Global Warming Theories

This guy has some valid points. The movie is a bit long and I admit that it is corny. But after taking a few minutes to watch it, one theory really hit home to me. While we are sitting around debating if we can change the climate or not... we are at the same time, running the experiment.




Been Reading:

• Michelle Obama speaks to gay Democrats - What gay issues Barack Obama is for and against
• Claim denied: Gay marriage not harmful - $100 offered to someone with proof that gay marriage is harmful
• Microsoft Seeks Path Beyond the Gates Legacy - Bill is retiring... what do we do?
• From Pixar, A Droid Piece of Filmmaking - Cute but dark, I think it sounds enticing

EURO 2008 Fan Mile Berlin - Germany vs. Turkey

Last night we along with about 800,000 others we packed our fan items together and headed down to the Brandenburg Gate for a public viewing of the Semi-Final of EURO 2008, the European Football Championship. Tonight's teams, Germany vs. Turkey.

Click the pics to "imbiggen" them.
The full set of pics on Flickr.

Out of 800,000 people, about 300,000 were turned away at the gates almost an hour before the game even started. You Snooze, You Lose I guess. Berlin Mayor, Klaus Wowereit, and his administration restricted the Fan Mile in space and time. Instead of being allowed to broadcast all games, we were only allowed to show the games beginning with the semi-finals. Instead of having the entire distance between the Brandenburg Gate and the Siegessäule, we were only given half the space. This meant that there was no way to have the normal space for a million people, thus many people were sadly turned away.

In the press and around town there was some speculation that the festivities would turn ugly. The American Embassy even warned us about it. A few of my friends suggested that we should not go because of the bad blood running between the Germans and the Turks and the possibility of it coming out in such an environment.

There are more Turks living here in Berlin than in any other city outside of Turkey. They came to Germany in the 50's and 60's as guest workers and the great majority never left. The bad blood is caused by many factors, not the least of which is that the Turks are seen by many Germans as some kind of second-class citizen... and of course the Turks know this. Many of the Turkish families in Berlin still cling to their life in Turkey and raise their children speaking their native tongue with German being taught only in the schools. So of course when it comes to education the kids start out behind the full Germans, thus when the time arrives for the choices for higher education, often the Turkish kids are left behind, making the circle complete. Sad but true.

We sat in the VIP section over the crowd at the Gate. This is a nice place to go to get the feeling of a huge crowd at such an event, without all the jostling about from being down on the ground. As each team was introduced, the respective fans screamed and I must admit that I got goosebumps. That kind of almost electric power from an excited crowd is a feeling which is hard for me to describe, and I love it!

Before the game the captains read prepared statements asking for unity and calling for an end to racism. This action was completely unprecedented and well received by the crowd I was able to observe. In the crowd of people were a group of kids who were decked out in both Turkish and German fan gear. At one point they tied each of the flags together and then held the combined Turk/Germ flag up in the air the rest of the night.

The game itself was a little sad. Truly the Turkish team out-played the German team. They were better at placing the ball, better at "rebounding" so to speak, and simply played with pride, heart, and a depth of character not really seen in this tournament. The team itself was down to the bare depths. Several members had received the red card in a previous game and had to sit out this game, while others went home with injuries.

The German team on the other hand made many mistakes and simply did not play very well at all. Despite scoring more goals and winning the game, they really didn't work together as a team the way I've seen in the past. All in all it was not really a good game, even though it was a cliffhanger so to speak.
Remember that even though the Turks lost, here in Berlin the Turkish fans have a different perspective as they have pride in the Turkish team, but really are Germans as well. Thus it is sad that the team of their lineage didn't win, but their home team is still in the game. I think that this combined with the fact that in general the Turks generally don't drink (they're Muslim, and Allah doesn't allow it... well, as a Turkish friend once told me... sometimes they do... "what Allah doesn't see won't hurt him"), kept the crowd quite peaceful.

During the game the TV station twice lost feed from the source. The sound from the crowd was classic, a HUGE AWWWWW. It was kind of cute. Then people started looking at each other and moving around more whereas seconds before they were firmly planted, even transfixed by the screen. The line at the beer stand was instantly huge, and the riot police put their helmets on. Both times when the game came back on the screen there was a fantastic cheer.

From our vantage point we had an interesting view of a possible problem early on in the game. The Turks were outnumbered about 10 to 1 in the crowd. Of course the only way to gauge this is by looking at the flying flags which were pretty much grouped in one area, but I bet that is about right.

The Turks scored the first goal of the evening, and began a celebration in their little group which was not too far from the stage. We could see the smaller group of people moving within the larger crowd and watched as things such as bottles started being thrown into and out of that group.

The police who had staked out the area in front of us for best vantage point were immediately standing straight up and pointing at the group of people moving around in a circle. I looked over at the formerly lazy-looking riot police and saw them energetically moving toward the stage while donning their helmets and other protection. Very soon the movement stopped and there was no further trouble the rest of the night which we could see.

As for the drive home... well, it could have been better. N. has what can only be described as an extreme dread of fireworks and loud, unexpected noises. Well, perhaps you can imagine that it was very much like a war zone on our way home through part of Kreutzberg (one of the Turkish neighborhoods). Adding to that, we were both on Mimi the scooter with N. driving and the feeling of exposure is about 150% worse. On top of those lovely facts we have the celebrating fans who were jumping about in the streets screaming, waving and blocking traffic. It's not that it is dangerous, or that we fear for our safety or some kind of aggression... it is just that you must be careful that some well-meaning and extremely happy fan does not pop out in front of you, or drive in an unsafe way, causing a wreck.

