Fleet’s Good News: The Final Edition

Fleets Good News: The Final Edition

May 28, 2018

    Hey, you made it! It’s the end of the school year, which is good news in and of itself. As we wind down our final weeks inside dear ole Reynolds High, it’s only right to end on a high note, with a final edition of Fleet’s Good News.

    As I was writing this story I was scrolling through Twitter and encounter our first tidbit of good news. If there is one thing I have learned through writing this column, it’s that while positive inspiration can come from unlikely sources, it usually comes from dogs. And don’t come in here with all that “I’m more of a cat person” nonsense, if you are pro-feline, promptly exit out of this article. We don’t need you here.

  

    Anyways, back to dogs. Check out this video. With most things, the more you think about them, the more depressing they become. Take the sun for example. Seems pretty neutral at first glance, but the more you meditate on it, you realize it’s a cosmic explosion that will one day envelop the earth in fire and fury. But this video defies such logic. At first view, you may giggle at a group of dogs jumping rope in unison. But then think about the hours of work that it must’ve taken to get to this point. Each dog wakes up at 5am in the morning and trains to become a jumping machine. In order to pull off this miniature miracle, each dog has to possess the wherewithal to see the rope approaching and simultaneously jump in unison. I mean most humans can’t do this. 10 points for dogs on this one. This is simply delightful.

 

    Next up we have Australian man James Harrison. He has been dubbed “the man with the golden arm.” You may ask why? A pitching phenom?  A mere spray tan enthusiast? Neither. Mr. Harrison is Fleet’s Good News material for a far more unique gift. The 81 year old Aussie possesses a rare antibody in his blood that scientists have used to pioneer a life saving program. In essence, the plasma in James’ blood contains a unique genetic makeup that can be extracted and turned into the Anti-D injection. Doctors use the Anti-D injection to save the lives of babies whose mothers bodies begin to reject them. Heavy stuff. But the good news lies in the fact that Harrison, a man who is deathly afraid of needles, has donated blood over 1,000 times since this discovery was made, and the Red Cross has estimated that he has saved over 2.4 million infant lives. That number is so big it’s hard to wrap your head around. This kind man has saved millions of lives through the kindness in his heart and the antibodies in his blood. Now that’s good news.

 

    On a lighter note, quick sports update. This fall, when it was announced Jerry Richardson was expected to sell the Carolina Panthers, local football fans all faced the grim prospect of relocation. The sale of the team to the wrong owner could see Charlotte’s beloved team leave town at the whim of a belligerent billionaire. Good news came on May 15th, when it was announced that David Tepper, a minority owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, would take helm of the franchise. Tepper made quick business of dispelling the fears brewing amongst Panthers fans, assuring the world that the team would remain in Carolina. His first statement to the public read,  “What’s the name of the team? … Carolina Panthers. It’s going to be the Carolina Panthers. There is a logical place for this team – it’s Charlotte.” Fear not Panthers fans, the team is here to stay for a long time.

 

    Now, on a more personal note, the Pine Whispers Staff is as ready as anyone for summer to start. But before they escaped Society Hill, we caught up with them regarding their summer plans.

 

    Well, that’s all I’ve got for now. It’s looking like this may be my last Good News of the year, but that doesn’t mean you should stop seeking good news. It may seem hard at first glance, but my research for these pieces consist of literally googling “uplifting stories” or just asking people what was the last thing that made them happy. Positivity is there, just look for it.