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 and 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 :)

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.

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

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.

Social Perversity in Turkey

... or: 'Social reality' in Turkey

Variations on a dialogue (in 2010?):

1.

- You say you have been gang raped by bureaucrats, men of law, politicians and an 80-year-old retired general?!

- Yes.

- What’s your age?

- 13.

- So you should go home and tell your parents.

- ?

- They can file a complaint if they wish.

- But it’s me who …

- You are too young to differentiate what is rape and what is love.

- But …

- Your family will know how to restore your family’s honour. Farewell.

***

2.

- So you say, the day before yesterday you have been gang raped by bureaucrats, men of law, politicians and an 80-year-old retired general?!

- Yes.

- What’s your age?

- The day before yesterday?

- Yes.

- 13.

- So you should go home and tell your parents. They can file a complaint if they wish.

- But, why can’t I …

- You are too young to differentiate what is rape and what is love.

- But I am married.

- With 13?!

- No, yesterday was my birthday. And my wedding.

- Well, but that was yesterday. You were still 13 when …

- My husband got 500 dollars f …

- He was not your husband the day before yesterday, hm?

- No. … eh …Yes.

- You are obviously slightly confused. Go home, tell your parents and your husband, and they will know how to restore your family's honour. Good night and good luck.

Irreal?

Well, read this, and then go on talking.

h/t Internation musings

Off I go

... - and Monday I'll be back.

Well, in case Frankfurt doesn't turn out to become my Mersin. :)

Either way, it's all part of Omnium.

Thus, enjoy life.

:) Hm, one never knows, therefore: May those I treated unfair forgive me.

October 13th, 2008

Apples and an appeal

This is the last apple I picked this afternoon.

Good harvest it was. One apple per day ...
And the best of all:

Again I did not fall from the ladder. :)

Well, and now Mrs. J. does insist on us having a glass of red, as after midnight I shall not be as young as I am now. :)
Sláinte.

October 12th, 1492

The American who discovered Columbus first,
made a fatal discovery.

Der Amerikaner, der den Kolumbus zuerst entdeckte,
machte eine böse Entdeckung. [G 183]

Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742 - 1799)

Avec le temps

Wordy Wednesday VI

This morning, noticing that Bock the Robber had posted an entry titled McCain and Palin — The Certainty of the Know-Nothings, expecting another of his glorious rants I moved over and ... got moved. Why? Read his words, watch the video, and you will know.

Visiting Ardent, you will come to know why I did wholeheartedly laugh about ... the Angel of Death. Enjoy! :)

I had just started to understand what Woody Allen had been refering to when stating: 'I am not frightened of death. I just don't want to be there when it happens', when a poem by Simin Bebhahani let my laughter die.

Well, and thanks to Internation Musing I came to read a nice 'Rolling Stones'-article not just about Sarah Palin.
Indeed: 'The scariest thing about John McCain's running mate isn't how unqualified she is - it's what her candidacy says about America'.

Wherewith this post's circle has come full. :)

The peace of the night.

Bow to Brel

...in a man's life, there are two important dates: his birth and his death. Everything we do in between is not very important.
Jacques Brel (April 8th, 1929 - October 9th, 1978)

This may be so. On the other side, there lies a grain of truth in what I think George Santayana once stated (trying to translate):

At death the leopard leaves behind its coat,
and man his reputation.

Well, and some would leave behind some wonderful chansons.



Although I find this one more impressive (judge yourself), for those who do not speak French I chose the version that's offered with English subtitles.

A very guttural Sláinte, Sir

Same procedure as last year?

Same procedure as every year!

Well, almost. This time you've to read 68 and 97.


Enough written.
I am off now with my only man to meet the birthday child in 'The Third Policeman'.
Wishing you the best of Omnium, if you know what I mean.