip Mall Shop

Combined with the money brought in from the sale of treats, Jessica had enough to get a store in a small shopping center on the east side of St. Peters. Then, she and her family got down to the task of making the storefront ready for business.

Paying Homage

After getting all the infrastructure and decorations in place, the only remaining step was to get the storefront ready and pick a name. Jessica decided to call her shop, Yadi’s Yummies, after her dog and the Cardinals’ Catcher.

Pumped!

“I’m super excited,” Jessica said to a local FOX news affiliate on the day of the grand opening. Given that it was the opening day of her business, she should have been, especially considering it was the first full time job she’d ever had.

Giving Back

In the long run, Jessica also hopes to do even more good through the company. She doesn’t want other people to find themselves in a situation similar to the one she was in, unable to find work. “Her goal is to someday, if we’re successful, to be able to hire people with disabilities,” Cindy said.

Lessons Learned

Jessica Eisenbeis’ story should act as a lesson to us. It tells us that just because someone may have different abilities, it doesn’t mean that they don’t have something worth contributing to society. It also teaches us that when you follow your dreams, amazing things can happen.

Woman With Special Needs Makes Her Own Path After Being Denied Opportunity is an article from: LifeDaily

You can’t know who you are without knowing where you came from. So for those who have been adopted and know nothing about their past, there’s often a feeling that a piece of themselves is missing.

Despite being raised by a loving mother and getting opportunities that many only dream about, a former NFL player and coach couldn’t help but feel like something was missing in his life. After years of wondering, the coach finally decided to get some answers about his biological family. What he discovered, however, left him blindsided.

A Fast Delivery

At about 2 a.m. on December 1, 1972, Carol Briggs woke up in her room at the Zoar Home for Mothers, Babies and Convalescents. The 16-year-old, who had spent the previous day sledding and playing in the snow with some friends, was in labor. Despite it being her first pregnancy, the baby was coming fast.

Taking in the Moment

Just 32 minutes later, Briggs was holding her baby boy, who she named Jon Kenneth Briggs. What struck her right away was how much the baby looked like his father, who had no idea she had even gotten pregnant. Sometime after the delivery, Briggs laid her newborn son down on a bed and took a mental note of the moment.

Saying Goodbye

“In my mind,” Briggs told ESPN years later, “that was probably going to be the last time I ever saw him.” While pregnant, Briggs had decided to give her son up for adoption. While it wasn’t an easy decision, she knew it was the right one as she looked into her son’s eyes.

Not Fit to Raise a Baby

“My mother was still cleaning up my room for me once a week,” Briggs told ESPN. “I wasn’t in a position to be anybody’s mother. I thought this was best for him, that I allow him to be placed with some family that would be able to give him all the great things that I had coming up because I had a mother and a father. I just didn’t want him to get cheated out of anything.”

A Secret Pregnancy

The day after giving birth, Briggs and her family planned to pack up her things and return to her hometown of Youngstown, Ohio, where no one knew she had even been pregnant. According to Briggs, no one aside from her immediate family and a single cousin knew about the baby. But before she could return to her life as a 16-year-old honor student, she had to officially give baby Jon away.

A Difficult Decision

Just before signing the adoption papers, however, Briggs became conflicted. She knew she was doing the right thing for her baby, but she felt that his father had a right to know he had a son. Yet, the baby’s father was already away at college. Ultimately, Briggs decided not to tell the baby’s father since she didn’t want to derail his life. “He was a kid too,” Briggs explained. “He was off at college on a scholarship. I think I may have felt that I kind of got myself in this, I’m gonna do what I need to do to work my way through it.”

The Adoption

Briggs felt that a couple who was ready to raise a baby could give Jon all the things she couldn’t. So when she heard back from the adoption agency sometime after, she was relieved when they told her Jon had been adopted. According to Briggs, she was told Jon had been placed with a doctor and his wife in Columbus, Ohio. Yet that wasn’t exactly what happened. Instead of getting adopted by a doctor and his wife, Jon ended up being adopted by A.C. McCullough, a popular host on a local radio station, and his wife, Adelle Comer. The pair had a young son of their own but became foster parents after their second son died as an infant.

Love at First Sight

Comer agreed to go in and see Jon after a social worker reached out to see if she had any interest in meeting the 6-week-old infant. “He was asleep in a bassinet,” Comer told ESPN. “And she put him in my arms, and when he woke up, his eyes were looking straight at me. It was instant connection. Love. Mother-son.” Within a few months, the couple adopted Jon, brought him home, and renamed him Deland Scott McCullough.

A Loving Home

In the beginning, Deland was raised in a happy, loving home. “We were still in love, a good couple,” Comer told ESPN. “We went to church, partied, went to cookouts. We were working together and doing this together and wanting to make a home for our children. We knew that God’s hand was in it. Deland came so fast to us. We knew that it was meant to be. Both of us.”

Happy Times Are Over

However, that happiness and stability didn’t last. When Deland was just two years old, McCullough left Comer to raise their two young sons on her own. After the divorce, Comer struggled to provide for the family on her own. She also had a few relationships with other men, and some of those men were violent and abusive.

Escaping The Pain

On top of all the instability at home, Deland struggled with the knowledge that he had been adopted, a fact that the bullies at school used to tease him about. “The void was there,” Deland told ESPN. “I wish that it wasn’t, but I think I did a good job of hiding it.” During that time, Deland found solace on the football field. “It was an escape,” Deland explained. “When I was out there practicing, you didn’t think about the electric is off, you know? You didn’t even think about anything like that. You were just out there balling, doing your thing and competing and bonding with your friends.”

A Bright Future

During his senior year of high school, however, Deland started to see football not just as an escape but as a future. After switching to the running back position, Deland started attracting the attention of college recruiters. One of those recruiters was Sherman Smith, the running backs coach at Miami University in Ohio. During Smith’s visit to meet Deland, the teenager was instantly drawn to the coach, who was the reason why Deland chose to attend and play football at Miami University.

A Father Figure

“It was just something about his personality,” Deland told ESPN. “The way he presented himself. He had things that I hadn’t seen out of a man or mentor. He was on top of his details. He was successful. He had played in the NFL. He got his degree. I wasn’t around that type of person.” The following school year, Deland showed up at the university and started training as a running back under Smith. “I would tell the players, ‘You may not be looking for a father, but I’m going to treat you like you’re my sons,'” Smith told ESPN. “And so I just looked at every guy like my son. I just wanted to be a positive role model for Deland and exemplify what I thought my father exemplified for me.”

Always in Touch

But before long, Smith and Deland went their separate ways. Smith moved on to coaching at the University of Illinois the following year, and Deland ended up joining the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals after a Hall of Fame career in college. But no matter where the pair went, they always stayed in touch.

Settling Down

During his time in the NFL, Deland suffered a knee injury, which he never fully recovered from. In 2001, Deland retired from the NFL and settled down with his wife and their first son in Cincinnati, where he worked as a teacher and a football coach. During that time, Deland fell in love with coaching and later got a job on the coaching staff at Miami University. A few years later, Smith and Deland reunited when Smith invited his former player as a coaching intern in Seattle for the Seahawks.

Searching For Answers

By 2017, Deland was a running backs coach for the Kansas City Chiefs. Around that time, he and his wife gave birth to their fourth son and Deland signed on to coach at the University of Southern California. Despite all the successes, Deland still couldn’t shake the feeling that a part of his life was missing. So he decided to finally get some answers about his past that had been haunting him his entire life. In November 2017, Deland finally tracked down his original birth certificate, which featured his original name and the name of his mother, Carol Denise Briggs.

A Shocking Discovery

Deland tracked Briggs down on Facebook and the two agreed to talk on the phone. Briggs always hoped her son would reach out to her so she was thrilled to finally speak with him and get to know him. Within a few minutes, Deland couldn’t help but ask who his father was. “Your father’s name is Sherman Smith,” Briggs told him that day. Deland was blindsided. The man that had mentored him since he was 16 years old was actually his father.

A Dream Come True

In that moment, Deland couldn’t help but think about the countless times over the past 28 years that people joked about how similar he and Smith were. “A sense of pride that went through me, like, ‘Wow, that explains these things.’ And then I also start thinking about all the similarities of our path. That just blew me away,” Deland explained. “If you would have told me to pick who my father was, there’s no way I would have picked him because I might have thought I wasn’t worthy for him to be my father. I felt like my blessings came full circle because I’d always wanted to be somebody like him.”

Breaking The News

The next day, Deland told Smith he needed to talk to him about something important. After sitting down together, Deland explained how he had been searching for his biological parents and that he had found Briggs. He also told Smith that Briggs said he was his father. At first, Smith was shocked to learn he had a 42-year-old son and asked to have a paternity test taken, which came back positive. Smith felt overwhelmed and guilty that Briggs had to deal with everything on her own. He also felt guilty that Deland grew up without a father.

A True Blessing

After taking some time to process the news, however, Smith was amazed and filled with pride that Deland was his son. “I look at it, and I just say it’s a God thing. It’s grace. It’s undeserved. And that’s what’s made it great for Deland and for all of us, how everyone has embraced this and is excited about our new family,” Smith told ESPN. “Now I know who I am and where I’m from,” Deland said. “I got all of the pieces to the story. I got them all now.”

NFL Coach’s Search For Biological Parents Leads Him to The Man He Least Expected is an article from: LifeDaily

Hurricanes are devastating weather anomalies and the winds and flooding that come in their wake can cause untold amounts of damage to coastal cities and towns. Thanks to the availability of 24-hour news networks and the Internet, we’ve all seen the brutal evidence of such storms.

Recently, hurricanes like Florence and Katrina, and superstorms like Sandy, have had many people wondering if there is some correlation with the incidence of these destructive storms and the rise in global warming. But, is this potential link between the two phenomena scientifically sound, or is it simply posturing by environmentalists?

Florence

Hurricane Florence recently blew its way through the Caribbean and hit the southeast coast of the U.S. Between August 31 and September 19, 2018, the eventual Category 1 storm poured trillions of gallons of rain onto the Carolinas, resulting in massive amounts of flooding. The storm reached a peak of 140 mph and ended up causing the deaths of 45 people.

Sandy and Katrina

Compared to Superstorm Sandy in 2012, a category 3 storm and Hurricane Katrina in 2005, a category 5, Florence was a light drizzle. Nevertheless, even a smallish hurricane can cause a significant amount of damage and loss of life. But why have storms like these been so destructive in recent years? Could it be due to climate change?

Formation

To understand the impact of global warming on hurricanes, we first need to understand hurricanes themselves. If one looks at a basic definition, they see that hurricanes form when areas of disturbed weather, mostly rain, and thunderstorms, organize over the ocean in a swirling pattern. As winds increase, they end up extracting more and more energy from the ocean water below.

Size of a Storm

The strengthening storms are then carried along by even larger weather patterns and travel along those pathways; sometimes out to sea and sometimes to shore. Nevertheless, hurricanes can be as large as 300 miles across, which means they can encompass quite a lot of land mass within them.

Much Research

There has, of course, been tons of research done on whether or not tropical hurricanes will increase in strength and numbers in the coming years thanks to global warming. Unfortunately, much of the information is inconclusive or contradictory. Nevertheless, one only need to look at the facts to see how a warmer climate might result in bigger, better hurricanes.

Weather Expert

Storm Expert David S. Nolan has been studying weather at the University of Miami and is acting chair of the department of atmospheric sciences. He also happens to be a noted expert on hurricanes and tropical weather in general. He recently weighed in on the notion of hurricanes and climate change in an interview with NBC News.

Five Categories

Nolan begins by explaining how hurricanes are categorized from 1 to 5 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or NOAA. Category five hurricanes have the most severe wind speeds and are generally the most instructive. Category ones are still forces to be reckoned with, but by no means the most dangerous.

A Sixth Category?

Category fives are exceptionally rare and can reach speeds of up to 170 and 180 mph. Nolan posits that even if the weather continues to warm on a global scale, category fives will still be an extremely rare occurrence; maybe once every five years instead of once every ten. He adds that sixth category, meaning winds exceeding 180 mph is just as unlikely.

Favorable Conditions

Nolan explains that there are some favorable conditions necessary for hurricanes to form. The first of which is warm ocean temperatures above 85 degrees Fahrenheit. This explains why so many hurricanes form in tropical waters. Category fives only form in these very favorable conditions, and again, rarely.

Hard to Predict

Predicting hurricanes, or rather predicting where a hurricane’s path will take it, is still a difficult enterprise for scientists like Nolan. It is a science, though not an exact one. Nevertheless, hurricane prediction and tracking have improved greatly thanks to the availability of satellite imaging. There are even drones that can fly out into storms and measure metrics.

Determination

Some hurricanes, like Florence, can make landfall quickly and dissipate soon after, causing little damage. Hurricane Harvey in 2017, however, hit land and gave way to heavy rainfall and coastal flooding. But predicting what course a storm takes relies on two important factors, which Nolan was happy to lay out in his recent interview.

