Cake But No Presents Please
At Gavin Brown’s 4th birthday party, there were 44 guests and an elaborate ice cream cake adorned with a fire truck. Glenn Johnson lifted his daughter Mia, 3, up to drop money into a donation box. But the only gift in sight was a little red Matchbox hook and ladder rig. All the bounty from Gavin’s birthday — $240 in checks and cash collected in a red box next to a plastic fire helmet — wen... posted on Jul 31 2007, 3,763 reads

A Story of Healing
Interplast was the first humanitarian organization to provide free reconstructive surgery for children with clefts, disabling burns and hand injuries in developing countries. In 1997, a film crew accompanied an Interplast volunteer surgical team to Vietnam. The filmmakers donated their services to document the team’s experiences and produce “A Story of Healing,” which earned the 1997 Academy... posted on Jul 29 2007, 2,371 reads

The Compliment Machine
When walking along 14th Street NW, you might be surprised to hear a chime followed by a reassuring voice: "People are drawn to your positive energy,” or, “You’re a star in the face of the sky.” A small sign explains, "The Compliment Machine." This red-and-white striped sidewalk contraption plays a series of one hundred unique compliments for pedestrians through the day. It was designed by ... posted on Jul 26 2007, 2,284 reads

Dare To Care
"It's Saturday night in the Paris métro. Two friends, Etienne and Sophie, are on their way to dinner. After sitting down in the crowded train, they discover the body of a homeless man curled up at their feet. How did he get there? How long has he been lying there? Is he dead? They look around: Everyone avoids looking at the body. Nobody has any idea how to handle this situation. Etienne and S... posted on Jul 25 2007, 4,389 reads

The Barber Who Loved Books
Fueled by a lifelong love of literature -- which began as a child when he sneaked a pre-dawn peek at his neighbor's newspaper –- Rueben Martinez decided it would be his mission to raise the literacy rate among Hispanics. He got the idea to open a bookstore inside his barbershop in 1993, after customers repeatedly borrowed his collection of 200 books. The store took on a life of its own, expandin... posted on Jul 23 2007, 1,547 reads

The Elders: Veteran Diplomats Unite
Melding serious statesmanship and a dose of audacity, Nelson Mandela, the former South African president, and a clutch of international figures are announcing an alliance to diplomatically tackle the world's most intractable problems. The alliance, unveiled during the events marking Mr Mandela's 89th birthday, is to be called the Elders. It includes the retired Anglican archbishop Desmond Tutu, th... posted on Jul 20 2007, 1,481 reads

Beatbox on the Paris Metro
An impromptu performance on a French subway car by Naturally7 -- an American rap group -- renders the evening commute anything but typical. As these musicians bestow a breathtakingly innovative spin on the Phil Collins classic "In the Air Tonight," what was old is now new again. In every way. ... posted on Jul 11 2007, 2,885 reads

6 Principles For 21st Century Leaders
In his 15+ years of work with organizations and senior executives, Dr. Prasad Kaipa has discovered the following six internal guiding principles in coaching executives to become successful in times of such great change: clarity of intention, awareness of self and what is going on around you, empathy for one another, appreciation of others and for what you received, stretching beyond your own limit... posted on Jul 10 2007, 0 reads

High School Friends Help Darfur
High school students Nick Anderson and Ana Slavin of Gill, Mass., knew they could raise some money at their school to help the people of Darfur. But they knew they could raise a lot more by enlisting the help of high school students all over the country. They didn't have friends at every school, but they did have a powerful tool for reaching out to young people -- social networking sites. Six mont... posted on Jul 08 2007, 943 reads

Familiar Beats in a New School
They trudged in, eyes cast down with no sign of a smile, unsure what to expect.Then they noticed the two drummers playing African beats. One by one, the Burundian children took over the skin-covered drums, cola-nut shakers and rhythm sticks, stomping the floor and dancing to the music. This was how the child refugees were introduced to the Dallas Independent School District. The 16 children had co... posted on Jul 05 2007, 1,722 reads