Live Boldly
It's easy to get discouraged. Taking the risk to manifest our ideas has always been just that: a risk. With so many daily challenges and voices of caution, the space between our ideas and their manifestation in the world can feel like an abyss. Yet, as Wendy Strgar notes, "Living with one foot out the door is the silent and common disease that infects us often without our knowing it." She suggests... posted on Sep 27 2010, 5,644 reads

Classroom on a Pushcart
Not many recognized Efren Penaflorida as he left the Philippines for a Hollywood gala for CNN Heroes. But when Penaflorida returned from the event as CNN's Hero of the Year, he was greeted by hundreds of screaming fans at Manila airport. Penaflorida was honored for creating mobile "pushcart classrooms," stocked with books, chalkboards and other supplies that bring education to poor Filipino childr... posted on Sep 26 2010, 1,987 reads

On Perseverence
After losing financial aid and student loans due to unit limitations, college student Brian Smith became homeless and took refuge, sleeping in the practice rooms of his music department.Throughout his struggle, he remained focused on his education by accumulating a 3.65 GPA at CSULB while balancing a heavy workload. His efforts were recognized Tuesday as he received $3,000 from the Hearst/CSU Trus... posted on Sep 25 2010, 2,804 reads

The Happy Planet Index
Statistician Nic Marks asks why we measure a nation's success by its productivity -- instead of by the happiness and well-being of its people. With this new meaning of progress, he introduces the Happy Planet Index, which tracks national well-being against resource use (because a happy life doesn't have to cost the earth). Which countries rank highest in the HPI? You might be surprised.... posted on Sep 24 2010, 5,817 reads

Sharing Bikes Across Washington DC
These days, the city streets of Montreal, Paris, and Lyon are blooming with bicycles and bikers. Take one step out your door, and you'll spot a man in a suit riding with groceries from the corner market. German tourists yakking away while riding along the banks of the Rhone River. Students zipping by on their way to class, or to meet friends at a cafe. Cities in the U.S. are quickly following suit... posted on Sep 23 2010, 2,295 reads

You've Made a Mistake. Now What?
Anyone who has worked in an office (or anywhere, really) for more than a day has made a mistake. While most people accept that slip-ups are unavoidable, no one likes to be responsible for them. The good news is that mistakes, even big ones, don't have to leave a permanent mark on your career. In fact, most contribute to organizational and personal learning; they are an essential part of experiment... posted on Sep 22 2010, 8,426 reads

Doing Silence
Allan Hall was seeking still moments. Somehow, he found himself at a London boys' school, where Headmaster David Boddy leads a period of quiet time at the start of each day. For ten minutes, three hundred boys sit in silence. Many close their eyes. All fidgeting ceases. It made Hall think. What do we get from stillness - those moments of reverie, of daydreaming, in an ever more noisy, busy, and st... posted on Sep 21 2010, 4,175 reads

Fueled by Landfills
In a dry, windy canyon not far from San Francisco, California one landfill is curbing greenhouse gases by transforming its waste into fuel. "We own this big pile of trash, and we need to look at it and think, 'what can we do to get something out of it?'" said Ken Lewis, Director of Altamont Landfill Operations. With special technology, natural gas produced by decaying organic waste gets captured a... posted on Sep 20 2010, 1,958 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 2010, 1,505 reads

See Yourself in Six Billion Others
From a Brazilian fisherman to a Chinese shopkeeper, from a German performer to an Afghan farmer, all answered the same questions about their fears, dreams, ordeals, hopes: "Who are you? What have you learned from your parents? What does love mean to you?" A project of "Earth From Above" photographer Yann Arthus Bertrand, 6 Billion Others weaves together video portraits of lives across the globe. E... posted on Sep 18 2010, 7,133 reads