The Library Cat Who Touched The World
"Vicki Myron, the former director of the Spencer, Iowa, public library, tells the true story of the tiny, frozen kitten she found pushed through the book-return slot one bitter-cold January morning in 1988. She and her staff revived him -- and decided to keep him. They named him Dewey (naturally) and he lived the rest of his 19-plus years in Spencer's library. Dewey greeted patrons when they arriv... posted on Mar 11 2013, 7,738 reads

Until I Say Goodbye
"Susan Spencer-Wendel knows how to spend a year. She left her job as an award-winning criminal courts reporter and went to the Yukon to see the northern lights. Then to Cyprus, to meet family that she never knew. She and her husband, John, took their children on trips on which her daughter got to try on wedding dresses and Susan got kissed by a dolphin.She also got a new dog, put a splendid hut in... posted on Mar 10 2013, 12,806 reads

Mr. Wright's Law of Love
No one falls asleep in Jeffrey Wright's high school physics class. Exploding pumpkins, hovercrafts and an experiment involving a bed of nails, a cinder block and a sledgehammer, are some of the crazy stunts that keep the students enthralled. But it is a simple lecture - one without props or fireballs - that makes the greatest impression on his students each year. The talk is about Mr. Wright's exp... posted on Mar 09 2013, 7,524 reads

Could Boredom Be Curable?
"Philosophers and scientists alike have found ways to describe boredom as an experience, from the ochlos of ancient Greeks to the unresolved conflicts of modern psychodynamic theory. But when it comes to what actually triggers boredom, an answer has remained elusive. Boredom can occur in a perplexingly broad range of situations and seems to involve both our external environment and our inner resou... posted on Mar 08 2013, 6,943 reads

Happiness the Hard Way
People prior to the late 17th century thought happiness was a matter of luck or virtue or divine favor. Today we think of happiness as a right and a skill that can be developed. This has been liberating, in some respects, because it asks us to strive to improve our lots in life, individually and collectively. But there have been downsides as well. It seems that when we want to be happy all of the ... posted on Mar 07 2013, 13,346 reads

The Repair Cafe
"In 2010 in the Netherlands, disgust with Europe's throw-away culture led former journalist and new mom Martine Postma to stage the first Repair Cafe, an event where members of the community could drop by with defunct items they would otherwise have thrown away, and have them repaired free of charge by volunteer fix-it experts. Since then, Postma's concept has thrived. Almost 40 groups across the ... posted on Mar 06 2013, 8,339 reads

Tammy Strobel's Tiny Home
"In the beginning of September, Tammy Strobel and Logan Smith moved from Portland, Oregon, to a ranch in northern California. But unlike many homeowners who move, the couple did not have to put their current home on the market or pack up their belongings into moving trucks. Instead, they simply attached their 128-square-foot home (which is on wheels) to the back of a Ford F350, and drove 400 miles... posted on Mar 05 2013, 10,573 reads

Feynman On The Beauty Of Not Knowing
The simple beauty of a flower captivates artist and scientist alike. Where our world exists without answers, without definitions, we seek answers and definitions. Sometimes we find them but when we don't, what does that mean? What does it say about us? What does it say about our existence? This short video explores the world through the eyes of Richard Feynman: emotional, visually beautiful, intel... posted on Mar 04 2013, 5,503 reads

An Astounding Act of High School Sportsmanship
A special needs student from a Texas high school, Mitchell Marcus, scored a basket in the final game of the season after a player from the opposing team gave up the ball. Mitchell is the team manager for the Coronado Thunderbirds and an avid basketball fan. So with 90 seconds left in the last game of the season, Coach Peter Morales put Marcus into the game. "Mitchell's a great shot," his mother A... posted on Mar 03 2013, 20,244 reads

The Little Girl Who Stood Up for a Mountain
"Faith, they say, can move mountains, but sometimes it takes hard work and dedication to help ensure that they don't go anywhere. In 1915, the town of Orogrande, New Mexico, was once a thriving gold rush community, home to several mining operations -- though the hum of heavy machinery in the nearby mines have since been silenced, replaced by the chatter of wildlife. Recently, however, ten-year-old... posted on Mar 02 2013, 8,166 reads