100-Year-Old Doctor Still Making Rounds
Dr. Walter Watson of Augusta, Georgia sees a few patients every day. Then, he drives himself down the block to University Hospital where he still serves as chairman of his department. Why is this significant? He's 100 years old. From his first delivery in 1944 until 1995, Dr. Watson ushered in a small army of satisfied customers. Today, they're known simply as the "Watson babies." Having delivered... posted on Nov 21 2010, 7,310 reads

In the Footsteps of Gandhi
As they say, the more things change, the more they remain the same. And this adage will be proven true by a British woman who will walk on the path Mahatma Gandhi took 80 years ago. Eight decades ago, Gandhi embarked on a Salt March demanding to break free from British colonialism through a nonviolent movement. Starting today, an inspired Jill Beckingham will retrace his route in the same Gandhian... posted on Nov 18 2010, 2,517 reads

25 Visionaries Changing Your World
Nelson Mandela didn't always look like a visionary. For 27 years, he simply looked like a prisoner, locked up for antiapartheid activism. What seemed like a long exercise in futility is now legend: after his release, he became his country's president, and today is an icon of commitment and compassion. Fortunately, visionary thinkers aren't always imprisoned, but they are often ridiculed, marginali... posted on Nov 15 2010, 25,729 reads

Dalai Lama: A Professional Laugher?
"I have been confronted with many difficulties throughout the course of my life, and my country is going through a critical period. But I laugh often, and my laughter is contagious. When people ask me how I find the strength to laugh now, I reply that I am a professional laugher." So begins an excerpt by Dalai Lama on why he laughs: ... posted on Nov 13 2010, 9,477 reads

Inspirational Graduation Speech by Autistic Student
Of all the students at Smithfield High School, Eric Duquette may have been least likely to speak on graduation day. Diagnosed with autism at birth, he didn't learn how to speak until the age of five. Doctors told his parents that he'd probably end up in an institution. In a way, they right. Eric excelled to the point of getting accepted into every college he applied to. With parents who taught him... posted on Nov 11 2010, 11,770 reads

Grandmother Runs a Hospital of Hope
Several times a week, a 74-year-old grandmother drives into the crime capital of the world to help keep a sanctuary for its citizens alive. Guadalupe Arizpe De La Vega insists on returning to her hometown to preserve the Hospital de la Familia, a health center she started more than 30 years ago. Despite the violence, De La Vega's hospital and its staff- which treats about 900 patients daily, regar... posted on Nov 09 2010, 5,005 reads

Teens Become Civil Servant Guitar Stars
After overhearing her children talk of starting a rock band and noticing that nothing ever came of their dreams, Sandra Rizkallah and her husband, Tom Pugh, decided to help. Starting with five teens, the group soon evolved into a full-fledged nonprofit that has affected 400 students. But it's become more than just music. Throughout the year, the teens put on benefit concerts, donating the proceeds... posted on Nov 05 2010, 2,098 reads

Giving Slums a Human Face
It's not common for important philanthropic prizes to go to people whose work involves criminal trespass and who make statements like the following: "You never know who's part of the police and who's not." But the TED conference plans to give its annual $100,000 prize to the Parisian street artist known as J R, a shadowy figure who made a name for himself by plastering colossal photographs in down... posted on Oct 30 2010, 3,199 reads

The Burrito Man Who Changed Lives
For almost 20 years, he was there. A little guy in a metal cart, selling rice-and-bean burritos at 17th and K street. There in all weather, he became a dependable rock in the rapids of life in downtown Washington DC. He recalled not only his patrons' food preferences, but also the names of their children and standings of their sports teams. Workers who had been transferred away would come find him... posted on Oct 28 2010, 15,260 reads

Driver Thanks Man Who Hit Him on Purpose
Driving to a baseball game, Duane Innes saw a pickup truck ahead of him drift across lanes of traffic, sideswipe a concrete barrier and continue forward on the inside shoulder at about 40 mph. An engineer by training, Innes dodged the truck, then looked back to see that the driver was slumped over the wheel. He knew a busy intersection was just ahead, and he had to act fast. Without consulting the... posted on Oct 25 2010, 5,524 reads