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Strangers raise almost $50,000 for sick stray dog

Cindy was so overweight she could barely move when Lana Chapman found her lying in the dirt outside a 7-Eleven. Chapman, an Australian living in Koh Samui, Thailand, immediately decided to take the dog in, and her kind act has inspired hundreds of people online. The Aussie woman has been helping local street dogs for years and was determined to give Cindy a better life. Weighing in at almost 45kgs when Chapman found her, she has helped the pup lose weight and tracked her progress online where she went viral. It was all going well until a few weeks ago Cindy stopped eating and had a lump on her neck. "Usually she runs around the house with excitement [but] it took her about two minutes before she started to eat. That was really out of the norm," Chapman told 9news.com.au. After a few vet visits she was diagnosed with lymphoma, a common cancer in dogs. "We started chemo the same day," Chapman said. "It was awful as the vet didn't think she would live for four weeks, but we wanted to try anything we could to help her." Initial tests alone cost almost $2,500, and Cindy needed at least 19 weeks of chemotherapy to survive. With pet insurance not an option as most vets on the island did not accept insurance claims, Chapman relied on the help of strangers and started a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/cindys-lymphoma-fight" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> in Cindy's name, hoping to raise $10,000 to cover for the cost of her care. "$10,000 still wouldn't cover the costs but I thought it would really assist us," she said. To her surprise, strangers flocked to help raising almost $50,000 for Cindy in a matter of days, with the highest donation so far being $5,000. The fundraising page was also filled with messages of support, with one writing: "Cindy you are the sweetest girl! I am sending you all the love, you can do this." "Wishing you well with your treatment Cindy, hoping for a speedy recovery. Sending lots of love to your humans too x," added another. Chapman said she was blown away by people's generosity, and never imagined that so many strangers would be willing to help the stray pup. "People have been following her from the day she was rescued off the streets so they have a major soft spot for her," she said. "We definitely would have struggled to pay for this [without donations]." Chapman added that the donations received so far will cover all of Cindy's cancer treatment, and the left over cash will be used to help other street dogs on the island. Images: GoFundMe/ Lana Chapman

Family & Pets

Strangers lock toddler in plane bathroom to stop her tantrums

The video of a controversial incident on a plane has caused outrage, as two women reprimanded a screaming toddler by locking her in the bathroom on the aircraft. On a Juneyao Airlines flight from Guiyang to Shanghai, China, in late August, a one-year-old child, who was travelling with her grandparents, reportedly sobbed non-stop during the nearly three-hour flight according to the <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/08/30/lifestyle/strangers-lock-crying-tot-in-airplane-bathroom-to-educate-her/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NY Post</a>. After being fed up with the toddler's tantrum, two women who were strangers to the family reportedly transported her to the bathroom to “educate her.” Shockingly, the child’s grandmother consented to the treatment. The punitive pair then shared the video of this alleged “potty training” on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok. In the clip, the women can be seen seated in the locked lavatory with the screaming infant, as one of the women is heard saying, “If you stop crying, aunty will take you back to grandma” and “We won’t let you out unless you stop crying.” As the girl stopped crying, the woman filming the video picked her up and told her: “If you make any noise again, we’ll come back (to the bathroom).” One of the women was initially proud of her cruel and unusual-seeming form of discipline, as she wrote that the tantrum was so disruptive that “many passengers were using tissues to block their ears” while others “had moved to the back of the plane to escape the noise.” According to a statement from the airline, the little girl's mother, who was not travelling with them, reportedly sympathised with the self-appointed aeroplane posse’s behaviour. Since the video went viral, and was subsequently deleted, Juneyao Airlines’ reps have since condemned the pairs’ actions and apologised for the incident and “oversight of the crew”. Despite the video being wiped from the social media site, many were quick to slam the behaviour of the women, saying their discipline was completely unacceptable. “Adults in their 30s can have emotional breakdowns, but people don’t allow toddlers to have theirs,” one person commented, Another wrote, “The grandmother and the two aunts should be sued, and social services should intervene. If there are parents like this, children will suffer in the future.” “When will these people understand that babies have the right to cry and the right to travel, they are part of society, and so are babies!!!!!!!” declared a third. Image credits: Weibo

Travel Trouble

"I almost cried": Mum shocked by stranger's random act of kindness

A mother-of-two has almost been reduced to tears by a stranger's random act of kindness in a busy cafe. The mum, a woman named Tyne, was at a cafe in the Sunshine Coast suburb of Mooloolaba with her husband and two young sons, when she struck up a conversation with a woman reading a book nearby. She said she felt a wave of guilt that her rowdy children were disrupting the woman's peaceful morning, and leaned over to apologise. The woman assured the mother there was nothing to apologise for, with the woman's next act leaving the mum speechless. “A beautiful (and full on) weekend away with Mr 3.5y & Mr 1.5y my husband and I sat with coffees at a beautiful cafe waiting for breakfast for us,” Tyne wrote in a Facebook group called The Kindness Pandemic, where people share stories of their heartwarming interactions with strangers. “I immediately apologised to the lovely lady sitting near us as she had a book and I was afraid the boys wouldn’t be too peaceful." “We were chatting for a little and then she left after her breakfast.” When the mum went to pay for her family’s bill, the cashier informed her that the stranger had “taken care of it” and handed her a heartwarming note. “It was such a pleasure sharing my brekkie space with you,” the note read. “Please keep doing what you’re doing. You’ve got a beautiful family.” Tyne said she “almost cried” when she realised that the stranger had paid for her family’s entire breakfast. The cafe was situated close to one of the Sunshine Coast’s most popular attractions, Sea Life Aquarium, where the family had planned to spend their day. “Hopefully you can splurge a little more at Sea Life today,” the stranger added in the note, before signing off, “Love Em.” The mum said she was overwhelmed by the stranger’s incredible act of kindness, saying she "almost cried". “She paid for us … And her kind words were what I needed to hear.” Tyne said the stranger was an “amazing soul” and vowed to pay it forward”. “If you are Em staying in Mooloolaba for work and went to a quirky local that’s your favourite … YOU ARE AN AMAZING SOUL!” she said. People in the comments also shared their reactions to the heartfelt gesture. “Lovely lady. Your children would be being just that, children. Don’t apologise about them,” one wrote. “What a beautiful person Em clearly is. This was so gorgeous to read.” Image credits: Facebook

