Tonight's Thoughts

Denk ich an die Welt bei Nacht,

bin ich um den Schlaf gebracht.

Thinking of the World at night
puts all thought of sleep to flight.

Heine's dead - long live Heine

Ich weiß nicht, was soll es bedeuten,
dass ich so traurig bin ...

I don't know what it may signify
That I am so sad ...

Heinrich Heine (December 13th, 1797 - February 17th, 1856)

Nachtgedanken / Night Thoughts

Denk ich an Deutschland in der Nacht,

Dann bin ich um den Schlaf gebracht.
Ich kann nicht mehr die Augen schließen,
Und meine heißen Tränen fließen.

Thinking of Germany at night
Just puts all thought of sleep to flight;
No longer I can close an eye,
Tears gather and I start to cry.

Eyes travelling 23 million light years

What would an astro-physicist do in a starlit night?
Sleeping?
No. He'd let his eyes travel. Last night it was a 23 million light years trip to M51.



Object details

NGC Number:
5194/5195

Object Type:
SA(s)bc
(HII: Sy2.5)

Constellation
Canes Venatici

RA/Dec:
13h 29m 52.7s
+47° 11' 42.62''

Distance:
23 kly

Apparent Dimension:
11.2' x 6.9'

Visual Brightness (V):
8.1 mag

Date:
16.02.2008
01:50 bis 03:15

Equipment:
Cass. 50cm f/10
SBIG STL-6303E

Detail screens:
L: 4 x 300sec
R: 4 x 300sec
G: 4 x 300sec
B: 4 x 300sec
(Binning: 1x1)

Temperature:
CCD-Chip: -25°C
Draußen: -3°C

Software:
CCD-Soft
ESO-MIDAS
IRAF
MaxIM DL

Justice à la Turkiye

Not that I were surprised.

Observers voiced disappointment with the conduct of the trial of 19 persons for the January 2007 murder of Armenian-Turkish newspaper editor Hrant Dink after a third hearing was held yesterday [February 11th] in the Istanbul suburb of Besikta. The press is not being allowed to attend the trial. Full article at Reporters without Borders.

I am not even surprised that while millions would demonstrate either for or against a headscarve ban, 500 people demonstrated in a square to demand justice.

Milliband's spreading democracy militarily

The United Kingdom's foreign secretary, David Miliband, will today set out the clearest exposition yet of Labour's recast foreign policy when he will argue that mistakes made in Iraq and Afghanistan must not cloud the moral imperative to intervene - sometimes militarily - to help spread democracy throughout the world.

He will warn that the rise of China means that the world can no longer take "the forward march of democracy for granted", and that Britain must unambiguously be on the side of what he describes as "civilian surges" for democracy. Continued here.

Interesting that the Milliband would mention China, but not Zimbabwe, isn't it?

Well, having received my Valentine's Day present by reading the world's most intelligent and peace-loving leader saying '"Prosperity and peace are in the balance", I shall neither write this man suffers from stupidity and megalomania nor comment his words, but leave this to Archbishop Cranmer, in whose piece you will find following nice anecdote, which I shall soon - in a other context - find the opportunity to recall:

'When Sir Charles James Napier [in the India of the early 19th century] was confronted with Hindu demands for a lifting of the ban on suttee. And the general famously replied: ‘You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours.’

And now's your turn, His Grace.

Valentinejad's Day

Although it's said officially the beloved Mullah's would pretend to be not amused, one could even order Valentine's Day flowers online to Iran.

Oh well, who knows? Perhaps will even Iran's beloved President today whisper words of love.

PS: Sorry for the typos in the title. Don't know how it could happen. Seems not to be my day today.

Valenking's Day

RIYADH - Agents of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice visited flower and gift shops in the capital Saturday night to instruct them to remove all red items - from red roses and wrapping paper to boxes and teddy bears - from their shelves, shop workers said.

Why would this happen?

Two possibilities, says Tetrapilotomos.

1. The defender of human rights thought of that many people count their costs for those Valentine flowers in shortened lives and intended to set an example - once a year.