Steering Patterns

The first factor to determine the course a hurricane takes is to see whether or not the storm is moving steadily inland, or lingering off the coast. Scientists like Nolan determine this by looking at the steering patterns of the atmosphere around the hurricane. This essentially means watching the larger weather patterns around the large storm.

Terrain

The second factor depends on the kind of terrain the storm is heading towards or sitting over. If the ground is rough, the hurricane becomes disrupted. Nolan uses Hurricane Harvey as an example. It sat over Houston, which is a relatively flat and smooth surface near the Gulf of Mexico. As such, Harvey didn’t dissipate quickly but lingered for a number of days.

Climate Change

As to the subject of climate change, Nolan offered an educated take on the swirl of theories. There is evidence that the changing global weather patterns are making for more extreme rainfall. This can be explained by the warmer weather in general. Warm air can hold more water vapor, which rises and forms clouds and subsequently rain.

Evidence

Regardless of the warmer weather and increased rainfall, Nolan suggests that, based on the current trends and our current understanding of hurricanes, there is no evidence as of yet to indicate that hurricanes may become more frequent or severe in the next few years. Of course, modern hurricane records, the good quality ones anyway, only go back about 60 years.

Significance

Thus, as hurricane activity varies so much from year to year, it hasn’t really been long enough in the grand scheme of things to see an increasing trend that is backed by scientific evidence. Weather changes can happen over centuries before upward trends are shown to be any sort of significant.

Computer Modeling

Nolan has said that he and his fellow atmospheric scientists have been using computer models for years in an attempt to simulate the motions of the atmosphere. It is through this method that they can more accurately assemble digital images of current weather and extrapolate how it might change in time; using the laws of physics and mathematics.

Studying Formation

Indeed, most of Nolan’s research has been about hurricane formation and fostering a better understanding of the physical processes by which this phenomenon occurs. He added that of the many “disturbances” in the oceans every summer, very few become hurricanes. Nolan just wants to understand why some do.

What’s Next

The term “rapid intensification” has been thrown around a lot in scientific circles when it comes to the way hurricane wind speeds increase. This is essentially studying how hurricanes can increase by two or more categories in a single day. If Nolan and his peers learn how this happens on a small scale, they may be able to predict it happening on a larger scale as well.

No Proof, Yet

Ultimately, the main understanding of the scientific community is that global warming and climate change have little to no effect on the frequency of formation or intensity of hurricanes at present. That’s not to say that we may not see some changes in the future, but as Nolan explained, it will be a long while before scientists can truly measure the correlation with certainty.

Atmospheric Expert Weighs In On Whether or Not Hurricanes Are Linked to Climate Change is an article from: LifeDaily

Archeology is the study of human activity through history and pre-history through the recovery and study of “material culture,” meaning objects that have been left behind. It’s how we’ve come to know nearly everything that we do about our past, considering 99 percent of human history occurred before the advent of written language.

But even in the time since we’ve been able to write things down, there are so many things about the people and cultures of the past they have been lost or were never written down in the first place. To learn more about those people and times, archeologists rely on finding clues that are often buried beneath our feet…

Many Empires

Roman Coins found in Italian Theater Story — www.realmofhistory.com

In the history of mankind, there have been many civilizations that have taken control of some corner of the earth. They inevitably grow in power and size until some combination of factors causes them to shrink and die out.

Few Giants

But for those few civilizations that grow large and powerful enough, they leave behind a legacy that still influences the world long after the civilization falls. There are very few civilizations that even begin to approach ancient Rome in terms of its legacy.

Massive Influence

Latin, the language of the Romans, is the foundation for all of the Romance languages (French, Spanish, Italian, etc.). Christianity spread to the world largely after the Christian conversion of Emperor Constantine I, and modern democratic republics, like the United States, are heavily influenced by Roman law and republican politics.

Valued Artifacts

Needless to say, artifacts from ancient Rome are highly valued by archeologists. Every now and then, such artifacts will pop up in the most unlikely of places. One such place was the basement of the historic Cressoni Theater.

Later History

The Cressoni Theater was opened in 1807, long after the fall of the Roman Empire. It was built in Como, Italy, in an area that once was the Roman-era town Novum Comum, established there around the 1st century BC. For nearly two centuries the theater was a part of Italy’s rich theatrical history before becoming a cinema then closing in 1997.

Checking Below

During the time that the theater was in operation, many other Roman artifacts were found in the nearby area. So when the Cressoni Theater was to be turned into luxury housing in September of 2018, archeologists began digging through its basement to make sure there were no artifacts beneath the old theater that might be damaged.

An Amphora

During that digging, they made a remarkable discovery. Buried in the dirt beneath the theater, archeologists found an amphora, which is a two-handled soapstone jar usually used to carry liquids that had been used in Greece and Rome since the bronze age. While that was a fine discovery, it was what was inside the amphora that blew the archeologists away.

Hidden Stash

The amphora contained hundreds of gold coins that must have been ancient in origin, considering the container they were found in. What’s more, it seemed like the buried coins had been stashed away there on purpose.

Like a Bank

According to Maria Grazia Facchinetti, an expert on rare coins, the amphora was “buried in such a way that in case of danger, they could go and retrieve it. They were stacked in rolls similar to those seen in the bank today.”

Past Emperors

Speaking at a press conference about the find, Facchinetti said the coins had engravings of the emperors Honorius, Valentinian III, Leon I, Antonio and Libio Severo. The minting of the coins, she said, did “not go beyond 474 AD.”

Rise and Fall

That means that the coins were minted during the long decline of the Roman Empire. After the republic was founded in the sixth century BC, it didn’t expand beyond the Italian peninsula until around the third century BC.

Massive Reach

It reached its height in 117 AD when it covered essentially all of the lands around the Mediterranean and a significant amount of other lands beyond, covering nearly two million square miles and ruling over an estimated 70 million people, which was about 21 percent of the world’s population at the time.

Within and Without

Over the next few hundred years, the territory and might of the Roman Empire gradually declined as it was plagued by internal religious strife, power struggles and external threats from “barbarians” such as the Visigoths, Vandals, and Huns.

Divide and Fall

The Empire eventually split into the Western and Eastern Roman Empires with the last Roman Emperor in the West being deposed in 476 AD while the Eastern Empire became the Byzantine Empire, with its capital at modern day Istanbul.

Inestimable

“All of this makes us think that the owner is not a private subject, rather it could be a public bank or deposit,” Facchinetti said. Luca Rinaldi, the local archeology superintendent said that the coins had an “inestimable value,” adding “We are talking about an exceptional discovery.”

A Real Treasure

“We do not yet know in detail the historical and cultural significance of the find, but that area is proving to be a real treasure for our archeology,” said Culture Minister Alberto Bonisoli in a statement. He described the find as “a discovery that fills me with pride.”

Exceptional Find

In addition to being an unusual find due to the exceptionally large number of coins found, it was also unusual because the coins had been remarkably well preserved. “It’s practically an entire collection, unlike anything else ever found in northern Italy,” said Bonisoli.

Like a Wallet

“Sometimes coins that are found are stuck together but these were all separate,” he continued. “It was like opening a wallet.” And it was a valuable wallet to open at that. Some local media sources suggested that the roughly three hundred gold coins could be worth millions.

Restoration Time

But no one will be bringing the coins to a bank for a deposit any time soon. Instead, the coins were transferred to Milan’s Mibac restoration laboratory. There, archeologists and restorers will examine them further.

Know Thyself

The study of these coins can give us a more detailed understanding of what life was like in the Roman empire during the time of their minting and use. And the more we know about one of the most influential civilizations in history, the more we know about ourselves.

Italian Construction Project Uncovers Rare and Ancient Archeological Find Worth Millions is an article from: LifeDaily

When there’s an emergency, you call 911 and they help you. That’s what we’re all taught as children and we trust that it’s true, almost as surely as we trust that gravity keeps us stuck to the ground.

It’s especially critical that the most vulnerable people in our society can rely on this knowledge. But in a critical situation, one family would find out that common sense knowledge can’t always be trusted.

Holiday Spat

On a Wednesday morning, four days after Christmas, in a Brooklyn apartment building, a woman heard some familiar sounds coming from her next-door neighbor’s apartment. It seemed that Tonie and her husband Barry were arguing again.

Young Family

Tonie and Barry had a contentious relationship to say the least. They’d been together for a number of years, had a 2-year-old daughter together, and had gotten married in the spring. If you were to ask most of their neighbors or check them out on social media, you would think that things were just fine between them.

Picture of Happiness

“They seemed like a pleasant family,” said Beverly Miller, one person who lived in their building. “They would do laundry together.” Barry had even gotten a tattoo of his wife’s face on his back over the summer, calling it an “early anniversary gift” and adding #WellsWay at the end of the Instagram post featuring the tattoo.

Be Respectful

Barry’s Facebook page also had a post telling men to never treat the mothers of their children with any disrespect, “especially if you have a daughter.” The post from October of 2016 continued: “she gonna grow up believing it’s ok to be treated that way!”

Contentious Relationship

But all of those outward appearances hid away an unpleasant truth. The people who lived immediately next door to Wells would sometimes hear heated arguments and shouting coming from them that told an entirely different story: one of a domineering husband.

Dire Consequences

These arguments weren’t just idle words with no consequences. In fact, just one month prior, Tonie had suffered a miscarriage after a domestic quarrel. Because of their fighting, she’d lost her baby when she was eight months pregnant…

Taking it Seriously

That’s why, when the Wells next-door neighbor heard the sounds of argument coming from their apartment, she wasn’t surprised. But when she heard Tonie cry out “help me, he’s going to kill me!” she felt the need to call 911 and report the incident.

I’ll Send a Squad Car

The neighbor described the situation to the dispatcher and was told that police would respond to the situation to make sure everything was OK. But unfortunately for Tonie, those police would never show up.

It’s Cold Out There

That’s not to say that the dispatcher didn’t send a squad car – they did. But according to Brooklyn borough president Eric Adams, “preliminary reports I received [say that] they did not exit the vehicle and that’s troubling.” Maybe it was the low temperature outside that kept the officers in their car.

Crying Alone

About an hour later, a second call was placed to 911 – this time because someone heard Tonie and Barry’s 2-year-old crying with no response for a long period of time. The police who responded this time actually left their vehicle and investigated the scene.

Stuffed in a Closet

What they found was Tonie Wells in a closet at the bottom of a stairwell, unconscious and unresponsive. She had bruising around her neck indicative of being choked and when the police checked for a pulse, they found nothing. Tonie was pronounced dead at the scene.

Silver Lining

Thankfully, the baby was physically unharmed. When word of what happened got out to Tonie’s family, they were devastated. Around 1 p.m., one of Tonie’s aunts was the first to arrive and took her child away from the crime scene.

Fled the Scene

But Tonie’s husband Barry was nowhere to be found. After the first call, it was highly likely that he was somehow involved with what happened to Tonie, even more so considering he was suddenly nowhere near his home. Police were looking for him as their primary suspect.

Suicide Attempt

Later in the day, Barry was turned in to the authorities at the New Rochelle Police Department precinct in Westchester County by his brother. He informed the police that Barry had taken a large number of pills to try and kill himself.

Charged

Barry was placed in handcuffs and rushed to the hospital where he was successfully treated for his suicide attempt. He was eventually charged with murder as prosecutors alleged that he dragged his wife down the stairs, then strangled her and stuffed her in the closet after they’d had an argument.

Even Worse Than it Sounds

While it’s absurd that the two police officers who responded to the first call wouldn’t get out of their car to actually check and see if the 911 call had merit, it becomes even more absurd when you find out that at the time of the incident, Barry Wells was out of jail on bail after he’d been arrested in September. The crime: He choked Tonie during an argument, though she survived on that occasion.

Suspended

The two officers who were supposed to have responded to the first call were suspended without pay. NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill promised and investigation, saying “I like to talk about my pride in the NYPD each and every day.”

Full Investigation

“Unfortunately, there are times we don’t live up to that standard,” he added, “it’s up to us to make sure that we fully investigate that. And if discipline needs to be dealt out, we’ll do that.” But Commissioner O’Neill isn’t the only one who wants to get to the bottom of what happened.

Release the Records

Tonie’s mother, a woman named Elizabeth Rivera, filed a petition in Manhattan Supreme Court asking that a judge order the NYPD to turn over the recordings of the 911 calls, police logs of the incident, and all other related documents. She requested that the NYPD turn over the health care information card of her traumatized 2-year-old granddaughter so that she can get the counseling she’ll need.

Senseless

While obtaining that information would be the first step in filing a wrongful death lawsuit, which Elizabeth would have probably had a very strong case for, that may not have been her primary motivation. As a mother and a citizen, her primary motivation was likely finding out why it took police two tries to try and help her daughter and if her senseless death could have been prevented.

