Animals: Honoring Great Blue Herons collage

Honoring Great Blue Herons - 2, originally uploaded by shesnuckinfuts.

Wonderful tribute to an awesome huge bird that is quickly losing habitat. Go to this photographer's page to see what you can do to help in conservation.

"Herons are rapidly losing marsh land to habitat development and degradation. We are celebrating them in the Honoring Great Blue Herons discussion at the VOICES IN THE WILDERNESS: A Prayer for Wild Things group! This mosaic was made from some of the contributions of flickr members who love these beautiful birds. Please go read about Stonebird's fears that Great-blue Heron Heronry of Marina del Rey is at risk and in danger of being lost forever, jeopardizing the future of the Great-blue Herons that depend on it. Feel free to come join us and add your heron photos to this discussion.
Thank you all so much for your contributions!!

1. Great Blue Heron silhouette at sunrise, 2. Precision - GBH @ Centennial Lake, Columbia Maryland 2006, 3. Suppertime!, 4. Blue Heron, 5. Blue Heron, 6. watching the sunrise, 7. I can see you, 8. Ta da!, 9. Great (Falls) Blue Heron, 10. Surprise Visit!, 11. Hey! Get off my back birdie! (Heron vs. Black Bird), 12. Great Blue Heron, 13. On alert..., 14. Stalker, 15. Great Blue up close, 16. Notorious B.R.D., 17. Poor Fishy, 18. Great Blue Heron, 19. Great Blue Heron, 20. Bathtime For Heron, 21. Closest...., 22. Heron Arrival, 23. The Two Headed Great Blue Heron, 24. Great Blue Heron, The Strike, 25. Great Blue Heron - Feed Me!, 26. GBH doing a swan imitation, 27. Blue heron at twilight, 28. Sunday Morning Meditation, 29. Wading In, 30. Blue Heron's Slow Pass, 31. Like to join me for dinner ??, 32. Ready for the kill, 33. Heron - Hilton Head, 34. Great Blue Heron close-up, 35. Great Blue Heron Striking, 36. Great Blue Heron with four chicks

Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

Uploaded by shesnuckinfuts on 13 Sep 07, 2.10PM CDT. \"

Article: Popping Portraits, How and Why

Photo by Derrick T @ flickr


From Denny: This guy, David Tong of David's Simple Photography, writes some very good articles on photography, easy enough for a beginner to understand and enjoy!

Here's an excerpt: "This article is for beginners or for those who haven’t bought an expensive telephoto lens or wide aperture lens.

For many, a photograph where the subject is sharp while the background is completely out-of-focus is what they consider an “advanced” photograph that can’t be done with consumer cameras or lenses.

Many people assume that you’re required to own either a long telephoto lens or a very wide aperture lens in order to do so. That premise is partially correct, owning either or a combination of those two lens features will give you that look you’re after, but without the knowledge of how it is achieved, you’ll be spending needlessly for something that can be done with your existing equipment."

Good advice, don't you think? For the rest of his article showing you how to achieve a good portrait, just click on the title link to take you to his website!

People: Eagle and American Flag

Eagle and American Flag by Bubbels, originally uploaded by stephen.moore.

From Denny: Too often overly zealous people forget that a country's flag actually represents ALL of the people, not just one political parties. The flag represents everyone that lives in that country, citizens of that government.

Sometimes, political parties and their rabid consultants need to remember the obvious and start treating everyone with respect they deserve as fellow Americans.

People: Memorial Day Graves at Arlington National Cemetery, American Flag, Veterans Day Holiday

Memorial Day Free Download Poster, Graves at Arlington National Cemetery, American Flag, Veterans Day Holiday, originally uploaded by BL1961.

Memorial Day Poems

From Denny: These are a selection from many wonderful poems written with heavy hearts and great sincerity about the reality of how war affects us all. The old men who send young men to war rarely stop long enough - or at all - to consider their haste to anger and action affects the entire nation for generations to come.

