Good Living Guide

News

The British Get Drunk More Often Than Anyone In World, Survey Finds

by Leave a Comment

A new survey has determined that the British get drunk more often than anyone in the world.  The USA, Canada and Australia follow closely behind at the top of the global rankings.

British Get Drunk More Often

The eighth annual Global Drug Survey is an independent London research organization.  Its founder is Professor Adam R. Winstock, a British and Australian trained Consultant Psychiatrist, Addiction Medicine Specialist and Researcher.

The British Get Drunk More Often

Based on a survey of 123,814 subjects from 36 countries, it was revealed that British people get drunk the most frequently.  Some of the more interesting facts include:

• On a global scale, the participants reported getting drunk an average of 33 times within the past 12 months.

• The amount of times participants from English-speaking countries reported getting drunk were 51 in the UK, 50 in the United States, 48 in Canada, and 47 in Australia. Those from South American countries got drunk on the fewest number of occasions per year with 16 times in Chile, 22 times in Colombia and 23 times in Argentina.

• The subjects reported actually getting drunk on 20% of occasions. The highest rates of regret about getting drunk were among women aged 25 years and older (24.2%), and the lowest rates were among males aged 25 years and younger (17%).

• The results below are from the 2019 Global Drug Survey, showing that respondents from the UK got drunk more times per year than people from any other country.

British Get Drunk More Often Than Anyone In World, Survey Finds

School Bully Assault Nearly Blinds Teen

Children With Autism Locked In Dark Bathroom And Punished With Loud Whistles By Florida Teachers

Disney’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Opens Soon

Disney’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Opens May 31, 2019

by Leave a Comment

Mark your calendar! Reservations are required for visits to the new and exciting Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California between the dates of May 31, 2019 and June 23, 2019. It is the largest single-themed Disneyland expansion ever. It covers a whopping 14 acres with an estimated cost of $1 billion.

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

There will be no additional cost to make reservations, but access to the Land and its experiences may be unavailable based on demand. It is recommended that you check in at the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge page for more details.

Guests staying at one of the Disneyland Resort hotels during May 31 and June 23 will receive a reservation (one per registered Guest) to access Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge during their stay with the required valid theme park admission.

The official opening date at Disney World Park in Orlando, Florida will be on August 29, 2019.


Following are some of the major attractions and shops in addition to various places to eat and the first Disney venue that will sell alcoholic beverages:

Black Spire Outpost

Black Spire Outpost on the Planet Batuu is a large imaginary village with round-topped towers and the petrified remains of towering ancient trees that is an extension of the Star Wars world and is on the edge of the galaxy between the Wild Space and the Unknown Regions. The village may be modern but is built on the remains of crumbling structures that were built by a long-extinct civilization. You will encounter a group known as the “Gatherers,” treacherous rogues, scoundrels, smugglers, Resistance individuals, and the First Order that is eager to stomp out any flickers of opposition to their control.


Savi’s Workshop is where you can build a custom one-of-a-kind lightsaber with kyber crystals at this shop that features whimsical pieces and miscellaneous memorabilia that continue the traditions of the Force and allows you to become one with the Force. You can select from four lightsaber themes: Peace and Justice, Power and Control, Elemental Nature, or Protection and Defense. When your lightsaber is completed and purchased, you will be ready to embark on incredible new adventures.

At the Droid Depot, a customized droid like R2-D2 and BB-8 can be designed, assembled, and activated.

Toydarian Toymaker is a whimsical workshop with handcrafted toys, plush, playthings, art and collectibles, many handmade by the busy toymaker, Zabaka the Toydarian. Her storefront is filled with crates of toymaking supplies and unique works in progress such as Wookiee dolls and classic games.

Coming Attraction

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance will be opening later this year. You will be able to join the Resistance on a secretive mission and a climactic battle against the First Order while seated in the belly of an imposing First Order Star Destroyer and looking up at a gigantic robot.

Children With Autism Locked In Dark Bathroom And Punished With Loud Whistles By Florida Teachers

Kansas City Builds Tiny House Village for Homeless Veterans

School Bully Assault Nearly Blinds Teen

Children With Autism Locked In Dark Bathroom And Punished With Loud Whistles By Florida Teachers

by Leave a Comment

County police arrested three faculty members at a special needs day school on a first-degree felony charge because of abuse towards three children with autism. They are accused of using scare tactics on the children as a form of discipline.

