Sliver of Hope

[SubGod22]

Social media isn't all bad.

Owner Standing By Door Hoping For Customers Gets Sudden Influx After Facebook Post

Today's good news story comes from Norman, Oklahoma.

The owner of a hot dog establishment in Oklahoma got more than he expected when a customer's photo turned his slow day into a bustling success.

Scott Hosek, owner of "Spirals: Hot Dogs & More" in Norman, found himself standing by the restaurant entrance on December 20, hoping for customers. Little did he know that a photo taken by a customer, Nick Chappell, and shared on social media would turn the tide.

Chappell, an Oklahoma Army National Guard member in the area for work, stumbled upon Spirals through Google Maps with a co-worker during their weekly hot dog Wednesday routine. Sensing Hosek's eagerness for customers, Chappell decided to capture the "wholesome moment" on Snapchat and shared it on Facebook with a positive recommendation for the restaurant.

The Facebook post garnered over 2,000 shares, leading to an influx of over 70 guests at the diner during Chappell's subsequent visit. Despite Chappell's offer to take down the post, Hosek insisted otherwise. Reflecting on the impact of social media, Hosek expressed his amazement at how unexpected strategies can be successful.

"To know that it was a humble guy that just saw our need and did what he could," said Hosek. "He doesn’t have a real following on social media, he hardly ever shares anything and to know that one post had so much power. It was super cool."

Looks like Spirals has some interesting twists on their food.

[SubGod22]

Sometimes, the simplest things bring the purest joy.

Elderly Woman's Dream of Petting a Penguin is Fulfilled for Christmas - it Brings Her to Tears (WATCH)

An elderly woman cried tears of joy when her daughter fulfilled her lifelong dream of petting a real penguin.

Christine Cross is a super fan of all things penguin, and for a Christmas gift, her daughter Lindsay Cross made her dream come true.

A video shows the 76-year-old overcome with emotion after petting the bird at SeaWorld in San Diego, California.

“When I actually told her about the present she didn’t say any words. It was more like an excited noise,” recalls Lindsay.

Christine, a retired special needs teacher, has always loved penguins and feels very connected to them.

“She associated herself with them because they’re clumsy on land but graceful in the water. My mum was the same. She’s an absolute clutz but as soon as she gets in the water she’s so graceful.”

The video shows the woman overcome by emotion. It's touching.

[SubGod22]

She Wrote A Book In 1972, It Was Rejected Over And Over. On Christmas, Her Grandson Surprised Her With Her Book

Today's good news story comes from Baltimore, Maryland.

This Christmas, the magic of the season unfolded in the heartwarming story of Barbara Rieco, a grandmother whose long-lost dream was unwrapped by her grandson, Chad Cooper, in an extraordinary holiday surprise.

n 1972, Barbara Rieco penned a heartfelt children's book that held her dreams and aspirations within its pages. Despite her best efforts, the manuscript faced repeated rejection from publishers, leading her to eventually set aside her dreams of becoming a published author.

Little did she know that, decades later, her grandson would turn those dreams into reality.

Chad Cooper, a design and production professional based in New York City, decided to give his grandmother the ultimate Christmas gift – the publication of her cherished book. Visiting her in Baltimore for the holidays, he secretly took her original manuscript, along with the illustrations she had commissioned from an artist in Vietnam years ago, and transformed them into a beautifully printed book.

On Christmas morning, as Barbara unwrapped the carefully crafted gift, she was overcome with emotion as she realized the magnitude of the surprise.

The moment, captured by Chad on TikTok, quickly resonated with viewers, and the video went viral.

"This is probably the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me in my entire life," Barbara says in the video. "In my entire life."

Chad's thoughtful gesture didn't just end with the surprise; he also included a link to the book on Amazon, making it available to the public.

The response was nothing short of miraculous – within days, Barbara's once-forgotten book skyrocketed to the top of Amazon's bestseller list, earning the coveted spot as a #1 best seller.

Can't see it on the work computer, but I believe there are links to the videos in the article. I'll have to go pull them up on the phone later when I get a chance.

[SubGod22]

Girl Will Open Latest Christmas Gift From Elderly Neighbor Who Pre-bought 14 Years of Presents Before he Died

A seven-year-old is preparing to open the most recent of 14 years’ worth of Christmas gifts pre-bought by her elderly neighbor before he died of cancer.

