The Art of Toast: Happy New Year!

Compiled and edited by Dr Abe V Rotor

Toasts for the New Year

The book is closed...
The year is done,
The pages full
Of tasks begun.
A little joy...
A little care
Along with dreams
Are written there.
This new day brings
Another year,
Renewing hope...
Dispelling care.
And may we find
Before the end,
A deep content...
Another friend.
   - Arch Ward, Chicago Daily Tribune

I wish you health
I wish you wealth,
I wish you gold in store,
I wish you Heaven upon earth -
What could I wish for more?"
- Anonymous

New Year Quotations: 

One of the richest rituals at the closing of each old year is to count the roster of my friends in the mood of a poet: "And always as the Old Year ends, I clasp my rosary of friends and pause to breathe a grateful prayer, for every bead of friendship there."
- Anonymous  

"Time has no division to mark its passage; there is never a thunderstorm or blare of trumpets to announce the beginning of a new month or year. Even when a new century begins, it is only we mortals who ring the bells and fire off the pistils," - Thomas Mann

What do you say when you offer a toast? Here are some examples to a particular occasion.

A. Among old friends
"To the old, long life and treasure;
To the young, all health and pleasure
- Ben Johnson

Here's that you may live a hundred happy years,
And I may live a hundred less one day,
For I don't care to live any longer,
When you good fellows have all passed away."
- Richard Carle

B. When it come's to Love
Here's to Love - the only fire against which there is no insurance."

Here's to Love which makes time pass and
Here's to time which makes Love pass.

Let those now who never loved before,
And those who always loved, now love the more.

C. For good health
Here's to your good health! You make Age curious, Time furious,
and all of us envious.

Here's health and happiness to you.
May you always possess the former and find the latter.

D. Good Luck
May misfortune follow you all the days of your life
and never overtake you.

May Dame Fortune ever smile on you
But never her daughter - Miss Fortune.

E. To Women
Here's to woman - who came after Man, and who has been after him ever since.

Here's to woman who is as old as she looks;
and here's to man who is old when he stops looking.

Trivia: What is it that you eat at breakfast and drink at dinner?
Answer: Toast
Acknowledgment: Judge Jacob M Braude: Speaker's Encyclopedia of Humor, Prentice-Hall, NJ; Jokes, Quotes and One-liners for public speakers, HV Procknow and HV Procknow Jr; Photo credit: Internet

December 30 - Rizal Day: Living up with Rizal

Dr Abe V Rotor
Since childhood I have always looked up to our national hero, Dr Jose P Rizal, as my personal hero. 

Here is a list of lessons I gathered from my readings about his life and works.

1. Don't allow yourself to fall into vices and bad habits.

2. Seek the truth, how difficult and painful it may cause you.

3. Tap your talents, develop them to the fullest and use them for a cause.

4. Work hard, aim high, and realize your dreams.

5. Never associate yourself with people who can destroy your values and principles.

6. Fight for your rights, and the rights of others, seek for and stand by the truth.

The hero's monument at Rizal ParK (Luneta), Manila

7. Always be ready to help people, particularly those who are less fortunate than you are.

8. Love your country, there is no better place in the whole world.

9. Love your people, they are your pride, dedicate your life to them.

10. Freedom is the first and ultimate right of any individual.

11. Never forget to recognize God' wisdom and goodness in the midst on man's evil ways.

12. Be fair, be objective, be sincere in seeking justice.

13. The meaning of life is its consecration to a great idea - even if its time has not come.

14. In death there is light even before freedom for which you fought has not dawned.

15. Goodness will always triumph over evil; never evil over evil.

16. Look back at tradition, preserve and be proud of it; it is the foundation of values in life.

17. Remember your ancestors and those who died for your country and people.

18. Fight for the cause of social justice; you have all reasons to gain for your people and country - even if you lose.

19. The three greatest treasures of mankind are liberty, fraternity and equality - guard them with your life.

 20. Martyrdom is the greatest credential that shall earn you a place to be with your Creator.

Dr Jose P Rizal's Park in the US (Seattle) and Germany 

Assignment: Add to the list other lessons this great man has influenced you, the Filipino people, and the world. ~

