A Lighthouse Keeper's Message In A Bottle
Each year on her birthday, Ann Hernandez and her friend, Alan Tomaska, would settle on the rocky shore of Thacher Island and say a toast to the day. When the tide going out, Hernandez would tuck a handwritten message inside a bottle and Tomaska would hurl it over the rocks and into the crashing surf.Tomaska considered the ritual a lark. But for Hernandez, the messages in a bottle were a kind of pe... posted on Nov 11, 4641 reads

Mali's Gift Economy
Sometimes, we get the most from giving without receiving. In Mali, villagers have embraced this idea for centuries in their vibrant gift economy, called 'dama'. It encourages Malians to maintain social connections with family, friends, and complete strangers, by providing goods and services with no expectation of a return gift. Instead, the villagers understand that a gift will be "paid forward... posted on Oct 16, 3774 reads

Cleaning Shoes, Making A Difference
Greg Woodburn spends a lot of time cleaning sneakers. Some of them once belonged to him; some belonged to his friends. But soon the shoes will have new owners: underprivileged children in the United States and 20 other countries, thanks to Woodburn's Share Our Soles (S.O.S.) charity. It all began when Woodburn, a high school track star, was sidelined for months with knee and hip injuries. "I start... posted on Nov 20, 3163 reads

Yawn for Good Health?
Dogs yawn before attacking, Olympic athletes yawn before performing, and fish yawn before they change activities. Evidence even exists that yawning helps individuals on military assignment perform their tasks with greater accuracy and ease. Several recent brain-scan studies have shown that yawning evokes a unique neural activity in the areas of the brain that are directly involved in generating so... posted on Dec 1, 6178 reads

70 Words of Wisdom for 2010
Seth Godin, the innovator, writer, and blogger extraordinaire, persuaded 70 other innovators, writers, and bloggers to participate in a project he calls What Matters Now.The idea is simple: Each of us suggests one word -- literally one word -- that all of us should think about in 2010, and then takes one page to explain why and how that word matters. The result is an intriguing, inspiring, and at ... posted on Feb 2, 13385 reads

A 1000 Mile Walk Relying On Kindness
His name is Garth Poorman, and he's a man on a mission. Poorman, who left his home in Hebron in upstate New York on August 29, is walking all the way to New Orleans. Along the way, he is looking for a few kind and generous hearts. "I wanted to see if I could walk half-way across America, depending solely on the kindness of friends and strangers to share dinner with me and host me in their homes fo... posted on Jan 19, 3465 reads

Fortune That Made Him Miserable
Mr. Rabeder is in the process of selling his luxury 3,455 sq ft villa with lake, sauna and spectacular mountain views over the Alps, valued over $2 million. Also for sale is his beautiful old stone farmhouse in Provence. Already gone is his collection of six gliders, a luxury Audi A8a and the interior furnishings and accessories business that made his fortune. "My idea is to have nothing left. A... posted on Feb 11, 6140 reads

Grannies With A Mission
They're 13 grannies, more famously known as the International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers. Facing a world in crisis, these women of wisdom believe that new solutions will emerge if we can shrink our mind-heart distance to zero. Respected medicine women and shamans from the Americas, the Arctic Circle, Asia, and Africa, all these grandmothers say they received the message, through... posted on Feb 10, 4527 reads

The Man Who Carved Statues
As children, we naturally make art out of our lives. We paint with our fingers, color fantasies with crayons, build living room pillow forts, and dance and hum as we walk. Jim Barton, though, has continued his art-making through his adult life -- transforming decaying tree stumps, junkyard wooden doors, and scrap wood into mystical carvings, giant buddhas, and elegant salmon soaring into the sky... posted on Mar 17, 3890 reads