Cadi Williams is looking forward to opening her sixth mystery present from Ken Watson, who was 87 when he passed away five years ago.

After the funeral, Ken’s family was surprised to find a sack full of 14 wrapped presents for the wee girl who was then only two. Cadi’s parents were “knocked off their feet” by his thoughtfulness, which he had kept secret from everyone.

“It was magical and heart-warming,” said her father Owen Williams. “It was the feeling that gets you in the throat—when your brain is processing quicker than your heart can take it.”

Thus began the tradition of Cadi opening her ‘Ken gift’ every Christmas Eve, when the family brings it down from the attic—and so far, she’s unwrapped toys, books and games.

“We tell Cadi about how, on a dark night in December, her neighbor passed away. She doesn’t really remember him, but you can always keep someone’s memory alive by telling stories.

“There’s something quite powerful about a kindly neighbor who put away these gifts.

“What’s sweet is seeing my daughter’s development as well. She’s gone from being a toddler when this started and now she’s seven. It’s like a record of her growing up.”

I really liked this one.

#BeMoreKen

[SubGod22]

At our core, people are good.

6 Strangers Drop Everything to Help Man Find Wedding Ring Lost While Doing Yard Work

Normally raking the yard is the kind of elbow grease that leaves a sense of accomplishment in its wake, but when Michigan resident Joseph Novetske finished raking his yard, he was left dispirited.

That’s because the 80-year-old realized he lost the wedding ring he had worn for 42 years of graced matrimony with his wife, Mary Ann Novetske, 71.

Searching as best he could, the day crawled to an end, so Mary stepped in to help on the morrow. She went on Facebook to the group What’s Happening in Charlotte Michigan Right Now which has a few hundred of the town’s 9,200 residents.

Asking if anyone had a metal detector, Mary also explained what had happened and then went to church with her husband. When they got out, the post had blown up with people offering to drop everything they were doing to come help look among the blades of grass and piles of leaves. Several brought metal detectors.

“They didn’t know us, but here they were, willing to help,” said Mary Ann Novetske. “It was exciting to see so many people care about this.”

She told the Washington Post that from that moment it really felt like it was their community.

The band was handcrafted ahead of the wedding in 1981, and the couple chose vines ensnaring a cross. Even with its shiny exterior and the sun on the afternoon of November 5th, the metal detectors and the volunteers were unable to find it.

[SubGod22]

Deaf Girl Meets Santa Properly for the First Time Thanks to Elf Who Signs

A little deaf girl has been able to tell Santa all by herself what she wants for Christmas for the first time—thanks to an elf who was trained in sign language.

Emily Andrews, four, was captured in a heartwarming video reeling off her wish list via Melanie Boyeson, who acted as an interpreter for the youngster.

The ‘magical’ clip shows Emily asking for a doll, pram, earrings and a blue dragon using sign language while Melanie relays the message to Father Christmas.

Mom Tanya Andrews, 35, said it ‘amazing’ to see ‘everyone become part of Emily’s world’.

She said: “It was just a magical experience. Emily being able to communicate freely with the elf and tell Santa what she wanted was just amazing.

“After the experience, I was in tears. It was so magical to see Emily’s face light up.

“At first she was a little bit shy, probably because she’s never been able to communicate with Santa before, but Melanie was so encouraging.

“A huge thank you to everyone involved for making this magical moment possible.” (WATCH it in a video below…)

Things like this just make me feel warm and fuzzy in my tum tum.

[Kung Wu]

In my hometown when I was young, there was a nice little restaurant that Disney went after because they had cartoon caricatures drawn on their menu or the tables or something.

Guess I better scrap the idea of rebranding Shockernet to WalterDizney.com Even had a sweet Nicky Mouse all drawn up in my brain and everything.

[SubGod22]

Country Star Steps in to Pay Woman's $250,000 Court Damages for Using His Likeness - a Case he Was Unaware of

When Country music star Luke Combs learned that a big fan was fined a quarter million dollars for using his likeness, Combs stepped in to help.