Unusual historical Events that Happened in Christmas

Unusual historical Events that Happened in Christmas

Researched by Dr Abe V Rotor

1. Washington Crosses the Delaware River in 1776 (Photo)
2. Christmas Day, 1990, The Internet Gets Its First Test Run
3. USSR Invades Afghanistan in 1979
4. Isaac Newton was Born on Christmas Day
5. Charlie Chaplin Passes Away
6. Apollo 8 Reaches the Moon’s Orbit
7. Mikhail Gorbachev Resigns as Soviet President
8. The Song ‘Silent Night’ Is First Performed in Public
9. President Andrew Johnson Pardons All Confederate Soldiers
10. Charlemagne Crowned Holy Roman Emperor, year 800.
11. William the Conqueror Crowned King of England, 1066
12. Ford Model T Unveiled, 1913
13. Andrew Johnson Pardons All Confederate Soldiers, 1868
14. Hirohito Becomes Emperor of Japan, 1926
15. President Nicolae and Elena Ceausescu of Romania Executed, 1989 
16. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, former presidents of the US, Die, 1826 
17. A 2004 earthquake in south-east Asia, measuring 9.3 on the Richter scale, led to a devastating group of tsunamis the next day, which would ultimately kill over 200,000 people. 

Sail Boats Forever

Sail Boats Forever 

Dr Abe V Rotor

Sailboats in acrylic, AVR c. 2004

What a crude game, you may say, 

Of my ancestors’ sailboats catching 

The breeze, docking the gusts, 

Edging the rocks, sans compass 

Or sextant, map and telescope.

What prize is at stake? Not a trophy. 

Yet the instinct craves for a prize 

Like in The Old Man and the Sea; 

A prize he found, mindless of people. 

Who saw nothing of his adventure.

Let the sailboats play in the wind

And water, let alone an old boat 

At rest, sitting on rock like an old man,

Standing guard over the young, who too, 

Shall someday play the same old game. ~

Can a baby say, Thank you?

Can a baby say, Thank you?  
Dr Abe V Rotor

 Three-month old Mackie responds happily in receiving Christmas gifts from her lola and uncle. 


Plant early and reap its reward,
for love begets love,
and beauty builds upon beauty,
as this is seen Above.

A baby sang in joy and praise
in Mozart's harmony,
join the angels' serenade
in praise of God's glory.

And gratitude taught early
though the gift's not the best,
need not the grown up to learn
if sown in the nest. ~    

Five Practical Ways to Combat Pollen Allergy

Five Practical Ways to Combat Pollen Allergy (Allergy rhinitis) 

Pollen allergy is often the cause of sneezing fit and asthmatic symptoms.

Dr Abe V Rotor

It is true.  It is called allergy rhinitis There are people who are highly sensitive to pollen grains. And their allergy is specific to certain plants, and at certain seasons these plants are in bloom. Plants belonging to Family Poaceae or Graminae which include rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, talahib, cogon, and the like generally bloom in the last quarter beginning October when dry season the habagat season is about to end and dry season starts. 

 

Here are tips to prevent or minimize pollen allergy.

·         Keep away from flowers and flowering plants

·         Stay home to prevent exposure to pollen

·         Avoid touching eyes and skin to prevent spread of allergy.

·         Don’t bring in flowers and plants inside the house.

·         Use mask and proper clothing.

 

There is a pollen calendar developed by the late Dr. Lolita Bulalacao* of the National Museum, a pioneer in palynology (the study of pollen grains) in the Philippines. The calendar warns us people who are susceptible to allergy to keep away from pollen coming from certain flowering plants in season and from specific areas that may cause allergy. The symptoms of allergy rhynitis are generally relieved by antihistamine, which comes in different preparations and brands, as tablet or ointment.~

 Lolita J. Bulalacao, 'Pollen Flora of the Philippines, Vol. 1' Siwert Nilsson To cite this article: Siwert Nilsson (2000) Lolita J. Bulalacao, 'Pollen Flora of the Philippines, Vol. 1', Grana, 39:1, 63-64, DOI: 10.1080/00173130150503821 

Wheels of Faith

Wheels of Faith

Mural and Poem by Dr Abe V Rotor

Wheels of Rainbow in acrylic, showing details (5ft x 8 ft) AVR, June 6, 2012

They come through prism splitting the light of heaven,

In joyful, glorious colors of seven,

Each color the color of life in joy and sorrow,

Today and the promise of tomorrow,

Wheels of fate to wheels of destiny in man’s hand,

They all come down to the faithful in band,

Through time and space on the road of man’s lifetime,

Whether this or another or over the clime.

