My name is Baila Pirchesky and I am the Chief Editor of One World Blue Media. Our network can be seen at Blupela.com, The One World Blue Network. We are a social media network making a difference in the world one good deed at a time.

We share Spotlight Stories and Journalism of people and organizations making an impact in our world. Our purpose is to help bring more Light and Planetary Healing to our World by emphasizing the Good we see in Life.

One World Blue is growing quickly and we would like to share with you some of the latest Spotlight Highlights.

For full reviews of all Spotlights please visit us at Blupela.com If you have someone or something you would like to Spotlight, please call our office at 412 690-5530 or send us an email at Info@oneworldblue.com .

About Baila

Baila Liba Naomi, or just Baila Pirchesky, is the true confidant, companion, ayshis chayil i.e. woman of valor, home maker, healer, writer, voice of reason, soul mate and best friend of Naphtali Ziff Pirchesky, the founder of One World Blue, LLC.

Through her patience, guidance and support, Naphtali has been blessed to devote the many years and time needed for the development of such a large project as Blupela.com , The One World Blue Good Network, Social Network for Social Harmony and Planetary Healing.

With Baila's humor and gentle ways, she has been a guiding force for the development of this project. Attending every development meeting and using her ingenuity and creativity, Baila has coined many of the terms for marketing and advertising for One World Blue. Her most famous one is "One World Blue, Healing the planet one good deed at a time". This in fact sums up the entire project, for Blupela is about bringing goodness and sharing that good with the world to improve it one step at a time.

Baila has been and is a blessing to her husband, parents, in-laws, family and friends. Baila is also an avid reader and talented singer. When she is not busy with One World Blue, you can find her at a coffee shop or tea house, tucked away with a book, or just enjoying the day with her friends. She is mother to two of the best furry friends one may want. Chani Star and Mystic Dov.

Baila has aspirations to be an avid world traveler and fitness and well being leader and advocate. She plans to one day open a restaurant with her husband called Lettuce Shine, which will be a place for wholesome and healthy eating. She is and has been since very young a wonderful and talented cook. Just ask her teddy bear of a husband and you will see!!

WE SHALL NEVER FORGET

Survivor: Robert Geminder

By Jane Ulman

In the early morning of Oct. 12, 1941, German authorities ordered the Jews of Stanislawow, Poland, to report to the town square. Six-year-old Robert (Bob) Geminder huddled there with his mother, grandmother and brother, George. The group of approximately 20,000 Jews was then marched to the nearby cemetery. Bob and his family, among the early arrivals, were shoved toward the cemetery’s back wall, where they crouched down. “If you stood up, they would shoot you,” Bob remembered. Meanwhile, people in the front were marched forward toward large pits in the ground, then shot. As they fell into the gaping earth, more Jews were ordered forward. This systematic killing continued all day, until falling snow and darkness halted the massacre of 12,000 or more.

To Read more please visit:

http://www.geminder.us/index.html

An Afternoon at The Frick

By Betsy Berman-Pirchesky

In June, my husband and I were looking for a unique place to celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary. We decided to go to the Frick Art and History Center.

The Frick Art and History Center is a cluster of museums and historical buildings located in the Point Breeze neighborhood of Pittsburgh. It is framed around the Frick family’s 19th Century residence known as The Clayton Museum showcasing life circa 1905. It includes a car and carriage museum and elegant café with garden views.

My husband Joel and I toured the grounds, greenhouse, café, and gift shop. We ordered dessert at the café, chocolate cake and key lime cheesecake. We sat under a weeping willow tree with a park bench. The atmosphere is so elegant and romantic. The café offers lunch, Friday night dinner, and high tea. The Frick is a perfect place to go for a date or special occasion.

Every Friday night from June 17th through September 2nd, the Frick will offer a lineup of entertainment performances, family-friendly activities, a wine bar, and varied dining options. They include a dinner at the café at the Frick, casual food from local food trucks, and the opportunity to picnic on the lush Frick grounds. Performances begin at 6:30 PM. Look on the internet for more details about any of these events.

Background Reference From:
http://www.yadvashem.org/yv/en/holocaust/about/index.asp#!prettyPhoto
Retrieved on 6/4/16

“And so, within seven months, I lost my father, my brother, and my mother. I am the only one who survived. This is what the Germans did to us, and these are things that should never be forgotten. On the other hand, we had our revenge: the survivors were able to raise magnificent families – among them myself. This is the revenge and the consolation.”

Zvi Kopolovich

The Holocaust was the murder by Nazi Germany of six million Jews. While the Nazi persecution of the Jews began in 1933, the mass murder was committed during World War II. It took the Germans and their accomplices four and a half years to murder six million Jews. They were at their most efficient from April to November 1942 – 250 days in which they murdered some two and a half million Jews. They never showed any restraint, they slowed down only when they began to run out of Jews to kill, and they only stopped when the Allies defeated them.