When we got home she stood in the middle of our bedroom, took a deep breath and firmly declared that she will go to no more games at the Gate with me. Whoops. Tonight is the company party at the enclosed VIP area which I need to attend and then we have the same possibility to sit in the VIP area for the final. Ahem... I wonder how to approach that with her. Tonight I must make an appearance, so I will probably leave at halftime. But maybe we can have a get together at our house and invite a few friends for Sunday. Suggestions for snackables? :)

Been Reading:

• Test your Geography Knowledge - Europe -- my score 91 - no idea where I got it... but it comes from another Blogger I'm sure.
  

Uncle Sam Worries About Us...

Ahem... ummm...
Welcome to paranoid America...
and learn how to spell Brandenburg!
Geeze, your new home is ON THE PLAZA OF THE GATE!

E-mail from the U.S. Embassy
June, 24 2008

On Wednesday evening, June 25, Germany and Turkey will meet in the semifinal round of the 2008 European Football Championship in Basel, Switzerland. Various cities in Germany have set up viewing areas for the public to watch the live broadcast of this game. The "Fan Mile" in front of the Brandenberg Gate in Berlin is expected to draw up to 500,000 German and Turkish fans, Frankfurt am Main will host a public viewing area at the Rossmarkt, and Munich is setting up a large public viewing area at the Olympic Stadium where 30,000 fans are anticipated. Similar events are planned in other cities and spontaneous celebrations or demonstrations related to the match may occur throughout Germany.

Because of the high fan interest in this prestigious semi-final elimination game between Germany and Turkey, there exists the possibility that disturbances, including violent disturbances may occur before, during or after the match, which begins at 20:45. At a minimum, post-game celebrations will likely result in traffic congestion in larger cities. Crowds celebrating previous German and/or Turkish victories have blocked streets and rocked vehicles attempting to pass through them.

We remind American citizens in Germany that even mass gatherings and demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and possibly escalate into violence. American citizens are therefore urged to avoid the areas of demonstrations if possible, and to exercise caution if within the vicinity of any demonstrations. American citizens should stay current with media coverage of local events and be aware of their surroundings at all times.

Oh and hey... N. and I will be at the Gate watching the game from the VIP area!!! So much for the Embasy and their dire warnings... Actually I think what this meant to say was that if Americans insist on cheering for the teams at the Brandenburg Gate, they don't want us beating on the doors of the NEW American Embassy. Tee hee hee!!
GO GERMANY! KICK SOME ASS!

Been Reading:

• For whom the bell tolls ... A blogger's view on the gay marriage thing
  
• Turks in Germany celebrate Euro semifinal berth
• Berlin Airlift: Germans look back _ and forward

George Carlin Dies at 71

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Motzstrassenfest 2008 - II

As I told you here, we took off to Day 1 of the Motzstrassenfest.
Of course we got some pictures.
There are a few below, and here is the whole set on flickr.
Click on the pic to "imbiggen".








More pics

Motzstrassenfest 2008

This weekend is the Motzstrassenfest at Nollendorfplatz here in Berlin.
It is the beginning of Gay Pride Week which culminates next weekend with the Christopher Street Day (CSD).

N. and I will join the festivities on Saturday afternoon and meet up with various friends throughout our time in the area. The party extends into the nights of course and really livens up this part of Schoneberg which is traditionally the "gay men's" area of town.

The Gay Pride Flags are up at official buildings all over town, the air is teeming with gay energy... I LOVE BERLIN!!!

What's Been Happening

Last night TQE Adam and I met up for dinner and a show during his short stay here in Berlin. The dinner was the famous Mr. Wok which didn't seem to please Adam very much. The show was the lively Gayle Tufts, (website) American Expat extraordinare. Something tells me that Adam would have enjoyed both a bit more if the poor man had been able to get some real sleep, but of course traveling across the pond does tend to wear one out.

Afterward we opted for a walk through the Tiergarten and a ceremonial stroll through the Brandenburg Gate. The revelry of the German fans celebrating the recent victory over Portugal in the EURO2008 was fun to experience. Much honking, flag waving, screaming, noise-making and general merriment was happening all around us. After we went our separate ways, I skipped off to the subway to make my way home. This is where things got interesting. A few hundred fans making their way on to the next point of celebration in various stages of inebriation... well, let's say that it was loud!

This morning I experienced a little adrenaline rush and acted on it in a way in which I am not so proud. I was on Mimi and almost to the office, riding in the outside lane of a four-lane street. There was a car double-parked in the outside lane ahead of me and I was trying to get my little scooter into the inside lane to get around him. The cars in that lane were bumper to bumper so I decided to use my small size to go between the inside lane and the space left in the outside lane after this idiot decided to park his car partially in a driving lane.

I slowed down and tried to see through the back window of the offending car to get the status of the possible driver to get a clue of their intentions, or just see if there was anyone IN the car. Unfortunately the combination of a dark back window and sunlight reflecting back at me was not allowing clear vision. As I got to within one car length behind and alongside the rear of the car, the driver's side door popped open, directly into my path. He had one foot out immediately and even though I honked, he did not close the door, just looked at me uncomprehendingly. Mimi and I managed to squeeze between his open door and the moving traffic in the inside lane... just barely.

Immediately I pulled Mimi in and parked several car lengths in front of the idiot. Before I could even get my helmet off I was screaming obscenities in English. I proceeded to tell him what an bonehead he was for parking illegally and then not even looking into his mirror before opening the door. At this time I realized that I was screaming at what appeared to be a Turkish man in English and I KNOW he has no idea WHAT I am saying... so I switch to my shitty German - maybe there is a chance he will understand that language. Yes, that language in which I can barely function... BUT when put under pressure I came up with some very interesting and colorful ways of letting him know that I thought he was an absolute Dummkopf. He just stood behind his still open car door with his mouth wide open, never uttering a word. When I'd said my peace I hopped on Mimi and took off. YEAH!

