If only all teachers were like this one . . . what a wonderful world it would be.  Thanks #Upworthy.

If ever you were in doubt that there are still good people in the world . . . fear not.
This is a story about one amazing human being - millionaire Harris Rosen. He adopted an entire community in Florida and changed a lot of lives for the better.
He's a true blue cultural hero in our book.

Ah, the power of music ! This is just a beautiful example of a positive vibration catching fire and literally crossing any and every cultural boundary. It proves once again, Love is universal. Happiness is universal. How I caught the wave; first a girlfriend nearly 6,000 miles away writes "Oh, I LOVE that song I've been dancing all over the house!" HMM, I haven't heard the song before. So I pop over to Youtube and check it out.  #Happy is quite a catchy tune. Then another friend posts a video of happy for me with a bunch of college students singing the lyrics & dancing with abandon. What was great about this version is that they shot & danced all over Prague and they totally nailed all of the historical & off the beaten path sites of the city   :  )  Today I happened to see a clip of #PharrelWilliams talking to #Oprah about how this song has swept the globe and he was seeing these videos for the first time. He's got tears in his eyes, just literally overwhelmed by the fact that this song has made more than 35M people happy and prompted tens of thousands to make their own video !

If something is going to go viral online I have an extra special pleasure when it is something that lifts us up, lightens the load, shakes off some of the dust and the rust and shows the best of us. I get that same warm fuzzy feeling listening to #Happy as when I see the postings for the #HumansofNewYork project ( #HONY ). There's something fun about watching people dance. This song touches people in a place that really allows them to let down their guard. It's lovely. It's real. You'll laugh out loud from pure joy of its authenticity. When Pharrel Williams was talking to Oprah about how this song started, he said no one really was interested until his made the video - and noteworthy, it is indeed. It's called Happy - The World's First 24 Hour Music Video. It's just that - 24 hours of that song played out at a gas station and all over with PW and people from everywhere singing it with conviction and dancing with abandon all over their town. This totally peeked my attention because there is only ONE other song in my world that can stand that test - 24hour loop-to-loop playtime. . . .If you're interested, write me a message.

#Happy is really a catchy tune. The videos from around the world show us again how much we're the same inside. Hello Mumbai! Shout out to New York City!  It's not even possible to not dance to or at least tap your foot, snap a finger.  Rarely it seems, is there that special magic in music that happens when the melody really swings, the singer surprises repeatedly with their lightness and sensitivity and then you realize that every word in the lyrics is a truth that reaches across the miles & millennia.  It's like a mantra.

Come along if you feel like a house without a roof
Come along is you feel like happiness is a truth
Come along if you feel you know what happiness is to you
Come along if you'd feel like that's what you want to do

Check out www.24hoursofhappy.com
Enjoy!  Special shout out to Pharrel Williams for sharing this with us all . . . .  peace.
Just a note, for 'gepgraphic' reasons I was not able to post this video from its original source - The #OprahWinfrey Network (OWN), only from FB. Not all content from the USA is available worldwide. There is much randomness in the sharing, but we can still tell the story and share the love . . .Be HAPPY !

I've wanted to start this thread for a long time. Ever since that wonderful new series came out 'Planet Earth' came out  in 2007 or 2008 that went to the most remote parts of the planet and brought back footage of never before filmed birds, insects and other animals of different species actually 'cooperating' with each other to find food or fight a foe or ever care for each other. It made me realize there is a lot more cross cultural help going on in the animal kingdom than we that we could take as a good example . . . Share your thoughts. Here's a video I cam across today . . .

This story definitely belongs in the Good News Revue. This is an example of the best of us.

Culture.
Let's  view it as a verb.
CULTURE: - to grow in a prepared medium.

Jose Calderon's TED talk is incredibly moving. He talks about working with your hands and working with your mind, language learning, a life of service, family and sharing with the next generation. He's a fan of actively creating the culture you'd like to see . . .listen in.


Finding Cesar Chavez - a transformative moment: Jose Calderon at TEDxClaremontColleges

This is such a great page on Facebook. Do you know it? It seems there are so few really authentic exchanges between people but every one of these is real and raw and many are truly touching. The comments too from other humans, not only from New York, but from all over the world, are great too !

