People
After losing her young son Graham to cancer, Leslie Morissette decided she needed to make a difference in other children facing the same battles with cancer and serious illnesses. During the tough times she and her son went through, there was one thing that kept them positive. It was access to the internet and the ability to stay in contact with Graham’s doctor.
When Graham passed Leslie was sent into despair. When she picked herself up she started Grahamtastic Connection to provide free computers and internet access to children stuck in hospitals so they could keep themselves entertained and keep them learning. Leslie and Grahamtastic Connection have donated 200 laptops so far but they are in desperate need of as much help as possible.
Please consider reading more about Grahamtastic Connection here and please consider a donation of as little as $20.
What the world needs are more people like Shai Agassi. His vision, passion, and ambition will undoubtedly move the world into a more positive direction. I recently picked up the September issue of Wired magazine, which included a cover story about Mr. Agassi. Shai’s plan is to break the world’s dependence on oil.
He is going to do so by creating a global infrastructure that will enable electric cars to more rapidly and easily recharge. Making it much more appealing to consumers. The project is called Better Place. Mr. Agassi and the others have amazing vision. They want to revolutionize every aspect of personal transportation. One of the great ideas they’ve come up with is a pay as you go, cell phone like bill plan for charging a car. They also have acknowledged the concerns of people who believe running cars on electricity would move our dependence from oil to coal. They aim to get the electricity from wind and sun.
Better Place is quickly becoming a reality and has financial backing of $200 million. I recommend you read the Wired article: Driven: Shai Agassi’s Audacious Plan to Put Electric Cars on the Road
You’ve read the lists ranking the deadliest jobs in the world. But what you might not think about is that there are a plenty of people risking their lives when they aren’t on the job. This list compiles the people who are risking their lives the most, some while on the job and some not. Many of them are even risking their lives every single day and others are putting innocent people in danger.
Here are thirteen types of people in the world risking their lives the most. The list is ranked from least to most risky.
13. Paparazzi
All the paps want that money shot but at what cost? The profession as a whole isn’t the most dangerous; it’s the degree to which the individual photographer takes it. Car chases, running into traffic, invading people’s privacy, it’s only a matter of time before someone gets seriously injured and killed.
12. Field reporters
Even if they are reporting from a seemingly safe location, they’re so focused with their task that they lose awareness of what’s going on around them. Sade Baderinwa, a reporter from WABC 7 in New York City knows how reporting in a location that can make you complacent can get you seriously injured. While preparing to give a report in New Jersey on July 23, 2004 Sade was hit by a car. The driver fled the scene leaving Sade with a broken arm, knee that was basically destroyed, and months of rehabilitation ahead. Today, she has recovered physically but the event has changed her life forever. Now she delivers the news from behind the desk.
11. Psychiatric ward workers
These workers risk their lives to help mentally unstable people and hardly ever get recognized or thanked for it. Besides working with patients that can snap at any moment and inflict bodily harm; the work can take a toll on the worker’s own mental health. It’s one of those jobs you can never truly escape even when you’re off. There are always thoughts about the health of your patients in your head.
10. Those trying to fit in
You know exactly who I’m talking about. They try to go with the crowd, act like the popular people and just want to fit in with the masses. Okay, so they might not die from trying to fit in, but they certainly are not being who they really are or living their life the way they should. They need to be true to themselves and stand out, not fit in.
“…success is related to standing out, not fitting in.” – AMC’s Mad Men
9. Stuntmen
These men and women put their lives on the line so that we can be entertained. Since stuntmen are behind the scenes very few get much recognition. The action stars that use stunt doubles reap the fame and praise for all the grunt work of the stuntmen.
8. Police, firefighters, and paramedics
They risk their lives to save citizens’ lives. Police officers get a bad reputation for just wanting to get people in trouble and hand out tickets, when most became officers to save and change lives. They aren’t out to get you; they’re out to protect you. In many small towns, firefighters and paramedics are volunteers. They’re risking their lives for others, for free!
7. Miners
It’s an old fashion occupation and is still very dangerous, despite technology innovating the field. Miners face a number of dangers: unhealthy air, cave collapses, floods, large machinery, and claustrophobia.
6. Drivers on cell phones
Though banned in most states, so many people still talk on the phone while driving. Even if you’re using a headset, you’re not focused on the road. You’re not just putting your life in danger when talking behind the wheel.
