Clearly not a mistake but pure serendipity. The seven-year old artist Leilah Poulain beams with a radiant smile as she proudly holds her masterpiece that is on display at London's Saatchi Gallery. Photo by: Adam Gray, SWNS.com
13 June 2011, Monday
MOVING WINDMILLS: The William Kamkwamba Story
YOU CAN SEE
Activist Caroline Cassey shares her extraordinary life story and the power of believing:
7 June 2011, Monday
HEALING WOUNDS
Fifty years after he took part in the mob beating of Rep. John Lewis, then a 21-year-old seminary student and member of Martin Luther King's Freedom Riders, Elwin Wilson apologizes to his victim. Rep. Lewis was beaten and attacked in May 1961 because he attempted to enter the area designated as "For Whites Only" in a bus station in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
"Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart." - Corrie ten Boom (1892-1983), Dutch Holocaust survivor and hero
VIA ABC News:
My Dearest Oprah,
You’re the first Person of the Week because it’s the first time I’m doing it and because you're really the Queen of Daytime Talk. I'm wondering how come your queenship is limited to Daytime Talk? Oh, I guess people don’t want a chatter bug like you to tuck them to bed. But I still love the episode when you and Maya Angelou are in bed and in your pajamas. You know what I mean. How can I forget that thunderous and almost Greek god-like voice of Maya Angelou talking beside you in the same bed. I know you’re not a lesbian. I know. And I think it’s a big loss to the lesbian community (I’m not saying the whole LGBT community, okay.) for not having you. But anyway, that bed scene is classy.
I watched so many of your shows throughout the years but I’m not what you can call a big fan or an “ultimate viewer” as you always say. I was there watching your very last episode and cried a bit when you walked off the stage and officially signed off. Oh, I love your dog Sadie’s reaction when she saw you. It was like “Is it the end now? Are we done with the final episode? How come no one woke me up? I was waiting for my cue.” Then you picked her up and the camera captured her puzzled look. Sadie’s face conveyed deep regret for having slept through the whole duration of the shoot of your final episode. Poor Sadie! But well, isn’t that what dogs do all day.
Also, I know it’s your show and you run it like a true ever-present queen. But you know Oprah, I was hoping you would ask OJ Simpson to come on your show and do your magic and hypnotizing to force him to tell the truth. Imagine an OJ Simpson confession on your show! But I know he wouldn’t do that. I was hoping too that you would invite Angelina Jolie for a tête-à-tête; just you and Angie on stage. But you didn’t. I know there was a clamor for her to come on your show as reported and still you didn’t give in. Although she appeared on your show for a brief pre-taped segment about her UNHCR work on world refugees, I was underwhelmed and left craving for more of her and you on the boob tube. Is that your sworn pledge to the Jen Aniston Team not to put her on your show?
Oprah, nobody steals a person. They give themselves away. Nobody knows what really happens in a marriage except the married couple and sometimes even themselves don’t know what’s happening in their married life. Suffice to say, I don’t like Jen a.k.a. Rachel Green.
Now, if you want to know what are my favorite shows among your more than 4,000 shows, I’ll tell you. I like the show when you paid tribute to your very handsome chocolate cocker spaniel, Solomon (1994-2008). You first introduced him on your January 1995 show and revealed to the world that he was Steadman's Christmas gift.
And...and...Oh I’m sorry Oprah, I got distracted by a pair of squirrels playing outside by the window. You know those pesky vegan squirrels and chipmunks, they often leave some acorns by the windowsill or at my doorstep, as if I eat or play with them. I have toys don’t they know. I eat chicken and drink buttermilk.
Anyway, moving on, there was also the dashing and demure, Sophie (1995-2008). She was sweet and charming. I wrote her a fan letter once asking what brand of shampoo she used because she had an amazing technicolor coat. Yes, beat that Joseph!
Lastly, the most heartwarming and tearjerking of all was your video tribute to your golden retriever’s untimely death. Gracie was intelligent and very devoted. I cried buckets of tears when I watched that show while munching on some fresh carrots and my favorite yogurt-covered banana slices. It left long tearstains on my face and it took days before I was finally able to rub it away. I was so devastated and touched by your devotion to your dearly beloveds that I hid under a pillow for over a day after watching that tribute video. I’ve learned something too after that show: Do not play with other dog’s toys. But you know, sometimes I can’t help it. Lessons learned.
I know you’ve said it before that your dogs made you a better person and you'll always remember how well they loved you back.
I know with this open letter, I’ll be the talk of my neighborhood once I post this on this blog. I’ll be the subject of many pee-mails around my area and they’ll cheer me on it. I hope you know what pee-mails are. I’m sure you’ve seen your dogs retrieving messages and checking their inboxes every time they do the sniff-sniff-hooray routine whenever they’re outside.
I don’t know if my cro-magnon-like cousin Hunter even knows you. He watches Teletubbies and Pinguchewables. You know, like chewing the vacuum cleaner hose or the rubber slip ons or even his own tail. He sometimes forget his manners when he sees other people.
Anyway, Miss Oprah, I hope you read this. You’re the Person of the Week. Hooray! And the squirrels and chipmunks outside agree too! Have a good rest and bask in the glory of 25 amazing years! See you on OWN!
Loving you always and forever and more than the squirrels and chipmunks outside,
Athena
P.S. I am available anytime for interview for any show on your Oprah Winfrey Network. I’m not sure if you’re able to send me a pee-mail but you can ask one of your dogs. Also, I’ve attached a picture of mine so that you’ll have a better picture of the next great superstar.
Watch a video of Oprah's tearjerking dog tribute to Solomon:
