2011
APHORISM
PENSÉES
GEDANKEN
© Irmingard Anna Kotelev
100. Anniversary
"All the idiots in this world are held up as an example to me!"
"Alle Deppen dieser Welt werden mir als Beispiel hingestellt!"
Ludwig Johann Sulzinger
05.11.1911-13.02.1987
5th of November 2011
*****
In dubio pro secco!
Country’s best-known TV weatherman Jorg Kachelmann cleared of all charges.
COLOGNE, Germany – The year-long trial of Germany’s star weather man Jorg Kachelmann on charges of rape ended Tuesday with a not guilty verdict.
The Kachelmann trial has obsessed Germany’s tabloids and news channels since the amiable, bearded weatherman was arrested last March and charged with raping his ex-girlfriend and threatening her with a knife. From the beginning, there were doubts about the validity of the rape claims and the prosecution could produce no definitive evidence that an assault had taken place.
German trials rarely reach the fevered pitch of their U.S. counterparts but the Kachelmann trial was the exception. From day one, claims and counter-claims were played out in the media. Kachelmann’s star lawyer Johann Schwenn accused the alleged victim of making her story up. Famed feminist Alice Schwarzer took her side in a series of polemic articles for tabloid Das Bild. The circus atmosphere was complete when German comedian Oliver Pocher turned up at the courthouse disguised as Kachelmann and gave live TV interviews protesting his innocence.
The media storm is unlikely to let up just yet. Kachelmann’s old employer, public broadcaster ARD, is devoting two hours of primetime to the case and Tuesday's verdict. The prosecution has suggested they may appeal. Kachelmann, who lost his job at ARD after his arrest, spent 132 days in prison awaiting trial. He will now be compensated for his time.
www.hollywoodreporter.com - L.A./USA
May 31, 2011
*****
Consequences of Debt Restructuring
What Would a Greek Haircut Mean for Germany?
It's the worst-case scenario: Greece no longer able to get loans, with creditors having to wave goodbye to a chunk of their money. But what would it mean for Germany? Would the state have to bail out the banks again, and would private investors also suffer badly? SPIEGEL ONLINE takes a look at the likely consequences.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,765318,00.html
May 27, 2011
*****
E. Coli Cases Spread
Outbreak Linked to Spanish Cucumbers
Researchers have found the first link to the source of the recent E. coli outbreak in Germany: Spanish cucumbers. As the number of infections increase and spread outside the country, consumers are being warned to avoid certain vegetables.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,765114,00.html
May 26, 2011
*****
'Millions of Spaniards Have Lost Faith in Politics'
The ruling Socialists in Spain have suffered a historic defeat in local and regional elections amid discontent at the government's handing of the economic crisis. But German commentators point out that there is no way around painful reforms, no matter which party is in power.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,764588,00.html
May 24, 2011
*****
Air France Flight AF 447 Investigation
Recording Indicates Pilot Wasn't In Cockpit During Critical Phase
What happened on board the Air France jet that crashed into the Atlantic en route from Rio to Paris? According to information obtained by SPIEGEL from the analysis of flight recorder data, pilot Marc Dubois appears not to have been in the cockpit at the time the deadly accident started to unfold.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,764227,00.html
May 23, 2011
*****
And the Prize for Idiocy Goes To ... Festival Management
Yes, Danish director Lars von Trier's comments about understanding Adolf Hitler and about Israel being a "pain in the ass" on Wednesday were ill advised. But the Cannes festival's decision to exclude him from this year's event -- while at the same time rehabilitating Mel Gibson -- was even worse.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,763740,00.html
'If Anyone Would Like To Hit Me, They Are Welcome'
Danish director Lars von Trier was kicked out of the Cannes Film Festival this week for his controversial statements about Adolf Hitler and his comment "okay, I am a Nazi." He spoke with SPIEGEL ONLINE about the scandal -- and did his best to clear everything up.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,763955,00.html
May 20, 2011
*****
Strauss-Kahn's Successor
Why the New IMF Head Can't Be European
Dominique Strauss-Kahn is in jail, and the debate over his successor as IMF head has already begun. German Chancellor Angela Merkel wants to see another European get the job. But that would be a fatal signal to emerging powers such as China and India.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,763416,00.html
May 18, 2011
*****
Sex Charges Against IMF Chief
France Aghast at Arrest of Socialist Star Strauss-Kahn
The charges against IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn have triggered a political earthquake in France, where he was seen as the best hope of the Socialist opposition to oust President Nicolas Sarkozy in the 2012 election. It's good news for Sarkozy, whose most dangerous rival has gone.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,762741,00.html
