World collapse explained in 3 minutes

You will understand all about European's economy during the crisis and laugh.

Facing the almighty by Arie Yudhistira

I feel nothing but spirituality looking at this photo by Arie Yudhistira and it is not because it was taken in Mecca during the annual pilgrimage. It has transcended religion and it has to do with spirituality. What an amazing effect this photo has. Looks like a painting.

Are illegal immigrants in favor of illegal immigration?

Surely not.

Cats and dogs

"Why are you hiding?" "I ate the mouse. I didn't want to, it was an accident." "Hmm... I don't think he'll buy it."

You will never need dieting again!

"Hmm... I don't know. I don't like to wait for phone calls and you are very full of yourself. I have the right weight now. Don't bother calling me."

Is Human Rights Watch an unbiased organization?

I have been following Human Rights Watch at Facebook and according to the comments of many people on different topics this organization is far from having an agenda that is free from US government interests.

Amnesty International has also been receiving many critics from people all over the world.

It seems that Human Rights Watch forgets that those who are committed in promoting human rights are not easily manipulated and are very critical. It is very sad that crimes against humanity are being used as propaganda and more crimes will result because of the actions of an organization that is supposed to promote human rights.

This is unnaceptable. If you pay attention to the issues Human Rights Watch raise they are all in accordance with US agenda US agenda or the topics that are covered by the mainstream media. Human Rights Organization does not have an agenda of it's own and this is not what humans right is all about.

Update: 11/28

I found this article by Tim Anderson, Sidney University, and want to share this:

"Human Rights Watch, however, is not funded by the US government. Yet it gets most of its funds from a variety of US foundations, in turn funded by many of the biggest US corporations. These wealthy, private foundations often tie their contributions to particular projects. So for example HRW's Middle East reports often rely on and acknowledge grants from pro-Israel foundations. Other groups ask for a focus on women’s rights or HIV/AIDS issues. More than 90% of HRW’s US$100 million budget in 2009 was "restricted" in this way. In other words, HRW offers a privatised, wealthy, US-based selection of rights issues."

"The HRW board is similarly dominated by the US corporate elite, such as banking and corporate media executives, and some academics, but not government officials. The board includes former Mexican foreign minister Jorge Castañeda (a former Marxist academic turned right-wing politician), while Chilean-born lawyer José Miguel Vivanco serves as director of HRW’s Americas division."

"This sort of "human rights intervention" is consistent with US foreign policy in Latin America. Dispensing with troublesome, independent regimes was practised ad nauseum throughout the "American Century", and was always backed by the US corporate elite. Delegitimisation campaigns have always preceded "regime change", for example in Guatemala and Chile. Human Rights Watch apparently sees no abuse of human rights in such interventions."(emphasis added)

read the article

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Anna Politkovskaya talks about risks that journalists face and freedom of speech

Next October, 7 will be Anna Politkovskaya death's anniversary. In October,7 2006 Anna was shot when entering the elevator of the building of her apartment. There is a good article "The heinous execution of Anna Politkovskaya" by St. James that also tells a little about her biography. I will write more posts about her till October, 7 as a tribute to such a great woman. Journalists of the mainstream media do not have this problem since they are working for the corporations that are ruling the world and forgot about ethics, integrity and what journalism is as this example shows. But for those who are committed to inform people and give analysis of what is happening they face death threats everywhere in the world and the number of those who were killed is high, killed for doing their work. We just saw what happened to some of them in Libya. America has to fight for the first amendment because what is happening in US is similar to what happens in totalitarian states.

"This is what I think about it: risk by definition is part and parcel of our profession."

"We live now in an era where normal values have been displaced. The good is called bad, the bad - good. I no longer think that we have freedom of speech in the sense that we had in the Yeltsin years. Our right to receive and distribute information is rationed."

Anna Politkovskaya

apartamento

substantivo apartamento, aposento

When they smile this way...

I was always fascinated by a certain smile some men do from time to time.

It took me a while to get these examples.

Eddie Vedder, Robert Plant, Johnny Depp and Richard Gere have this talent of smiling in a way... I don't know how to explain.

