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1980

Perla
Originally uploaded by Perla*

1980

Perla
Originally uploaded by Perla*

Peace, Grow & Be the Change

Can it really be June already??!!!  I have been busy creating and selling a new line of prayer flags. I hope you fellow peace-lovers and peace-makers have something wonderful planned for your summer.  Whether it is in your own garden or somewhere filled with excitement and beauty, may your find peace.

Namaste.

Imagine, John Lennon memorial in Strawberry Fields, Central Park, New York City

Great News!! OMPS is Networking!

One Million Peace Signs.com is now on Twitter and Myspace!

We want to hear your thoughts and opinions! We are expanding so bare with us everyone! Keep the Peace rolling and send OMPS your questions, ideas, and concerns! We want to stay in touch with YOU!

Who are your favorite musicians, actors, writers, anyone! Who are your heros? Send your questions to fbogroff@gmail.com. I will personally ask your questions regarding Peace!

Let's start this Peace movement! We want your Photos! We now have 3, 339 photos from all over the world! Our goal is One Million!

Spread the word, Spread Peace!

Felicha Bogroff

Los Angeles, Ca

http://felichabogroff.wordpress.com/

www.myspace.com/electro_bot

The Origin of the Peace Symbol

Under the heading of You Learn Something New Every Day, I just learned what the peace symbol stands for.

And no, I don’t mean that I just found out that the peace symbol stands for peace.

According to designboom.com the peace sign was designed for the British campaign for nuclear disarmament. Members of anti-nuke group wanted to make badges to wear to their first protest.

The peace symbol shape was borrowed from the naval code of semaphore and the code letters “N” and “D” for “nuclear disarmament.” The letter N is two flags, arms down-stretched at a 45-degree angle. The letter D is two flags, one arm straight up and one down.

The peace symbol and I are sisters, in a way, since we both were born in 1958. Also born that year? Alec Baldwin, Ellen Degeneres and Kevin Bacon. We should have a party!

Since I turned 50 last year, I’m wondering if that explains the sudden resurgence of popularity of the peace sign. From earrings and purses to curtain and license plates, peace signs are found in almost every retail store in the United States. If only tinted granny glasses could have the same rebirth . . .

Back to the history lesson: The peace symbol began popping up in the U.S. in civil rights marches led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Not surprisingly, the killjoys of the world tried to turn it into something to gripe about. Fundamentalists tried to show that the peace symbol was linked to communism, was a satanic sign, and was actually a drawing of St. Peter being crucified upside down. The South African apartheid regime tried to ban the symbol. Supporters of American soldiers in Viet Nam called the peace symbol “the footprint of the great American chicken” and mocked its use by anti-war protesters.

Few symbols are as widely known and loved. The symbol was deliberately never copyrighted and can be used freely for any purpose. Despite the possibility of exploitation, the free use of the peace symbol is fitting as a symbol of freedom.

My Peace Sign Purse

When I was asked to contribute a blog to One Million Peace Signs, I thought it would be impossible. What could I say about a sign? I was busy and distracted and not organized enough to sit down and give it any thought, so some weeks passed. Some more weeks, some months.

In the meantime, I started to see peace signs everywhere I went. Earrings, notebooks, greeting cards, purses, t-shirts, even shoes are plastered with peace signs.

I was pretty thrilled. I've been a fan of peace signs since the first time around, in the '60s when I was young and my brother worked at Hill's Department Store in the Liberty Plaza in Youngstown, Ohio, and he brought me home from work a white t-shirt with a big blue peace sign and bubble letters, P E A C E. I wore it until it was a rag.

So as a boomer, I was glad to see the peace sign's comeback. Then my purse began to bring me all kinds of attention.

About a year ago my daughter and I were shopping at Third Street Stuff, a little shop in downtown Lexington, Kentucky, and I was eying a line of purses and bags made out of canvas material with green, yellow, orange and red peace signs. They're made by Bungalow 360 (according to the tag) and they're as cute as the dickens. After much debate - not over whether to buy one, but over which one to buy - I got the sage green with side pockets and short straps.

Immediately I began to get comments on it. I directed everyone to Third Street Stuff. Then I moved to Florida and started getting even more comments on my purse. It was a rare trip to the mall or Starbucks when I didn't have at least one person say, "I love your purse!"

The owner of a shop in Lake Worth, Fla., told me he tried to get peace sign purses and was told there is a two-year waiting list for them. Apparently the makers of peace sign purses can't keep up with the demand.