Family & Pets

Stranger’s “kind” act for a struggling single mum

A struggling single mother has been moved to tears by a stranger’s random act of kindness while doing her grocery shopping. The mother, hailing from Ipswich in Queensland, was doing her shopping ahead of the school term starting up as she paced the aisles mentally tallying the cost of her groceries to not go over her strict budget. As she continued to add carefully selected items to her trolley, a young girl approached her with a gift. The girl handed her a $50 note saying it was a gift from her mother, in a random act of kindness that left her “shaking and crying”. “I had the most incredible thing happen to me today. I'm in Woolies Riverlink in Ipswich QLD getting a few things for back to school and I'm adding my shopping up on my calculator and checking the price of EVERYTHING,” the mum wrote in a Facebook post. “Next, a lovely little girl came up to me handing me a $50 and said 'My mummy wants to give you a gift', I said 'Thank you, have the wrong person, honey'.” The young girl assured the woman she was the person her mum wanted to give the $50 to and ran off before she could say anything else. “I looked up at her mum shaking and in tears and she gave me a nod and a thumbs up,” the woman said. “She had no idea just how much I needed this right now. Her kindness meant the world to me.” Many applauded the stranger’s generosity as more families are feeling the pressure with sky-rocketing costs of living, with like-minded budgeting mothers sharing how they were touched by the sweet story. “Made me cry this lovely Sunday morning. Always gives hope to know there are some really wonderful people out there,” one person said. “There are some truly wonderful people in the world! You don't have to give someone $50 to make their day - any small kind gesture can change the course of someone's life,” a second agreed. “There are some absolute angels out there for sure!” said another. Image credits: Getty Images

Caring

"Broke my heart": Mum's outrage at stranger's comment about her disabled son

A Sydney mother has shared her shock and outrage after a stranger made "rude" comments about her son. Tori Boyadji and her friend Lyndal were walking through Collaroy Park in Sydney's north with Tori's two-year-old son Isaac, who has Down syndrome. The friends were stopped by a woman who looked at Isaac and exclaimed, "Ohh is this a little downsie?" Tori, 28, went on to recount how the stranger said she would "never want a kid with Down syndrome" herself. Ms Boyadji told <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/sydney-mum-tori-boyadji-shocked-by-strangers-taunt-to-her-son/news-story/d8e3ee46ad9ed07ded6776987ff220f7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Telegraph</a> that the stranger's comments left her feeling very upset. "Lyndal and I just looked at each other in disbelief – I’m not easily offended but this comment truly broke my heart," she said. "Why would you say that to two mums with their adorable kids right there?" Tori said Isaac is just like any other toddler, as he loved The Wiggles and going to the beach. "He also happens to have Down syndrome — but this is the least interesting part of him," she said. Rhonda Faragher, Associate Professor of Inclusion and Diversity at Queensland University, weighed in on the exchange, and shared her thoughts that the major issue lays with the fact that people believe those with Down syndrome need to change in some way. "In my view, it's not the language itself, it's what's behind the language," she explained to <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/sydney-mums-shock-at-strangers-rude-comment-about-disabled-son-073246046.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yahoo News Australia</a>. "That somebody in the community would feel [a child with Down Syndrome] would not be a child they'd like to have in their family without even knowing the child." "I think it's [disappointing] that other people don't understand that this is not a tragedy," she added. "Having a person with Down syndrome in your family, in your life, is actually a terrific blessing." Image credits: Instagram

Caring

“Thank you stranger”: Woolies shopper left stunned

A shopper at Woolworths was left shocked after a cashier’s unexpected act at the checkout. The single mum shared her feel-good story in a post on Facebook. “There was such a beautiful young lady working the checkout register tonight,” she wrote in the post. “I had a rough day, and when she asked how my day was, I answered with: ‘Not a great one’.” The mum-of-three was paying for her groceries with vouchers she’d been gifted from friends who wanted to “lend a hand” as her family was struggling. After she put her shop through the checkout, the vouchers didn’t cover the entire cost, so she asked the cashier to take a bag of bread rolls off the total. The Woolies worker surprised the mum by covering the cost of the bread rolls herself. “I don’t recall her name, but I feel that she deserves a massive thank you, as she made my day and turned it around with her kindness,” the mum said. “So thank you stranger - you made an old tired mum have faith there’s still kindness in the world.” Woolworths responded to the mum’s Facebook post and said they would share her feedback with the store’s management team so the staff member can be acknowledged for her random act of kindness. Image credit: Shutterstock

