Starbucks unveiled its new holiday design – a red cup with the green Starbucks logo – and sparked significant controversy due to its lack of Christmas symbols like reindeer and snowflakes.
Starbucks defended the blank holiday design as welcoming of people’s different stories.
In his latest video, “Man vs. Earth” spoken word artist Prince Ea opens by saying,
“Fun fact:
In “Man vs. Earth,” spoken word artist Prince Ea opens by saying, “Fun fact: Planet Earth is 4.5 billion years old, mankind, about 140,000 years old. Let me put that in perspective. If you condense the Earth’s lifespan into 24 hours—that’s one full day—then we have been here for, drum roll please, three seconds.” Only by coming together, he says, can we make it to the proverbial fourth second.
Prince Ea objects to us calling ourselves homo sapiens, or “wise man” because, though we may be intelligent, we lack wisdom. “While intelligence speaks, wisdom listens,” he says. “And we willingly covered our ears to Mother Nature’s screams and closed our eyes to all of her help wanted signs.
Let me put that in perspective. If you condense the Earth’s lifespan into 24 hours – that’s one full day – then we have been here for, drum roll please, three seconds.” Only by coming together, he says, can we make it to the proverbial fourth second.”
Prince Ea objects to us calling ourselves homo sapiens, or “wise man” because, though we may be intelligent, we lack wisdom.
“While intelligence speaks, wisdom listens,” he says. “And we willingly covered our ears to Mother Nature’s screams and closed our eyes to all of her help wanted signs.
New Prince Ea video: Man vs Earth
Natalie Prolman on Nov. 24, 2015
Last Earth Day, activist and spoken word artist Prince Ea brought us the powerful and thought-provoking video Dear Future Generations:Sorry. With over 96 million views on Facebook to date, Prince Ea achieved something pretty incredible for the environmental community.
He clearly communicated the urgency of protecting our planet and inspired millions to understand the importance of mitigating climate change and taking action to stop deforestation.
He was able to reach the hearts of the generation to whom this issue matters to most: young people. And reminded us all that the power of change is in OUR hands!
I had the honor of sitting down with Prince Ea in London last week to discuss his newest video in support of the Stand For Trees campaign.
Natalie
“What was your inspiration for doing a second Stand For Trees video?”
Prince Ea
“I felt like there was more to say. The story was unfinished, I had more to get out there and in a different way. When I was brainstorming the original concept of writing a letter to future generations I came up with other dynamic ideas which I thought could be just as compelling. One of which was the 3 seconds theme, which I use in this one. This particular video is coming from an anthropological perspective (what I studied in school), looking at us as a species and the ramifications of our existence.”
Natalie
“What is the message you’re sending to the world?”
Prince Ea
“The message is: An inner revolution needs to take place. Global warming, climate change, animal agriculture, pollution, pesticides … all of these things are symptoms. They are byproducts of our inner reflection and how we see the world, how we see each other and how we see the environment. We’re very separated and divided, but that is not the truth about reality.
That is the truth about our socially constructed reality. The main message is to find the truth and see that we are connected to all beings both great and small. I always end with a message of hope, I believe that we can and will turn it all around. However, I don’t think the goal is to save the world, but to reshape it.
“Why do you think young people are such a critical audience for this message?”
Prince Ea
“I think because it’s really our future that’s at stake. We are the first generation to really see the impact of climate change and the last one who will be able to do something about it. So it’s definitely crucial that young people will become more aware. We have an opportunity to really evolve the human species into a new direction. A totally new direction from our past. One with mindfulness and love and care and understanding. No longer a business as usual approach.”
I’ve been following this season with more enthusiasm than ever before. From the day Season 21 started, I’ve been following, admiring and rooting for Bindi.
Last night, the freestyle which Derek choreographed for her was simply amazing and unforgettable.
She has been consistent in her performances. She has improved so much as the weeks have passed. She seems to be older than her years. The support of her family and loved ones has been remarkable. The presence of her father, Steve, has been quite notable.
Tonight is the night.
I’m holding my breath because I really hope she wins the mirrored trophy.
I found this YouTube video which shows the complete evolution, the practice, the reasoning, the performance and the judging of the dance.
Bindi Irwin reduces Dancing With The Stars audience to tears as she breaks down during emotional performance in memory of her late father Steve
BIANCA SOLDANI FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA
There was hardly a dry eye in the Dancing With The Stars arena on Monday night after frontrunner Bindi Irwin took to the stage for a heartfelt tribute dance.
