With that line-up, 60 minutes had me at hello.

2. Stories Inform.  I’m curious. Am I the very last person to know about the Kahn Academy? From a 13 minute story I learned about this guy named Sal Kahn, a hedge fund trader turned education visionary by “accident”. He wanted to help his 7th grade niece with her math homework and began videoing lessons and posting them on youtube. These lessons were an internet hit and a few years later, the Kahn Academy has 4 million users  and caught the attention of folks like Bill Gates and Google’s chairman Eric Schmidt. In the 60 minutes story, Schmidt makes this statement: “Innovation never comes from the established institutions. It’s always a graduate student or crazy person or someone with a great vision. Sal is that person in education in my view.” So interesting. Suddenly 7th grade pre-algebra doesn’t seem so daunting.

3. Stories inspire. One of the best stories I’ve listened to so far was about The Africa Mercy, “the world’s largest civilian hospital ship which travels the west African coast, restoring sight to thousands and bringing smiles to faces once disfigured by tumors.”

One of the nurses interviewed was asked about how she had the strength to deal with such disfigured people.  She said, “People have been saying that to these people their whole lives. Somebody has to look at them, someone has to look them in the eye and tell them ‘You’re human and I recognize that in you’.”

Seriously, WHO KNEW? Here is a link to this awesome organization. That I learned about from a story. On 60 minutes.

Stories inform, entertain and inspire. For a story junkie like me, this little discovery has been a sweet treat indeed.  Redeem that drive time people!