Innovative mobile hotspots

Coachella Valley

Dr Darryl Adams, the district’s Superintendent and the creator of the plan of putting routers on buses, wanted to ensure that no child was left offline. Since the program has spread through the Valley, the school district has narrowed in on each individual pupil that needs access. They have expanded beyond their own vehicle fleet — they’re wiring up salvaged cars and non-school buses in an attempt to create as many hotspots as possible.


http://www.bbc.com/autos/story/20161128-using-school-buses-to-democratise-wi-fi

Saudade

Saudade is a longing, an ache for a person or place or experience that once brought great pleasure. It is akin to nostalgia but, unlike nostalgia, one can feel saudade for something that’s never happened, and likely never will.

And who better than the Portugese to show us this 'joyful sadness'.


http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20161118-the-european-country-that-loves-being-sad

Time to put a plant on your desk?

A refreshing trend is taking root in workplace design: Nature.


http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20161125-why-you-cant-afford-to-ignore-nature-in-the-workplace

The Cinderella Horse

It was a look into his eyes that made Harry de Leyer gamble $80 on a gray horse destined for the slaughterhouse.

De Leyer, who moved to the US with his wife after escaping Nazi-occupied Germany, bought the gelding to teach children to ride, never expecting "Snowman" to become the greatest show jumper of his generation.

A beautiful story!


http://edition.cnn.com/2016/10/24/sport/snowman-harry-de-leyer/index.html

Meet India’s Shaolin Warriors

Established more than 1,500 years ago and home to some 3,000 monks, the Shaolin Monastery lies nestled in the misty, mountainous jungles of central China.  One of China’s most important pilgrimage destinations, this world famous monastery is renowned for its age-old tradition of practicing both Zen Buddhism and martial arts.  Founded by the Indian monk Buddhabhadra (known as Ba Tuo in China), the monastery became known for its warrior monks.


http://www.thebetterindia.com/75792/shaolin-temple-india-diya-chalwad-harsh-verma-kanishka-sharma/?utm_source=The+Better+India+Newsletter&utm_campaign=4998a22085-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_cd579275a4-4998a22085-74060141

Healing the scars of civil war

by building business ties.

To help build bridges between the two sides - Moldova and Trans-Dniester - the European Union has funded a UN-administered project called Support to Confidence Building Measures Programme. One of the key aims of the scheme is to bring together entrepreneurs from both sides of the border. With support grants available, the participants are encouraged to meet and chat at training events, look into doing business on the other side of the border, and even consider setting up joint ventures with someone from the other region.


http://www.bbc.com/news/business-38063292

Ohitorisama: Solo living

In Japan, buzzwords like “ohitorisama” and “herbivore men” are nothing new anymore.

“Ohitorisama” refers to people living and doing things alone and “herbivore men” refers to men who have no interest in getting married or finding a girlfriend.

Now, even married and unmarried couples are enjoying “ohitorisama” culture to spend time alone.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/asiatoday/japan-evolving-into-ohito_b_13144474.html

A Cup Of Tea

Check out how this popular beverage is enjoyed in different parts of the world.


http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2016/11/21/what-a-cup-of-tea-looks-like-around-the-world/?utm_hp_ref=in-homepage

Retro cool: Kyoto's kissaten cafes

For centuries Kyoto has been a tea town, its dominance reaching an apex in the austere and highly ritualized tea ceremony.

But, for the past century at least, Kyoto has also been a coffee town. Kissatens -- faux European-style coffee houses -- are the birthplace of Kyoto's thriving cafe culture.

