Caballito del diablo

In the middle of the night.....

2008-05-30T14:57:00.002+02:00

when the time is right..........you start thinking about a lot of things. This blog has been dead for a long time. I don't know if I will manage to reanimate it.
A lot of things have changed in my life. A new baby (Paul-Robert was born on November, 26 last year) keeps us on the go. He is very cute and handsome though. We all love him very much.
I've started looking for a new job. I had an opportunity but it didn't work because of less income than before. Let's see what happens next.
I've have changed from product management to sales which was a big step and I still hope in the right direction. Now I'm working at home, sitting in my office on the second floor of our house.
Pretty hot in here because outside it looks like Italy or Spain or something.
I have turned 39 last week so I'm heading straight on to 40 next year. Damn. Is this the beginning of a midlife crisis? My knee hurts for months now, I'm a wreck.
Presumaby hardly anyone will read this post. It's my fault, I know. Let's see what happens. You were always on my mind.

Still waiting

2007-11-21T18:33:00.000+01:00

Paul-Robert is still not out of his Mum's belly. But we are awaiting him every day now. We are very curious how he will look like. My guess is more like Tina, but who knows anyway?

We had to go through some "problems" the last weeks concerning only one part of the regular measurement throughout the pregnancy. But it seems like everything is a tempest in a teapot. Paul-Robert remained calm and did everything perfectly what was expected of him. Brave little boy. He also passed a test that simulated pains, he didn't mind. I'm proud!
Little boy we await you so much. Your big sister, too. She is talking a lot about you! Be sure to have a good birth, I will be there.....

Konrad returns

2007-10-09T16:07:00.000+02:00

I know, I've been away for a long time. I don't know exactly why this has happened but anyway.

Some things have gone crazy at work. We are having a very good year at work concerning sales figures and profits but this seems to be not good enough. I can't help but laughing about the pressure that is put on us. It's beyond any reasonable measure. Furthermore our allowance for using the internet has been cut down enourmously. I don't know if I am willing to accept this. I'm not the slave of my company, the compensation for pain and suffering is too little.

At home Tina is getting into the final stage of pregnancy. Emma is running wild because we think that she realizes some of the changes that will take place. She has also started Kindergarden and will turn three in December. A lot of things to handle with for her. She is so smart but also so strong minded. That's not at all easy for the parents.

Our house in the middle of the street. We have settled very comfortable there. We love it very much and would never trade it with anything else. It stands firm as a rock for our little family.
I'm glad that we dared to take this big step into the future.

My social life has suffered a lot the last year but I didn't find the time to get around everywhere I wanted to. The important friends stay, everybody else......well that's difficult. Sometimes you have to life with a guilty conscience. And yes you can survive without running with the hare and hunting with the hounds. Although this is difficult for a gemini I have to admit.
I suffer from a knee injury. Man that's hard for a soccer junkie like me. I have already started again of course although I don't know if I should have. Hopeless case I think.

Yes of course we are looking forward to Paul-Robert!!!!!!

About a boy II - Now we have a name

2007-08-23T17:30:00.000+02:00

It's going to be a Paul-Robert. We have discussed for a long time and now made a decision. Tina liked Paul and I liked Robert. So both of us have a part of the name we like. I think that's a Solomonic decision, isn't it?

Tina is doing fine and that's the most important thing. The belly is growing to a notable size. We can feel the movements and kicks of the little boy. That's amazing. Emma likes the name we have selected, too. It funny how she talks about her upcoming brother. She believes it will be twins, I don't know why. Probably because she likes to read Lennart Nilsson's "A child is born".

Now in German - I'm sitting here in the boring room...