Old as they may or new, while others are yet to be born,

Their origin is the same – goodness sworn;

Passport to the way beyond this life each one must earn

Above the material, blind faith and yearn.

They come down in gears spinning, large and small

Moving constantly bouncing like a ball,

The essence of competition, the essence of oneness,

How one plays in compassion and goodness.

Claim for heaven alone by the book and tongue is falsehood,

Veering from the chain peace and unity should;

Poor orphan of humanity, the very core of faith,

Forlorn, and man returns to his own fate.

But where is heaven, what is the afterlife, ask the people,

As they look at the sky and the totem pole,

And losing faith they break away from the holy bond,

Alas! walk down the road of a vagabond.

They pray for heaven to come down, out from the blue,

The long Promise to billions waiting to be true,

Where the discs as one on some fertile ground must grow

Into one Eden arched by the rainbow. ~

12 Points in Successful and Enjoyable Gardening

 12 Points in Successful and Enjoyable Gardening 

Dr Abe V Rotor

Living with Nature - School on Blog

Gardening at home, in school and community

1. Water regularly but never during hot hours of the day. It is best to water them early in the morning. Avoid excessive watering.

2. Don't train hose directly on plants, not to their base either.  Sprinkle like gentle rain. Use tabo or dipper for potted plants. Over watering washes soil nutrients.

3. Group plants like they form a natural community, keeping them at proper distances according to type of growth for equitable sunlight exposure and space. 

4. Hanging or elevated potted plants may pose danger.  Be sure to secure them properly. 

5. Replace soil of potted plants regularly to maintain proper soil nutrients. Replant as necessary. Use compost to prevent "caking."

6.  Group plants that require same water regime for uniform growth and development, and to save on water.

7. Group potted plants specially in summer for convenience in watering, and to protect them from too much exposure to heat and dehydration.

8. Unless necessary don't use pots, plant directly as much as possible.  It is hard to maintain potted plants.

9. Trim shrubs and trees regularly for safety and good appearance. Pruning may induce flowering and fruiting. It helps control pests.

10. Keep pest away by keeping surroundings clean.  Insect repelling plants like oregano, pandan mabango, garlic and onion sprouts ward off pests. 
 
11. Learn basic horticulture.  Read, research, experiment, practice. Tap your Green Thumb talent.  

12. Make your garden a natural sanctuary for birds, butterflies, fireflies, even frogs.  Make it a living laboratory and a place for respite and reflection. ~

Lesson on former Paaralang Bayan sa Himpapawid with Ms Melly C Tenorio

738 DZRB AM, 8 to 9 evening class Mon to Fri

Anecdote 3: Get away from an angry mob - fast!

Dr Abe V Rotor

Basang, my auntie yaya and I were going home from Vigan on a caleza, a horse drawn carriage. I was around five or six years old, the age children love to tag along wherever there is a place to go. It was midday and the cochero chose to take the shorter gravelly road, which is quite isolated that passes Bantay town. Since there was no traffic our cochero nonchalantly took the smoother left lane fronting a cluster of houses.

Angry mob from the Simpsons, Internet

Suddenly our caleza tilted on one side as if it had gone over a boulder. To my astonishment I saw a boy around my age curled up under the wheel. The caleza came to a stop and the boy just remained still and quiet, dust covered his body. As the cochero helped the boy, residents started coming out of their houses. I heard shouts calling for a doctor, asking who the victim is, telling somebody to get water. Some men angrily confronted the cochero. Bantay is noted for notoriety of some men. 

Instinct must have prodded Basang to carry me away from the maddening crowd. Basang explained everything to dad when we arrived home. Only then that I realized how dangerous it is to face an angry mob.~

Anecdote 4: Machines are no match to Nature

Machines are no match to Nature
Dr Abe V Rotor


Can you drain a fishpond by the sea?

My dad was perhaps the first owner in town of a centrifugal pump, powered by a three-horsepower Briggs and Stratton, and fitted with a two-inch-diameter intake pipe. Which means, we can now irrigate whole fields, or drain fishponds, as we wish, says the instruction mannual.