The following are not glory poems but rather the perspectives of those involved in war be they one soldier, a POW, a mother, a daughter, a citizen who knew none of them but felt a duty to pray for them constantly, knowing the personal cost war would bring to all. They span several wars from the Civil War to WWII, the Korean War and today's Iraq and Afghanistan War.

These poems came from the comprehensive Memorial Day site where there is much more than poems to view. Please take a look today as you remember those who came before us.

For the link to the Memorial Day Poems post at my poetry blog, The Social Poets, go here.

People: Old Glory, Patriotic Rustic Peeling American Flag, The Stars & Stripes, Red, White, Blue, on Wood

Old Glory, Patriotic Rustic Peeling American Flag, The Stars & Stripes, Red, White, Blue, on Wood, originally uploaded by BL1961.

MEMORIAL DAY

Old Glory, Patriotic Rustic Peeling American Flag. The Stars & Stripes, Red, White, Blue, on Wood


"Ragged Old Flag" by Johnny Cash

I walked through a county courthouse square
On a park bench, an old man was sittin' there.
I said, "Your old court house is kinda run down,
He said, "Naw, it'll do for our little town".
I said, "Your old flag pole is leaned a little bit,
And that's a ragged old flag you got hangin' on it".
He said, "Have a seat", and I sat down,
"Is this the first time you've been to our little town"
I said, "I think it is"
He said "I don't like to brag, but we're kinda proud of
That Ragged Old Flag

"You see, we got a little hole in that flag there,
When Washington took it across the Delaware.
and It got powder burned the night Francis Scott Key sat watching it,
writing "Say Can You See"
It got a rip in New Orleans, with Packingham & Jackson
tugging at its seams.
and It almost fell at the Alamo
beside the Texas flag,
But she waved on though.
She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville,
And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill.
There was Robert E. Lee and Beauregard and Bragg,
And the south wind blew hard on
That Ragged Old Flag

"On Flanders Field in World War I,
She got a big hole from a Bertha Gun,
She turned blood red in World War II
She hung limp, and low, a time or two,
She was in Korea, Vietnam, She went where she was sent
by her Uncle Sam.
She waved from our ships upon the briny foam
and now they've about quit wavin' back here at home
in her own good land here She's been abused,
She's been burned, dishonored, denied an' refused,
And the government for which she stands
Has been scandalized throughout out the land.
And she's getting thread bare, and she's wearin' thin,
But she's in good shape, for the shape she's in.
Cause she's been through the fire before
and i believe she can take a whole lot more.

"So we raise her up every morning
And we bring her down slow every night,
We don't let her touch the ground,
And we fold her up right.
On second thought
I *do* like to brag
Cause I'm mighty proud of
That Ragged Old Flag"

People: Piano Busker

Piano Busker, originally uploaded by avlxyz.

A man doing life his way... his life isn't dull, for sure!

"Piano Busker

A busker with a piano in the Bourke Street Mall, Melbourne.

Now that's something you don't see every day.

Uploaded by avlxyz on 10 Dec 05, 1.21AM CDT."

People: More Heads are Better than One!

across the universe mandala1, originally uploaded by libbyrosof.

across the universe mandala1
Still from Julie Taymor's musical film "Across the Universe" valentine to the Beatles and the Vietnam War era

Uploaded by libbyrosof on 11 Jul 08, 4.46PM CDT.

People: light play

lightplay-1, originally uploaded by ardenswayoflife.

Is this a cool art photo or what!!

Animals: River Kingfisher taking off in flight

小翠仰向 Take Off, originally uploaded by John&Fish.

Taken in Taipei, Taiwan. All Rights Reserved.

***

Nothing like an instant moment capture - lovely!

Video: How Your Brain Looks in Love

From Denny: Now this is really cutting edge. Scientists do a scan of 3 areas of the brain to see if you are in love with your spouse. They check for lust, attachment and romance areas of the brain. Very interesting explanations of what the scan depicts.

