I posted about this on Markos' FP post, We are winning, thought it might make a fun little side-diary just because. That man's got an impressive palm, and it would be impressive in any context even if I didn't already know he's the President of the United States.
Here's a capture from the Reuters photo Markos put atop his post:
I have been a partner in a family entertainment enterprise for more than 30 years. One of the characters I've had fun with at parties and events through the years (rich people like this one best) is Madame Joi, the Gypsy Palm Reader. Basically set up a table with fringed cloth and candles, an empty chair for the 'victim', who usually gets his/her palm read at the urging of the group he or she is with at the party. Only rule for doing this sort of entertainment at rich people parties is NOT to tell them anything really bad about their health, length of life, fondness for secretive or illegal activities, or tendency to engage in love affairs. Madame Joi commands $250 an hour for this entertainment.
I realize that many or most people here would object to any suggestion that palm reading is anything other than pure psychological manipulation by the reader and not 'real' in any sense of the term. But that's not what I've found to be true - in my experience the lines and indicators in a person's palm do have meaning, though of course these are always strung during the interaction so the reader can indeed recognize signs about where to go with what the lines are indicating. It IS psychology, for the most part. But at the same time, there is a map to lead the reader.
My mother taught me to 'read' palms long ago when I was a child of maybe 7. Her grandmother taught her when she was that age. Never asked Big Mama (great-grandmother) who taught her. In turn I have taught several people, including a couple of men. Who (dang it all) end up being much more popular as palm readers than women. Yet another indicator of how men automatically get more 'respect' than women. Meh.
Anyway, it's not so hard, and if you look at the palms of the people you know, you will find that the lines appear in a never-ending variety of 'styles'. Deep or shallow, long or short, connected or disconnected, braided, singular, etc., etc., etc. Life, heart, head, destiny are the majors, with lots of peripherals that help to modify indications. Some palms are baby-smooth, lines hard to see and read. Some are ancient, even in babies, a situation I've always joked was "old soul." Obama's got an "old soul" palm.
And the best part about the photo is that (if it's properly reprinted) it's his left hand. Which, since Obama is left-handed, is the 'record' of his actual direction and accomplishments. People's used and unused hands are slightly different (check it out). The unused hand will show more 'inner' things like hopes and dreams, ambitions and challenges (including health), and will also show brighter points where challenges or important events may occur or have occurred. All I've got for Barack Obama is a left hand, but that's enough.
First thing that jumps out in Obama's palm is the "dual identity" indicator, a significant double life line. The first is short but deep, even deeper at the beginning which indicates some early life angst about who he is and who he's supposed to be. The primary life line begins as deeply, then joins strongly with a 'jump' line from the heart [I'd read that as Michelle]. An event of such life-importance that its depth remains the highlight of the palm. From this meeting both the long-life trajectory and the destiny line extend. I'd read that as having his destiny extend from his partnership, which is in fact a true partnership. She completes him (in reading HIS life, of course. I haven't seen her palm).
Palm central is a regular road map of 'important' events and directions that draw strong extensions to what appears to be five 'most' important adventures and involvements (important people involved in each). And the strongest whole line in this man's palm is his head - his intelligence, even-mindedness and intellectual depth. The strong influences arising from his interests show that his objectively most 'important' deeds still lie in the future, and continue for the rest of his life in several directions.
I'd be immediately impressed if this hand were presented to me in my alter ego as Madame Joi, and would have fun reading it in front of his family/friends because there's so much there. But mostly, it's impressive for its displayed strength of character, expanse of intelligence, depth of commitment, and breadth of accomplishment.