Children With Autism Locked In Dark Bathroom

The Silver Sands School is located in Fort Walton Beach, an hour away from Pensacola on the Florida panhandle. Sheriff Larry Ashley identified the teacher as Margaret Wolthers and the aides as Carolyn Madison and Diana LaCroix. Wolthers is the wife of a deputy in the police department.

Wolthers, Madison, and LaCroix punished the students by blowing a whistle in their ears and locking them in a dark bathroom for up to 90 minutes. Two of the children were 8 years old and one child was 10 years old.

A third aide refused to stand by and watch these children get tortured as punishment anymore. The unidentified female reported the incident to a school police officer. An investigation came afterward and school superintendent Marcus Chambers placed the three on administrative leave. The findings of the investigation eventually led to their arrest.

A witness stated that the children would “scream and cry” when placed in the dark bathroom. If the student turned on the bathroom light or tried to leave, the faculty made them stay there even longer. Meanwhile, a male student wore headphones due to noise sensitivity. The three women held his arms down on purpose so he couldn’t cover his ears when they blew the whistle.

The incident occurred between September 1 and November 14 of 2018. However, police believe the incident lasted much longer than the given period. The alleged abusers, if convicted, could face up to 30 years in prison. In the meantime, investigators are actively searching for more victims.

School Bully Assault Nearly Blinds Teen

Police Search Stage 4 Cancer Patient’s Hospital Room for Marijuana

by Leave a Comment

Should a terminally ill cancer patient in Missouri have been been subjected to a search of his personal belongings because a hospital employee claimed that the smell of marijuana had emanated from the patient’s room? Furthermore, what rights do terminally ill patients have to relieve pain that they are suffering during their final days.

Viral Facebook Video

The controversy began when Nolan Sousley, a Stage 4 pancreatic cancer patient who recently stopped chemotherapy livestreamed a video on his Facebook Page, Nolan’s Tribe of Warriors Against Cancer. The video showed local police officers in Bolivar, Missouri rifling through his belongings in an attempt to find marijuana. Someone at Citizens Memorial Hospital, where Sousley is being treated, called police to complain that they smelled marijuana coming from his room. The hospital does not allow smoking or vaping on its premises.

On the video, Sousley can be seen telling the police that he doesn’t want them searching his belongings because he did not have any marijuana and that the contents of his bags contained his end-of-life preparations. Sousley also tells the officers that he had recently taken a capsule containing THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), the main psychoactive component of marijuana, to manage his pain. A discussion ensues between the legality of medical marijuana and the fact that Sousley doesn’t have much time to live.

The State of Medical Marijuana in Missouri

One of the Bolivar officers indicated that medical marijuana is still illegal, but that is not exactly true. In November 2018, Missouri voters passed Amendment 2, a provision to legalize medical marijuana in the state. That provision went into effect December 6, 2018.

The state of medical marijuana in Missouri is temporarily in legal limbo, however, as state officials are in the process of setting up the procedures for qualifying patients along with dispensaries. Under the law, Sousley would qualify because of his status as a terminal patient.

A woman identified as Sousley’s doctor questioned whether police had the right to search for cannabis. Maybe not. Possession of less than 10 grams of cannabis has been legal in Missouri since 2014.

‘The Baby-Sitters Club’ Reboot Coming to Netflix

by Leave a Comment

Nineties nostalgia is back in full swing with the latest Netflix reboot. “The Baby-Sitters Club” is a family-friendly streaming series that puts a modern-twist on everyone’s favorite babysitting fivesome. While the new show will tackle serious issues like divorce and racism, it will also be light enough to be enjoyed by young and old alike.

‘The Baby-Sitters Club’ Reboot Coming to Netflix

From Novels to Netflix

Ann M. Martin began writing “The Baby-Sitters Club” novels in 1986. Initially planned as a four-book series, the babysitters found an audience with tweens and teens who related to the friendships in Stoneybrook. The book series was first turned into a live action television series in the 1990s. A popular feature-length film starring Schuyler Fisk and Rachel Leigh Cook was released in 1995. Thanks to Netflix, a new generation of children can enjoy learning from the babysitters as they watch alongside their families.