Food & Wine

“That’s not my mum”: Funeral mix-up sees grieving daughter farewell a stranger

A grieving woman has said a mix-up has meant the body in the casket at her mum’s funeral was actually that of a total stranger. When Dianne De Jager realised what had happened, her experience was made even more distressing when she was told by the funeral director to carry on with the service regardless. Recounting the event to A Current Affair, the Adelaide woman said it made her feel sick and “not want to be there”. “Everybody in that room thought they were saying goodbye to my mum, and it’s not her,” Ms De Jager told the program. “It made me feel sick. It made me not want to be there.” Her mother, Margaret Locke, was due to be farewelled at the service on August 1 at the Enfield Memorial Park, with around 100 people gathering for the service. But, when Ms De Jager looked inside the casket one last time, she realised a terrible mistake had been made. “That’s not my mum,” she told the funeral director. "He said, 'that's definitely Margaret, she was tagged as Margaret', and I said, 'this is not my mum'," she recalled. He only relented when Ms De Jager showed him a recent photo of her late mum. "I zoomed the face in and I put it next to the lady in that coffin and I said, 'that is not my mum'.” Despite the mistake, the funeral director suggested they carry on with the service while the mix-up was investigated. "How can you say goodbye to your mum when it's not her?” Ms De Jager said. "None of that eulogy really sunk in, or hit me because I wasn't really listening properly, I wasn't there. It just made me feel so empty and blank.” In a statement shared with A Current Affair, Clarke Family Funerals admitted a “mistake” was made with Ms Locke’s service and that the decision to continue the service was an error. "We have always striven to provide beautiful and respectful funerals that offer a lasting tribute but we fell well short of our own high standards,” they said. "This situation is deeply regrettable and we continue to offer our sincerest apologies to the family. "This decision was made under the stress of the situation and on reflection we should have sought a different outcome." Adrien Barrett, the president of the Australian Funeral Directors Association, said that multiple measures, such as various tags and checks, were used to ensure the person in a casket was the person being mourned. But, if there is any doubt, he said the first thing to do would be to stop the funeral. "The first thing that would need to happen would be that the funeral service should be stopped," Mr Barrett said. "The person whose funeral it's supposed to be isn't at the funeral. "We also have a person whose funeral it's not supposed to be at the funeral." After the service, Ms Locke was located and cremated, with the De Jager family then presented with her ashes. Ms De Jager said all she could do during the service was make the best of the situation. "So I said goodbye to this lady, I said 'rest in peace' and 'I hope you find your family'". Images: Channel 9

Family & Pets

“What a low act!": Daniel Morcombe's parents outraged at upcoming film

The devastated parents of murdered Queensland boy Daniel Morcombe have blasted an upcoming film about their son’s death. Daniel Morcombe was only 13 years old when he was abducted and murdered on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast in December, 2003. In August 2011, Brett Peter Cowan was arrested and later found guilty of Daniel’s murder. Now parents Denise and Bruce Morcombe have come out attacking the film The Stranger, which tells the story of an undercover detective trying to catch a killer in Australia. The Stranger premiered at Cannes earlier this year and will play at the Melbourne International Film Festival in August. A statement from the Morcombe’s was shared on the Daniel Morcombe Foundation Facebook page calling the film a “low act” and have asked people not to watch it. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> The movie “The Stranger” is not supported by the Morcombe family. Individuals who make money on a heinous crime are parasites. They are callously disrespectful to Daniel, the DMF & the Morcombe family. We find the making of the movie morally corrupt and cruel. Shame on you. <a href="https://t.co/9FEFAp5g0G">pic.twitter.com/9FEFAp5g0G</a> — Denise Morcombe OAM (@DeniseMorcombe) <a href="https://twitter.com/DeniseMorcombe/status/1547358728286261248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2022</a></blockquote> “What a low act! I won’t be going to watch this movie. I won’t be recommending anyone go. The movie is not supported or sanctioned in any way by the Morcombe family,” the statement read. “It’s appalling storyline ignores our family‘s pain and chooses to profit from 13-year-old Daniel Morcombe. “Next year will mark 20 years since we lost Daniel. The passage of time does not make it any easier. Personally, I find the making of this movie morally corrupt and a cruel, callous, selfish cash grab by all involved. Shame on you. “I recommend the public stay away from it and either save their money or consider donating it to the Daniel Morcombe Foundation.” Mrs Morcombe took it further and called the movie makers “parasites” for disrespecting her son. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> We are not amused! How can anyone give oxygen to a crime that is so, so evil? Connections of the movie have blood on their hands. — Bruce Morcombe (@BruceMorcombe) <a href="https://twitter.com/BruceMorcombe/status/1547361223804481536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2022</a></blockquote> “The movie ‘The Stranger’ is not supported by the Morcombe family. Individuals who make money on a heinous crime are parasites,” she wrote. “They are callously disrespectful to Daniel, the DMF & the Morcombe family. We find the making of the movie morally corrupt and cruel. Shame on you.” Mr Morcombe responded to his wife’s tweet saying: “We are not amused! How can anyone give oxygen to a crime that is so, so evil? Connections of the movie have blood on their hands.” Director Thomas M Wright said he made the film to share a different perspective of the story because he could not “presume” what the family was going through. “One reason I chose not to show the child or family (in The Stranger) was to make a film with a clear moral perspective,” he previously said. “I couldn’t presume to know anything of the experience of that family. But I could see that there was a story about empathy and making meaning in the wake of violence, not violence itself.” According to Hollywood reporter, “the film offers a fictionalised portrait of the massive undercover operation that cracked the infamous cold case of 13-year-old Daniel Morcombe, who went missing in 2003.” Images: Daniel Morcombe Foundation