Inadequate Police Response to 911 Call Leads to Disaster is an article from: LifeDaily

The United States has seen its share of foul weather in recent years, specifically when it comes to devastating hurricanes. Storms like Katrina, Sandy, Harvey, and more recently Florence, have wreaked havoc on many of our coastal cities. These storms have left destruction and hardship in their wake, but they have also brought a certain type of heroism out in people.

From travelers working together to overturn a sinking car, to police officers sailing in to help people trapped on roofs, people have come together in the wake of these storms to help one another. A 51-year-old trucker named Tony Alsup is no exception.

A Trucker’s Life

Tony Alsup Story — www.coleandmarmalade.com

Tony Alsup was born to be on the road. The Greenback, Tennessee, trucker was the type of man who lived for the journey. In his many years on the road, Alsup had seen much of what American highways and byways had to offer. This included truck stops, roadside attractions, and of course, Waffle Houses.

Waffle House

The great American Waffle House is an institution around this great country of ours, and Alsup was a man who appreciated their frequent appearances down the interstate. As our story begins, we see Alsup sitting outside a Fayetteville, North Carolina Waffle House. He’d stopped to make a much-needed pit stop and have some waffles.

The Long Road

Inside his bus, his passengers sat bored and uncertain of what lay ahead of them. Most of them had been on the road with Alsup for a couple days. They were heading towards salvation after facing the potential destruction of the latest hurricane to smash its way towards the coast: Hurricane Florence.

Rescue Operation

Alsup had been searching for those in need prior to the hurricane. He had heard that if Florence hits as hard as people believed it was going to, they would have no homes, nowhere to go. So he answered the call and drove down to pick them up in the only vehicle he thought could hold them all: a school bus.

Noah’s Ark

The side of Alsup’s bus gives onlookers a bit of a hint as to the type of hurricane refugee he is transporting. Written in big, bold letters are the words “EMERGENCY ANIMAL RESCUE SHELTER.” Though, if one were to look inside the bus itself, they’d realize that it might be more apt to call the bus Noah’s Ark.

Commitment

That’s right, the homeless, storm-ravaged refugees that Tony Alsup was transporting in his bus, were pets. Specifically, shelter animals rescued from many of South Carolina’s hurricane-affected sections of the state. It had started as a simple act of altruism, but Alsup’s determination was matched only by his commitment.

Kitted Out

Transporting 53 dogs and 11 cats from various cities inside an old bus is not an easy task. One cannot expect that they’ll all stay buckled in their seats, after all. To prepare for what was bound to be a loud, difficult trip, Alsup ripped out the bus’s seats entirely and filled the inside of the vehicle with animal crates and cages.

Week-Long Trek

It would be a week-long trek for Alsup and his many animal companions. The goal was to get them as far away from Florence’s treacherous path as they possibly could. But why would someone like Alsup take the time, money, and drive all that way through the storm in order to help a bunch of animals?

In the Business

A lifetime animal lover, Alsup is an older man who has driven a truck for most of his life. Like everyone else, he wants to settle down one day and when he does, he wants to be able to open up his own animal shelter. His heroic actions on behalf of those downtrodden dogs and the ensuing viral story would ultimately help him in this goal.

Only One Way

Alsup first found out about the plight of these animals while watching the news. He saw how there were numerous overcrowded animal shelters all throughout the hurricane zone. They were experiencing a swell of additional animal rescues and could not properly care for them all. The plan was to transport the overflow rescues to other vacant shelters, and Alsup knew he could help.

The Bus Route

Nevertheless, Alsup also knew that he couldn’t just put the animals in a semi-trailer and haul them that way. Big trucks weren’t well-ventilated or secure enough to safely transport the animals. So, Alsup went out and bought an old school bus. Then he loaded the kennels into the vehicle, bought pet food, water bowls, leashes and toys, and began the trip.

Horse Helper

His first forays into shelter animal rescue began while rescuing animals from Hurricane Harvey in Texas last year. He had his old school bus back then as well. Alsup has also helped to rescue other animals during Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria. Though, in Maria, he left his bus behind because he was feeding abandoned horses.

They Deserve Life

Alsup spoke to The Washington Post recently and explained his thoughts on the difficult drive. “I’m like, look, these are lives too. Animals — especially shelter pets — they always have to take the back seat of the bus. But I’ll give them their own bus. If I have to I’ll pay for all the fuel, or even a boat, to get these dogs out of there.”

Many Stops

The heroic trucker didn’t have just one stop either. He picked up rescue animals from a number of shelters and in less than 48 hours, had stopped at five different South Carolina shelters: The Humane Society of North Myrtle Beach, the Dillon County Animal Shelter, another in Orangeburg, and Saint Frances Animal Center in Georgetown.

No One Left Behind

All of the sites were glad to see him and to know that the animals in their charge were in good hands. Flush as he was with animals, however, he still managed to find room for more as he drove. He even kept his Facebook followers abreast of the situation and asked that they point him to even more animals that needed his help.

Leftover Pets

The Saint Frances Animal Center also kept their Facebook updated with news of Alsup’s amazing journey. They called the dogs and cats, leftover pets, the ones with heartworm, weird heads, or difficult dispositions – essentially, the ones that no one else wanted. But Alsup swooped in and took them anyway and got them to safety.

Spa Treatment

Once he had the “leftovers” safely on the bus with the others, Alsup drove them all to Foley, Alabama. The trucker’s friend, Angela Eib-Maddux, ran a private dog shelter there and consented to let he and his charges stay there for a while. She proceeded to give them the best treatment many of them had ever experienced.

All Accounted For

She gave all the dogs baths, fluffy blankets, and the full “spa treatment.” She also held them until the two could find homes for them all. They didn’t have long to wait, however. Within a day, people were calling in and contacting Angela about coming to pick up their pets and take them to their new forever homes.

On the Spot

Alsup was not content to leave the rest of the overflow animals without homes, so he coordinated with other animal shelters and asked for a bunch of them and volunteers to meet him in Knoxville, Tennessee. Once there, he handed the 40 or so other animals off to vacant shelters all across the U.S.

Headed On

In the wake of Hurricane Florence, he drove down to Wilmington, North Carolina to answer the call of a shelter in need of help. Alsup did what he always did, he braved closed roads, flooded highways, and driving rain to rescue those who couldn’t help themselves. Today, Alsup continues to do what he can for local shelters, until the day he can finally open his own.

Trucker Donates Time and Money to Save Refugees During Hurricane Florence is an article from: LifeDaily

With 1-in-4 people in the world being affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives, chances are you or someone you care about has dealt with mental health issues.

But unlike physical health issues, people tend to look down on or feel awkward around those affected by mental health issues. One town in Spain decided to use art to challenge those negative views.

Idyllic Town

Just a few miles outside of Barcelona is the picturesque town of Sant Boi, nestled against the beautiful mountains of the Parque forestal del Montbaig nature reserve in Spain. Naturally, the views are breathtaking.

Well Known

But if you were to ask someone from Spain about Sant Boi, the view isn’t the first thing they’ll mention. Founded in 1855, the large mental health hospital in the center of town has given the town a reputation of being full of crazy people.

Crazytown

“When you’re outside of Sant Boi, for example Barcelona, and the people ask, ‘where are you from?’ and you say ‘from Sant Boi,’ they say, ‘Oh, the town of the loonies,’” local artist Dani Sánchez said to CNN. “This is what we want to change.”

Strange Situations

It’s not all that uncommon to run into one of the residents of the hospital on the street on any given day, which can lead to some “funny situations or uncomfortable ones,” said Nien Boots, a resident of the town.

Everyone Gets Lonely

Nien described one resident who regularly tries to seduce women around the town, which leads to some uncomfortable, awkward situations. “Other residents are in need of social interaction,” she said. “They will sit down with you at the terrace or try to talk with you on the street. Everybody gets a bit lonely sometimes.”

Inside and Out

Just as there is a stigma about the “town full of crazies” that comes from the outside, there is also a stigma about people with mental health issues among the people who live in Sant Boi. For Sánchez, it’s a deeply personal issue.

Close to Home

That’s because two members of Sánchez’s family have spent some time in Sant Boi’s health care center. So when Boots was putting together a project intended to use art to change local attitudes around mental health, he was on board from day one.

Thinking Big

Boots’s project was ambitious, to say the least. She wanted to bring together 40 young artists to transform a wall that separated the hospital from the rest of the community from an eyesore into a thing that the community could be proud of.

Eyesore

In recent years, maintenance on the wall had been neglected and it was covered in graffiti. If you asked Sant Boi resident Alejandro Gil, he would tell you it was “in awful condition. I felt really bad when I saw the wall so full of dirt.”

Changing Minds

The mural would change that while also challenging taboos around mental health. Boots gathered ten artists from Norway, ten from the United Kingdom, and ten from Sweden to work with ten local artists, including Sánchez to San Boi. When they were all gathered together, they collaboratively decided what they would paint on the mural.

Frank Discussion

To start things off, they were asked to think about the worst possible image they could choose to paint on the hospital wall. That odd question was aimed to begin a frank and honest discussion about mental health taboos. As you may expect, that conversation and several others that followed were intense at times.

Both Sides

In the end, the artists settled on the theme of carpets. “We all agreed on a final idea based on the rugs theme, where a part of the rug leans out on one side of the wall, while the other half comes out onto the other side,” Sánchez said. “So this idea poses a question, a sort of enigma, and invites the neighbors to walk into the hospital.”

Total Collaboration

Once they’d settled on a concept, the artists turned to residents of the health care center for help in both the design and painting of the mural. “It was really lovely to see how everybody blended in,” said Boots.

Side by Side

Joajo Esteban, an art consultant for the project was there during one exchange that perfectly exemplified the blending. “There was a young boy, who came from an intellectual disability group, painting with another girl for quite a long time, about an hour and a half or two hours” he said.

Sharing a Laugh

“And after a while the boy asks the girl ‘so do you have any disability?’ And the girl replies ‘No, not that I’m aware of … for now.’” Esteban continued, “We all laughed, it was the most natural thing ever.”

People Together

“At that moment,” he said, “the fact that he had a disability was irrelevant because we were all painting together. And that was really nice. In fact that is what breaks taboos. And breaking those taboos and making the hospital more inviting was an important aspect of the entire project.”

Opening Up

In 2010, the mental health hospital joined forces with a local general hospital and started to care for the elderly, people dealing with grief, and people in the criminal justice system as well. That restructuring also opened up the parks of the health care center to the public.

Double Invitation

“Inside, is what people really should see,” said local artist Juan Gurira. “Here in the street you only see the wall, behind it is the reality.” But the mural acts as an invitation that goes both ways, with residents of the health center also being invited to enter the town.

Point of Pride

When people “go out for a walk, they’ll remember this day,” Sánchez said. “It’s going to influence their lives.” And according to at least one local resident, a man named Gil, the mural is gorgeous. “Now, when I come and see the wall properly painted, it’s like walking down the Passeig de Gràcia,” he said, referencing one of Barcelona’s famously beautiful avenues.

Artistic History

Interestingly, this wouldn’t be the first time that art would be connected to the presence of the mental health institution. Pieces of modern art that are on display in the garden of Sant Joan De Déu Healthcare Park, which encompasses the mental health hospital, were worked on by renowned architect Antoni Gaudí.

Spanish Town Uses Art to Address Stigmas About Mental Health Issues is an article from: LifeDaily

Charlie Voysey, 16, had been skiing before. It was an activity he and his family enjoyed for most of his life. This most recent trip to Beaver Creek ski resort in Colorado, saw Charlie, his father, and his younger brother hitting the slopes with gleeful abandon.

Still, the Kansas City family was just getting their legs under them, prepping for the more difficult hill, the Birds of Prey lift, the following day. Charlie raced down Larkspur, a blue run, heedless of anything in his path. Then, suddenly, disaster struck.

Skiing Doctor

Dr. Heston Lamar Story — www.coloradosun.com

Around the same time, and on the same slope, Dr. Heston LaMar, was making his way down the same ski trail with a few of his buddies. In his day job, Dr. LaMar served both as medical director of health and wellness and a professor of emergency medicine at Wake Forest Baptist Health in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

An Accident

LaMar and his friends had also come to Beaver Creek that March in order to get away for a weekend. Their path down Larspur was a bit more languid and careful than Charlie’s had been, however. Because of this, they were able to stop in time to notice what looked like a couple of ski patrollers working on a boy in the snow.

Collision Course

LaMar had been on the slopes enough times to recognize the signs of a collision. He skied up to patrollers and informed them that he was an ER doctor and asked if there was anything he could do to help. They declined and the doctor, sensing that everything was OK, was about to ski off when he noticed something.