Backed by Netflix Royalty

Those involved with “The Baby-Sitters Club” have already experienced a massive amount of success through Netflix and beyond. The showrunner for the series is Rachel Shukert, who has served as a screenwriter and executive story editor for “Glow.” Shukert has twice been nominated for her work on “Glow” by the Writers Guild of America. The new series is executive produced by Michael De Luca and Lucia Aniello, who will also direct. Martin will serve as producer of the series.

Netflix has ordered 10 episodes of “The Baby-Sitters Club.” There is no word yet about casting or when the show will be available for streaming.

Celebrate NEA’s Read Across America Day

by Leave a Comment

Read Across America Day

If you’ve ever shared a book with a child, you know the joy and excitement this small but meaningful act can bring. But, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, since 1993 only 53 to 58 percent of children ages three to five received this joy on a daily basis.

We can do better! Simply reading daily with a child does requires parents, older brothers and sisters, and other caring adults to add yet another hat to the many they already wear to care for and raise a child. But by adding the reading hat to your collection, you also add great rewards:

  • Children who are read to at home have a higher success rate in school.
  • Children who read frequently develop stronger reading skills.

Read Across America Day

To get kids excited about reading and encourage more adults to spend time reading with their children, the National Education Association (NEA) launched the first NEA’s Read Across America day in 1998. On March 1, 2019, NEA’s Read Across America will mark nineteen years of celebrating reading and the birthday of Dr. Seuss.

So from coast to coast, teachers, celebrities, community members, and parents are putting aside the many hats they wear for work and play and donning their reading hats, the red and white striped stovepipe hat of the Cat in the Hat.

In bringing a nation of readers together under one hat, NEA’s Read Across America offers opportunities for you to volunteer, to read, and to share your life experiences; opportunities for businesses to contribute products to congratulate young readers and for employees to volunteer time at reading programs; and opportunities for our elected officials, from the national to the state and local levels, to make reading a high priority.

Let’s all join together on March 1, and every day thereafter, to ensure that America’s children have caring adults to share books and rich reading experiences.

 

Kansas City Builds Tiny House Village for Homeless Veterans

School Bully Assault Nearly Blinds Teen

by 43 Comments

A recent school bully assault in Derby proved just how vicious fellow students can be. On February 6, 2019, 15-year-old Nathaniel Dryden was violently punched in the face with so much force that his eyeglasses shattered. He was left with many cuts and much bleeding to the face.

school bully assault nearly blinds teen

Images by Amanda Dryden

The Results of the Bullying Were Horrific

According to the Daily Mail, the punch could have left him permanently blind if it had landed even an inch lower. His father, who is a nurse practitioner, said that his son will most likely suffer the psychological effects from this attack for the rest of his life. Plus, there is sure to be scarring from the glass that shattered around his eye.

Bullying Happened More than Once

While the worst attack on Nathaniel occurred on February 6, this was not the first incidence of bullying against him. On January 23, a schoolmate began punching Nathaniel seemingly for no reason. The next attack in February was actually caught on camera and shared via social media.

According to Derbyshire Live, Nathaniel sustained the punch directly to his face. The smashed glass gave him multiple cuts around his left eye and required him to receive 13 to 15 stitches. He also had to have a shard of glass removed from his eye.

Bullying Is Not Acceptable at School

Photographs posted by his mother, Amanda Dryden, on Facebook showed the damage as her son was in Derbyshire Hospital. She posted, “Bullying is not acceptable by any means.” Her posts have garnered numerous sympathetic comments and a sense of surprise that any child would stoop that low to hurt a schoolmate.

While bullying seems to be heating up in schools around the country, the Merrill Academy in Derby is dealing with this school bully assault as well as it can, utilizing its school behavior policy and keeping parents informed throughout the process. However, Nathaniel Dryden may be headed to a different school once his wounds are healed in hopes that a fresh start will accelerate his emotional recovery from this senseless act of bullying.

Kansas City Builds Tiny House Village for Homeless Veterans

School Bully Attack Leaves Teen In A Coma

Kansas City Builds Tiny House Village for Homeless Veterans

by 6 Comments

When the Veterans Community Project set out to build a tiny house village for homeless veterans, their goal was about much more than just giving them a place to live in Kansas City. It is also about giving these veterans of all ages and stations in a life a way to make their lives truly matter through job training, drug rehab and so much more. While it may be a minor solution to a growing need, it is certainly the right start for the area.

