Category: Global Citizen

To North Korea, With Love

It was supposed to be a World Cup blowout. One of the best teams in the world teaching upstarts a much needed lesson.

Brazil was going to stomp North Korea – and I was going to cheer every second.

But North Korea was spunky. No silly theatrical dives, no overly-dramatic facial expressions or picked fights. They ran like the wind. When they fell or tripped, they got right back up – and patted the back of any Brazilian player involved. They held off the Brazilian side well into the second half of the match out of sheer grit and determination. As the minutes ticked by, I couldn’t help but admire these men for standing firm against a football institution like Brazil. 

And by the end of the match? Well, we all knew they couldn’t win going down 2 goals to nil against the Samba Kings but I found myself cheering — like, jump up and down, pump fists in the air, cheering – when North Korea scored in the 89th minute.

Continue reading To North Korea, With Love

Lessons from the World

What I’ve learned so far from the World Cup ….a.k.a. a primer for Yanks

 

  • It’s fooball, futbol, the world’s sport ….. NEVER soccer (even if the U.S. commentators or desk jockeys say “soccer” regularly)

 

  • Fluorescent yellow or orange colored footwear is very distracting.

 

  • The Germans still look like a well-oiled machine. This is a World Cup standard that never seems to change.

 

  • Football players are pretty good actors. Their ability to roll around on the pitch (that’s the field), writhing in agony, only to jump up again when they realize the ball is still in play is quite often award worthy. See the world’s best hambones here.

  Continue reading Lessons from the World

The Quest Begins …

 

Which country will emerge the victor? Can reigning champion Italy secure a repeat? Will the host country South Africa beat the odds? What about the secretive North Korean team? Can England finally repeat the victory of 1966?

Those are the question the world ponders today as 32 teams representing countries from every region of the globe begin the quest to capture the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The pundits have their guesses – and so do you dear readers and Twitterati.

Per responses received via email, Twitter direct messages, Twitter shouts and comments, your collective prediction for the winning country is ……

Continue reading The Quest Begins …

When the World Unites …

The time has come….and, believe it or not, I am ready.

Supply of microwavable popcorn? Check.

Face paint? Check.

Large-screen television? Check.

Country flags? Check.

The goose bumps have started  ….. the 24 hour countdown until the start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup is in full effect!!!

Continue reading When the World Unites …

The master of his fate …

Nelson Mandela is my hero.

Oh now, I know, I know …. I should qualify that before anyone goes off in a tizzy.

If I applied a magnifying glass to every aspect of his personal and political life I’m sure I would discover plenty of chink’s in my hero’s armor. Did he keep every promise? Did he make no mistakes at all? Did he sometimes compromise when he should have stood firm? Did he endorse violence? Support dictators and strongmen? Is he really the picture perfect specimen most would like to believe? Is South Africa now the best run, most prosperous country in the world because of his leadership?

(For the record? No. No. Yes. Yes. Yes. No. No.)

Let’s be honest here. If we discounted every potential hero on the basis of mistakes or personal indiscretions, I doubt even Ghandi would make the cut.

Continue reading The master of his fate …

My very own Pelican Brief

 I got bit by a pelican this week.

Yep, you read it right … a pelican.

As I rubbed around the wound it occurred to me that this didn’t-see-that-one-coming experience is the story of my life. Any time I try to do something good, another little something creeps up behind to take a chunk out of my backside. You’d think I’d learn my lesson ….

So how exactly did I find myself dabbing a towel on my bloody calf from a pelican bite?

Continue reading My very own Pelican Brief

Tweeps exercise their rights! (and I learn a lesson)

 

I thought it was an easy question ….

And after ummmmm….like …(I’m 29 … I tell ya, 29!) … 30 plus some odd years on this earth you would think that I’d know better.

Every day for going on 15 years I have spent hours focused on a constantly (r)evolving variety of human and environmental rights issues as part of my “day job.” This tends to put me in regular contact with academics, government officials, activists, specialists and others equally (and often more) focused on the issue at hand.

Most often the issues I am writing about are near and dear to my heart on a personal level as well (hence, my propensity to suddenly ejaculate massive amounts of passionate information on subjects that have little to do with the actual conversation I am having at the time). Many of my live and virtual friends find this endlessly interesting and a bit odd. As a result, I tend to attract a lot of questions and requests for explanation on issues.

That started me thinking (yes, yes, I know … that’s always a dangerous undertaking):

What does the average person know about human and environmental rights? What are the issues they think about? And then, finally, what are the issues that your average person passionately believes everyone else should also be aware of?

Continue reading Tweeps exercise their rights! (and I learn a lesson)

Rooting for Hope …

What do you get when you mix groups of Palestinians, Americans, South Africans and a bunch of Europeans? Proof positive of the commonalities we all share as citizens of the world.

Residents in the Gaza Strip got a rare treat this weekend as home region favorites squared off against Italy in the inaugural match Saturday of the United Nations Development Programme-sponsored “Gaza World Cup” – running until May 15. (For the record, the Italians won 1-0.)

Football – or soccer as Americans usually call it – is the world’s game. A great equalizer. A sport with unrivaled global popularity that can – and does – see kids from the harshest megacity streets to impoverished rural villages reach for their dreams. (Yes, yes, cue the Ricky Martin muzak.)

Continue reading Rooting for Hope …

Systematic Failure: Wal-Mart gets it right?!? Whodda thunk?!?

 With a black man holding the highest office in the land you would think America is past the race-bashing hate-mongering crap that has crippled us from within for the last 200 years or so. Sadly two recent very public events provide more evidence than I really wanted of the cancer that continues to infect our society.

This past weekend protesters associated with the “Tea Party” camped out in front of the U.S. Congress to express their dismay with proposed health care reform – exercising a constitutional right to activism and turning it into a sad public display of small-minded foolishness.

They spat at Congressmen. They hurled racial-slurs at the gay and black communities.

Continue reading Systematic Failure: Wal-Mart gets it right?!? Whodda thunk?!?

Hope – Is It in Your Genes?!?!

Most mothers will do anything to protect their child’s best interests and help them succeed. It’s part of being a mom – a reflection of that overwhelming, all-encompassing love that we feel for our tiny mini-mes.

So I guess it’s hardly a surprise that battalions of mothers (and fathers!) out there have joined together to support the campaign effort to raise awareness about Rare Disease Day, February 28. The slogan for this year’s campaign is “Hope – It’s in your genes.”

These parents are simultaneously just moms and dads like any of us, and amazing individuals willing to step forward and try to make a difference. They, and the campaign, deserve our support.

Continue reading Hope – Is It in Your Genes?!?!