May 8 History World Red Cross And Red Crescent Day

Ridley’s Believe It Or Not—May 8, 2015 Trust your Friday is proving to be a great one and your tasks have been completed and you are now ready for the weekend.   If you are rattled by the difficulties inherent in waiting to the last moment in picking out the appropriate Mothers’ Day gift which (see below) is easy to solve. As always, I  hope you enjoy the holidays and observances, factoids of interest, a music video of Nothing Compares 2 U  and a  relevant quote from Clara Barton, looking forward to a slice of coconut cream pie to eat not to be at the target end, blessed  with a positive attitude even though you know you will have to wade through tons of spam in your inbox, and secure in the knowledge that if you want to find a gift for any memorable event like Mothers’ Day, birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries, you know that the Alaskanpoet can provide you with a unique customized poem at a great price tailored to the event and the recipient. You need only contact me for details.
       1. Victory in Europe Day—observing and celebrating the end of World War II in Europe after over 5 ½ years of bloodshed, deaths,   and suffering the world has ever and hopefully even with the weapons of mass destruction we will never see again. 
       2.  World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day—commemorating the humanitarian principles of the International Red Cross founded on June 14, 1863 and celebrated today on the birthday of the founder of the Red Cross, Henry Durant, on this day in 1828. The organization is still very active, most recently in Nepal and I suspect in Oklahoma City which was just ravaged by tornadoes. Amazing what the private sector can do to aid in providing humanitarian relief in times of disaster and war.   
       3. 1990 Number One Song—celebrating the number one song in 1990 on a four week run Nothing Compares 2 U by Sinead O’Connor, an Irish born singer who was ordained as a priest but who ignited great controversy in ripping up a photo of the Pope on a guest appearance on SNL.   Here is a link to a music video of her performing Nothing Compares 2 U.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6MNvjrScyo       4. National Coconut Cream Pie Day—shades of Soupy Sales, an American comedian,  who was always getting pied by one, better to eat this than throw it.
       5. I’m a Poet and I Know It--celebrating the birthday on this day in 1753 of Phyllis Wheatley, the first African American woman to become a published writer with her anthology of her poetry Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, published in 1773. Her former owners emancipated her in 1778 and she died far too early in 1784.  
On this day in
       a. 1794 in a bad day for science, Antoine Lavoisier, often called the Father of Chemistry was pronounced a traitor and tried, sentenced and guillotined in the same day, an occupational hazard of not being a chemist but being a tax collector also.
       b. 1912 Paramount Pictures was founded to the joy of future movie goers.
       c. 1970 the Hard Hat Riot occurred in New York City with construction workers battling with Vietnam War protestors.
       d. 1980 the World Health Organization announced that small pox had been eradicated.   
       e. 1984 in a tit for tat moment the Soviet Union announced that it would boycott the 1984 Summer Olympics to be held in Los Angeles due to the U.S. boycotting the 1980 Summer Olympics held in Moscow due to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
Reflections on the Red Cross: “Although its growth may seem to have been slow, it is to be remembered that it is not a shrub, or plant, to shoot up in the summer ... and wither in the frosts. The Red Cross is a part of us--it has come to stay--and like the sturdy oak, its spreading branches shall yet encompass and shelter the relief of the nation.” Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross Of all organizations, the Red Cross is the premier one in humanitarian relief reminding us wherever we may live that we are humans and disaster somewhere on the globe not responded to diminishes the humanity of us all fortunate to have escaped the calamity.
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© May 8 , 2015 Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet
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