Michael Moore urges every American city to join "Occupy Wall Street" protest

What happens in Wall Street affects all the world but no. No! You will not see any news about the "Occupy Wall Street" protests as well as what is happening in Wisconsin and Ohio.

The corporate media want to hide any protest that goes against US government and its allies in America or in other part of the world.

But people are protesting and Americans are making their voices being heard.

You can check at Facebook, Twitter and at Occupy Wall Street site.

Reuters published three times about the protests with little information: here, here and here.
Even CNN wrote an article.

So, now we know... it is real! We all know that it is real if it is published at the mainstream media, don't we?

"The demonstrators were mostly college-aged marchers carrying American flags and signs with anti-corporate slogans. Some beat drums, blew horns and chanted slogans as uniformed officers surrounded and videotaped them." "Occupy Wall Street, they chanted, all day, all week." Reuters

They just forgot to show the students being beaten and arrested by the police but this is a detail. Who cares?

At the video there are demonstrators talking about their intentions but as I know that some people don't like clicking at the start button of videos I did a transcription of a little of what Michael Moore said:

"... this is gonna grow. Not only in Wall Street but in communities all over America. I would encourage people watching the show to think about... ok, you can't make it to New York city but there is a branch of Chase Bank in your town, there is a branch of the Bank of America and there is nothing preventing you from organizing a demonstration outside their branch with signs, with possible even civil disobedience to make your voices heard. They think they're gonna get away from this.These people stole the pension funds of the American public, stole their money stole the future of our kids and grandkids... they're kleptomaniacs and they think they're gonna get away with this. They have taken our democracy and formed into a kleptomocracy.
If we don't stand up, if we don't have our voices heard...
believe me they're not done yet."
Watch the video! These young are fighting not only for America but for the world:
"There is a bunch of people gambling with our futures."...  "Our politicians no longer represent us. the people..." 

click to twitter

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Literature: Prose according to Henry Green

"Prose is not to be read aloud but to oneself alone at night, and it is not quick as poetry but rather a gathering web of insinuations ... Prose should be a long intimacy between strangers with no direct appeal to what both may have known. It should slowly appeal to feelings unexpressed, it should in the end draw tears out of the stone ..."

Henry Green

22/11 mourning US crimes against humanity

Silencing makes of us accomplice.
I have been publishing about some of these crimes and I know some Americans who are deeply concerned with their government in domestic and foreign policies. 
US government is responsible for atrocities against Americans and in countries all over the world in a scale that it is no longer possible to ignore and the future looks darker.

Troy Davis was executed: the world is watching

I rather be silent. "Hurricane" is the song I feel like listening. "May God have mercy on your souls". These were the last words of Troy Davis, directed to prison officers, before he died by lethal injection. (read the story here)

Troy Davis x Rubin Carter: what Troy Davis don't have

Troy Davis don't have Bob Dylan to write a protest song telling his story.

I was a teenager living under dictatorship, because US wanted it in order to prevent communist regimes and other reasons, and this music was playing on the radios and though I could not understand all the lyrics, I emphasized the few lines and words I could understand in the seventies, and had nobody to ask what was it about I knew exactly what he was denouncing.

I got so angry when I heard it and justice was all I wanted as many of those who didn't know the whole story.At that time politics was part of culture and a man could not dare to say he didn't have political views. Men read newspapers in the morning, it was part of the ritual and he had to talk to his friends about political topics. I remember watching at the TV, that beautiful woman - just searched and it is Scarlet Rivera - with a long hair playing the violin, Bob Dylan guitar and singing. That's what many Americans did at that time and it set Rubin Hurricane Carter free. It was when I watched the movie Denzel Washington impersonates Rubin Carter that I became aware of the whole story. Again I'm angry because there are many stories like this one in US but America has gone back in time, or turned mad, or... whatever happened that even it's president after breaking many conventions and laws appears at the television claiming: "Justice was done." after the death of Osama bin Laden. If the president of United States of America gives this example, Obama ordering to shoot Osama is a crime according to international law, and this is one of many international laws US is breaking in the name of "protecting Americans", "humanitarian aid" and other "noble causes", what is striking is the way American is treating it's own citizens, black or white. Blacks, as always, at the death-row... same old story even when the case has international attention like Troy Davis that will be executed today, or the case of Mumia Abu Jamal to name two, US government remains silent, people remain silent. If you followed till here, thank you, this is the song that made a great part of the world be aware of the injustice Rubin Hurricane Carter was suffering and helped him have a trial.