2007-07-20T21:53:00.000+02:00

Mein wahrscheinlich erster Eintrag in Deutsch. Da es schon 22 Uhr ist bin ich zu faul, jetzt gedanklich noch einmal in eine fremde Sprache umzuschalten.
Trotzdem ein seltsames Gefühl, einmal in der eigenen Sprache hier zu Gange zu sein.
Sitze hier alleine, Emma schläft und Tina ist auf der Abschlussfeier ihrer Absolventenklasse.
Ich war nicht sehr fleißig, was Posts in der letzten Zeit betrifft. Dies hatte mehrere Gründe.
Zu viel zu tun in der Arbeit, wo einmal mehr enormer Druck aufgebaut wurde. In den wenigen Stunden am Abend bleibt manchmal wenig Zeit für Muse. Emma fordert ihr Recht, wenn ich heimkomme und diese Zeit mit ihr genieße ich auch.
Der Bub in Tinas Bauch wächst und mittlerweile haben wir die Halbzeit der Schwangerschaft bereits überschritten. Verrückt, wie schnell das alles geht. Ich bin sehr gespannt, wie unsere Familie zu viert sich bewährt. Für Emma die kleine Prinzessin wird es bestimmt erst einmal schwierig, da sie bisher die unbestrittene Nummer eins war. Tina hat heute ein Buch gekauft, welches auf ein Geschwisterchen einstimmen soll. Zumindest war sie sehr interessiert und wollte es gleich zweimal vorgelesen haben.
Sie ist brav ins Bett gegangen und hat gesagt, dass nur ausgeschlafene Kinder in den Zoo gehen können. Sie hat nämlich beschlossen, dass sie unbedingt einmal wieder mit Mama und Papa in den Zoo gehen möchte. Unser Einverständnis wird - selbstverständlich- vorausgesetzt.
Wohl dem, der eine solche Tochter hat, die Freizeitplanung wird uns bereits abgenommen.
Bei ihrer Begeisterung für Tiere aber auch kein Wunder. Ohne ihren Eisbären geht sie jedenfalls nicht ins Bett. Vermutlich müssen wir demnächst nach Alaska fliegen, ohnehin ein Urlaubswunsch von Tina und mir. Neben z.B. Barcelona, New York, Polen, Sibirien, Vereinigte Arabische Emirate u.s.w.u.s.f.
Werde nun auch noch ein bisschen lesen, zur Zeit hat mich "Im Schatten des Windes" von Carlos Ruiz Zafon im festen Griff. Good night and good luck.

About a boy

2007-07-18T11:58:00.000+02:00

Now it's a fact: We are going to have a boy. What a surprise. Everybody was talking about a second girl. Well except me.
Tina's gynaecologist talked about 70% probability for a girl. Stupid her. Why didn't she stop whispering this idea into Tina's ear? Now she will need some time to get used to the idea of a boy. I told her that a boy will love his mom very much and finally she agreed. Isn't it good to have both sexes when you have two kids?

I will have to buy a football right away, well just kidding, but I'm looking forward to our little male strengthening in our family. Otherwise three girls would have oppressed me hopelessly.
We are not very sure whether we will ever find a name for a boy. But maybe muse will kiss us.
I made a million of suggestions yesterday but Tina was not ready to start a discussion.
Right now the most likely basis for agreement would be Quentin. Following in order: Konstantin and Ben(jamin). But this is still the beginning of the process.

My sister-in-law Catrin will be godmother, but now we can't name him after her. Or does a name Catrino exist? Maybe we take Friedrich, the name of Tina's and Catrin's grandpa for a second name. I'm so excited.

Tell the girls that I am back in town

2007-06-19T16:46:00.000+02:00

Who knows this song?

Actually I'm already back for a long time. Not everything went well in Italy. The group dynamics went in the wrong direction and turned against two folks including me. Three of five guys turned hysterical because of the weather forecast and decided to flee from the camping (!) site. Hey, why would I go for camping when I'm afraid of the weather?
I would have stayed but they decided to tear down our tents in the run of seconds and what would have been the choice then? So we left after five of seven days originally planned. For a ride of about 600 miles one way. Man that sucked hell of a lot. They didn't even face a discussion which I tried to start - at least. They preferred to remain silent. Isn't that cowardly?
Well I have already decided not to take part next year. Not only because of this actions but also because of becoming daddy for the second time. And let's see what will happen in two years. A lot of water will run down Nuremberg's river Pegnitz until then....

Now the good news. It will be a boy. No, I don't know but I have to admit that I would like to have one for sure. Another baby girl would of course be super as well (think of Emma) but a boy for a dad, wouldn't that be good?
I think we will know this in a few weeks I am absolutely excited about it. The main problem would be the name for a boy probably. Nobody replied to my suggestions some posts ago. Only two names seem to be suitable for consensus: Konstantin and Benjamin (or Ben). Well maybe Peter but this is more from my side. But there will something on our mind when it comes to the point.
Tina had a checkup today and everything was just fine.

Heading from North to South - Viva Italia!