Several things I'm thankful for:
* He didn't start exiting the car a second earlier which would have resulted in his door being open the entire way and his body the whole way out of the car... this would have taken up too much room and Mimi and I would have lost that battle.
* He didn't fight back at all. Male Turks here in Berlin are famous for their masculine bravado, and it could have easily escalated into a shouting match on the street, neither of us understanding what the other said.
* No one reading this thinks I'm racist for pointing out the guy's probable ancestry without questioning how I could know this... (he was proudly displaying two Turkish flags on his car, ostensibly to support the Turkish football team in their run for EURO2008).
* That no one reading this is going to tell N. She's already nervous enough that I'm even riding Mimi... We don't need to add to her fears, do we?

Finally I was able to speak my Pop after almost really messing up Father's Day. It was a great conversation. We talked about our lives, other family members, and current events. Recently he was given a special honor by the Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame, and we finally had a chance to talk about it. He was all alone during our call whereas normally I catch him on his way to do something or driving, or with a bunch of people around him.

As he answered the phone he was on his way from the house to his workshop which for him is the most comfortable place in the world. We talked until his mobile phone ran out of battery... 2.25 hours. I just love the guy, and miss him horribly. In my rather F'd up teenage years, my old man took me in and gave me stability, love, and trust. It was invaluable and probably kept me sane.

Music from Tim Russert's IPod was used at his funeral service to send him into the great beyond. Now I'm a little scared. Does this mean that participants at my funeral will be hearing Haddaway's "What is Love"?

Been reading:

• Maureen Dowd - W. Regrets Almost Nothing
• Four Reasons Not to Get Married in California
• Return of the Rule of Law?
• Bad guys really do get the most girls
• Obama’s Decision Threatens Public Financing System
  

Poor Angie...

Now that Putin has stepped down from his post in Russia... does this video mean that Angela Merkel has to share her Chancellorship of Germany with him?



Or is the next possible President of the United States already going senile?
Hmmmmmm...

To be fair, I have no idea of the date of this piece.
At least I would assume it was before mid-May when Putin stepped down.

Does McCain associate Germany and Russia in his head?
Is this a simple Freudian slip which tells us more about his true thinking?

Same-Sex Marriages Begin in California

You Go Girls!

Del Martin, 87, center left, and Phyllis Lyon, 84, center right, are married by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom , center, in a special ceremony at City Hall in San Francisco, Monday, June 16, 2008. Also pictured are the couple's witnesses, Roberta Achtenberg, left, and Donna Hitchens. Lyon and Martin became the first officially married same sex couple after California's Supreme Court declared gay marriage legal. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, Pool)

Now is the time when most people ask me what this does to the fact that N. and I cannot get married in the States, and N. cannot immigrate. Unfortunately it does absolutely nothing for us, just a lot of our friends back home.

Immigration law is handled on a federal level, not on the state level. This means that gay marriage or even civil unions must be OK'd out of Washington D.C. for anything to happen to N. and myself. So we will continue to stay in Germany... literally until there is an act of Congress.

Once again I will say it. If either myself or N. had a penis, this would have been taken care of a LONG time ago. $63 and some paperwork and she could have come to America legally to be with me and live the "American Dream" (You know - freedom of choice, where all MEN are created equal, life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness - all of that rot). As it is, we are missing that so called important part and can't do a damn thing about it. To me it is almost a case of sexism.

Been reading:

• Same-Sex Marriages Begin in California
• A flood's ripple effect
• Berlin Hotel Unsure How to Deal with Raccoon Guest

Happy Father's Day... Almost Late

Last night at midnight I was awakened by the sound of a phone ringing and then the deep, halting and slightly whispery voice of my my bro coming over the answering machine. "Um, Snooker... I don't know if Europe has these holidays on the same day... but uh, I just talked to the Old Man." (yeah, between ourselves we've been calling him that pretty much since we were kids). "He says that he hasn't heard from you yet today... and ummm... it is Father's Day... and um...OH CRAP, it is like midnight there... I'm sorry. Uh I just thought I would remind you just in case you forgot. OK, I'll go now, sorry again."

Yeah, I'm THAT kid. The one that forgot Father's Day. You have to admit that if I were in America there would be MANY little reminders in the weeks leading up to the holiday, but over here I just don't get them.

So I rolled out of bed with some effort and crawled my way to the phone. "Hey Snooker, it's Baby Snooker here."

"Well hey there! I didn't think I would hear from you," he exclaimed in that jovial voice I miss hearing. "It must be about midnight there, you should get off of this phone and get back to bed."

"Yeah Pop." I uttered in an obviously sleepy voice. "But big bro called me and let me know about Father's Day, and I wanted to call and chat with you for a while."

"Nah Kid," he said in a tone that said the conversation was over, "don't worry about me, everything is fine and I'm having a great day. Right now I'm watching two wild turkeys digging around in the dirt outside the kitchen window."

You have to know my father to know that this is a cool thing for him. This is the guy that will drive along a country road and come to a sudden stop pointing out one side of the car... "Look, look... a buck," (male deer, city-lubbers) "he's at least a 10 pointer," (referring to how many points there are on his antlers), all of this said with glee and wonderment.

In his younger years he would have been after those wild turkeys with a gun, bringing them back home with a smile on his face that can only be understood in the hunter/gatherer sense. But now he is enjoying a quiet life out in the country again. He and his wife have a really nice lake house with lots of acreage and a pool... what else could a retired guy want?

Meanwhile I feel like the bad kid. I'm the one that moved sooo far away. I'm the one that calls only once a month or so, and I'm the one that he doesn't know how to introduce to his friends. "Fred, I want you to meet my daughter.... and her... uh... friend." Sorry I forgot your big day Pop. But I know you, every day is a big day.

