Khwāja Shams-ud-Dīn Muhammad Hāfez-e Shīrāzī, known by his pen name (HAFIZ) was a Persian poet who “lauded the joys of love and wine but also targeted religious hypocrisy”. His collected works are regarded as a pinnacle of Persian literature and are to be found in the homes of most people in Iran, who learn his poems by heart and use them as proverbs and sayings to this day.
His life and poems have been the subject of much analysis, commentary and interpretation, influencing post-14th century Persian writing more than any other author.
Themes of his ghazals are the beloved, faith, and exposing hypocrisy. His influence in the lives of Persian speakers can be found in “Hafiz readings” and the frequent use of his poems in Persian traditional music, visual art, and Persian calligraphy.
His tomb is visited often.
Adaptations, imitations and translations of Hafez’ poems exist in all major languages.
Alhambra, the complete form of which was Calat Alhambra, is a palace and fortress complex located in Granada, Andalucia, Spain. It was originally constructed as a small fortress in 889 and then largely ignored until its ruins were renovated and rebuilt in the mid-11th century by the Moorish emir Mohammed ben Al-Ahmar of the Emirate of Granada, who built its current palace and walls. It was converted into a royal palace in 1333 by Yusuf I, Sultan of Granada.
Alhambra’s Islamic palaces, as we know them today, were built for the last Muslim emirs in Spain and the court of the Nasrid dynasty. After the conquest of Granada by the Reyes Católicos (“Catholic Monarchs”) in 1492, some portions were used by Christian rulers.
The Palace of Charles V, built by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor in 1527, was inserted in the Alhambra within the Nasrid fortifications. After being allowed to fall into disrepair for centuries, the buildings being occupied by squatters, Alhambra was rediscovered in the 19th century by European scholars and travelers, with restorations commencing.
Moorish poets described it as “a pearl set in emeralds,” an allusion to the color of its buildings and the woods around them. The palace complex was designed with the mountainous site in mind and many forms of technology were considered.
The park (Alameda de la Alhambra), which is overgrown with wildflowers and grass in the spring, was planted by the Moors with roses, oranges, and myrtles; its most characteristic feature, however, is the dense wood of English elms brought by the Duke of Wellington in 1812.
The park has a multitude of nightingales and is usually filled with the sound of running water from several fountains and cascades. These are supplied through a conduit 8 km (5.0 mi) long, which is connected with the Darro at the monastery of Jesus del Valle above Granada.
Anonymous is not a group, it is not a person.
It is an IDEA. Specifically it is the idea that all of us deserve freedom, freedom of thought, of speech, of expression of knowledge and of belief. The freedom to determine the course and destination of our own lives.
If you share this idea then you are one of us.
You have likely heard many things about Anonymous, some of them are true and some of them are not. We are not terrorists and we are not violent. We are citizens of the World who bear witness the tyranny, oppression and censorship.
We are your neighbors, your friends and your relatives. We prepare your food, repair your appliances, write your books, compose your music and create your technology. We are your postal workers, barbers, store clerks and lawyers. We are Atheists and we are Religious. We are everyone and we are no one. None of us are as powerful as all of us.
We are Anonymous We are legion. We do not forgive. We do not forget. Expect us!
THIS IS A SHAME …. THEY SERVED, COMPLETED THEIR DUTY … THEY ARE HEROES
Who are homeless veterans?
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) states that the nation’s homeless veterans are predominantly male, with roughly 8% being female. The majority are single; live in urban areas; and suffer from mental illness, alcohol and/or substance abuse, or co-occurring disorders. About 12% of the adult homeless population are veterans.
Roughly 40% of all homeless veterans are African American or Hispanic, despite only accounting for 10.4% and 3.4% of the U.S. veteran population, respectively.
Homeless veterans are younger on average than the total veteran population. Approximately 9% are between the ages of 18 and 30, and 41% are between the ages of 31 and 50. Conversely, only 5% of all veterans are between the ages of 18 and 30, and less than 23% are between 31 and 50.
America’s homeless veterans have served in World War II, the Korean War, Cold War, Vietnam War, Grenada, Panama, Lebanon, Persian Gulf War, Afghanistan and Iraq (OEF/OIF), and the military’s anti-drug cultivation efforts in South America. Nearly half of homeless veterans served during the Vietnam era. Two-thirds served our country for at least three years, and one-third were stationed in a war zone.
About 1.4 million other veterans, meanwhile, are considered at risk of homelessness due to poverty, lack of support networks, and dismal living conditions in overcrowded or substandard housing.
I woke up this morning to great news from an awesome human being whom I met through blogging.
I’m very proud to say that we have become fast friends. I’m her “Big Sister“, she’s my “Lil Sister” …. we are “friends for life” (FFL), we belong to a “Wolf Pack“, we banter here and there. We share concerns, common friends, similar life values and beliefs, discuss issues in a productive manner and have each other’s back to a “T”.
Many times people wonder about the validity and reality of so-called friends who we meet on line, in cyberspace.
Our friendship is strong, real and valid.
… and we’ve never met in person!!