Movies

Metallica see major streaming boost after unlikely feature

Just weeks after Kate Bush’s hit song Running Up That Hill <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/music/kate-bush-reflects-on-hit-song-revival">featured in the charts</a> after its placement in the new season of the hit Netflix show Stranger Things, another band is experiencing the same resurgence. Heavy metal band Metallica’s song Master of Puppets featured in the show’s epic season finale, which aired worldwide on July 1st, and has seen a sharp increase in online listeners ever since. The 40-year-old track featured in the form of an epic guitar solo, which prompted the band to share the dramatic scene on their Instagram and thank the fans for their love and support of the song after all these years. The post reads, “The way The Duffer Brothers have incorporated music into Stranger Things has always been next level, so we were beyond psyched for them to not only include Master of Puppets in the show, but to have such a pivotal scene built around it.” <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cfom8d8twqG/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cfom8d8twqG/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Metallica (@metallica)</a> </div> </blockquote> “We were all stoked to see the final result and when we did we were totally blown away... it’s so extremely well done, so much so, that some folks were able to guess the song just by seeing a few seconds of Joseph Quinn’s hands in the trailer!! How crazy cool is that?” Since the Stranger Things season finale premiere, Metallica has 21.1 million monthly listeners on Spotify as well as 430.88 million streams for Master of Puppets. Image credits: Getty Images

Music

Kate Bush reflects on hit song revival

British singer-songwriter Kate Bush has reflected on a new generation of fans discovering her music that was made popular in the 1980s. After appearing in the highly-anticipated new season of the Netflix series Stranger Things, Bush’s 1985 hit song Running Up That Hill has found itself back in the top 10 of the international music charts. In a rare interview, the singer told <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007qlvb">BBC’s Woman’s Hour</a> radio show how wonderful it has been to have a new legion of younger fans. She said, “Well it’s just extraordinary. I mean, you know, it’s such a great series, I thought that the track would get some attention. But I just never imagined that it would be anything like this. It’s so exciting. But it’s quite shocking really, isn’t it? I mean, the whole world’s gone mad.” She added, “What’s really wonderful I think is this is a whole new audience who, in a lot of cases, they’ve never heard of me and I love that. The thought of all these really young people hearing the song for the first time and discovering it is, well, I think it’s very special.” Bush also discussed the meaning of the song and how it has been reinterpreted by the show, giving the track a new life. She said, “I really like people to hear a song and take from it what they want. But originally it was written as the idea of a man and a woman swapping with each other. Just to feel what it was like, from the other side.” She also revealed that the show led her to listen to Running Up That Hill for the first time in a long while, admitting “I never listen to my old stuff.” “But then you know, when things like this come along, I’m normally involved in something like you know, maybe doing an edit or revisiting the track for some kind of other reason, I’m working on it. So yeah, I hadn’t heard it for a really long time.” Image credits: Getty Images

Music

Woman discovers her home was listed on Airbnb by a stranger

A woman has shared her terrifying experience of when she discovered a stranger had listed her home for rent on Airbnb. American doctor Shireen Heidari tried desperately to contact Airbnb after realising her home had been listed without her knowledge or consent. Taking to Twitter to speak about the incident, Dr Heidari said when she initially contacted the person who posted the fraudulent listing, they offered her the option to book her own home. She said, "Someone has listed my home as their rental, and when I messaged them asking them to take it down, they offered option to book my own home." "We reported it, but the listing is still active. This is not ok." <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Hi <a href="https://twitter.com/Airbnb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Airbnb</a> - I would really appreciate you contacting me. Someone has listed my home as their rental, and when I messaged them asking them to take it down, they offered option to book my own home. We reported it, but the listing is still active. This is not ok. — Shireen Heidari, MD (@ShireenNHeidari) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShireenNHeidari/status/1503606888725770243?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2022</a></blockquote> After sharing the public message online, Shireen's tweet went viral with supportive people reaching out to Airbnb on her behalf to have the listing taken down. The company eventually responded and took her home off the site, after Shireen showed proof that the house was in fact hers. She updated her Twitter followers saying, “Update: the listing is down after being reported as fraudulent. We provided proof of ownership. Still not clear what next steps are.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Update: the listing is down after being reported as fraudulent. We provided proof of ownership. Still not clear what next steps are. There were many messages and calls throughout today. With gratitude to the customer service rep who stayed on line at 11pm to help sort it. <a href="https://t.co/tS5ewuOoOD">https://t.co/tS5ewuOoOD</a> — Shireen Heidari, MD (@ShireenNHeidari) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShireenNHeidari/status/1503626984441606144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2022</a></blockquote> She also went on to thank the Airbnb representative who stayed on the phone with her until 11pm to help her sort out getting the listing removed. In response to Shireen’s ordeal, many people chimed in to share similar experiences with Airbnb. "When we were selling our house, someone hijacked the pictures and were trying to rent it. Several people came over to tour it," one person said. "Be careful.” Image credits: Getty Images / Twitter<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">

