Happy News - Susan Boyle is a Winner Indeed

Scottish singing sensation Susan Boyle's debut album "I Dreamed a Dream" has shot straight to the top of the US charts, according to Nielsen SoundScan. (Amazon.co.uk)

I was visiting my family in England this past April when Susan Boyle appeared on TV in this year’s “Britain’s Got Talent” competition.

When she walked onto the stage, she told the judges that she would love to be in Musical Theatre. She said that she would love to be like Elaine Paige. Competition Judge Simon Cowell smirked.

However, as soon as Susan Boyle opened her mouth to sing, the judges’ jaws started to drop in amazement. She sang, “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables, with the voice of an angel. Both the audience and the judges were stunned and as she finished her song, she received a standing ovation from the audience.

In the following days the media hounded her and wrote several ‘mean spirited’ remarks ridiculing her. Susan survived the media and finished in the finals of the competition. No, she did not win the “Britain’s Got Talent” competition, but she won the hearts of everyone who heard her sing.

It has been widely reported that Michelle Obama would like to have Miss Boyle perform at her 46th birthday party on January 17 next year. The special, private performance would also double as a celebration of President Obama’s first year of office. An offer to Miss Boyle has not been officially made yet, but it is believed that the invitation is to arrive to her soon.

“The President and First Lady absolutely love her voice and will be delighted if she agrees,” an unnamed White House spokesperson said.

Interest in Susan Boyle, as unlikely a star as she is, stunning for her incredible crystal clear and strong voice. Everyone is talking about her.

There is an official Susan Boyle Fan club online and a TV Special ‘I Dreamed a Dream: The Susan Boyle Story’, will air on Sunday 13th December at 8/7c exclusively on the TV Guide Network in the US, and Sunday, 13th December 2009, 9:30pm – 10:30pm on ITV in the UK.

The program is described as being a candid documentary of Susan Boyle’s journey from the small village of Blackburn in rural Scotland to international fame and fortune following her inspiring Britain’s Got Talent performance.

To be propelled from complete anonymity to global super stardom and having more than 300 million people downloading her on YouTube is an extraordinary transformation.

I do not have access to cable vision so I will not be able to watch the documentary, however, I do plan to buy the CD. I have been watching her story closely in the media and I became a fan from the first moment I heard her sing in England.

It is refreshing to see such a pure spirit soaring on high.

Veterans For Peace - Call To Action

I received the following from Veterans For Peace. I urge you to read it and plan your personal 'call to action' in response.

CALL TO ACTION

Endorsed by: Veterans For Peace, Military Families Speak Out, the A.N.S.W.E.R Coalition, National Assembly, National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance, United for Peace and Justice, andWorld Can't Wait.

Any day will likely come the sickening news that President Obama has decided to escalate the war in Afghanistan .

Here in the U.S. and no doubt around the world people will react in pain, anger and sorrow, knowing what tragedy and suffering will follow.

• It will mean at a very minimum that the U.S. will occupy Afghanistan for several more years, sending home dead and wounded soldiers while killing and wounding many times more Afghani people. The suffering in Afghanistan today will grow by orders of magnitude and the U.S. will be that much less secure in direct proportion.
• As tragic as it was to see Lyndon Johnson's "Great Society" crash and burn on the rocks of the Vietnam war, the stakes are much higher now. The U.S. economy today still teeters at the abyss. Escalating the Afghanistan war will not just be the ruin of desperately needed domestic programs but may very possibly destroy the entire economy.

For those reasons and many more we call upon our members and every U.S. citizen with a love of humanity in their heart to pledge to at least the following actions:

1) Within the next few days, ideally prior to any decision from President Obama, conduct any of a wide range of local activities -- from calling Members of Congress to nonviolent civil resistance and everything in between -- demonstrating our opposition to and disgust with any decision to widen the war in Aghanistan. To show unity of purpose, we suggest local "March of the Dead" to Federal Buildings, local Congressional offices and government buildings of any sort.

2) On the day immediately following an announcement to escalate the war in Afghanistan, respond again in a variety of ways. To show unity of purpose, we suggest

a) making an appointment that day with at least one group that you're not already a member of -- a church, union, civic group, etc. -- to go and speak with them about the war

b) return to the streets and again conduct any of a wide range of local activities -- from calling Members of Congress to nonviolent civil resistance and everything in between -- and be prepared to comment to the news media about the escalation of the war.

Barack Obama - Settling in at the White House..............

Contemplating in Solitude 

For the President's Eyes Only

What Would You Tell Me If You Could?

Listen Up To What I Told You Baby Girl........

What 's On My 'To Do' List Today?'

B-Ball In a Suit? This May Start a New Trend.

Working Late.

Reflecting in the Red Room

*****

Thanks to TIME Magazine  for these  wonderful photos.  

They truly give us a glimpse  of life in the White House as the First Family is settling into their new home.

The captions are by peacesojourner (with apologies to TIME)   :-)