There was no escape. The murderers were not content with destroying the communities; they also traced each hidden Jew and hunted down each fugitive. The crime of being a Jew was so great, that every single one had to be put to death – the men, the women, the children; the committed, the disinterested, the apostates; the healthy and creative, the sickly and the lazy – all were meant to suffer and die, with no reprieve, no hope, no possible amnesty, nor chance for alleviation.

Most of the Jews of Europe were dead by 1945. A civilization that had flourished for almost 2,000 years was no more. The survivors – one from a town, two from a host – dazed, emaciated, bereaved beyond measure, gathered the remnants of their vitality and the remaining sparks of their humanity, and rebuilt. They never meted out justice to their tormentors – for what justice could ever be achieved after such a crime? Rather, they turned to rebuilding: new families forever under the shadow of those absent; new life stories, forever warped by the wounds; new communities, forever haunted by the loss.

Thank you Betsy for your friendship, laughter and inspiration to me and so many. This spotlight which you have written about Golda Meir, may it inspire all of us to look beyond gender or race or religion and truly create a better world, One Good Deed at a Time !!!

Thank you,

With Love,

Your friend

Baila

Golda Meir first woman prime minister of Israel from 1956 – 1966 resigned 1974. Earlier Golda Meir the 4th prime minister she was a devoted Labor Zionist ministerfrom an early age.

She was an Israeli teacher, Kibbutznik, and politician. Golda Meir born May was born May 31898 in the Ukraine. She died Dec. 8, 1978 in Jerusalem Israel a Zionist and political leader.

She served as Israel’s foreign minister from 1956 to 1966. Became 4th Israeli prime minister in1969. By the end of her life became a hero as one of the first to head a nation in the modern era. Meir was a leader in a movement called Zionism. To Jewish state in Palestine. Jews regarded as their historical home which lead to be modern Israel.

Golda was born the daughter of Moshe and Bluma Mobovich in Kiev Ukraine on May3 1898. She moved with her family to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 1906. They fled to escape pograms mob attacks that had carried out against Jews in Russia at the time . Later recalled that her childhood terror of anti semetic violence.influenced to establish the state of Israel as a safe Jewish state.

After high school she went to a teachers training college.Her parents felt she should be married and not work Meir did bith married Morris in 1917. Moved to modern day Israel populating mostly Arabs.

They joined a Kibbutz,her husband became ill and the couple moved to Tel Aviv then to Jerusalem and had two children. She was a delegate of Pioneer woman in the United States The delegate Zionist political activity.

Meir organized illegal Jewish immigration to Palestine when Jews were in danger of Nazis. The proclamation of the independence of Israel May 8, 1948.She was a member of Israels Provisional council of state among signers of declaration of independence. She started the Myerson plan. Many units of low income apartments to do new immigrated families.

Ben Gurion 1886 to 1936 thought so highly of Golda. Meir got sick but then came out of her retirement to be israel’s Prime Minister on March 17, 1969. She got U.S. aid in military and economic assistance. U.S. President Richard Nixon peace talks with United Arab Republic in 1967 during war of Arab and Israelis.

Yom Kippur war april 10, 1974 . Resigned as Prime Minister and died Dec.8,1948.

Thank you Betsy for sharing with us this inspiration.

May it lift us all up higher and higher to a better world and one which is filled with Peace.

One Good Deed at a Time

With Love,

Baila

I chose to write about Nelson Mandela because he was someone who truly changed the world. He never gave up on his cause—even while in prison. Nelson Mandela was a great man and leader.

I hope you enjoy this spotlight on this remarkable leader who has changed the course of history.

Thank you for allowing me to share his story with you.

I took these notes from a book I recently read on his life. The reference is below.

Baila Berman Pirchesky

1918—Rolihahla Mandela was born in Mueso, South Africa. The name “Rohihahla” means “troublemaker” in the Xhosa language. Mandela was born into a noble family of the Thembu. They are one of the several Xhosa speaking peoples. Mandela’s great –grandfather was king of the Thembu.

Rohlihahla lived in the village of Qunu with his mother and sisters. Christian missionaries also live in Qunu. Henry Mandela, Rohlihahla’s father, befriended of some of the missionaries, who note that the 7-year old was a bright boy, and he became the first of his family to get a formal education. On the first day of school, one of the teachers gave all the students English names. Rolihahla’s name became “Nelson” He like the name and it stuck.

When Nelson was 9 years old, his father passed away. Soon after that, Nelson’s mother told Nelson that he could no longer stay in Qunu. Nelson went to a village called “Mqhekezweni.” It was the home of Chief Jongintaba, ruler of the Thembu. He had been friends with Nelson’s father, Henry, and adopted and raised Nelson, as if he was his own son.

Nelson continued his studies in the village’s one-room school house. He learned English, history, geography and more. He did chores and shared a room with the Chief’s only so, Justice, and the two became like brothers. Mandela learned more about Western ways. He dressed in Western styles, and attended Christian church. Nelson thrived in his new surroundings.

His becoming a man brought the realization that South Africa was filled with racism. In college in 1940 Nelson Mandela was expelled from the University of Font Hare for refusing to accept a student government position. In 1944, he founded the African National Congress (ANC) Youth League.

