Treasures of Wonderment
An online magazine promoting positive change through creative living: stories, featured artists and a writer's corner.
Updated: 17 min 55 sec ago
Armin Arefi
Français d'origine iranienne, Armin Arefi, vingt-six ans, est journaliste. Correspondant à Téhéran de plusieurs grands médias de 2005 à 2007, il est l'auteur de Dentelles et tchador (Pocket, 2009) et tient un blog consacré à l'actualité de l'Iran sur le site du Monde.
En Iran, on discrédite Sakineh à la télé pour mieux l’exécuter by Armin Arefi
En Iran aussi, la télévision aime diffuser les confessions de ses pauvres âmes en péril. Face à la mobilisation internationale visant à sauver Sakineh Ashtiani Mohammadi de lapidation pour adultère, les autorités iraniennes ont décidé de mettre tout le monde d’accord en diffusant hier sur la télévision d’Etat une interview de l’Iranienne confessant qu’elle a été complice du meurtre de son mari et qu’elle entretenait bien une relation adultère avec le cousin de celui-ci.
TW Newsletter Number 18 - August 2010
Welcome to the August 2010 Treasures of Wonderment Newsletter, an online magazine promoting positive change through creative living.
In this issue:
GIVE US A HAND, PLEASE!
Tunisia - Rached Trimèche, a Tunisian decides to go on a crusade against 50 million bottles of plastic! "A project for the environment: five million bottles to recycle" is the name of this environmental project that saw light in January 2010 at Ben Arous and has expanded throughout the entire country of Tunisia. Read more... [French version available]
WE WANT TO CONNECT
5 questions asked to Hedgebrook alumna Ruth Forman, Poet, Novelist and Screenwriter. How do you describe yourself as a writer? How did you discover poetry? What is the special power of poetry? What are you working on now? Are there themes that you keep coming back to as a writer? Read more...
GROW FOR ADVERSITY
Give Us a Hand, Please!
(Version française ci-dessous) Tunisia - Rached Trimèche, a Tunisian decides to go on a crusade against 50 million plastic bottles! "A project for the environment: five million bottles to recycle" is the name of this environmental project that saw light in January 2010 at Ben Arous and has expanded throughout the entire country of Tunisia.
Un Coup de Main, S'il Vous Plaît
Version française de l'article ci-dessus "Give Us A Hand, Please!' WMC, Tunisia - Un Tunisien part en croisade… contre 50 millions de bouteilles en plastique. «Un geste pour l'environnement : cinq millions de bouteilles à recycler» est le nom d’une campagne nationale sanitaire qui a vu le jour à Ben Arous en janvier 2010 et qui s’étend depuis sur toute la Tunisie.
We Want To Connect
Hedgebrook - Women Authoring Change. 5 questions asked to Hedgebrook alumna Ruth Forman, Poet, Novelist and Screenwriter. How do you describe yourself as a writer? How did you discover poetry? What is the special power of poetry? What are you working on now? Are there themes that you keep coming back to as a writer?
Grow From Adversity
August 28, 2010 - In Iran, shackling the Bahai' torchbearers by Roxana Saberi. For several weeks last year, I shared a cell in Tehran's notorious Evin prison with Mahvash Sabet and Fariba Kamalabadi, two leaders of Iran's minority Bahai faith. I came to see them as my sisters, women whose only crimes were to peacefully practice their religion and resist pressure from their captors to compromise their principles. For this, apparently, they and five male colleagues were sentenced this month to 20 years in prison.
Ruth Forman
Ruth Forman is the author of three award-winning books: poetry collections We Are the Young Magicians (Beacon, 1993) and Renaissance, (Beacon, 1997) and children’s book, Young Cornrows Callin Out the Moon (Children’s Book Press, 2007).
She is the recipient of the Barnard New Women Poets Prize, The Pen Oakland Josephine Miles Literary Award, The Durfee Artist Fellowship, the National Council of Teachers of English Notable Book Award, and recognition by The American Library Association.
JB Eckl
Canadian songwriter, musician and producer JB Eckl began his musical career as a blues/rock guitarist in a saloon in central Mexico at the age of 17. From there, his curiosity about diverse cultures and music led him to spend time in different parts of Latin America and the Carribbean until, in the early 1990s, he settled down in Los Angeles to make a name for himself. His early demo tapes landed him the job playing guitar for 70s funk legends WAR, with whom he toured heavily for a few years, describing the gig as a ‘master’s degree program in groove.’ Around this time his songwriting career began to bloom as well, with pop divas En Vogue and jazz guitar master Larry Carlton recording his songs.
Armin Naimi
Projekt Leuchtfeuer was established in 2007 and since then Armin Naimi was doing all the best to create a forum for musicians, who wish to inspire people to make a change in the contemporary in order to build a better tomorrow.
One solid crew member is the young rapsinger Mokonzi (Hugo Kafumbi). Both are working on new projects with Nabil & Karim and other well established musicians.
