Kids used to take an apple to school for the teacher. Today, it is not uncommon to encounter guns and knives. School classrooms used to be the safest places we could provide for our kids. Nowadays we have bullying, resulting in many case in suicide, or retaliation with often deadly results by the bullied victim.

We have bullying and sex exploitation of kids on the Internet. Violence is now a common feature in movies, videos, and video games, which our children watch and play, and which is resulting in escalating violence amongst young people.

In the workplace it isn't any better, here we have employees shooting their supervisor and coworkers in some instances.

We have road rage with innocent people being the victims of irate drivers. We have air rage caused by people at the slightest provocation, or for no apparent reason at all.

Bars and clubs are no exception to violence. People used to frequent these places to get together with friends for relaxation, entertainment and enjoyment. These days violence is common within, as well as outside these establishments.

And then of course we have the menace of global terrorism aimed at destruction of people and property for ideals we cannot comprehend.

Although I don't have all the answers to turn things around, I have come up with my own 10 rules for adopting and maintaining a happier attitude and approach to life.

- Life may not be fair, but it beats the alternative