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'Today Show' host Kathie Lee Gifford praises incredible and humble Billy Graham
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Today show host Kathie Lee Gifford reacted to the death of pastor and Christian evangelist Rev. Billy Graham on Wednesday morning. - photo by Herb Scribner
Today show host Kathie Lee Gifford reacted to the death of pastor and Christian evangelist the Rev. Billy Graham on Wednesday morning.

Speaking on "Megyn Kelly Today," Gifford had nothing but praise for Graham.

My whole family came to Jesus through the Billy Graham organization, she said.

She wrote in a separate piece for "Today" that she appreciated the pastors humility and friendly personality.

The thing that I adored most about him is that he remained the most humble and giant of a man you would ever, ever, ever want to meet. He had this incredible, loving presence of a person for the masses, but then when you were one-on-one with him, you were the only person in the room. Rarely do people have both of those gifts, she wrote.

Gifford told Kelly that she grew up with a Jewish father and a Christian mother, and that Graham connected the dots for her.

She also told a story about the last time she spoke with Graham, at his 95 birthday celebration.

Although he was frail and ailing, after she told him who she was, he shared with her an important message.

Oh Kathie Lee, I love you, he told her.

You can watch the entire interview in the video here.

Gifford also praised Graham in a Twitter post.

Giffords religious background has been well-documented. Following the death of her husband in 2015, Gifford said their familys Christian beliefs were central to their lives, according to the Deseret News, as her husband often turned to faith during hard times.

"He had the hope that he would be with the Lord and that we would someday be with him as well," Gifford said.
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.