Month: August 2019

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A Woman Wrote a Heartfelt Post to the Nurse Who Helped Her Brother After His Tragic Accident

These days, there is so much hate and overall unpleasantness being spread around on social media so often that it’s refreshing to see a story like this, even though it is based around a terrible tragedy.

A woman named Lydia Graham reached out on Facebook to try to find an off-duty nurse who showed incredible bravery when her brother Ian M. Graham died in a motorcycle accident in North Carolina.

Posted by Ian M. Graham on Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Here is Lydia Graham’s Facebook post in its entirety:

“Hi you guys/strangers who see this….

I feel funny writing this, and have debated writing it for a while now. I’ve decided I want to go for it, and the only way I can really think to get it out there is on facebook. I’d really appreciate if you’d share.

I’m trying to find the woman who witnessed and responded to an accident on September 10, 2014 around 6:30 PM on Route 147 between Chapel Hill St and Swift Ave in Durham, North Carolina.

What I know about this woman is this:

-she is (or was at the time) a nurse at Duke Hospital
-I *believe* she told the police she had just finished her shift at the hospital and was driving home, but that is not 100% verifiable
-She performed an emergency airway procedure on a stranger, in the middle of a busy road, shielding his body from oncoming traffic
-I was told she called the police the following week to ask about his progress, and was informed that he had passed away

I’m asking that you share this, especially if you are in North Carolina/the Durham area. If you know any medical staff at Duke Hospital, I ask especially that you share with them.

I’d like to find her, because I’d like to send her the following message.

Thank you.

——

You don’t know me; you don’t know I exist. I feel like I know you. I know you exist. I’ve been wanting to tell you this for a while now.

In September 2014, you witnessed a gruesome accident. I am so sorry that that happened to you. I can imagine that it has probably haunted you at least a little ever since.

Your reaction was to get out of your car and put yourself into a dangerous and scary situation in order to shield and keep alive a complete stranger, in the middle of a busy road. I know that that was scary and traumatic for you. I know you saw things nobody wants to see. I’m sure you feared for your own safety, and I’m sure it was really difficult for you to find out that the man you threw yourself into helping and saving did not survive despite it all.

His name was Ian M. Graham. He was my brother.

Posted by Ian M. Graham on Wednesday, January 15, 2014

The post continues…

Because of you, he reached the hospital alive. He received the best medical attention and care any person could possibly receive.

I want you to know there is nothing- truly nothing- you could have done better or differently. I want you to know you did everything perfectly.

I want you to know that you did not save Ian’s life only because Ian’s life could not be saved.

But more importantly, I want you to know that that day, your courage and your humanity and your selflessness actually saved many lives.

Ian was an organ donor, and because he made it to the hospital and onto a ventilator alive, his organs were viable.

taken by Carter Smith at the wedding of Tina Patterson-Marcinkevich and Aaron Patterson-Marcinkevich

Posted by Ian M. Graham on Monday, July 28, 2014

Ian’s life actually helped save others, as the post reveals…

I want you to know that you saved the life of a 60 year old man with a wife of 36 years, a daughter and 2 grandchildren. He received a kidney from Ian.

I want you to know that you saved the life of a 66 year old man with 3 children and 7 grandchildren. He received Ian’s other kidney.

I want you to know that you saved the life of a man in his 50s, who had already penned his own obituary when he received the call letting him know that he was going to get Ian’s liver. His obituary can wait; because of you, his story is not done.

I want you to know that you are the reason a newborn child received a desperately needed heart valve the day Ian left this world.

I want you to know that you’re the reason a young child will not go blind after all. Because of you, she received Ian’s corneas.

Ian may have died days after the accident but I want to make sure you know that it was the accident that killed Ian, full stop. And because of you, multiple lives were saved and/or dramatically improved.

Also because of you, my brother didn’t die alone on the side of a road, scared or in pain. Because of you, my brother died with me holding his hand, whispering how it was OK for him to go now. He was in no pain. He was surrounded by pure love. Because of you, I got to say goodbye.

If my brother were still here he would have long ago tried to track you down, and had you been receptive he would have gone to any lengths to buy you a beer and give you the warmest, most amazing hug you’ve ever received. That’s the kind of guy he was. I owe it to him and to you to try to do the same.