The Australian teenager couldn’t keep her composure and fell sobbing into the arms of her partner Derek Hough, after a childhood image of herself with her late father Steve flashed up at the end of her sequence.
The judging panel and studio audience members were visibly moved by the outpouring of emotion and many were seen wiping their eyes.
Guru Nanak (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539) was the founder of Sikhism and the first of the Sikh Gurus.
His birth is celebrated world-wide as Guru Nanak Gurpurab on Kartik Poornima, the full-moon day which falls on different dates each year in the month of Katak, October–November.
Guru Nanak traveled far and wide teaching people the message of one God who dwells in every one of His creations and constitutes the eternal Truth. He set up a unique spiritual, social, and political platform based on equality, fraternal love, goodness, and virtue.
Nathan Phelps and Seth Andrews
Posted by Loren Miller on November 9, 2015
~Hang With Friends~
And it is beautiful, too, indeed, I think some of Seth Andrews’ best work. Interesting point: rather than Seth’s dulcet baritone doing the narration, this piece presses Nathan Phelps’ deep bass intonation into service, bringing a different flavor to it, as well as a healthy dose of irony.
One syllable, five letters, containing so much grace.
You’d think each single soul would find it easy to embrace.
Whispered in the darkness by those who live in fear.
Shouted from the mountaintops for everyone to hear.
Elusive as the wind that blows it often slips away.
Leaving in its shadow, pain and sorrow in the fray.
Let us join together as we call for war to cease.
Let us all agree to all declare we want world peace.
In every corner of the world in every language known.
Speak the words of peace in every country, every zone.
Add your voice until we drown the noise of hate and war.
Until the sound of peace becomes a loud and thunderous roar.
Tears, my tears fall to wine
As I can not comprehend this horrendous crime
Men filled with such spiteful hate
Islamic teachings seal their fate
Kill and slaughter love and smiles
How I pray tell does this bring about
Any compassion of heart, have they no guile?
I have walked along those Parisian streets
Filled with history and diversity, such a feat
Hand in hand, people from so many lands
Dressed in darkness, blacks and grays
The massacre dancing in premonitions sway
Crusaders never win, for love will take its stand
Hundreds taken from Jesus hands
For nothing more than celebrating their great lands
Food and drink and lovers smiles
Stolen this night by hateful bile
We shall rise again, defend and stand
Our blood may flow in the river seine
However in the end its you, who is insane
We shall defend our liberty
Even if we hang evil from the tree
Père Lachaise has brought me tears
Such history over all the years
Yet here I am faced to visit once again
Paying respect to those dying in vain
My heart is fraught, with you till eternity
Liberté, égalité, fraternité
Notes: Pere Lachaise is a famous cemetery in Paris Liberté, égalité, fraternité is the motto of France
“Later that night
I held an atlas in my lap
ran my fingers across the whole world
and whispered
where does it hurt?
It answered
everywhere
everywhere
everywhere.”
~Warsan Shire~
Warsan Shire (born 1988) is a Somali–British writer, poet, editor and teacher. Shire was born in 1988 in Kenya to Somali parents. She immigrated to the United Kingdom aged 1. Shire has a . As of 2015, she primarily resides in London.
Shire has received various awards for her art. In April 2013, she was presented with Brunel University’s inaugural African Poetry Prize, an award earmarked for poets who have yet to publish a full-length poetry collection. She was chosen from a shortlist of six candidates out of a total 655 entries.
In October 2013, Shire was also selected from a shortlist of six young bards as the first Young Poet Laureate for London. The honor is part of the London Legacy Development Corporation’s Spoke program, which focuses on promoting arts and culture in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the surrounding area.
I frequently look, scroll and find many thoughts through my Facebook Timeline, my Tweeter and Instagram feeds which resonate with my innermost beliefs and values.
This shows me that there are others who have gone through situations I’ve gone through, who have experienced the world as I have.
It may be many centuries prior to my time or if maybe during this current time on Earth.
When I read these, many time I find that what happened long time ago, still applies to today.
André Paul Guillaume Gide (22 November 1869 – 19 February 1951) was a French author and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1947 “for his comprehensive and artistically significant writings, in which human problems and conditions have been presented with a fearless love of truth and keen psychological insight”.
Gide’s career ranged from its beginnings in the symbolist movement, to the advent of anticolonialism between the two World Wars.
It’s also very easy to point fingers and find fault in others.
A most difficult task is to take a good look in the mirror and see where one may be at fault or how one could be the cause of events that reverberate in so many spheres.
There’s a saying …
“If your house is made of glass don’t throw stones on others”.
It Is What It Is 