One summer, dad decided to use the pump in our one-hectare fishpond by the estuary in Nagtupacan, a coastal village of San Vicente, Ilocos Sur. He put me in charge of the operation. I was a high school sophomore then. I stayed with the pump working continuously for three days and two nights. I camped in the shade of spiny candaroma (aroma) trees, sleeping under the stars at night. I found out that high tide followed by low tide occurs during the day, and the cycle is repeated at night. That means the pump must overcome high tide that pushes water from the sea seeping under the fishpond and through the base of its dikes.

What dad and I thought to be an easy work probed to be an unending battle. Finally we gave up. We lost, but not entirely because we were able to harvest some fish and remove unwanted detritus from the pond. As soon as the machine stopped operating the next high tide brought the normal water level back.

I learned a lesson, which I was to use in my teaching natural science in the university. On the part of dad, he told me, “Machines are no match to the enormous power of nature.” He was referring to the power of the tides. A few years after, the machine broke down, dad told me in his letter. I was then in Manila pursuing a college degree. That night I imagined the spiny candaroma and the stars and the tides. ~

Children workshop: Plot the earth as it moves round he sun

Children workshop: Plot the earth as it moves round he sun

Dr Abe V Rotor

Neighborhood children plot the movement of the Earth around the sun, and the changing seasons.  


Plot the earth as it moves around the sun in 365 days, plus one-fourth day, to complete a calendar year (and a leap year every four years); divide it into four phases or seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter in this order. And while the order is fixed, the occurrence of the seasons in the Northern Hemisphere is exactly the opposite in the Southern Hemisphere. 

Plot the earth as it moves around the sun and mark the longest day (June 21), longest night (Dec 21), and call them Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice, respectively - that is, if you live somewhere in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere it is winter when it is summer in the north, summer when winter, and Spring and Autumn are interchanged.    

Plot the earth as it moves around the sun and mark two dates when day is equal to night: Spring Equinox (March 21) and Autumnal Equinox (Sept 21) - whether you live in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere.  These dates are significant to some leaders: "Beware at the ides of March." (warning before the assassination of Julius Caesar), and declaration of Martial Law in the Philippines by President Ferdinand Marcos.  

Plot the earth as it moves around the sun and know when the rains start and ends (habagat), when the rice fields are about to be harvested and when the cold  Siberian winds blow in (amihan).  And in between, a brief hot and dry summer that allows the land to rest (fallow), and children to take a vacation from school. 

Plot the earth as it moves around the sun, and study the relationship of our planet with other planets, the nature of its orbit - apogee and perigee - as these affect our climate and the living things on earth.  In fact, the realignment  of the planets is full of speculations and prophesies regarding the end of the world.  

Plot the earth as it moves around the sun and imagine how the sun's energy is harnessed by plants by means of photosynthesis, how differential heating causes
wind, storm and severe winter, the movement of air and ocean currents that redistribute heat and cold.  Or simply to witness the passing of night to day at different proportions and schedules. 

Plot the earth as it moves around the sun and know it by heart as the calendar of  school and office, of work and play, of planting and harvesting, of various human activities and festivities, it is the calendar measured in seconds, minutes, hours, days, lifetime, generation, epoch. It is the reminder that "we pass this way but once."  And therefore, the greatest gift of our existence. ~

Assignment in Communication Art : Say it with Peace. (Christmas Offering)

Dr Abe V Rotor

Living with Nature - School on Blog 
Paaralang Bayan sa Himpapawid with Ms Melly C Tenorio
738 DZRB AM 8 to 9 Evening Class, Monday to Friday 

For UST 3CA1, 3CA3, 4CA5.  Cite other ways peace is expressed in various human endeavors - art, forum, truce, legislation, compact, devotion, armistice,  in bullet format on short bond.

Non-verbal expression of Peace. Peace is the motto of all religions.
Monument of Fr Miguel Benavides, founder of University of 
Santo Tomas (1611)

With thousands of languages and dialects in the world - both extant and extinct, certainly the expressions and act of conveying peace is virtually endless, and extremely diverse. Yet all have a common denominator - respect to God and fellowmen.  And to Nature. 

Peace indeed is the most translated word in any language or dialect. It accompanies compliments, greetings, condolences, casual conversations. Peace is found as sign of flags, banners, insignias and emblems. No prayer is without the mention of peace, quite often repeatedly. It is a word that greets, forgives, compliments, a word for welcome and goodbye.It is therapy.

These different expressions remind all of us that the greeting of peace is common to all cultural and religious traditions.

• "Kopiwosian" is the peace greeting of one of the oldest civilizations and belief systems in Asia, the indigenous Kadazan-Ousun culture in Sabah.

• "Om Shanti" is the greeting of peace of the believers in Hinduism.

• "Ping An", or "Zao An" in the morning and "Wan An" in the evening, is the peace greeting of the followers of Taoism and Confucianism.

• "Shalom" is the greeting of peace of the followers of Judaism.

• "Salam", later "Pax Vobiscum" and nowadays "Peace be with you" is the peace greeting of the Christians, especially the Catholics.

• "Assalamu'alaikum" is the Islamic greeting of peace which might be the most frequently used peace greeting in today's world.

In Ilokano, the language of Northern Luzon, Philippines, there are a number of ways of greeting a person with the message of peace.

• To one who is leaving, : "Dios ti kumuyog." (Godspeed. God goes with you.)
• To one who stays or left behind, "Dios ti agbati." (God stays with you.)
• To one who has given favor, "Dios ti agngina." (God is precious.)
• To the bereaved, "Dios ti mangliw-liwa." (God consoles.)
• Also, as condolence, Dios ti agalwad." (God protects.)

When going to a foreign country, or unfamiliar place, learn to say PEACE in the local language. Here are some translations by country or culture.

Fridden, Luxemburgish

Der Frieden, German

La Paix, French

Mír Bosnian, Bulgarian, Byelorussian, Croatian, Czech, Russian, Serbian, Slovene, Ukrainian

Shalom, Hebrew

Heiwa, Japanese

Salam, Arabic

La Paz, Spanish

La Pace Italian, Romanian

A Paz Galician, Portuguese

Barish, Turkish

Béke, Hungarian

Damai, Indonesian

Filemu, Samoan

Fois Scots, Gaelic

Fred Danish, Norwegian, Swedish

Hau, Tahitian

Hedd, Welsh

Hoa Bình, Vietnamese

Iri'ni, Greek

Kalilíntad, Magindanaon

Kapayapaan, Tagalog Filipino

K'é, Navajo

Khanhaghutyun, Armenian

La Paqe, Albanian

Linew, Manobo

Maluhia, Hawaiian

Melino, Tonga

Miers, Latvian

Nimuhóre, Ruanda

Pax, Latin

Pingan, Chinese

Pokój , Polish, Slovak

Pyong'hwa, Korean

Rahu, Estonian

Rauha, Finnish

Rukun, Javanese

Saanti, Nepali

Santipap, Thai

Shîte, Tibetan

Shanti Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu

Sholim, Yiddish

Síocháin, Irish

Soksang, Khmer

Solh Dari, Persian

Sulh, Turkish

Taika, Lithuainian

Ukuthula, Zulu

Uvchin, Mapudungun

Vrede Afrikaans, Dutch

Wo'okeyeh, Sioux

Peace be with you all.

Some Thoughts on Peace...

"If we are peaceful, if we are happy, we can smile and blossom like a flower, and everyone in our family, our entire society, will benefit from our peace."

Thich Nhat Hanh

"I was once asked why I don't participate in anti-war demonstrations. I said that I will never do that, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I'll be there."

Mother Teresa

"The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness with the universe and all its powers, and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells the Great Spirit, and that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us."

Black Elk

"Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal."

Martin Luther King, Jr.

"We look forward to the time when the Power of Love will replace the Love of Power. Then will our world know the blessings of peace."

William Gladstone

"When my heart is at peace, the world is at peace."

Chinese Proverb

"There never was a good war or bad peace."

Benjamin Franklin

"Peace is always beautiful."

Walt Whitman

"If you yourself are at peace, then there is at least some peace in the world."

Thomas Merton

"If you scramble about in search of inner peace, you will lose your inner peace."

Lao Tzu

"It is no longer good enough to cry peace, we must act peace, live peace, and live in peace."