~~THE GOOD NEWS~~
“In November 2014 I will publish my second poetry book: ‘My Whisperings’.
Don’t let the lightness of the cover fool you though, the poems will be mostly dark like the ones on my blog.
My Whisperings is the second poetry book written by the heart and soul of Just Patty (Patty van Delft), the author of My Wings and the Dutch fantasy novel Drägan Duma – Zij Die Hoort.
In My Whisperings, Patty explores the depths of emotions even further. This book contains 80 poems, 20 short poems and a collection of photographic artwork made by the author herself.
A collection of dark poetry with rays of light. Many can relate to the rollercoaster of emotions the poems in this book describe so honestly. Fear, pain, loss, anxiety, hope, joy, love, strength and courage.
John Lennon was born on October 9, 1940, in Liverpool, England.
He met Paul McCartney in 1957 and invited McCartney to join his music group. They eventually formed the most successful songwriting partnership in musical history. Lennon left the Beatles in 1969 and later released albums with his wife, Yoko Ono, among others. On December 8, 1980, he was killed by a crazed fan named Mark David Chapman.
Famed singer-songwriter John Winston Lennon was born on October 9, 1940, in Liverpool, Merseyside, England, during a German air raid in World War II.
When he was 4 years old, Lennon’s parents separated and he ended up living with his Aunt Mimi. Lennon’s father was a merchant seaman. He was not present at his son’s birth and did not see a lot of his son when he was small.
Lennon’s mother, Julia, remarried, but visited him and Mimi regularly. She taught Lennon how to play the banjo and the piano and purchased his first guitar. Lennon was devastated when Julia was fatally struck by a car driven by an off-duty police officer in July 1958.
Her death was one of the most traumatic events in his life.
As a child, Lennon was a prankster and he enjoyed getting in trouble. As a boy and young adult,he enjoyed drawing grotesque figures and cripples. Lennon’s school master thought that he could go to an art school for college, since he did not get good grades in school, but had artistic talent.
~Forming the Beatles~
Elvis Presley’s explosion onto the rock music scene inspired a 16-year-old Lennon to create the skiffle band called the Quarry Men, named after his school. Lennon met Paul McCartney at a church fete on July 6, 1957. He soon invited McCartney to join the group, and the two eventually formed one of the most successful songwriting partnerships in musical history.
McCartney introduced George Harrison to Lennon the following year, and Harrison and art college buddy Stuart Sutcliffe also joined Lennon’s band. Always in need of a drummer, the group finally settled on Pete Best in 1960.
The first recording they made was Buddy Holly’s “That’ll be the Day” in 1958. In fact, it was Holly’s group, the Crickets, that inspired the band to change its name. Lennon would later joke that he had a vision when he was 12 years old — a man appeared on a flaming pie and said unto them, “From this day on, you are Beatles with an ‘A.'”
The Beatles were discovered by Brian Epstein in 1961 at Liverpool’s Cavern Club, where they were performing on a regular basis. As their new manager, Epstein secured a record contract with EMI. With a new drummer, Ringo Starr (Richard Starkey), and George Martin as producer, the group released their first single, “Love Me Do,” in October 1962. It peaked on the British charts at No. 17.
Lennon wrote the group’s follow-up single, “Please Please Me,” inspired primarily by Roy Orbison, but also fed by Lennon’s infatuation with the pun in Bing Crosby’s famous lyrics, “Oh, please, lend your little ears to my pleas,” from the song “Please.” The Beatles’ “Please Please Me” topped the charts in Britain. The Beatles went on to become the most popular band in Britain with the release of such mega-hits as “She Loves You” and “I Want To Hold Your Hand.”
Lennon married Cynthia Powell in August 1962. The couple had one son together, Julian, who was named after Lennon’s mother. Cynthia was forced to keep a very low profile during Beatlemania. She and Lennon divorced in 1968. He remarried the following year, on March 20, 1969, to Japanese avant-garde artist Yoko Ono, whom he had met at the Indica Gallery in November 1966.
~~GALLERY~~
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If I had to choose one of John’s songs as my favorite one I would be at a loss. The man was so talented and had a great way with words, music and messages.
I choose this one because I think this song has become a timeless, universal song which will be applied to many times in history.
Soothing as soothing can be … the power of the written word.
Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Balkhī know more popularly in the English-speaking world simply as Rumi (30 September 1207 – 17 December 1273), was a 13th-century Persian poet, jurist, theologian, and Sufi mystic.
Rumi’s importance is considered to transcend national and ethnic borders. His poems have been widely translated into many of the world’s languages and transposed into various formats.
He has been described as the “most popular poet in America” and the “best selling poet in the US”.
“This beautiful video on enlightenment by philosopher Alan Watts discusses how enlightenment, or simply ‘waking up’ (The Buddha means ‘awake’), is a simple process that any one is capable of, yet we disallow ourselves to do it as we feel we don’t deserve it. As he eloquently puts it: “when you’re ready to wake up, you’re gonna wake up, and if you’re not ready you’re going to stay pretending that you’re just some ‘poor little me’”.