He also married Evelyn Mose, his first wife, in October 1944. Later in his life Nelson Mandela married Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, who also came from the Transkei area, and they met in Johannesburg, where she was the city's first black social worker. Mandela's third wife was Graça Machel (née Simbine), whom he married on his 80th birthday in 1998. Mandela had six children, 17 grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren.

In 1942, he helped to organize the Defiance Campaign and was arrested during it. In 1961, he went into hiding as he organized the military organization, Umkhonto we Sizwe. In 1964, Mandela was tried and found guilty of sabotage and sentenced to life in prison. He wrote his memoirs in 1975 while in prison. In 1990 he was released from prison. On February 11th, Apartheid officially ended. In 1994 Mandela was sworn into office as South Africa’s first black President. In 1999 he stepped down from the Presidency after one term. At the age of 95, Nelson Mandela passed from the world on December 5th, 2013 and was laid to rest.

80,000 People and 90 World Leaders Attended Nelson Mandela's Funeral, which was one of the largest in history.

Source Reference from which notes were taken:

A Real Life Story: Nelson Mandela—South African Revolutionary.

By: Beatrice Gormley

Please take a moment to see some videos of this Legendary man who endured so much for Freedom. May Mandela's Legacy continue to live on and inspire the world to Love, Tolerance and Global Adoption of Human Rights

Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Ofra_Haza

Ofra Haza (Hebrew: עפרה חזה‎, Arabic: عوفرة حازة‎; November 19, 1957 – February 23, 2000) was an Israeli singer, actress and international recording artist. Her voice has been described as a "tender" mezzo-soprano.

Inspired by a love of her Yemenite and Hebrew culture, her music quickly spread to a wider Middle Eastern audience, somehow bridging the divide between Israel and the Arab countries. As her career progressed, Haza was able to switch between traditional and more commercial singing styles without jeopardizing her credibility. Her music fused elements of Eastern and Western instrumentation, orchestration and dance-beat. She became successful in Europe and the Americas; during her singing career, she earned many platinum and gold discs.

Her major international breakthrough came in the wake of the album Shirei Teiman (Yemenite songs), which she recorded in 1984. The album consisted of songs that Haza had heard in childhood, using arrangements that combined authentic Middle Eastern percussion with classical instruments. Further recognition came with the single "Im Nin'alu", taken from the album Shaday (1988), which won the New Music Award for Best International Album of the Year.[4] The song topped the Eurochart for two weeks in June that year and was on heavy rotation on MTV channels across the continent. In the annals of classical hip-hop this song would be extensively re-released, re-mixed and sampled, for example on Coldcut's remix of Eric B. & Rakim's "Paid in Full". The single made only a brief appearance in the UK top 40 singles chart, but became a dance floor favorite across Europe and the USA, topping the German charts for nine weeks. Subsequent singles were also given the dance-beat / MTV-style video treatment, most notably, Galbi, Daw Da Hiya and Mata Hari, but none quite matched the runaway success of her first hit. Im Nin'alu would go on to be featured on an in-game radio playlist of the video game Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, released in 2005 and featured on Panjabi MC's album "Indian Timing" in 2009.

Haza also received critical acclaim for the albums Fifty Gates of Wisdom (1988), Desert Wind (1989), Kirya (1992), Ofra Haza (1997) and for her collection of children's songs, L'Yeladim (1982).

In 1992, Kirya (co-produced by Don Was) received a Grammy nomination.

In 1994, Haza released her first Hebrew album in seven years, Kol Haneshama (The Whole Soul). Though not an initial chart success, the album produced one of her biggest hits to date, Le'orech Hayam (Along The Sea). The song did not have any substantial chart success upon its release to radio but became an anthem after Haza performed it on the assembly in memorial to deceased Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, a week after he was assassinated. Radio stations around the country started playing it and people took notice. Its lyrics became even more symbolic following Haza's own death in 2000.

On 15 July 1997, Haza married businessman Doron Ashkenazi. They had no children together. Ashkenazi died of a suspected drug overdose after Haza's death, on 7 April 2001, leaving a daughter from his previous marriage and a 14-year-old adopted son Shai Ashkenazi.

Ofra Haza's grave in Yarkon Cemetery
Ofra Haza died on 23 February 2000 at the age of 42, of AIDS-related pneumonia. While the fact of her HIV infection is now generally acknowledged, the decision by the major Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz to report about it shortly after her death caused controversy in Israel.

After Haza's death was announced, Israeli radio stations played non-stop retrospectives of her music and then Prime Minister Ehud Barak praised her work as a cultural emissary, commenting that she also represented the Israeli success story — "Ofra emerged from the Hatikvah slums to reach the peak of Israeli culture. She has left a mark on us all".

The disclosure that Haza had died due to an AIDS-related illness added another layer to the public mourning. The fact that a star with a reputation for clean living could be stricken caused shock among fans, debate about the media's potential invasion of her privacy, and speculation about how she had become infected. Immediately after her death, the media placed blame on her husband for giving her the disease. Haza's manager Bezalel Aloni also claimed in his book that Haza's infection occurred during sex with her husband. As reported indirectly some years later, her husband had said that she became infected due to a blood transfusion in a Turkish hospital following a miscarriage.