Seen Something

Then he looked down at the men stabilizing the boy’s arm and saw red blood pooling below the thick ski jacket. This was unusual and worrying. The collision had only just happened and yet a significant amount of blood had soaked through to the snow. The injury might have been worse than it looked.

More Embarrassed Than Hurt

Charlie himself didn’t actually think the wound was that bad. His arm hurt, sure, but it didn’t hurt as much as the amount of blood indicated it might. He felt more embarrassed than anything else. He’d hit a patch of ice on the slope and tumbled out of control into a nearby snowboarder. The impending collision had knocked him to the ground hard, but he was still conscious.

Not Hurt

Of course, once Dr. LaMar clicked out of his skis and bent down to stop the patrollers from carting him off, Charlie realized that his arm might be worse off than he’d believed. The doctor opened his pack and pulled out a pair of shiny, sharp-looking trauma shears and at that moment, Charlie knew something was very wrong.

The Proper Tools

LaMar used the shears to cut Charlie’s glove and up the arm of his jacket. Charlie shivered as the cold struck his arm, but that wasn’t the only thing that chilled him. The teen could now see a giant laceration up his broken arm. The collision had severed several arteries, ligaments, and nerves in his forearm.

Panic Sets In

Charlie’s dad, David, stood nearby, watching the doctor work on his son. Even he didn’t know how bad the wound was until the jacket came off. “I remember when he looked into that jacket, I was holding him and I could feel him tense up,” David explained to the Colorado Sun. As he held him, he felt his heart beating faster and faster.

Beating Heart

And with every nervous beat of Charlie’s heart, blood came spurting from his open wound. Luckily for the injured young man, Dr. LaMar hadn’t just come by right in the nick of time, he had also brought with him a backpack full of every tool a surgeon on-the-go could ever need whilst on the ski slopes.

Backpack

Though LaMar would tell you that it’s only a few “basic supplies,” it is quite a bit more than that. Fortuitous as the doctor’s arrival was, it also came with a fair bit of irony too. His buddies had been ribbing him not long before they’d gone out to the ski trail for carrying the thing everywhere. “When are you going to use that thing?” one had asked, just that morning.

Be Prepared

Regardless of his friend’s teasing, LaMar was a man who liked to be prepared and the backpack they had so callously teased him for, was critical in saving a boy’s life. After cutting open Charlie’s sleeve, he pulled out a combat application tourniquet and began packing Charlie’s bleeding wound with combat gauze.

Packed Tight

Luckily for Charlie, combat gauze is impregnated with a blood-clotting agent and it was able to stop the bleeding. As LaMar began packing the wound, he noticed something even more worrying. Charlie’s arm felt like it was nothing but soft tissue and blood, the bones of his forearm were nowhere to be felt.

No Bones About It

Charlie’s arm felt like all the bones had been removed, but LaMar knew it was much simpler than that. “That’s when I got more concerned. I couldn’t feel any bone anywhere. The bone had broken in a manner that it had shattered and come apart. It was all just soft tissue and blood,” explained the doctor.

Wrapped Up

In the end, Charlie ended up with only a few broken bones in his arm. They were shattered pretty badly, but once Dr. LaMar wrapped the boy’s arm tightly in some gauze and stopped the bleeding, he stabilized enough to move. The ski patrollers put Charlie on a stretcher and skied him down the hill towards an ambulance.

Young and Strong

LaMar admitted that even without his intervention, Charlie would have probably been fine, so long as the ski patrollers made sure to get him down to the ambulance fast enough. Charlie was young and strong, but he would have lost a lot of blood. His trip in the ambulance and ensuing surgery would have been even harder to manage if he hadn’t stepped in on the slopes.

Snow Angels

A few months after the accident and Charlie is on the mend. He is still working through rehab on his left hand and the feeling in his fingers hasn’t entirely returned, but the prognosis is good. Nevertheless, he recalls that day fondly and likens LaMar’s timely intervention as if it were magic. “It was like he was an angel,” Charlie explained.

Happy Coincidence

Charlie continued by saying that it wasn’t just LaMar’s timely arrival but the fact that he had the medical expertise, the knowledge, and all the necessary medical gear to staunch the bleeding and save his life. As for LaMar, he doesn’t consider himself a hero in any capacity. He doesn’t even like the mention of the word.

No Hero

As far as Dr. LaMar is concerned, it wasn’t he who got Charlie down the hill. Nor he that stabilized the teen with intranasal pain medication. He didn’t do the surgery or repair the damage. No, as far as LaMar is concerned, the team were the heroes. Saving Charlie was a team effort and the doctor isn’t happy being in the spotlight for the rescue.

Further Preparation

That said, there have been some reactions to his fast thinking and careful preparations that LaMar does appreciate. Recently, the doctor was approached by an ER resident who had read about his efforts at Beaver Creek and taken it upon himself to start carrying a pack loaded with medical supplies; just in case they ever proved necessary.

Spreading the Word

He may not want to be called a hero, but LaMar is glad to see that people are making safety preparations. “That’s another great thing to come out of this. Maybe that will spread and there will be more people out there who can be at the wrong place at the right time with all the tools they need,” said LaMar.

Skiing Doctor Happens Upon Dangerous Scene and Jumps Into Action is an article from: LifeDaily

Most of us who attended middle school remember just how difficult those years could be. Being a teenager is hard. You’re coming into your body, your emotions and hormones are out of whack, and in addition to all of that, you still have to keep up with your schoolwork and attend class.

Luckily, many of us are fortunate enough to have teachers who make learning fun during those important, formative years. Diane Tirado of Port St. Lucie, Florida was a great social studies teacher who for many years, made learning fun. Unfortunately, that didn’t stop her from being a casualty of a worrying trend she could never have seen coming.

17 Years

Diane Tirado Story — Diane Tirado / Facebook

Everyone loved Mrs. Tirado’s social studies class. For most of her 17-year career, Mrs. Tirado was the kind of teacher who could inspire even the laziest eighth-grade student. Recently though, the 52-year-old teacher was beginning to find that the latest generation had a bit of a problem turning in work.

Unceremonious

Mrs. Tirado had recently begun working at West Gate K-8 School and was still technically under contract as a teacher on probation when she was suddenly and unceremoniously fired. It was September 14th, not a few weeks into the school year, when she received the notice of her termination. Being on probation, there wasn’t much she could do about it.

Never Said Goodbye

“I got fired,” explained Diane Tirado explained to CBS12. “I was packing my stuff, and I was not going to see the kids.” The fact that she wouldn’t even be able to physically say goodbye to her students made her feel even worse about the whole situation. As she packed up her things, she thought back to what had started her trouble in the first place.

Assignment

For the first assignment of the semester, Mrs. Tirado had asked her students to do something quite fun. She’d asked them to keep a journal for two weeks in the same way a 15th-century explorer would. In this “explorer’s notebook,” students would record historical notes and draw maps reflecting what they were learning about in class.

No Work Unturned

Despite the fact that this was something of an offbeat, creative assignment, Mrs. Tirado soon discovered that several of her students just weren’t doing the work. Most of them were content to do their homework of course, but there were a few that remained heedless of her warnings and persisted in their laziness.

Parental Complaints

In addition to her lazy students, Mrs. Tirado also had to endure a litany of complaints from their parents as well. The angry parents argue that the homework assignment she had given was far too hefty a load for their kids. Eventually, Mrs. Tirado was called down to the principal’s office. The administration was not happy to be receiving calls from unhappy parents.

Bad Grades

“I got called down to the principal’s office because parents were not happy with me. It was ruining my life for weeks,” explained Tirado. It only made matters worse that, as a result of them not doing the work, she gave many of the students zeros for their work. It seems reasonable to any sane person; if you don’t do the work, you get no credit.

Hidden Rules

Unfortunately, the school administrators did not follow this presumably infallible logic and it was during one of her many visits to the principal’s office that Mrs. Tirado learned about the schools mostly-unknown “No Zero” grading policy. There, written in big red letters in the school’s handbook, were the words, “NO ZERO’S – LOWEST POSSIBLE GRADE IS 50%.”

Asinine

She didn’t think that the group of students was even deserving of any credit, partial or otherwise if they willingly chose to do none of the work. “I’m used to kids not handing in work… but then chasing them until the report cards are in to make sure they make it up with extra credit. But I don’t give a grade for nothing.”

The Stated Reason

Officially, Mrs. Tirado was let go because she went against official school policy, but she believes that it was something else entirely. “I loudly bucked the system,” she admits. “I refused to do their policy. I guess you would call that defiance.” The reason she thought this, was because of some confusing nuances in the No Zero rule itself.

Confusion

The West Gate Student and Parent Handbook, the one that indicates the “No Zero” grading policy, has some confusing rules regarding this policy. The most egregious of these is the overt grading scale above the No Zero wording. How can there be a scale for non-work? It vexed Mrs. Tirado and rankled her. So before she left, she decided to leave a message.

Sarcasm

Even if she didn’t get to say a proper goodbye, Mrs. Tirado did ensure that her students knew what was going on. She did this by writing a message on the classroom whiteboard that read, “Bye kids, Mrs. Tirado loves you and wishes you the best in life! I have been fired for refusing to give you a 50% for not handing anything in. [heart] Mrs. Tirado.”

Posted Message

Mrs. Tirado left the school after that, but not before snapping a photo of the whiteboard message and shared it to her Facebook. After all, it wasn’t like they were going to fire her for it or anything. Unsurprisingly, the post went viral and was shared hundreds of times. Soon enough, people began to reply to it as well.

Viral Replies

Messages came in from parents and teachers, congratulating her on standing her ground. After that, even some of Mrs. Tirado’s eighth-grade students began commenting on her Facebook page as well. They spoke about her inspirational qualities and how they learned responsibility from her lessons.

The Wrong Message

As touching as these student sentiments were, however, they did little to calm Tirado’s anger over the policy that had gotten her fired. She believes that giving someone 50% for handing in essentially a blank sheet of paper is asinine. She also believes that it sends the wrong message to the students of today.

Too Much

“It’s absurd to give someone something for nothing and to do that is creating a future that is pretty darn bleak,” she explained, adding that “We’re creating monsters out of our children. We give them too much…people that experience that kind of childhood then that’s what you want, you’re entitled for the rest of your life.”

Entitlement

This idea of an entitled generation is not a new one. It’s something that educators, in particular, have been concerned about for some years now. Giving out half credit for no work is the same as giving everyone a participation trophy. It makes children believe that they are entitled to everything even if they do not put in the hard work necessary to succeed in the real world.

Change in Policy

Mrs. Tirado is taking her sensible concerns for this policy to the next level as well, by actively calling for a change in the grading policy at West Gate K-8 School. She believes that if this policy is allowed to continue, it will do nothing to help students in the long run. “I’m arguing the fact that you don’t get something for nothing…” she says.

In Denial

As for the West Gate K-8 School, they denied that they had any sort of “No Zero” policy. A spokesperson for the school said as much to WPTV. “There is no district or individual school policy prohibiting teachers from recording a grade of zero for work not turned in.” This is of course in direct opposition to what they told Tirado.

To Scale

The former teacher says the policy is outlined in the West Gate student and parent handbook and can easily be proven. The spokesman of course countered by saying that “some classroom teachers and school faculties” discussed the range of points for each grade and came to the conclusion that an F would equal a 50 to 59.” Either way, the policy and the circumstances behind her departure are something that needs to be resolved.

Eighth Grade Teacher Let Go Because of Unfair and Little-Known School Rule is an article from: LifeDaily

With women’s rights issues like reproductive choice, sexual harassment at work, equal pay, domestic violence, and general health being in danger in the U.S. right now, other countries also have their fair share of hurdles to overcome. Take women’s rights issues in Saudi Arabia for example.

They are starkly different from the problems women face in the U.S., and a video recently published on major news site brought this fact to light. The following story explains what happened in that video that caused such an uproar and also why there’s a bigger picture we should be looking at.

What Happened?

In the footage posted to social media, a pair (male and female) is shown sharing a meal at a desk in Saudi Arabia. The woman is draped head-to-toe in Islamic niqab and is seen waving to the camera and feeding the man, who was filming the video.

Eating Breakfast

In the video, the man with an Egyptian dialect eats breakfast beside the women wearing a full face veil. BBC wrote, “In the 30-second video, the man and woman briefly joke about eating their breakfast together, with nobody else invited. But the point which has caused the most consternation comes at the end of the video when the woman appears to feed the man.”

The Crime

Many Saudis on social media criticized both the man and woman, who are supposed to sit separately according to Saudi Arabian law. This law states that in workplaces or eateries like McDonald’s and Starbucks, families and single men have to sit in different areas. Therefore, women must also sit separately from single men in these places.

Strict Rules

Saudi women are also not allowed to carry out most activities on their own and they must be accompanied by their male guardians, whether it be a father, husband, brother, or son. After the video surfaced on the Internet, the man was reportedly arrested by the Saudi Ministry of Labour and Social Development.