From Mansion to Mud Hut
Most of us would dig deep in our pockets to donate to a good cause, but how many of us would sacrifice everything? Wealthy businessman Jon Pedley is about to do just that. The 41 year-old is selling his comfortable home, successful consulting business, and top-of-the-line car to kick-off a service-immersion program in rural Uganda. The hope is to improve the community's health, water, and educatio... posted on Mar 24, 4634 reads

In Pursuit of Silence: How noise really is killing us
For most Americans, silence is rare. Traffic and airplane noise fill major cities. Cellphone conversations have taken over parks, buzzing electronics have invaded homes and each store has its own carefully shaped "sonic environment." In his new book, "In Pursuit of Silence: Listening for Meaning in a World of Noise," George Prochnik argues that noise poses a real threat to our cardiovascular syst... posted on Apr 28, 5062 reads

9-Year-Old Entrepreneurs!
9-year-old Neha started off selling handmade greeting cards and wine charms. Now, at 13, her nonprofit has raised $30,000 for orphans in India. 10-year-old Kelly invented the T-Pack (a fanny pack worn on the thigh). Now a millionaire, she teaches entrepreneurship to children, and is an author on the side. Oh, and she's 18. With the internet providing easy access to business innovation websites lik... posted on Apr 20, 5059 reads

Monks Bolster Earthquake Relief
Long after bulldozers have been silenced and rescue workers have retired to their tents, the only sound in earthquake-battered city Jiegu, China, is the barking of dogs that have lost their homes and owners. As the smoke from a thousand campfires filled the air early one morning, solitary figures shuffled through darkness, heading nowhere in particular. Some, like Tsai Ba Mao, 63, went to a tent o... posted on May 15, 2020 reads

Blind 17-Year-Old Excels in Track
He has skied, done karate, completed triathlons, wrestled, and become such an impressive skateboarder that he attracted the attention of legend Tony Hawk. And, since the age of 2, he has been blind. Now a junior in high school, seventeen-year-old Tommy Carroll runs track and cross-country races by holding his teammates' elbows and listening to their descriptions of distances, obstacles, and the te... posted on May 2, 1783 reads

8 Ways to Sleep Better
If sleep has plunged to the bottom of your to-do list, you're not alone. Although the National Sleep Foundation recommends getting seven to nine hours of sleep a night, the average American logs only 6 hours and 40 minutes. But before turning to over-the-counter medications, Karen Asp recommends eight natural remedies that can soothe anxieties and help you get a good night's sleep. She introduces ... posted on May 13, 10357 reads

The Little Things
In the wake of a hurricane, Beverly Jordan goes door to door, delivering emergency relief. At one dilapidated house, the young owners respond to Jordan's arrival by offering a bag of diapers and five bags of food for her to pass on to others in need. In his senior year of college, Peter Strupp finds himself penniless, seeking refuge in soup kitchens, and unable to afford his rent. The night before... posted on May 14, 3612 reads

Operation Smile!
The average Facebook user creates 70 pieces of content per month, virtually poking people, finding friends or updating their status on what they ate for dinner. But this social application means something else for Sherry Evans and Tim Foster. "I can't imagine my life right now without Facebook," says Evans. Twenty-three years ago, the two were classmates at Althoff Catholic High School. Through Fa... posted on Jun 23, 3693 reads

Solace through Hot Food
Last month, ash clouds spewed out of Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano, causing air traffic in Europe to come to a sudden halt. With high hotel costs and expensive airport food, many stranded passengers found themselves tired, hungry, out of money, and making beds out of airport terminal chairs. In response, humanitarian relief organization United Sikhs arrived at London's Heathrow airport and be... posted on May 22, 2654 reads

Stopping Bullets with Jobs
"Nothing stops a bullet like a job," says the motto of Homeboy Industries, the largest gang-intervention program in the country. For the past 20 years, Rev. Gregory Boyle, a Jesuit priest who started Homeboy, has counseled more than 12,000 gang members who pass through Homeboy each year to learn job skills and attend therapy sessions on everything from alcohol abuse to anger management. Since leav... posted on Jun 24, 2751 reads