She is buried in the Artists section of Yarkon Cemetery in Petah Tikva near Tel Aviv.

MY FAVORITE SONGS

Here are a few of my favorite songs by Ofra:

The second one is symbolic of Ofra's love and desire to see peace between Arabs and Jews in the Middle East. We can all learn from her:

The Howard Levin Clubhouse is a warm, welcoming community where adults whose lives have been disrupted by mental illness come together to discover and develop their strengths and abilities, build self-confidence, and gain valuable social and vocational skills that prepare them for more productive, rewarding, meaningful lives. Our members are adults from all walks of life, who have in common a history of mental illness and the desire to grow, develop and work together toward the goal of recovery.

http://jrspgh.org/hlc/index.html

What is the Howard Levin clubhouse? Many people driving down the intersection of Murray and Forward Ave may ask themselves is it a fitness club or private social club? The clubhouse is a community of members who have mental health challenges.The primary focus is on rehabilitation. The clubhouse is a voluntary program whose participants are known as members, not clients, patients or consumers.

Staff and members work together to run the clubhouse. Attendance and work at Howard Levin clubhouse is voluntary. New members may participate at their own pace. As they feel more comfortable they can gradually increase time spent at the Clubhouse. The Clubhouse operates on a work ordered day. The work of the Clubhouse is usually coordinated thru these three work areas: Food and Horticulture, Member Services, Business Education and Employment Services.

What does the Clubhouse offer?

1) A Place to go.

2) Meaningful work.

3) Meaningful relationships.

4) A Place to return.

Members who do not attend for months even years are always welcome to return when they wish. The Clubhouse which is a program of Jewish Residential services, offers many social and recreational activities. Among them, Friday night Shabbat dinners and outings to Kennywood and Pirates games.

In general the Clubhouse offers many opportunities. Clubhouse members can participate in meaningful and valuable work. Live a more empowering life, develop new job readiness skills, learn to function better, enjoy daily nutritious meals, participate in employment opportunities, develop self confidence, and develop healthy relationships within a warm welcoming community.

By Baila Pirchesky

If you are interested in contacting Howard Levin:

(412) 422-1850

www.howardlevineclubhouse.org

who have mental

America's Sweetheart has many different roles: Actress, to producer, spokeswoman, entrepreneur and philanthropist. I am choosing to spotlight Jennifer because I feel she is an exemplary example of the modern woman. She is by far my favorite person in Hollywood. Thank you Jennifer for making me smile!!!

Jennifer's Bio:

Though she would spend most of her youth in New York, Jennifer Aniston was born Jennifer Joanna Aniston in Sherman Oaks, California, on February 11, 1969. She spent one year of her childhood at the age of 5 in Greece, the country where her father is from. Well connected to the business from the beginning – her father is veteran Days of Our Lives star John Aniston; her godfather is none other than Telly Savalas – Jennifer did not discover her own penchant for acting until attending the Rudolf Steiner School drama club at 11.

Jennifer Aniston as a teenagerAniston proved to be a talented painter during her stay at the Rudolf Steiner School (one of her pieces was displayed at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art), but acting became her primary focus after graduating from New York’s prestigious High School for the Performing Arts in 1987, and she held roles in off-Broadway productions such as For Dear Life and Dancing on Checker’s Grave.

Jennifer Aniston with Jim Carrey in Bruce Almighty - 2003Though Friends launched Aniston’s career as a sitcom actress, her television debut was in 1989, when she starred in 1990′s short-lived series Molloy. Before long, Jennifer’s television resume had grown to include appearances in The Edge, a role in the ultimately unsuccessful attempt at adapting Ferris Bueller’s Day Off into sitcom format, and a part in an episode of Quantum Leap. In 1991, she landed a recurring role on Herman’s Head, while 1994 led her to a role in Muddling Through, the show that almost kept her from starring in Friends.

Jennifer Aniston and "The Rachel" around 1994By 1994, it looked like Aniston was destined for a life of obscure parts in doomed television sitcoms. Despite being asked to audition for the role of Monica Gellar in a pilot for a sitcom at that point titled “Friends Like These” (a role that would eventually be filled by Courteney Cox), Aniston insisted on trying out for the part of Rachel Green, a spoiled suburbanite turned spunky coffee house waitress. The rest, as they say, is history — “Friends Like These” would become the mega-hit Friends.

Source:
http://www.anistoncenter.com/biography/
Retrived 2/2/15

Jennifer's warm heart and Philanthropy:

America’s sweetheart, Jennifer Aniston, is known for her generosity and support of several non-profit organizations.

The former Friends star is often seen in commercials for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Her advocacy for St. Jude began in 2008 with their Thanks and Giving Campaign, which featured several celebrities in prime-time TV ads around the Christmas holiday season. Since 2008 Jennifer has been involved with several campaigns for St. Jude including a recent one in which several celebrities remade the Beatles song, “Hey Jude”.

