*** Enjoy the new First Lady portrait and a few other well done photographs of the First Family.New Smithsonian portraitFrom Denny: Well, one good thing about the month of August, the country takes a break from screamer politics for a few weeks. This insufferable summer heat makes for quick tempers best left simmering in the shade sometimes. There are times when you really have to wonder about the so-called wedge issues that get promoted by callous political strategists in place of solving the country's serious problems like 20 million people out of work.On the lighter side of politics is this new unveiling of the First Lady's portrait at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington. It's part of a new exhibit called "Americans Now" that features famous folks from science, business, government and the arts. President Barack Obama is also featured. However, this is the first time Michelle Obama's individual portrait - not just a family one or standing with her husband - has been shown at the gallery.Who else is featured with the Obamas in this exhibit? Try actors Tom Hanks and George Clooney, and music artists Willie Nelson and LL Cool J and NBA star LeBron James. Video portraits of America's favorite late-night comedians include Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien and David Letterman. You can view the portraits through July 2011.Here are a few of the best photos of the Obamas:Michelle Obama in 2009 - apparently the first First Lady to bare her arms fashion wise for an official portrait. She's probably the first First Lady to be so physically fit too! :)Wonderful family portrait - a regular love fest with Daddy going on here! :)Michelle on recent holiday to Spain for which she caught a lot of flak from the RepublicansDancing at the Inaugural Ball for one magical night
*** Sweden charges WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, with rape and molestation.From Denny: This guy acts like he's some great crusader for the truth and the world's morality and it turns out this week he is charged in Sweden for rape and molestation. The rape charge carries a prison sentence but the molestation charge does not. Molestation can be charged for an adult as well as a child in Sweden.Julian Assange has the moral compass of a turnip - buried in the ground away from the light of day. He has to be a sociopath to have no conscience. Looks like someone finally got busy and charged the creep. Or maybe the U.S. government decided to make like the tabloid The National Enquirer and document his doings and then sent them along to Interpol and the Swede's prosecutors.He was charged in absentia last night. They are two different incidents. The Swedish government is not yet releasing the names of the victims or the dates of the incidents, pending further investigation and documentation. Currently, Assange is eluding the police.Turns out that Assange lives part time in Sweden. It is also in Sweden that he hosts many of his WikiLeaks servers because of the country's privacy laws. He also told a Swedish newspaper, Svenska Dagbladet, Monday in an interview, "He had been in Sweden because he wanted a safe place to go after the high-profile leak of U.S. documents related to the war in Afghanistan." Gee, "Do ya think???"Apparently, Assange is well acquainted with Stupid because through his WikiLeaks site he released thousands of sensitive information documents that led to the deaths of hundreds of Afghans who cooperated with America in the Afghan War, as well as endangering the lives of allied forces. This guy has no conscience. So why is it any stretch of the imagination to accept he is guilty of yet more "depraved indifference"? Rape and molestation. May the heavy hand of justice fall upon him.*** Update:Sweden drops rape accusation against WikiLeaks founderHmmm... Sweden suddenly dropped the rape charge as quickly as they charged him. Interesting that the molestation charge is not dropped. Question: Did WikiLeaks put pressure on the victims to recant their stories and only one accepted the monetary bribe or bowed to threats from Assange? Or is it that Assange is the subject of an American smear campaign? This guy is no Boy Scout, folks, he's as guilty as ever. Somehow, he had enough stroke to force the Swedes to back off. Another scummy government and Big Business deal in bed together denying justice: Just like BP had stroke to get the British government to release a prisoner back to Libya because he was supposedly dying. Now the truth has come out about those lies. All that was about was an oil deal for BP to drill off Libya in exchange for the prisioner. The government tried to justify the swap by claiming the prisioner was dying when he wasn't. We all know from the BP publicity smear machine just how Big Business propaganda operates and the WikiLeaks guys are no different. They are constantly lying, trying to influence perception away from the truth. Assange has been caught in many lies about this Afghan War story so why should we believe him on this rape story?More government weak-willed weasels here with this Assange story, this time in Sweden - and women lose out for justice again. Though I get the distinct impression this is not the last we will hear of this story because it will make it's rounds again in another form when other women step forward.