This video is a wake up call to anyone who’s still asleep and doesn’t know why, or doesn’t even care. Watching this video however, will not wake you up, but hopefully will change your perspective and allow you the first step towards doing something about your lack of total happiness.”
“So then, here’s the drama. My metaphysics, let me be perfectly frank with you, are that there is the central Self, you could call it God you could call it anything you like. And its all of us. Its playing all the parts of all beings whatsoever everywhere and anywhere.
And its playing the game of hide and seek with itself. It gets lost, it gets involved in the farthest out adventures but in the end it always wakes up, and comes back to itself. And when you’re ready to wake up, you’re gonna wake up. And if you’re not ready your gonna stay pretending that you’re poor little me.”
Background music by Kitaro- “Endless Water” and “Tree” from his album “Ki”.
The drums of war seem to be starting their steady beating rhythm. It seems that no lessons were learned from Kuwait, the Iraq war ….. and what is happening now.
Seems that we are ready again to continue spinning the wheel that gets us nowhere while the people of these countries continue to suffer under the conditions of what was created by the interference of “this mighty power”.
By: DANA MILBANK The Washington Post
“It was just like the good old days.
Scooter Libby was in the front row. Paul Wolfowitz was in the second. And on the stage was Dick Cheney, beating the drums of war.
“The situation is dire, and defeating these terrorists will require immediate, sustained, simultaneous action across multiple fronts,” the former vice president proclaimed in a pre-buttal to President Obama’s prime-time speech on fighting the Islamic State.
“We should immediately hit them in their sanctuaries, staging areas, command centers and lines of communication wherever we find them,” Cheney told the audience at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank.
“We are at war,” he said, and “we must do what it takes, for as long as it takes, to win.” This means “we should have the draw down of our troops in Afghanistan halted,” that we should “take military action if necessary” in Iran, and give “full backing and support” of those fighting the Muslim Brotherhood.
In summary: War, war and more war.”
(WHO THE HELL CARES WHAT CHENEY THINKS ABOUT THIS ISSUE?)
“On March 19th, 2003, the United States and Great Britain led their second publicized military assault on Iraq. Under the facade of liberation and democracy, U.S. troops seized the country, securing the oil fields, the Ministry of Oil, the Interior Ministry (CIA), and taking the lives of thousands of people.
Iraq’s rich culture, history, and valuable assets were left vulnerable to stealth and destruction. In the years since, the lack of security, jobs, electricity, and potable water have made life for Iraqis unbearable. American troops are perceived by the indigenous population as occupiers — not liberators — for the Iraqi people are far better educated in U.S. history than Americans are themselves.
Our obligation to the people of Iraq, to the people of America, and to the rest of the world is the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of American troops and mercenaries from Iraq. The United States MUST liberate Iraq from its own brutal hands. This website is my attempt to explain why.”
Dahlia Wasfi (born 1971) is an Iraqi-American physician and peace activist.
~~Early life and education~~
Born in 1971 in New York to a Jewish-American mother and Muslim Iraqi father, Dr. Wasfi spent part of her early childhood living in Iraq under Saddam Hussein. She returned to the US at age 5, earned her B.A. in Biology from Swarthmore College in 1993 and her medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1997.
~~Activism~~
Part of Dr. Wasfi’s April 27, 2006 address to the Congressional Progressive Caucus:
“I speak to you today on behalf of relatives on my mother’s side — Ashkenazi Jews who fled their homeland of Austria during Hitler’s Anschluss. It is for them that we say ‘Never again.’ I speak to you today on behalf of relatives on my father’s side, who are not living, but dying, under the occupation of this administration’s deadly foray in Iraq. From the lack of security to the lack of basic supplies to the lack of electricity to the lack of potable water to the lack of jobs to the lack of reconstruction to the lack of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, they are much worse off now than before we invaded. ‘Never again‘ should apply to them, too.
“We declare our right on this earth …. to be a human being, to be respected as a human being, to be given the rights of a human being in this society, on this earth, in this day, which we intend to bring into existence by any means necessary.”
Dahlia Wasfi is an Iraqi-American physician and peace activist. Born in 1971 in New York to a Jewish-American mother and Muslim Iraqi father, Dr. Wasfi spent part of her early childhood living in Iraq.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT LINK. THIS BLOGGER INTRODUCED ME TO THIS DOCTOR. PLEASE, STOP AND TAKE A LOOK. EXCELLENT EYE-OPENING VIDEOS INCLUDED.
Richard Williams, better known by his stage name Prince Ea, is an American rapper and activist.
Prince Ea was born as Richard Williams on September 16, 1988 in St. Louis, Missouri, the youngest of three children, and has resided there his whole life. The alias Prince Ea is derived from Sumerian mythology (“The prince of the Earth“). He has also graduated from the University of Missouri, St. Louis with Latin honors.
He belongs to the new generation. He’s African-American. He’s very well educated. He’s a rapper and activist.
“Sei vorsichtig mit dem, was Du weisst. Damit beginnen Deine Probleme” 🍀 “Be careful of what you know. That’s where your troubles begin”
🌷
Wade in The 3 Body Problem
It Is What It Is 