2. The wise and pious King Abdullah in his benevolen ce ordered to ban Red until Friday in order to push the black market prices for red roses and thus make Saudi Arabia's florists happy - at least once a year.

After all, isn't for His Majesty somehow every day Valentine's Day?

PS: Sorry for the typos in the headline. Don't know how it could happen.

PPS: Sorry about the red letters. Don't know how this could happen.

Hurray! They're not capitulating

Within hours after a plot to murder Kurt Westergaard was foiled, yesterday Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten republished the cartoonist's drawing of Mohammed which is depicting the Muslim prophet with a bomb under his turban.

And again I do regret that - not listening to Tetrapilotomos' advice - I did not found factories in which I could let produce flags on demand in all those countries in which pious philanthropists would encourage their (sic) people to give evidence of how peace-loving and tolerant their religion is.

Instead of presenting pictures showing burning flags and / or well educated humanitarians holding posters with slogans such as Death to / Kill /Massacre / Slaughter those who insult Islam" and or "Europe you will pay, your 9/11 will come", I do allow myself to recommend reading following essay by Henryk M. Broder which is an excerpt from his book Hurra! We're capitulating.

Ah, well, and due to a recent occurrance here another piece by the same author: Shariah Is for Everyone!

On the route again

'To know that I could whenever I wished.'

These eight words by Robert Gernhardt accompanied by his inimitable smile, came to my mind when Saturday morning I had to learn that my router after only a couple of months 'had breathed his last'.

As the telephone service could not help, they promised to send a new one. And - oh wonder - already this morning it arrived.
So, knocking on wood. :)

Yes, it is not nice to know that I could not if I wished.

Well, probably it depends on one's point of view. While I felt not immoderately amused, Mrs Jeating's words spoken Monday night let me suspect she was highly delighted.
"Ah, Sean, how lovely. I have not seen you so busy in the garden for many weekends. And there is still so much to do."

And when I asked, 'Is it possible I am not completely wrong when hazarding the guess you are gloating over my withdrawal syndrome?', her eyes sparkled while she exclaimed: 'Yessss, I love it'.

I did not finish pondering, yet, what's the (un)hidden message behind these four words. The more as by now I am back on the route(r), knowing that I could whenever I wished.

The Peace of the Night. :)

Hm, am I?

You're Siddhartha!

by Hermann Hesse

You simply don't know what to believe, but you're willing to try
anything once. Western values, Eastern values, hedonism and minimalism, you've spent
some time in every camp. But you still don't have any idea what camp you belong in.
This makes you an individualist of the highest order, but also really lonely. It's
time to chill out under a tree. And realize that at least you believe in
ferries.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

What about Seanhenge?

Jams in his comment on yesterday's post reasoned: 'Hmm by that logic Stonehenge, Hadrian's Wall, even Buck Palace are doomed! '

Yes, indeed, and one could add Skara Brae, Newgrange, the pyramids, Machu Picchu, Chinese Wall, etc. pp.
My biggest worry, though, is: What about Seanhenge?

All these illegal buildings!

The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Sheikh Muhammad Hussein has condemned a decision by Israeli authorities to demolish the Al-Omari mosque in the village of Umm Tuba near Jerusalem under the pretext that the [700 year old] building had been built without a license.

In case this Ma'an News article bases on facts:

Would anybody, please, show me building application and licence for the Second temple?!

No, not what is written in the Book of Ezra; a notarized building application, an authenticated design and full planning permission and a certified and legalized building licence.

Otherwise, I think it were logic to immediately raze the Western respectively the Wailing Wall.

The Peace of the Night, and good luck!

*

Oh well, just in case any persons thinking they were peace-loving Muslims, intend to enthusiastically lavish me with virtual back-slapping and oriental flowery hymns of praise - think twice!
Next you might be asked for certain documents according the Dome of Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Salam!

The magic of another dawn

'The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware.'
Henry Miller
The Wisdom of the Heart, 1941

Ha, yes. He did not write just Nexus, Sexus, Plexus.