Enjoy and check it out - there's a website also.

I've said for many years that sometimes we need a dose of humor to have the real conversations necessary to begin to make some adjustments. Here's a comedian that worth his weight in gold.
Introducing . . . . drum roll, Please . . . . Mr. Lee Camp ! He's one of the checks and balances in a democratic system. BTW, so is Russel Brand from the UK and so was Bill Hicks! Check them out on YouTube.

If you are squimish about adult language, please skip this one.

He totally cuts thru the noise and offers a no nonsense solution. Bravo! Keep 'em coming!

It's Been Over 100 Years Since An Artist Has Done This In America. About Time Someone Did It Again.

More than a century has passed since a photographic journey explored Native Americans with such a broad scope and in this amount of detail. In 1906, photographer Edward S. Curtis was commissioned by J.P. Morgan to capture the “disappearing” race.

In 2014, to change perceptions about Native Americans, photographer Matika Wilbur believes we have to update the kind of imagery we're looking at when we think of her race. It's a beautiful — and important — idea.

Stunningly beautiful work to build new cultural bridges and carry this Native American story on for the next seven generations for all.

Thank You Joseph Lamour & Upworthy :    Things that matter. Pass 'em on.

This is one awesome kid! I want to be him when I grow up. This is exactly the type of thing we are trying to convey . . .what is a cultural compass? It's a proactive creation of the life we love. Enjoy the video, share it & say these 20 things more often ! Peace.

As an American living overseas and decidedly not missing the mega spectacle that is the #Superbowl it's a bit shocking sometimes when the whole of my country gets all hot and bothered by a culture clash. Please!  This year's is centered around the singing of the song America the Beautiful in multiple languages. It just defies all reason that so many would express outrage at this and deeply disturbing that the most common outrage was 'how dare she not sing THAT song all in 'American'. Heaven help us.
Still I couldn't express my feelings on this better than were spoken on 'Brenda's Last Word'. Thanks Mark Franklin for sharing this link. You're 'true blue' ( and your honey too).
Listen in for yourself . . .

I love the idea of a #Nudge , a small suggestion to help people make smarter, better changes in behavior that serve all in the end . . . We all know that exercise is healthy and good for us but how to prompt people to exercise more? These folks had a simply brilliant idea . . .make it fun !

The results? I believe they speak for themselves . . .a 66% increase for more exercise ! That's a big win!
Do you know of other good ideas like this elsewhere or have a great idea yourself you'd like to see? SHARE IT !

If you still haven't heard Sixto Rodriguez's story or music, you're either working waaaay too hard, a zombie or just plain old stressed out of your gourd.  I don't say that to make you feel bad, quite the opposite, I'm posting this story again because it's such an amazing, wonderful, unbelievably hardcore rock and roll story with a happy-ending. You're going to smile, I promise. And THAT's the point.

There are so amazing twists and turns to the Rodriguez story it's an example of life truly being stranger than fiction. From a cultural compass point of view, that which guides us not only morally but also thru a cultural lens for all humanity, Rodriguez is a story of Triumph of the Human Spirit.  I'm going to unfold his story on the blog slowly but you can check him out yourself.

He's is one fine human being. Here's just a taste from the London paper recently : Event Info (from the Apollo theater in London site today when we went for tickets)
'After the huge success of the BAFTA and Oscar award-winning film Searching for Sugar Man, Rodriguez returns to the UK for a rare live concert with his band.

'When the main set concluded to rapturous applause, Rodriguez stepped forward to the microphone and simply said: “You’re welcome. It’s been a pleasure and a privilege.” Which is exactly the way we felt. I’ve never experienced anything like it at any gig I’ve ever been to.' London Culture


It's about gratitude, truth and respect.  Rarely do we get blessed like this . . . .so this is for your listening enjoyment.