May 16, 2011
*****
Two Scalps in One Day
Germany's Anti-Plagiarism Activists on a Roll
The online community of anti-plagiarism activists in Germany are going from strength to strength. Their efforts to uncover academic cheating caused a leading FDP politician to resign on Wednesday, and also led a German university to strip the daughter of a former state governor of her Ph.D.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,762116,00.html
May 12, 2011
*****
A New York Fireman and Osama's Death
It didn't take long for John Ottrando, a New York fireman, to arrive at the north tower on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. Now, almost 10 years later, images from that day have become his constant companion. But he has mixed feelings about the death of Osama bin Laden.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,761526,00.html
May 10, 2011
*****
'The Only Real Option Left for Greece Is Debt Restructuring'
A secret meeting of EU finance ministers in Luxembourg on Friday has generated suspicions that a second bailout may soon be required for Greece's stricken economy. Most German commentators agree that Athens' departure from the euro zone or an overly swift restructuring of the country's debt could have drastic consequences.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,761475,00.html
May 9, 2011
*****
Ex-German Minister Plagiarized Intentionally
Former German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg always insisted that he had never meant to plagiarize portions of his Ph.D. dissertation. On Friday, however, the University of Bayreuth said that he copied intentionally.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,761181,00.html
May 6, 2011
*****
'Europeans Find the Ground Zero Celebrations Somewhat Embarrassing'
The death of Osama bin Laden has raised important questions about how far a country can go in the desire for revenge. In a SPIEGEL ONLINE interview, German political scientist Herfried Münkler discusses whether democracies can carry out targeted killings and talks about the "unthinking naïveté" of the American celebrations at Ground Zero.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,760565,00.html
May 4, 2011
*****
An Eye for an Eye, a Tooth for a Tooth - US Forces Kill Osama bin Laden
"We love death. The US loves life. That is the difference between us two. I'm fighting so I can die a martyr and go to heaven to meet God. Our fight now is against the Americans. Every American man is an enemy to us."
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden (March 10, 1957 – May 2, 2011) was the founder of the jihadist organization al-Qaeda, responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets. He was also a member of the wealthy Saudi bin Laden family.
Bin Laden was on the American Federal Bureau of Investigation's lists of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives and Most Wanted Terrorists for his involvement in the 1998 US embassy bombingsSince 2001, bin Laden and his organization had been major targets of the War on Terror.
On May 2, 2011, bin Laden was killed in Abbottabad, Pakistan in an operation conducted by United States Navy SEALs and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) - WIKIPEDIA
May 2, 2011
*****
Pope John Paul II officially beatified
The late Pope John Paul II has been officially beatified in a ceremony attended by more than a million people. Pope Benedict declared his predecessor "blessed" at a mass in Saint Peter's, putting him on the path to sainthood.
VATICAN CITY — Lauding John Paul II as a giant of 20th-century history as well as a hero of the church, Pope Benedict XVI moved his towering predecessor one step closer to sainthood on Sunday in a celebratory Mass that drew more than a million people to Rome.
“He was witness to the tragic age of big ideologies, totalitarian regimes, and from their passing John Paul II embraced the harsh suffering, marked by tension and contradictions, of the transition of the modern age toward a new phase of history, showing constant concern that the human person be its protagonist,” Benedict said, speaking before the largest crowds to swell Saint Peter’s Square since John Paul’s funeral in 2005.
The New York Times - http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/world/europe/02pope.html
May 1, 2011
*****
Coffin of John Paul II has been moved from it's tomb
April, 29, 2011. (Romereports.com). The secretary of John Paul II, Stanislaw Dziwisz was present six years ago when the pope's tomb was enclosed. Today, he was visibly moved as he bent to kiss the coffin during it's transfer. With him were the nuns in charge of the domestic service of John Paul II as well as Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.
http://youtu.be/P9V25Mg2rCE
April 29, 2011
*****
220. Birthday
"If the presence of electricity can be made visible in any part of the circuit, I see no reason why intelligence may not be transmitted instantaneously by electricity."