I love carrying this purse. For me, it's as good as an Obama bumper sticker for letting people know what's inside my head, what my politics are, and what my outlook is on life.

They say that nobody is actually for war; that we're all really in favor of peace. But who's carrying the peace sign purse?

Sometimes, Peace Just Happens

Mga Anak-Kaliwat hong Lapu-lapu, originally uploaded by Anjo's Point by Michol Sanchez.

I Love This Photo. I could stare at it for a long time. I have ;)

Sometimes, Peace is Candid.

If a painter put this on canvas...Took the Time and Planning to envision and then sketch out the rough forms in charcoal or pencil, fill in the color, flesh out the detail, capture the energy and the glints in the eyes, create the Girl In White Shirt as the just-off-center focal point, add all the different angles and personalities...could it be as Oh My Wow as this spontaneous capture of Real Life Peace?
THIS is Peace. It's the flash in a pan version that you either get, or you walk on by.

THANK YOU for this amazing nudge...Sometimes, Peace Just Happens!!!

california 106

california 106, originally uploaded by michelle32720.

Get ready for a Peace Spew folks...
Where to start? First of all, michelle32720 is a Blog Follower...I had that in me 'ead, and then loaded yesterday I saw this pic...went to it...and oh my!

First off...someone took a red something and wrote No War on a rock...that's a sign of Peace. No doubt.

Sometimes, Peace is Hard.

From there the ol' zoeyNoggin took off tho...

Monterey...lots and lots of Monterey Memories! Lots of hours spent in outdated running garb and good shoes, traversing the running paths along the water...listening to "Run 1" and its sisters..."Run 2 - 8 or so"...on a walkman...on cassette...only 9 yrs ago but that's how much stuff has changed! We'd run...and run...I remember some good Paul Simon songs as we zig-zagged around the cement pylon thingees :)

We ran to the point there, where John Denver's ultra-light plane crashed...we put dandelions on the rocks there...tuned into Run 5, one side of All John Denver cuzza his crash...we cried a little...then ran our selves to the Curry Place...name escapes me...had a curry and Beer...cried a little....

So I see this Monterey Rock...No War...and I cry a little :)

Thanks michelle32720! Where the heck is Deland? Who are you? We appreciate the peace...much, much...and the Monterey Memories too...ah...

Peace Owl Saying Hello

Peace Owl Saying Hello, originally uploaded by rachellovespeace.

rachellovespeace is one of the Blog Followers...I decided I'd blog all the followers, 'cuz hey...they'll notice, and it'll make them smile!

Sometimes I like to think of the paths the photos took on their way to the OMPS pool...or imagine those paths...I got from the upload that The Peace Owl was painted by rachel on wood...acrylic....I missed the Peace Eyes until I looked closely! So...the Peace Owl got put on the wall and snapped...rachel says he wants to be free...so Pass him on to somebody...send him all around with the blog...Hey peace owl...pass it on!

Thanks rachel! Peace....
z

lib_peace sign

lib_peace sign, originally uploaded by dmax3270.

Loving the colors in this one...and the swashbuckling, swaggering, slashed-on Peace Sign wrapped inside it all. Sometimes Peace is Gritty. That's what this one says to me...
You?
z

"A dream you dream alone is only a dream. I dream you dream together is reality!"

"A dream you dream alone is only a dream. I dream you dream together is reality!", originally uploaded by treehugger*.

So what IS it? I included treehugger*'s story below, so you don't have to wait in suspense past the reading of this my first part...hmmm...which won't really mean anything at all to you unless you've already glimpsed this same piece of peace and know what it is...well, suffice to say that I am looking out at a huge-flaked snowstorm, all roads to the ranch are closed, I am an hour from civilization (read: B&J) even if I COULD get out, and I trip across this in the OMPS pool.
"What the ....? Is this a tattoo? How does this angle even work?" So I click and read and...mmmmmmmmmmmm.....I want. No go tho.
Someone go and have some for me.
And hey! welcome to Pat the latest Blog Follower! Tickled me it did to have another!!! Peace to all...in the form of genly falling flakes...

From treehugger*:
Funny story behind the quote in the title, actually.
I picked up some Ben & Jerry's ice cream at Karns the other day because I saw the name of the ice cream, and immediately had to have it -- Imagine Whirled Peace!
It's got vanilla ice cream, with chunks of caramel toffee and little chocolate peace signs.
So I started eating it, and I discover this awesome writing on the inside of my container!

So this is how this came about.
Because the quote was SO awesome, I had to take a picture.