Why do we think the #CitizenWishList is necessary?  Because frustrations all over the world are high between those governed and decision makers in democratic societies. Still others not only hunger but are protesting in the streets for a more democratic style of self-determination yet although we are richer, more educated and more connected than any time in history on a general level, the gap between rich & poor is destroying us. Corruption by government leaders is rampant, big business has little or no reguard for the individuals who make their companies a success or the environment which all of us are dependent on.

Under this category of the Cultural Compass Good News Revue's blog you will find a steady stream of examples why we are spearheading this social experiment. The #citizenwishlist is a bold adventure to provide a platform for positive citizen engagement in the democratic process and try to restore a measure of responsiveness and confidence again with decision makers. Join the conversation HERE: http://tinyurl.com/CitizenWishList

Young Social Entrepreneurs ages 18-18 living or born in Europe, Turkey, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria or Morocco - Huge opportunity to put your work out into the world. Apply NOW.

Privacy is a necessity to discover who we are and who we want to be.  Just a reminder to the Government . . . 'Asking is always cheaper than spying if you'd like to know about me'. Edward Snowden

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/watch-edward-snowdens-alternative-christmas-message/

what #GeorgeOrwell imagined is 'nothing' compared to the real tools available today to monitor citizen activity. Are you ok with this? NO? Really?  Me either !

One man can make a difference. But first he must have that intention. Read this heartwarming story about how Daryl Davis is breaking through the some of the toughest racial barriers with the KKK in America. He's no ordinary musician . . . in his own words "We all began laughing at how stupid we all had been. In retrospect, it was a very important lesson that was taught. All because a foreign entity of which we were ignorant, entered into our comfort zone, we became fearful of each other. The lesson learned is: ignorance breeds fear. If you don’t keep that fear in check, that fear will breed hatred. If you don’t keep hatred in check it will breed destruction.'

http://guardianlv.com/2013/11/kkk-member-walks-up-to-black-musician-in-bar-but-its-not-a-joke-and-what-happens-next-will-astound-you/

Documenting Dar Hudby (Gift of Music) program by The Cultural Compass Institute & Pulling Strings. 
Have a look at the first part
https://www.facebook.com/carolynn.most?ref=tn_tnmn

"A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that 1,100 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by, and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace, and stopped for a few seconds, and then hurried up to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping, and continued to walk.

A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried, but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally, the mother pushed hard, and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money, but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the most talented musicians in the world. He had just played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, on a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste, and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?" or Why not pay attention to the children? They know . . .or . . .Take the time to smell the flowers and listen to the music. Sometimes it's an extra special gift to yourself.

Share if you took the time to read this :)

For your viewing pleasure . . .Enjoy the new 'Words of Wisdom' , 'Things that Make Me Laugh' , and 'Cultural Compass Merchantile' Boards on our www.Pinterest.com/CulturalCompass page.

Upcoming attractions from Cultural Compass on Pinterest:

Cultural Compass Reading List
Cross-cultural Encounters

Hope you like them.

#CISPA is back.

Remember when we defeated the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) last year? Well, it's back with a vengeance. The leading Republican and Democrat on the U.S. House Intelligence subcommittee re-introduced the cybersnooping bill this week.  
We beat it once. We can beat it again. Click here to tell your lawmakers to support privacy and oppose CISPA.  
To refresh your memory, Demand Progress co-founder Aaron Swartz called CISPA 1.0 a Patriot Act for the Internet. But now they've rebooted the effort, and Rolling Stone says that with CISPA 2.0, "Congress is trying to kill Internet privacy again."  
The bill gives companies like Verizon and AT&T protection from customers' lawsuits when they give the Feds information about your Internet use.  
Amazingly, Congress and big businesses are claiming they need to violate our privacy to protect us from Iranian and Chinese hackers, but they refuse to put any basic privacy protections in writing. 

Quick and easy contacts for your representatives HERE:
http://act.demandprogress.org/letter/cispa_is_back/?akid=2004.1907179.bIXCuz&rd=1&t=2

The Cultural Compass Guide to Navigating a Life You Want !
40 Exercises + Words of Wisdom to clear the past, get you unstuck, and on the path toward true north.

Available in eBook form for immediate download and your reading pleasure . . .