Samuel Finley Breese Morse (April 27, 1791 – April 2, 1872) was an American contributor to the invention of a single-wire telegraph system based on European telegraphs, co-inventor of the Morse code, and an accomplished painter. (WIKIPEDIA)
April 27, 2011
*****
25. Anniversary
"Chernobyl was, is and will be one of Ukraine's biggest problems." (Oleh Andreev)
The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Ukrainian SSR (now Ukraine). An explosion and fire released large quantities of radioactive contamination into the atmosphere, which spread over much of Western Russia and Europe. It is considered the worst nuclear power plant accident in history, and is one of only two classified as a level 7 event on the International Nuclear Event Scale (the other being the Fukushima I nuclear incident, which is considered far less serious and has caused no direct deaths).The battle to contain the contamination and avert a greater catastrophe ultimately involved over 500,000 workers and cost an estimated 18 billion rubles, crippling the Soviet economy. (WIKIPEDIA)
April 26, 2011
*****
395. Anniversary
Helena: "Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind." - A Midsummer Night's Dream (I, i, 234)
William Shakespeare (baptised 26 April 1564; died 23 April 1616) was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". His surviving works, including some collaborations, consist of about 38 plays,154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. (WIKIPEDIA)
My Mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun - http://youtu.be/qK-sQebRdiw
April 23, 2011
*****
120. Birthday
About His First Composition: "My mother had to explain that one couldn't compose a Liszt rhapsody because it was a piece of music that Liszt himself had composed. Also, one could not write music on nine lines without bars, because music was, in fact, written on five lines with bars. All of this prompted Mother to give me a more systematic explanation of the principles of musical notation."
Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (Russian: Серге́й Серге́евич Проко́фьев) (23 April 1891– 5 March 1953) was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor who mastered numerous musical genres and is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century. (WIKIPEDIA)
Prokofiev, Romeo & Juliet - Ballet: http://youtu.be/ZB3sd2BAxys
April 23, 2011
*****
Yehudi Menuhin signature © WIKIPEDIA
95. Birthday
"I can only think of music as something inherent in every human being - a birthright. Music coordinates mind, body and spirit."
Yehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin, OM, KBE (April 22, 1916 – March 12, 1999) was a Russian Jewish American violinist and conductor who spent most of his performing career in the United Kingdom. He was born to Russian Jewish parents in the United States, but became a citizen of Switzerland in 1970, and of the United Kingdom in 1985. He is often considered to have been one of the twentieth century's greatest violin virtuosi.(WIKIPEDIA)
Yehudi Menuhin - Schubert Ave Maria - 1947 Adolph Baller (piano) - http://youtu.be/LLperaX6Q3A
April 22, 2011
*****
85. Birthday
"I cannot lead you into battle. I do not give you laws or administer justice but I can do something else - I can give my heart and my devotion to these old islands and to all the peoples of our brotherhood of nations."
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, born 21 April 1926) is the constitutional monarch of sixteen independent sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Kitts and Nevis. As Head of the Commonwealth, she is the figurehead of the 54-member Commonwealth of Nations; as the British monarch, she is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England.
April 21, 2011
*****
105. Anniversary
"Is it right to probe so deeply into Nature's secrets? The question must here be raised whether it will benefit mankind, or whether the knowledge will be harmful." - "Radium could be very dangerous in criminal hands."
Pierre Curie (15 May 1859 – 19 April 1906) was a French physicist, a pioneer in crystallography, magnetism, piezoelectricity and radioactivity, and Nobel laureate. He was the son of Dr. Eugène Curie (August 28, 1827-February 25, 1910) and Sophie-Claire Depouilly Curie (January 15, 1832-September 27, 1897). In 1903 he received the Nobel Prize in Physics with his wife, Maria Salomea Skłodowska-Curie, and Henri Becquerel, "in recognition of the extraordinary services they have rendered by their joint researches on the radiation phenomena discovered by Professor Henri Becquerel". (WIKIPEDIA)
April 19, 2011
*****
90.Birthday
"I have four children which is not bad considering I'm not a Catholic."
"Love is an act of endless forgiveness, a tender look which becomes a habit."
"Sex is a conversation carried out by other means. If you get on well out of bed, half the problems of bed are solved."
Sir Peter Alexander Ustinov CBE (Russian: Сэр Пи́тер Алекса́ндр Усти́нов, CBE 16 April 1921 – 28 March 2004) was an English actor, writer and dramatist. He was also renowned as a filmmaker, theater and opera director, stage designer, author, screenwriter, comedian, humorist, newspaper and magazine columnist, radio broadcaster and television presenter. A noted wit and raconteur, he was, for much of his career, a fixture on television talk shows and lecture circuits, as well as a respected intellectual and diplomat who, in addition to his various academic posts, served as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF and President of the World Federalist Movement. (WIKIPEDIA)
April 16, 2011
*****
4th Anniversary
"Obsession is the deadliest desire."
Brett M. Stark (May 4, 1950 - April 4, 2007)
Irmingard Anna's Adventures in Dreams, Fairytale, NEON and other essays
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20th Anniversary
"Time does not change us. It just unfolds us."
"There are all sorts of ways of murdering a person or at least his soul, and that's something no police in the world can spot."
Max Rudolf Frisch (May 15, 1911 – April 4, 1991) was a Swiss playwright and novelist, regarded as highly representative of German-language literature after World War II. In his creative works Frisch paid particular attention to issues relating to problems of human identity, individuality, responsibility, morality and political commitment.[1] His use of irony is a significant feature of his post-war publications. Frisch was a member of the Gruppe Olten.
WIKIPEDIA.ORG
April 4, 2011
*****
Up to 20 U.N. staff killed in north Afghan city
MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan (Reuters) – Afghan protesters angered by the burning of a Koran by an obscure U.S. pastor killed up to 20 U.N. staff, beheading two foreigners, when they over-ran a compound in a normally peaceful northern city on Friday in the worst ever attack on the U.N. in Afghanistan.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110401/wl_nm/us_afghanistan_unitednations_deaths
April 1, 2022
*****
Elizabeth Taylor dies aged 79
Hollywood legend and violet-eyed beauty Elizabeth Taylor, famed as much for her glamorous but stormy love life as her five-decade Oscar-winning film career, has died aged 79.
George: You can sit around with the gin running out of your mouth; you can humiliate me; you can tear me to pieces all night, that's perfectly okay, that's all right.
Martha: You can stand it!
George: I cannot stand it!
Martha: You can stand it, you married me for it!
from: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcx3WFDw6z8
Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor, DBE (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011), often referred to as Liz Taylor, was an English-born American actress. She gained early fame as a child actress and was later recognized not only as a talented and award-winning film star, but also for her glamorous lifestyle and her extraordinary beauty.
Her much publicized private life included eight marriages, several life-threatening illnesses, and decades spent as a social activist championing the cause of AIDS awareness, research and cure. A two-time winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress, Taylor is considered one of the great screen actresses of Hollywood's Golden Age. The American Film Institute named her seventh on its Female Legends list.
(WIKIPEDIA.ORG)
March 23, 2011
*****
CRISIS IN THE MIDEAST
Libyan no-fly zone in place after barrage of coalition attacks
After 24 hours of air and sea strikes, Gaddafi calls foreign forces “Nazis,” promises drawn-out war.
Posted at 11:58 AM ET, 03/20/2011
Gaddafi’s son: ‘You made a big mistake’ (Sunday talk shows)
Posted at 11:58 AM ET, 03/20/2011
Gaddafi’s son: ‘You made a big mistake’ (Sunday talk shows)
Allied airstrikes on Libya 'only the beginning'
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
March 20, 2011
*****
JAPAN ON TWITTER- March 16, 2011 - 22.30 to 23.00 Japan time
For the 50 Japanese workers still working to cool the reactor... Let us send them prayers. They are true heros!
This Spring we can sit under the cherry blossoms like true Samurai and appreciate the fragility of life.
Worth tweeting, too, that TEPCO have not 'abandoned Fukushima', as suggested by various shocker headlines. 50 brave workers remain on site.
Tokyo is in limbo. We still don't have any plans to leave, hope to get out and see some friends today.
Don't give up, Japan Don't give up, Tohoku
BBC News - Japan earthquake: Emperor Akihito 'deeply worried'
JAPAN WE ALL CARE, SO DON'T DESPAIR
Show your support for the victims of the Japanese tsunami here
Minor problems aside, I think people need to step back and realise how much work the authorities in Japan are doing trying to find survivors
May all Gods and Buddhas bless you all. Let's keep praying for Japan.