Read about the world's coolest vintage coffee shops here:


http://edition.cnn.com/2016/11/20/foodanddrink/kyoto-kissaten-coffee-shops/index.html

A Digital Burnout

This is a relatively new term that entered the internet lexicon after psychologists noticed the link between burnouts and excessive use of digital devices. A ‘digital burnout’ can lead to chronic fatigue, low productivity, inability to control emotions, and difficulty in sticking to a routine. Various centres for internet de-addiction are cropping up around the world. So, it just might be a good idea to check oneself and shut off devices before hitting digital burnout. Here is a list of wellness measures one can put in place to strike a balance between the virtual and real worlds:


http://www.thebetterindia.com/75231/digital-burnout-technology-wellness-measures/?utm_source=The+Better+India+Newsletter&utm_campaign=0c5bea73b6-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_cd579275a4-0c5bea73b6-74060141

The/Nudge Foundation

Atul Satija an ex-Google employee equips underprivileged youth with soft skills to make them more employable.


http://www.thebetterindia.com/75116/the-nudge-foundation-bengaluru-atul-satija/?utm_source=The+Better+India+Newsletter&utm_campaign=27766d0d04-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_cd579275a4-27766d0d04-74060141

The amazing story of Kalawati Devi Rawat

She put her village on the path of progress and inspired her fellow village women to dream big.


http://www.thebetterindia.com/74254/kalawati-rawat-bacher-uttarakhand/?utm_source=The+Better+India+Newsletter&utm_campaign=27766d0d04-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_cd579275a4-27766d0d04-74060141

Neutral is the best policy

CEOs of major companies are taking stands about the results of the election — a departure from the traditional model of not mixing politics with business that major brands have long espoused.


http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/11/15/ceos-donald-trump-election_n_12990090.html

'Hipster' grandpa

An 85-year-old farmer, who tended rice paddies all his life and never wore a suit, has become an unlikely style icon in China.

Here is a series of photos of Ding Bingcai, nattily dressed and striking elegant poses, taken recently by his fashion photographer grandson.


http://edition.cnn.com/2016/01/27/asia/china-hipster-grandpa-viral-photos/

Oskar Schindler’s abandoned factory

The property which was used to employ 1,200 Jews during World War II will become a Holocaust Memorial.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/oskar-schindlers-abandoned-factory-will-become-a-holocaust-memorial_us_58257ffce4b02d21bbc83ca7?section=us_world

The Persian art of etiquette

One thing that sets Iran apart from other Middle Eastern countries is its Persian identity, preserved in traditions, language and many rich art forms, including literature. Rumi, Ferdowsi, Hafez and Omar Khayyam are poets whose verses have been – and still are – savoured in both the East and West.


http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20161104-the-persian-art-of-etiquette

Tuesday 8 November 2016

Hillary Clinton didn't make it but Tuesday 8 November 2016 was actually an historic night for women in US politics.

And the credit goes to Hillary...


http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/37926932/hillary-didnt-win-but-the-2016-us-election-was-actually-a-milestone-for-women

The Indian woman who stood up to Trump, 5 years before Hillary did

Back in 2011, Smita Panvalkar, the then 54-year-old resident of an 87-year-old building in Mumbai stood fiercely between Trump and his dream to enter the Indian real estate market.


http://www.thebetterindia.com/74401/mubai-woman-smita-panvalkar-stood-up-to-trump-five-years-ago/?utm_source=The+Better+India+Newsletter&utm_campaign=dfd1e734e4-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_cd579275a4-dfd1e734e4-74060141

Doctor Pietro Bartolo

60-year-old Bartolo was the only doctor treating refugees and migrants on the Italian island of Lampedusa for the better part of the last two decades.

His compassion for the migrants who come here in a seemingly endless stream, and his total dedication to the cause of medicine is phenomenol. Read about this wonderful person here:


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/doctor-migrant-crisis_us_57ffc4a7e4b0162c043aa2d5?section=us_world&section=us_world

She waited 96 years to vote for a female President

For Edith Wilkinson, the chance to vote for a female president has been a lifelong dream. Edith was born just five days before the 19th Amendment was ratified on August 18, 1920, giving women the right to vote.


http://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/born-before-women-could-vote-now-edith-wilkinson-is-voting-for-a-woman-president_us_581e61c4e4b0d9ce6fbc890a