Troy Davis? He is about to be executed 7:00 p.m. Greenwich Meantime.

This case has received world attention and Troy Davis didn't have a fair trial and is about to have a lethal injection. Names like Joan Baez, Salman Rushdie and others have twitted but who knows about it? What is happening to our culture that makes it impossible to people be responsible for what is happening and fight for justice of others or even manifest discontentment with a status quo that affects directly citizens daily life?

What is happening to Troy Davis went too far. Being on the verge of receiving the lethal injection after all of what was done? What is happening that made our voices blow in the wind without any result? America is playing with us, playing a ridiculous game and it is a shame. If Obama could see himself at today's speech trying to prevent Palestine to be part of UN the way many people do he would never show his face again. Obama, Sarkozy and others are clowns and all the elite that is ruling the world have power and are inflicting heinous pain to many. Ironically they are clowns who lost track of how ridiculous they look, how old their strategies are and how far from freedom they have always been. They are condemned from birth.

Update: Troy Davis will not be killed today and this case is being used I still don't know why. Update: September, 22, 2011 he was executed by lethal injection - (post above)


Hurricane
Bob Dylan

Pistol shots ring out in the barroom night


Enter Patty Valentine from the upper hall.
She sees the bartender in a pool of blood,
Cries out, "My God, they've killed them all!"
Here comes the story of the Hurricane,
The man the authorities came to blame
For somethin' that he never done.
Put in a prison cell, but one time he could-a been
The champion of the world.

Three bodies lyin' there does Patty see
And another man named Bello, movin' around mysteriously.
"I didn't do it," he says, and he throws up his hands
"I was only robbin' the register, I hope you understand.
I saw them leavin'," he says, and he stops
"One of us had better call up the cops."
And so Patty calls the cops
And they arrive on the scene with their red lights flashin'
In the hot New Jersey night.

Meanwhile, far away in another part of town
Rubin Carter and a couple of friends are drivin' around.
Number one contender for the middleweight crown
Had no idea what kinda shit was about to go down
When a cop pulled him over to the side of the road
Just like the time before and the time before that.
In Paterson that's just the way things go.
If you're black you might as well not show up on the street
'Less you wanna draw the heat.

Alfred Bello had a partner and he had a rap for the cops.
Him and Arthur Dexter Bradley were just out prowlin' around
He said, "I saw two men runnin' out, they looked like middleweights
They jumped into a white car with out-of-state plates."
And Miss Patty Valentine just nodded her head.
Cop said, "Wait a minute, boys, this one's not dead"
So they took him to the infirmary
And though this man could hardly see
They told him that he could identify the guilty men.

Four in the mornin' and they haul Rubin in,
Take him to the hospital and they bring him upstairs.
The wounded man looks up through his one dyin' eye
Says, "Wha'd you bring him in here for? He ain't the guy!"
Yes, here's the story of the Hurricane,
The man the authorities came to blame
For somethin' that he never done.
Put in a prison cell, but one time he could-a been
The champion of the world.

Four months later, the ghettos are in flame,
Rubin's in South America, fightin' for his name
While Arthur Dexter Bradley's still in the robbery game
And the cops are puttin' the screws to him, lookin' for somebody to blame.
"Remember that murder that happened in a bar?"
"Remember you said you saw the getaway car?"
"You think you'd like to play ball with the law?"
"Think it might-a been that fighter that you saw runnin' that night?"
"Don't forget that you are white."