Now Playing: "Heal The World" from "The Essential Michael Jackson
Japan earthquake: Japan warned over nuclear plants, WikiLeaks cables show - Telegraph
Justin Bieber donated $1,000,000 to Japan. How can people say He is just a spoiled brat when he donated money out of his own pocket?
The Emperor of Japan is awesome. I wish our royalty was as mysterious
Japan hikes maximum radiation dose for nuclear plant workers, says "unavoidable due to the circumstances"
My heart breaks 4 Japan. woke up this morning early w/ a song in my heart. not sure what but wow! so much going on in the world!
TORONTO BAKES FOR JAPAN. Are you in? I totally am!
Fukushima NPP Nuclear Crisis - Where is IAEA Assistance?
Delta Airlines donate $1B for Japan earthquake relief. -CNN
Japan's emperor in historic speech: "Never give up hope."
WHO: No significant global spread of Japan radiation | Reuters
Our condolences to the people in Japan, for their grief and what the Earth Quake and Tsunami has brought upon them.
March 16, 2011
*****
Latest News updated at 14:57 UTC, Mar. 13 - NHK World
* Confirmed deaths top 1,300
* Evacuation advised for 80,0000 near nuclear plants
* Radiation screening to start
* Japan quake magnitude raised to 9.0
* Problems still plague Fukushima nuclear plants
* Man saved at sea 3 days after tsunami
* Sea water used for cooling down the reactor
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/index.html
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Aftermath of Deadly Quake
Japan Battling 'Worst Crisis Since World War II'
Japan was struggling on Sunday to avert a meltdown at two nuclear reactors as the threat of a second explosion at the Fukushima plant mounted. Prime Minister Naoto Kan said the country was suffering its worst crisis since World War II. The death toll could exceed 10,000 in one district alone, police warned.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,750682,00.html
March 13, 2011
*****
Nuclear Accident in Japan
Government Speaks of 'Unprecedented' Catastrophe
An explosion at the Fukushima 1 atomic power plant raised fears of a nuclear catastrophe in Japan on Saturday following a massive earthquake and tsunami a day earlier. Japanese government officials urged calm, saying the plant's core was not affected by the powerful explosion.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,750531,00.html
March 12, 2011
*****
Earthquake Catastrophe
Hundreds Believed Dead in Japanese Natural Disaster
The Japanese government has declared an emergency after a nuclear power plant was damaged by Friday's massive earthquake. Hundreds are reported dead in the temblor and tsunami, with officials believing the death toll could rise to more than 1,000 in one of the country's worst-ever natural disasters.
more: http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,750272,00.html
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8.9 earthquake kills hundreds in Japan
Floods, power failures, fires, paralyze nation
Up to 300 bodies are found in the city of Sendai in northeastern Japan, an area believed to have been hit hardest.
Five people have been swept out to sea after tsunami-created waves of up to eight-foot high crashed onto the shore of Crescent City, California, a small fishing village near the Oregon border.
The tsunami also destroyed the harbor in Crescent City and several other coastal towns in northern California and Oregon.
Officials reported waves of 6.5 feet in Crescent City and 6 feet in Morro Bay [near San Luis Obispo], said Caltech scientist Lucy Jones, according to the Los Angeles Times. http://www.latimes.com/
Read more: http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/121934/20110311/california-tsunami.htm#ixzz1GKgauTyM
Read more: http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/121934/20110311/california-tsunami.htm#ixzz1GKgDG2UE
March 11, 2011
*****
Copy, Paste and Delete
The Downfall of Defense Minister Guttenberg
Initially, it appeared as though German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg might survive the scandal surrounding accusations that he plagiarized large portions of his dissertation. But on Tuesday, he bowed to the growing pressure and resigned.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,748383,00.html
March 1, 2011
*****
Saturday, February 26, 2011
An Open Letter to the Chancellor
German scientists and doctoral students are signing an open letter to the German Chancellor by the droves. There are some 7000 signatures as of Feb. 26, 2011.
I've had a request for an English translation, how can I resist that, with so many people now reading this blog and commenting? Since I didn't go to the demonstration in Berlin this afternoon, I will offer this translation
Dear Chancellor Merkel,
as doctoral students we have been following the current discussion about the plagiarism accusations against the Minister of Defense, Mr. Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg. We are shocked and do not understand what is happening. We have the impression that you are trying everything in your power to keep a minister in your cabinet who still insists that he did not knowingly deceive in his doctoral thesis, despite massive evidence to the contrary.
