Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 and Part 4.5

I am a huge fan of British Humor - and some of their TV as well like "Have I got news for you" and "QI".

Compared to US television the Brits can be very raunchy and would say stuff that would give the American FCC multiple heart attacks (like Stephen Fry’s famous "arse gravy" quote).

This episode of HIGNFY with Brian Blessed as the host was so hilarious that the BBC didn’t broadcast it. But some generous soul made available via YouTube.

Enjoy!

If you can cope with nasty British Humor - watch & enjoy!

Israel has been making serious threats against Iran’s nuclear program in recent weeks. But one has to wonder: when Israel bombed Saddam’s power plant they didn’t make a huge public announcement - they just dropped the bombs.

Iran’s threat to cut of international oil supply with a naval blockade doesn’t strike me as very smart either. Why punish your customers when you yourself defied the international community.

When you think $140 for a barrel of oil was expensive - just wait … when these idiots start another war in the Middle East the price could easily double. Petrol and food prices will skyrocket and there will be even more starvation and food riots.

If this happens Iran and Israel can very proud of themselves.

Let’s hope the next winters will be warm and mild.

Louise Brooks was a very special soul - she was a liberated woman, a great actress and wild at heart. But as so often with such people her life was a tragedy.

Our media mad world consumes young female flesh in huge quantities - so it’s easy to dismiss another pretty face long gone.

But Louise influence with her skills many directors and fellow artists - something one hardly can say about today’s media & marketing sluts. Too bad we have lost many of her movies - and that she only performed in silent movies …

More? Louise Brooks Society

Nevermind that "Mutter" is younger then her Daughter - but I just love the Magic Flute.

This is actually a performance by the The Royal Opera House at Covent Garden - Diana Damrau (Queen of the Night) and Dorothea Röschmann are obviously German.

For me it’s often amusing when I hear the Zauberflöte sung / performed in "ungerman" accents - but this one in "fine and pure arian art" …

BBC News: AU treads softly on Zimbabwe

It is easy to hate hate and condemn Robert Mugabe - and he deserves every bit of it. Since the last election it should be bloody obvious to anyone that he is an old tyrant clinging to power by any means necessary.

But African leaders - many of them dubious characters - don’t have the backbone to deal with this monster. Africa loves to hate Europe for it’s colonial mistakes and America for their modern imperialism. But currently it’s mostly Africans abusing other Africans.

Once again it shows that establishing "good systems" like Democracy without a supporting culture and historically grown structures simply doesn’t work.

Especially in Africa tribalism and capitalism make an explosive mixture. Tribal loyalties trump any laws or common sense. But this is also a long term consequence of all these artificial countries in Africa: Europe brutally forced many tribes into artificial "Nations" which never before existed. Many of these mixed up countries are still struggling to "function". Maybe some form of continental reshuffle would be helpful?

Click image for more ornaments.

When you visit Europe’s old feudal palaces and houses one is overwhelmed by the lushness and pomp of their interior designs. The Baroque epoch was certainly the most playful period in that respect -  and there were certainly "quieter periods" in European history. Especially northern European protestants dimmed all that crazy ornaments seriously down.

But overall there was never such a thing as "feudal minimalism" in European interior design before movements like Futurism, Modernism and Bauhaus arrived.

I think such a place as the one pictured above would drive any Feng Shui or Zen master mad.

New Scientist: The world’s most successful bug hits dolphins

How does a parasite found in kitty litter get into whales and dolphins? By hitching a ride down the sewage pipe and into anchovy guts, say researchers.

Gloeta Massie and Michael Black of California Polytechnic State University say this could explain why one of the most prevalent parasites in humans is now popping up in marine mammals. They presented their findings at the annual meeting of the American Microbiology Society on Monday.

"Toxoplasma gondii is the most successful protozoan pathogen on the planet," says Michael Grigg of the US National Institutes of Health. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that nearly one in four people aged 12 or older in the US have been infected with the parasite.

This is another great example how little we often about the consequences about our actions. Nature is a complex system and even small & stupid acts can have serious consequences.

A lot of science is "wasted" by finding out these often destructive connections and their consequences.

Bert Kaempfert is the King of Easy Listening - his themes are smooth, without any edges or deep expression. It’s niceness pure.

I dunno if this is purely trivial music for supermarkets and elevators - or some form of art.

They certainly make music like that anymore - purely instrumental themes are a forgotten art in pop music.

What does it mean to be "lonely"?

Does it mean people treat you like an outcast - and you are pushed a side and a lone person.

Does it mean you run away from people - because you dislike them or you’re unable to connect to them.

Does it mean you are always at the wrong place with nobody to connect?

Does it mean nobody understands you or nobody can follow your ideas, mindset or attitude?

What does it mean to be lonely and is it real?

Don’t we all love little fluffy clouds? Especially 5 am in the morning, still drugged and excited from a whole night of clubbing and dancing? That was the good unhealthy life back then …

It was neither practical nor romantic to get some hot action in a movie theatre. It was pure necessity, since most people couldn’t afford their own places.

Today you can hook up with your girlfriend in front of your expensive multimedia-beamer-dolby-surround-entertainment-system - and be completely bored by all the bad movies you own without any erotic action.

Maybe romance in public is more exciting, because it’s limited and public?

Sniper Assistant First Grade actually isn’t such a great job - not as exciting as the recruitment officer made it sound like …

This looks extremely lame compared to today’s amazing visuals. But I can assure you that it kept me nailed to the screen for mo