Here are some of my favourite moments of the past year………
PEOPLE/EVENTS
THE ARREST, DETAINMENT and RELEASE OF THE ARCTIC 30
The crew of the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise took part in a peaceful protest at Gazprom’s oil rig to call attention to the threat of oil drilling and climate change. The ice is retreating and oil companies are moving north to drill for the same stuff that’s driving that melting in the first place. It’s madness.
These brave activists looked at the scientific evidence of man-made global warming and the threat it poses to the Arctic, and decided to do something about it. A freelance photographer and videographer were there simply to document their protest. Just as in years past, the resolve and courage required to win a better future for our children requires personal sacrifice, a sacrifice the Arctic 30 are now making. They made their stand in the interests of us all.
Here is a list of names of those HEROES who were brave enough to peacefully protest climate change and drilling for oil in the Arctic:
Peter Henry Willcox (United States), Miguel Hernan Perez (Argentina), Camila Speziale (Argentina), Colin Russell (Australia), Ana Paula Alminhana Maciel (Brazil), Phil Ball (United Kingdom), Kieron Bryan (United Kingdom), Alexandra Harris (United Kingdom), Frank Hewetson (United Kingdom), Anthony Perrett (United Kingdom), Iain Rogers (United Kingdom), Alexandre Paul (Canada), Paul D. Ruzycki (Canada), Faiza Oulahsen (Netherlands), Mannes Ubels (Netherlands), Anne Mie Roer Jensen (Denmark), Sini Saarela (Finland), Francesco Pisanu (France), Cristian D’Alessandro (Italy), Jonathan Beauchamp (New Zealand), David John Haussmann (New Zealand), Tomasz Dziemianczuk (Poland), Roman Dolgav (Russia), Denis Sinyakov (Russia), Dima Litvinov (Sweden), Marco Weber (Switzerland), Gizem Akhan (Turkey), Ruslan Yakushev (Ukraine), Andrey Allakhverdov (Russia), Ekaterina Zaspa (Russia).
The above, and additional information about the Arctic 30 and Saving the Arctic is posted on Greenpeace’s website, here is the link: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/climate-change/arctic-impacts/Peace-Dove/Arctic-30/
BARACK OBAMA’S SPEECH at THE NELSON MANDELA MEMORIAL SERVICE
YEB SANO’s CLIMATE CHANGE SPEECH AFTER TYPHOON HAIYAN
MALALA YOUSAFZAI – INSPIRING STORY and ADVOCATING FOR WOMEN’S RIGHT TO BE EDUCATED
ENTERTAINMENT
Some of my favourite cds of 2013:
M.I.A. (Matangi), Nine Inch Nails (Hesitation Marks), Daft Punk (Random Access Memories), Kanye West (Yeezus), Atoms For Peace (Amok), OMD (English Electric), Alison Moyet (The Minutes).
Some of my favorite videos:
LADY GAGA and RUPAUL
DAFT PUNK featuring PHARRELL WILLIAMS
ATOMS FOR PEACE
NINE INCH NAILS
MADONNA – SECRET PROJECT REVOLUTION
LGBT ISSUES
The powerful story of love as told by Shane Bitney Crone in the great documentary – BRIDEGROOM (A hopeful Oscar contender). Here is the movie trailer:
Edie Windsor (LGBT activist) on shortlist for TIME’s ‘Person of the Year’ along with: Bashar Assad (President of Syria), Jeff Bezos (Amazon founder), Ted Cruz (Texas Senator), Miley Cyrus (Singer), Pope Benedict Francis (Leader of the Catholic Church), Barack Obama (President of The United States), Hassan Rouhani (President of Iran), Kathleen Sebelius (Secretary of Health and Human Services) and Edward Snowden (N.S.A. leaker). President Barack Obama was TIME’s 2012’s Person of the Year.
COMING OUT OF THE CLOSET and LIVING THEIR AUTHENTIC LIVES
Jason Collins (NBA player), Tom Daley (Olympic Diver), Raven Simone (Actress, The Cosby Show), Bob Harper (The Biggest Loser), Wentworth Miller (Actor, Prison Break), Earvin Johnson III (NBA’s Magic Johnson’s – of son).
Not only are these individuals risking their careers by issuing a statement that they are gay, bisexual or lesbian – they may be empowering other individuals who are gay to do so. Many LGBT people are shunned from their friends, families and communities because they are born gay. This leads to high rates of suicide and homelessness in the community. So if these people – empower others to live their authentic lives, I applaud them whether they intentionally or unintentionally wanted to become role models for others in the LGBT community.
What were your favourite moments of 2013 and how have they helped create a more loving, compassionate and positive world? Let’s make 2014 the year of the peaceful protest! Let’s start our REVOLUTION OF LOVE and be more compassionate to animals, our planet and to each other!
Together, we can make the world a more positive one!
COALITION OF POSITIVE ENERGY 