Another charity that Jennifer has been a big supporter of is Friends of El Faro, which improves the lives of children at the Casa Hogar Sion Orphanage in Tijuana. In 2010 Jennifer created the Farita doll in partnership with One&Only Palmilla (a hotel where Jennifer celebrated her birthday in Mexico). The doll was designed and crafted by local artisans and all proceeds were donated to Friends of El Faro.

The GLAAD Vanguard Award was received by Jennifer in 2007 for her outstanding contributions to increase understanding and awareness of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. The Vanguard Award is given each year to an entertainer that has significantly promoted gay rights. Aniston was honored to receive the award, which has previous recipients such as Cher, Liza Minnelli and Charlize Theron.

In 2010 on Earth Day Jennifer teamed up with several other celebrities in “The Cove PSA : My Friend is…”. This was to help stop the slaughter of dolphins and prevent the Japanese people from toxic levels of mercury found in the dolphin meat.

Additionally in 2010, Jennifer donated $500,000 to the Haiti relief appeal through organizations such as Doctors Without Borders, Partners in Health and AmeriCares. Aniston also took part in the “Hope for Haiti Now” telethon, which raised over $58 million. Jennifer continued her support of Haiti in 2011 when she purchased an art piece at a Haitian Charity Event for $450,000.

Jennifer has supported many other non-profit organizations and charities throughout the years, some of which include: hosting the Stand Up To Cancer Show in 2008; directing and starring in a video with Woody Harrelson for the “It Can’t Wait” free Burma Campaign in 2008; an honorary board member of the Lili Claire Foundation and continued support of Clothes Off Our Back, Feeding America, EB Medical Research Foundation, Project A.L.S., Best Friends Animal Society, and the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network.

Jennifer and husband Justin Theroux’s 2011 Christmas cards wished friends a happy holiday season and stated that Jennifer and Justin had made a donation in their name to St. Jude and Best Friends Animal Society.

Aniston signed bear for silent auction benefitting the Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation

https://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/jennifer-aniston
Retrieved 2/2/15

The Material World Charitable Foundation (MWF) is a charitable organisation founded by English musician George Harrison in April 1973. Its launch coincided with the release of Harrison's album Living in the Material World and came about in reaction to the taxation issues that had hindered his 1971–72 aid project for refugees of the Bangladesh Liberation War. Harrison assigned his publishing royalties from nine of the eleven songs on Living in the Material World, including the hit single "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)", to the foundation, in perpetuity.

The MWF's purpose is to donate to various causes, and promote diverse artistic endeavours and philosophies. Its first project in the latter regard was sponsoring a 1974 revue of Indian classical music – the Music Festival from India – led by Ravi Shankar and featuring world music pioneers such as Shivkumar Sharma, Hariprasad Chaurasia, L. Subramaniam and Sultan Khan. A year after Harrison's death, proceeds from the 2002 Concert for George, along with accompanying album and film releases, went to the foundation for dispersal to appropriate charities. The Material World Charitable Foundation continues to operate under the objectives outlined by Harrison in 1974, funded by income from his donated copyrights.

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Material_World_Charitable_Foundation
Retrieved on 1/26/15

The Concert for George was held at the Royal Albert Hall in London on 29 November 2002 as a memorial to George Harrison on the first anniversary of his death.[1] The event was organized by Harrison's widow, Olivia, and son, Dhani, and arranged under the musical direction of Eric Clapton and Jeff Lynne. The profits from the event went to the Material World Charitable Foundation

"Isn't It A Pity" is a song by George Harrison from his 1970 solo album All Things Must Pass. It appears in two variations there: one the well-known, seven-minute version; the other a reprise, as the original album's penultimate track (excluding the Apple Jam bonus disc), known as "Isn't It A Pity (Version Two)". The song was written in 1966, but despite the popularity and success it would subsequently achieve, both for Harrison and for artists who have covered it, "Isn't It A Pity" was rejected for inclusion on releases by the Beatles. A big anthemic ballad and one of George Harrison's most celebrated songs, it has been described as the emotional and musical centrepiece of All Things Must Pass and "a poignant reflection on The Beatles' coarse ending". Despite its relative antiquity by 1970, the song's lyrics lent themselves perfectly to the themes of spiritual salvation and friendship that define All Things Must Pass, being consistent with the karmic subject matter of much of the album. Harrison later said of the track: "'Isn't It A Pity' is about whenever a relationship hits a down point... It was a chance to realise that if I felt somebody had let me down, then there's a good chance I was letting someone else down". The verse-one lines "How we take each other's love without thinking any more / Forgetting to give back..." have been acknowledged as a precursor to Paul McCartney's parting couplet -- "And in the end, the love you take / Is equal to the love you make" -- in the Beatles' Abbey Road song "The End".