Musical Monday - Amy Winehouse

The name Amy Winehouse Official / Wiki conjures up a sadness in me. The same sadness I feel when I think about ladies like Janis Joplin, Billie Holiday, Karen Carpenter, and how they burned themselves out. Unfortunately this is the same fate I see for people like Ms Winehouse and the likes of Alicia Keys and who can forget Whitney Houston. It is like a train wreck, you just have to sit and watch for fear of missing something. Not only is her husband in jail, she showed up for a $2 million private gig in Russia "in no condition to perform", and just this afternoon she fainted at her London apartment, needing to be taken to the hospital for tests.

Amy is quite possibly the most talented soul singer to come down the pike of late. Don't let her British passport or appearance of an anorexic 17-year-old white girl fool you, she can belt out the R&B like nobody's business. Her voice is part Eartha Kitt, slinking around Etta James and sung with a slur that would make Macy Gray jealous.

This music is an updated version of that stuff Etta was singing 30 years ago, but she was never allowed to have lyrics like these:

When you smoke all my weed man
You gotta call the green man
So I can get mine and you get yours

I'm my own man so when will you learn
That you got a man but I got to burn
Don't make no difference if I end up alone
I'd rather have myself a smoke my homegrown
It's got me addicted, does more than any dick did
-- Song "Addicted" from Back To Black

I dare you to hit play on the video below and close your eyes...
Welcome back to Motown baby!
"Me & Mr. Jones"


Been reading:

• 'NO' TO THE EU - Why Europe Should Listen to Ireland
• Gay Men, Straight Women Have Similar Brains
• Germany Marks 55 Years of GDR Uprising

A Different Kind of Blue Water

On first glance can you tell what is happening in that picture?








It is a bit strange I admit, but I had a lot of fun doing it. This is me in full scuba gear. We are practicing our scuba skills in a pool. I am doing a handstand on the bottom of the pool.

(cool grouping of words, eh? SCUBA SKILLS - say that ten times real fast - nah I knew you wouldn't)

It may seem strange for a person who loves diving to do things like this. ?Why would you dive in a pool instead of a lake or the ocean?

Well, if you are even slightly worried about being competent in the open water, it is better to have a little refresher before hitting the big blue. Also if you aren't worried, but just want to know that you can react quickly and competently in case of an emergency, then a little pool time doesn't hurt anyone. Scuba is actually considered an "extreme sport", probably because it is pushing the limits of what the human body is designed for.

So before going on big trips or even just at the start of the season it is smart to touch up on your knowledge. Watch the instructional videos again, check out your equipment, maybe even get it checked out or inspected.

Besides you don't have to spend the whole time doing basic skills. You can also to some fun things. We like to juggle golf balls (yup, easier in water) or play Frisbee with a special water Frisbee. We jump through hoops... well... float through hoops which is a bit harder than you might think with a huge tank on your back and lots of hoses sticking out. In general pool time is fun time.

Now that we're all checked out, maybe we should head off to a nice blue water location. Maldives anyone?
Check out more Maldives pictures on Flicker.

Been reading:

• Tricia Helfer and Katee Sackhoff of Battlestar Galactica on their motorbikes
• Berlin Decides on Green Car Tax
• That 'new shower curtain smell' gives off toxic chemicals, study finds

Cleaning Up My Desktop

How about a few photos that have been sitting on my desktop for a while? All of these images are in the Flicker Berlin set, click them to go to the larger size.

The first one is at Kranzler Eck in the center of the buildings. People walking through the area find two huge "birdcages" filled with squawking parrots and other exotics. For some reason I cannot comprehend, the parrots are there... in the open air... all winter long. Surely they would rather be warm all year long.

On this day the sky was so perfect, the vapor trails from the airplanes lovely, and the reflection from the building stunning.

The next two are Potsdamer Platz at sunset. It was such a warm, nice day. I was waiting at the red light on the bicycle enjoying the peeking sun when I happily realized that I had a camera in my pocket.

The next image is the same location, same picture even, but I've taken liberties with Photoshop. Unfortunately it was a point and shoot camera, so the quality tends to suffer at this size. But I think the added texture or "noise" does interesting things.

The last is the Brandenburg Gate seen from the side. The lighting is really mostly Photoshop although I do enjoy the effect (hard light for those who know Photoshop) ... it's like the Gate from Hell or something. I took this about three point and shoot cameras ago with one of the first Casio Exlims on the market. The camera did funny things with night shots anyway, I just enhanced the weirdness. In this picture all lighted areas came out this lovely warm beige. The very next shot (sorry, it isn't here) was taken from within 5 feet of the first shot, yet the lighted areas came out a funky light blue color. Neither picture was true to the color my eyes could see.

Some things I've been reading:

• Gay Unions Shed Light on Gender in Marriage
• Ireland Takes the EU Spotlight
• Waterlogged - Bottled Water
• The World is Watching- by BerlinBound - blogging about American politics

My Obsession With Aeronautics

1 June was the last day of the Berlin Air Show - ILA 2008. It is a bit like a week-long store window for anyone wanting to buy a plane and anyone who loves airplanes in general.
Check out a few more pictures on Flicker

N. and I packed a picnic, some chairs, plenty of drinks and of course the camera and to take in a little bit of the air show. We didn't have much time set aside in our tight weekend schedule, just about two hours, but we hoped to see some great aerobatics in that short time.

Since we couldn't spend the whole day there, it didn't make much sense to pay 11 EUR to we could get onto the grounds of Schönefeld Airport, so we opted for the cheaper (free) version of finding a deserted side street and pulling out the binoculars.

There really wasn't much of a problem seeing the planes because very often they would fly directly over our heads in the circle pattern to take them back over the grounds. I got some OK shots - considering the distance - and was able to really give the telephoto lens a workout.

This kind of thing really taps into my geekiness. How exciting it is to see and feel these birds of the sky when their engines are on full throttle, kicking it into afterburner and roaring across our eyes. I LOVE it when I can FEEL the power of these planes!

I remember when the Blue Angels would come into Wichita, Kansas for the local air show. The day before they would spin and thrust around the area as a means of promotion. Just like almost everyone else in town I would run outside for a glimpse of what on earth was making that noise... oh yes... it is the Angels... WOW! Not long after those thoughts would clear my head I would be thinking to myself how happy I was that those planes were friendly.

Wichita considers itself the Air Capital because so much of aviation history happened here. Not the Wright Brothers or anything, but it was the home of Cessna, LearJet, Beechcraft, and of course one division of Boeing. Many of the best-known planes of the world were either partially or fully built in Wichita. One of the coolest things was to see Air Force One as it was getting its final outfitting. For about a month it was possible to see this huge green (before final paint) plane running its paces... must make sure that it is in top shape for the President. Often it would come back for checks and refitting.

The local Air Force Base, McConnell, was home to the refueling wing of the Air Force, so I got to see lots of KC-135 refueling planes... sometimes we would even see them in action. Then the B-1 Bombers came and the sound of the skies was completely different. When they would take off, houses for miles around would rattle and shake. I remember a local festival where 3 B1's did a flyover the crowd and I swear it was hard to hear the fireworks two hours afterward... I think that is the last time they did a flyover if I'm not mistaken.

Once I even got a glimpse of the B-2 Spirit Bomber. I was at 47th and Oliver in Wichita, Kansas (for those not in the know it means that I was at the end of the runway for McConnell AFB) in at the local QT, filling my Jeep up with gas - yup, I did that a LOT. You might be able to picture me, standing with my hand on the nozzle filling the endless pit when a HUGE roar came from the direction of the Air Force Base. Just about the time I looked up, the sky turned black with this astoundingly LARGE black wing-shaped thing. It banked right over top of the station and I felt like I should duck or something. I could feel the vibration in my feet and hands as the ground and my car were shaking. Two car alarms in the parking lot were tripped from all of the vibration. Afterwards some of the other patrons and I exchanged nervous grins and eventually talked about what was most certainly an awe-inspiring demonstration of power.

Even further back in my history, and probably at the root of my facination for aviation is the Somerset County Airport, which was pretty much in my family's backyard.

We had a large, leafy green yard with many trees, and beyond that a cornfield. On the other side of the cornfield was the very end of the one and only runway of this little two-bit airport. From the house we could only see the tip of the runway because of a forest which blocked the rest. The airport was very small, so the planes needed to be as well. We had mostly small Cessnas with a few Learjets, and every once in a while a dirigible (blimp) would make a stop in the area for refueling.

About three or four times a day, a plane would taxi up to the edge of the runway (the part we could see from the house) and run final checks before takeoff. How sad that from the house we couldn't see them actually leave the ground... so of course every once in a while I just HAD to disobey Mom's orders and make my way to the edge of the runway.

Around the runway was a buffer zone of probably 50 feet of cut grass. They also had lights along the runway which were green/blue and so bright you could see that they were on even in high sunlight. Occasionally I would dare myself for fifteen minutes just to get enough courage to steal up to those lights and touch them - making sure that there were no planes coming my direction of course.

Sometimes I was really lucky and would be at the runway when a plane would take off. They would taxi up to the endpoint so slowly... oh my... they simply didn't understand that I was in my "hiding position" sitting in the tall grass waiting for them. But eventually they would get close enough for me to see what was happening. I always liked to be on the side of the plane instead of the back because you could see the pilots inside the tiny cockpits. They would make a move inside and suddenly you would see the flaps go up and down or and hear the engines as they would spin them up and then down again.

I remember one time in particular as I watched a larger than normal Cessna taxi up and prepare. This plane had six people inside, and one of them was a kid about my age. Of course I was in my customary hiding position watching the final checks with envy in my eyes. How could that KID be IN the plane? It just didn't seem right. At that time I would have done just about anything to be in his position. The kicker was as they pulled the engine up for takeoff all of the people in the plane turned to my side and waved... HEY! How did they see me? Man! I wonder if they knew and understood how jealous I was.

Of course there were also times when I would witness a plane landing. Now that was cool! The plane itself could be seen from a long way off in its preparations. There was this kind of a dark glimmer at first with two white lights. Then as it got closer it would look more like a plane although it seemed to hover in mid-air for the longest time. Eventually the noise of the engine would reach my ears, and could watch to see how the wings would react to the crosswinds. Soon the plane would hover over the landing strip and you could hear how they were throttling back the engines, almost sounding like they would die. At last the tell-tale screech would let you know that they were safely on the ground again.

Ahhhh... to be a pilot!!

What Is It?

Does anybody have an idea what it is?
This one was spotted at the Charlottenburg S-Bahn station.
It looks a bit like a trash can or a compost bin, but there is a lock on it and as far as I can tell it doesn't stink.

Sandsation is Here!

Summer is really here! Two fantastic yearly events are setting up right now. Sandsation and the Smart Grand Slam Beach Volleyball World Tour. Both are easily found at Berlin's Hauptbahnhof.

The sculptors are busy preparing for Sandsation RIGHT NOW! I took a little bike tour around the area this morning and shot some pics. Click on this one and you can see some of the sculpture work is ongoing. Sorry for the quality, I just had the point and shoot... and they don't let anyone close to the area... no telephoto lenses on the bike.

From the website:
On June 8th, Berlin's biggest and without doubt most beautiful "sand pit" is going to open its gates for the sixth time at the Berliner Hauptbahnhof.
Again, the most renowned sand sculpture artists from all over the world will come together for the International Sand Sculpture Festival SANDSATION. Welcoming up to 120,000 fascinated guests each year, the only urban sand art festival in Europe easily established itself in Berlin's vast cultural landscape.

Although I didn't get any pictures of the beach volleyball area, it is coming along nicely as well. Soon there will be world class volleyball right here in the Hauptstadt!

Great Quote - Naguib Mahfouz

"You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions." - Naguib Mahfouz

Do You Know Where It Is?

Where is it?

Click the pic for a larger image

Really I am not wondering where the picture hangs... I know that much.
It sits on the wall in the local Globetrotter store (outdoors outfitter).

No, really what would please me most is to know where this picture was taken. When I told N. that I wanted to know where it is and began to take a picture of the picture, she looked at me strangely. Then I calmly let her know that it looks fantastic, and just like a place I would like to spend a long time hiking, camping, simply enjoying the environment. That this is the type of place which would build an inner peace in my soul.

After her jaw snapped shut and she took the incredulous look off of her face, she suggested that I put it on the blog and see if any of the bloggers might know where it is.
So? Any ideas?

New Holocaust Memorial in Berlin - For Homosexuals

In the 1970's gay activists established the pink triangle as a pro-gay symbol in the United States. Its history came from WWII when known homosexuals in Nazi concentration camps were forced to wear pink triangle badges as an identification/classification system very much the same way that Jews were forced to wear the yellow Star of David.

Men wearing this triangle were at the bottom of the camp social system and given even more harsh treatment than the other prisoners, if that could be conceivable. It was this impetus which caused the activists to appropriate the symbol of the pink triangle as a symbol of humiliation into one of solidarity.

Within the last week a memorial to the thousands of gay men who died in Nazi concentration camps was dedicated here in Berlin. The two meter tall memorial was erected opposite the main Holocaust memorial for Jewish victims in Tiergarten Park in Berlin at a cost of 600,000 EUR.

Yes, it's crooked... NEVER STRAIGHT! :)

Ingar Dragset and Michael Elmgreen designed a gray concrete slab fashioned very much like the slabs used in the memorial for the Jewish victims, with a window to allow visitors to view a video. The video inside shows two men kissing and will eventually rotate to two women kissing and back again.

One frame of the video shown within.
The video was shot on the very spot that the memorial stands today.

From the website of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. "The Nazi campaign against homosexuality targeted the more than one million German men who, the state asserted, carried a "degeneracy" that threatened the "disciplined masculinity" of Germany. Denounced as "antisocial parasites" and as "enemies of the state," more than 100,000 men were arrested under a broadly interpreted law against homosexuality. Approximately 50,000 men served prison terms as convicted homosexuals, while an unknown number were institutionalized in mental hospitals. Others—perhaps hundreds—were castrated under court order or coercion. Analysis of fragmentary records suggest that between 5,000 and 15,000 homosexual men were imprisoned in concentration camps, where many died from starvation, disease, exhaustion, beatings, and murder."

To add insult to injury, after the war gay men were not recognized as victims of the Holocaust and many were re-imprisoned by the authorities because of their sexuality.

The survivors were then denied the reparations and state pensions available to all other groups. In 2002, the German government formally pardoned homosexuals imprisoned by the Nazis but of course the great majority were long since deceased.

Thursday I went to an event in the Tiergarten, the Team Staffel 5X5 running event. One of the main entrances wound around a path going directly past the memorial itself. Since N. and I had been in the area on Sunday (we took the pictures on that day - it would have been impossible on Thursday with 40,000 people in the area ), it was a great place for the both of us to meet up.

The plaque outside of the area looking into the memorial itself.

As I waited for N., I could watch the long line of people slowly filing past the huge gray box. Some of them looked inquisitively at it, obviously not knowing what it was all about. Others stared with curiosity for a moment or two and then you could see the spark when they figured out what they were looking at. The most interesting folks were the ones who turned on my Gaydar... they were obviously looking at the memorial with interest and recognition, but most people had another agenda... they were supposed to be running soon, so they passed by continuing to look as they went on their way. One or two people stopped and walked up to the window to see the video inside, but that was a very small minority of those in the area. In my ten minutes at that position, I saw 5 people total approach the memorial... and another 200 or so walk by it.

Click the picture to read the inscription (German/English)

In school they never taught us about the homosexuals being persecuted by the Nazis. We learned about the Jews of course and the mentally ill and I even remember hearing about the gypsies, but we certainly weren't taught about the gays.

About ten years ago I went to see the play, "Bent". It really had an effect on me, opening my eyes to the whole sordid affair. One of the two main characters manages to survive by "trading up" his pink triangle badge for a yellow Star of David.

Later on I read some great books, one of which explained how the Nazis were able to find and persecute a great majority of the gay men... because they were actually on a LIST. The years between WWI and WWII fostered a rather open society. The bohemian lifestyle was simply more accepted and so gays and lesbians felt more empowered than ever before, 'coming out of the closet' in droves, so to speak. Berlin began to harbor a large gay community and there were many outlets for this newfound feeling of solidarity. At this time there were several very important sexual studies taken, at least one of which had compiled complete information on the men including their addresses and sexual partners. This list was later used against these men as proof of their homosexuality, eventually leading a great majority of them to their deaths.

Of course there can be no ignoring that the Nazi Party itself had many homosexuals within its ranks, some were even highly placed such as the leader of the SA (precursor to the SS), Ernst Röhm. "The Night of the Long Knives" was the end of Röhm's reign however. He and his henchmen, many of whom were gay, were summarily executed or jailed for what was perceived as a possible power play between the SA and the SS.

OK, enough of the history lesson.
What did I think of the memorial? I didn't like that it so closely mirrored the Jewish Memorial with it's huge cement block. It struck me a bit funny that it doesn't sit in the ground straight... there is something very humorous about that bit.

The idea of the two men kissing on the video isn't such a big deal to me as I see it often. It is my assumption that the idea is to be a little "in your face" about the gay issue, and that people can't ignore it. Gays and lesbians often get acceptance on an abstract level, but straights rarely can deal with the thought of seeing us.

Evidently there was a bit of a dust up that lesbians were not initially included in the video portion of the memorial. This lead to the inclusion of a video of a pair of lesbians kissing being added in the second year. I'm not sure if this was the right thing to do. Lesbians weren't really singled out as a group by the Nazis... as observed throughout history, to the Nazis the more scary part of the homosexual community was the gay men. But politics being what they are... inclusion is the name of the game.

The whole thing didn't effect me very much at all. This is strange because places like the Vietnam Wall often produce a feeling of reverence in me, sometimes bringing me to tears with the thought of the events that lead to the building of the memorial. I didn't FEEL much in this place at all. Not even on Sunday morning when there wasn't another soul around. But then the Jewish Holocaust Memorial here in Berlin is much the same for me. I don't get it. And judging by the hundreds of people I see using the place as a fun and crazy maze, there are lots of other people that feel the same. To be fair I haven't been in the underground section of the Jewish Memorial. If anyone would care to accompany me there, just let me know.

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

Quoted from the plaque at the new Holocaust Memorial for Homosexuals.
"With this memorial, the Federal Republic of Germany intends to honour the victims of persecution and murder, to keep alive the memory of this injustice, and to create a lasting symbol of opposition to the enmity, intolerance, and the exclusion of gay men and lesbians."

Dona Nobis Pacem

GRANT US PEACE
I wish I had something of substance to offer on the subject of Peace.
People around me say that I don't have thoughts or dreams of the future, and they are right. So it is nigh to impossible for me to envision world peace. I have no idea what it would even be like. Even though I can't wrap my brain around it, I believe and understand that it would be a better place. What I do know is that peace begins with the children, teach them what is possible. They will lead the way for a new world.

Where did this come from Snooker??
Mimi Lennox is at it again. She is the creator of the BlogBlast for Peace, and of the Peace Globes.

This idea started by one post written in November 2006. A part of it went like this:

"Imagine a day like this.......You turn on your computer, crank up Blogger or Typepad or Wordpress and you realize that something is very strange.
Someone or something is playing a huge cosmic joke.

Wouldn't it be AWESOME if on one particular day......All bloggers everywhere signed their blog name across a globe and all posted the SAME POST on the SAME DAY...... What IF............every person who clicked through the blogosphere saw hundreds -even thousands- of posts that said the SAME THING?
What IF...............every post on November 7, 2006 was simply titled 'Dona Nobis Pacem' with a picture of our big beautiful world in the body of the post with each blogger's name screaming a great big GRANT US PEACE".

And since the first edition on November 2006, with two others that followed, it has evolved into a worldwide movement.

Learn more about BlogBlast :
Blog Blast for Peace Official Blog

K.D. Eric and Tina... Oh My!

WoW! It is going to be quite a year!
My dear, sweet N. has outdone herself. We had been talking (read, Snooker had been jumping up and down) about the news of Tina Turner coming back for another round of concerts.

When we finished the conversation I didn't think that there was much chance of further movement on the topic. We talked about how expensive tickets were, and how our future holidays would cost so much money... I didn't think that Tina stood a chance.

Early the next morning N. called saying that tickets would go on sale in an hour but she had found some way to reserve them in advance. "What price class would you like?", she asked sweetly. OMG! You're kidding! She was getting ready to buy them, and my heart was palpitating.

But she was ordering tickets! The next thing out of her mouth almost put me on the floor. "So while I'm here I should probably just go ahead and get the Eric Clapton tickets too." OK, my knees got weak... I didn't really fall on the floor although I certainly felt like it was going to happen. Then I tried in my very best -I'm not really blown away- voice to say something like, "um, sure... it would be reasonable".
Of course all this time I'm remembering K.D. Lang in Amsterdam (previous post), and the fact that Tina won't be in Berlin until January 2009 (a few days after our - yes, we share one - birthday). This is going to be quite a year!

I've seen both of them before. Tina was the reason the Ex and I took a Vegas jaunt in April of 2000 for the Twenty-Four-Seven tour, and she was absolutely FANTASTIC! I mean come on, she's sold more concert tickets than any other solo performer ever. There is just something about her!

My experience with Clapton on the other hand was a 2005 show that I didn't have to drag N. to, she actually really likes him. He of course has many decades of music to cover and always does a fabulous job of getting the crowd behind him. I love that he's moved toward the blues edge of his play list with the concerts. What impressed me the most was the people that he brought with him. Robert Cray was the opening act, and was asked back to the stage several times during Eric's set which was great! Eric also had some fantastically talented new artists with him that made the show all the more interesting.

May I just say that I'm VERY EXCITED!!!

Musical Monday - Kid Rock "All Summer Long"

I was raised on the guitar riffs of Lynyrd Skynyrd official / Wiki . The first lovingly plucked out notes of "Sweet Home Alabama" (Video/song at the bottom of post) followed by a softly spoken but always present "Turn it up" always makes me do exactly that.

Many a hot summer day was accompanied by "Skinny Lennard" (my brother's affectionate name for the boys). For me the first time I heard the song was probably in the mid-70's coming from my brother's room while the folks were at work... most likely at a house-shaking volume since he often wired his stereo through his electric guitar amp.

My parents shook their heads at him and declared that Skynyrd was country music, but he would have none of that... Sorry Buddy... but they were kinda right. It is very similar to contemporary country music for certain, but for the sake of argument we'll just call it Southern Rock, OK?