The Violations

The ministry accused him of “committing several violations and taking up a post exclusively reserved for Saudis.” “The labour ministry arrested the expatriate in Jeddah after he appeared in an offensive video,” the ministry said in a statement. Local media has also identified the man as an Egyptian national.

Illegal

The ministry added that the man (a hotel owner) had also be summoned for failing to adhere to government regulations that stipulate a gender-segregated workplace. The Arabic hashtag “an Egyptian having breakfast with a Saudi” has reportedly been used over 113,000 times on Twitter, where it has caused a cultural divide.

Uproar on Social Media

The video has caused many Saudis on social media to voice their criticisms of the incident, wondering why the man was punished instead of the woman. “I need to understand why men are constantly punished and not women,” said Twitter user Malak. “I am a Saudi [woman] and I swear I want them to punish her with him. Laughter, eating at the workplace … where are your limits?”

Socialization

Meanwhile, some people stressed that work relationships should transcend gender, with Twitter user Tarek Abd Alaziz calling for colleagues to be able to “joke or eat or do anything else among the general relations of humans.” Still, not everyone agreed. Hammoud Alduhayian said that “developing jobs for Saudi women among foreigners is considered an explicit breakdown of customs, traditions, and values.”

Varying Views

Television presenter Osama Gaweesh said she was confused with the arrest, asking: “Doesn’t [Saudi Crown Prince] Mohammed bin Salman want a new, open Saudi Arabia with concerts and movie theatres and beaches and a 2030 vision?” The city of Jeddah (where the man was arrested) reportedly has many cafes and restaurants that don’t enforce segregation.

Punishment

Despite this, the Saudi public prosecutor’s office posted a warning on Twitter that foreigners working in the Kingdom should “respect Saudi values, traditions, and feelings.” Then, the following day, it released another statement warning that people face up to five years in prison for producing, posting online, sending or saving materials that “violate public order, religious values, public morality, or the sanctity of personal life.”

Women Can Drive

Recently, Saudi Arabian women have been encouraged to join the workforce, and some of the strictest regulations of women and social life have been relaxed. This includes allowing women to drive and attend football games in stadiums. On June 24, 2018, it was announced that women are now free to drive cars, ending a decades-old ban.

Applying For Driver’s Licenses

After the announcement, Saudi women drivers took to the roads legally for the first time in the kingdom’s history. According to Maj. Gen. Mansour Al Turki, official spokesman of the Ministry of Interior, the demand for obtaining driver licenses became very high, practically overnight. More than 120,000 women applied for a driver’s license that day.

Celebrating

In Riyadh, Aliah Naser watched as her mother, Ramoush Bana, drove for the first time and posted an image of the moment to Instagram. “My reaction: I was super excited about this change in Saudi and really hope that everyone can have fun and enjoy these changes in Saudi Arabia,” she told CNN.

Her First Drive

Baheirah Khusheim, 33, described how it felt after midnight as she drove and followed a route her late father had taken her on as an 18-year-old girl, dressed in her brother’s clothing. “He wanted me to have a real driving experience. It is a remarkable historic moment that I wish all the world would be here to witness it,” Khusheim said.

Activists Arrested

Apparently, 11 women’s rights activists (9 women, 2 men) were arrested in Saudi Arabia, before the kingdom’s ban even took place. Most of them were fighting for the right to drive and now they have been imprisoned for their beliefs. According to BBC, the Presidency of the State Security said the activists faced charges for “suspicious contact with foreign parties” and undermining the “security and stability” of the country.

Sexist Laws

The activists also vowed that they would continue working against other sexist laws, including a strict dress code for women, a law separating women from unmarried men they are not related to, and a law requiring women to receive permission from a male guardian to work or access healthcare. The Associated Press reported that the activists were not given access to lawyers and one of the women is reportedly being held without the ability to communicate with anyone.

Campaigning

“The lifting of the ban is testament to the bravery and determination of the women’s rights activists who have been campaigning on the issue since the 1990s, and the activists following up their groundbreaking work in subsequent campaigns since 2011,” said Samah Hadid, Amnesty International’s Middle East campaigns director.

The Next Hurdle

“While we welcome the fact that women can finally get behind the wheel, we should not forget that many people are still behind bars for their work in fighting for women’s rights in Saudi Arabia,” Hadid said. With the driving ban still free, Saudi women’s rights activists are thinking of their hurdle – dismantling the kingdom’s guardianship system, which Human Rights Watch has called “the most significant impediment to realizing women’s rights in the country.”

Guardianship System

All women in the kingdom are considered to have a male “wali,” which is an official guardian, typically a father, brother, uncle, or husband. Although this guardianship is not enshrined in written laws, Saudi women generally do act in accordance with it by getting their guardian’s consent for any major activity, including travel, obtaining a passport, getting married or divorced and signing contracts.

“I Am My Own Guardian”

This system makes it “nearly impossible” for victims of domestic violence or sexual abuse to obtain their guardian’s authorization to file a complaint, even when the complaint is against the guardian, according to political scientist Elham Manea. Women’s rights groups in the country are now lobbying for an end of guardianship in Saudi society, often using the social media hashtag “#IAmMyOwnGuardian.”

Man Arrested in Saudi Arabia For Having Breakfast With Woman in Public is an article from: LifeDaily

We tend to think we know everything about the world around us and the creatures that we share this planet with. Yet there are always new things to discover and learn if we just open our eyes.

In 2018, a 47-year-old tourist and amateur explorer traveled to a remote island where he had been searching for rare rhododendrons. When he looked up, however, he spotted an even rarer animal that was believed to have gone extinct decades ago.

A Brit Abroad

Wondiwoi Tree Kangaroo Story — Google Maps

In 2017, Michael Smith traveled from Farnham, England to West Papua, Indonesia. While in school, Smith studied biology and completed a degree in zoology. Today, however, he is the head of research and analytics for a medical communications agency.

An Amateur Botanist

While Smith works for a medical communications agency, he never lost his love of wildlife and exploring. So during his time off from work, the 47-year-old likes to travel to remote areas around the world in search of rare plants as an amateur botanist. So far, his passion has brought him all around the world including remote parts of Pakistan, Kurdistan, and Indonesia.

Hunting For Exotic Plants

While in those remote locations, Smith has hunted for rare orchids, rhododendrons, and tulips. During his trip to West Papua in 2017, Smith was hoping to find an exotic rhododendron species. Unfortunately, the amateur botanist never found what he was looking for.

Not a Complete Failure

“In 2017 all I returned with was a terrible case of Aussie flu which lasted months,” Smith told the Alton Post Gazette about the expedition. However, the trip wasn’t a complete waste. While in West Papua, Smith heard tales of a mysterious animal that lived in the trees on the island’s mountains.

The Wondiwoi Tree Kangaroo

The mysterious animal is called the Wondiwoi tree kangaroo, which is a rare species of marsupial that is native to the island. However, for the past 90 years, the species has been considered extinct. According to experts, the first and last one ever seen was in 1928.

New Guinea Natives

According to experts, the Wondiwoi tree kangaroo was a monkey-like kangaroo that lived in the trees in the forests of New Guinea. They are related to classic kangaroos and wallabies, however, they had stronger forearms to climb up the trunks of trees. Once in the canopy, they climbed and hopped from branch to branch.

The Only Sighting

“It is one of the most poorly known mammals in the world,” Mark Eldridge, a marsupial biologist at the Australian Museum in Sydney, told National Geographic. Ernst Mayr, a German evolutionary biologist, was the first and only Western scientist to ever see the mysterious mammal.

The Last Wondiwoi Tree Kangaroo

That sighting was during a 1928 expedition to the mountains of the Wondiwoi Peninsula in West Papua, which is the Indonesian state on the western half of the island of New Guinea. Mayr shot the creature and sent the pelt to the Natural History Museum in London. Since then, no other Wondiwoi tree kangaroos have ever been seen by westerners, collected, documented, or reported.

Local Stories

As a result, scientists have long believed that the species had gone extinct. However, locals from the island occasionally spoke about the creature. While reports of sightings were extremely rare, there were hints that the animal was still alive. When Smith heard the stories, he wanted to see for himself if they were really extinct.

Higher Than The Hunters

Smith believed there was a chance the rare tree kangaroos were still alive. He figured, that if they were still alive, they had avoided detection for the most part by living in trees that were higher up in the forest than hunters usually ventured. “The hunters only ever go up to about 1,300 meters (4,265 feet), when the forest starts getting really dense with bamboo thickets,” Smith told National Geographic.

A Second Expedition

Smith started planning an expedition the following year. In 2018, he flew from Gatwick to Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital. From there, he flew to a town called Manokwari and traveled to the town of Wasior by ferry. Once there, he met up with a man named Martin, a local hunter who agreed to be Smith’s guide.

The Expedition Begins

He also recruited the help of four porters and Norman Terok, a student at the University of Papua who acted as an interpreter. Once they amassed enough food and supplies to last them two weeks, the group started their trek into the forest and up Mount Wondiwoi on July 23.

Traces of Tree Kangaroos

While traveling up the mountain, the bamboo thickets started getting extremely dense around 4,000 feet, which is where local hunters typically stop. In order to continue their ascent, the group had to cut a path with machetes. Once they ascended passed 4,900 feet, however, the group started finding traces of the tree kangaroos.

A Good Sign

As they continued to ascend, Smith and the group started seeing scratch marks on tree trunks and occasionally found dung from the tree kangaroos. “We could also smell the scent marks left by the kangaroos – a sort of foxy smell,” Smith told National Geographic.

Elusive Species

The group climbed about 5,500 feet up the mountain. Despite finding traces of the tree kangaroos, they failed to find the elusive animal. During the days, Smith spent his time looking for rare orchids and rhododendrons. By the last day of the expedition, Smith still had not found any of the rare species.

The Last Day

“I was starting to think I was going to have to go back home to my long-suffering and much more sensible wife and explain why I had been back to the Wondiwoi mountains and not found anything,” Smith said. However, while on their descent down the mountain on July 31, Martin told Smith to look up.

A Groundbreaking Discovery

About 90 feet up in a tree was the fabled Wondiwoi tree kangaroo. Smith frantically grabbed his camera and started taking pictures. However, getting a clear, focused photo proved more difficult than Smith expected. “Luckily, after a while, the tree kangaroo stopped moving around and started peeking out at me. I was very relieved as I’m not sure what Ana would have said if I’d come back from a second expedition with nothing to show,” Smith said.

Smith’s Moby Dick

“I was thinking to myself I have to be careful here and not fool myself, but I went through my mental checklist of their features and realized, ‘Hang on, this has got to be the Wondiwoi tree kangaroo.’ I felt like Captain Ahab if he had got photos of Moby Dick,” Smith told the Daily Mail.

Undeniable Proof

Smith reached out to experts on tree kangaroos to confirm that animal was actually the Wondiwoi tree kangaroo. When they saw the photos, they had no doubt that they were looking at the first photo of the species because of the color of its coat and the location of the sighting. For the first time in almost a century, there was proof the species wasn’t extinct. Smith now hopes to send a small dung sample to England to compare the DNA with the pelt that was collected in 1928. He also hopes his discovery will lead to greater protection to the area since a proposed gold mine in the area could make the species actually go extinct.

The Explorations Continue

Smith also plans to continue his explorations to see what other rare species he can find. “All this just shows that you can find interesting things if you simply go and look,” Smith told National Geographic. “On holidays over the years, I’ve discovered all kind of weird bits of archeology and ethnography. The general belief that there’s nothing more of interest to discover is quite mistaken.”

British Tourist Stumbles Upon Rare Extinct Animal Last Seen 90 Years Ago is an article from: LifeDaily

When 406 wedge-tailed eagle carcasses were discovered hidden in bush and scrub across three remote locations in Victoria, New Zealand, environmentalists were rightly shocked and disgusted. They were even more perplexed when other protected species including kookaburra, ravens and a raptor were also found dead in the same locations.

The dead birds were found across three separate farms spanning 2,000 hectares. People were left wondering who would kill these protected animals, but the reason why was even more remarkable.

Wedge-tailed Eagles

Murray Silvester Story — JJ Harrison / Wikipedia

Wedge-tailed eagles, also known as Bunjil, are the largest birds of prey in Australia and New Zealand. They get their name from their unmistakably wedge-shaped tail and are one of twelve species of booted eagles belonging to the genus Aquila. These remarkable creatures were first discovered by British ornithologist John Latham in 1801.

Southern Hemisphere

These massive birds of prey are found throughout New Zealand, Australia and Southern New Guinea, but are most common in lightly timbered and open spaces in southern and eastern Australia. And while many people revere and love these birds, they can pose a serious menace to farmers due to their scavenger nature and can present some serious problems. Nevertheless, they are protected by law and cannot be killed or hunted.