2007-05-31T09:42:00.000+02:00

Today I'll be flying to the German North, to Bremen. I have to organize a visit of customers to a plant of my company.
Tomorrow I'm going home and we are leaving to Italy by car in the evening. To our beloved Tuscany I have written about it the last years.

Our "academic circle" is on the agenda. Holiday coverage will be on my mind.

I'm in a good mood:

No responsibilities there, well besides fetching beer sometimes
Good weather forecast
The "Club" 1.FC Nürnberg has won the German league cup. A myth is back from 40 years of sleep. I have to take off my hat! And I will write about it more. I promise.
Only five GOOD people starting tomorrow, we will have enough space in our two cars. The BAD people will arrive on Tuesday by plane to Rome with small luggage (gay handbags?). Noblesse oblige.

A little reflection would be not that bad - at the G8 summit in Germany

2007-05-24T10:41:00.000+02:00

In the Süddeutsche Zeitung Jens Bisky writes that he has been mixing with anti-globalisation activists to find out more about their preparations for the G8 summit.

"The majority of the left-wing anti-globalisation movement does not want to and will not take up the sword. At the very most they might practise a little 'civil disobedience' as it is called today. And this is what they are rehearsing now. Last Saturday in Berlin Kreuzberg, a group of mostly young people met for blockade training. There was plenty of useful stuff to learn. How to communicate under stress. Which make-up is tear-gas proof. How best to be carried off by the police."

Why do they have to build this fence? If they ever think total security is possible this is not true. What kind of life is this to live for a politician?

Stop showing fear as common political reflex. Isn't this what they wanted?
I would like this on the agenda of discussion.

To Everything There Is A Season: Konrad is turning 38

2007-05-22T10:15:00.000+02:00

I'm turning 38 today, 40 is getting near but not too close yet.

To everything there is a season. What's on my mind:

To enlarge our family
To enjoy our house and garden
To cultivate friendships
To improve my guitar abilities
To build character
To learn, learn, learn and never stop
To work less and earn more, wouldn't it be good?
To stay in shape
To laugh as much as possible, well sometimes crying is not that bad, too
To not get oversexed and underfucked, hehehehe
To prepare to become 40 soon

Have a drink on me! I don't care about tomorrow but today I'll be there.

Everything you could ever want to know- about me

2007-05-16T15:50:00.000+02:00

Now I have decided it. Friends, family and assorted....

Now you will have the chance. For reality. I swear I will try to be honest. I have a new linked part of my blog (Question and Answer) where I will answer all kind of questions you want to ask me. Private questions, interests, opinions, weird stuff, sins, shoe size whatsoever......

Just send me a comment whenever you feel like there is anything you would like to know.

Or you can write me an E-Mail to:

caballito-del-diablo@freenet.de

I hope there will be something on your mind!

Famous Germans: Dirk Nowitzki (NBA MVP 2007)

2007-05-16T11:36:00.000+02:00

And so he did it: Dirk Nowitzki has won the MVP throphy of the regular NBA Season 2006/2007.

He has won with 1.183 points including 83(!) first place votes, from a panel of 129 sports writers and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. Players were awarded 10 points for each first-place vote, seven points for each second-place vote, five for third, three for fourth and one for each fifth-place vote received.

Dirk Nowitzki is the first European Player and the fourth international player to be awarded with the so called Maurice Podoloff Trophy.

He led the Dallas Mavericks to the best-record (67-15, .817) in the NBA, tying for the sixth-best single-season winning percentage in NBA history. Nowitzki averaged team highs of 24.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and a career-best 3.4 assists while setting career-highs in field goal percentage (.502), three-point field goal percentage (.416) and free throw percentage (.904). No other player could keep up with this figures.

Dirk said that he is overwhelmed with the honor of the MVP award. Typical for him in his modest and likeable way. He never demanded to be elected. He proved the right on the play ground.

Now he and his best friend Steve Nash have won all of the MVP trophies of the last three years. Inconceivable what would have happened if the had remained and improved in the same team! Probably a winning streak of NBA titles. Maybe fate will bring them together again.....

It would be a great Canadian-German-axis. No axis of evil by the way.

I'm so happy for him. The award will help him to forget the desaster of the first playoff round against the Warriors. I hope he will come back even stronger next year. And if he will never win a title and championship ring, so what? There have been others with great great names in basketball history like: Karl "Mailman" Malone, Kevin "The kid" Garnett, Allen "The Answer" Iverson, Charles "Sir Charles or the round mound of rebound" Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Grant Hill or Anfernee Hardaway.

The dream of a championship will stay alive! MVP, MVP, MVP! Dirkules!

History repeating - Canada is ice hockey World Champion 2007

2007-05-14T11:20:00.000+02:00

Give three cheers for Canada! The Canadian ice hockey stars have wiped out the Olympic disgrace of Turino 2006 (they have lost in the quarter finals there) and won their 24th World Championship in Moscow of all cities!

The Maple Leafs beat Finland 4:2 (2:0, 1:0, 1:2) with two goals of tournament MVP Rick Nash of the Columbus Blue Jackets and without many of the great NHL stars. Coach Andy Murray did a good job.
Finland lost its 5th final game after their World Championship 1995: At the world championships 1998, 1999 and 2001 and at the Olympic Games 2006. Poor Suomi!

That NHL stars do not mean a team and a guranteed World Champion, well that is the story of the Russian Team. They swept through all the games before the semi finals with a young hungry team where they were stopped by the Finnish Team. The curse of all hosts of World Championships since 1986 did not come to an end: None of them could win the title at home!

Canada will have the next chance next year! If not then, then when?

Caballito del diablo - Year Two

2007-05-09T21:29:00.000+02:00

It is the second anniversary of my blog today. Two years have passed since my very first post appeared here on Caballito del diablo, May 9th 2005.

A lot of things have changed since then.
I was 35, now I'm 37. I'm still working at the same company, May 1 st I had my 10th anniversary there. My daughter has grown rapidly and is heading to kindergarden. Our second baby is on its way. We have bought and renovated a house and moved in last Christmas.

I thought again I'd guide you through some of my favorite moments and highlights from the second year of CDD because I'm complacent and high-handed like that.

Data of the last two years

246 posts
10974 unique visitors (average 438 visitors per month, 104 per week and 15 per day). The numbers have almost doubled compared with the first year.
Coming mainly from:

Germany

6636

60.47%

United States

1477

13.46%

Canada

562

5.12%

United Kingdom

374

3.41%

Switzerland

287

2.62%

Austria

186

1.69%

Spain

139

1.27%

Philippines

132

1.20%

Australia

0.82%

Mexico

0.77%

France

0.72%

Hungary

0.65%

Japan

0.42%

Netherlands

0.39%

Singapore

0.38%

Belgium

0.36%

Italy

0.35%

India

0.34%

Sweden

0.29%

Poland

0.25%

Argentina

0.24%

Norway

0.23%

New Zealand

0.22%

Europe

0.20%

Malaysia

0.19%

Ireland

0.18%

Colombia

0.17%

Turkey

0.17%

Finland

0.15%

Venezuela

0.15%

Peru

0.15%

Chile

0.15%

Israel

0.14%

Brazil

0.13%

Denmark

0.12%

Russian Federation

0.11%

Vietnam

0.11%

Korea, Republic of

0.11%

Portugal

0.09%

China

0.09%

Romania

0.09%

Still not many people from China!

Red Letter Day

The noted German satirical magazine Titanic linked to my blog on July 11th, 2006 and referred to my post with a translation of some of Robert Gernhardt's poems.

This lead to more than 1.250 (!) visitors of my blog on that day, about 25% of the total number of visitors since the coming into existence of my blog.
Amazing enough for me. The Blogger system must have been close before a breakdown.

Unfortunately nobody left a comment, but that seems to be a trend of my readers anyway.
Anyway, a special day for me. All my statistics have exploded. The Gaussian distribution was overridden that day. Caballio del diablo flew through choppy seas and dodged the iceberg.

Is there anybody out there?

Hardly anybody leaves a comment anymore. Heys buddies what's going on? Please let me know if my blog is of any interest still, okay?

It ain't over till it's over

The Mavericks have lost in the first round of the Playoffs 2007. What a huge upset. And Dirk Nowitzki is probably going to me MVP. What an irony of fate.

Soccer Worldchampionship 2006 in Germany

It feels like this is so long ago but it is not yet one year. We had a great time!!