I myself didn't really get into the boys until my mid-20's, when AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Van Halen, Quiet Riot, and ZZ Top were still pumping through my heart, but I needed a little change of pace. At this time I went back to my brother's favorite music, The Outlaws, Skynyrd, Charlie Daniels, etc. To that I added 38 Special, Marshal Tucker, The Eagles and Molly Hatchet among many others.

Yes, I was deeply entrenched in "southern rock", which brings us back to "Sweet Home Alabama". Legend has it that the song was written as a friendly poke at Neil Young (Wiki) for his song "Southern Man" where he talks about the south's reputation for mistreatment of the black man with lyrics like:
Southern change gonna come at last
Now your crosses are burning fast

The Van Zant brothers came back with lyrics to continue the sparring match:
Well I heard mister Young sing about her
Well, I heard ole Neil put her down
Well, I hope Neil Young will remember
A southern man don't need him around anyhow

Tee hee hee... this almost makes me want to say I was raised on the other side of the Mason Dixon line! Way to stand up for yourself boys.

Fast forward to about two weeks ago. I'm in the kitchen with RS2 pumping in the background as I wash dishes (seems like a hobby with me, I do it so often). Then up comes this goofy song... in the background I hear Zevon's "Werewolves Of London" with an occasional guitar and ending piano riff recognizable from Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama". The chorus has words that immediately perk up my ears:
Sipping whiskey out the bottle, not thinking ’bout tomorrow
Singing Sweet home Alabama all summer long

"OK OK, I have NO idea who this is... but the theory is cute," I exclaim to an unsuspecting and clueless N., but she is a good person and nods knowingly.

The radio station uses a snippet of the song for its imaging, so I hear a piece here and there but not the whole song again until about a week later when I am able to quietly take it all in. At that time I still can't figure out who is doing the song, but enjoy it whole-heartedly.

Since that time I've heard it another three times and enjoyed it enough to try to find out more about the upbeat tune. Imagine my surprize when Googling some lyrics brings me to the knowledge that this little ditty I've been jamming to is done by none other than Kid Rock (Official / Wiki). You're kidding... (pun intended)

So, let's take a breath here. I don't know much about the guy. He's done some annoying songs which I tried to steer clear of... I don't like his wanna-be bad ass attitude... he's either dating Pamela Anderson or he was... sorry, I don't (can't / don't want to) keep up with this kind of stupidity.

Am I having trouble enjoying the song as much? Yes. Do I think that it is a way of pandering to the Skynyrd fans? Yes. Am I disappointed? Well... kinda. The song is still a good one. I guess I don't have to like his politics to like the songs, right? Even Skynyrd talk about Watergate and "lovin' the Guvnor"... and I am cool with that, right?

Alright then, let's give the video a try, shall we?

OK, so Kid just managed to hit every stereotype I've ever had of the guy... on the head. But hey, he's havin' fun and I'm sure there are a couple of million guys who are totally diggin on this video. I mean hey, how many videos do you see that have a boat with a stripper pole complete with 20 half-naked women?

Will I continue to listen? Yes
Will I buy the CD? No
(Skynyrd's version of "Sweet Home Alabama" below the lyrics of this song.)

Kid Rock - All Summer Long Lyrics

It was 1989, my thoughts were short my hair was long
Caught somewhere between a boy and man
She was seventeen and she was far from in-between
It was summertime in Northern Michigan
Ahh Ahh Ahh
Ahh Ahh Ahh

Splashing through the sand bar
Talking by the campfire
It’s the simple things in life, like when and where
We didn’t have no internet
But man I never will forget
The way the moonlight shined upon her hair

[Chorus:]
And we were trying different things
We were smoking funny things
Making love out by the lake to our favorite song
Sipping whiskey out the bottle, not thinking ’bout tomorrow
Singing Sweet home Alabama all summer long
Singing Sweet home Alabama all summer long

Catching Walleye from the dock
Watching the waves roll off the rocks
She’ll forever hold a spot inside my soul
We’d blister in the sun
We couldn’t wait for night to come
To hit that sand and play some rock and roll

While we were trying different things
And we were smoking funny things
Making love out by the lake to our favorite song
Sipping whiskey out the bottle, not thinking ’bout tomorrow
Singing Sweet Home Alabama all summer long
Singing Sweet Home Alabama all summer long

Now nothing seems as strange as when the leaves began to change
Or how we thought those days would never end
Sometimes I’ll hear that song and I’ll start to sing along
And think man I’d love to see that girl again

[Repeat Chorus x2]

Singing Sweet Home Alabama all summer long
Singing Sweet Home Alabama all summer long
Singing Sweet Home Alabama all summer long
Singing Sweet Home Alabama all summer long

Kid Rock - All Summer Long Song Information

Released March 30, 2008
Recorded Clarkston Chophouse Clarkston,MI
Genre Southern rock
Length 4:56
Label Atlantic
Writers RJ Ritchie,Marlon Young
Producer Mike Bradford

Here is the original song made into a fan tribute with promo pics of the band and one minute of crappy editing as the guy overdubs live footage sound and video over the song. I apologize for that right now.


I found this one while searching You Tube... it is a goofy fan mix that puts Nelly's "Country Grammar" over "Sweet Home Alabama" to celebrate Alabama football and a particularly special "oh shit" moment in a famous game. Not really completely relevant but I found it interesting how the two songs melt together so well.

And we were smoking funny things...
Tee hee hee!

First Sighting!!! The Magic Strawberries!

Strawberry Season is Here!!!

Today on our Sunday morning bike ride I spied my first Giant Strawberry!!

Soon these little street vendors will pop up all over the city and sell some of the most sumptuous berries to be had. Oh I LOVE this season!

Where is that Recipezaar link?
I have about 15 wonderful recipes stored on Recipezaar with the luscious red berry as a main ingredient. Please, help me with some ideas for a little variety in the upcoming weeks.
What is your favorite way to serve strawberries?