Moral Life of Babies
Not long ago, Paul Bloom watched a 1-year-old boy take justice into his own hands. On a quest to discover the nature of morality, Bloom and his fellow researchers are exploring the moral lives of babies for the answer. While it may seem like babies are helpless, ignorant, and undisciplined, recent studies at Yale University's Infant Cognition Center indicates that, even in the first year of life, ... posted on Jun 2, 2744 reads

Adventurer leaves NY Career to Walk Across the US
I don't suppose you've watched 'Forest Gump,' Ron Struzynski chuckles as he watches 30-year-old Matt Green set up a tent for the evening. Green, previously an New York City civil engineer, finds himself in Wisconsin tonight, after embarking on a 6-month walk across the U.S. in late March. In these uncertain times, most of us cling to the things that make us feel secure. Those who have jobs give th... posted on Jun 1, 4753 reads

Running for Orphans
Ever seen a nun run 50 miles in her full habit? This Spring, Sister Mary Beth Lloyd, 61, teamed up with ultra-runner Lisa Smith Batchen to run 50 miles in 50 states. The Cause? To help children orphaned by AIDS. "Every 14 seconds a new child-headed household is formed," Lloyd explains. Since 1995, the sister has directed a worldwide mission that educations and offers skills training to women, at-r... posted on Jun 6, 2524 reads

As Good as New
As many great companies do, this one started in a dorm room. Yet the light-bulb idea that emerged from these tight living quarters was... collecting trash? TerraCycle, founded by Tom Szaky, is a company that "upcycles" waste into affordable, eco-friendly products ranging from worm-waste fertilizer to messenger bags and school supplies. A company that has mobilized over 10 million people to collect... posted on Jun 8, 3415 reads

How to Be Lucky
Why do some people seem to always encounter good fortune while others are constantly bombarded with a slew of bad days? Decades ago, psychologist Richard Wiseman set out to investigate luck. He found that although unlucky people have almost no insight into the real causes of their good and bad luck, their thoughts and behavior are responsible for much of their fortune. What differentiates the luck... posted on Jun 14, 8805 reads

Six Keys to Making Good Decisions
"On my first day in a class called 'Decision Analysis' at Stanford, I was shocked when Prof. Ron Howard said that you couldn't judge a decision from the outcome. I walked up to him after class and said, 'Professor, this is what I have read in spiritual texts - that we are only competent in the action, and the outcome is not in our hands. Your principle is ancient.' Prof. Howard replied, 'It may be... posted on Jun 22, 15150 reads

The Suicide Saver
Don Ritchie lives across the street from the most famous suicide spot in Australia: A cliff know as "The Gap." Every week there, one person will leap to their death. While most people would move from such a foreboding place, Ritchie and his wife Moya view their life there as a blessing: "I think, 'Isn't it wonderful that we live here and can help people?'" Throughout their residence of almost 50 y... posted on Jun 18, 5329 reads

Life Without Worry
It keeps us up at night. Weighs our shoulders down. Hangs over us in clouds of doubt and furrowed eyebrows. Worry. There's nothing appealing about it, yet many of us find our minds entangled in self-doubt, uncertainty, and grappling with unknowns. But for Akaya Windwood, worry is a thing of the past. A few years ago, after her sister was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, Windwood made the decisio... posted on Jun 25, 9440 reads

Bike Cops Plant Seeds of Kindness
Usually an encounter with the police is not cause for celebration. But a few bicycle cops in Minneapolis are turning that notion on its head, tending to local youth in underserved neighborhoods through bike education, giveaways such as helmets and even new bikes, and just providing a caring presence. The free bikes and helmets are just icebreakers that allow the officers to give children attention... posted on Aug 8, 1361 reads