A company contracted by Combs’ management identified Florida resident Nicol Harness as selling tumblers and t-shirts with his likeness on them on Amazon. Taking her to court, they won a $250,000 damages judgment, money which Harness, who has congestive heart failure, did not have, and had no means of obtaining.

“She told me she was absolutely shocked by this,” Combs said in a social media post. “I’m so apologetic. Talking to her, it makes me sick honestly that this would happen, especially at the holiday.”

In total, Pinellas had sold just 18 tumblers, earning a total of $360. She had no idea that she was targeted along with a suite of other illegal online vendors in an October lawsuit filed in a court in Illinois.

“So, we do have a company that goes after folks, only supposedly large corporations operating internationally that make millions and millions of dollars, making counterfeit T-shirts, things of that nature run illegal businesses,” Combs explained. “And apparently this woman, Nicol, has somehow gotten wrapped into that.”

Combs said Harness told him she had $5,500 locked in her Amazon account, which the judge determined had to go toward the 250K she has been ordered to pay Combs.

“I’m gonna double that send her $11,000 today just so she doesn’t have anything to worry about,” Combs said. “She was never supposed to be involved in anything like this.”

Furthermore, Combs has decided to license an official tumbler to sell on his online stores with the proceeds going to fund Harness’ medical bills.

I understand how it all works, but agree with Combs in how it should be targeted at those selling knockoff merch and making bank. In my hometown when I was young, there was a nice little restaurant that Disney went after because they had cartoon caricatures drawn on their menu or the tables or something. I don't recall if they were exactly like the Disney characters or just close enough. Nothing about them was being used for profit or any such thing, they were simply decoration.

It's also pretty shitty that you can end up in a lawsuit like this and never even know it. With all of the bullshit that gets passed along in email, how in the hell does that count as an official notice?

[SubGod22]

Then there's the woman so many love to hate on, but she's constantly doing a lot of good.

Taylor Swift Donates $1 Million To Tennessee Communities Devastated By Tornadoes

In the wake of the destructive tornadoes that swept through several Tennessee counties over the weekend, Taylor Swift is demonstrating her compassion by contributing $1 million to the Tennessee Emergency Response Fund managed by the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

The CEO of the community foundation, Hal Cato, has officially verified Swift's generous donation.

"Taylor's incredibly generous gift sends a message to her hometown, and the communities around it, that she has their backs during the long road to recovery following this devastating event," Cato said.

Swift attended Hendersonville High School, one of several counties impacted by the storms.

This act of kindness is not the first instance of Taylor Swift quietly engaging in philanthropy.

During her Eras Tour this year, the newly minted billionaire made substantial donations to food banks in every city she visited across the United States. Swift's altruism also extended to her tour family. The singer generously distributed $55 million in bonuses to dancers, truck drivers, sound crew, and catering staff.

[SubGod22]

As someone who enjoys nature, and the diversity therein, this one makes me smile.

In World First, Scimitar Horned Oryx Upgraded from Extinct in Wild to Endangered Owing to Decades of Zoo Work

In one of Africa’s last great wildernesses, a remarkable thing has happened—the scimitar-horned oryx, once declared extinct in the wild, is now classified only as endangered.

It’s the first time the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the world’s largest conservation organization, has ever moved a species on its Red List from ‘Extinct in the Wild’ to ‘Endangered.’

The recovery was down to the conservation work of zoos around the world, but also from game breeders in the Texas hill country, who kept the oryx alive while the governments of Abu Dhabi and Chad worked together on a reintroduction program.

Chad is one of the most corrupt countries on Earth, and ranks second-lowest on the UN Development Index. Nevertheless, it is within this North African country that can be found the Ouadi Rimé-Ouadi Achim Faunal Reserve, a piece of protected desert and savannah the size of Scotland—around 30,000 square miles, or 10 times the size of Yellowstone.

At a workshop in Chad’s capital of N’Djamena, in 2012, Environment Abu Dhabi, the government of Chad, the Sahara Conservation Fund, and the Zoological Society of London, all secured the support of local landowners and nomadic herders for the reintroduction of the scimitar-horned oryx to the reserve.

And for all the people that jump on the zoo's are bad bandwagon, here's a giant F U to them. Are there some bad zoo's? I'm sure there are. Are there good zoo's doing everything they can to preserve life and give animals the best life and care that they can while hoping to further their existence? Absolutely. And without a worldwide network of zoo's, this probably doesn't happen and these beautiful creatures are lost forever.

