After a friend's suicide last year, Zach Schleien sought some answers through an online discussion forum. He was riveted by the people who shared their pain, such as the 19-year-old woman who never left her room and the man with schizophrenia trying to manage the warring voices in his head. Schleien started wondering whether there was something he could do to help alleviate such suffering. His solution turned out to be simpler than he expected: A Slack channel, a private online community for people in life-or-death struggles reaching out in real time to save one another. Schleien, who works in business technology in New Jersey, called the channel 18percent for the 18 percent of the U.S. population living with mental illness. Launched this year by a nonprofit that Schleien founded with David Markovich, an internet marketing consultant, the channel has about 150 members who have sent more than 11,000 messages.Someone who might "feel alone and isolated can reach out at 2 a.m. and find … [Read more...] about From apps to avatars, new tools for taking control of your mental health
New school for music study
Solar Panels Power New Schools—and New Ways of Learning
Dressed in pastel pink and green for an early spring day, second-grader Katherine Cribbs was learning about energy on a virtual field trip—to her own school. With a flurry of touch-screen taps, she explored the “energy dashboard” of Discovery Elementary in Arlington, Virginia. On her tablet, she swiped through 360-degree views of her school, inside and out. She clicked on icons embedded in the virtual classroom to learn about energy-saving features such as LED lights and super-insulated exterior walls made of concrete-filled foam blocks. Exploring the virtual school kitchen, she could read about how the lack of a deep fryer means less energy is needed for venting grease from the air. Another swipe whisked her up to the school’s roof, where about 1,700 solar panels spread out before her. After a few minutes, she looked up from her computer to explain her progress in a confident voice that rose above the second-grade din. “I learned that our solar panels … [Read more...] about Solar Panels Power New Schools—and New Ways of Learning
Susan Baker shares her experiences in a new book
Telling her story CLAUDIA FELDMAN, Copyright 2010 Houston Chronicle Published 5:30 am, Sunday, October 3, 2010 Photo: Billy Smith II, Chronicle Image 1of/1 CaptionClose Image 1 of 1 Susan Baker, the wife former Secretary of State James Baker III, has helped raise eight children and survived ovarian cancer. Susan Baker, the wife former Secretary of State James Baker III, has helped raise eight children and survived ovarian cancer. Photo: Billy Smith II, Chronicle Susan Baker shares her experiences in a new book 1 / 1 Back to Gallery t's not even 7 a.m. in a ballroom at the River Oaks Country Club, but Susan Baker, in a soft beige suit and sling-back heels, is already at her post. The wife of former Secretary of State James Baker III is worrying about her breakfast-club speech. And in the most genteel way … [Read more...] about Susan Baker shares her experiences in a new book
6 of the biggest companies in the US that are best for women
Richard Feloni, provided by Published 1:47 pm, Tuesday, April 10, 2018 Bill Pugliano/Getty Images The billionaire investor Paul Tudor Jones cofounded the nonprofit Just Capital in 2013 to measure what Americans want from corporations and which of these companies are contributing to a "more just" society. Just has looked at companies in the Russell 1000 that have done an internal pay equity analysis, foster leadership opportunities for women, and provide benefits to mothers. Six companies stood out, and General Motors is particularly notable. This post is part of Business Insider's ongoing series on Better Capitalism. America's largest companies have a long way to go before they can achieve equal pay — the National Women's Law Center reports American women make $0.80 for men's $1.00 — but companies like General Motors and PepsiCo are making changes that pay women and men equally for the same work and foster pathways to higher-paying leadership positions. … [Read more...] about 6 of the biggest companies in the US that are best for women
Mobile apps could be a new resource for amputees
Wayne McDonald is one of the roughly 4 million people in the world who does CrossFit. He goes to classes not far from his home near Akron, Ohio, a few times a week and works with a coach who helps him with the rigorous fitness program that combines elements of running, weight lifting, gymnastics and more.For anyone, CrossFit can be grueling. For McDonald it's something of an achievement, since he lost his left leg above the knee in a motorcycle accident back in 2007."[It's] been interesting and exhausting and everything else because with two legs I would not have been particularly good at it," laughed McDonald, who created a website called Amputee Guy about his experiences.McDonald might not have summoned the courage to start CrossFit if not for the help of a fitness app called Fitness for Amputees, designed for lower limb amputees. Fitness for Amputees is just one in a budding group of mobile apps that've sprung up to help speed the recovery process for people who've lost a limb. … [Read more...] about Mobile apps could be a new resource for amputees