Here my Halloween costume, Charlottesville. My name is "your ass on November 9th."

Posted by Ian M. Graham on Thursday, October 31, 2013

And get ready to get the tissues…

On a personal note, I want you to know that for a long time following the accident, you are the reason I woke up every morning and decided that on that particular day, I still wanted to be alive too. Because on so many days, the faith and love you gave me in and for humanity were the only things stronger than the devastation of what happened to me. And on those days I got up and I got through it. Because of you.

I’ve long thought it was unfair that you only knew Ian died, and nothing else. I’m sorry it took me this long to decide to write this and try and see if it could reach you. You deserve to know that you are a hero.

You are my hero.

I don’t know your name. I don’t know who you are. I don’t know if we have anything in common. But I want you to know, finally, that I love you.”

Graham added an update to her Facebook post:

“**I’m editing this to say: I found her and we’re in touch. Thank you. I’m beyond grateful and humbled that all of these people helped me so quickly and so effectively. I love you all, too. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.**”

A very sad story, but a timely reminder that there are still a lot of great people out there willing to put themselves in danger to help others in times of need.

The post A Woman Wrote a Heartfelt Post to the Nurse Who Helped Her Brother After His Tragic Accident appeared first on UberFacts.

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5 Tips to Be the Healthiest You

Everyone wants to be living their best life, which usually entails living their healthiest life. The key to having consistently good health is by practicing “lifestyle medicine.” Lifestyle medicine can encompass everything from regular exercise, stress management, and simple changes to your diet. By making simple adjustments to your day-to-day life, you can make significant improvements to your overall health. Here are 5 tips to help you get started. 1. Focus on the Positive Sometimes life can get you down. A series of unfortunate events can pile relentlessly on top of each other. When this happens, a good habit to

The post 5 Tips to Be the Healthiest You appeared first on Factual Facts.

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After visiting a prison in Norway…

After visiting a prison in Norway that treated prisoners humanely, a warden from North Dakota went back and reformed her prison based on Norway’s model. It later saw sharp decline in violence against inmates and threats against staff.

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In the 1960s, the CEO of Ampex…

In the 1960s, the CEO of Ampex wanted his employees to take LSD to improve their creativity. The board of directors said no, and then had to fire him after they discovered he’d snuck off anyway on a mountain hike with seven or eight engineers and given them LSD.

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This Is How You Can Use Awkward Silences to Get a Salary Increase

No one likes negotiating a salary. Whether you are interviewing for a new job or looking to increase your salary at a current one, they are nerve-wracking! But don’t fret. There are ways that you can prepare for a salary negotiation that can up your odds for getting what you want.

Awkward silences are…awkward.

When asking for a salary raise uncomfortable silences are the best tool in your toolbox. You’ll need to be comfortable leaning into the silence after you speak. Trust me, it can work.

As people adapt to “adulting,” it’s important to learn the art of accepting cringe-worthy moments and embracing discomfort.

Photo Credit: Unsplash, Tim Gouw

So what do you do in this situation?

Katie Donovan, founder of the consultancy firm Equal Pay Negotiations, explains: “The first step is to be silent, hush up, or SHUT UP!” That is, after you’ve asked for more.

Even that statement might make you squeamish, but hear me out. Let’s say you were offered $35,000 as a starting salary. You were expecting $42,000 (the median amount), because based on your research, a role like the one you interviewed for would pay that. So what do you do?

Phrase your answer like, “Thank you for the offer. I truly appreciate it. I am a little surprised about the salary. Based on my research and my skills, I would have expected it to be $45,000.”

Yes, go in a touch higher than the median.

Photo Credit: Raw Pixel

The next step: Sit back and close your mouth. Allow the employer to mull over that.

“Remember,” Donovan says, “rarely is an initial job offer made at the maximum salary budgeted. The hiring manager most likely will have the authority to increase the salary during the meeting.”

I spent many years negotiating salaries as an HR Recruiter in the employment field. My experience taught me that most employers will go in low at the first offer. And guess what? They would expect you as a candidate to ask for more. So why not try? The ball is in your court.

Think of it this way: the company likes you, they want you on their team, and they have chosen you out of hundreds of candidates.