Watch this video as a writer from Esquire decided to find out how his brain looked in love with his wife vs. how he thought about a sexy actress. Brave or very stupid guy; you decide.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Animals: Awe beats "Awwwwww..."

Awe beats "Awwwwww...", originally uploaded by lepiaf.geo.

From Denny: I still have the Preakness and the Kentucky Derby on my mind and Louisiana's jockey Calvin Borel - winning on two different horses!

At the Preakness the first filly to win in 70 years! Women across America are delirious with joy. We know how difficult it is to win in a man's world.

Take a look at this horse. At first glance you don't realize how really big is this animal - until you notice the man standing next to him, whoa, now that's a big horse!

From the photographer: "If ever I saw grace and force coupled up in grand, majestic size, this would be it.

Uploaded by lepiaf.geo on 17 May 09, 11.05PM CDT."

Most Face Pierced Woman in the World

This woman from India was in the news recently as the most face pierced woman in the world. Can you imagine trying to give her a friendly greeting as a kiss on the cheek? Where would you not get a face full of metal?

Hey! If you are interested, I'm sure the photographer has her phone number and can get you a date with her TONITE!

Sayings Word Cloud

Designed and used for the following online article -

Word Smithing: Those Funny Sayings We Hear Every Day by Denny Lyon

Thank you for use of your photo in online article!

Photo by GettysGirl @ flickr


Thanks for the use of your photo in the online article:

Word Smithing: Those Funny Sayings We Hear Every Day by Denny Lyon

People: tattooed Viking blacksmith

tattoo viking blacksmith, originally uploaded by hans s.

(one scary guy!)

Thanks for the use of your photo in the online article:

Word Smithing: Those Funny Sayings We Hear Every Day by Denny Lyon

People at Flea Market: le marché au puces de Paris-Saint-Ouen

le marché au puces de Paris-Saint-Ouen, originally uploaded by Ghirigori Baumann.

Thanks for the use of your photo in the online article:

Word Smithing: Those Funny Sayings We Hear Every Day

People: selling time

selling time, originally uploaded by extranoise.

Flea market in Paris.

Thanks for the use of your photo in the online article:

Word Smithing: Those Funny Sayings We Hear Every Day by Denny Lyon

Bed Bug: (Pleasant Dreams)

12 Feb 2007 (Pleasant Dreams), originally uploaded by wonderferret.

Thanks for the use of your photo in the online article:

Word Smithing: Those Funny Sayings We Hear Every Day by Denny Lyon

Video: Facebook Manners and You

From Denny: The guys over at hulu.com are always stockpiling the latest silliness. Enjoy!

New Link Pages: List for Fav Bloggers and Fav Links!

Links Image by cobalt123 via Flickr

From Denny: Hi, everyone! Been busy on the blog's housekeeping and you all know how much I don't like (OK, despise) housework...

The Social Poets has become a bit of the Wild Wild West. Read that as too much overwhelming info on one page. Too much on one page has really slowed down the final load time of this blog too. Surely you find it as annoying as I do! So, something had to be done and two more blog pages were born:

The Social Poets Fav Bloggers

The Social Poets Fav Links

OK, so I'm one of those people who enjoys a clean house, everything in its place, neat and orderly - I just don't like the effort it takes to do it! (Hmmm... TMI...)

Seriously though, if you are a blogger or are thinking about starting a blog, maybe try out the same idea for your convenience. For both content and link worthiness it's a great idea to have links to other blogs and sites. I just choose to do so by fitting it into my niche because I'm a total information junkie. Sigh... TMI yet again... :)

Actually, I've been wanting to expand on finding additional blogs to fit my categories and have been limited - until now. I really see the potential for how I could create additional interesting pages/related blogs!