Home & Garden

Alec Baldwin shares story of touching act of kindness from a stranger

In a candid video shared on Instagram, Alec Baldwin spoke about a random act of kindness from a stranger that he experienced soon after the <a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/alec-baldwin-allegedly-shot-and-killed-cinematographer" target="_blank">shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins</a> on the set of the movie Rust in October 2021. Describing it as the “worst situation I’ve ever been involved with”, Baldwin went on to recall an encounter with a kind stranger he met in a cafe soon after the incident. "A young woman, a senior in high school or maybe she was in college, she walked by with a guy and she handed me a packet of Splenda and on the perimeter of the package, there was a modest amount of space to write on. “She wrote me a note on both sides of the package, and it was, 'So many people care about you,' or something… it really very kind and very thoughtful.” <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CYNafHQrRnL/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CYNafHQrRnL/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Alec Baldwin (@alecbaldwininsta)</a> </div> </blockquote> Baldwin continued, "It was really so amazing that she handed me this Splenda packet. And I said, 'Oh thank you'. And she left. And I was sitting there and took it home, I was going to photograph it … and I lost it." He said he was “overwhelmed” by her kindness but lost the packet, soon becoming “obsessed” with finding it. "I searched for it yesterday, like you would search for your phone or your keys or your wallet. I was obsessed with finding it, I'm still obsessed with finding it, because I want to screenshot it.” He finished, "If you are the young woman that gave me the Splenda packet at John Pappas the other day, then send me a message here, because I was so grateful for it. It was so lovely. It meant so much to me… it meant a lot to me." The actor thanked his fans who have supported him since the tragedy, adding that he was hopeful that “the truth” would soon prevail. "This has been surely the worst situation I've ever been involved with and I'm very hopeful that the people in charge with investigating this whole thing get to the truth as soon as possible. “No one wants the truth more than I do." Image: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Caring

I thought it was a parking fine!

When a Melbourne mother finished her shopping at her local supermarket and went to her car, she found what looked like a parking fine on her windshield. But when she opened it she found a stranger had left an envelope with $20 and a note inside. “I looked at the parking sign which was 1.5hours and I knew that I was less than an hour,” she posted on the Facebook group - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/515507852491119">The Kindness Pandemic.</a> “I picked up the envelope and looked inside to find the most beautiful act of kindness,” she added. Alongside the $20 note was a message which read: “Times are tough right now.” “Please treat yourself to something small to help with your or your children’s mental health. You’re not alone. Lifeline: 13 11 14.” The mother was touched by this act of kindness and she added to her Facebook post: “Whoever you are out there: you made my day! Thank you #somuchgratitude.” Dozens of others applauded the stranger for their genuine act of kindness with one posting: “angels do walk amongst us.” Another person wrote: “Oh wow, this made me cry! Such a beautiful kind thing to do. Thank you to whoever put the note...this could save someone’s life.” Melbourne COVID lockdown update Melbourne is a little over two weeks into its sixth lockdown, which has been extended until September 2. The city passed the ‘200 days in lockdown’ milestone on Thursday this week. Photos: Facebook

Caring

"My son loved cake!" Woman's heartwarming gesture for stranger

A US woman's unexpected kind gesture for a stranger at a bakery on her late son's birthday has gone viral online. The woman from Indiana, Toni Wilson-Taylor has found a way to keep the memory of her son alive, after his death at 29 in 2015. The beautiful gesture allowed the grieving mother to learn about her son's legacy on his birthday. According to WRTV, Toni called up Kroger Bakery to purchase Tyler's favourite cake on May 16 and asked staff to give it to someone who had the same birthday as her child. The publication said Tyler died in July 2015, a short time after he completed his hospital residency. The cake receiver Carolyn Mick took to Facebook last week to share the note after she learnt the random stranger had already paid for her son’s birthday cake when she tried to purchase it. The gesture came with a handwritten note from Toni, which Mick shared on social media. “Dear Toni.. you know who you are and I want to express how moved I am,” the Facebook post said. “This means so much that my husband and I cried together. “With the turmoil of things going on it reminds us of what really matters!” “Today is my son’s 35th birthday, his 5th one in heaven,” the note said. “In his memory, I’ve paid for your cake. <img style="width: 392.379679144385px; height: 500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841406/screen-shot-2021-05-25-at-10758-pm.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/a0c765f408b6411c8687b2ba8a3c343b" /> “Please enjoy, make special memories and hug your children and loved ones tight. “My son loved cake!” Several people jumped in the comments to share how beautiful they thought the gesture was. “My brother also celebrated his 5th birthday in heaven recently and would have been 36,” one person said. “It’s nice to see people reaching out (even anonymously) to support each other during those sad times.” “Later this year, I will be celebrating my daughter’s ten year rebirthday,” another added. “Ever since her passing, I have done something, even if it is little, to celebrate her birthdays and rebirthdays.”

Family & Pets

"I'm not judging you": Stranger leaves heartwarming note for mums camping in caravan park

A heartwarming note posted in a caravan park in Victoria has welcomed mums during the school holidays. The letter, posted to Facebook page Mum Central, was addressed to "all the mums" and has since been liked over 1,200 times. “To all of the mums, when I look at you or are in ears reach of you trying to discipline or comfort your child I want you to know I am not judging you,” the note reads. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FMumCentralAU%2Fposts%2F1901262980032974&width=500&show_text=true&height=609&appId" width="500" height="609" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe> “I admire you, your strength, patience and the pure determination you have to try to give your family beautiful memories is priceless. “Love and respect to you all! Happy Easter.” Mums of course loved the note and shared their joy at the understanding note leaver. “Think we would have appreciated this note that time we camped at Shoal Bay,” one person said. “I’ve had a retired couple say that to us in Mildura, it was so lovely to hear and talk about when they’d travelled with their three kids. Kids and camping can be mayhem(but worth it),“ another added. “I wish all campers thought like this. Taking children camping is sometimes difficult,” a third chimed in.