Say It in Flowers and Colors
Hundreds horticulturists take part in this fourteenth magnificent Flower Carpet displayed on the Market Square in the heart of Brussels, Belgium. This summer, the magnificent design of its Flower Carpet has drawn inspiration from 18th century French patterns. And yet, it was the armies of Louis XIV that had bombed the city in 1695, destroying 5,000 houses! But one must not confuse art with war. Stretching out over 21 square feet (2,000 m2), the fresh flower carpet will glow with its beautiful design.
Music Brightens Spirits
While on our journey of recording and filming musicians in Brazil, someone told us that all we needed to do was "shake a tree, and musicians would fall out like fruit." That couldn't have been more true. It was one of our last days in Salvador da Bahia when we discovered this band, Sangue Brasileiro. Wow! They are super fun and I guarantee you will want to dance to this jam and smile at the screen.
Divine Alchemy
James P. WestWhat precious metal now is being wrought?
This day when all is dark as pitch or coal
The truth of life, is this the prize yet sought
Or have long years eclipsed that human goal.
Cold irony so many should have died
Forsaking life, with faith in virtuous laws,
We Must Speak Up!
Wednesday 25 August 2010 - Cherie Blair says "When a mother of two can be sentenced to death by stoning on the basis of a disputed confession of adultery and without proper legal representation, there is little reason for faith in the fairness or mercy of Iran's judicial system. But as in the appalling case of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, the 20-year jail sentences just handed out to seven Bahá'í leaders must provoke an international outcry in the hope that the Iranian government can be shamed into thinking again."
Tell The World How You Feel
(Version française ci-dessous) Tuesday, August 24, 2010 - Carla Sarkozy urges clemency for Iranian sentenced to stoning. French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy published a letter Sakineh Ashtiani today in three national media outlets supporting an Iranian mother sentenced to death by stoning after being convicted of adultery.
Saba Choir
The Mission of Saba Choir is to celebrate unity in diversity.
The inspirational melodies we create are dedicated to all the peoples of the world of any race, nationality, or background to uplift their spirit and bring joy to their hearts.
Saba Choir music is inspired by Classical New Age Fusion. Composer and Director Hooman Fanaian.
James P. West
Wayward
Selected Poems by James P. West
The poems of Wayward attempt to glean the meaning behind the many metaphors of life-the rising sun, a falling apple, a passing deer. The poet, perhaps surprinsingly, is also a PhD economist, who sees his poems like classroom graphs that reveal unseen truths with clarity and conciseness.
Jim West has widely travelled around the world (sometimes waywardly), lived and worked in India, Slovakia and the United States. He is married to wife, Ruhi, who he met in India and they have three children.
They currently reside in eastern Pennsylvania, where Jim is Profressor and Chair of the Economics Department at Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
New Day
Selected Poems by James P. West (New Release)The rising sun that lights the sea
And warms each mile so gradually
Lies hidden from our mortal sight
But none the less dispels the night.
And so God's word with brilliant force
Though few at first discern the source
Has burst upon the sea of men
And lit the future once again.
Nabil David Huening
Nabil is a singer, songwriter, musician and performer. Nabil was born in America but, considers himself to be a citizen of the world. He has lived in China for over 10 years and is fluent in Mandarin Chinese. Nabil has performed at numerous venues across China, regularly appears on Chinese television and radio programs and has played lead roles on CCTV night time dramas and sitcoms. Nabil’s passion is creating meaningful music relevant to the needs of our time. (See Media page)
“This site is dedicated to Nabil-i-Azam, Baha’i historian and author of The Dawnbreakers, whose dedication to Baha’u'llah was of the noblest kind. It is my sincere hope that my latest cd, The Tree of Life, will foster dialogue, discussion, memorization and spiritual deepening on The Hidden Words of Baha’u'llah.” -Nabil
Nabil Huening performs a song together with Xianzi, one of China's most famous pop stars, on the Spring Festival celebration on Beijing TV. He is first introduced by Dashan, China's "most famous foreign host". Nabil's Baha'i-inspired music is available at cdbaby:
Support Humanitarian Activities
World Humanitarian Day - 19 August 2010. The purpose of humanitarian action is to protect life and health and ensure respect for human beings. "Better acceptance of humanitarian work by state and non-state actors alike is desperately needed. The vast majority of aid workers come from the countries in which they work. Preventing them from doing their work harms no-one more than the most vulnerable. Today is a good time for a renewed commitment to humanitarian principles by all concerned." (See below, a film shot in over 40 countries)
Pure Cacao Good for your Heart
What happens when a small town, Montana woman decides to jump, without a net, into a new life in tropical paradise and a foreign world of unknown parameters? It’s surprising, it’s scary and it’s a whole lot of fun! This time Lisa takes us into the making of pure chocolate on the South Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, Central America. Cacao is Spanish for cocoa. It grows on a tree, which bears a fruit containing seeds that look similar to coffee beans. That’s where chocolate comes from.
