Here at Team iReport, it’s always tough to boil down the best iReports in any given week to five high-quality gems you see in these roundup blog posts. We watch the site like a mother hawk tending to her nest, so we get to see all of the awesome photos, videos and stories that iReporters regularly send our way. But picking out the best ones? It's like asking that mother hawk to pick her favorite hatchling.

From a rave on the beaches of Tel Aviv and majestic herons fishing in the waters of Alberta, Canada, to the wildfires raging in the U.S. Southwest – Dear Reader, this is the week in iReport.

Portraits of poverty in Italy

Domenico Giannantonio lives in the small, northern Italian town of Reggio Emilia. Last year, during his travels throughout the town and to the metropolitan centers Venice and Milan, he was struck by scores of homeless and impoverished he saw in the streets. He took these photos as a way of humanizing what he sees as an underrepresented group in Italian society.

“We really could not solve the problem of poverty in our society, but we can do one thing: to speak and listen to [them]. Hear their story of life, gather their evidence,” he said. “In short, consider them persons and not objects.”

Herons: Kings of the fishermen!

Professional photographer Eric Rossicci was traveling the waterways of Surrey, British Columbia, when he came across a group of herons feasting on fresh fish. He knew he had to get the moment on camera, and these stunning HDR-enhanced pictures were the result.

“There is a rookery nearby and at this time of year the Herons are busy building their nests and fishing,” he said. “The inevitable fight for fishing territory follows as can be expected, so it's always fun to watch them and capture them doing what they do best. They are so engrossed in fishing that they don't mind people getting close to them which makes it easy for me to get their pictures.”

Arizona wildfires ‘bleeding’ into Phoenix

Andrew Pielage of Phoenix, Arizona, shot these photos of nearby wildfires on May 15. Firefighters are trying to contain major blazes fueled by strong winds in the region. “We figured the best way to get some quality images would be to go with the birds-eye-view," he said. "Once up on our perch we knew right away this wildfire is not going away anytime soon”

The ‘right side of history’ on same-sex marriage

Cartoonist Brixton Doyle regularly submits his doodles to iReport, which he uses to sound off on current events, and offer a humorous look at the top headlines of the moment. He penned this comic in reaction to North Carolina's May 7 statewide vote to approve an amendment that bans same-sex marriage, and Obama's announcement a day later of personal support for LGBT partnerships.

“We might not have had a country, let alone a Constitution, if not for a gay man, [Frederich Wilhelm] von Steuben – the tactician Washington (well-aware of his homosexuality) employed to get his army in shape at Valley Forge,” he wrote, citing a popular but still-unproven view among some historians. “I think states that are foolish enough to outlaw gay marriage will quickly reverse course.”

The topic has stirred up plenty of debate on iReport, both for and against same-sex marriage. See more of the conversation here.

Silent rave-goers get down on Tel Aviv beach

Journalism student Erik Sahlin shot this video of a ‘silent rave’ on the beaches of Tel Aviv, Israel, on May 4 where partiers donned noise-canceling headphones and danced the day away. The fad began in Europe, but has quickly spread to all corners of the world as a fun, unique way to get a party going at any hour, in any locale.

“[Party-goers] rent headphones that are connected wirelessly to the DJ who is sending out the music,” he said. “People were loving it, and it created a bond between those who were attending it. I also tried it out myself and it felt like being in your own world together with others.”

Are interesting stories going down where you are, or do you have an opinion you're dying to share? You could be a selection in next week's Best of iReport roundup: Share your story.

It was a busy week at the iReport desk, from the same-sex marriage debate to recall primaries in Wisconsin and the death of a beloved children’s author.

Here are five stand-outs you shouldn’t miss:

Wisconsin recall moves forward

It's been the year of the recall for Wisconsin, and iReporter Mediaman has been documenting every step of the campaign to oust GOP Gov. Scott Walker that began when he curtailed the collective bargaining rights of state employees. The iReporter was in Madison on Tuesday for the state’s recall primaries and shot photos of the candidates and imagery from the campaign. Voters will return to the polls in June for the general election pitting Walker against Democratic challenger Tom Barrett in a re-match from last year. "Seeing the climatic conclusion in June will be one for the record books, and the textbooks," Mediaman said.

'Just move to Canada'

After North Carolina voters passed an amendment on Tuesday defining marriage as solely between a man and a woman, iReporters across the U.S. got on camera to share their reactions. Anne Yates and her wife, Claire, said they moved with their two boys to Calgary, Alberta, four years ago because of the discrimination they felt in New Hampshire. They argue that the passage of the same-sex marriage ban teaches people that "it's OK to hate gays and lesbians," Yates said. "I swear, all people from North Carolina should just move to Canada."

Go here to see other perspectives on the debate and reaction to President Obama's declaration of support for same-sex marriage this week.

Blaze on Whiskey Row

Prescott, Arizona's historic Whiskey Row caught fire again on Tuesday, more than a century after the street was destroyed in a 1900 blaze. Videographer Deborah Gallegos was at the scene Tuesday night while flames engulfed three businesses on Montezuma Street -- known as Whiskey Row for the saloons that once lined the block. Crowds gathered across the street on the courthouse square watching plumes of smoke and fire rise from the buildings with "sadness to lose this bit of history."

Inside a Soviet prison

During a March visit to Germany, videographer Tracy Bymoen got a private view inside a Pottsdam prison used by the Soviet Military Counterintelligence after World War II to hold thousands of people. She got a tour of Memorial Leistikowstraße as the director prepared for the permanent exhibition's April opening, and said she "felt chills down my spine seeing the isolation and standing rooms."

Wild things in mourning

Childhood fans of the classic story "Where the Wild Things Are" mourned author Maurice Sendak's passing this week. Matty Horn, in Pomona, New York, still believes "deep down that I am Max, ruler of the 'Wild Things,'" and credits the story with helping him become a confident leader in adulthood. He was one of several people we heard from who loved the the book so much they tattooed scenes from it on their bodies. He made this diptych of his forearm, which he initially shared with iReport via Instagram.

Is news happening where you are, or do you have an opinion you'd like to share? You could be part of next week's Best of iReport. Share your story here.

From Fort Stewart, Georgia, to Dagupan City, Philippines, we received dozens of interesting stories from iReporters around the world this week. Here are five standout iReports you may have missed.

Octopus and his mobile home

There are two things that we can all agree on here at team iReport: Animal videos are pretty great, and underwater animal videos are even better. So you can imagine how thrilled we all were when we spotted this video from Robert A.S. Suntay of an octopus creating a makeshift home out of a tin can. He spotted the resourceful creature in Anilao, a popular diving location in the Philippines.

“Octopi are very smart but shy critters,” explained Suntay. “That's why I had to be really patient just waiting for it to see me, get used to me, and then react by dragging its home around. After trying to move away from me a couple of times, at the end of the video, you can see that it finally decides to just enter its can and cover itself with a shell. Brilliant move!”

Obamas visit Fort Stewart, Georgia

iReporter Amy Proctor stood in 90-degree heat for four long hours last Friday waiting to see the President and first lady at Fort Stewart, Georgia. Fortunately, she says the wait was worth it. Proctor, who got a ticket to the event through her husband’s unit, captured some fantastic photos as President Obama spoke out against deceptive practices by "diploma mills" -- for-profit colleges that lure military personnel and veterans. Despite the fact that she’s not an Obama supporter, she said “it was a great experience.”

Grilling in the streets

Another iReport from the Philippines made our list this week. Christopher Domingo shared photos from Dagupan City’s traditional Bangus Festival, which features grilling thousands of bangus, or milkfish, in the city streets. “It is a celebration of the fruits of hard work and sacrifice of all of the people who were involved in the industry, leading to a rich and bountiful harvest,” Domingo said.

May Day in Paris

We received dozens of iReports from May Day celebrations and protests around the world, but this video from Paris, France, stood out from the rest. Adrian Westbrook shot fantastic footage of the crowds filling the Boulevard Saint Germain Tuesday afternoon with his Canon 7D. While Westbrook, a self-described “casual observer,” said there were many different groups and perspectives represented in the march, “the dominant theme appeared to be an all-encompassing disdain for the incumbent president and a proprietary reclamation of the May Day festival itself.”

Samurais on parade

And a different type of procession took place in Kyoto, Japan, on Thursday as hundreds of people dressed up as samurais for the city’s annual Akechi Mitshuide Festival, which celebrates the famous samurai and his lasting legacy. “Hundreds of samurai-costumed people marched around the old city,” said iReporter Chieko Ohkuma, who shared photos of volunteers in elaborate handmade costumes.

Thanks to the above iReporters and everyone who shared original stories this week – it’s always fascinating to see what’s happening around the world.

Is news happening where you are, or do you have an opinion you'd like to share? You could be part of next week's Best of iReport. Share your story here.

Come gather 'round! It was a protest-heavy and celebration-filled week on iReport. There were protests in Lithuania, Sudan and the Netherlands, see-sawing celebrations for Earth Day, the Chumash Festival  and Rome’s birthday.

Amidst all the chaos, we selected five of our favorite iReports this week you might have missed.

Stylish Sikhs celebrate Vaisakhi

The Sikh Sabha of New Jersey held their annual parade for Vaisakhi, an ancient Punjabi harvest festival celebrated in northern India, on Saturday, April 21. iReporter Rachel Cauvin, who enjoys taking pictures of cultural events, said thousands lined up on Madison Avenue in New York City “to see the floats, marching bands, sword fighting and wheel spinning.”

“This was my first time going and I loved the bright orange colors and the beautiful, colorful sarees,” she said.

Cairo’s “Friday of Determination”

With hotly-contested elections looming in Egypt, thousands gathered in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt, last Friday for what they called the “Friday of Determination.” Ahmed Raafat Amin said people from a variety of political backgrounds were present to protest against having the country’s constitution written by the transitional military government.

“People are excited about the upcoming elections since it’s the first post-Mubarak presidential elections, but there are fears of fraud as the military rulers that are still in power are people who are considered to be Mubarak’s men,” he said. “Many people fear that the military could interfere in the electoral process and change the results of the elections.”

Obama wows students at UNC

President Obama visited colleges across the country this week to deliver campaign speeches on student loans. His trip to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was well-received by iReporter Trevor Dougherty and his peers.

Although Dougherty currently doesn’t have loans, student debt still worries him. “There are plans for tuition increases at UNC, so my friends and the general college community are definitely worried about student loans and increasing interest rates,” the 19-year-old said.

“Obama won over the crowd at first with some references to UNC basketball, but his call for affordable higher education was what really resonated with all of us,” he said.

Rappers represent for Mumia

Rappers Chuck D of Public Enemy and M-1 of Dead Prez attended an “Occupy” protest for Mumia Abu-Jamal at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, April 24. Rene Carson attended to document the event and learn more about it.

“For me, it was really a learning experience, because I know very little about these subjects, so hearing people speak about different truths and statistics helped me understand things a little better,” Carson said.

Carson supports many of the issues that were scheduled to be discussed at the rally, such as prison and immigration reform.

Gaping great apes

Our last gathering: man and ape come together. James Amerson was invited to the Center of Great Apes in Wauchula, Florida, where he was able to see apes in an almost-natural habitat.

“It is totally different from a zoo,” Amerson said. “A zoo is there to educate people about animals, and this sanctuary was created to rehabilitate and give back to creatures that had unfortunate beginnings.”

He explained that many of the apes were captured in the wild and sold as pets, while some were bred for Hollywood entertainment or the circus. Apes raised this way end up being too comfortable with humans, and lack survival skills.

“Primates are very social and territorial, these apes might be killed by their own species for being an outsider,” he said. “This is for the sake of these creatures, and for them to live their lives as close to apes as possible.” He said standing so close to the apes was an incredible experience.

Is news happening where you are, or do you have an opinion you'd like to share? You could be part of next week's Best of iReport. Share your story here.

iReporters across the U.S. looked to the skies this week to catch a glimpse of the space shuttle Discovery’s final voyage.

Back on the ground, festivals and parades celebrating diverse cultures popped up all over iReport, with the stunningly beautiful Aliwan festival in the Philippines, and the Tartan Parade in New York City.

Check out the awesome submissions from iReport this week!

Tornadoes tear through Kansas

More than 100 tornadoes were reported throughout the Midwest on Saturday, April 14. Stormchasers Dustin Mazzio and Ben Tracy courageously tracked one while driving through Kansas, and managed to capture this incredible video of the tornado beginning to form. Mazzio says he has been chasing storms for three years, and that “this was by far the most amazing storm have witnessed. I had encountered potential funnel clouds before, but none ever transformed into tornadoes, so this was my first.”

Discovery cruises over the U.S. Capitol

iReporters’ eyes were on the skies and their fingers were at the ready to snap photographs of the space shuttle Discovery's final voyage. We asked iReporters to document its journey aboard a modified 747 jet from Kennedy Space Center in Florida to the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum near Washington D.C. Andrew Brisker snapped this picture as it flew over the U.S. Capitol. “It was bittersweet watching Discovery soar over the Capitol, but it was thrilling to witness its final ride into retirement,” he said. “The crowd was ecstatic. I got goosebumps.”

Aliwan festival dazzles the Philippines

The streets of Manila were awash with vibrant hues of gold, purple, and red as Filipinos celebrated the annual Aliwan festival on April 14. This festival began in 2003 and is a celebration of the diverse and rich heritages of the Philippines. Roland Roldan captured breathtaking photos of the various events, including street dancing and parade floats.

NYC Scottish invasion

Bagpipes sounded in the streets of the Big Apple at the 10th annual Tartan Parade on April 14. Frequent iReporter Rachel Cauvin loves documenting the sundry parades New York City has to offer, and she shared her photographs of music performances and other events held to celebrate Scottish culture. She says the crowd fell in love with the adorable Scottish terriers that walked down the parade route.

Remembering Dick Clark

We asked iReporters to share their memories of Dick Clark, and Paul Revere offered the heartwarming story of his close relationship with the broadcast legend. Clark helped Revere's band, "Paul Revere and the Raiders", acquire fame, and the two ended up becoming life-long friends in the process. “I owe everything to Dick Clark,” Revere wrote in his iReport. “And I am SO thankful that I got to tell him so, six weeks ago, at his house in Los Angeles."

Is news happening where you are, or do you have an opinion you'd like to share? You could be part of next week's Best of iReport. Share your story here.

The theme of change seemed to seep into many iReports this week. From the changing tides of the Travyon Martin case to the shifting skies of Portland, Oregon, check out some of the best iReports from the site.

Zimmerman's arrest and iReporters reactions

The case of Trayvon Martin took a turn this week with the arrest of George Zimmerman, who was charged with second-degree murder of the teenage boy in Sanford, Florida. iReporters, like Norma Valdez, sent in their reactions to Zimmerman's arrest. Valdez said that although she thinks the prosecution made the right call, she said it was made far too late. "I feel we have an uphill battle because justice is in the eye of the juror and if you get one that doesn't see it like the rest, you will get a hung jury and then what, he goes free," she said.

Pacific quake

Across the world, tectonic plates were shifting. After an 8.5 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia, some residents and tourists in Phuket, Thailand, took precautions. Isaac Kawar shot a video of people being evacuated from Thailand's Patong Beach to higher ground.

Insta-book

The tech world was in a tailspin with the recent Facebook buyout of the photo sharing site Instagram. Diehard Instagram fans were up-in-arms and iReporters sent in their reactions to the one-billion-dollar deal. Donnol Hem and his daughter Mikaela posed with stunned faces after hearing the news. "I'm not shocked by the purchase just surprised at how much Facebook paid for it. So far I can only think of it as a good thing because Facebook, like it or not, is a huge success," he said.

Backyard chickens

Do backyard chickens really taste better? Residents from Winter Park, Florida, seem to think so. Kayla O'Brien, a journalism student at the University of Central Florida, documented the town's urban farmers petitioning to raise chickens with The Backyard Yard Chicken Initiative. The practice of raising chickens is currently illegal in that area. O'Brien said she reached out to Winter Park, and the town said it was not against changing the law on raising chickens, but no one presented the desire to change it.

Portland, how beautiful you are 

The bustling lights from cars zipping by and a rainbow of colorful pastels from the sky were captured by photographer John Eklund. Eklund created a picturesque time-lapse video of Portland, Oregon. "I thought doing a time-lapse would be a unique way to show my beautiful city," he said.

Is news happening where you are, or do you have an opinion you'd like to share? You could be part of next week's Best of iReport. Share your story here.

Lights dimmed around the world, tornadoes ripped through Texas and palm leaves fluttered at the hands of religious tradition. Check out the best of iReport this week:

Storms in Texas

Storms ripped through several parts of Texas this week, and Kelly Carrasco had her camera out as a tornado touched down in Forney, Texas. “As we looked right down the street, the funnel cloud started to spin and just dropped to the earth. We didn't know if it was headed our way or not,” she said. Air traveler Eric Gould also captured a video of hail pinging his plane like popcorn as the storm passed over the Dallas-Fort Worth airport. “The noise of ice cubes hitting the aluminum exterior of a 757 was as deafening as it was frightening," he said.

Racism in America

Does racism still exist in America? Against the backdrop of Trayvon Martin’s death and Anderson Cooper 360's year-long study on kids and race, iReporters pondered where racism starts and what can be done about it. Frequent commentator Omekongo Dibinga said America must engage in a “nationwide dialogue” if it wants to overcome racism.

Life with autism

April 2 was World Autism Awareness Day, and we asked families to share what it’s like to live with the disorder. We received more than 250 submissions, including inspiring testimonials from high-functioning adults and heart-breaking footage from families who say there's nothing positive about this disease. Samantha Cotterill, from Niskayuna, New York, has autism, and her son has Asperger’s Syndrome. She explains that sometimes she finds herself wearing two different hats when it comes to being a person with autism and also being a mother to a son with the disorder. "Sometimes the marriage of the two works beautifully, and at other times one hat can be forgotten for the other," she said.

Earth Hour worldwide

For 60 minutes, lights across the world went dim in celebration of Earth Hour, a movement to raise awareness about the environment and climate change.  Chris De Bruyn celebrated Earth Hour with other Iraqis in Sulaimani, Iraq. “I am very pleased to see Iraqis take part in such an important issue as protecting the environment," he said.

Palm leaves for Palm Sunday

Decorative leaves were adorned with ribbons and flowers for Palm Sunday, a religious tradition that commemorates Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem, and is celebrated worldwide. Ronald Roldan shared photos from the Philippines, where he says people buy palm or coconut leaves to be blessed by the priest.

Is news happening where you are, or do you have an opinion you'd  like to share? You could be part of next week's Best of iReport. Share your story here.

This week had iReporters grappling with some big questions: What's the meaning of the Trayvon Martin case? Should the Supreme Court overturn the national health care law? How would you spend $500 million?

But that doesn't mean they didn't have time for some lighter human interest stories, too. Read on to see iReporters take on the big issues - and meet a few fun characters.

Hoodies for Trayvon

iReporters from all walks of life weighed in on the Trayvon Martin case, discussing its implications for racial profiling and self-defense laws. Many, like Kevin Alexander, pictured here, shot self-portraits wearing hoodies to indicate their viewpoints. "I felt it was important for me to take this photo due to the racial profiling I have received during my lifetime," said Alexander.

Supreme Court considers health care law

This week, the Supreme Court heard arguments about the sweeping health care law championed by President Obama. Many Americans, including several iReporters, attended rallies to support or criticize the law and try to influence the court's decision about its constitutionality. Michael Kandel, who says that, overall, he thinks the health care law is "a good thing," went to this rally to hear its opponents' side of the story. While there, he captured images of Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and Senator Rand Paul speaking out against the law.

What would you do with $500 million?

Matt Sky used iReport as a platform to ask a provocative, open-ended question: What would you do with $500 million? The regular iReport contributor pegged his question to the Mega Millions jackpot of $540 million - a world-record amount that will be given away Friday night. His video garnered nearly 400 responses, with iReporters saying they'd do everything from pay off student loans to travel the world to give it all to charity.

The shoe cobbler

Meet Henry Linder. He's 92 years old, and he's a cobbler in Landrum, South Carolina. He's been fixing shoes since he was a teenager the 1930s, and has the passion and people skills that go along with spending 76 years in the business. iReporter Erik Olsen gives us a glimpse into a day in Linder's life in this brilliant example of video storytelling.

The master chefs of MasterChef

How did foul-mouthed chef Gordon Ramsay get into cooking? What about his fellow MasterChef judges, Joe Bastianich and Graham Elliot? Regular iReporter Chris Morrow caught up with the trio to find out. She got three very different answers -- and a little dig at CNN's own Piers Morgan (from Ramsay, of course).

Is news happening where you are, or do you have an opinion you'd  like to share? You could be part of next week's Best of iReport. Share your story here.

It was tough to narrow down this week's iReports to five favorites. From passionate discussions about the Trayvon Martin shooting, to gorgeous photos of cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C., to messages of hope for escaped slaves in Mauritania, our community was full of life.

These are our top picks for the week:

'Million Hoodie March'

New York photographer Joel Graham stood in the crowd on Wednesday when hundreds gathered to demand justice for the killing of Trayvon Martin, the unarmed teenager shot by a neighborhood watch volunteer in Central Florida last month. Marchers at Manhattan’s Union Square wore hooded black sweatshirts in honor of the teen’s style of dress. While he went as a journalist, Graham says it was difficult not to feel emotionally connected to the crowd.

Thousands gather for almsgiving

Anita Amy Kittiudom shared some stunning images and video of tens of thousands of Buddhist monks gathering in the streets of Bangkok, Thailand, on Sunday for an almsgiving ceremony to raise money for victims of last year's flooding. The scene, she said, was "magical." "Everyone that came out that day was amazed at the beauty and at the kindness that was taking place."

Earthquake rattles Mexico

Stephen P. Nichols Jr., a newspaper reporter in Mexico City, Mexico, was in his office on Tuesday when a 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck Southern Mexico. Workers in the country’s capital evacuated to the streets, where he said there were "hundreds, if not thousands of people, crowding the streets and sidewalks waiting for instructions on what to do." Pablo-Jorge Velandia also shot footage of the evacuations and said people are still waiting for another earthquake: "As we say in Mexico, 'Earthquakes never come alone.'"

River runs green

Begorrah! It took two weeks of preparation for Kumaran Alagesan to shoot a time-lapse video of the Chicago River turning emerald green for St. Patrick's Day. He stitched it all together from a sequence of 900 images shot from the bridge overlooking the river. Alagesan, a 28-year-old information technology consultant, says photography is his passion.

Police move in on Occupiers

Photographer Shameel Arafin has been covering the Occupy Wall  Street protests since they began last fall. He was at the six-month anniversary rally on Saturday, when protesters tried to re-occupy Zuccotti Park. Arafin said police moved in and began arresting people, and in response, the protesters linked arms and sat on the ground, resulting in dozens of arrests.

Is news happening where you are, or do you have an opinion you'd like to share? You could be part of next week's Best of iReport. Share your story here.

A range of emotions lit up our site as iReporters celebrated, traveled and reflected on some big events that happened this past week. We’re highlighting this week’s interesting iReports, so check them out!

SXSW 2012

South by Southwest (SXSW) – an annual music, film and technology conference – was in full swing this week. Many of us weren't lucky enough to experience the interactive booths and impromptu music concerts firsthand, so we lived vicariously through our iReporters who sent in an array of photos and videos of SXSW through their eyes. First-time iReporter Chris Janka sent in an image of himself standing in the Canon screening room, where he was surrounded by more than 95,000 photographs from a documentary project by Ron Howard. The photo gallery was composed entirely of user-generated photographs. The Santa Monica native said he felt amazed and overwhelmed to be surrounded by all the images and their stories: "It just seems with technology being at the state it’s in it is really empowering people, young and old, to capture moments in their life."

Occupy protests shut down D.C.’s K Street

The Occupy movement is still alive across the U.S., as Michael Kandel documented through a photo earlier this week. As a freelance photographer in Washington, D.C., Kandel said he keeps his ear close to the ground to see where Occupy demonstrations will take place around the D.C. area. On this particular night he followed a group of Occupy protesters from the White House to K Street, where the group ended up lying down in the middle of the road, blocking traffic. "I think if you can stop people on the street, then you are drawing attention to your message, I mean it got my interest piqued," he said.

Remembering Japan

The mood was somber as people across the world reflected on the earthquake and tsunami disasters that hit Japan one year ago. Cristian Williams captured images from Hibiya Park in Tokyo where people gathered to remember those they lost. "There was also a mutual feeling of respect among the audience. Respect towards those affected, and respect towards those who weren't directly affected, but still attended the ceremony," he said. Williams was one of the dozens of iReporters who sent us their thoughts, images and stories on the anniversary of the disaster; you can see it all woven together into the CNN piece “Lost and found: Japan One Year Later.”

Rejoice for Pi(e) Day

iReporters celebrated math with dessert by sending in pictures and recipes of their favorite pie dishes for March 14th. Michele Hays sent in a delicious photograph of her pie, ingeniously dubbed (Pi)neapple and rhubarb pie. For the past few years, Hays has been baking up pi-inspired pies, and considers herself a math appreciator. "I'm not particularly good at math. However, I do love to cook, and I'm learning that cooking is really a system of applied mathematics."

American Airlines freakout

The routine runway taxiing of American Airlines flight 2332 came to an halt as the screams of one flight attendant poured out of the aircraft's intercom system. Passenger Laurie Grabe captured the chilling screams of the flight attendant as she demanded passengers get off the plane. The flight attendant said the plane was likely to crash, which many saw as an allusion to September 11th. Grabe's iReport became one of the most popular videos on our site that day and was featured on CNN television as well. OutFront’s Erin Burnett interviewed Grabe on television, where they talked about the incident and the passengers’ reactions.

Is news happening where you are, or do you have an opinion you'd like to share? You could be part of next week's Best of iReport: Share your story now.

A little spring, a lot of storm, offensive remarks by Rush Limbaugh and, of course, Super Tuesday, kept iReporters on their toes all week. But just in case you missed them, here are some of our favorites that may have slipped through the cracks.

Destruction and a dollhouse

Missouri native Bill Benson empathizes with tornado victims in his state. He was moved by the scenes of destruction left behind by the tornado that hit on February 29 in Buffalo, Missouri – about an hour away from where he lives in, Laurie, Missouri. He said this image he shot was especially heartbreaking. “The dollhouse was an unusual sight that seemed to speak strangely of the whole surrounding,” he said. “As with finding any child’s toy in a disaster zone, it makes you have a great deal of empathy and hope that toy and child are reunited.”

Protests follow Putin

Elena Ratner attended a protest held in Pushkinskaya Square in Moscow, Russia, on March 5, where demonstrators rallied against Vladimir Putin’s hotly-contested victory in last weekend’s presidential elections. She said there was a mixture of emotions in the crowd, ranging from frustration to exhaustion. CNN reported that more than 20,000 protesters took to the streets of Moscow; Ratner said she later witnessed large numbers of people being detained by the police following the demonstrations.

While she attended as an observer, she said she supports the protesters. “In my opinion, we suffered a defeat and it’s sad,” she said. “People are frustrated about authorities, and particularly Putin, [who] don’t care about our demands.”

Super (Star Trek) Tuesday

Musician Jeremiah LongBear from Knoxville, Tennessee, is what people call a “Trekkie" (yes, that's his preferred term). He always wears his ‘Star Trek’ Starfleet uniform when voting because he sees the Federation’s Prime Directive as an allegory for his political philosophy: Non-interference and Constitutionalism. On Tuesday, he voted for Ron Paul in the Tennessee primary because “he’s the only candidate that believes in the prime directive of non-interference and non-intervention,” he said. Check out this video of LongBear in his uniform at his local polling place!

LongBear said he plans to campaign for Ron Paul in different states while he’s on tour with his band.

Apple's latest

Singer-songwriter and gadget blogger Christian Hermida joined iReport this week to share his comprehensive review of Apple’s new iPad. Hermida, who writes about personal technology in San Diego, California, discussed the fresh features of the iPad in his video, but said he was underwhelmed by the tablet’s specs. “Many people including myself were hoping for a true quad core A6 processor, but instead the new iPad includes an A5X processor,” he says. “Also, the lack of Siri in the iPad is a huge disappointment for me.” Still, he said, “Apple has changed the game” and made “a viable content producing device.”

The art of preservation

Art students were recently put to good use by the government of Pakistan in its capital, Lahore. University students from various art institutions in the city painted cultural murals on the vandalized, broken walls of the city for an entire day. Munawar Ahmed left work on Saturday and returned on Monday morning to find the walls by his place of work transformed. “They did it on Sunday, from morning to evening,” he said. “It’s a good initiative by the government of Pakistan to save the walls.”

Is news happening where you are, or do you have an opinion you'd like to share? You could be part of next week's Best of iReport. Share your story now.

It was a jam-packed news week, and iReporters were busy. We received dozens of stories in response to events such as rising gas prices, a school shooting in Ohio, and the GOP presidential race, to name a few. Here are some other standout iReports you may have missed:

Documenting the tornado aftermath

Rebecca Smiley of Harrisburg, Illinois, was asleep before her shift Wednesday at a medical clinic when she was jolted awake by a powerful tornado tearing through the area. After the storm passed, she went to work with local rescue teams to assist survivors of the catastrophe, and took several photos of the devastating aftermath.

“I'm just really proud of my community, watching the way doctors nurses and rescue workers came together,” she said. “People came in from all around, it was very impressive to see people do this, knowing that so many of us had just lost so much.”

Davy Jones and the James Cagney dance

iReporter Pamela Grogan experienced the dream of a lifetime in 1977, when Monkees front man Davy Jones pulled her onstage during a concert in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Jones tried to teach her actor James Cagney’s dancing style, but she said she was laughing too hard to get any of the steps right. “I was so excited and was laughing, he was so cute and dreamy,” Grogan remembered. The former teen idol died at 66 earlier this week.

Sunshine after the snowstorm

As parts of Europe finally began to thaw out following weeks of severe winter weather, no one was happier than iReporter Annamaria Capicchioni, who was trapped in her home in San Marino, Italy, for three days. “I thought I was going to suffocate under all that snow,” she said. “It was a terrible experience which I would not wish for my worst enemy.” She shared photos of sunshine making a triumphant return in the town on February 25.

Leap day, with the help of some friends

Although Jutka T. Emoke Barabas of Honolulu, Hawaii, may not be able to jump on her own due to medical complications, that didn’t stop her from taking part in our leap day challenge. Two friends held her up so she could take a “leap” on February 29.

“Even this was a great achievement for me personally,” she wrote via email. “I feel that today [I] won over the pain and the cruel illness.” We couldn’t be happier for Barabas and all of the iReporters who joined the fun on leap day. You can see some of the best leaps caught on camera in our Open Story.

Moon, Venus and Jupiter align

Jupiter, Venus, and the crescent moon came together last weekend to form a shining triangle that delighted stargazers. Photographer Scott Shoup went to a lake near his home in Superior, Colorado, hoping to get a shot of the celestial sight reflecting off the water. The Colorado native says he loves looking at the night sky. His photo along with other iReporters’ accounts of the alignment appeared on CNN’s Light Years blog.

Thanks to everyone who contributed such interesting stories this week! We love to see what's going on around the world.

Is news happening where you are, or do you have an opinion you'd like to share? You could be part of next week's Best of iReport. Share your story now.

This week, iReporters sent colorful dispatches from Carnival celebrations around the world, sounded off on the GOP debate in Arizona and recoiled at rising gas prices. Here are a few other notable stories you shouldn’t miss:

‘Never-ending’ line for anointments

Catholics lined the streets awaiting Ash Wednesday anointments in Manila, Philippines, this week, and photographer Arman Taylo captured these images outside the famous Basilica of the Black Nazarene. "The service went peacefully but the line to get anointed is never-ending, as passersby also join the line," Taylo said.

Icy expedition

Photographer L. Craig Smith took an adventurous expedition to the remote Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, Norway in 2010, and shared this and other stunning images for CNNGo's adventure travel assignment.

None of the six people in his group had formal training dealing with such extreme conditions.

"I received frostbite on my face. Our five layers of clothes and our arctic single-man tents were our shelter," Smith said. After five days the weather cleared, and they found polar bears on the ice. "We then made our way back to Svalbard, taking 10 hours, getting lost, navigating large snow drifts and flipping several snowmobiles as we made our way through some rather treacherous terrain."

Couples kiss statue goodbye

An estimated 50 romantic couples staged a special kiss on Saturday for a San Diego waterfront sculpture modeled after the iconic photo of a sailor kissing a nurse in Times Square at the end of World War II. The foam and urethane sculpture, “Unconditional Surrender,” has been on loan to the Port of San Diego since 2007, but the loan agreement ends this month.

Some critics called it "kitsch," but the statue has been hugely popular with tourists and locals that like to reenact the pose.

"Many times my husband and I would walk down to the statue and he would give me a kiss under it," Chris Morrow said.

Turns out the statue may get to stay. According to local news reports, the port is looking into a possible extension of the loan agreement, while an architect is leading a campaign to raise $1 million for a permanent version in bronze.

Gas prices going 'up, up'

Melissa Fazli felt a "jab in the stomach" as she filmed the numbers climbing at the gas pump last week. She spent $4.07 per gallon -- a total of $72.51 -- to fill her 2005 Honda Odyssey in her hometown of Yorba Linda, California.

"The last time I filled up it was around $65. It makes me really anxious about summer prices because I wanted to travel," she said. "I hope [President] Obama does something about it or I will be staying close to home this summer."

What’s the highest price for gas you’ve seen? Send a photo and tell us your breaking point.

Amazing dodgeball catch

Keith Ryan, the Mayor of Bondurant, Iowa (population: 3,860), was filming the city's dodgeball tournament on Sunday when player Mindy Brincks made this miracle catch to win her game. "I didn't realize what happened and then I noticed the ball between her knees and I couldn't believe she caught it," Ryan said. The opponent congratulated her on the surprise catch, showing "real sportsmanship."

Asked the secret to her success, Brincks, who lives in Des Moines, quoted Vince Vaughn in the movie "Dodgeball": “The '5 Ds of course -- dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge!'”

Thanks to everyone who contributed this week! We love to see what's going on around the world.

Is news happening where you are, or do you have an opinion you'd like to share? You could be part of next week's Best of iReport. Share your story now.

Nature put on a show this week as iReporters shared images of the northern lights in Iceland and jagged ice formations on Lake Superior in Michigan. They also captured two breaking news events: austerity protests in Greece and Bobby Brown reacting to ex-wife Whitney Houston's death. And, of course, celebrated Valentine's Day!

Ice formations on Lake Superior dazzle

Mikal Staley tries to make it to Lake Superior every winter to see the icy formations, and this year didn't disappoint. He shot these photos of frozen waves and ice-covered shorelines in Whitefish Point, Michigan, along the lake's coast on February 12. It was "the perfect time to go since we had had so many warm days over the last few weeks," he said.

Midnight marriages kick off Valentine's Day

Dozens of San Antonio, Texas, couples started off Valentine's Day on a romantic note: They got married at the stroke of midnight on the steps of a courthouse. But it wasn't an entirely happy occasion. The marriage ceremony also served as a protest against Texas's policy of not recognizing same-sex marriages, as the same-sex couples who had midnight weddings won't be legally recognized. iReporter Christopher D. Renteria said he felt a responsibility to cover the event: "The media was very slow to cover this, and when they did, they did so more tongue-in-cheek, so I thought I needed to cover this event in full support of [the same-sex couples]," he explained.

"I would also like to add that I am a straight man who has had and enjoyed the rights these couples are fighting for," Renteria, a professional photographer, added. "I thought [it] is especially important that these couples knew they were not standing alone in their fight for equality."

Greeks riot over austerity measures

Riots erupted in Athens on Sunday as the Greek parliament discussed austerity measures. Thanasis Trompoukis participated in the protests, where he captured these dynamic photos. Trompoukis believes that the approved measures "will not help for the revival of the Greek economy."

"We all fear that the exact opposite will happen," he explained. "The debt will get worse over the years. I feel it is unfair for the Greek people to suffer while they are the most hardworking citizens of Europe."

Northern lights put on show in Iceland

It's not unusual to see the aurora borealis in Iceland, but judging by these iReporters' photos, it was a particularly beautiful sight this week. Finnur Andresson shot the above image of the northern lights over a 1918 lighthouse, and his friend Bjorn Ludviksson shared a photo of the northern lights behind a snow-covered mountain. The two are members of an amateur photography club in Akranes, Iceland.

"This northern lights was massive compared to others [I've seen] in Iceland," said Andresson. "To witness this with your own eyes is stunning, and you will never forget it."

Bobby Brown cries over Whitney in concert

iReporter Moshiu Knox sent in video from a Bobby Brown concert on Saturday night. Brown, once married to late pop superstar Whitney Houston, was visibly upset and cried over Houston's death during the concert. Knox later spoke to CNN's Josh Levs in the video above about what it was like to be there.

Is news happening where you are, or do you have an opinion you'd like to share? You could be part of next week's Best of iReport. Share your story now.

We heard from iReporters all over Europe this week after the powerful blast of cold weather that gripped the region. iReporters also shared with us their thoughts on the GOP presidential race and wowed us with their inspired craft projects.

Europe in a deep freeze

Europe’s unusually cold weather turned the Kloveniersburgwal canal in Amsterdam, Netherlands, into a playground. Cecily Layzell  took this photo on Wednesday from a bridge over the waterway. She says adults and children were skating and tobogganing under the bridge and between the boats moored in the canal.

Rina Rautenbach shared dramatic photos of thick layers of ice that collected on just about every surface near the shore of Lake Geneva in Switzerland. Rautenbach says it was minus 23 degrees Celsius (minus 9 Fahrenheit) and that spray from the waves froze instantly, forming icicles on top of icicles.

We also met Lala, an 11-month-old dachshund mix, who is having the time of her life in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Her owner, Mirna Stankovic Lukovic, says Lala spends most of her time curled up on a leather sofa but has loved tunneling through the snow banks.

Inside the GOP race

Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney was in Atlanta, Georgia, this week and frequent iReporter Adriana Maxwell says he got a warm welcome. Maxwell says the crowd was friendly and seemed interested in what the former Massachusetts governor had to say.

Matthew Colver voted in Tuesday’s Colorado caucuses and shared his experience with iReport.  It was the first time he had participated in a caucus and he said: “It felt good to actually be part of the process at a very local level rather than just sitting back and complaining.” Colver said 55 people voted in his precinct. Sen. Rick Santorum won Tuesday’s contests in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri.

Inspiration soars on Pinterest

Jessica Archer was inspired by a post on Pinterest to create these cool rocket packs for her sons Jack and Ben. All she needed were a few soft-drink bottles, duct tape, silver paint and a few other supplies and the boys were ready to blast off. Pinterest is a “virtual pin board” that lets you curate content you love from around the web and share it with your friend. It’s also a good place to look for ideas.

The site is getting a lot of buzz lately, so if you’re a fan and have been inspired to make something, we’d like to see it.

Guilt-free chocolate

High school senior Zoë Taylor interviewed the owner of Sugar-Coated Radical, an Atlanta candy shop that only uses fair-trade products. She also talked with customers who liked the store’s ethical stance and loved its candy. Taylor photographed, edited and produced the story herself. You can read more about it on CNN’s Eatocracy food blog.

Do you have a favorite chocolate recipe? We invite you to take the iReport-CNN Freedom Project ethical chocolate challenge. Make your dish with fair-trade chocolate, and take a stand to end modern-day slavery.

Operation Valentine: Traveling for a cause

A group of iReporters in the Philippines traveled to Barangay Mandulog to help residents who are still recovering from Typhoon Sendong. Vincent Avena, Sherbien Dacalanio, Andrew Go, Lia Ocampo and Veronica Mendoza and a few of their friends delivered hundreds of pounds of food, clothes and books for an elementary school library. The group first met last year for the iReport fifth birthday meetup in the Philippines and realized they shared a passion for charity.

“We do what we can with what we have,” Avena said. “That’s way better than doing nothing at all.”

Do you have a story you want to share? Check out our assignment desk, or submit your own view of the news.