5. Alaskan crab fishermen
Considered the most dangerous job in the world, these fishermen face huge storms, icy water, giant waves, solid ice, and heavy equipment. Unlike many other dangerous jobs, some of these fishermen can earn six figures in a few short months. But is it worth it?
4. Hungry children in third world countries
Imagine every day having to scavenge through waste to find something to eat? Imagine doing this as a child? There are millions of children forced to do this around the world. They have to face disease and death, just to avoid disease and death. To help innocent children like them perhaps you want to learn more about donating to an organization such as UNICEF.
3. Drunk drivers
I don’t understand how people can be so foolish and selfish to drive while they’re intoxicated. They’re too lazy to take a few minutes to call a cab or find a designated driver. They rather take the chance and change a life forever or kill someone.
2. Soldiers
It’s true that freedom is not free. And who pays the greatest price for freedom? Soldiers. These men and women have one of the most difficult jobs in the world. It’s stressful, dangerous, and usually located in an alien land.
1. Those not following their dreams
Those people who are not following their dreams are risking their lives the most. We’re all here for a purpose and we’re all meant to follow our dreams. We only have one chance at life and we can’t waste it. Not following the dreams in our hearts is the greatest risk in the world.
Whether friend, foe, or family member, I think there is more we need to learn and know about each other. Knowing certain things will help us work together better, understand where each of us is coming from, and to help one and other achieve success. You might even find out that you have more in common with someone than previously thought.
Here are 15 things to know about the people in your life.
1. Know at least one of their life’s goals.
2. Know one of their weaknesses.
3. Know what makes them truly happy.
4. Learn about their childhood.
5. Learn about what they want in the future.
6. Find out what they feel was their biggest failure in life so far.
7. Find out what they do and don’t like about their life.
8. Discover what their dream job has always been.
9. Find out what their favorite book is.
10. Find out something they’ve always want to try, like skydiving or bungee jumping.
11. Find out who they admire.
12. Know what their biggest fear is.
13. Discover why they aren’t pursuing their dreams.
14. Find out where they would live if they could live anywhere.
15. Find out what they thought was the worst day in their life.
There are countless more facts you can learn about the people in your life. Don’t think of it as being nosy, just be sure to share your information as well.
We all know that person. The one who is always laughing, crackin’ jokes, having fun, and just being happy, no matter what’s going on.
Everyone is attracted to them, and perhaps you want to be like them. But maybe you think it’s impossible to always be happy. However, you most certainly can be happy like them and you SHOULD be happy like them.
They are no special secrets to how these people can have so much joy. They don’t possess anything that you don’t have. The only thing they do is practice habits that make them happy.
So here are seven habits that can be found in people who are always really happy. If you can practice these and turn them into habits you’ll be just as happy as them.
1. Don’t care what others think
They don’t care what others think or have to say. If they did, they wouldn’t let themselves free and be happy because of the possibility of scrutiny.
Really happy people also never let negative people and their attitudes get to them. Whatever the negative people say or do just rolls off the backs of the happy people.
2. Always looking at the bright side of things
No matter what situations are thrown at a happy person, they look for the bright side. Everything that is negative has a positive side to it. Negativity wouldn’t exist without positivity. Happy people know this and have practiced looking for the bright side so much that now it has become a habit. And even if a happy person can’t find the bright side of something, they’ll create it.
3. Being friendly
Happy people are always looking to make friends. They don’t care what you look like or what background you come from, they just want someone new to laugh and be happy with. And by default happy people are friendly; everyone wants to be happy as well and are drawn to them.
If you know a friendly person who is always making fun of others to bring them down, then they aren’t truly happy person. There’s something inside of them that they are insecure about.
4. Laugh & Smile
This habit goes along with being friendly. I have NEVER seen a happy person not smile or laugh. It just isn’t physically possible. However, a really happy person smiles so much that they turned it into a habit. You might even see them smiling for no real reason, it’s that natural to them. Laughing is another mandatory habit of really happy people. If you or they aren’t laughing, then there’s no true happiness.
5. Live in the moment
Really happy people make the most of every minute and day they have. They aren’t going to wait to have fun; they’re going to create fun now.
6. Push aside their troubles
Even if a happy person can’t find or create the positive side of a situation, they do the next best thing, they push it aside. They forget about it and move on because they know it’s only temporary and they know they can make their troubles leave even sooner.
7. Laugh in the face of fear
Just like the rest of us, really happy people have fears. Most of the time they just don’t display it. Happy people make jokes to lighten the mood and to make others feel more relaxed so they will too.