Killing Eagles

When farm worker Murray James Silvester contacted local authorities, telling them that he had been instructed to kill more than 400 protected birds, they had far more puzzling questions than answers. According to Silvester, his boss, landowner John Auer, had instructed him to cull the birds. But after a falling out over his employment terms, he promptly explained the malpractice, which he claims he was compelled to do.

Detailed Diaries

Luckily for investigators, Silvester had kept two meticulously written diaries about the culls, spanning almost a two-year period. In those diaries, he noted the locations of the carcasses as well as details about the specific methods he used to kill them. Those diaries were a solid resource for investigators and offered a treasure trove of information that could be used as evidence in court.

Employment Dispute

By all accounts, Silvester kept the diaries as part of some plan to take revenge on his employer, who he had been in dispute with for a number of months. Department of Environment, Land, Water, and Planning (DELWP) prosecutor Chrisanthi Paganis explained to the Magistrates’ Court that Silvester had pushed back against Auer regarding the killing of the eagles but to no avail.

Hand-Drawn Map

Included in Silvester’s diaries were specific hand-drawn maps showing where the eagles and other birds were killed, detailing where their carcasses were hidden from the eyes of authorities. He also implicated some other people, who he said were involved in the culling. Those people are yet to be charged with any crimes at this time.

Painful Deaths

According to prosecutor Paganis, at least three different chemicals were used by Silvester to kill the eagles, with the main one being a chemical called Lannate. But the directive and instruction allegedly came from the landowner. “John Auer showed him how to do it by injecting the substances into the necks of lambs,” Ms. Paganis told the court, explaining that the eagles would have died painful deaths.

Different Chemicals

The court heard that Silvester, under the watchful eye of Auer, would experiment with different chemicals to find the perfect balance which would kill the eagles quickly and efficiently. Lannate seemed to be the best option as the eagles, after feeding on sheep and lamb carcasses injected with the chemical on purpose, would die within 30 minutes. Blue phosphorous was also tried, but that just caused the eagles to get sick but didn’t kill them.

Admitting Guilt

Having come clean about his actions, Silvester, who was trying to take some form of revenge on his boss by telling authorities what he had done, admitted that he had killed many birds. In 2017, Silvester killed 366 Eagles and another 40 in 2018. This all took place at the properties located at McKillops Road, Tubbut. These properties were all owned by John Auer.

Too Little

While Silvester was charged and tried for killing the eagles, many feel his sentence and punishment was woefully short and inadequate. That’s not to mention the fact that it would take an estimated two-and-a-half years before breeding among the eagles would allow them to recover to their prior levels.

First Time

The manager of DELWP’s investigations and intelligence unit, Iain Bruce explained to the press, according to an ABC Australia report: “This is our first custodial sentence for the destruction of wildlife in Victoria, so it’s a significant statement to make by the courts, that this is a very, very serious matter and this is how it will be dealt with.” However, the fact that Silvester only got put in jail for 14 days got the attention of many people.

Knowingly Unlawful

Paganis also explained to the court that Silvester knew what he was doing when he killed the eagles. “He knew it was unlawful to kill them,” she told the court. “His actions were conscious, voluntary and deliberate, he googled them, he knew they were protected species.” To that end, Silvester’s ploy to implicate his boss in some way failed miserably.

Massive Investigation

Bruce explained that at least five searches had already been carried out, but that investigations were ongoing on a massive scale. “We’re getting very close to the end of our investigation, but today’s proceeding only deals with one of those offenders.” He said, adding, “We’ve seized hundreds of exhibits and even traveled to Western Australia to interview Mr. Silvester.”

Maximum Penalty

While Silvester only received a 14-day custodial sentence and a $2,500 fine, the maximum penalty for killing such an amount of eagles was more than $350,000 or six months’ jail. His only defense was that he was under the instruction of his employer who put serious pressure on him to increase lamb survival rates.

Falling Out

The irony of this tragic story is perhaps the fact that it was only uncovered due to an ongoing argument Silvester had with his employer. Magistrate Rodney Higgins even told Silvester in court: “You brought this to the attention of authorities because you had an argument with your boss.” But Silvester also had his say in court, and he did what he could to defend his position.

Not Isolated

According to retired wildlife officer Roger Bilney as reported by The Guardian, the illegal culling of wedge-tailed eagles wasn’t limited to this case. “It’s a multiple state issue, a national issue, which needs further research,” Bilney said. He also explained how such actions threaten the “whole species.”

Iconic Bird

Bilney explained in more detail about the implications of the case. “This is threatening the whole species, and it’s an iconic bird. People will stop and watch as they soar past. The wedge-tailed eagle is … a part of the Australian landscape,” he said. He also explained how the eagles are also targeted in New South Wales and even Queensland.

Threatening Profit

As is so often the case, it’s all about one thing at the end of the day: money. As Bilney explained: “Especially with the value of wool and lambs increasing, a lot of farmers see the wedge-tailed eagles as a threat to their profitability,” he said. On the other hand, the eagles, stunning and iconic as they are, do pose a serious threat to farmers who are just trying to make a living.

Also Guilty

Bilney also explained that the eagles are more than capable of killing large numbers of livestock and feeding on their remains. “They’re certainly capable of killing newborn lambs, and we know that they do that at times, and they will team up and do it, but in terms of the overall losses on a sheep farm, research shows it’s irrelevant to the overall property,” he said.

Enough Killing

While justice was barely served in this case, with a whole species of eagles being threatened with extinction, some valuable lessons have been learned. For their part, authorities in Australia and New Zealand are keeping a closer eye on lamb farms and particularly eagle populations in those areas. It is hoped that they will be able to put procedures in place that will deter farmers from killing these glorious eagles and other protected birds.

Farmer Poisons Hundreds of Eagles on Purpose Then Escapes Justice is an article from: LifeDaily

After years in medical school, training, and treating patients, doctors become experts on the human body. For that reason, many parents implicitly trust that doctors know what’s best for their children, especially when they get sick. Yet, sometimes doctors don’t always know what’s best.

For more than five years, doctors have been telling a Texas couple that their young son would never speak because of several health conditions that affected his development. However, in November 2017, the family experienced a miracle thanks to an observant and thorough dentist who did more than any doctor or specialist ever had.

The Birth

When Meredith and Dalan Motz first laid eyes on their son Mason, like many parents, they instantly fell in love. They couldn’t believe how perfect he was. However, that bliss didn’t last long as doctors later explained he had been born with a genetic condition.

Sotos Syndrome

According to doctors, Mason had been born with Sotos syndrome. Symptoms of the genetic condition typically include a distinctive facial appearance, overgrowth during childhood, and learning disabilities. In addition, kids with Sotos syndrome can also experience mental and physical developmental delays.

Too Early to Tell

The couple also learned that Mason might have behavioral problems like ADHD, tantrums, and impulsive behaviors as he gets older. However, at the time, it was too early to tell how Sotos syndrome would affect Mason. Unfortunately, that wasn’t Mason’s only health concern.

Another Complication

Just 10 days after he was born, baby Mason suffered a brain aneurysm. The doctors couldn’t be sure what kind of long-term effects the aneurysm would have. However, they warned Dalan and Meredith that it may cause Mason to have developmental issues or disabilities in the future.

Developmental Delays

In the beginning, Mason didn’t seem any different compared to other babies his age. However, as the months passed by, they started to notice a few differences as the delays became more apparent. “Since birth, he’s had delays and issues,” Meredith said according to Inside Edition.

The Problems Become Apparent

Some of the first issues Dalan and Meredith noticed were his breathing and sleeping issues. Since he struggled to breath when he slept, he never was able to get a good night sleep. As a result, he was always tired and that exhaustion led to behavioral problems.

Everything Is a Struggle

Mason also struggled to eat his food as he would frequently choke. “Sleeping was always stressful. He would stop breathing. He had trouble eating and swallowing; every single meal we would have to remove something that was choking him,” Meredith said.

Desperate to Communicate

“He didn’t get the nutrition he needed. His teeth started having problems,” Meredith added. Then, when Mason should have been starting to say his first words, he was silent. And as time passed, he desperately tried to communicate but couldn’t get any words out.

Heartbroken Parents

Meredith and Dalan were devastated while they watched their little boy struggle with something other children pick up so easily. “He could pronounce the beginning of the word but would utter the end of the word,” Meredith told The New York Times.

Settling Down

“My husband and I were the only ones that could understand him,” Meredith said. “He wasn’t able to enunciate a word, so instead of saying, ‘Daddy,” or, ‘Dad,’ he would say, ‘da.,'” Dalan told USA Today. Around the time Mason was a year old, the couple decided to leave the Army so that they could settle down in Katy, Texas.

Therapy Begins

They hoped that by staying in one place, Mason would be able to get consistent care for all of his issues. “He’s been in speech therapy since he was a little over 1 year old,” Meredith said. Sadly, the therapy didn’t seem to be much help.

Alternate Forms of Communication

Since Mason couldn’t speak, the family found other ways to help him communicate. “In Pre-K, their answer to it was to find alternative methods of communication between Mason and his teacher, Mason and other kids,” Dalan said. “We did the same at home.”

Searching For Answers

“We had boards all over the house with different objects on them so he could point to what he wanted or needed at the time,” Dalan added. During that time, the couple brought Mason into countless doctors and specialists. They hoped someone would be able to tell them why Mason couldn’t speak or if he ever would speak.

Never Giving Up

“Pediatricians could never give us answers,” Dalan said. Every doctor and specialist guessed that Mason was nonverbal because of Sotos syndrome as well as the brain aneurysm he had when he was an infant. Despite what the doctors told them, the couple never gave up hope that Mason would learn to speak one day.

A Trip to The Dentist

One day, Meredith and Dalan took Mason to the dentist to deal with some unrelated dental work that he needed. Because of his special needs, the couple brought him to the KidsTown Dental since they specialize in working with children with developmental disorders. “The initial appointment was awful,” Meredith said. “He was very scared and noncooperative.”

The Tongue-Tie

However, Mason started to get more comfortable with Dr. Amy Luedemann-Lazar each time he went back for an appointment to deal with his cavities. During one appointment in early November 2017, Dr. Luedemann-Lazar noticed something concerning under Mason’s tongue. “We did detect a tongue-tie,” the dentist said.

A Physical Problem

“Mason was not nonverbal; he was just unable to speak. He had been in speech therapy for years and no one had ever checked under his tongue.” A tongue tie is a condition where a short, thick, or tight band of tissue holds the bottom of the tip of the tongue to the mouth floor. As a result, the tongue’s range of motion is restricted and can cause speech, eating, sleeping, and cavity problems. After notifying Mason’s parents and getting their approval, Luedemann-Lazar performed the simple, 10-second procedure.

An Immediate Transformation

The changes were almost immediate for Mason, who spoke for the first time in his life within hours of the procedure. “Within 12 hours, he was talking and it was amazing,” Meredith told Inside Edition. “I’m hungry. I’m thirsty. Can we watch a movie?” Mason said after the surgery. “We’re sitting here thinking, ‘Did he just say that?’” Meredith said. “It sounded like words.” That night, Mason also got the first night of restful sleep in his life.

Night and Day

“It’s like night and day. He doesn’t have choking episodes anymore; he’s eating different types of food. He’s behaving much better at school. His behavior was a problem because he was getting poor quality of sleep at night, he was constantly tired and was not able to express himself. He doesn’t snore anymore. He doesn’t have sleep apnea anymore,” Meredith said with a hint of relief. Mason is still in speech therapy and is now expected to catch up to his peers by the time he’s 13 years old.

A Message For Other Parents

“He’s always had so much to say, and now he’s finally able to form the words,” Meredith said. Now the family is sharing the incredible story to urge parents to trust their instincts when it comes to their child’s health. They also urge parents to get multiple opinions about a condition. “With the amount of pediatricians we went to, [this] should’ve been caught.”

Nonverbal 6-Year-Old Speaks For First Time After Dentist Performs 10-Second Procedure is an article from: LifeDaily

For all their millions and mansions, their fame and fortune, celebrities aren’t as lucky as they seem. This is chiefly due to the fact that even when they aren’t on the stage they are still stuck in the spotlight. The media pokes and prods at them, wheedling out their secrets and stripping them of their privacy.

In the age of the Internet and especially with social media being so prevalent in all our lives, celebrities are finding it harder and harder to hide even their best-kept secrets. Here, we’ve compiled 20 celebrities whose skeletons have been recently exposed.

Billy Ray and Miley Cyrus

Dark Celebrity Secrets Story — www.peru.com

This secret is actually a 2-for-1. Miley Cyrus is the kind of person who wears her indiscretions on her sleeve, she even gets a tattoo of them. She doesn’t have a ton of dirty laundry though, and judging by her outfits, her laundry loads are minimal. Her dad, Billy Ray is another story, however. He allegedly had an affair with a waitress while dating Miley’s mother, resulting in a half-brother the same age as Miley.

