Why a concert will take 639 years to finish

From 5 Good News Stories - happiness and fun by Caloroga Shark Media / Happiness Good News Lab

August 27, 2026 · 7 min

About this episode

Johnny Mac shares five uplifting good news stories, including a 639-year concert and inspiring achievements by athletes and communities.

Johnny Mac shares five good news stories: a 639-year performance of John Cage’s Organ2/ASLSP in a medieval church in Halberstadt, Germany, begun in 2001 and scheduled to end in 2640, using an electric blower to sustain notes and drawing crowds for rare chord changes while helping fund church repairs; Paralympic medalist Mohammed completing the Triathlon Across America by swimming around Manhattan, cycling 3,000 miles across 16 states, and running 300 miles on a prosthetic leg with careful wound-management stops; Guatemala’s La Aurora Zoo breeding Guatemalan beaded lizards for eventual release into the Motagua Valley; Connecticut, Maryland, and New Jersey passing laws restricting surveillance pricing; and Chicago’s Ducky Derby raising over $480,000 for Special Olympics Illinois, with prizes including an SUV. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/5-good-news-stories-happiness-and-fun--5747537/support . 5 Good News Stories is a daily podcast with five positive, uplifting news stories to brighten your day. New episodes every day. Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Part of the Caloroga Shark Media network John also hosts Daily…

People in this episode

Host: Johnny Mac

Topics covered

good news
inspiring stories
community support
environmental efforts
sports achievements

Keywords

good news
concert
Paralympic medalist
zoo breeding
surveillance laws
Ducky Derby

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Special Olympics Illinois

Books & works: Organ2/ASLSP

Places: Halberstadt, Germany, Guatemala, Motagua Valley, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey