87-year-old former Luftwaffe bomber says sorry

An 87-year-old German who bombed Bath in WWII came back to say sorry. He met a man whose grandparents were killed in the raid. Watch this amazing story that may move you to tears.

Be warned, this man is dangerous!

Why? Let's look at the facts.

Mr Berlusconi will be the next Italian Prime Minister. For the third time since 1994. His personal assets are estimated to be $11bn making him the richest Italian. He is the founder of Finivnest which is among Italy's top ten companies. Through Fininvest Mr Berlusconi who is also the company's main shareholder ownes two national newspapers, several magazines, three private TV channels, a film production company, a banking and insurance company and Italy's top football club AC Milan.

Furthermore his coalition partners are a separatist, Umberto Bossi, leader of the Lega Nord and a Neo-fascist, Gianfranco Fini of the Alleanza Nazionale, the former MSI-DN who supported Mussolini.

Would it be far fetched to say that the UK or indeed any other country in the world would allow a, say Gordon Brown, owner of Chealsea FC, ITV, Channel 4, The Times and The Independent, Miramax Films and Lloyds TSB who collaborates with Nick Griffin and a more aggressive version of Alex Salmond to rule its country?

Oh, and did I mention that Berlusconi had to defend himself in court six times against corruption charges?

Nice of Mr Coyle to admit that GMD is not justified. Philip Coyle is not just some former member of the US administration. From 1994 to 2001 he was was assistant secretary of defense and director, Operational Test and Evaluation in the DoD and "principal advisor to the secretary of defense on test and evaluation". He is now a senior advisor for the Centre for Defense Information.

The Union of Concerned Scientists' Global Security Program was quick to assist Coyle. Lisbeth Gronlund, UCSUSA's co-director told the same Congressional hearing "the US was no closer to being able to effectively defend against long-range ballistic missiles than it was 25 years ago".

Nato to back US missile defence

Although it never was a real obstacle in the superpower's pursuit of invulnerability the official announcement still shocks me. But since even Putin signalled understanding and thinks a compromise in possible, I have given up all hope that this monster can be put on mothballs.

But don't say I didn't warn you: A ground based missile defence or similar systems are neither justified nor technically feasible.

Slough

Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough!
It isn't fit for humans now,
There isn't grass to graze a cow.
Swarm over, Death!

Come, bombs and blow to smithereens
Those air -conditioned, bright canteens,
Tinned fruit, tinned meat, tinned milk, tinned beans,
Tinned minds, tinned breath.

Mess up the mess they call a town-
A house for ninety-seven down
And once a week a half a crown
For twenty years.

And get that man with double chin
Who'll always cheat and always win,
Who washes his repulsive skin
In women's tears:

And smash his desk of polished oak
And smash his hands so used to stroke
And stop his boring dirty joke
And make him yell.

But spare the bald young clerks who add
The profits of the stinking cad;
It's not their fault that they are mad,
They've tasted Hell.

It's not their fault they do not know
The birdsong from the radio,
It's not their fault they often go
To Maidenhead

And talk of sport and makes of cars
In various bogus-Tudor bars
And daren't look up and see the stars
But belch instead.

In labour-saving homes, with care
Their wives frizz out peroxide hair
And dry it in synthetic air
And paint their nails.

Come, friendly bombs and fall on Slough
To get it ready for the plough.
The cabbages are coming now;
The earth exhales.

John Betjeman, 1937

A beautiful day

On my way to the station I thought that it might have been a bad idea to go for a walk on the coast. It started raining. Determined to see the cliffs and the seaside this Easter Monday I got on the Brighton train.

When I eventually arrived in Seaford and took the bus the Seven Sisters Country Park the sky was grey and it was cold. At first I was skeptical but had a gut feeling that I would have a beautiful day.

And I did! Never mind the weather! I had rain, a bit of snow and hail and about half an hour of sunshine. But the fantastic view, the sound of the waves and the sheer fact to be at the seaside was the best reward I could think of. Well, almost. It was amazing to see how many people were out there. Even a family with some sort of outdoor pram climbed the muddy hills.

Major construction works over Easter!

It is pure coincidence that the 100th post since I have started this blog is about the country I have chosen as my home. But maybe it is not that surprising that it covers one of the many peculiarities that I have encountered since my arrival in November 2005.

Earlier this week I had the idea of going on a day trip to York. I felt encouraged when I found out that the train only took two hours one way. That was London-York though. The return trip was almost twice as long. I can understand that the trains in the evening are not as frequent as during the day. But why would they take four hours instead of two? There can't be that many detours...

Today I read on the BBC website that train travellers will face major disruptions over the Easter weekend due to major construction works on "most of the key routes". Again, understandable that the system needs upgrading and repairing. But why on earth would you do this over one of the busiest travel periodes of the year. This is insane!

Stierkampf gibts doch hier gar nicht!

In diesem Monat erschien mein Artikel in der Zeitschrift Das Recht der Tiere. Er stellt die Stierkampfkampagne den deutschen Lesern vor und erläutert, warum das grausige Spektakel eben doch ein Thema für Deutsche ist.
Ein Auszug:
"Wieso seid ihr gegen Stierkampf? Den gibts bei uns doch gar nicht. Warum soll ich mich dagegen engagieren?" Das waren Fragen, die uns Leute gestellt haben, als wir vor rund zwei Jahren unsere Stierkampfkampagne in Großbritannien gestartet haben.

Dass Stierkampf ein Thema für Briten - genau wie für Deutsche ist - wird indes schnell klar, wenn man sich die Zahlen ansieht. Briten und Deutsche liefern sich beim Spanienurlaub ein Kopf-an-Kopf-Rennen: Fast 14 Millionen britische und rund 10 Millionen deutsche Touristen verbrachten 2007 ihren Urlaub im Stierkampfland Nummer eins."

Bullfighting UK

If there was anyone who believed that bullfighting was an actual fair fight between man and bull, Paul Lewis’s article “Olé! Salford's matador back in action at 65”, 17th March, delivers a perfect rebuttal. There is no danger of death or serious injury for a 65 year old with a quadruple heart bypass and artificial knee because the “fight” is seriously rigged.

The bull’s horns are regularly shaved making it loose its sense of orientation. Once in the arena lances are driven into the bull’s back and neck muscles, which weaken it further and prevents it being able to raise its head. Men on foot then stab harpoons into its back. This all happens before the matador takes action. To put it bluntly, bullfighting is as dangerous to the matador as is crown green bowls to the player.

Ich fühl mich so leer, ich fühl mich Brandenburg

Wer sagt, die Deutschen hätten keinen Humour, der kennt Rainald Grebe nicht. Das Problem dabei ist, dass die, die das behaupten, der deutschen Sprache meist nicht mächtig sind. Folglich können sie Rainald Grebes Witze nicht verstehen. Schade. Sie verpassen sehr viel.

Allen anderen sei gesagt, dass er es wunderbar versteht, mit Vorurteilen vieler Art zu spielen und sie lächerlich zu machen. Die Vorzüge Brandenburgs, die Landeshymne Thürigens oder das Loblied auf die Beziehungen 30jähriger Paare in Berlin Mitte versteht er auf eine sehr erfrischende Art... ach, guckst euch halt einfach an!

Death Penalty

The Nebraska Supreme Court has not outlawed the death penalty. But it has outlawed the electric chair as a means to kill a human being. Nebraska was the only state in the US that still carried out this method of execution.

Justice William Connolly:

"The evidence shows that electrocution inflicts intense pain and agonizing suffering.”

I have only sarcasm for the judge's remarkable enlightment in the 21st century. Moreover, the killing by lethal injection continues in 34 states. 53 people were killed in 2006. In the US alone.

However, I sincerly hope that this verdict is a victory on the long way to abolish the death penalty in the US and worldwide.

Meanwhile help those on death row by joining Amnesty's campaign. Take Action!

Bemerkenswertes aus der Heimat

Deutsche Bank trotz Finanzkrise mit Rekordgewinn

Die Deutsche Bank hat ungeachtet der Krise an den Finanzmärkten im vergangenen Jahr nach eigenen Angaben einen Rekordgewinn erzielt. Wie die Bank in Frankfurt am Main mitteilte, lag der Überschuss mit 6,5 Milliarden Euro um sieben Prozent höher als 2006.

Vorstandschef Ackermann sagte, die Deutsche Bank habe in einer schwierigen Zeit Stärke und Widerstandsfähigkeit bewiesen. Als Ziel für 2008 nannte er ein Vorsteuer-Ergebnis von 8,4 Milliarden Euro. Ackermann äußerte erneut Interesse an einer Übernahme der Postbank. Wenn man angesprochen werde, sei man gesprächsbereit, betonte Ackermann.

---------------
NPD-Bundesschatzmeiser Kemna wegen Verdachts der Veruntreuung festgenommen

Der Bundesschatzmeister der NPD, Kemna, ist festgenommen worden. Nach Angaben der Staatsanwaltschaft liegt ein Haftbefehl des Amtsgerichts Münster vor. Kemna stehe im Verdacht, mehr als 600.000 Euro veruntreut zu haben.

dradio-newsletters: Deutschlandradio 20 Uhr Nachrichten vom 7. Februar 2008

Words of the Day

Tarek Al-Wazir, Fraktionsvorsitzender von B90/Die Grünen im Hessischen Landtag, zu einer möglichen Rot-rot-grünen Koalition in Wiesbaden:

Herr Lafontaine hat ja gesagt, dass der Abzug der Bundeswehr aus Afghanistan Vorbedingung für eine Zusammenarbeit mit Der Linken sei. Also, die hessische Luftwaffe besteht aus vier Polizeihubschraubern und die sind in Egelsbach stationiert...
(Quelle: Dradio Nachrichten vom 28. Jan 2008)

The New Year

It is not new anymore. Yet it is my first blog in 2008. My New Year's resolution is to read more. Books that is. In order to suceed I have set my self a modest but realistic target. I will read on book per month. I have done that this month, it is a small book, yet it is a book.

So here we go.

January (German) Oskar und die Dame in Rosa by Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt
February

Current readings
Fiction: The Plot against America by Philip Roth and Bekenntnisse des Hochstaplers Felix Krull by Thomas Mann
Non-ficition: Die Saudi Connection by Robert Baer

Auch der Bayer will gesünder leben

Zum Rauchen vor die Tür

Bayern hat jetzt das bundesweit schärfste Gesetz zum Nichtraucherschutz. Der Landtag stimmte mit großer Mehrheit für die Vorlage der CSU. Demnach darf ab Neujahr in Gaststätten des Freistaats, in Bierzelten und öffentlichen Gebäuden nicht mehr geraucht werden. Zahlreiche Wirte hatten zuvor mit Aktionen und Protesten deutlich gemacht, dass sie die Neuregelung ablehnen.

Bericht des BR

Der Entführungsfall MM

Ich weigere mich schon seit längerem den Namen auszusprechen. Ich weiß nicht, wie viel über den Fall in Deutschland berichtet wurde, hier war er mehrmals ausführlich in den Primtime Nachrichten. Meine Meinung habe ich schon an anderer Stelle kund getan. Nun aber hat die Titanic sich des Falls angenommen. Und die Ms sind empört. Und wollen klagen. Natürlich ist das nicht lustig. Zumindest nicht für sie. Aber sie tun sich keinen Gefallen damit, die Story and die große Glocke zu hängen. Sie wäre so schnell in Vergessenheit geraten. Welcher Engländer liest deutsche Zeitungen? Gar Satiremagazine?

Netter Bericht in Hauptsache Kultur, HR. Maintower hat es es indes nicht verstanden. Mehrfach im Beitrag zitiert, Titanic sei hier geschmacklos und makaber (ist das nicht ohnehin das Gleiche?), lässt der Moderator am Ende über Telefon abstimmen: Finden Sie den Titanic Artikel geschmacklos? Ja. Nein." All das, liebe Leute, ist Satire. Die Titanic will genau so sein, sonst macht sie sich unglaubwürdig.

Oder hat der HR am Ende seine eigene Satiresendung und Maintower nur als Verkleidung verwandt? Es geht fast unter, aber der Weiße Ring wird als "Täterschutzorganisation" angekündigt.

Es wird Titanic dieser Tage aber auch zu leicht gemacht. Die MM Kampagne schrie schon in der ersten Woche nach Titelblattstory. Da sind sie ja jetzt sehr milde mit der Doppelseite gewesen. Und jetzt müssen sie nicht mal über die Grenzen schauen. Der bekannte Satiriker Wolfgang T. äußerte sich wie folgt über den Altkanzler:

"Seine Frau im Dunkeln in Ludwigshafen sitzen zu lassen, wie es Helmut Kohl gemacht hat, ist kein Ideal "

Großes Kino, Wolf. Grandios.

Freiburg kanns auch!

I do apologise, Freiburg. They don't have a logo. Yet. But they have used the football methaphor. Ok, may be a bit hackneyed. It still makes a good reading though.

German understatement

The whole thing must seem odd for the English speaking world. A lot of Germans also wonder if the "Exzellenzinitiative" is a good idea. In its attempt to close ranks with the Harvards and Oxfords of this world, the Federal Government decided to fund a number of universities with a speacial grant. This grant is called "initiative for excellence" and worth EUR1.9bn. According to the department of education and research it was founded "to establish internationally visible research beacons in Germany". Exzellenzinitiative may be a catchy title and also gives it the academic touch it probably needs. It is, however, rather hard to pronounce. Konstanz Uni's press office has already had some problems with it (see below).

In the second round of the initiative six more universities were chosen by the German Research Association (DFG) and the Science Council yesterday. The Technical University Karlsruhe and both of Munich's universities (LMU and TH) won in the first round in October 2006. Germany's new elite universities are:

RWTH Aachen, FU Berlin and Universities Freiburg, Göttingen, Heidelberg and Konstanz.

The decision entitles them to some EUR100m in Government funds over the next couple of years. Let's prentend for one moment that this is a very good idea and that there is no criticism.

You would expect the lucky winners to promote this success in any way they can to attract students and business, wouldn't you? Let's have a look at their websites then.

It seems that no one of the Heidelberg staff has noticed that their employer was awarded a new title. There is absolutely nothing on the website. Oh, sorry. I missed it. There is a link in the menu on the left hand side. Almost invissibly. 1/10.












Some 100km further South, the colleagues in Konstanz are indeed aware of their prize. The didn't feel, however, that it is worth more than a press release. 3/10. Take a closer look at the wording of the headline. It honestly says, even in the English version: "Exzellenzinitiative: Universität Konstanz wird Exzellenzuniversität. Exzellenzuniversität Konstanz - mehr Informationen". Hello, McFly? Anybody home? A five year old could have been more creative. I have sent them an email saying that I have never read anything that boring.

Similarly unspectacular, FU Berlin calls itself "light tower of science". There is a nice image on Spiegel online. My god, welcome your students to the Elite University in the capital!

Even duller is Göttingen's version (my home uni btw!): "Excellence initiative: success." Wow! That's creative. 2/10. What about: Wer in Göttingen studiert ist exzellent!

The only university that has a good PR team seems to be Aachen. They actually use the term "exzellent" in the headline of the press release and furthermore have created a new logo - even better than Munich's. Almost there, guys. Just one more thing. An English translation of the website might attract foreign students and business as well. 8/10.

Thank you, Mr President

There are a lot of reasons to criticise US President George W Bush. And I have done that on this blog a number of times. It seems though that the anti-Bush camp does not mention his few positive moves. I do. Because it is only fair and in this case also very important.

Bush met the Dalai Lama this Wednesday. "Privately", they said to calm down the fire and brimstone breathing Chinese. Does it matter? I don't think so. A US President cannot meet someone privately. It will influence the world in any case.

You could argue that this move was not very brave, given that Bush is in the last month of his presidency. His has nothing to loose. Well, on top of the meeting with, Congress awarded the "man of faith and sincerity and peace" with a gold medal. Its highest award.

The German chancellor Angela Merkel infuriated Bejing when she had met the Dalai Lama in September. Well done, chancellor.

AI Music Night in The George Tavern, E1 this Friday!