Legacy

As a professional baseball player, Clemente ranks among the best of all time. He was, in baseball parlance, a “complete player” and his record proves it in multiples. In addition to the Most Valuable Player Award, Clemente received 12 Gold Glove Awards, 4 National League batting titles, 12 All-Star Game selections, 2 World Series Championships, and reached the 3,000-hit milestone. Only ten players in the history of the major leagues recorded 3,000 hits before Roberto. The highlight of his long and prosperous career came in 1971, when he earned the World Series MVP Award for his superb performance in the Fall Classic against the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles. Clemente batted .414, hit two home runs, and turned in several standout defensive plays to carry the Pirates to one of the most surprising results in World Series history. With a massive television audience witnessing the seven games of this historic Series, Clemente gained the kind of nationwide recognition that had eluded him throughout his career.

But there’s another Clemente record. It is written in cornerstones of schools, hospitals, and other public buildings, inscribed on monuments and statues, struck on coins, imprinted on collectibles and book covers — it is simply his name, Roberto Clemente, and it is evidence of his impact beyond baseball.

Roberto Clemente in March 1968.

Citizen and Athlete

Clemente became known for his fierce ethnic pride and for his unusual capacity to bear a much larger identity—not just for Puerto Rico but for all of Latin America. It was a responsibility he embraced and carried with dignity and admirable grace.

He didn’t see himself as merely a representative of Latin America to the world through baseball. He saw his career in baseball as a way to help Latin Americans — especially underprivileged Puerto Ricans — make their lives better.

"Always, they said Babe Ruth was the best there was. They said you’d really have to be something to be like Babe Ruth. But Babe Ruth was an American player. What we needed was a Puerto Rican player they could say that about, someone to look up to and try to equal."
-Roberto Clemente
National League Most Valuable Player, 1966

Image: Roberto working with children at baseball camp in Puerto Rico.

Philanthropist and Teacher

Clemente’s philanthropy was not calculated to gain public or private recognition. He simply wanted to help people in need. For some, his generosity was financial; with others he freely shared his chiropractic knowledge — learned as a result of his own back injury in 1954; and for many others, particularly children, Clemente’s kindness came as free lessons in the game of baseball.

Clemente always cared about children. Despite his busy schedule, he made time to hold baseball clinics for kids, especially for those from low-income families. He dreamed of building a “Sports City” where Puerto Rican youth would have ready access to facilities, coaching, and encouragement in many sports. It was another way of working toward a Puerto Rico that was healthier, happier, and fairer.

"Everyone knows I've been struggling all my life. I believe that every human being is equal, but one has to fight hard all the time to maintain that equality.
-Roberto Clemente

Source:
http://www.robertoclemente.si.edu/english/virtual_legacy.htm . Retrieved on 12/14/14

Helen Adams Keller was born on June 27, 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. In 1882, she fell ill and was struck blind, deaf and mute. Beginning in 1887, Keller's teacher, Anne Sullivan, helped her make tremendous progress with her ability to communicate, and Keller went on to college, graduating in 1904. In 1920, Keller helped found the ACLU. During her lifetime, she received many honors in recognition of her accomplishments.

During her lifetime, she received many honors in recognition of her accomplishments, including the Theodore Roosevelt Distinguished Service Medal in 1936, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964, and election to the Women's Hall of Fame in 1965. She also received honorary doctoral degrees from Temple University and Harvard University and from the universities of Glasgow, Scotland; Berlin, Germany; Delhi, India; and Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. Additionally, she was named an Honorary Fellow of the Educational Institute of Scotland.

Keller died in her sleep on June 1, 1968, just a few weeks before her 88th birthday. During her remarkable life, Keller stood as a powerful example of how determination, hard work, and imagination can allow an individual to triumph over adversity. By overcoming difficult conditions with a great deal of persistence, she grew into a respected and world-renowned activist who labored for the betterment of others.

Helen Adams Keller. (2014). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 12:15, Mar 27, 2014, from http://www.biography.com/people/helen-keller-9361967 .

Malala Yousafzai (Urdu: ملالہ یوسف زئی‎ Malālah Yūsafzay, Pashto: ملاله یوسفزۍ‎ [məˈlaːlə jusəf ˈzəj];[1] born 12 July 1997)[2][3] is a Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest-ever Nobel Prize recipient.[4] She is known mainly for human rights advocacy for education and for women in her native Swat Valley in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of northwest Pakistan, where the local Taliban had at times banned girls from attending school. Yousafzai's advocacy has since grown into an international movement.

Her family runs a chain of schools in the region. In early 2009, when she was 11–12, Yousafzai wrote a blog under a pseudonym for the BBC detailing her life under Taliban occupation, their attempts to take control of the valley, and her views on promoting education for girls in the Swat Valley. The following summer, journalist Adam B. Ellick made a New York Times documentary[3] about her life as the Pakistani military intervened in the region, culminating in the Second Battle of Swat. Yousafzai rose in prominence, giving interviews in print and on television, and she was nominated for the International Children's Peace Prize by South African activist Desmond Tutu.