Currently, on The Social Poets Fav Bloggers there are blogs on general musings, poetry blogs, writing blogs, political and social issues, creativity blogs, and more will be added. If you have some interesting blogs or sites you have run across (or your own) you think warrant as an addition, feel free to drop me an email with the link and I'll be glad to consider it! (Always looking for new talent as life is a team effort.)

On the links list page, The Social Poets Fav Links, there are links to my original poems (parked in various places so required a link page area), links to my friends who write poetry (let me know if you want to add your poetry page, be glad to do so to help promote fellow poets), writing sites (let me know your contribution to helping others develop their writing skills and be glad to include your site), poetry sites, music and more.

For your convenience the new links are located right before the day's post. The link pages also have a link to navigate you back to the home page of The Social Poets blog too.

Blogging is a lot of fun! Always learning how to solve "all the problems of the world." Now if world politics and world peace were just this easy...

People: Gov't at Work

P050509PS-0318, originally uploaded by The Official White House Photostream.

What I find interesting about this photo is the wide angle lens in what appears to be an oval or round room - gives a cozy feeling like you are the proverbial fly on the wall observing everything going on!

"President Barack Obama meets with Israeli President Shimon Peres in the Oval Office Tuesday, May 5, 2009. Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

Uploaded by The Official White House Photostream on 5 May 09, 4.20PM CDT."

Flowers: Happy Mummy's Day...!!! :)

Happy Mummy's Day...!!! :), originally uploaded by Denis Collette...!!!.

From a wonderful French nature photographer, Denis Collette, he sends all mothers a wonderful floral portrait:

"Bonne Fête des Mères...!!!

The first lilies in the garden...!!!

An impressionnist photo safari concentrated mainly on a daily basis (or almost) on my small piece of planet of 55 000 square feet…!!! A Thoreau "waldennienne" approach…!!!

Un safari photo impressioniste au quotidien concentré essentiellement (ou presque) sur un petit morceau de planète de 55 000 pieds carrés…!!! Une démarche "waldennienne" à la Thoreau…!!!

Uploaded by Denis Collette...!!! on 10 May 09, 5.30PM CDT."

Video: America to Develop High Speed Rail at Last!

From Denny: One of my pet peeves about America - how we have allowed our transportation, most notably high speed rail, fall far behind where it could be. Talk about reduce car emissions if we had far more efficient public transportation like the Europeans!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Video: From the Jazz Festival - Giving Kids a Chance Thru Music

From Denny: New Orleans' Rebirth Jazz Band helps at risk kids discover and develop a new life.

Having worked with Special Needs kids myself I know how important it is to nurture young minds and hearts. When left unattended human nature turns resentful and eventually violent.

What they learn beyond music is the concept of the positive version of teamwork and emotional discipline that will carry them for a life time. This is a wonderful program producing heart-warming results!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

People: Obama at prime time news conference 29 April 2009

P042909CK-0215, originally uploaded by The Official White House Photostream.

This photo is interesting with the cluster of light in the background like a little cloud of enlightened words are hovering nearby for ready access by a President. It's one of those kind of photos of a real life event that can translate on a higher level: camera lights out of focus appear like a cloud and take on a whole new symbolism.

People: Mr. Presidents

P050609PS-0531, originally uploaded by The Official White House Photostream.

From Denny: This sure is something you would not have seen from the Bush years: our President and other leaders enjoying each others' company. Great candid photo.


"President Barack Obama (center) with Afghan President Karzai and Pakistan President Zardari walk along the Colonnade following a US-Afghan-PakistanTrilateral meeting in Cabinet Room May 6, 2009. Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

Uploaded by The Official White House Photostream on 6 May 09, 4.44PM CDT. "

Blogger Interviews Porn Queen Stormy Daniels While Waiting on Jury Duty

Image via Wikipedia

From Denny: Been on jury duty since Monday and the days are getting longer so not able to post much. Maybe tomorrow will be a shorter day!

