No Bad News

In today’s world, there seems to be more bad news than good news. The truth is, there’s just as much good news out there; the media just isn’t reporting it. If you’re tired of being fed only bad news by the media, you’ve come to the right place. Here you’ll find lighthearted news: inspirational, funny, uplifting and interesting.

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Baking Soda Is the Key to Perfectly Browned Ground Beef



Most people follow one method for cooking ground beef: put the beef in a frying pan and fry it. Unfortunately, it often comes out looking like gray, rubbery lumps, and browning is even harder because of the water in most ground beef. Fortunately, baking soda can help to cook ground beef faster and have it come out more tender. Baking soda is a household chemical most folks have readily available in the kitchen. All you have to do is place the ground beef into a frying pan, break up the meat with the heat off, and then sprinkle a small amount of baking soda into the mixture. The rule of thumb is about ¼ teaspoon for every 12 ounces of meat. Sprinkle the baking soda as widely as you can to cover the most meat surface as possible. It’s impossible to cover every spot, and that’s okay. Toss, flip and stir the meat around to mix the meat with the baking soda, and then let it sit for 15 minutes. When the timer goes off, turn on the flame and cook the beef as usual. Not only does the meat cook quickly, it begins browning within the first couple of minutes. The entire pan should be cooked within 5 minutes, and then you can crisp it for 2 extra minutes. Baking soda does double duty with meat, acting both as a tenderizer and creating an environment for better browning. When meat cooks, the muscle fibers contract and squeeze out liquid as a result. The more you cook it, the more liquid it squeezes out. That’s why overcooked meat tastes dry. Baking soda fixes that by preventing the fibers from squeezing out so much of their juices. Less liquid in the pan means faster browning. It’s good to know that a cheap solution like baking soda can have such an impact on your ground beef.
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The Politician Who Sued God



In 2007, Nebraska state senator Ernie Chambers sued God. His lawsuit sought “a permanent injunction ordering God to cease certain harmful activities and the making of terroristic threats.” According to the mortal plaintiff, God had caused “fearsome floods, egregious earthquakes, horrendous hurricanes, terrifying tornadoes, pestilential plagues, ferocious famines, devastating droughts, genocidal wars, birth defects, and the like.” The lawsuit was absurd, but that was the point. By suing God, Chambers hoped to make a political statement: That a court should be required to hear a case, no matter how frivolous it might be. “The Constitution requires that the courthouse doors be open,” he said, “so you can’t prohibit the filing of suits. Anyone can sue anyone they choose, even God.” In August 2008, Chambers got his day in court. In a 4-page decision, Douglas County Court judge Marlon Polk dismissed the lawsuit because God’s home address was unlisted. Since the deity couldn’t be properly summoned, the case could not move forward. “Given that this court finds that there can never be service effectuated on the named defendant, this action will be dismissed with prejudice,” wrote Judge Polk.
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Couple Who Fell in Love Despite Not Sharing a Language Celebrate 69 Years of Marriage



A couple from Glasgow, Scotland, fell in love, despite not being able to speak to each other. Jimmy and Ingrid Campbell met 70 years ago in Germany while Jimmy was stationed with the military at Winterberg. Despite only speaking a few words of German, and Ingrid not speaking English at all, the pair fell in love. Ingrid followed Jimmy home to Scotland the following year. The couple were married in 1956 and welcomed two daughters. Jimmy and Ingrid celebrated 69 years of marriage and Jimmy’s 95th birthday on February 3. The pair were treated to balloons, banners, homemade cakes, cupcakes, chocolates, flowers and Prosecco at the Darnley Court Care Home where the couple lives. When asked about their secret to a long and happy marriage, Ingrid said, “Jimmy and I have always been best friends, and we share everything — the good and the bad. We are very compatible, and we have stayed as much in love now as we did when we first met.”
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“Rose Guy” Sends Love to 120 Lonely Women on Valentine’s Day



Seth Stewart proposed to his girlfriend of four years a few weeks ago, but this Valentine’s Day he visited dozens of other women. The 34-year-old spent the day doling out roses to women across Spokane, Wash., whether they were single, widowed, or simply missing a romantic someone special in their lives. Stewart’s tradition began in 2009 with four roses he gave to his mother and three sisters. Two years later, he and his brother purchased two dozen roses to add their single friends to the list. By Valentine’s Day in 2012, the little gesture had turned into a community ritual. Stewart’s venture — Rose Rush — took on a new life in 2015 when he started a Facebook page so people could nominate recipients. In the years since, Rose Rush has had more than 500 nominations. This year there were about 120, and Stewart honored each one. Stewart and a team of six drivers set out at 8 a.m. and spent 12 hours delivering roses. As for his own Valentine’s Day plans with his fiancĂ©e, Dani Noblit, Stewart organized a romantic dinner for after the “Rose Rush”. “Luckily, she loves what I do and is very supportive,” said Stewart.
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