Caring

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban fight stranger at the opera

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban had an eventful experience at the Sydney Opera House after an altercation with a gentleman. According to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.smh.com.au/culture/celebrity/high-drama-when-nic-and-keith-went-to-the-opera-20210204-p56zjy.html" target="_blank">The Sydney Morning Herald</a>, the couple fought about opera etiquette with the man and it resulted in him being escorted from the building. The couple attended a showing of The Merry Widow and were so thrilled with the performance that they both rose to give a standing ovation to the cast. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Last night we were joined by two familiar faces (recognisable even with face masks) at The Merry Widow... Thanks Nicole Kidman and <a href="https://twitter.com/KeithUrban?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KeithUrban</a> for your support! We were honoured to have two great Australian artists in the audience and hope you enjoyed the performance. <a href="https://t.co/bfj2oM57d6">pic.twitter.com/bfj2oM57d6</a> — Opera Australia (@OperaAustralia) <a href="https://twitter.com/OperaAustralia/status/1349867238887624705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2021</a></blockquote> The gentleman behind them allegedly took issue with the fact that the pair were on their feet and told them so. After the famous couple didn't sit down, the man swatted Kidman with his show program, which was where Urban accused the man of assaulting his wife. Kidman was left very upset after the incident, which prompted a call to police. NSW Police confirmed that two officers were called to the opera that night. "Police have been told a 53-year-old man and a 67-year-old man were both attending the entertainment centre when an argument broke out. Officers spoke to both men and no further action was taken," NSW Police said in a statement.

Legal

Strangers raise $250,000 for pregnant mother of triplets after husband's suicide

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> More than $250,000 has been raised for a devastated mum-to-be of triplets after her husband passed away in a self-harm incident involving a car. Matt and Ashleigh Conwell had been tightly budgeting to prepare for the arrival of their three babies before Matt took his own life on September 2nd. With the three children due just before Christmas, strangers took it upon themselves to help out the heartbroken family. Nicola Britton, GoFundMe's Australian senior regional manager, said the heartbreaking story resonated with members of the community, The <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queenslanders-help-raise-250k-for-cricket-coachs-pregnant-widow/news-story/0f377cb7074c0cb57db6be05ea36aff0" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink">Courier Mail</a> reported. "The more close-knit a community, the quicker donations come in, and this one escalated very quickly due to the circumstances," she said. "Generosity hasn't slowed down this year, and that's really surprised me; at a time of such social and economic uncertainty, people are turning compassion into action and donating is their way to show they are there for someone." Devastated Ashleigh agreed to let her friend Alex Nesevski set up a <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/ashleigh-amp-her-beautiful-babies" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink">GoFundMe</a> page. "Ashleigh isn't the sort of person who would ask for help, and money can never replace the loss of her husband, but she knows she needs support," Mrs Nesevski previously told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8789691/Ashleigh-Conwell-GoFundMe-raises-250-000-husbands-sudden-suicide.html" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink">Daily Mail Australia</a>. She explained the costs of pregnancy, delivery and caring for triplets that would be "challenging for any couple" are especially difficult for a jobless single mother. "They were already stretching every dollar and budgeting tightly for the arrival of their unexpected but so very wanted family ... the financial hardship she now finds herself in is significant," she said. "She has to see a specialist every two weeks because carrying three babies is a huge physical strain - growing bones and brains." Ashleigh's sister Emily said that her brother in law wasn't thinking clearly when he took his own life. "It was a snap decision, a moment of clouded judgement, and totally out of character," she said. "This year's been tough for everyone, even the strongest people you thought could get through it ... it just shows suicide doesn't discriminate," she said. "It wasn't meant to be this way". </div> </div> </div>

Caring

Woman attacked by stranger at traffic lights

A Christchurch woman is recovering from brain injury after being brutally attacked by a stranger at traffic lights late last month. Deni Smart was waiting at the lights in Linwood when the suspect got into her car. According to a <a rel="noopener" href="https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/brutally-attacked" target="_blank">Givealittle</a> page which was started by a friend, she was then attacked when the person “started an onslaught”. Smart is still recovering from the vicious assault, after she suffered from a concussion and fractured eye socket. A photo of the aftermath was shared on the page to highlight the severity of her injuries. "This individual is unknown to Deni and she has no idea what provoked the assault," the Givealittle page says. Smart was reportedly bashed in the head several times and has been left “physically and mentally” traumatised. She is desperate to go back to work, says the Givealittle page, but it’s uncertain how long it will take for her brain injury to recover. "Deni is a kind, caring, and brilliant woman who now has significant uncertainty in her future. "She didn't ask for this. She didn't provoke the attack. She is now having to deal with the results of someone else's complete disregard for human life." Taking to Facebook last Wednesday, Smart thanked her friends and family for the support, saying the past few days had been a “blur”. "It makes me realise how blessed I am in this life and how many people care about me," she said. Police are currently investigating the situation, which no arrests made at this stage.