[ShockTalk]

This one hit me in the feels.

Pilot Announces in a Heartwarming Reveal That Young Passenger is Now Cancer Free (Watch)



I see where the video should be at the bottom of the article, but I believe my work computer won't access it. I'll have to go find it elsewhere later.

Be sure you do that.

[SubGod22]

This one hit me in the feels.

Pilot Announces in a Heartwarming Reveal That Young Passenger is Now Cancer Free (Watch)

Make-A-Wish Foundation is famous for giving kids moments they’ll never forget, even if their time is limited to remember them.

But a sneaky trick, played with the help of a cooperative airline pilot and passengers gave a child named Jacob an experience in every way equal to meeting Michael Jordan or John Cena.

A boy named Jacob was flying with his mother when the pilot suddenly chimed in on the intercom saying he was proud of the young man.

“Jacob, just before takeoff, a representative from Make-A-Wish made contact with the airline. We were informed that you no longer meet the requirements to be a Make-A-Wish candidate,” he said.

I see where the video should be at the bottom of the article, but I believe my work computer won't access it. I'll have to go find it elsewhere later.

[WstateU]

As we've discussed previously, Gary Sinise is a good dude.

Gary Sinise Foundation Host More Than 700 Families Of Fallen Military Heroes At Disney World



There's a nearly six minute video at the end of the article about Snowball for anyone interested.

Awesome guy!

It doesn't get much better than Gary Sinise, aka Lieutenant Dan Taylor...

[SubGod22]

As we've discussed previously, Gary Sinise is a good dude.

Gary Sinise Foundation Host More Than 700 Families Of Fallen Military Heroes At Disney World

Today's good news story comes from Orlando, Florida.

This past week, the Gary Sinise Foundation hosted more than 1,800 children and spouses of fallen military heroes at Disney World.

The holidays can be especially challenging for grieving families.

Each December, the Gary Sinise Foundation hosts a five-day "Snowball Express" event at Disney World for families of fallen military heroes.

"Over the course of 5 days, these deserving families were given the opportunity to make new memories, experience the magic of Disney World, and connect with the only people who truly understand the healing journey they are on...each other," Sinise said.

As part of the retreat, a remembrance garden was established with hundreds of American flags representing the heroes the families lost and their sacrifices.

Families also participated in a "Walk of Gratitude" at Magic Kingdom Park, where cast members lined the street, greeting them with a hero's welcome as families made their way toward Cinderella’s Castle.

During the walk, families wrote personal messages to their fallen hero on a scroll, then the children of fallen military heroes rang bells to sent those messages to those they lost.

Families were also treated to a concert in EPCOT by Gary Sinise & the Lt. Dan Band.

There's a nearly six minute video at the end of the article about Snowball for anyone interested.

[SubGod22]

Principal Adopts Student Who Was Sent to His Office

A middle school principal in Kentucky adopted a girl who was acting out after she had spent her whole life in and out of foster homes. Sent to his office after being suspended, he realized that she just needed, perhaps one time, for “something to go in her favor.”

Kentucky school principal Jason Smith walked out of his office one day and saw a girl from the 6th grade sitting on a chair by the door—suspended for throwing a cup of yogurt during lunch.

One can only imagine how much delinquency and mischief Smith had seen throughout his 14 years in charge of the school, but something about the girl struck him that day. Asking whether she thought such behavior was acceptable at a restaurant, Raven Whitaker replied she had never been to one.

Where she had been was in and out of foster homes for most of her life, where foster moms and dads had made plenty of promises they were unable to keep.

“At that point, I had felt like she just needed a hand, needed help,” Smith told Good Morning America. “I recognized that she needed something to go in her favor, maybe for once, that it hadn’t gone in her favor in the past, but she just needed somebody to help her.”

After discussing it with his wife Marybeth, she believed there was something special about Raven.

The couple had struggled with infertility for years, and had previously failed to turn foster children they’d hosted into candidates for adoption. After discussing the matter with Raven’s case worker in 2015, they heard that they too could foster her. They also talked with her personally about the matter.

You never know what someone is going through. Props to this man for seeing that there was more going on with this one and did something about it.