—Heartbreaking Tearjerker of the Day: In 1988, Nicholas Winton’s wife revealed to the BBC his long-kept secret: He’d saved 669 children from the Nazis at the dawn of World War II through his organization of the Czech Kindertransport. (This clip is from a BBC program that honored the “British Schindler” by inviting some 80 of the children he saved to surprise him in the audience.) In all, more than 5,000 people owe their lives to Winton.
In the more than two decades since the media got wind of his humanitarian exploits, Winton has been knighted, had a minor planet named after him, been commemorated by two statues — one each in Prague and London — and been the subject of three films and a play.
Winton still wears a ring given to him by some of the children he saved. It is inscribed with a line from the Talmud, the book of Jewish law: “Save one life, save the world.” He celebrates his 103rd birthday this week.
[reddit]
We can tell our children that school is important until we’re blue in the face, they’re not stupid. They see the loudest applause is for the kids on the field. They know teachers are paid poorly and don’t drive fancy cars. They know people plan Super Bowl parties but mock the National Spelling Bee. In other words, they see the hypocrisy, and we can’t expect society to correct itself. If we want to have any lasting influence on the way our kids approach education — the way future generations approach education — then we have to grab our pom-poms and paint our faces and celebrate intellectual curiosity with the same vigor we do their athletic achievements.
Story of a Five Year-Old Avenger, Meeting the Avengers
“Hi, Loki!” my wife said (100% sure she didn’t know Tom Hiddleston’s name). “Can my son get a picture with you?” she asked. “Can I put him on my shoulders?” Loki asks. “Um … okay?” is Jill’s response and hands Tom Hiddleston our son. He hoists him up on to his shoulders (I should mention that this guy is like 8 feet tall), and my wife takes out her Blackberry, only to find that it’s on its last battery leg. Nonetheless she manages to get a couple of shots. Hiddleston puts Edison down, shakes his hand and says goodbye…
… Evans crouches down next to Edison, who extends his hand and shakes the hand of The First Avenger. “Can I see your shield?” Evans asks and Edison hands his battered toy shield over. “Wow, you’re getting a lot of use out of this. You fighting a lot of bad guys with this?” he asks. Chris Evans and Edison proceed to have a conversation about the finer points of shields and fighting the enemy.
i may have just died a little ;~; the sheer beauty.
perfection ;___;
(via ppara-para-paradox)
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She’s always been there for me from the start and I’ll always be there for her. BFF ❤ (Taken with instagram)
(Source: thashinea, via blisscavendars)
I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain point I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married.
—There’s already a Change.org petition against the passing of Amendment One, which banned same-sex marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships in North Carolina. These things actually tend to be pretty damn effective.
Let’s see what the power of Tumblr can do! I know there’s at least a million Tumblr users who are against this sort of harmful discrimination and bigotry.
Sign the petition and reblog to spread the word, please!
Life Needs Coffee and Books
