Sunday Selections #1 (7 July 2013)

There’s just SO much good stuff on the Internet, I don’t know where to begin and how to share it all! So every Sunday, I will do a round-up of stuff that caught my attention over the week and since I’m such a fan of alliterations, naturally this series has to be called “Sunday Selections”…let’s begin! 🙂

First, there’s this really good documentary on the Global Financial Crisis of 2007-2008. Robert Peston does an excellent job of simplifying the workings of the financial sector, explaining how money is made, identifying the causes of the crisis, and who benefited and who lost out during the crisis. Documentaries like this made it (almost) worth it to pay my TV licence…a good, clear narrative on current topics with relevant, insightful opinions from industry heavyweights (George Soros? Come on!).

Then there’s this list of incredibly impactful Amnesty International (AI) campaigns. I think AI overemphasises some of their campaigns, and doesn’t pay enough attention to those that are less media-attractive, but it doesn’t mean they don’t know how to run a good campaign. Their stuff is always direct, gritty and hard-hitting, without being offensive; their campaigns are definitely something that catch my attention and make me think more about whatever issue it is they’re publicising.

And then there’s this photograph which I love because it reminds me that to make a difference in this world, you don’t have to do something big; you just have to do something:

It came with the following caption:

A boy writes on a blackboard painted onto the wall of a building, at a free school under a metro rail bridge, in New Delhi, India.

The school was founded by Rajesh Kumar Sharma, who was unable to complete his own college education, because of financial difficulties. Every day he takes two hours out to teach children of local laborers, while his brother replaces him at his general store.

Together with an assistant, Laxmi Chandra, Sharma gives lessons to around 45 children daily, having persuaded their families to free them from working to earn money.

Photographer: Altaf Qadri, Srinagar.

Speaking of making a difference, this set of Rinpoche’s teachings was just released and I was taken aback. I know Rinpoche has been teaching for over 20 years but 17 discs?! o_O that’s a whole lot of wisdom packed into bits of shiny plastic and metal!

And because I’m such an ocean junkie, I had to include these 18 jaw-dropping photos of the world’s oceans. There’s so much beauty underwater…diving is something I strongly recommend everyone has as an activity on their bucket list!

Finally, I’d like to round things off with this list of amazing quotes from Neil deGrasse Tyson, who is quite possibly the most badass scientist on the planet. If there were teachers like him in every school, I guarantee more kids would be interested in science!

Okay well, that ends my first Sunday Selections. If you’ve come across anything interesting on the Interweb, feel free to share it with me by leaving a comment below or emailing me at elena DOT khong AT kechara DOT com. I’m always on the lookout for stuff that’s kind, charitable, inspirational, uplifting, educational or even just pretty!

Sunday Selections