With this course of action, the German government and the members of parliament from the coalition [of CDU, CSU and FDP] damage not only themselves, but much more.
Zu Guttenberg has had to distance himself a number of times from statements he has made about his dissertation. The Internet community has with an unparalleled effort managed to demonstrate numerous incidents of clear plagiarism in Mr. zu Guttenberg's dissertation. The evidence can be openly seen and checked by anyone. It should not surprise anyone that experts in plagiarism are united in the opinion that this is not just a few "embarassing errors". This is massive, systematic deception.
Zu Guttenberg copied large portions of his dissertation from various sources - apparently with great ambition - and did not name those sources in order to obtain a doctoral title that he used for, among other things, election advertising. The University of Bayreuth did not address this issue of deception [when revoking the doctorate].
In the face of the extent and amount of plagiarism found, it should be as clear to you as it is to us that at the end of an exact investigation by the university, only one result will be possible with respect to the intent to deceive on the part of the minister. This cannot be done unknowingly.
Calling the deception a deception has nothing to do with the minister belonging to a particular political party. We would also demand that politicians from opposing parties step down, if they had given their word of honor that the work was only their own, except for sources as noted, and had plagiarized in the same manner.
On February 23, 2011 Mr. zu Guttenberg stated that he only wants to be judged by his performance as Minister of Defense. He alluded to a phrase you had used when you said that you did not hire him as a research assistant.
This makes a mockery of all the research assistants and doctoral students who honestly endeavor to contribute to the advancement of science. This makes it sound as if obtaining a doctoral title by fraud is just a trivial offense and that the academic word of honor is meaningless in everyday life.
When following the rules of good scientific practice it is not just a question of footnotes, trivialities that can safely be neglected in the face of the larger political problems of the day. This is the foundation of our work and our trustworthiness. We strive in our own work, according to the best of our knowledge and conscience, to reach this high goal at all times. When we fail, we run the risk - and rightly so - of being expelled from the university.
Most of us teach younger students. It is often our job to teach them the basics of good scientific practice. We insist that the students be exact at all times, correctly quoting and clearly noting all help that was used. We don't do this because we are fanatics about footnotes or because we live in an ivory tower and know nothing about real life. It is our intention to pass on the understanding that scientific progress - and with it progress for society as a whole - is only possible when we can depend on the honesty of the scientific community.
When our students violate these precepts, we grade their efforts as unsatisfactory. On repeated violation, as a rule we try to expel them. Those who have been expelled are denied access to numerous career opportunities - and rightly so - even for jobs that are much less in need of personal integrity than the office of the Minister of Defense.
We may be old-fashioned and are spouting outdated conservative values when we are of the opinion that values such as veracity and a sense of responsibility should also be valid outside of the scientific community. Mr zu Guttenberg seemed to be of this same opinion until very recently.
Research contributes a valuable service to the development of society. Honest and innovative science is the foundation of the prosperity of our country. When it is no longer an important value to protect ideas in our society, then we have gambled away our future. We don't expect thankfulness for our scientific work, but we expect respect, we expect that our work be taken seriously. By handling the case of zu Guttenberg as a trifle, Germany's position in world science, its credibility as the "Land of Ideas", suffers.
Maybe you consider our contributions to society as being negligible. In that case, we kindly request that in the future you refrain from referring to Germany as the "Republic of Education and Culture", as you often proclaim.
Sincerely,
February 28, 2011
*****
German scientists outraged in defence minister plagiarism affair
Thousands of German scientists and academics have signed an open letter to Chancellor Angela Merkel expressing their unhappiness over the official handling of the by-now notorious case of plagiarism on the part of her minister of defence.
Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg is accused of having duplicated large parts of his 2006 PhD thesis, a comparison between US and EU constitutional law. The University of Bayreuth last week confirmed the allegations and withdrew Guttenberg’s doctoral degree.
But the government’s attempts to contain fall-out from the affair – Guttenberg is to remain defence minister in Merkel’s cabinet – are raising protests among scientists.
In an attempt to justify her decision not to dismiss the still popular minister, Merkel – herself a physicist - said she “hadn’t appointed a scientific assistant.”