Image Source

The Program Was Started by Veterans

According to CNN, the tiny house village for homeless veterans was started by veterans who hoped to help those in similar circumstances. We discovered that US Army Corporal Chris Stout came up with the original idea for this project and worked with other veterans in the area who had dealt with homelessness themselves. Aware of what their comrades were going through, they wanted to create a visible way to help.

The founders had to use their own money and their own time to make the program succeed, quitting their jobs and investing their savings. They did not want a program that was similar to the homeless shelters already available. Instead, they wanted something far different that would give veterans real solutions.

The Program Helps Veterans Rebuild Their Lives

The Veterans Village does not just provide a place for these retired warriors to live, but also gives them ways to succeed for the rest of their lives. Veterans living here are given training for future jobs as well as medical appointments, counseling and drug rehab as needed.

The goal for the program is to help veterans become mentally strong and physically healthy and to give them the resources to acquire good jobs to support the rest of their lives. Veterans can live here for as long as one year if they follow the rules. There are certainly rules, such as requirements for attending drug rehab programs and a strict no-alcohol policy for all.

The Program Has Attracted Plenty of Support

Not all has been perfect at the tiny house village for homeless veterans. Because of its popularity among residents and within the city, the village has attracted much support as well as publicity. However, this has not been all good. Sadly, privacy has become an issue here, and signs are posted to keep unnecessary visitors away from the area.

The Program Is Not Complete Yet

According to Kansas City’s 41 Action News, work is not yet complete at the village. At the end of 2018, there were 26 homes, and Fox 4 News reports that Chris Stout plans to open even more homes this year once they can begin building in the spring.

School Bully Attack Leaves Teen In A Coma

by 45 Comments

Bullying remains in the news these days with the latest example being a school bully attack in Elko, Nevada. A 16-year-old had been complaining of bullying for months but did not deal with it for fear that the problem would worsen with outside help. Sadly, things got out of control on January 17.

The Attack

On January 17, 2019, Sandra Davidson received a call saying that her son had been hit at school and had taken a nasty fall. He was unconscious and being taken to the hospital. Once there, doctors discovered that Neo Hobbs had bleeding on the brain, and he was quickly transported to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City hundreds of miles away.

The damage was readily apparent. Not only did he have a brain bleed with bruising, but also his skull was fractured in multiple places.

The Treatment

According to Fox 13 News, Neo remained in a coma for days but is now responsive. However, due to the brain damage sustained in the attack, he will have to relearn many of the most basic acts of daily living, such as walking, talking and feeding himself. He will need months of physical therapy and will almost certainly remain in the hospital for at least two months.

School Bully AttackGoFundMe / Neo Hobbs

The Aftermath

Life may never be the same for Neo, and the Elko school district has yet to clear up matters. According to Newsner, the school district has been doing its best to downplay the situation, saying that the injuries were from some punches and a fall.

On the other hand, Neo’s lawyers maintain that something much more than that had to happen. Looking at what happened to Neo’s skull and brain, it seems apparent that he had to have been hit with something.

Neo’s mother, his lawyers and others engaged in this school bully attack will have to wait until Neo can tell his side of the story. Additionally, the bully has yet to be identified. Until that time, the family appreciates all donations made to the Neo Hobbs GoFundMe page.

Lunar Eclipse 2019: Best Time to see the Super Blood Wolf Moon

by Leave a Comment

The first and only total lunar eclipse in 2019 will take place between Sunday, January 20 and Monday, January 21. You won’t want to miss it because it will be the last one to take place for the next two and a half years.

Total Lunar Eclipse Super Blood Wolf Moon

Who will be able to see the Lunar Eclipse?

Anyone living in North or South America will get a beautiful view of the moon turning into an eerie red color for a little more than one hour. In addition, there are a few areas in Africa and Europe that will also have views of the total eclipse.

Visibility Lunar Eclipse 2019-01-21

What time will it be visible from my location?

For specific timeframes and durations of the lunar eclipse in your area, simply enter your city and state here.

 

Birth Month Flowers and their Meanings