A Message in a Wallet
Many years ago, when I was working weekends to pay for extras my parents couldn't afford (school ring, class trip, etc.), I lost my wallet. A man called and asked me if I had lost it. I checked my purse and, to my horror, I had. He asked me to tell him how much money was in it. I told him. He then told me where to pick-up my wallet. As I pulled into his driveway, I noticed his handicapped van a... posted on Jul 24, 3791 reads

Storytelling Unleashes its Power
"Everyone has a story to tell," says Stephanie Ursula Hodges, one half of PenTales, a New York City based storytelling initiative. In an age where SMS and the solitary nature of social networking are the standard, Hodges- together with childhood friend Saskia Miller- is hoping to integrate the art of storytelling back into people's lives, thereby fostering community and cultivating new storyteller... posted on Jul 19, 3288 reads

A Forgotten Young Man
When one woman runs into a childhood neighbor, she falls to tears after learning the hardships that have cast a shadow over his life. After his parents died, he lost two older siblings. He had become a husband and a father, but found himself lost for meaning. "Fighting back tears, I asked him if he needed some help getting back on his feet. He said he wanted to start a small business of his own. ... posted on Aug 20, 2595 reads

The Beautiful Brain
Elizabeth Jameson found her art when her own brain lost one of its most basic functions. After suddenly finding herself unable to speak, Jameson was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in 1991. She soon came to know the geography of her own mind through countless MRI sessions. For the anxious patient, the black and grey pixels of MRI images can appear ugly and frightening. With a strong urge to... posted on Aug 12, 5834 reads

The Power of Trust
Many of us have conflicted responses when we are approached by a homeless person asking for change. Sometimes, we feel compelled to give. Other times, we are skeptical, or in a hurry. But for one woman in New York City, the power of trust in a fellow human being trumps all uncertainty. When recently approached by homeless Jay Valentine outside a restaurant one evening, Merrie Harris found herself ... posted on Aug 23, 3816 reads

Rappin' to Be the Change
How do you tell the story of one powerful man who moved a nation to independence, marched 241 miles (388 km) in a symbolic act of freedom, and brought violent conflicts to a screeching halt through fasting? How do you express the complexity of this shy and timid young man who grew into a fiercely gentle leader and pioneer of nonviolence? If you're MC Yogi, you rap about it. With smooth rhythm and ... posted on Aug 27, 9680 reads

Technology that Empowers
In today's era of high technology and endless information, in a culture where cell phones, computers and the internet seem to infuse every corners of our lives, "79 percent of the people on our planet digitally are excluded," reveals Ashoka Fellow Rodrigo Baggio. Armed with the vision to empower low-income youth with computer skills, Baggio founded CDI: The Center for Digital Inclusion. Starting f... posted on Sep 9, 2491 reads

A Transformative Moment
When we look back on our lives, sometimes the smallest gesture can have enormous effects. For George Hill, one man's act has made all the difference. Today, Hill works with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and studies computer information systems at Cal State University. But things weren't always so smooth. After leaving the Marines, Hill found himself homeless and addicted to drugs and alc... posted on Sep 1, 3956 reads

Boost Creativity with a Power Nap
If you see a co-worker catching 40 winks in her cubicle or a student dozing in the library, don't roll your eyes. New research from the University of California, Berkeley, shows that an hour's nap can dramatically boost and restore your brain power. Indeed, the findings suggest that a biphasic sleep schedule not only refreshes the mind, but can make you smarter. Conversely, the more hours we spend... posted on Sep 8, 5187 reads

A Sanctuary in Transit
Every year, 18 million passengers make transfers through the Netherland's Schiphol Airport, Europe's fifth-busiest airport. With hustling businesspeople and bustling vacationers, the airport's new library provides a quiet sanctuary for travelers of all paths. With no internet connection or permanent library staff, the library welcomes tired travelers to retreat and unplug in a space of trust. And ... posted on Sep 19, 1570 reads