Looks like Cheeky Quote Day is sidelined for today. Will a true story of what happened to me today do in its place? I'm up for a second-degree murder case. Probably will sit around all day waiting to be rejected. That's what happened today after 10 hours of jury selection.

I did get to chat up the staff. Talked to a sheriff who the local news station had promised to interview about his time in Iraq but didn't - clearly he needed to talk about it - so as any good blogger with a journalism degree, well, I jumped on the interview, duh! He's with the Army 239th, an MP and just got back from Iraq a few months ago. He proceeded to tell me about what it was like serving over there.

Real sociable guy and it sure surprised me when he started talking but I figured it was good for him to get the stress out. I mean, how many warriors actually tell you how many kills? And worse, how many were Iraqi children, armed with hand grenades and ordered by their parents to come kill Americans? Sad but true tale.

While he acknowledged it was a tough decision to choose self-defense and claimed it didn't bother him, I figured it did upset him and that's why he was telling me all about it. Soldiers from many wars often start talking around me and I hear the most amazing stories of personal trauma.

It isn't always what people tell you as true but rather the fact that they are talking about something so horrific while claiming it doesn't bother them. Of course it bothers them, why else would they need to talk about it? I don't waste time judging, just accept and listen. Talk about a lot to process for them.

***

Now the highlight of today's jury service was going to lunch at a little eatery known as The Roux House. We noticed the local TV news crew outside, went in and there was a big commotion at the back of the restaurant. We peeked in and it turns out a new politician was announcing her candidacy.

Who was it? Turns out it's the porn queen, Stormy Daniels, who was the regular prostitute for years for Louisiana's Senator David Vitter. Yep! The former pro is running against her customer!

I found it amusing. On her way out she stopped to talk to everyone at the few tables and so I took the time to interview her about her candidacy. Turns out ABC News was there too. I asked some very easy questions to give her a chance to prove herself. I'll try to blog tomorrow about the interview. What a hoot! When was the last time you had the opportunity to interview a porn queen AND attend a bizarre event in the weirdest world of Louisiana politics? It was a definite two-fer! :)

Related articles by Zemanta

• Louisiana Voters Lukewarm on Vitter (politicalwire.com)
• Stormy Daniels, Porn Star And Potential Sen. Vitter Opponent, To Launch Listening Tour (huffingtonpost.com)

Myth: doorkeeper

doorkeeper, originally uploaded by alicepopkorn.

For fantasy and dragon lovers!

From the photographer:

dragon photo by wili hybrid
several textures by me

Our Greatest Fear
it is our light not our darkness that most frightens us

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.

There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other

people won't feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of
God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.

—Marianne Williamson

Uploaded by alicepopkorn on 25 Apr 09, 5.26PM CDT.

Greek Myth: visiting Persephone

visiting Persephone, originally uploaded by alicepopkorn.

People: emergence

emergence, originally uploaded by alicepopkorn.

Always enjoy this photographer from Germany as she creates a lot of mystical art photos.

Creative Commons with attribution, no commercial use.

Video: Saturday Nite Live BitchPleez.com blogger

Featured is celebrity blogger Angie Tempura from BitchPleeze.com reviewing movies. She definitely qualifies for the Obnoxious category. Take a look!

Todays Blogging: Born from Yesterdays Underground Newspapers

Todays Blogging: Born from Yesterdays Underground Newspapers

This is an article I wrote recently and dovetails nicely with the Saturday Nite Live's BitchPleez.com Blogger video! Nothing like mocking yourself! :)

Photo by nao-cha @ flickr of dog Cocoa

Ready Reference: Health News Links and Google Swine Flu World Map

From Denny: Considering how nervous people are getting with the growing negative news about the current (now global) pandemic of the swine flu outbreak, I've started a place of Health News Links and the new Google Swine Flu World Map above the posting area of my health blog, The Healing Waters,for your ready reference so you can stay up to date. As I continue to find more quality reliable news links they will be added.

Photo by Igor Zenin