Shenandoah proverb

"Better indeed is knowledge than mechanical practice. Better than knowledge is meditation. But better still is surrender of attachment to results, because there follows immediate peace."

Bhagavad Gita 12:12

"If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work."

Thich Naht Hanh

If there is to be peace in the world,
There must be peace in the nations.
If there is to be peace in the nations,
There must be peace in the cities.
If there is to be peace in the cities,
There must be peace between neighbors.
If there is to be peace between neighbors,
There must be peace in the home.
If there is to be peace in the home,
There must be peace in the heart.

Lao Tzu

"This is the way of peace: overcome evil with good, and falsehood with truth, and hatred with love."

Peace Pilgrim

"What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family."

Mother Teresa

"Better than a thousand hollow words is one word that brings peace."

Buddha

"Peace is the altar of God, the condition in which happiness exists."

Paramahansa Yogananda

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn."

 John Muir

"I believe all suffering is caused by ignorance. People inflict pain on others in the selfish pursuit of their happiness or satisfaction. Yet true happiness comes from a sense of peace and contentment, which in turn must be achieved through the cultivation of altruism, of love and compassion, and elimination of ignorance, selfishness, and greed."

Dalai Lama

Symbols of Peace 

	Calumet (peace pipe) - Calumet means "reed" in French. Such pipes were considered sacred, offering communion with the animate powers of the universe and embodying the honor and the source of power of Native Americans who possessed them. Calumets were particularly used at the conclusion of peace treaties and in ceremonies of adoption. The pipes were principally used by the Dakotan and Algonquian peoples of the Great Plains and in the southeastern United States. Communal smoking usually carried the guarantees of friendship. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	Dove - In the Bible, a dove was released from the Ark by Noah and returned with an olive branch to show that the Biblical flood was over. Ever since, the dove has symbolised deliverance and God's forgiveness. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	Rainbow - The rain-bow is also a biblical peace symbol. When men would go off to fight they would take their "bow" with them of course -- when they would return home they would "hang their bow" up on the wall making the basic statement that they were not at war but in a time of peace. The rain-bow is the same action but the Holy One "hanging bow" in the sky for all to see that we are not at war but in a time and promise of peace. In Christian tradition it symbolizes God's forgiveness, as it was placed in the sky as the arch of peace after the Biblical flood - a symbol of the covenant between God and mankind. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	Mistletoe - "After the sun god Balder was killed by the wicked Loki's mistletoe dart, the plant was feared and hated by all as the wicked instrument of death and betrayal. But Balder's mother, the goddess Freya, redeemed it in honor of her son, decreeding that mistletoe should become a symbol of peace and reconciliation. From that time on, enemies who met under a clump of mistletoe would lay down their arms and declare a truce. That is why it is hung in the doorway to this very day, and a kiss of peace and loving kindness bestowed on all who enter." (Scandinavian folklore, cited by Susan Wittig Albert in "Mistletoe Man".) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	Olive Branch - The olive branch has for thousands of years been used as a sign of peace and goodwill. In early cultivation of the olive it took decades to bear fruit for harvest, and anyone who planted olive groves must be expecting a long and peaceful life. The symbolism is also probably related to the Biblical story of the dove. An Olive Branch is clutched in the right talons of the American Eagle in the Great Seal of the United States (right), symbolizing peace. ----------------------------------------------------------------
	Olive Wreath - The olive wreath, like the one at left taken from the United Nation logo, was the highest award given to a citizen in ancient Greece. The prize was also given to winners at the ancient Olympic Games - a time when wars were suspended between competing states. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	Peace Sign - The Peace Action Symbol was designed on February 21, 1958 for use in the first Aldermaston Easter Peace Walk in England. The symbol is the composite semaphore signal for the letters 'N' and 'D' standing for Nuclear Disarmament. ------------------------------------------------------
	Peace Sign - This sign is thought to have begun in Europe during World War II when a V for victory was painted on walls as a symbol of freedom from occupying forces. The sign was very widely used by peace movements in the 1960s and 70s as a symbol of victory for peace and truth.

Acknowledgment: Thanks to Mr. Peter Scier of Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Peace Love and Me Facebook, Khan Peace Page. Peace Center, Internet