Fumée d'Ambre Gris, 1880
by John Singer Sargent, American, 1856-1925

Although portraiture is the key public enterprise for which John Singer Sargent is remembered today, the foundation of his early reputation was also built upon the innovative subject paintings inspired by the artist's travels to exotic locales during the late 1870s and early 1880s. Fumée d'ambre gris was Sargent's major souvenir from a trip to Tangier in the winter months of 1879-1880. The painting's non-narrative structure and monochromaticism, as well as its mysterious ambiance, ensured that it was repeatedly singled out for praise at the Paris Salon later that spring.
With this representation of a North African woman infusing her robes and senses with the musky perfume of ambergris (a resinous substance extracted from whales and considered an aphrodisiac as well as a guard against evil spirits), Sargent entered into the list of artists who, from the 1860s to the turn of the century, popularized exotic images of Near-Eastern culture to Western audiences. However, unlike artists such as Jean-Léon Gérôme (French, 1824-1904), who relied upon heightened realism to lend veracity to the narrative of their paintings, Sargent's preoccupation in Fumée d'ambre gris was not with the subject matter.

Pentagon making case against Iran
A DoD report released to Congress ahead of a vote on extreme punitive measures on Iran accuses Tehran of assisting Afghan insurgents.

In its first ever Report on Progress toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan to the US Congress, the Pentagon claims it has 'evidence' of Iranian involvement in the war-torn country.

"There is evidence that the insurgency ... has been provided with lethal aid originating in Iran since at least 2006," says the report.

It is 'unclear what role, and at what level the Iranian government plays in providing this assistance', the 72-page document adds.

Iran, however, says it has helped in the reconstruction of Afghanistan and has played only a constructive role in the country.

The release of the report comes ahead of a vote on the imposition of harsher US sanctions on Iranian banks, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and any energy companies that have invested $20,000,000 or more in the Iranian petroleum or natural gas sector in any given year since the enactment of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996.

If the bill passes, US President George W. Bush will also be urged to gain world support to prohibit the export to Iran of all refined petroleum products and to impose stringent inspection requirements on all persons, vehicles, ships, planes, trains, and cargo entering or departing Iran.

Introduced by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and considered a tacit declaration of war against the Islamic Republic, the bill has seen opposition but may pass.

House Resolution 362 and the Senate version Resolution 580, known as the 'Iran War Resolution', are believed to be a prelude to the imposition of a naval blockade restricting exports to oil-rich Iran.

This bill has gained 208 co-sponsors in the House and 29 in the Senate. It will likely be put to a vote after July 4.

Another sad, emotional song for you Merina:

Türkü: Diyar diyar/ From one country to another

Gözyaşlarım yağmur gibi akıyor => My tears sink like rain
Bu hasretlik yüreğimi yakıyor => This desire burns my heart
Kimse garip hallerimi bilmiyor => Nobody knows my strange states
Ayırdılar beni senden nedensiz => They separated me from you, without any reason
Günler geçmez yaşayamam ki sensiz => Days do not pass away, I cannot live without you
Seni sevmek yasak olsa süresiz => Even if it is forbidden to love you, without any duration
Sensiz taşıdığım bu can değersiz => This heart I carry does not have any worth without you

Sensin benim kaderim => You are my destiny
Sensin derdim kederim => You are my sorrow
Başımı alır giderim diyar diyar => I will leave here and go from one country to another
Eller ne derse desin => I don't care what people say
Vazgeçemem benimsin => I cannot forget you, you are mine
İsterse ölüm gelsin diyar diyar => Even if death happened to come, in one or another country

Merina, another emotional song for you:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ReFlUO5SvVA

Emrah: Gotur Beni Gittigin Yere... => Take me with you, where you go

Bu ask boyle bitemez => This love cannot end this way
Birakma terketme beni => Don't leave me, don't abandon me
Atma beni olumlere => Don't put me to death
Atma beni zulumlere => Don't throw me in oppressions
Götür beni gittigin yere => Take me with you, where you go

Ben sensiz nefes alamam => Without you, I cannot breathe
Buralarda Hic duramam => I cannot stay here
Tek basina Yanliz Kalamam=> I cannot stay alone, sole
Senin Kokunu Ozlerim => I will miss your perfume
Hep Yollarini Gozlerim => I will wait for you, and watch your ways
Gotur Beni Gittigin Yere... => Take me with you, where you go

Askindir beni yasatan => It is your love which makes me live
Beni hayata baglayan => Which attaches me to life
Atma beni olumlere => Don't put me to death
Atma beni zulumlere => Don't throw me in oppressions
Gotur Beni Gittigin Yere... => Take me with you, where you go

How do you reconcile this incident with the hundreds and thousands of topless Germans, Brits, Swedes, etc. who adorn the beaches from Bodrum to Antalya?

listen to the voice of this Turkish child

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmD-QpyYdhk&eurl=http://anatolianstorm.blogspot.com/2007/12/to-hit-road-alone.html

Glad to see he is back in Turkey!

World-renowned pianist Fazıl Say is ready to offer his latest CD to music lovers. Say, who will take the stage together with violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja at his concerts scheduled for June 26-27, will perform compositions from his upcoming album. The concert will be at Enka Open Air Auditorium, which is located in Istanbul's İstinye district.

His album is titled “A Thousand and One Nights in the Harem” (Haremde Binbir Gece). He launched his album in Switzerland with Kopatchinskaja, with whom Say plans to work to release a new CD. The artists have performed together many times and they have other collaborations in the music world.
ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

Metin Altıok says:

Long back
I had a voice;
Far off now
Might be it rings
Under a bridge somewhere.

I’ve taken losses
Alongside of my gains.

Long back
I had a heart;
Far off now
Might be it beats
In a child’s room somewhere.

I’ve taken losses
Alongside of my gains.

There’s just me now
Left to be close to me.
I always
Was the kind, though,
To hit the road alone.





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOo_IZypu6U

Germany remembers Berlin airlift

Ex-US pilot Gail Halvorsen returned to Germany for the ceremony
Germany has been commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Berlin airlift, when the Western allies kept the city supplied despite a Soviet blockade.

Veterans of the airlift, many of whom are in their 80s and 90s, attended ceremonies in Berlin and Frankfurt.

The American and British-led airlift lasted for more than a year, and involved planes delivering everything from coal to sweets.

It was one of the biggest humanitarian air relief missions in history.
REUTERS

Librarylady, I second that, what you wrote about Yilgun.

Strange and unusual
http://www.reuters.com/news/pictures/slideshow?collectionId=1983&galleryName=News#a=29