Every now and again, the universe sends me a special gift.

This morning, as I prepared my latest TED “playlist” from the 170+ amazing TED talks by amazing TED women, I stumbled on this gem: a TEDx talk by creator Amy Rosenthal.

Rosenthal is a truly magical force: a writer, filmmaker, radio host, author of more than 12 children’s books, and creator of The Beckoning: A Feature Film

Amazing Women Rock went live online two years ago, after one year in development.

It was a dream come true for me - the manifestation of my personal mission to do something concrete to celebrate, motivate and inspire women around the world.

At the time, few people understood my vision - in early 2007, the site was ahead of its time. Open-source technology and community websites were still

The tweet from @UKFPI was pretty direct:

"You fucking moron - your chums just murdered my friends - HOW DARE YOU."

He duplicated the words in a comment on yesterday's blog post There Are As Many Truths As There Are People To Tell Them, in which I share a video showing the Freedom Flotilla activists beating the Isreali IDF forces as the soldiers land on the deck of one of the

“Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose.”

The line from Janis Joplin’s 1960s hit Me and Bobby Mcgee (written by Kris Kristofferson), was the first thing that sprung to mind when I read @farah_way’s dm asking if I would write something about freedom for the Free The Hikers blog.

I went to YouTube (where else?), and searched the tune to see what I could find.

A Powerful Noise is an extraordinary film with a simple yet compelling message: empowering women changes communities for the better.

My own corollary to that message is this: changing communities for the better is the first step toward changing the world.

Considering the less-than-ideal situation in which many of us find ourselves, that can only be a good thing. This inspirational movie

The universe speaks to me constantly.

If I don’t pay attention, or listen well enough, it tends to shout. Deafeningly. Just lke I felt my Mom (pictured at left in 2009), sometimes did when I was a kid.

Still, I often don’t hear. Just like I didn't as a chlld.

On other occasions, the universe whispers in my ear so softly that I have a hard time deciphering its message. When that happens,

“What do you think of this ad from Air New Zealand?”

The question, and a YouTube link, came from my friend Bebhinn Kelly, Chief Fashionista at www.hellwafashion.com, and a regular supplier of juicy, thought-provoking and sometimes controversial material for AWR.

I clicked. I watched. I pondered. I considered blogging. I demurred.

That was earlier this week. This morning, I got my daily

As Dubai and Dubai-ens basked in the afterglow of the fantastic, and no-doubt-soon-to-be-infamous-for-their-sheer-over-the-top-splendour fireworks that marked the opening of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, this cool Canadian and her octagenarian mother dined on much more humble, but equally unforgettable fare: winter-barbecued fresh Atlantic salmon, steamed broccoli al dente,

The auditorium fell dead silent when Dr. Sunitha Krishnan stepped onto the stage at TED India on November 6, 2009. And Tedsters around the world, watching via a live stream webcast, were transfixed – or at least we were in Dubai!

The diminutive, soft-spoken, anti-trafficking crusader, who was gang-raped as a teenager, began her talk with the heart-wrenching stories of three children –

This one speaks for itself:

Related links:
Pinkie Patti, Punkie & Pia's Peace Day Poem
International Day of Peace
Peace One Day
Listen Up Government of Iran: My Mom Has A Message For You!
My Mom Thinks It's Unfair. What Do You Think?
What Would You Say To A Victim Of Torture?
An 80th Birthday Tribute To My Mom Patti