On the afternoon of 9 October 2012, Yousafzai boarded her school bus in the northwest Pakistani district of Swat. A gunman asked for her by name, then pointed a pistol at her and fired three shots. One bullet hit the left side of Yousafzai's forehead, travelled under her skin through the length of her face, and then went into her shoulder.[5] In the days immediately following the attack, she remained unconscious and in critical condition, but later her condition improved enough for her to be sent to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, England, for intensive rehabilitation. On 12 October, a group of 50 Islamic clerics in Pakistan issued a fatwā against those who tried to kill her, but the Taliban reiterated their intent to kill Yousafzai and her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai. Some Pakistanis believe the shooting was a CIA setup and many conspiracy theories exist.[6]

The assassination attempt sparked a national and international outpouring of support for Yousafzai. Deutsche Welle wrote in January 2013 that Yousafzai may have become "the most famous teenager in the world."[7] United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown launched a UN petition in Yousafzai's name, using the slogan "I am Malala" and demanding that all children worldwide be in school by the end of 2015 – a petition which helped lead to the ratification of Pakistan's first Right to Education Bill.[8] In the 29 April 2013 issue of Time magazine, Yousafzai was featured on the magazine's front cover and as one of "The 100 Most Influential People in the World". She was the winner of Pakistan's first National Youth Peace Prize.

On 12 July 2013, Yousafzai spoke at the headquarters of the United Nations to call for worldwide access to education, and in September 2013 she officially opened the Library of Birmingham.[9] Yousafzai is the recipient of the Sakharov Prize for 2013. On 16 October 2013, the Government of Canada announced its intention that the Parliament of Canada confer Honorary Canadian citizenship upon Yousafzai.[10] In February 2014, she was nominated for the World Children's Prize in Sweden.[11] On 15 May 2014, Yousafzai was granted an honorary doctorate by the University of King's College in Halifax.[12]

On 10 October 2014, Yousafzai was announced as the co-recipient of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize for her struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education. At age 17, Yousafzai is the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate.[13][14][15] Yousafzai shared the prize with Kailash Satyarthi, a children's rights activist from India.[16] She is the second Pakistani to receive a Nobel Prize and the only Pakistani winner of the Nobel Peace Prize; Abdus Salam was a 1979 Physics laureate.

Angela Merkel called her "the identity of Pakistan".[17]

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malala_Yousafzai . Retrieved on 12/4/14

One look at Smiley, and you can tell how he earned the name.

But it’s the smiles the Golden Retriever puts on the faces of other people that may be his most lasting legacy.

Excerpt retrieved from Global News:
http://globalnews.ca/news/1879093/meet-smiley-blind-golden-retriever-brings-joy-to-ontario-town/

“People were so drawn to him, so inspired by him,” Smiley’s owner Joanne George told CBS News. “I realized this dog has to be a therapy dog — I have to share him.”

Smiley was born without eyes, and also suffers from dwarfism, meaning his legs are shorter than most dogs of his breed.

George said she found Smiley in a “puppy mill” when he was around two years old. According to a post on her website, Training the K9 Way, she knew his disabilities had left him neglected as a pup.

“He was extremely destructive and had zero housetraining. He was nervous and had many anxieties about coming into a home,” George wrote. “He cowered at the sound of another dog eating – the scars on his face and ears told me the stories of what it was like living with so many dogs in such deplorable conditions.”

Raising Smiley proved a challenge, as George had to teach a dog with no prior formal training, while overcoming his inability to see.

“He did not know one verbal command – I communicated only through my energy to him,” George wrote. “He did not see my body language – he used his nose and his keen sense of hearing to get around.”

Over a decade later, Smiley has found a unique way to bring some smiles to his community of Stouffville, Ontario.

Today he’s a certified therapy dog with the St. John Ambulance therapy dog program, a job he’s held for over seven years.

Whether it’s stopping in to visit local schools, playing with special needs children at the local library, or offering companionship to the residents of a nursing home – Smiley helps to bring some joy to people young and old.

Its a Dogs Life

One day while having coffee with a friend I noticed a pet store and I had this strong urge to hold a puppy. So off we went to Petland. I looked around at the puppies wondering which I thought was the cutest. I called my husband Joel and asked him to meet me at the pet shop. We both fell in love with a German Shepperd/Keisha Hound mix. She was only a few pounds because she was the runt of the litter. We adopted her a week later.

I should mention we were living in a condo at the time where no pets were allowed. So I asked my doctor if he would write a letter to the condo stating that she was a therapy dog. So he did.

My dog's name is Chani Star ad she was 6 weeks old when we adopted her. She loves being outdoors, especially for walks. As she got bigger and more active we realized we could not stay in the condo anymore. So we started looking at houses and ones with fenced in yards.

We finally found our dream house, however unfortunately the house was taken off the market the day before we put in a bid. They say miracles happen everyday. A few weeks later our realator called and said that the people who bid on the house backed out!

So we got our dream house and with our new addition to our family. The house even has a white picket fence, the All American Dream.

Chani has a lot of dog friends on the street and she loves to play with them. If she doesn't have her daily walk even though she could have been in the fenced in yard all day, she gets upset.

