1. If we could shrink the earth <br /> <br />If the earth’s population was shrunk into a village of just 100 people, with all the human ratios existing in the world still remaining, what would this tiny, diverse village look like? That’s exactly what Phillip M. Harter, a medical doctor at the Stanford University School of Medicine, attempted to figure out. This is what he found:<br />57 would be Asian <br />21 would be European <br />14 would be from the Western Hemisphere <br />8 would be African <br />52 would be female <br />48 would be male <br />70 would be non-white <br />30 would be white <br />70 would be non-Christian <br />30 would be Christian <br />89 would be heterosexual <br />11 would be homosexual <br />6 people would possess 59% of the entire world’s wealth, and all 6 would be from the United States <br />80 would live in substandard housing <br />70 would be unable to read <br />50 would suffer from malnutrition <br />1 would be near death <br />1 would be pregnant <br />1 would have a college education <br />1 would own a computer<br />Who's packing your parachute?By Stuart KernerDuring the Second World War, Group Captain Giles Gantry took part in more than fifty missions over enemy territory in his Lancaster Bomber. That was until one night in 1944, when his plane was critically damaged by the German guns and he and his navigator were forced to bail out. Gantry parachuted straight into enemy hands, and spent a year in a prisoner of war camp, before escaping and returning to Britain with the aid of the French Resistance. Gantry never flew again, but took a vital role in the RAF Bomber Command towards the end of the war. Twenty years later, back in civilian life, Gantry and his wife were sitting in a restaurant in their home town, when a man approached their table. Gantry vaguely recognized him, but couldn't place the face. 'Afternoon, Sir. If I might interrupt you, are you by any chance Group Captain Gantry late of Bomber Command? You flew 50 times over enemy territory before being shot down, if I'm not mistaken.' 'I am indeed,' responded the pilot. 'How the devil did you know that?' 'Well, Sir, you probably don't remember me too well. Airman Arthur Chambers, as was. I packed your parachute the night you got shot down – I assume it worked, Sir.' Gantry jumped up and shook Chambers warmly by the hand. 'It did indeed–otherwise I wouldn't be here now!' Gantry was bothered all night, thinking about that man he had met that day. Wondering just how many times he might have seen him and not even said‘Hello, how are you today?' or anything else for that matter because, of course, he was a pilot and Chambers was just an ordinary, lowly airman. Gantry thought of the many hours this airman had spent at a table carefully folding the silk of each parachute, holding in his hands each time the fate of someone he didn't even know. ‘Who's packing your parachute?' Each of us has someone who provides what they need to make it through the day. Sometimes in the rush of each day we miss what is really important. We may fail to say hello, congratulate someone on something wonderful that has happened to them, give a compliment, or just do something nice for no reason. Say thank you to our parents and carers, teachers and support staff. As you go through this week, this month, this year, recognize all the people who pack your parachute. <br />The sound of silenceBy Stuart Kerner<br />Four monks decided to meditate silently without speaking for two weeks. By nightfall on the first day, the candle began to flicker and then went out. The first monk said, ‘Oh, no! The candle is out.' The second monk said, ‘Aren't we not suppose to talk?' The third monk said, ‘Why must you two break the silence?' The fourth monk laughed and said, ‘Ha! I'm the only one who didn't speak.' Who is the most foolish in this story? The first monk for breaking the silence? The second and third for following without thinking? Or the fourth for imagining himself so much better than his companions? Do you find it hard to stick to your promises, especially when your friends are equally unreliable<br />Anybody could have done it <br />Once upon a time, there were four people.<br />Their names were Everybody, Somebody, Nobody and Anybody.<br />Whenever there was an important job to be done, Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.<br />Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.<br />When Nobody did it, Everybody got angry because it was Everybody's job.<br />Everybody thought that Somebody would do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it.<br />So in the end Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done in the first place.<br />Which one are you?<br />