revelation of silence » english

pirate party in germany

E. — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:08:06 +0000

The pirate party was approved by a council of the German Federal Parliament as a valid party for the election in September 2009 (in contrast to other parties like the smokers’ party, the party, the anarchistic pogo-party Germany and the mountain-party).

— Source: n24.de (with thanks to J.)

grave inscription

E. — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:16:12 +0000

I just came across the following sentences, and had to think of them as a possible gravestone inscription:

Don’t stand at my grave and cry. I am not here. I did not die.

I’d like that.

And here the confirmed full version of the poem (not the earlier version usually printed on postcards etc.), written by Mary Elizabeth Frye:

Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am in a thousand winds that blow,
I am the softly falling snow.
I am the gentle showers of rain,
I am the fields of ripening grain.

I am in the morning hush,
I am in the graceful rush
Of beautiful birds in circling flight,
I am the starshine of the night.

I am in the flowers that bloom,
I am in a quiet room.
I am in the birds that sing,
I am in each lovely thing.

Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there. I do not die.

(Thanks to Alice – I didn’t even know the line was from a poem)

change at last? the future of developmental aid

E. — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 22:20:41 +0000

I haven’t had a “breaking news” article in quite a while, but this may actually qualify: the G8 states concluded the meeting in L’Anquila with the announcement that they will from now on focus on a different way of developmental aid.

It has long been a well known and widely acknowledged problem that “helping” other countries by providing them with free food doesn’t help at all, and simply destroys the national markets (the local food producers can’t sell their own food, this bringing the country into an even worse economical situation). Of course this phenomenon is far more complex, but you know what I’m aiming at here).

The G8 have decided to forthwith support countries with development aid going more or less directly into the food – production (farmers, etc) and thereby supporting the market of the country that is receiving help in order to build their own proper economy. This seems like a very big step to me. Moreoever, it has been agreed upon paying 20 billion US-$ to the poorest countries.

Of course, this is not enough – as some organisations pointed out after the conclusion of the conference – but then again, it looks like a first step.

By the way: Germany is the second biggest donor of development aid (with 0.38% of the gross national product).

– Source: tagesschau.de

– Update (just links, I’ll update text later):

http://www.tagesschau.de/wirtschaft/desertec114.html
http://www.tagesschau.de/wirtschaft/desertec108.html

pamplona again

E. — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:28:49 +0000

Probably I shouldn’t, but still: after the “accidents” in 2007 I’m quite happy to tell you how the animal mutilation in Pamplona turned out this year (one man killed, three severely harmed).

Of course I hope it didn’t hit any innocent bystand, but from what I’ve read this is pretty improbable.

pirrrrrrrrrrrrrrates !

E. — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 08:56:41 +0000

Piratey links of the day:

Death Metal Parrot
What kind of Pirate are you?
Check out the band Alestorm – they’re actually doing Pirate Metal :-)
Pirate Party - go vote for them.

teetering bulbs and small-souled men

E. — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:37:47 +0000

Worth living:

(1) The American music writer and critic James Huneker, in his Chopin biography “The Man and His Music” (1900), about Opus 25, No. 11 in A minor (considered by many musicians to be one of the most stirring and sublime piece of music ever written):

“small-souled men, no matter how agile their fingers, should avoid it”

(2) The American poet Russell Edson about the human brain:

“teetering bulbs of dread and dream”

(dedicated to gyre, gimble and mimsy borogoves)