It's my life

My blogging world hasn't changed very much. So feel welcome to join us.
Canada is still on my mind. Well my sister-in-law Catrin lives there (we miss you!) and some other fellow bloggers: Steve, Erika and Samantha.
Other bloggers come from all over the world: Lonnie, Hippy Monkey, Tuna Girl, Joe, Cindy-Lou and Sara-Beth from the U.S.
But also Jo from Singapore, Pillepalle from Hungary, Patroclus from the U.K., Jayred of Switzerland and Kathy from Germany.

Finally

I would like to thank all my "non-virtual" friends as well, who read the blog enthusiastically and often and then still mess me up by knowing all kinds of weird, intimate stuff about my life.

What is it good for? Absolutely nothing

Staying Alive - Dallas Mavericks edge Golden State Warriors in Game 5

2007-05-02T13:14:00.000+02:00

Dirk Nowitzki finally showed his MVP qualities, came alive, and he did so just in time to save the Mavericks' season.
After Dallas gave back a 21-point lead and found itself trailing the Warriors by nine points with just over three minutes to play, Nowitzki ignited his team by scoring 12 points on a game-ending 15-0 run that capped a 118-112 victory on Tuesday.
Nowitzki finished with 30 points and 12 rebounds and hit both of his 3-pointers during the pivotal fourth-quarter charge. Josh Howard supplied 23 points and eight boards in support.
Golden State, which still leads the series 3-2, put forth a valiant effort. Baron Davis scored 27 points and dished nine assists before fouling out with 22 seconds left in the game. Jason Richardson sank five 3-balls on his way to 23 points.
The Mavs will again try to stave off elimination when the series swings back to Oakland on Thursday.

Three and one is four, let us reach a new shore

2007-04-24T13:08:00.000+02:00

We are getting a new baby! It's still the beginning of Tina's pregnancy but we are very glad.
The schedule says 4th of December for the birth so this would mean another winter baby. But we are prepared with all the clothes of little Emma.
We are becoming a real family isn't this perfect?
And we are having enough space in our house. For the rest only time will tell. I would like a boy, Tina would like a girl and Emma does not mind. So nothing can go wrong I presume.
We are looking for names but this is not at all easy.Our favourites so far:

Girl: Rosalie, Helena or Pauline
Boy: Konstantin or Peter (names for boys seem to be more difficult)

Comments are very welcome.

Heading home

2007-04-20T15:06:00.000+02:00

We are going home today and we are looking forward to it. There is a lot of stress at work and at home. So we hope to enjoy the weekend.
We will have a cultural event tonight at the Kulturhammer, I have written about it recently. There will be the band "Liederjan".
Then sleep into tomorrow, have nice mum's food, entertainment for Emma and nothing to do but playing guitar, relaxing, shopping........

That how I like it, have a nice weekend!

Only one who knows longing knows what I suffer : Europapokal

2007-04-13T10:33:00.000+02:00

The Club will play against Frankfurt next tuesday in the German socccer cup DFB-Pokal.
If they will win the chance for international appearance next year is high. They would advance to the final game in Berlin.
The fans are already singing: Europapokal, Europapokal, Europapokal Europapokal, Europapokal. So long did we have to wait. I will sing with them cause I will be there.

Only one who knows longing
Knows what I suffer!
Alone and cut off
From all joy,
I look into the firmament
In that direction.

Ach! he who loves and knows me
Is far away.
I am reeling,
My entrails are burning.
Only one who knows longing
Knows what I suffer!

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Open letter to Germany

2007-04-10T14:35:00.000+02:00

Dear Germany,

if I think of Germany in the night, I am jolted from my sleep. I can no longer close my eyes, and my hot tears flow. Do you know who has written this poem?
I don't feel like crying but I am worried about some things going on in the state of Germany (not Denmark, but see under 1.)

1. Dear Mrs. Schavan (German minister for education and research): I have seen a report about Scandinavian schools on T.V. with my wife (who is a teacher on a Realschule). We could have cried but became angry instead. The situation there is so much better. When will Germany start to wake up and change the school system. We have already fallen behind and there are a lot of role models. Why don't we start to change. At least the separation after the 4 th grade or latest after the 6th grade into Hauptschule, Realschule and Gymnasium is no longer tolerable. We leave behind a lot of pupils who have deserved better. Above all children with migrational background and children with difficult situations in their families. We should pick the up even before school (the sooner the better) and teach them with well educated teachers, who should have studied themselves. And take the best of them there. Only to mention some recommendations.

2. Dear fellow citizens. Maybe global warming has too much become a scenario of scare tactics and a mouthpiece for some dubious scientists.
I don't like to be panicked and paralized by journalists who are only in search of the latest catastrophies to increase their print run.
But on the other hand I am annoyed when people deny that every single person can do something against global warming. Because everybody can. I have learned that while renovation our house. It's even fun and will save us money in future times. So let's start thinking before acting and also: writing.

3. Yes, "Made in Germany" still doesn't sound that bad. We are still export champion but a lot of things are going wrong in our industry. I know this because I am working there. We have lost respect of human beings in their companies. Only numbers are interesting. You get a number in the industry as well. A telephone number in my company. If someone is fired or leaves the company the next hired employee "inherits" the number. Isn't that fine? Nobody has to remember a name but only a number. Hey 4711 are you still there? .............

4. Dear Bayern München. Maybe you are the damn best soccer club in Germany. But Germany isn't by far the hub of the soccer world. Look to Spain and Great Britain with humbleness, Mr. Hoeneß! So you have won the Champions League in 2001? Who else of the German clubs in the last two decades? Okay Dortmund in 1997, but that club is close to bankruptcy. And if you do not look out our the "Club" (1. FC Nürnberg) will outstrip you. In Bavaria!! But I will see your game tonight and maybe you can convince me that the best is yet to come for German soccer.

5. Dear Weather. Stay as you are.

6. God bless the German cars. The Chinese nickname of Dirk Nowitzki is German fastcar. You will see what you get when he is going to overrun his opponents in the NBA finals. After becoming the first German MVP.

7. Journalists. Turn around and stop your negative coverage of almost everything. We need courage and self confidence more than ever. We need children. We need a future and I think there is still a chance that we will have one. I'm not talking about the tabloid Bild-Zeitung. That does not count at all.

Megacities: Tehran

2007-04-10T14:16:00.000+02:00

In the ongoing series on megacities of the Süddeutsche Zeitung, Iranian author Amir Hassan Cheheltan writes about Tehran:
"Perhaps you could describe Tehran this way: it's violent, but totally under the control of smog and noise. It's full of junk and kitsch, petty crime, paradoxical frivolity and political folly. The city is void of memory. It has hardly any old buildings, and yet it infects its inhabitants with the virus of nostalgia! Tehran has a million buildings, and yet the aesthetes and psychologists still haven't figured out whether they were put up in conformity with or in opposition to the mindset of its inhabitants."

I'm not living in a megacity and compared with this article my Nuremberg sounds quite normal and mediocre. But I think I prefer living in Nuremberg. But maybe Tehran could be another brick in the wall of my love to travel. At least it should be more save than Bagdad at the moment though I would love to follow the footsteps of Sindbad, too.

Four more years! Four more years! Part 2

2007-03-21T10:59:00.000+01:00

Look for the punctuation marks to realize the difference to my last post.

Tina and I we celebrated our fourth anniversary last Thursday (March 15th). We went to the Würzhaus, a nice previously opened little restaurant in Nuremberg. A play on words by the way, restaurant is "Wirtshaus" in German, and "Würzhaus" would mean spice house.

A colleague of Tina has said a few weeks ago that we have lighted a turbo in our relation:

March 15, 2003: Got together
March 1, 2004: Moved in together
About April 1, 2004: (exact date unknown): Fathered Emma
August 19, 2004: Marriage
December 16, 2004: Tina gave birth to Emma
February 24, 2006: Bought our house
December 15, 2006: Moved into our house

If we keep this pace I wonder what happens next? Any predictions are welcome.

Four more years! Four more years?

2007-03-20T10:16:00.000+01:00

Today is the 4th anniversary of the beginning of the Iraque war. Not at all a day to celebrate. But a day to look back in, well mainly anger.

What has happened? What have been the reasons for starting the war:

To expel the despotic Iraque regime of Saddam Hussein: Success
To destroy the weapons of mass destruction: Never found
To repacify the land and the region: Failure
To satisfy the urge for revenge for September 11: Phyrric victory
To form an "Axis of Good" against the "Axis of Evil": Disintegrating
Overall victory: Failure

Altogether a desaster for the U.S. They failed all along the line.
Thousands of dead people on both sides. Assaults almost every day. Destroyed culture, robbed museums and archaeological sites.
Scorched earth policy.

Perspectives? Vague and not encouraging. Can some thousand soldiers more be a solution?