Caring

Beware: Your private data could be shared with strangers

Just to remind us that even the world’s biggest and wealthiest tech companies are not immune to privacy breaches, Google made worldwide headlines recently after a glitch that sent thousands of users’ private videos backed up on Google Photos to complete strangers. Google Takeout is a service that allows Google Photo users to backup their personal data or use it with other apps. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com.au/google-photos-accidentally-sent-users-private-videos-to-strangers-report-2020-2?r=US&IR=T">Google mixed up user-data</a> and sent many Take-out users’ personal videos to random people. While the issue lasted several days, Google says it only affected 0.01% of users – but with the number of users in excess of 1 billion, the number is believed to run into the thousands. The way big tech companies like Google and Facebook collect, store and share user-data has <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/facebook-defiant-in-the-face-of-data-scandal/">come under scrutiny in recent years.</a> The ACCC has taken legal action against Google Last year, the Australian consumer watchdog, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) filed legal proceedings against Google, accusing it of misleading smartphone users about how it collects and uses personal location data. It’s the ACCC’s first lawsuit against a global tech giant, but one which the Commission hopes will send a clear message that tech companies are legally required to inform users of how their data is collected, and how users can stop it from being collected. Other countries are said to be watching the proceedings closely, as they too consider how to keep tech companies accountable. In a nutshell, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-australia-google-regulator/australian-regulator-files-privacy-suit-against-google-alleging-location-data-misuse-idUSKBN1X804X">the ACCC alleges that Google breached the Australian Consumer Law (ACL)</a> by misleading its users during the years 2017 and 2018 by: <ul> <li>not properly disclosing that two different settings need to be switched off if consumers do not want Google to collect, keep and use their location data, and</li> <li>not disclosing to consumers on which pages personal location data can be used for a purposes unrelated to the consumer’s use of Google services.</li> </ul> Some of the alleged breaches carry penalties of up to A$10 million or 10% of annual turnover. According to the ACCC, Google’s account settings on Android phones and tablets have led consumers to believe that changing a setting on the “Location History” page stops the company from collecting, storing and using their location data. It alleges that Google failed to make clear to consumers that they would actually need to change their choices on a separate setting titled “Web & App Activity” to prevent this from occurring. It is well known that Google collects and uses consumers’ personal location data for purposes other than providing Google services to consumers, although users are often surprised to realise just how much information these tech giants have and profit from. For example, Google uses location data for its navigation platforms, using the data to work out demographic information for the sole purposes of selling targeted advertising. And, as it has become increasingly clear, digital platforms have the ability to track consumers when they are <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/smile-facebook-may-soon-be-filming-you/">both online and offline</a> to create highly detailed personal profiles. These profiles are then used to sell products and services, but companies like the ACCC believe the way the information is gathered is misleading or deceptive, and could also breach <a href="http://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/police-hacking-in-australia-a-case-of-breach-of-privacy/">privacy laws</a>. No ‘blanket’ protection for users globally The closest thing to a cross-jurisdiction set of rules regarding privacy rights is the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR), which were introduced in 2018 and govern data protection and privacy in the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA). The regulation also addresses the transfer of personal data outside the EU and EEA areas. The instrument aims to give individuals control over their personal data and to simplify the regulatory environment for international business by unifying the rules within the EU. Not all companies and organisations have adopted the GDPR. Rather, only those with offices in an EU country or that collect, process or store the personal data of anyone located within an EU country are required to comply with the rules. But because many businesses have an international focus and reach, <a href="https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/guidance-and-advice/australian-entities-and-the-eu-general-data-protection-regulation/">many Australian businesses have adopted the regulations</a> and given consumers some assurances regarding privacy. And the GDPR laws do have teeth. In January, a French regulator fined Google 50 million euros (about AUD$82 million) for breaches of privacy laws. And Ireland’s Data Protection Commissioner is currently investigating Google over contravening the privacy rules. Facebook is also under fire for privacy breaches as well as for misuse of data. Last year, it was fined a record-breaking $5 billion in the United States over the misuse of data and inadequate vetting of misinformation campaigns, which were used together to help sway the 2016 presidential election in favour of Donald Trump. Beware of posting or uploading information In the meantime, the ACCC has not yet specified the nature and scope of the corrective notices and other orders it is seeking against Google. However, the regulator has sent warnings to <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/thinking-of-getting-a-digital-assistant-device-think-again/">all technology users to be vigilant</a> in updating their privacy settings and being aware the information they provide when setting up devices and apps can be used and, indeed, profited from by tech companies. Written by Sonia hickey and Ugur Nedim. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/beware-your-private-data-could-be-shared-with-strangers/">Sydney Criminal Lawyers.</a>