*** To the spamming anonymous cowardly wonder from Digg: I see WikiLeaks is busy trashing anyone who writes about their company, sending out their minions to threaten and cuss out anyone who dares to go against them. So, coward who chooses to remain nameless - yeah, you are so brave to spam a blog anonymously, you just proved my point. WikiLeaks, the founder and his supporters, are a bunch of scumbags without conscience who think they can go around threatening people. Good luck with the FBI; you are going to need it.*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates! *** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:The Social Poets - news, politicsThe Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychologyVisual Insights - photos, art, musicBeautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophyPoems From A Spiritual Heart - poetryThe Healing Waters - health newsDennys People Watching - people in the newsDennys Food and RecipesDennys Funny Quotes - humor
*** A brave woman in the Middle East dares to criticize her religion and her culture - through a live TV national poetry competition, the Arab world version of American Idol.Female Poet in Saudi Arabia Heard on Live TVFrom Denny: It takes courage to go against the tide of common opinion. It takes courage to criticize your own religion, your own government, your own society and culture. And in Saudi Arabia, where women have absolutely no rights for self-determination, that courage is both rare and rarely rewarded by the men of the country. The predictable end results are always death threats and promises of persecution and prosecution.With so much going on in the Middle East lately, especially the American combat troop pullout of Iraq, women's rights in the Arab world continue to be center stage. Women's groups worry about the women in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the Afghan Parliament there are many women who have won seats and they are concerned they will lose those seats once America pulls out of Afghanistan. They know the American distaste for remaining much longer in a failed war and wonder how much time they have to make a difference in their country.Poetess Hissa Hilal of Saudi ArabiaMeet poetess Hissa Hilal of Saudi Arabia, whose story was featured this past May, around Memorial Day. She decided to enter her national poetry competition, "Million's Poet," that is only populated by men who belabor the point about how much they love soccer. Other poetry features the romantic love of the Bedouin life."My poetry has always been provocative," said Hilal, a housewife and mother of four from Saudi Arabia. "It's a way to express myself and give voice to Arab women, silenced by those who have hijacked our culture and our religion."Hissa challenges Islamic extremistsChallenging extremism in her culture, her country and her religion is risky for this poetess. Since her appearance in the poetry competition she has received numerous death threats for daring to speak against the evils in her country. But then, that's how evil thrives, doesn't it? It thrives when good people refuse to stand against it. And, of all people, the one standing up to institutionalized evil is a woman poet, a 43-year-old mother of four, who had to get her husband's permission just to appear on the live TV show. Yet appear she did, knowing her prospects.Poets are rock stars in the Arab worldIn the Arab world, poets are as famous - and treated - like rock stars. On this show the top prize is $1 million. Hissa placed third in the competition among the usual poetry odes to family, soccer and life in the desert. Even though it was obviously a rigged "old boys network" Hissa did receive $800,000 of prize money for her efforts. She wants to afford better doctors for her autistic daughter and purchase a house with the winnings.Hissa shocked the whole country when she took the stageIt was quite a shock for the entire country when a woman took the stage to recite her poem as one of the five finalists. She was dressed in full head-to-toe niqab with only small eye slits to view her world. Hissa did not waste time feeling self-conscious and launched into her incredibly controversial poem that slammed the conservative Muslim clerics who spread extremism and give Islam a bad name. She complained about the separation of men and women, in a country where a woman is not allowed to hold the hand of her husband in public.The audience connected with Hissa's words and passion Hissa struck a chord with the live audience and those watching at home, sending out her message to the world when she said, "Defeat fear and