Arthur Dexter Bradley said, "I'm really not sure."
Cops said, "A poor boy like you could use a break
We got you for the motel job and we're talkin' to your friend Bello
Now you don't wanta have to go back to jail, be a nice fellow.
You'll be doin' society a favor.
That sonofabitch is brave and gettin' braver.
We want to put his ass in stir
We want to pin this triple murder on him
He ain't no Gentleman Jim."

Rubin could take a man out with just one punch
But he never did like to talk about it all that much.
It's my work, he'd say, and I do it for pay
And when it's over I'd just as soon go on my way
Up to some paradise
Where the trout streams flow and the air is nice
And ride a horse along a trail.
But then they took him to the jail house
Where they try to turn a man into a mouse.

All of Rubin's cards were marked in advance
The trial was a pig-circus, he never had a chance.
The judge made Rubin's witnesses drunkards from the slums
To the white folks who watched he was a revolutionary bum
And to the black folks he was just a crazy nigger.
No one doubted that he pulled the trigger.
And though they could not produce the gun,
The D.A. said he was the one who did the deed
And the all-white jury agreed.

Rubin Carter was falsely tried.
The crime was murder "one," guess who testified?
Bello and Bradley and they both baldly lied
And the newspapers, they all went along for the ride.
How can the life of such a man
Be in the palm of some fool's hand?
To see him obviously framed
Couldn't help but make me feel ashamed to live in a land
Where justice is a game.

Now all the criminals in their coats and their ties
Are free to drink martinis and watch the sun rise
While Rubin sits like Buddha in a ten-foot cell
An innocent man in a living hell.
That's the story of the Hurricane,
But it won't be over till they clear his name
And give him back the time he's done.
Put in a prison cell, but one time he could-a been
The champion of the world.

undefined

Lamb staring

I never stared at a lamb.

Still turn me on

Life. Life always turn us on.

Al Jazeera publishes fake picture of Libyans celebrating Qaddafi's sons capture

I forgot that I have saved this picture that was published in Al Jazeera on August, 22 in the article "Libya freedom is in the air" by Larbi Sadiki. Why not a real photography? Why?

Update November 25, 2011

Now we know why: Saif al-Islam was captured November, 18, 2011.

CNN journalist Ben Wedeman, BBC, ABC and Al Jazeera creating fake stories direct from Libya

I had already noticed strange things in the news that are being reported from Libya but here are some evidences that should make each one of us stop and ask: 
where is integrity in the mainstream journalism?
That the official media creates stories that are not true we all know. Or didn't you ever consider questioning what you are watching? 
The first video by CNN is appalling because Ben Wedeman, a CNN international correspondent, do the job of an actor and describes from inside a car pretending to be in a situation that is not real.

He "acts" and is filmed in an angle that we cannot see what surrounds him: inside a car reporting what is "happening" around him:

Ben Wedeman (CNN journalist @bencnn): "Gunfire all around us and we believe that Qaddafi's forces..." and he keeps inside the car pretending to be in danger when what you hear are the same sounds of shootings being repeated over and over again.
I just wonder if Ben was in Tripoli or in his garage or backyard because it makes no difference whatsoever. 

The other two videos by ABC and BBC1 shows green square in India saying it was live from Tripoli.

You can see the Indian flag that has green, white and orange instead of the 1951 Libyan independent flag that is red, black and green.

Now it is up to you to decide if you do not find a little bit strange what the mainstream media is telling you.

The forth video is from a Libyan girl.
Journalists that are not accountable for breaking ethical values should be penalized by their peers but it is hard to achieve fairness when one is working to organizations which sole aim is to create disinformation.
The independent journalists are those who we can rely those who work with passion for telling the real story and instead of receiving awards are murdered or receive threats while doing their jobs.
Thierry Meyssan reports what happened on August, 22 in Tripoli when CIA agents pretended to be journalists at Rixos Hotel, here. 
What the corporate media is doing is revolting, repugnant and making journalists being accomplices of crimes.

                       

Puppies are irresistible

My dog is ill and I have to take care of her. The most important is to find a good vet and in my city we have a shelter that has a team of vets that have experience with all kind of diseases.

When my dog had mammal tumors her surgery was there and this is where she will go now.

Fortunately she is in a good mood and eating well. These pictures I took from the Facebook account of this shelter.

I will do all I can and I told her that I will not let her suffer even for a day. I don't want to prolong her life if she happens to need any treatment that is painful.

I love her very much to be selfish. She will be fine after the surgery. I'm sure.

Vermeer's Girl with a pearl earring

Last April I did a post about Vermeer's "Girl with a pearl earring" that I believe must be known by many people because of the movie and because this painting is being used in advertisements and as a decoration in mugs, umbrellas, bags and any place people want it to be printed. The left picture is the puzzle I did here, you can do it too, and if you get in trouble with the black pieces there is the "auto solve" button to help you. The right picture is a toilet advertisement and I don't know what to think about it but my face contracts some muscles when I look at it... I have to check at the mirror to know what it means.

9/11 anniversary: Philippe Petit the first to attack the WTC twin towers

Many times when we look up we see magic and in 8/7/1974 Philippe Petit amazed the world by crossing between the twin towers eight times. He danced, he smiled at the cop that wanted to arrest him and spent 45 minutes walking on the wire.

At the end of the spectacle Philippe was arrested and sent to a psychiatric evaluation and finally released.

For the tenth anniversary of 9/11 daring to dream, to stand up for ideals, to regain the power of not fearing is what would help this world being wonderful again.

"What really touchs me is when people come to me and say they are inspired. Because it is something we need in life, we need to be inspired."
"To not go to where you believe... then where will you go? Where people tell you to go?
"I did my homework for months and months and months, for actualy eight months on location after having done months of study of the towers as they have been build.
That is what to do to rob a bank except I didn't want to rob anything
I wanted to give a beautiful gift of my high wire walk."
"Death is very close."
"We live in a world where our senses are dulled by so many images, where we surrender ourselves to little robots. I hate my century, I hate what's going on around me, so I don't participate. I don't have a laptop, I don't have a cellphone, I can`t send an email. I'm an imbecile! But I say that with pride."
Philippe Petit

"Several minutes later these guys came to arrest us and the first thing they said to Philippe and myself was: "where is your id?", "where is your id?". Philippe's english wasn't as good in those days and he thought they were saying: "What is your idea?"

Mark Lewis

Philippe's previous illegal coups were high-wiring between the two spires of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris (in the middle of a mass), and between the giant northern pylons of Sydney Harbour Bridge which is what the video shows.

9/11 Memorial and Museum's mission has to be revised

"THE MISSION of the Memorial Museum, located at the World Trade Center site, is to bear solemn witness to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993. The Museum honors the nearly 3,000 victims of these attacks and all those who risked their lives to save others. It further recognizes the thousands who survived and all who demonstrated extraordinary compassion in the aftermath. Demonstrating the consequences of terrorism on individual lives and its impact on communities at the local, national, and international levels, the Museum attests to the triumph of human dignity over human depravity and affirms an unwavering commitment to the fundamental value of human life." (emphasis added)

The 9/11 Memorial and museum mission is described as above at the site. 
It takes as true the final report of the 9/11 Commission created by former US president George Bush even thou it was criticized because of its members conflict of interests and the lack of evidences to support that the towers collapsed because of the planes it is the official version, it is history.
The final report has been questioned by many among them David Gray Griffin who claimed that the report "simply cannot be trusted". Dr. Griffin wrote ten books about 9/11 being the first "The 9/11 Commission Report: Omissions And Distortions" and the last "9/11 Ten years after" that is out of stock at Amazon.
If the mission of the 9/11 memorial and museum is by "demonstrating the consequences of terrorism on individual lives and its impact on communities at the local, national, and international levels" attests 'the triumph of human dignity" but many people, including family members of the victims, do not accept the official version this mission is not achieved. 
Ten years after the tragedy we are at the ground zero in what history is concerned. It makes no sense to visit a museum that does not explain historical facts but, on the contrary, helps misinforming and is propaganda that lead to acts that violate human rights.
Human dignity is what is at stake in the 9/11 story - it is still a "story" - and without the participation of people's trust history cannot be made. 
If there are doubts backed with evidences that the towers collapsed due to explosions and not because of the planes a report cannot be taken as a piece of history. 
The reaction of Bush administration to 9/11 was the source of panic and despair for American citizens and the world and led the war on terror that is still on course. 
The mainstream media is using tomorrow's ten years commemoration of 9/11 to cause more panic claiming that US can suffer a terrorist attack. 
This is unacceptable and insults the memory of those who died, their families and ten thousand of people who died in the war at their countries.
It seems that US government, politicians and the elite that is ruling US and it's allies forgot the senses of dignity, integrity and have interests that are not in favor of those they represent.
The claims for more investigation and truth on 9/11 is being ignored by US government what is amazing since we are talking about something so serious.
Claiming that it is all conspiracy theory is not the answer but of course that is the answer we will have for a long time. 
Here you have Mrs Hillary Clinton claiming that Al-Qaeda plans to attack tomorrow. Where is dignity and accountability? This is a circus.

Wordless thursday

Caption this picture. Picture "Friendship" by Healzo.

R.I.P. Kevin Cosgrove 9/11 victim: The world wants the truth about 9/11

I was searching for a video of the towers collapsing and got lost because there are many videos with different explanations and I don't know which would be the best. You can go to YouTube and search for them.


Yes, another post about 9/11. What happened to me is that on 9 of September, 2001 when I watched what the TV channels explained I did not believe the story. I simply could not understand how the towers collapsed because of the planes. I kept it to myself and did not tell anybody because it would sound crazy. All the media explaining... I didn't follow what they said especially after former president Bush's speech about the war on terror and later on 2002 the expression "axis of evil".


I was thinking about not publishing this post but I realized that the life of this man, whose last words were recorded, and the two men at the same room he was and all the families of the victims of this tragedy deserves explanation. What has really made the towers collapse? Why all the evidences were destroyed? We want the truth. The world wants the truth. If you don't want to listen this is the transcript of, Kevin Michael Cosgrove's, 46 years old, 


Residence: West Islip, N.Y. call to 911. WARNING: Contains explicit language.

9-11: What's the telephone number I can tell FD to push up? What's the telephone number you're calling from?


KC: I can barely see.


9-11: You can barely see?


KC: 4-4-1... .


9-11: 4-4-1... .


KC: 2-6-2-3


9-11: That's on the 105th floor of the Northwest corner, right?


KC: Right.


9-11: At number Two World Trade Center?


KC: Right ... Lady, there's two of us in this office. We're not ready to die, but it's getting bad.


9-11: I understand, sir. We're trying to get all the apparatuses there. I am trying to let them know where you are. Stay on the line


KC: Oh, please hurry.


Fire Department: Let me talk to the caller please ... Let me talk to the caller. Where is he?


9-11: He's on the line.


FD: Let me talk to him ... Where is the fire, sir?


KC: Smoke really bad. 105 Two Tower.


FD: Alright. Sit tight. We'll get to you as soon as we can.


KC: They keep saying that, but the smoke's really bad now.


FD: That's all we can do now.


KC: What floor are you guys up to?


FD: We're getting there. We're getting there.


KC: Doesn't feel like it, man. I got young kids.


FD: I understand that, sir. We're on the way.


9-11: He's on the 105th floor in the Northwest corner.


KC: He hung up on me ... Hello, operator?


9-11: Yes?


KC: Come on, man.


9-11: We have everything we need, sir.


KC: I know you do, but doesn't seem like it ... You got lots of people up here.


9-11: I understand.


KC: I know you got a lot in the building, but we are on the top. Smoke raises, too. We are on the floor. We're in the window. I can barely breathe now. I can't see.


9-11: Okay, just try to hang in there. I'm going to stay with you.


KC: You can say that, you're in an air-conditioned building. What the hell happened?


9-11: Okay. I'm still here ... still trying ... The Fire Department is trying to get to you.


KC: Doesn't feel like it.


9-11: Okay, try to calm down so you can conserve your oxygen, okay? Try to ...


KC: Tell God to blow the wind from the West. It's really bad. It's black. It's arid. Does anyone else wanna chime in here? We're young men. We're not ready to die.


