Sunday, November 23, 2008

Saturday, November 22, 2008

As time goes by

Mrs. J. does sometimes worry for the statics of the house, but that's another story. :)

And neither I intend to tell that I was ten years, one month and nine days old, when John Fitzgerald Kennedy was murdered (by whomsoever), nor to bore with my memories.


Much more interesting I found when today re-reading this extra edition that 40 pages (mainly containing of large-sized Black&White photos) then would have cost 50 Pfennnig (ca. 25 Euro Cent), that 'Illustrierte' would have been spelled Illustrirte, and that it could have been knocked together within less than 48 hours and thus before Jack Ruby murdered Lee Harvey Oswald.

Sorry for the quality. (A4 scanner)

Well, and I find interesting that today 45 years ago I would not at all have taken notice of that on this very day also an author had died, parts of whose work some years later I'd devour with pleasure - Aldous Huxley.

Parts of his work? Well, I prefered his first two novels to those on which his fame mainly bases.

Most impressed, though, I was and still am by one of Huxley's short stories: Klein Archimedes / Young Archimedes.

So, if you find you must repent
from side to side in argument,
at least don't use your mind too hard
but trust my instinct - I'm a bard.

Couldn't have put it more nicely than Robert Frost. :)

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Very busy ...

... not blogging I've been for quite a while, and this goes also for visiting and leaving comments.

The more I do appreciate the patience shown by my esteemed readers. Thank you.

US-election, a so-called financial crisis, the ban of Blogger.com in Turkey, uncounted further evidence that human dignity is violable etc.: There could have hundreds of posts been written.

However, I decided to set other priorities.
[Did you take notice I did not write 'I had no time', as it's said that those complaining they have no time, are just not able to organise? :) ]

Not that I did not follow what happened in the world.
I stayed awake for all TV-duels and did not sleep at all in the election night, felt pleased when it became clear that "Did you know I'm a Vietnam veteran?!" had not been convincing enough an argument for the majority of the US-voters, and I did even feel moved by Mr. Obama's 'victory speech' and the whole atmosphere, although I do not share his supporters' enthusiastic optimism. Perhaps if I were 45 years younger. :)

Well, back to the priorities:
1. Writing
2. Gardening
3. Reading
4. Reflecting and Contemplating.


Interesting to see the above black on white.
Probably not for you, but for me. :)

Did I succeed?
N-yes. Sounds better than Y-no, hm? :)

The books I read are good, some 'just great'.
The reflecting and contemplating was both exciting an
d relaxing.
As for the writing, I am quite content with the quantity - and in some weeks when I shall start to re-read it, and after the 'polishing', hopefully even with the quality. :)

Again, interesting to see the above black on white.

As for blogging.
The story about that one 's' is (almost) able to 'kill' a story's clue, has to wait, as I am still pondering about how I could get out of the
tight spot. :)))

Neither I do feel like writing about politics today, about economy, organised stupidity in its various forms, about Sir Veillance, pirates and other criminals.

Rather I do prefer to share - for the beginning - some of those many tiny things which during the past two, three months let my eyes sparkle, the corners of my mouth start expeditions to the ear-lobes, and my heart rise with joy like a falcon up to the sky. :)

Here's a little foretaste:

Potato manikin relaxing on rhubarb leaf :)

Friday, November 14, 2008

Cricketers of the World, be very scared

Posting an article according to which the mayor of the Turkish city of Batman is suing producer/director Christopher Nolan and Warner Bros. for royalties from the film The Dark Knight, Jams O'Donnell Esq. yesterday morning finally stated: "I have no idea if this is a spoof or not but I do love a bit of frivolous litigation!"

About three hours later, I was able to resolve all his doubts: 'When even one of the most honourable and trustworthy newspapers on this planet, and thus in this galaxy and all those galaxies still to discover - i.e. Hurriyet - would sacrifice space for the Dark Mayor's accusations, now, then it must be true, Jams, hm?'

So far, so ... so ... well, let's call it bizarre.

Not bizarre is when some bad men would get off forbidding any son of Batman now living in Germany (or elsewhere!) to name his restaurant 'Batman'.

I wonder when they will bring in an action for injunction against all Cricket Clubs on this planet.

Ah, may they choke from their arrogance and acquisitiveness!

Won't happen?

Oh well, then may Spiderman punish them!



Ceterum censeo it's time that the Turks get what they need: Atapluckism.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Merci, Miriam Makeba

I look at a stream and I see myself: a native South African, flowing irresistibly over hard obstacles until they become smooth and, one day, disappear - flowing from an origin that has been forgotten toward an end that will never be.
Miriam Makeba [March 4th, 1932 - November 10th, 2008]
Better than any of my words, the following videos (thanks to those who offer to share them) will let you understand, perhaps even feel why I would feel deep respect for this woman, since I happened to hear her voice for the first time.


UN [1963]




Soweto Blues [1966]



Khawuleza [1966]



Pata Pata

Friday, November 07, 2008

Getting afflicted with doubts

Telling a young lady the facts that inspired me to write the dialogues in previous post, she spontaneously said:

- They must not become member of the EU.

- You know that one could argue the opposite view - with exactly the same reasons, don't you?

- I know. However, I don't think they would change, once they became member of the EU. And noone - at least no majority - would insist on them changing their misogynous behaviour. On the contrary, I hear politicians say 'Ah, we should accept their culture is different from ours.

- :) And ...

- And soon some noisy Turks - not the friendly and decent one's - living here will demand those laws to become valid in in this country, too, 'because we are Turks and do have the right to live our culture wherever we do live'. And as you know, the noisy one's mostly get what they want.

...


Hm, when even a friendly, cosmopolitan, well-educated young woman would speak out such vehemently against Turkey becoming a member of the EU, what will those think who happen to be less educated?

Yes, even this blogger starts getting afflicted with doubts. And he is asking himself: Cui bono?

UPDATE:
In order to make it easy to follow (and continue) this discussion, I changed the date of this post from October 27th to November 7th.

Thanks everybody for her / his patience.