That’s the confidence you need to go into that salary negotiation. My advice is never to leave dollars on the table but be humble about it. Don’t ask for $60,000 for a $35,000 job. Be reasonable.

Now go out there, do your research, and be ready to tackle your next salary negotiation!

The post This Is How You Can Use Awkward Silences to Get a Salary Increase appeared first on UberFacts.

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Pay Attention! Here Are 5 Signs You May Be About to Get Fired.

Have you ever walked into work and a really weird feeling rolls over you? Maybe you can’t put your finger on it or perhaps you received some looks from co-workers. Either way, you’re wondering if you’re on the chopping block.

No one likes that feeling, and job security isn’t really a thing nowadays. So now you’re contemplating looking for a new job, or maybe your rational side is telling you to calm down.

If you’re wondering if a firing is impending, here are a few tell-tale signs.

5. Your conversation with a manager is in your inbox

You just left your manager’s office. The news wasn’t good. She lectured you on getting tasks done faster or on that conflict between you and another employee. Either way, she just sent your action plan in an email. She outlined your conversation and the ways she expects you to behave moving forward.

Yikes.

Don’t fret. All you need to do is be on your toes and follow through with her request. Most managers will document meetings in this manner. Perhaps it’s to create a “file of proof” against you. But don’t lose hope. Take this as a warning and turn things around.

4. Your manager follows up on that project

A day later, your manager sends a follow up on that project she wants on her desk, tomorrow. But she said it wasn’t due until the end of the week!  What do you do? Well,  instead of taking a long lunch or chatting with co-workers, hunker down and meet the new deadline.

Photo Credit: Tim Gouw, Pexels

3. Your responsibilities are dwindling

This should be a real red flag. If you all of a sudden find that your work is being given to another employee, it might be a good idea to start looking for another job.

Also, it couldn’t hurt ask your manager why. There might be other reasons. Are you moving into a different role? Are you being put on a different project? If you don’t ask for clarity, you may not get it. On the other hand, you might not like what you hear.

2. You didn’t get invited to a team meeting

You just returned from lunch to find your team is MIA. Where did they go? You peek around the conference room and see them. Why aren’t you? You check your inbox for the meeting request to find you didn’t receive one.

Getting left out of team meetings could mean you are no longer needed, so you best check with your team after they wrap up to get some insight.

Photo Credit: Snapwire, Pexels

1. You meet the new person and he shares your title

Your manager exits her office with a new employee. They are laughing and chatting as she introduces him to the group. You had no idea they were hiring. Hmmmm. He walks over to you and introduces himself. You ask nicely, “What will you be doing?” He answers that he was hired with the same title as you.

Before you get into a tizzy, maybe the company is growing. If not, look over any past reprimands or documented meetings from the boss  – if things were at all rocky, it might be time to dust off your resume.

 

Before you start to over-analyze any of the signs above, take a deep breath. None of them is a surefire indication of anything, so you could be just fine.

But maybe update the resume, just in case…

The post Pay Attention! Here Are 5 Signs You May Be About to Get Fired. appeared first on UberFacts.

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The Amazon Rainforest Is Burning, and It’s an Environmental Disaster

The Amazon rainforest is on fire, and experts say this wildfire will affect climate change for many years to come.

CNN reported that The National Institute for Space Research (INPE) has said the fires are burning at the highest rate they’ve seen since tracking started in 2013.

Sao Paulo, 1700 miles away, is seeing smoke from the fire’s blazes.

Video shows heavy smoke and smog overcoming the city and creating black out conditions.

Peru, Bolivia and Paraguay, too, are seeing heavy, black smoke coming from the Brazilian fires.

The INPE also reported there were 72,843 fires in Brazil this year. More than half of those fires burned in the Amazon. This represents an 80 percent increase in the total number of fires over last year.

Photo Credit: NASA Earth Observatory

Natural disasters can spark flames when the area is dry, but these fires are also frequently started illegally by ranchers trying to clear out forest to create grazing land for cattle. Environmentalists are blaming Brazil’s president, Jair Bolsonaro, for relaxing laws limiting deforestation and underplaying the disaster in general to the rest of the world.

According to the BBC, the Amazon rainforest contributes 20 percent of the Earth’s oxygen. Plus, the rainforest is home to millions of species of plants and animals, as well as over one million indigenous people.