Oh, and the ice cream was SOOO yummy.
(Of course, it was ben & jerry's - which is ALWAYS yummy)

Peace, on the Rocks, please

Peace, on the Rocks, please, originally uploaded by I'mYoursAaie<3.

I'm so confused!
I see Peace...and it's orange.
I see the Rock, and rocks...and...Snow? That can't be Sand, but I think I see eashells in and among the rocks? Am I hallucinating? Is sand that white in Denmark? Or are there shells in the rocks in the snow?
Well, there's Peace. Amidst all the confusion, there's Peace and it shines thru, sings its Peace Song quietly, all wrapped up in rocks. Mmmmmm. I'll take two please!

Flags

Flags, originally uploaded by SpoonyTunes.

Flags? Heck no...it's Peace :) SpoonyTunes added two cool Peace With Flags Pix to the Pool sometime in the wee hours of the night...we grabbed this one just cuz.
May Peaceful Winds Blow on all y'all today...
z

peace scan!

peace scan!, originally uploaded by sarahrahh..

Ah! I was done for the day, Peace Wise...settling down to give Tank a good brushing...Tank is the Pyranees for Peace pooch...wondering if I dared pour a wee glass of wine...would I spill it in a brushing frenzy, or end up with silky white hairs in it...and I'm cruising for Peace as I'm contemplating all this...doing six invites I was...six invites to OMPS...and I found this photo...already a part of the pool...and I just liked it...the all of it...so I'm closing with "peace scan" today...and now off to spend quality time with Tank.
Peace to all this President's Day!

Welcome to the new OMPS Blog Follower! That just sets my heart a thumpin', no kidding, when I see that we have another follower :) More responsibility...but I can handle it...I can handle it...

I'm on my way Tank!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

z

Freezing for Peace, February 2003

Freezing for Peace, February 2003, originally uploaded by ChrisGoldNY.

Hey, we know Freezing For Peace quite well :) Not this particular Freeze, but just in general. Downtown Laramie (yep, Wyoming) has a handful of really dedicated Peace People who stand on the corner of 3rd and Grand every single Friday, rain or shine or snow or ice or Cheney visit to UW (just two blocks down Grand). They hold up signs "Honk for Peace" and God Bless 'em, some of the folks honk their hearts out. It's Heart-Warming :)
Thanks ChrisGoldNY...for adding your photo to the OMPS pool, and for reminding us that Peace isn't always Warm and Fuzzy...sometimes it's just plain Cold! And...it's an ongoing thing...These people were freezing for peace SIX YEARS AGO...anyone know where they are now?

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr............

WTJ: Doodle over instructions

WTJ: Doodle over instructions, originally uploaded by michelle32720.

Peace Doodles ...

"...begin to live more recklessly." I caught that under the Peace Sign at the top.

Let's all begin to live more recklessly by doddling Peace Signs at random moments...not on public property or anything like that, but just for ourselves :)

Take a Photo of your random Peace Doodles and add 'em to the OMPS Pool...watch it fill up, doodle by doodle :)

Thanks Michelle!! Peace! pass it on!

The Factionist - Jay - Hunger 9

The Factionist - Jay - Hunger 9, originally uploaded by The Factionist.

Seems obvious that we have to work on other things besides Peace, if we are really going to ever be able to Have Peace...Hungry people aren't thinking about peace, they're thinking about how to stop being hungry...how to find some food. How foreign that is...to most of us, it's not a question of "can I eat today", it's just "what will I eat today, and when?" I'm gonna keep my eye on The Factionist website...yeah, I'll get a Tshirt too :)

Anyway...as I figure out what to make for dinner tonite, this photo just jumped out of the pool at me...check out The Factionist website for yourself!

And if you can volunteer...do it! Spread the word and Pass the Peace and let's all get out of ourselves for a while in this coming week.

thanks for this fab photo and sobering thought!

Peace Times Two

DSC04755, originally uploaded by lakambini0426.

Who's Peacing Who?
lakambini0426 just added a nice little batch of Peace Sign Pix to the OMPS pool...this one got me clicking.
Passing it on...just 'cuz it's Sunday...and it's cold outside...and I'm in the mood for Peace =)

Thanks for the pix and the peace!

z

peace

peace, originally uploaded by nini pattycake.

Ah nini pattycake...thanks for getting the day started with a Peace Stare...a Peace Dare...from a bambino who knows what she wants. Love the way the Peace Sign frames the eyes. Love the way the eyes become part of the Sign. Love the Defiance. Love the Demand.