Chani is also no ordinary dog. She is really a genius. She knows all of her friends houses and stops to see them at the window. She knows words like outside, walk, upstreet, cookie, and many others. Her favaorite people food is bread, cheese and yogurt. Even if I am downstairs in the kitchen opening a piece of cheese and she is upstairs, she hears and comes running down the steps for a share. Also, not to brag too much but she got an A in puppy kindergarten! Much thanks to Paul at Petco.

I bring you Chani Star !!

Baby Monkey Nala waking up...

I wanted to spotlight Neshama because her music speaks to the world. She is multicultural and I love her music, everything from Hebrew prayer songs to singing with an African American church choir. I actually met her years ago while I was in New York before I knew she was famous.

Neshama did concerts with her late father Shlomo Carlebach and their voices are like magic together.

See videos below:

From:
http://www.bedawi.com/Bedouin_Culture_EN.html

Origins of nomadic peoples are difficult to trace as they leave little evidence behind for archaeologists...

The term 'Bedu'in the Arabic language refers to one who lives out in the open, in the desert. The Arabic word 'Badawiyin'is a generic name for a desert-dweller and the English word ‘Bedouin’ is the derived from this.

In ancient times, most people settled near rivers but the Bedouin people preferred to live in the open desert. Bedouins mainly live in the Arabian and Syrian deserts, the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt and the Sahara Desert of North Africa.

There are Bedouin communities in many countries, including Egypt, Syria, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Iraq in the Middle East and Morocco, Sudan, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya in North Africa. Altogether, the Bedouin population numbers about 4 million.

The Bedouins are seen as Arab culture’s purest representatives and the Bedouins continue to be hailed by other Arabs as “ideal” Arabs, especially because of their rich oral poetic tradition, their herding lifestyle and their traditional code of honour.

The Egyptians refer to the Bedouins as 'Arab', but Bedouins are distinct from other Arab’s because of their extensive kinship networks, which provide them with community support and the basic necessities for survival. Such networks have traditionally served to ensure safety of families and to protect their property.

The term 'A'raab' has been synonymous with the term 'nomad' since the beginning of Islam.

The Bedouins are recognized by their (nomadic) lifestyles, special language, social structures and culture. Only few Bedouins live as their forefathers did in camel- and goat hair tents, raising livestock, hunting and raiding. Their numbers are decreasing and nowadays there are approx. only 5% of Bedouins still live as pastoral nomads in all of the Middle East. Some Bedouins of Sinai are still half-nomads.

Bedouins have different facial features by which they can be distinguished from other Egyptians and also they generally dress differently.

The Bedouin men wear long 'djellabaya' and a 'smagg' (red white draped headcover) or 'aymemma' (white headcover) or a white small headdress, sometimes held in place by an 'agall' (a black cord).

The Bedouin women usually wear brightly coloured long dresses but when they go outside they dress in an 'abaya' (a thin, long black coat sometimes covered with shiny embroidery) and they will always cover their head and hair when they leave their house with a 'tarha' (a black, thin shawl). Traditionally a woman's face was hidden behind a highly decorated 'burqa'ah' but this is now only seen with the older generations. The younger generations cover their face simply with their 'tarha' (shawl).

The Bedouins have a rich culture and their own Arabic ‘Bedawi’ language, which has different dialects depending on the area where they live.

In former days they emphasised on the strong belief in its tribal superiority, in return to the tribal security – the support to survive in a hostile environment.

'The Bedouin' is aristocratic and they tend to perceive the Arabian nation as the noblest of all nations, purity of blood, way of life and above all noble ancestry. They often trace their lineage back to the times of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and beyond.

The first converts to Islam came from the Bedouin tribes and therefore (Sunni) Islam is embedded and deeply rooted in the Bedouin culture. Prayer is an integral part of Bedouin life. As there are no formal mosques in the desert, they pray were they are, facing the Ka’aba in Mecca and performing the ritual washing, preferably with water but if not available they ‘wash’ with sand instead.

'The Bedouin' is generally open-minded and interested in what is going on in his close and far surroundings since this kind of knowledge has always been a vital tool of survival.

At the same time, the Bedouins are quite suspicious and alert keeping a low profile about their personal background.

Modern Arab states have a strong tendency to regulate their Nomadic lifestyle and modern society has made the traditional Bedouin lifestyle less attractive, since it is demanding and often dangerous, so many Bedouins have settled in urban areas and continue to do so.

The Bedouin people are faced with challenges in their lifestyle, as their traditional Islamic, tribal culture has begun to mix with western practices.

Men are more likely to adjust and interact with the modern cultures, but women are bound by honour and tradition to stay within the family dwelling and therefore lack opportunity for advancement.

Today unemployment amongst Bedouin people is very high. Only few obtain a high school degree and even fewer graduate from college.

However, for most people the word Bedouin still conjures up a much richer and more mysterious and romantic image...

Source :
http://www.bedawi.com/Bedouin_Culture_EN.html

Tea Ceremony: Urasenke Style