Glutter:

A line of tanks and a man. June 4th 1989

Remember what those who died wanted in life. Remember many lived. They still hope.

Photo: Diva Diana Ross & Chandelier

Echo Park, Los Angeles

Photo: Thoughts to those unfairly detained.

Cards we made for Guantanamo Bay Prisoners. President Obama please end this. #amnestyinternational 

My son's first direct action: Making cards for Guantanamo Bay Hunger Strikers

Dear Friends,

Have you ever doubted the power of a letter? 

If so, read this note Amnesty received from Sami al Haj, who was held at Guantanamo without charge for years and finally transferred home to Sudan in 2008:

“I received more than 20,000 letters from members and supporters of Amnesty International during my last two years at Guantánamo Bay. These letters really encouraged me during my very difficult time. They made me feel as though I was not alone and not to give up. Also, I felt and could notice that from all these letters, the Administration of Guantánamo Bay changed and improved towards me, as they knew I was not alone and I had people who cared about me. The guards said to me that they could see I was someone who mattered and must be important because of all the letters–this made them respect me more.”

Today, after 111 days of the hunger strike and 11 years of indefinite detention, messages of hope are more important than ever. Can you spare a moment to write?

It's quick, easy and effective, here's how:

The list below provides names and details of  Guantanamo detainees to whom messages of solidarity--postcards, cards or letters--may be sent.  These have been selected on the basis of 
receiving consent from their lawyers to do so.

Younous Chekkouri, for example, would love pictures of flowers, especially roses, as he enjoys drawing them.

Where we have the information, we have noted that the person is on hunger strike.  Bear in mind that others on the list may also be on hunger strike, but we do not have that information at the present time. We have included details for some detainees where we have it (provided by the attorneys) which you may find useful for your messages.  Where we have included the information "approved for transfer," this is taken from the official US government list of detainees who have been classified as such.

• Messages should be kept to simple messages of greeting and goodwill.  Do not include political comments.
• Only send non-religious cards, and avoid referring to religion in your message.  For example: rather than writing "you are in our prayers", write "you are in our thoughts."
• Include your name and address (including country) in your message.  If you receive a reply, please send a copy to me.
• Write your message in simple English, unless specifically stated otherwise.

Address to which messages should be sent:

Detainee name and ISN number
Camp Delta
US Naval Guantánamo Bay, Cuba
Washington DC 20355
USA

Please let me know if you were able to write, so that we can keep a tally.

Name	Nationality	Date of birth	Languages for messages	Details	Transferred to GTMO
Umar Abdulayev  [ISN 257]	Tajik	11 October 1978	Russian, Farsi or simple English	Approved for transfer	2002
Hisham Sliti  [ISN 174]	Tunisian	2 December 1966	English, Arabic, French or Italian	On hunger strike. Approved for transfer	2002
Shaker Aamer  [ISN 239]	Saudi Arabian (British resident)	12 December 1968	English or Arabic	On hunger strike. Approved for transfer Last remaining British resident Has never seen his youngest son	2002
Ismail Ali Farag al - Bakush [ISN 708]	Libyan	1 July 1968	English or Arabic	Approved for transfer	2005
Sanad Ali al-Kazimi  [ISN 1453]	Yemeni	17 February 1970	English or Arabic	On hunger strike Approved for transfer	2004
Samir Mukbel  [ISN 43]	Yemeni	1 December 1977	Arabic or English	On hunger strike.   “I am now 35.  All I want is to see my family again and to start a family of my own…I just hope that because of the pain we are suffering, the eyes of the world will once again look to Guantánamo before it is too late.” 14/04/13	2002
Mohsen Aboassy  [ISN 91]	Yemeni	1 January 1979	Arabic or English	On hunger strike. Enjoys reading about football Likes pics of nature, esp from magazines like National Geographic	2002
Said bin Salman  [ISN 251]	Yemeni	25 April 1975	Arabic or English	On hunger strike.	2002
Adel al Hakeemy  [ISN 168]	Tunisian	27 March 1965	Arabic or English	On hunger strike. Approved for transfer Exercises and reads daily, hopes to own a restaurant one day	2002
Younous Chekkouri  [ISN 197]	Moroccan	5 April 1968	Arabic or English	On hunger strike. Enjoys drawing, esp roses, would love pics of flowers	2002
Abdullatif Nasser  [ISN 244]	Moroccan	4 March 1965	Arabic or English	On hunger strike.	2002
Nabil Hadjarab [ISN 238]	Algerian	21 July 1979	French	On hunger strike. Approved for transfer Dreams of raising a family in France	2002
Ahmed Belbacha  [ISN 290]	Algerian	13 November 1969	Arabic or English	On hunger strike. Approved for transfer Likes to play football	2002
Ali al Shaaban  [ISN 327]	Syrian	6 March 1982	Arabic or English	On hunger strike. Approved for transfer	2002
Jihad Dhiab  [ISN 722]	Syrian	10 July 1971	Arabic or English	On hunger strike. Approved for transfer	2002
Ahmed Abdulaziz  [ISN 757]	Mauritanian	24 February 1970	Arabic or English	On hunger strike. Approved for transfer	2002
Saifullah Paracha [ISN 1094]	Pakistani	17 August 1947	English	On hunger strike. History of multiple health issues, has suffered 3 heart attacks while in GTMO.  Studied/lived in NY for over a decade	2004
Abdul Sabour  [ISN 275]	Uighur	1 January 1974	Uighur or basic English	On hunger strike. Approved for transfer, cannot return home for fear of torture	2002
Khalid Ali  [ISN 280]	Uighur	27 July 1977	Uighur or basic English	On hunger strike. Approved for transfer, cannot return home for fear of torture	2002
Sabir Osman  [ISN 282]	Uighur	1 January 1974	Uighur or basic English	On hunger strike. Approved for transfer, cannot return home for fear of torture	2002

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Please also continue to press President Obama to respect the human rights of Guantanamo detainees: sign the petition at www.amnestyusa.org/closeit, write a letter to the White House and call the White House comment line at202.456.1111

Best,

Zeke

Zeke Johnson
Director, Security with Human Rights Campaign
--------------------------------------------------------
Amnesty International USA
5 Penn Plaza, 16th Floor
New York, NY 10001
Desk: 212.633.4256 
Cell: 646.853.9779
www.amnestyusa.org/security
www.facebook.com/swhrcampaign
@ZekeJohnsonAi



Working to protect human rights worldwide
DISCLAIMER
This email has been sent by Amnesty International of the U.S.A., Inc. (a tax-exempt organization registered in the U.S.A., with registered office at 5 Penn Plaza, New York, NY 10001). Internet communications are not secure and therefore Amnesty International U.S.A. does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this message. If you are not the intended recipient you must not disclose or rely on the information in this e-mail. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Amnesty International U.S.A. unless specifically stated. Electronic communications including email might be monitored by Amnesty International U.S.A. for operational or business reasons.

Jewelry Design: Rabbit Earrings From Childhood Pendants

I made these earrings from old rabbit pendants from childhood..

Video: Dolphins on the Side of the Boat!

Jewelry Design: For Old School Friends Who Live in Different Countries..

LA Observed: Eli Broad and the LA Times | Which Way L.A.?

This is quite exciting, as it's been suggested in order for the newspaper to survive it would need to be supported by a non-profit foundation, as the original business model no longer works. Seems like Eli Broad, may test this out with the LA Times... 

"Los Angeles businessman and philanthropist Eli Broad has reportedly partnered with investment banker and former L.A. Deputy Mayor Austin Beutner to make a bid for the Los Angeles Times.

they would consider purchasing the block of Tribune Company newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune, The Baltimore Sun, and the Hartford Courant, and then sell off some of those titles.

Beutner and Broad would reconfigure the Times into a nonprofit, which Beutner would run while Broad joins its board of governors.

via blogs.kcrw.com

 

http://blogs.kcrw.com/whichwayla/2013/03/la-observed-eli-broad-and-the-la-times

Yan Sham-Shackleton shared an Instagram photo with you

Hi there,

Yan Sham-Shackleton just shared an Instagram photo with you. Visit the following link to see it:

BBC News - Bolshoi dancer Dmitrichenko 'did not mean acid attack'

Bolshoi dancer Dmitrichenko 'did not mean acid attack'

Pavel Dmitrichenko appeared in court in a holding cell

Continue reading the main story

Related Stories

• Bolshoi dancer detained over attack
• Bolshoi manager spars with dancer
• Trouble backstage at the Bolshoi

A Bolshoi Ballet dancer accused over an attack on artistic director Sergei Filin has told a court he did not mean for him to be splashed with acid.

Soloist Pavel Dmitrichenko is accused of masterminding the attack. He appeared in court with two other men accused of helping carry it out.

Police say all three have confessed.

Mr Filin's eyesight was badly damaged when a masked attacker threw sulphuric acid in his face outside his Moscow home in January.

After a series of operations on his eyes, the 42-year-old has been moved to Germany, where doctors have expressed hope that further treatment may be able to restore good vision.

The attack opened a window into bitter infighting and rivalries inside the Bolshoi theatre, correspondents say.

Mr Dmitrichenko was detained on Tuesday.

On Thursday, he told the Moscow court that he had complained about Mr Filin to an acquaintance who offered to "beat him up", the Associated Press news agency reports.

"It's not true that I ordered him to throw acid at Filin," Mr Dmitrichenko is quoted as saying.

via www.bbc.co.uk

Vase-the Moon, 2008 ceramic shards, by Yeesookyung

Source: mca.com.au via Eva on Pinterest

BREAK UP/MAKE UP

Be inspired by Yeesookyung’s work Translated Vase-the Moon, 2012. Break up everyday objects, and reconstruct them into artworks in order to create new meaning.


Image:
Yeesookyung
Translated Vase-the Moon, 2008
ceramic shards, epoxy, 24k gold
64 × 64 × 64 cm
Courtesy the artist and GALLERY HYUNDAI, Seoul

 

Source: blog.pawlingprintstudio.com via Yan on Pinterest

Source: blog.pawlingprintstudio.com via Yan on Pinterest

Bolshoi Acid Attack: Mastermind's Confession

Ballet matters so much in Russia.. such passions...

A ballet star at the Bolshoi Theatre has confessed to being the mastermind of an attack on the theatre's ballet chief, according to police.

Moscow police said Pavel Dmitrichenko, who has been suspected of planning the attack, had now admitted being behind it.

Sergei Filin, the artistic director of the Bolshoi ballet, suffered severe burns to his eyes and face on January 17 when an attacker threw sulphuric acid in his face as Mr Filin returned home late at night.

......

Last month, the ballet postponed its production of Stravinsky's The Rite Of Spring and in January, leading ballerina Svetlana Lunkina fled to Canada after receiving unconnected threats.

The case has focused attention on the bitter rivalries within the ballet world.

The Bolshoi has been plagued by intrigue and infighting that has led to the departure of several artistic directors over the past few years.

http://news.sky.com/story/1060711/bolshoi-acid-attack-masterminds-confession

 

via news.sky.com

Notes from Motherhood..

K: Mummy, I saved this pudding for you.
Y: Awww. It's okay, I will have a bite and you can eat the rest.
K: But, I saved it for you because I don't like it.

--

K: Mummy, stop it, you used the bad word! 
Y: Which word was that? 
K: You said "No," that is a bad word. I don't like it.

--

Wanted to improve K's room. Showed him some spaceship and planets decals. He said, "Why don't we make some instead." My darling boy.. Yes!!

Keeping My Son Behind due to Spending Cuts... sigh.

With all the funding cuts in the schools now and forever, I think I am going to keep my son in pre-school an extra year. Otherwise he will be one of the youngest in class, and his teacher said he's borderline. He could benefit from staying, although, might not be unnecessary. Is it worth taking a risk at this point? How disadvantaged would he be if he is at the bottom of the class, in a system that's struggling to even provide for the best? 

This is so wrong. President Obama won the election, but the Republicans are obstructing, so the country does worse, and they can then blame the democrats for the difficulties we endure, just to gain power.