Ryan Gosling

Perhaps it’s because he’s so handsome and talented, but Ryan Gosling seems like the type of guy who must certainly have some sort of dark secret in his past. As it turns out, he doesn’t, but he does have some weird quirks like sitting while he pees, walking up stairs on hands and knees, sleeping upside down in bed and waxing his chest a couple times a month.

Rihanna

Few people know this, but world-famous pop star Rihanna had a pretty crummy childhood. Her father was an alcoholic with a crack addiction and as such, treated her very badly. It recently came to light that he was also a philanderer and had several other children by different women around town. Rihanna is actually one of several siblings, three of which she only met of late.

Megan Fox

Megan Fox may be one of the most beautiful actresses in Hollywood today, toe thumbs notwithstanding of course, but did you know that this pretty girl has one pretty gross flaw? It has been reported by many who know her that Megan Fox doesn’t flush the toilet after going to the bathroom. It’s not groundbreaking … but who does that?!

Ricky Gervais

Today, Ricky Gervais may be the king of British sarcasm, but he wasn’t always the glib, charming comedian we know and love. In the 80s, Gervais used to be part of a New Wave electronic duo called Seona Dancing. Though he found more success writing TV shows and movies, one of his band’s songs did become an underground anthem in South East Asia.

Tim Allen

Home Improvement star Tim Allen is a man who has been in and out of the news for a number of years. Most of this was due to his various, successful sitcoms but back in the early days of the actor’s career, it was due chiefly to his various misdeeds. In the late 70’s, Allen was busted for trying to smuggle a pound and a half of cocaine and spent three years in prison.

Oprah Winfrey

Oprah’s famous rags-to-riches story is well-known. It’s one that she’s told more than a couple times in her several decades of broadcasting, but what many people don’t know of the story has been carefully omitted. You see, Oprah gave birth to a child at the tender age of 14, though sadly the baby did not survive.

Jack Nicholson

Jack Nicholson is known far and wide for his various eccentricities, so it’s no wonder he was tapped to play a psychopathic crime boss at least twice. His secret, however, involves his family and his older sister who died at 26. When Nicholson was 37, he learned that this poor older sister was not his sister at all, but actually his mother.

Jay-Z

Despite the thug-like persona that Jay-Z tried to cultivate in the early days of his career, it’s not like he’s ever actually shot a person. Oh, wait, yes he did. When Jay-Z was 12, he pulled the trigger on his crack-addicted brother for stealing his ring. The brother survived though and realized the error of his ways soon after. So all’s well that ends well.

Cameron Diaz

Every Hollywood actor and actress has to start somewhere before they make it big. Some of them work as waiters, act in commercials, and others, like Hollywood hottie Cameron Diaz, tried their hand at soft-core porn. Cameron had tried to keep the secret buried for years, but if one looks hard enough, they can find a video of the then 19-year-old spanking someone in skintight latex.

Shania Twain

Like Rihanna and Oprah, Shania Twain had a rough childhood marked by poverty. After her first few years of success, however, Shania’s life had its share of tragedy and triumph. Her husband divorced her and ended up with her best friend, then Shania wound up marrying her ex-husband’s and ex-best friend’s ex-husband.

Woody Harrelson

Woody Harrelson is an incredible actor and by many accounts, a pretty stand up guy. What most people don’t know is that Woody’s family has one pretty black sheep among them. Woody’s father was a professional assassin who eventually went to prison for performing a hit on U.S. District Judge John H. Wood.

Matthew Broderick

Matthew Broderick is a fairly unassuming man, short of stature and soft-spoken. He’s also a man who caused a head-on collision that ended up killing two people, a mother, and a daughter. He swears he doesn’t remember how his car ended up in the wrong lane, though, and ultimately ended up with a mere $175 fine.

Charlize Theron

Charlize Theron is a woman who has gone to great lengths during her acting career in order to play a part. She has pushed herself physically by doing her own stunts and mentally by playing a murderess. This toughness may be due to the fact that she lived with an abusive father in South Africa – a father who was ultimately killed by her mother in self-defense.

Joaquin Phoenix

Actor Joaquin Phoenix, who once starred in a movie about cult brainwashing, used to be a member of the 1970s Children of God cult, and so were the rest of his family. The cult bashed the Bible and had an agenda of “free love” brainwashing, to mention just a few of their questionable practices. Luckily, Joaquin and his family got out when they could.

Daniel Radcliffe

Harry Potter icon Daniel Radcliffe is not the innocent young man he portrays in his movies. He also happens to be a closet alcoholic. He was actually able to keep the secret for a long while until he decided to come clean with himself about his butter-beer addiction. He admitted that he had started it as a means of fitting in when he first came of age in Hollywood.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

It’s hard to keep secrets when you live in Hollywood and even harder if you end up in politics. Former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is a man who has done both. It recently came to light that Arnold had a close-to-two-decades-long affair with his housekeeper and that he had an illegitimate teenage son with her.

Mariah Carey

Those in Hollywood are no strangers to substance abuse. This type of dependence on drugs, alcohol, and medication has claimed many lives but just as many reputations. Take songstress Mariah Carey, who reportedly drinks so much and so frequently, that her hair and makeup people must do their work while she is passed out.

Leighton Meester

Leighton Meester, the original Gossip Girl, should be no stranger to celebrity secrets. Especially since she has some of her own. Take for instance her criminal mom, who was busted while trying to smuggle more than 100 pounds of marijuana into the U.S. This was a while ago of course when she was pregnant with Leighton, but a record is a record.

Tobey Maguire

Tobey Maguire may have played a hero like Spider-Man, but apparently, his father is more like the Looter than anyone else. He became a criminal for the right reasons, of course, wanting to take care of his family, but in robbing a bank, he made the biggest mistake of his life. He had no gun, no disguise, and no getaway car, and because of his desperate foolishness, ended up in jail for two years.

20 Darkest Celebrity Secrets Exposed is an article from: LifeDaily

While political tensions are at an all-time high following the appointment of Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, the name George Soros is making its rounds among right-leaning personalities. You may even have heard the name uttered by President Trump himself…

Having lived through unthinkable traumas during the Holocaust, George Soros turned his life around at a young age to become one of the wealthiest and most successful political philanthropists in history. His work is lauded by many but condemned in equal measure, but the things that motivate one of the world’s most successful investors are somewhat surprising.

George Soros

Born in 1930 in Budapest, Soros saw things during the Nazi occupation of his country that no human being should have to experience. After being persecuted and almost killed for being born Jewish, Soros inherited a fire inside him which would propel him to unimaginable success in his adult life. The Holocaust shaped his worldview and Soros spent the next few decades realizing his dreams and aspirations, having moved to England and then America in the late 1940s.

Uncomfortable Roots

Like many Jews in Europe at the time, Soros was raised on a curious form of self-hate. His parents, Elizabeth and Teodoro, changed their Jewish name of Schwartz to Soros in 1936 in their efforts to hide their roots and assimilate. The name means “next in line,” or “designated successor,” in Hungarian. The Soros family saw the brutality of the Nazis when they occupied Hungary in 1944.

Jewish Council

When Soros was just 13, the Nazis barred Jewish children from attending school – something Soros was devastated about at the time due to his hunger for knowledge. He was made to report to the Judenrat (Jewish Council) and was then given slips of paper to deliver to other Jewish families. He told writer Michel Lewis about this period of his childhood. “The Jewish Council asked the little kids to hand out the deportation notices. I was told to go to the Jewish Council. And there I was given these small slips of paper … I took this piece of paper to my father. He instantly recognized it. This was a list of Hungarian Jewish lawyers. He said, ‘You deliver the slips of paper and tell the people that if they report they will be deported.'”

Father’s Heroism

Soros escaped from Hungary thanks to his father’s courage and heroism. His father devised a clever scheme to purchase documents showing the family was Christian and not Jewish. When Soros was 14, he posed as the Christian godson of an official of the collaborationist Hungarian government’s Ministry of Agriculture, who himself had a Jewish wife in hiding. Due to this agreement, Teodoro was able to save his immediate family from the Nazis as well as many other Hungarian Jews.

Path to Success

At the age of 17, Soros was lucky enough to escape to London in 1947. Soon after he arrived, being the ever-ambitious character he was, Soros enrolled at the London School of Economics. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Philosophy in 1951 and a Master of Science in Philosophy in 1954. However, Soros came from humble roots, working both as a railway porter and a waiter during his time in London.

Soros Fund Management

After completing his studies, Soros started taking jobs at different merchant banks, both in the U.K. and in the U.S. When he had the opportunity, he started his first hedge find, called Double Eagle in 1969. The profits he made from that would ultimately pave the way for the massively influential and somewhat controversial Soros Fund Management company. But Double Eagle, which he renamed Quantum Fund, was his main source of income, and the firm’s initial $12 million in assets under management would grow considerably.

Clever Investor

Whatever can be said for or against him, George Soros was a savvy investor and understood economics on an almost prophetic level. His notoriety started when he became known as “The Man Who Broke the Bank of England.” This was due to his understanding of the markets when he short sold $10 billion worth of pound sterling in 1992, making him a tidy profit of $1 billion. As of February of this year, Soros had a net worth of $25 billion, including $18 billion in his philanthropic bank account: Open Society Foundation.

Theory of Reflexivity

Soros is an economic genius who developed his own theory called the “Theory of Reflexivity.” As an avid student and fan of Karl Popper from the London School of Economics, Soros honed the theory that posits that market values are driven by ideas and not only by the economic fundamentals of any given situation. In other words, ideas and events influence each other in reflexive loops, hence the name, and this process leads to what’s called “procyclical virtuous or vicious cycles of boom and bust.” This theory certainly worked for Soros and is the reason many suggest he manipulates global societies.

Open Society Foundation

Many American centrists, conservatives and Republicans consider Soros a globalist, assuming that any and all liberal-leaning political movements have his support. He’s even been dubbed by some as a “dangerous puppet master.” However, some consider Soros a main factor in stopping the spread of Communism in Europe.

Paid Protestors

As well as funding the Hillary Clinton campaign and many other Democrat campaigns, Soros is accused of being an agitator. This claim comes from allegations that his foundation pays radical left-wing Antifa protestors to push his agenda. This was most recently seen on Capitol Hill after some 300 screaming protestors heckled and berated U.S. Senators ahead of the controversial Brett Kavanaugh nomination. Even the president is aware of the man …

Trump vs. Soros

President Trump, who is renowned and notorious for speaking his mind, has lashed out at Soros numerous times, convinced he is part of some ‘New World Order’ that wants to destroy democracy. Politico reported on Trump’s latest tweets regarding Soros. He alleged that the protestors in the corridors of the Senate during the Justice Kavanaugh confirmation vote were paid by Soros-funded initiatives, despite a lack of proof to that end.

Democracy Alliance

There’s little question that George Soros has his hands in many pies. His political activism sparked for the first time in 2004 in the most substantial way after he strongly opposed the Bush election, donating nearly $24 million to groups against Bush. When Bush was elected, Soros and his colleagues were perturbed. As a result of that election, Soros and other donors opened a new political fundraising group called Democracy Alliance. This alliance supports progressive causes in a big way and calls for a “stronger progressive infrastructure in America.”

Good Causes

Despite allegations of political meddling and even wanting to cause a coup in America, Soros has donated to some very worthwhile funds which have transformed the lives of many Americans. Back in 2009 for example, Soros donated $35 million to the state of New York to be earmarked for underprivileged children and given to parents who had benefit cards at the rate of $200 per child aged 3 through 17. The state also put in $140 million from funds recovered from the 2009 federal recovery act, and that money went a long way to transforming the futures of thousands of citizens.

Supporting Democrats

In many ways, Soros earned his reputation for being anti-GOP. In 2012, he donated $1 million to a super PAC backing Barack Obama. Then, in 2013 he donated $25,000 to the “Ready for Hillary” campaign, and another $1 million in 2015. But there was more to come as the race to the White House heated up, and Soros donated a further $6 million to the Hillary PAC in 2015. Soros makes no bones about his progressive leanings, and many take issue with him.

Destabilizing Governments

Soros has also been accused by six U.S. senators, in a letter to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, of influencing Macedonian politics. They have asked that records be released under the Freedom of Information Act regarding $5 million they allege Soros transferred to an Open Society branch in Macedonia. It’s their contention that Soros deliberately donated that money in order to destabilize the Macedonian government.

Conspiracy Theories

From election rigging to the 2017 Women’s March, Soros has been accused by the political right for all the ills of America and the rest of the world. Due to his heavy influence and track record, many accuse him of being a ghastly puppet master who manipulates global economy and politics. Veronika Bondarenko, writing for Business Insider, summed it up well when she wrote: “For two decades, some have seen Soros as a kind of puppet master secretly controlling the global economy and politics,” and other right-leaning publications have also condemned him.