A Quiet Savior
Though her story is nearly forgotten, she was once America's most admired civil servant. Dr. Frances Oldham Kelsey's journey - honored with the FDA's first Kelsey Award - has transformed medical safety in the US and throughout the industrialized world. Thanks to Dr. Kelsey, thalidomide - causing children to be born limbless or with flipper-like arms and legs - had a far more limited effect in th... posted on Nov 16, 2953 reads

Leadership Lessons from a Dancing Guy
Watch a movement happen, start to finish, in under 3 minutes, and glean some lessons: A leader needs the guts to stand alone and look ridiculous. The first follower is critical in showing everyone else how to follow. The second follower validates. A movement must be public. After the nth follower tipping point, it becomes risky not to follow, and more join in. And the commentators take-away from a... posted on Oct 7, 9367 reads

6 Ways Ants are Good For Business
When one finds food, others immediately gather to help bring it to storage. When one gets wounded, the rest evacuate, re-group, and pull the injured to safety. There's no formal supervision, yet ants somehow accomplish enormous tasks. That's right, ants. Sitting at a highway rest-stop one afternoon, nonprofit founder Ndubuisi Ekekwe discovered that the way ants work together has profound implicati... posted on Oct 11, 5404 reads

Soar High in Clean Skies
The time has finally come. We can not only create cars and businesses that let out zero-emissions, but airplanes as well. On September 21, 2010, a Swiss company flew its first solar powered plane from Payerne to Geneva. In a pioneering flight lasting almost four and a half hours, the solar plane was powered entirely by four electric motors and 12,000 solar cells. Scheduled to fly internationally b... posted on Oct 21, 2266 reads

Hire Just One
During hard economic times, most people and businesses focus on earning and saving money, not giving it away. But one Philadelphia philanthropist believes that donating to charity is the key to boosting the economy and getting Americans back to work. In an effort called "Hire Just One," Gene Epstein is promoting a $250,000 effort, which donates $1,000 to charity in the name of businesses that hire... posted on Oct 24, 4629 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, 5529 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, 15298 reads

7 Health Benefits of Sharing
A recent Harvard Business School study found that giving a sum of money to someone else lifted well-being than spending it on oneself. Preventative medicine professor Stephen Post writes that giving to others has been shown to increase health benefits in people with chronic illness. Neuroeconomics researcher Paul Zak found that people who share and experience gratitude release oxytocin, a hormone ... posted on Nov 8, 8324 reads

A Garden For Everybody
Alan Toy's carrots don't come out of the ground. Instead, you can find them sprouting out of fiberglass bins filled with compost and potting soil. They're propped on metal legs and have a cantilevered design that allows Toy to roll up his wheelchair and tend to plants more easily. With the success of his container plots, which are specifically designed for gardeners on crutches or in a wheelchair,... posted on Nov 7, 2065 reads

Exercise Helps Improve Memory
Memory loss is the single biggest fear for Americans over the age of 55. And it's understandable: over 4 million currently suffer from Alzheimer's disease, and those numbers are expected to quadruple by 2050, according to the Alzheimer's Foundation. That may be why memory-boosting products like Sudoku puzzles and ginko-infused soft drinks are lining storefronts. But beyond the marketing campaigns,... posted on Nov 19, 3867 reads

Engineering Solutions for Africa's Rural Poor
It's a question posed by many immigrants. "When you come here and are successful, you have this nagging feeling. What have you done for the people at home?" Born, raised, and educated in Uganda, William Kisalita is now a University of Georgia bioengineering professor. He designs three-dimensional cell-based biosensors, a promising new technology that could revolutionize how pharmaceutical companie... posted on Nov 22, 3074 reads

Bangladesh Prisoners Meditate
At first glance, a room filled with a group of people practicing meditation may not look unusual. But the men and women who are sitting calmly, trying to focus their minds, are a little different from most. They are prisoners in the central jail in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, serving sentences for committing violent crimes. Their objective? To reduce anxiety and make a new beginning. This is t... posted on Dec 1, 4104 reads