Welcome to #NotBadNews, our new (and hopefully short-lived) daily column where we round up the good, surprising, and weird things that have happened around the world during this coronavirus pandemic.
We at Fodor’s are collecting all the good news of the day and bringing it straight to you, what we see as a nice distraction from the bad. Today we found that Canadians are absolutely as nice as rumored, and Steph Curry is a multi-faceted athlete.
An Italian Priest Becomes an Influencer
Throughout the world, governments are asking that large group events be canceled or postponed, with church services being no exception. In order to abide by the rules while still insuring that mass-goers got a chance to attend a service, one priest took to Instagram live, and the results indicated this might be his first time.
In Italy today, a priest decided to live-stream a mass due to COVID-19. Unfortunately he activated the video filters by mistake. pic.twitter.com/zu2qwAlCyT
— Gavin Shoebridge (@KiwiEV) March 24, 2020
We think this priest just made #NoFilter last month’s style.
A New Type of Sink
One individual saw a problem and acted. Realizing that there was no way to sanitize before hopping on public transportation, he created a bus-stop sink.
A Man Turned Metallic Drums Into Hand-Washing Sinks And Placed At Different Bus Stops. from r/pics
This invention gives those still needing to take public transportation a place to wash their hands before getting on the bus and after exiting, a measure that scientists say is necessary for preventing COVID-19. In addition to it simply being a great idea, his use of recycled metal drums makes this project eco-friendly!
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This ingenuity has also been seen in Kigali, Rwanda, where sanitizing stations have been in place for some time, and hand-washing required before stepping onto the bus.
SEEN IN KIGALI: To prevent the risk of #Coronavirus outbreak, passengers at the Kigali Bus Park have to wash their hands before getting onto buses.#Rwanda has recorded NO case of the epidemic but the country has stepped up vigilance. pic.twitter.com/tb7cfUNj7K
— The New Times (Rwanda) (@NewTimesRwanda) March 9, 2020
New York City Restaurants Are There for Their Community
Times have gotten tough as many Americans have suddenly found themselves without work. New York City has been hit incredibly hard, where many individuals in the service and hospitality industry have found themselves without income until their places of business open again. But their local NYC restaurants are making sure to do what they can. Throughout New York City, restaurants are offering affordable meals to the public, and some even free for servers who had been let-go. TimeOut compiled a list of these establishments.
INSIDER TIPFor those able to afford carry-out, consider ordering a meal here-and-there from a local business. This will help ensure that your favorite restaurant is up and running once lock-down ends, and that your favorite servers and bartenders have a place of work to come back to. Plus, when you can’t leave your house, take-out is a good way to spice up that otherwise uneventful day!
Some DIY Inspiration From Sport’s Twitter
Figuring out how to waste time is difficult: Do you learn a new hobby, take up baking, or just perfect something you’re already decently good at? For Steph Curry, it’s all about flexing his other athletic ability.
You’re up @DudePerfect @24Bazemore @MardyFish!!! #playingthrough https://t.co/nAehNuzjdk pic.twitter.com/mnHQbZd5mz
— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) March 20, 2020
If you’ve got a club, golf-ball, and a room without any breakables, this activity might the time-waster for you. But for those of us who can barely make it through a single hole of Putt-Putt, this Twitter user has a different suggestion.
I converted our dining room table into a pool table and all it cost was my relationship with my roommates. pic.twitter.com/vDHoAKOlt8
— Rollie Williams (@RollieWilliams) March 21, 2020
Yes, that is a DIY pool table, and while it will take some time to construct (we are looking for ways to kill an afternoon though) it is possible! Repurposing your dining room table for billiards will make for an incredibly fun game and story, but things might get difficult come dinner time.
Our Neighbors to the North Show Us What Being Neighborly Means
Having to self-isolate, one Canadian family opened their door to a surprise. The refugee family they have previously housed had come by to return the favor.
Back in 2016 we sponsored a refugee family to come to Canada. Today, knowing that we’re self-isolating because of travel, they brought bags of food to my front porch. Beans, dates, noodles, lentils, tahini, veggies, meat, and candy for my kid. So kind… and I’m so grateful♥️😭🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/BksTcxl62y
— Robin Stevenson (@robin_stevenson) March 24, 2020
Grabbing all the essentials and a few comforts (everyone in self-isolation deserves a little candy), this family did more than just say hello and you’re in our thoughts, they showed it. If anyone is looking for a way to express their love while keeping a social-distance, this family has got one great idea.
Check-in every day for an update on the wonderful and weird things happening in our current coronavirus world.