At least Donald Rumsfeld and his unbearable rhetoric have disappeared. The gap that George W. will left behind will substitute him entirely.
I do not envy the next American president. No, not at all.

Game of the Year? Phoenix Suns edge Dallas Mavericks

2007-03-15T08:47:00.000+01:00

The Suns and Mavs staged an epic battle Wednesday night. But there can be only one winner. This time the Suns brought a little bit more to bear. Sad for me as a Mavericks fan but a sportsman should be a good loser.

Amare Stoudemire had 41 points and 10 rebounds, and Steve Nash scored 10 points in the final minute of regulation, capped by a tying 3-pointer with 2.7 seconds left. He finished with 32 points, 16 assists and eight rebounds.

As for the Mavericks Jerry Stackhouse scored 33 points, his most in three seasons with Dallas, and Dirk Nowitzki added 30 points, 16 rebounds and six assists. He had eight points and seven rebounds in the third quarter, when the Mavs turned what had been a 16-point deficit into a 15-point lead going into the fourth quarter. Again close to a triple double, a good performance but not good enough this time.

Phoenix rallied by opening the fourth by making eight straight shots and 10-of-12. While that set up Nash's great finish, four missed free throws by Dallas - including two by Nowitzki - were equally important.
The Mavericks remained shaky at the start of overtime, then Jason Terry scored five points in the final 48 seconds, including a long 3 over Nash with 4.5 seconds to go that the second overtime.
Stoudemire helped Phoenix take it from there, although it still took a missed 8-footer by Nowitzki as time expired to end Dallas' 23-game home winning streak and tighten the race for the top seed in the Western Conference.

The next classic will take place on Sunday when the Detroit Pistons host the Dallas Mavericks. The best teams of the Eastern and the Western Conference will cross the blades. Another chance for a brick in the wall to become MVP for Dirk.

Rhombus poem - Spring

2007-03-14T17:54:00.001+01:00

Spring
Spring feelings
Spring feelings grow
Spring feelings grow tremendously
Spring feelings pass by
Spring board
Summer

First are the bees or dying without a trace

2007-03-14T08:45:00.000+01:00

They are gone. They have left the beeyard alone, didn't care about the young offspring. They never appeared again the older, adult bees. Didn't leave dead bees behind. Millions and millions of bees disappeared in North America in the last few months. More and more American beekeepers who open their beeyards for the first time after winter in these first warm weeks report the same: One beeyard after the other is empty. No bees are at home. Shocking!

At the west coast almost 60% of the bee colonies have collapsed, at the East coast and in Texas almost 70%. More than one half of the American states is struck and parts of Canada. The same happens in Spain and Poland. First reports come from Swizzerland and from Germany as well - but nowhere it's as bad as in the U.S.

It is a strange, creepy phenomenon that haunts the bee colonies. Science has given it those name, which it has reserved for something that can't be described yet, or maybe ever: disorder. They speak of "Colony Collapse Disorder". Scientists know much about the symptoms but very little about the reasons.......
But the know that it would be a catastrophy when the bees would disappear. A catastrophy for mankind, too. It could be a writing on the wall, a warning that something has gone out of balance.

About one third of the human food is dependend on bees directly or indirectly: Between 80 and 90% of apples, pears, plums and many other fruit are pollenized by bees . Also melons, almonds, peppers, pumpkins, raspberries and about 90 other fruit and vegetable species- but also animal food like clover and the widespread -especially in the U.S.- alfalfa. There are no real alternatives to bees.
Researchers say that stress has become too much for the colonies. They say that it is a wonder that nothing has happened sooner. A bee colony is a complex super organism that has adapted to the most difficult circumstances in millions of years. But in the last 10 years the bees have become weak. Maybe there is really only one reason that will be found but there could be many that have overwhelmed the bees: Consolidation of farmland that left very few boundary ridges, mono cultures and a too perfect forestry that didn't leave a single hollow tree trunk in the woods. Cities and suburbs that overgrow the earth. Pesticides that poison the bees. Illnesses and parasites that attacked the bees, introduced in the course of transcontinental dispatch of breeding bees.
One sentence is cited oftenly at the moment. A sentence of Albert Einstein: "If the bees disappear, then mankind will live only four more years; no bees any more, no pollination any more, no plants anymore, no animals anymore, no human beings anymore....".