9-11: I understand.


KC: How the hell are you going to get my ass down? I need oxygen.


9-11: They're coming. They're getting you. They have a lot of apparatuses on the scene.


KC: It doesn't feel like it, lady. You get them in from all over. You get 'em in from Jersey. I don't give a shit. Ohio.


9-11: Okay, sir. What's your last name?


KC: Name's Cosgrove. I must have told you about a dozen times already. C.O.S.G.R.O.V.E. My wife thinks I'm alright. I called and said I was leaving the building and that I was fine and then -- bang ... Cherry. Doug Cherry. Doug Cherry's next to me. 105. Whose office? John Ostaru's office?


9-11: That's where he said? That's the office?


KC: We're in John Ostaru's office. O.S.T.A.R.U.


9-11: A.R.U.


KC: Right. That's the office we're in. There are three of us in here.


9-11: Ostaru. Hello?


KC: Hello. We're looking in ... We're overlooking the Financial Center. Three of us. Two broken windows. Oh God. Oh ... (the tower collapses)

9/11 official version poll

I just did a poll at the side bar about 9/11 official version. As ten years went by and the consequences of the tragedy is being described by some as a day that changed the history and there are still questions being raised I feel the need to keep searching. I thank you for answering the poll.

Update November, 18, 2011:

The right image is the result of the poll that was done from 11/06/2011 to 11/14/2011. Click to enlarge

Jose Royo's women

The paintings I wanted to share of the Spanish artist Royo are at this site and I cannot copy them. There are few sites about him so I did chose these two. I still didn't see all of his work because what is at the web are in auctions and galleries for sale and the art market is interested in showing what they think the public likes or will buy. I like the women and the way he treats colors but without the context of his work his art is reduced to them.

It is getting more and more difficult to find reproductions of artists because the sites that sell "repainted"  copies of the great masters appear first. It is just like buying plastic flowers. 

This is the text about Royo that is everywhere:

"Recognized for his unique style that blends passion for French Impressionism with the bold color and warm light of Mediterranean painting, Royo began demonstrating his artistic talent early. Born in 1945 in Valencia, Spain, Jose Mateu San Hilario, “Royo,” received private drawing, painting, and sculpture lessons beginning at age 9. Embracing his compelling artistic desire, Royo continued his artistic studies and visited the major museums in Europe to study the famous masters— Velasquez, Goya, Renoir, Monet, and Sorolla among others. In 1968 Royo began to exhibit in Spain, specifically prestigious galleries in Lisbon, Madrid and Barcelona. With positive reception of his works, he received commissions to paint the royal portraits of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia. At the age of 25, Royo began feeling a growing desire to paint the land of his birth; to convey the light, the color, and the intensity of Valencia and the Mediterranean. This meant a new focus and change of style in his work; he needed to perfect new ways to capture light and shadow, and to work on classical composition. From 1989 through the present, we see Royo's distinct, mature style. His dramatic use of color and texture to capture his subject matter with unique flair. Today he is best known for his sensual portraits of women that combine an intimate, contemplative, moment with the powerful energy of explosive color and swirling movement. It is the juxtaposition of the two that set Royo’s work apart from any other artist today."

Inquisitive women by Raymond Logan

I just came across with Raymond Logan's work and found some impressive paintings and I don't know why these two were the ones I felt like sharing.
The left one is Russia, her actual name is Russia, and right is Weyni.
Their inquisitive and indignant expressions in contrast with the vibrant colors of their faces is what I like the most.

Gigi Ibrahim in US learning how to be an Egyptian socialist revolutionary

When the revolution started she had around one thousand friends at Facebook. Now if you go to her profile, 3094 friends, take a look at her pictures and see the effects of a revolution backed by US: everything is happiness! She is smiling and her pictures are so inspiring and everything is so western that we believe that democracy and west are inseparable. This is her favorite picture you can read her caption:

Gigi Ibrahim

one of my all time favorite pictures, this was 2005 in D.C. first time in snow!! ohh the good old days, i want snow :( like now!