conquer every frightening cave. Do not live life with one eye looking behind." She railed against social and religious extremism, something which many Saudis also find disturbing. "Something is not going good. And somebody should talk about it," she said.Life for women in Saudi ArabiaRemember that Saudi Arabia is a harsh place for women. They are not allowed to drive a car, not allowed to attend college or hold a job - unless permitted by a male relative. For American minds to understand her level of courage is to realize that in this culture the fact she dared to attend the poetry competition, and then dared more to recite her courageous poem questioning the bedrock of their society, well, that was one seriously rebellious act. It's a rebellious act that some segments of the society believe is worthy of death.Hissa's childhood with a strict familyHissa said she used to write under a pen name, fearing her own strict family's reaction. But, since the TV show, she has decided to come out of the shadows of fear and write under her own name. She said she felt transformed by the experience. Hissa also has won something rare in Saudi Arabia for women: a platform from which to speak.Poetry Academy judge speaks up for Hissa"Hissa Hilal is a courageous poet," said judge Sultan al-Amimi, who manages Abu Dhabi's Poetry Academy. "She expressed her opinion against the kind of fatwas that affect people's lives and raised an alarm against these ad hoc fatwas coming from certain scholars who are inciting extremism."Hissa's inspiring words to other women who want to change the world "I want to say something to the world," she said. "And give hope to all millions of Arab people: if you dream in your heart, one day if you believe deeply in your heart, in God, it will happen." "I'm happy. I said what I wanted to say. I reached what I wanted to reach," she said. "Maybe the girls and ladies would say, 'nothing is impossible.' Since I was a little girl I wanted my voice to be like a message in a bottle, reaching the other side of the ocean." This woman of courage has inspired millions to rise up and consider a better life, accomplished from the simplicity of a powerful voice heard beneath a veil. She is a woman who wrote a poem - and challenged an entire country.*** Photo by Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage/AP Saudi Woman Criticizes Muslim Clerics in TV Poetry Contest – Gets Death ThreatsBravery of Arab TV 'Idol' - Veiled poetess hits 'vicious, barbaric clerics' - While most regale the audience with odes to the beauty of Bedouin life and glory of their rulers, Hissa Hilal stunned audiences last week by attacking Muslim religious leaders as "vicious in voice, barbaric, angry and blind," and guilty of "preying like a wolf" on people seeking peace.*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates! *** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:The Social Poets - news, politicsThe Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychologyVisual Insights - photos, art, musicBeautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophyPoems From A Spiritual Heart - poetryThe Healing Waters - health newsDennys People Watching - people in the newsDennys Food and RecipesDennys Funny Quotes - humor
New Smithsonian portraitFrom Denny: Well, one good thing about the month of August, the country takes a break from screamer politics for a few weeks. This insufferable summer heat makes for quick tempers best left simmering in the shade sometimes. There are times when you really have to wonder about the so-called wedge issues that get promoted by callous political strategists in place of solving the country's serious problems like 20 million people out of work.On the lighter side of politics is this new unveiling of the First Lady's portrait at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington. It's part of a new exhibit called "Americans Now" that features famous folks from science, business, government and the arts. President Barack Obama is also featured. However, this is the first time Michelle Obama's individual portrait - not just a family one or standing with her husband - has been shown at the gallery.Who else is featured with the Obamas in this exhibit? Try actors Tom Hanks and George Clooney, and music artists Willie Nelson and LL Cool J and NBA star LeBron James. Video portraits of America's favorite late-night comedians include Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien and David Letterman. You can view the portraits through July 2011.Here are a few of the best photos of the Obamas:
Michelle Obama in 2009 - apparently the first First Lady to bare her arms fashion wise for an official portrait. She's probably the first First Lady to be so physically fit too! :)
Wonderful family portrait - a regular love fest with Daddy going on here! :)
Michelle on recent holiday to Spain for which she caught a lot of flak from the Republicans
Dancing at the Inaugural Ball for one magical night