Sometimes you gotta ask for Peace really loud and really strong :)

Go baby go!

zoey

imagine peace

imagine peace, originally uploaded by elwetritsche.

We Love.
We Love Love.
We Love Peace.
We Peace Love.

Five crayons or fewer...filled with Peace and Love. OK, one crayone would have to have a kind of flourescent thing to it, but so what...

Happy Valentine's Day to all in 2009.

Where will we be next year?!?! How much closer to One Million Peace Signs? Depends on each one of us...(yelp) that means me too :)

z

peace + love all around

peace + love all around, originally uploaded by leandog.

Five Crayons or Fewer...start with a big chunk of leandog peace, add a touch of heart.

A quiet Valentine's Day...snow is falling...birds are frantically consuming sunflower seeds...I gave in and dug in...to the caramel covered Granny Smith sitting on the counter...cellophane is just no barrier...probably time to drag in some wood for a fire...a night of New Yorkers, Rolling Stones, and peace...Peace :)

for susan

for susan, originally uploaded by danisoul.

Who's Susan?
We dunno...but Happy Valentine's Day Susan!

So here's another "Peace in Five Crayons or Less" photo...methinks that'll be the St. Valentine's Day theme for Zoey this year.

Other bloggers need not be bashful or beholden to the Five Crayons or Less theme...Peace comes in multi-colors of course!

Questions...I have questions...where is this? Is it chalk or paint? If I walked by where, would I see it today? And of course...who's susan?

z

yay =)

yay =), originally uploaded by яuғina♫.

Simple.
Peace.
Smile.
Heart.
You could draw this with five crayons. How many things this powerful can be drawn with just five crayons? (And I'm including a black one for shading and nuance...)

I think we should have Valentine's Day once every month.

Love :)
z

Peace (H)art

i_heart_peace-080214a, originally uploaded by beachblogger42.

OK, this one is for all the OMPS newbies...'cuz I blogged this Peace Heart one year ago, on Valentine's Day 2008, so if you've been around that long you' ve seen this one before. But what the heck...it'll make you smile again I hope, as it did me.
This one is from Beachblogger :) Just writing that makes me smile. He was our very first Peace Hero on www.onemillionpeacesigns.com and you can still read all about it there 'cuz that's all there for the forever.

So, starting off this Valentine's Day 2009 the same way I did last year...I am a creature of habit(s).

Beachblogger sells these very groovy stamps on his website. I've passed out literally hundreds...hmmm...thousands maybe $1 and $5 bills with Peace fingers and Peace Signs on them. Some $10s and $20s too :) Anybody ever gotten one of those from their ATM? Lots of them distributed in good ol' Wyoming, some in Denver, Chicago, Boston, LA, Las Vegas and I think that's about it....

Happy, Peaceful Heart Day!
Thanks for this Beachblogger!!!

z

peace.

peace., originally uploaded by ashlee..

So Zoey went out cruising the flickr Photo Pool...('cuz she noticed that Hotash was out there and it's always fun to go to invite a photo and see that Hotash or someone else has already discovered it and done an invite...makes a person feel part of something Big...at least this person)
Anyway...Zoey found this one...and got grabbed by the eyes! Then the Peace sign on the arm...then the peace signs around the neck...then the Peace Eyes once again.
Zoey asked in ALL CAPS "OH PLEASE!" would ashlee add this pic to the pool...Zoey left, came back and there it was.
Zoey smiled.
It's like going out with a little Magic Peace Wand and tapping people on the shoulder, or behind the knee and saying "hey...you got Peace. will you share it?" And then having people...just about everyone, truly, that you ask...diving feet first into the OMPS pool.
How cool is that?!?

Thanks for getting wet with the rest of us ashlee :) GREAT Photo!!!

Hayden

Hayden, originally uploaded by OliviaDF.

Ah! So much going on! You got your Peace, you got your tongue, your headband thingee, your sticker on the suitcase, and your notes on the sleeve...what are those notes on the sleeve:) ?

Danke Schon Hayden, und Peace.

Hotash is back!!! She found this one. Peace and Love and Puppy Kisses to Hotash !

zoey

FoundArtTuesday project-"4 Peace" APC

FoundArtTuesday project-"4 Peace" APC, originally uploaded by Michelle Hedgecock.

this is just a neat idea for a fresh look at old playing cards!!!

Click to see MORE

from Michelle Hedgecock
Still experimenting with those thrift store decks...this is getting addicting!
(Sorry, not available for trade...will be released!)