philosophy

Man, goose form odd-couple friendship

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7-Year-Old Stuns Viewers When She Sings 'Gloomy Sunday' By Billie Holiday (VIDEO)
When 7-year-old Angelina Jordan Astar got onstage to sing "Gloomy Sunday" for "Norway's Got Talent," no was expecting this voice to come out of such a little girl. Her smoky, soulful tone is reminiscent of Billie Holiday, and makes her seem wise beyond her years. It takes a truly old soul to capture the feeling of Lady Day, let alone audiences' hearts. Her incredible performance earned her a standing ovation and the tears of several audience members.

The BBC once banned the song as too sad to be broadcast.

Angelina's performance elicited both tears and a standing ovation from the stunned judges. But just how much did this sweet child grasp the gravity of what she was singing?
"I felt something special about it. It's hard to explain in words," said Angelina, explaining to a Norwegian television station that she speaks English and "understood [the song] very well … when I sang it for my mum, she said that this song is nice, but it was an incredibly sad song."

This young girl obviously has a very old soul.

karma  read more »

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Watch the Queen's Christmas Day message 2013 in full
The Queen reflected on prominent events from the past year during her Christmas broadcast - from the service that marked the 60th anniversary of her coronation to the birth of Prince George

"balance between action and reflection"
"reflection, meditation, prayer help to renew us"
"family, friendship, neighborliness"
"principle and service"

Her broadcast began with the Queen telling her audience how a man she once knew gained a clearer insight into the world after spending a year in a plaster cast recovering from a back operation.
She said: "He read a lot, and thought a lot, and felt miserable. Later, he realised this time of forced retreat from the world had helped him to understand the world more clearly.
"We all need to get the balance right between action and reflection. With so many distractions, it is easy to forget to pause and take stock."

The Queen, who was dressed in a single crepe wool primrose dress which she wore to William and Kate's wedding in April 2011, also said in her broadcast: "As with all who are christened, George was baptised into a joyful faith of Christian duty and service. After the christening, we gathered for the traditional photograph.

"It was a happy occasion, bringing together four generations."

The Queen also looked back over the past 12 months to the 60th anniversary of her coronation, celebrated with a national service in June.

She said: "I myself had cause to reflect this year, at Westminster Abbey, on my own pledge of service made in that great church on Coronation Day 60 years earlier.  read more »

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[Dec 29, 2013] Pope emeritus Benedict XVI has shared a holiday meal with his successor, Pope Francis.
The two men dined together at Francis's residence, the Santa Marta hotel on the Vatican City grounds, Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano said on Saturday.

Francis had extended an invitation for a holiday meal when he paid a call on his predecessor December 23 at a monastery on the Vatican's grounds to offer Christmas greetings, Vatican Radio said.  read more »