The rainforest is critical to millions of lives and to the Earth, itself.

If the Amazon is destroyed, the World Wildlife Fund says the area will likely become a savannah, but inhospitable to people, animals or plants.

And instead of pumping out oxygen, the new savannah will be the Earth’s next major source of carbon emissions. Meaning, the Amazon will no longer serve as the lungs of the world, but will begin pump out enough carbon to actually drive the climate crisis.

This is bad news, folks. Bad news indeed.

The post The Amazon Rainforest Is Burning, and It’s an Environmental Disaster appeared first on UberFacts.

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This New Floating Tent Looks like It Might Be a Recipe for Disaster

A company invented a “floating tent,” then promptly got roasted by the people of the Internet, which they tend to do.

The Shoal Tent is an inflatable tent that allows you to camp on water instead of on land — an objectively terrible and dangerous idea. This contraption is somewhere between a raft and a boat, both of which already exist. Unlike a raft, this tent is huge and very expensive. And unlike a boat, you can’t steer it away from a waterfall.

Fun!

Photo Credit: Twitter

Mashable published a video showcasing the Shoal Tent on Twitter, where users tore it to shreds.

“Why camp by a river when you can camp on one?” the tweet read.

In addition to waterfalls, there’s also the danger of puncturing the raft and taking on water, leading to a watery death. Or running into predators, such as bears or alligators.

Or simply waking up 100 miles away from where you parked. Hilariously, the Shoal Tent boasts that it can “stand up to heavy winds” (by… being pushed around by them?).

Plus, how do you get out of the tent and back onto land? What happens if you have to pee?

Truly, it seems like the inventors of the floating tent are not at all concerned about what happens after you push off from shore. But even they understand that it could invite emergency scenarios. On the website, there is the somewhat disconcerting disclaimer that you can “get in and out easily through the sides if the need arises suddenly.”

Photo Credit: Twitter

As with all crappy inventions, some people will actually buy and use this product. In fact, it’s currently back-ordered due to popular demand, and there’s a wait time of at least six weeks. It’s available from SmithFly for the hefty price of $1999.

Or you could just “camp on water” in, y’know, ANY other way. Like on a boat.

The post This New Floating Tent Looks like It Might Be a Recipe for Disaster appeared first on UberFacts.

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You Need to Chase This Alarm Clock down to Turn It off

For some folks, getting out of bed in the morning is easy. They love the energy of a new day, the promise of a fresh cup of coffee, and they feel invigorated by the idea of twelve or more hours to get stuff done.

For others, prying their lids open far enough to find the snooze button feels like pure torture.

If you fall into the latter group – but still have to get up in order to keep a job, take care of kids, or just be a person – then you might consider this alarm clock that evades your attempts to snooze it until you literally chase it down.

Meet Clocky, the nightstand pet of your nightmares.

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This alarm clock performs a number of antics designed to get you up and moving before you manage to hit snooze, from his extra-loud alarm to rolling away from where you’ve left him (including down stairs) – and believe me, the volume and variety of the noises it makes would wake even the soundest of sleepers.

Clocky’s snooze button comes disabled, but you can adjust your settings to allow one or more snoozes before he gets up and runs away, as well as choosing how long your snoozes will last.

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Clocky ?? El reloj despertador que huye para que no puedas quedarte en la cama ? . ¿Te cuesta mucho levantarte por las mañanas? ? ¿Eres el tipo de persona que le da todo el rato al botón de repetición de la alarma? ? ? Entonces este reloj despertador de Nanda Home puede ser lo que necesitas. . Clocky es el nombre de este reloj despertador motorizado, que te permitirá repetir la alarma una sola vez, pero después de eso, saltará de tu mesilla de noche y se irá rodando. Soporta caídas de hasta un metro, utiliza 4 pilas AAA y seguirá sonando y brillando mientras huye. . Conseguílo en @milustiendaonline! Escribinos por Mensaje Privado ? . #milustiendaonline #productosmilus #milus #reloj #despertador #relojdespertador #clocky #relojclocky #relojmotorizado #alarma

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For just $40, you can get out of bed the most annoying way possible!

But you will get out of bed.

The post You Need to Chase This Alarm Clock down to Turn It off appeared first on UberFacts.