Art

Why it can make sense to believe in the kindness of strangers

Would you risk your life for a total stranger? While you might consider yourself incapable of acts of altruism on that scale, it happens again and again. During <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/03/us/houston-texas-harvey-heroes-trnd/index.html">hurricanes</a> and <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/05/us/las-vegas-shooting-jonathan-smith-tom-mcgrath-hero-intv/index.html">mass shootings</a>, some people go to great lengths to help people they don’t even know while everyone else flees. To learn whether this behavior comes more naturally to some of us than others, I partnered with Abigail Marsh and other neuroscientists working at the <a href="http://www.abigailmarsh.com/">Laboratory on Social and Affective Neuroscience</a> at Georgetown University. We studied the brains and behavior of some extraordinary altruists: people who have donated one of their own kidneys to a total stranger, known as nondirected donors. <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/x7EglP5A2Hg?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Vox journalist Dylan Matthews explains in this video why he donated his left kidney to save a stranger’s life. Unusually altruistic These kidney donors may never learn anything about the recipient. That means they are not making this personal sacrifice because a relative or someone they may interact with in the future would benefit. What’s more, this act of altruism is costly in multiple ways. It is a major, painful surgery. Many donors end up <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ajt.13591/abstract">paying thousands of dollars</a> out of pocket for medical and travel expenses, and they can lose out on salary and other earnings. For the most part, there’s nothing to be gained in terms of the donor’s reputation. Many people, including some medical professionals, are skeptical about the motives of altruistic donors – even <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1034/j.1600-6143.2003.00019.x/abstract">questioning their sanity</a>. These drawbacks help explain why altruistic kidney donation is extremely rare. Fewer than 2,000 people have done this to date in the United States since 1988, the first year with a recorded altruistic donor. That makes it something a mere one out of every 163,133 Americans have ever done. And the norm is for living friends and family to donate kidneys to their loved ones. That was the case when celebrity Selena Gomez, who has lupus, got a new kidney from <a href="http://people.com/music/selena-gomez-kidney-donor-francia-raisa-all-about/">her best friend</a>, the actress Francia Raisa. Most commonly, the kidneys of deceased organ donors are used in transplants for strangers. There are about twice as many transplants from deceased donors as transplants from living ones. Deceased donors and living friends and family account for a total of 99.5 percent of all kidney transplants performed over the past three decades. <hr /> <iframe id="LHG0m" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/LHG0m/3/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none;" frameborder="0"></iframe> <hr /> Mammalian brains Deep in the brains of all mammals – whether squirrel, bonobo or human – the same regions respond to distress and vulnerability. This response is especially common when babies cry out or appear threatened. In our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.1731">most recent study</a>, we investigated whether those brain systems, which are responsible for making all mammals care about helpless youngsters, play a key role in making some people extremely altruistic. There are two major regions in what brain scientists call the “offspring care neural network,” evolutionarily old structures deep in the brain called the amygdala and the periaqueductal gray. The amygdala is a small almond-shaped structure in both hemispheres tucked below the cortex. (Amygdala means almond in Greek.) One of its main roles in the brain is picking up on important emotional cues. Research has long established that the amygdala is largely responsible for <a href="http://www.jneurosci.org/content/15/9/5879">recognizing</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2010.11.042">feeling</a> fear. The periaqueductal gray is another small u-shaped structure at the base of the brain. It plays an important role in controlling basic behaviors like the impulse to cuddle a baby or the instinct to avoid predators. Many studies have shown these structures and the connections between them are responsible for, say, motivating <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1460-9568.2009.06875.x/abstract">female rats to take care of their pups</a> or making <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnpbp.2010.10.017">humans want to console crying babies</a>. Responding to distressed offspring is such a strong survival instinct that it can even cross species. A deer, for example, will respond when it <a href="http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/677677">hears a crying human infant</a>. Other research by Marsh’s lab has studied how people respond when they sense that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000054">others are afraid</a> and feel an urge to comfort them. The sight of <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02699930600652234">frightened faces can evoke helping behavior</a>. And people who are good at <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/1528-3542.7.2.239">noticing that someone is afraid</a> just by seeing their face tend to be more altruistic than the rest of us. Scientists have long hypothesized that the care people extend to strangers may be a sort of extension of our most basic impulses to take care of our own kids. Scientists also believe that the ancient brain structures humans share with other mammals trigger these responses. A test To learn more about the brains of extremely altruistic people, we <a href="https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.1731">did an experiment</a> with people who had donated one of their kidneys to someone they didn’t know. In our study, we asked these extreme altruists to read scenarios, some of which described people who were the target of harmful or callous behavior, and rate how much sympathy they felt. We did the same thing with a control group of people who had not donated a kidney. Before reading some of these scenarios, we presented photos of fearful faces. These images were fleeting, lasting only 27 milliseconds. That means the participants couldn’t consciously recognize what they saw. Meanwhile, we scanned their brains. We found some interesting effects while reviewing images captured during this experiment. Most notably, the amygdalas and their periaqueductal gray were more active for kidney donors than people in our control group, with stronger reactions to fearful and distressed stimuli. What we found suggests that these two regions might be communicating or otherwise working together. We further tested this finding by looking at another aspect of our brain scans that allowed us to analyze how these two regions are connected by nerve cells. My colleague <a href="https://aamarsh.wordpress.com/lab/">Katherine O'Connell</a>, a doctoral student, found that there seemed to be greater structural connections between these two regions too. These connections may help nerve impulses travel between them. Understanding altruism To be sure, more studies will have to be done to confirm our results before we can be sure how the offspring care neural network contributes to human altruism. But our findings reinforce earlier neuroscience research that found that the amygdala and periaqeuductal gray, and communication between them, play an important role in caring for distressed and vulnerable others across all mammals – including humans. These findings also build on our own prior research with altruistic kidney donors. In those earlier studies, we detected <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1408440111">stronger amygdala responses</a> when the donors glimpsed the faces of people who were feeling fear and that while altruistic kidney donors value friends and family as others do, they <a href="http://rdcu.be/rJ93">tend to be more generous</a> toward strangers. Our study of the brains of real-world altruists backs up these theories. Caring about someone you have never met, what we learned suggests, may have a lot in common with caring about the people you love.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/86271/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kristin-brethel-haurwitz-418169">Kristin Brethel-Haurwitz</a>, Postdoctoral Researcher in Cognitive Neuroscience, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-pennsylvania-1017">University of Pennsylvania</a> This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-it-can-make-sense-to-believe-in-the-kindness-of-strangers-86271">original article</a>.

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I thought it was a parking fine!

"My son loved cake!" Woman's heartwarming gesture for stranger

"I'm not judging you": Stranger leaves heartwarming note for mums camping in caravan park

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban fight stranger at the opera

Strangers raise $250,000 for pregnant mother of triplets after husband's suicide

Woman attacked by stranger at traffic lights

Beware: Your private data could be shared with strangers

Why it can make sense to believe in the kindness of strangers