"The good old days." (click at the image to read)
This article "Arab Spring: Lies and Intervention", by Globalresearch.ca is a must-read for those who want to understand the Arab Spring. This is the part about Egypt:

"Due to being inspired by the success of the Tunisian protests, the Egyptian people launched their own protest movement, calling for the overthrow of US puppet Hosni Mubarak. However, the US was busy co-opting the protest movement.

The US used the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) as a cover to help co-opt the protest movement. Ironically, the NED is not used for the spreading of democracy, rather it was established by the Reagan administration to aid in the overthrow of foreign governments, after the CIA’s covert operations were revealed. The NED was supported “As a bipartisan endowment, with participation from the two major parties, as well as the AFL-CIO and US Chamber of Commerce, the NED took over the financing of foreign overthrow movements, but overtly and under the rubric of ‘democracy promotion.’” [6] Thus, the US supported both Mubarak and the protesters, in a bid to make sure that no matter what occurred, America would still get its way.

The civil society groups had a major influence on Egyptian activists as in May 2009 the activists
"spent a week in Washington receiving training in advocacy and getting an inside look at the way U.S. democracy works. After their training, the fellows were matched with civil society organizations throughout the country where they shared experiences with U.S. counterparts. The activists [wrapped] up their program this week by visiting U.S. government officials, members of Congress, media outlets and think tanks." [7] (emphasis added)
Thus, due to the US aiding the activists, the Americans ensured that the protesters owed them a debt and that US interests would be secure even if Mubarak was ousted.
The US also had deep military ties to Egypt, seeing as how they were the largest recipient of US foreign aid next to Israel. Also, the US wanted to make sure that Israel wasn't threatened, as both nations were worried that a new government in Egypt might cancel the 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty.
While the Egyptian military is currently in control until elections, no matter what occurs, America will still have its way."

Update: September,8, 2011

I have some updates for this post cause I don't want to do another with the name of someone that I should not have even care. I don't have time now so I will just put the quotations she has at her FB profile. Why Nike's slogan is one of them I have no idea and why Marx "Every struggle is a class struggle." is another that sounds like an irony. But this middle-class girl, she is a girl, is not supposed to be taken as seriously as I thought. I'll do the rest of the update later.

These are her favorite quotes at Facebook:

Every struggle is a class struggle (Marx)

Get busy living or get busy dying (Shawshank)

I am on purpose (ME)

a man who dare to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life (Darwin)

Just Do IT (nike)

all the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on (Henry Ellis)

Believe that life is worth living & your belief will create the fact (William James)

Freedom is earned not given (NOt sure)

KNow Your Rights (NOt Sure)

Look at this video and I believe I do not need to add anything.

This is so funny! Who said "Facebook Generation"? It is so right! If I had seen it before I would not even care about publishing about a woman whose smartphone lacks an Arabic keyboard. But at the same time it is good to make people see how US co-opts people that are willing to have their 15 minutes of fame to create a reality that is not true and to distort facts.
The real activists, that were fighting years before, have nothing to do with this display of immaturity and lack of activism and politics understanding the video below shows. 
It is a mockery and when she says "I took a class." answering how she became an activist Jon Steward reaction is... you have to see it. I assure you the fun. Sad, but funny.

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,

JS: How did you end up in Tahir Square during the protests and how did you end up becoming known as part of this group that helped Egypt rise up against Mubarak?
Gigi: I took a class.
JS: Would you like to say that one more time for me?
Gigi: Yes. I took a class at the American University in Cairo, "The social mobilization under authoritarian regime".
(laughs)
"I was very out of touch with the opposition movement because it is not something you read on the paper or it is advertised. No you don't find that. So, you have to get in touch with the right people I guess."
The class was a great to learn what was the history of it, what was happening.
I really was unaware that there was such an opposition movement that was great and happening for decades, with ups and downs but.
We have a great speaker who actualy a great blogger, an activist himself, Hossam El-Hamalawy, and I knew him I got to meet a lot of people I went to one protest and the rest is history. I was in Tahir January, 25." (emphasis added)
A revolution is not done by phone.