Dangerous Man

As well as being an avid Trump hater, it’s no surprise that Soros was a strong opponent of Brexit. Bill O’Reilly gave a 10-minute monologue in 2007 on Fox News, calling Soros an “extremist” and claiming he was “off-the-charts dangerous.” Breitbart News also accused him of promoting East European nationalism as well as destroying the “fabric of U.S. society.” In February, the Daily Telegraph in Britain was even accused of anti-semitism for claiming Soros was involved in a “secret plot” to reverse the Brexit decision.

On Israel

Despite being Jewish, Soros is no fan of Israel. When asked about his thoughts on Israel by the New Yorker, Soros replied, “I don’t deny the Jews to a right to a national existence – but I don’t want anything to do with it.” But hacked emails from the Open Society Foundation note that the organization’s objective is to “challenging Israel’s racist and anti-democratic policies” in international forums.

Even Handed

Soros is always measured with his words, and displays a certain even-handedness, despite his socialist tendencies. When questioned further on his views on Israel, in an article for The New York Review of Books, Soros said: “I do not subscribe to the myths propagated by enemies of Israel, and I am not blaming Jews for anti-Semitism. Anti-Semitism predates the birth of Israel. Neither Israel’s policies nor the critics of those policies should be held responsible for anti-Semitism. At the same time, I do believe that attitudes toward Israel are influenced by Israel’s policies, and attitudes toward the Jewish community are influenced by the pro-Israel lobby’s success in suppressing divergent views.”

Two Sides

Most people either love or hate George Soros depending where they fall on the political spectrum. Those on the left call him a champion of human rights and a philanthropist for the most worthwhile causes. At the same time, those on the right consider him to be an agitator and a very dangerous man who manipulates world politics and economies to serve his progressive outlook. Whatever people think of Soros, there’s no doubt that he is a highly successful man in his own right and a revolutionary thinker and economist of our time.

George Soros: From Exceptional Success to Global Controversy is an article from: LifeDaily

Plenty of birthday parties take place inside of fast food restaurants. They’ve got inexpensive food people can agree on and often have a little playground for kids to enjoy. But that’s the thing: fast food birthday parties are normally for kids.

But don’t tell that to a certain elderly gentleman. He would spend one special birthday at his favorite restaurant and while he was there, he would get a very special surprise.

Loyal Customer

Stephen was a very loyal customer of the Chick-fil-A in Oldsmar, Florida. He’d been going to the restaurant, known for its chicken sandwiches for around twenty years. To say that he liked their food was a drastic understatement.

Daily Habit

In fact, for the last fifteen of those years, Stephen had been coming to that same Chick-fil-A nearly every day. He was a creature of habit. He would order the exact same meal and sit in the exact same booth without fail.

Getting There

But Stephen was no spring chicken, if you’ll pardon the pun. He’d been kicking around for close to 100 years and when you’re that old, simple things that wouldn’t be a problem for you in your youth are suddenly a big deal.

Moving In

In 2017, Stephen fell down and hurt himself. Believe it or not, he was living on his own up until that point. After the incident, his son insisted that the near-centenarian come and live with him.

Cutting Back

Stephen’s son’s home was a bit farther away from the Chick-fil-A, so he reduced his near-daily visits down to about once a week. But when he did go to his favorite restaurant, he would still get the same order and sit in the same booth.

Taking Time

As some elderly people tend to do, Stephen would spend hours at the restaurant each time he had a meal there. Considering he’d been eating at the restaurant for longer than nearly all of the employees had worked there, he was something of an institution for them.

Very Friendly

The employees got to know him pretty well and referred to him as “Mr. Steve.” They knew that his one hundredth birthday was coming up and they wanted to do something special for such a loyal and beloved customer.

Birthday Surprise

So his birthday, September 21, Stephen Bellissimo went down to the Chick-fil-A to have a treat on his special day, he got a wholly unexpected surprise. The restaurant was decorated with banners, streamers, and balloons and there were TV cameras from the local FOX affiliate in attendance.

Gift Of a Lifetime

What’s more, there was a giant novelty check hanging on one of the walls. They weren’t gifting him a million dollars or anything like that but, for Stephen, it was a gift that was probably just a valuable.

What’s All This?

Stephen was bewildered by all hullabaloo when he walked in. He was greeted with a hug and a happy birthday from one of his favorite employees. He didn’t have too much time to remain astonished because the main event was about to happen.

Lifetime Supply

“Mr. Steve, we want to give you Chick-fil-A for the rest of your life,” marketing director Brittani Craft said. As he heard the words, a smile spread across Stephen’s face. His hundredth birthday was turning out to be one of his best.

Completely Unexpected

“Oh, I think this is just one great surprise for me. I didn’t expect anything like this,” the centenarian said after learning of his life-long present. “That is the best gift I could ever receive! Thank you very much!”

For Them Too

It was a gift for the employees of that particular Chick-fil-A as well, considering they all loved seeing Mr. Steve as often as they could. “He makes everyone here feel loved and welcomed,” said Craft.

The Usual

As always, Stephen got his same exact order. With all of the commotion, he wanted to make sure everything else would be in place as usual. “Can I get my same booth?” he asked.

Change Of Schedule

“I can’t believe it!” Stephen exclaimed, still overwhelmed by the entire experience. “Instead of coming once a week,” he said, “Now I’m coming every day!”

Not The Only One

But Stephen Bellissimo wasn’t the only Chick-fil-A customer to receive a supply of free food from the company. The company has somewhat of a habit of giving away free food to some if its more notable customers.

Little Nugget

Perhaps the most bizarre situation in which a customer got free food from the chain was when a baby was born in a Chick-fil-A restaurant. When Gracelyn Griffin’s mother Falon went into labor, her husband Robert drove her to a Chick-fil-A restaurant where they were meeting a family friend to drop of their children on the way to the hospital.

Let Us In!

When they got to the parking lot, Falon desperately had to use the bathroom but the Chick-fil-A was already closed. The couple banged on the restaurants doors until staff members who were cleaning up for the night let them inside.

It’s Happening

Once in the restroom, Falon began screaming and the night took a sharp turn. Robert rushed in while one of the employees dialed 911 but there was no time that. Gracelyn’s head was “just barely crowning,” when Robert got into the bathroom so they delivered the baby right then and there.

Chick-Chick

The entire ordeal took just over five minutes. After delivering their “little nugget” in the restroom of his restaurant, the owner of the franchise Ben Stover told the Griffins that Gracelyn would get free Chick-fil-A for life and a guaranteed job when she turned 16.

Loyal Customer Gets ‘Best Gift’ From Chick-Fil-A On His 100th Birthday is an article from: LifeDaily

Aside from the minor inconveniences associated with hauling suitcases and waiting in airports, it’s safe to assume that just about everyone likes going on vacation. Who doesn’t love visiting a place they’ve never been, experiencing a unique culture and unique experience?

Of course, the farther afield you go, the more likely it will be that you’ll have to fly – something that many people do only begrudgingly. Bill Jaynes wasn’t afraid of flying as a rule, but a journey across the world to Micronesia wasn’t what one would call an easy trip. And it was about to get a whole lot harder.

Popular Airline

Air Niugini Plane Crash Story — Shutterstock

Since 1973, Air Niugini has been proud to be the national airline of Papua New Guinea. It’s planes have flown across land and sea, from as close to their borders as Manila, in the Philippines, to as far as Sydney and Singapore. The most recent flight was headed to Micronesia.

From All Around

Passenger Bill Jaynes was on Flight PX 073 headed into Micronesia along with a number of other passengers. Some were from parts of Micronesia, headed home to Chuuk Island airport. Others, like Bill, were traveling there from Papua New Guinea, and Australia as well. Most of them were tourists.

Micronesia

Micronesia is located north of Australia and east of the Philippines and has close ties with the U.S. under an agreement known as the Compact of Free Association. It is home to just over 100,000 people and is made up of five sovereign independent nations: the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, and Nauru. The three U.S. territories there are Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and Wake Island.

Safe Flight

Thus far in his journey, Bill had experienced a rather safe flight. Suddenly, as the plane was coming in for a landing, Bill felt something peculiar in the pit of his stomach. This wasn’t your run-of-the-mill altitude change, however. No, the plane was coming in very low and very fast.

Low Landing

Bill believed that the plane had simple landed hard. That was until he looked over to the side of the plane and saw the gaping hole there. Flight attendants began panicking and yelling about and water began to fill the inside of the plane. Bill wasn’t sure what to do, so he got to his feet and began heading toward the exits.

Heard Something

Meanwhile, hotel employee Louie Mallari was busy working when he heard the sound of an engine rumbling in the sky above them. It was the sound of an approaching plane, not unusual since the hotel was next to the airport, but different, worrying. The sound was punctuated by a great splash of water and the distant sounds of screaming.

Wading Through

Chuuk, the place where the airport is located, is known for its world-class diving. The oceanic waters there are tomb and grave to dozens of WWII shipwrecks, all of which are visible in the clear tropical waters. Unfortunately for Bill and the other 46 people on Flight PX 073, they were dangerously close to joining their sunken ranks.

Rescue Boats

Bill and the others gathered what little they could and waded through waist-deep water to get to the emergency exits before the rapidly filling plane sank in earnest. They gripped the handles and pushed out the doors, only to see a number of fishing vessels heading towards them across the open water. The rescue was on its way.

Local Boats

“I was really impressed with the locals who immediately started coming out in boats,” Bill explained after the accident. “One would think that they might be afraid to approach a plane that’s just crashed.” Nevertheless, it was a good thing that so many of the people who live in that part of the world use boats to work and travel.

U.S. Help

The U.S. Navy, which has some sailors stationed in the nearby wharf, came to the rescue as well. They launched a number of inflatable boats to shuttle people to shore while the plane sank in the 108 feet of water below. It would have been a dire result indeed if so many people hadn’t taken the risk and come out to rescue the sinking passengers and crew.

Unclear Sequence

As for how the plane fell to the earth in the first place? Well, that remains to be seen. Based on Bill Jaynes’ description, the plane must have hit the end of the runway and continued into the water. Air Niugini attests that the plane actually landed just short of the runway and fell into the water that way.

Fortunate

Glen Harris, a government aviation inspector, weighed in on the incident. Glen works for the Federated States of Micronesia and explained that the plane left from the Micronesian island of Pohnpei, which lies about 700 kilometers to the east, before ending up in the water at about 10 a.m. local time. He added that they were really fortunate not to have any casualties.

Investigation

For his part, Harris also stated that he doesn’t know what caused the crash landing. He also didn’t know whether the pilots had alerted air traffic control to any problems prior to going down. His investigative team is still hard at work investigating the issue, but it looks as though the poor weather and reduced visibility might be the true causes of the incident.

Survivors

Regardless what caused the crash, it is still lucky that all 47 passengers and crew survived the accident relatively unscathed. Though seven of them were injured in the tumble into the lagoon, those seven were quickly transported to a hospital and are being tended to. In fact, only one of them has been described as being in critical, but stable condition.

Similar Crashes

The crash itself, a water landing that resulted in no deaths, seems somewhat reminiscent of another famous plane crash: U.S. Airways flight 1549. Otherwise known as “Miracle on the Hudson,” the 2009 crash landing in New York City was a crisis mostly averted by the quick thinking of now-famous hero pilot, Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger.

Sully

At the time, 57-year-old Chesley Sullenberger, a former fighter pilot, was in command on the flight deck. Sully had left the United States Air Force in 1980 to join the private sector as an airline pilot. By the time Flight 1549 went into the sky, Sully had logged 19,663 total flight hours. It was a good thing he had…

Miracle on the Hudson

Flight 1549 had only barely taken off when both of the engines failed. This was chiefly due to the flock of geese it had struck whilst flying away from New York’s LaGuardia Airport. Luckily for the people inside, Sully and his co-pilot Jeffrey Skiles were able to safely land the completely powerless plane on the Hudson River so that the passengers and crew could be safely rescued.

Ongoing Safety

Today, Air Niugini is doing everything it can to ensure that the accident which befell Flight PX 073 never happens again. They have also made sure that all the immediate needs of the passengers are being met. They also made sure to publicly apologize for the trauma their customers and employee have been put through.

Sending Help

“Air Niugini is now positioning assistance to Chuuk for our passengers and crew,” the airline announced after the crash. “We are also in touch with the embassies, passenger representatives, stakeholders and families of the crew.” Though they may not bear lasting physical scars from the ordeal, some of them might bear psychological ones for years.

Any Landing…

Bill Jaynes only managed to suffer a minor head injury in all the hullabaloo but came out of it rather unscathed. When he was free and safe, he called his wife, who started crying in relief. Both of them were just happy that he was alive. “I’m alive,” Bill said. “That’s an extremely good thing.”

Boeing 737 Crashes Into Micronesian Lagoon and Miraculously Everyone Survives is an article from: LifeDaily