This, and the wide-spread feeling that the government is trivializing academic plagiarism and violation of intellectual property, has infuriated scientists.
“We have the impression that you are trying everything in your power to keep a minister in your cabinet who still insists that he did not knowingly deceive in his doctoral thesis, despite massive evidence to the contrary,” reads the open letter to Merkel.
“This makes a mockery of all the research assistants and doctoral students who honestly endeavor to contribute to the advancement of science. This makes it sound as if obtaining a doctoral title by fraud is just a trivial offense, and that the academic word of honor is meaningless in everyday life.”
Gerrmany’s science council, the Wissenschaftsrat, and the Conference of University Rectors, have also protested against what the Wissenschaftsrat describes as “publicly stated disparagement of basic principles of science.”
The Great Beyond - London, UK
www.nature.com
http://blogs.nature.com/news/thegreatbeyond/2011/02/german_scientists_outraged_in.html
February 28. 2011
*****
Academics attack German minister in plagiarizm row
Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg
Guttenberg maintains he didn't deliberately copy parts of his doctoral thesis
Embattled German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg faced a barrage of criticism Saturday - this time from academics - after he admitted to flaws in his doctorate that is the focus of a plagiarizm scandal.
German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg came under fire from the academic community on Saturday, days after he was stripped of his doctorate over revelations that he copied parts of his dissertation from other works with proper attribution.
"We have been taken in by a fraud. It is an unparalleled cheek, the way he deceived honorable people at the university," law professor Oliver Lepsius, the successor to Guttenberg's doctoral supervisor at Bayreuth University, told Munich-based daily Süddeutsche Zeitung.
Lepsius said Guttenberg had "intentionally and systematically" plagiarized academic sources, as against the defense minister's claim he had not done so on purpose.
more: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,14876451,00.html
February 26, 2011
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"Zu Copyberg", "Baron Cut-and-Paste", "Zu Googleberg"
German 'plagiarism' minister Guttenberg drops doctorate
German Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg (file pic) The defence minister was in Afghanistan on an unannounced visit as further accusations emerged
German Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg has temporarily renounced his doctorate title following accusations of plagiarism.
German media allege several passages of his 2006 thesis were lifted from other people's work.
The minister strongly denied the claims. He said there were undoubtedly mistakes and he was unhappy about them.
Chancellor Angela Merkel had offered to support him if he explained his actions and apologised, reports say.
"I will temporarily, I repeat temporarily, give up my doctoral title," Mr zu Guttenberg told reporters in his statement minutes earlier.
"My dissertation is not a work of plagiarism and I completely reject all such accusations," he said.
It contains mistakes, no doubt about it. I am extremely unhappy about every single one of those mistakes”
He said he would "actively" help his former university as it investigated the claims and insisted he did not want to be treated according to different standards from anybody else.
by BBC News
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12504347
http://de.guttenplag.wikia.com/wiki/Plagiate
18 February 2011
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The 18th Day: A Great Victory for the Egyptian People
SPIEGEL Online International - 14.02.2011
With courage and creativity, the Eyptian people toppled Hosni Mubarak's regime. For now, the army has taken control of the country and pledging free elections, and the West is breathing a sigh of relief. But how much influence will the Tahrir Square protesters really have on how the get country is run in future?
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,745392,00.html
Febraury 14, 2011
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110. Birthday
"Every picture I make, every experience of my private life, every lesson I learn are the keys to my future. And I have faith in it."
"All this `King` stuff is pure bullshit. I eat and sleep and go to the bathroom just like anyone else. I`m just a lucky slob from Ohio who happened to be in the right place at the right time"
William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901 – November 16, 1960) was an American film actor, nicknamed "The King of Hollywood" in his heyday.[1] In 1999, the American Film Institute named Gable seventh among the greatest male stars of all time.[2]
Gable's most famous role was Rhett Butler in the 1939 Civil War epic film Gone with the Wind, in which he starred with Vivien Leigh. His performance earned him his third nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor; he won for It Happened One Night (1934) and was also nominated for Mutiny on the Bounty (1935). Later performances were in Run Silent, Run Deep, a submarine war film, and his final film, The Misfits (1961), which paired Gable with Marilyn Monroe, also in her last screen appearance.
February 1, 2011
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90. Birthday
“I sing from the heart... I sing the words of a song and really feel them, from the top of my head to the tip of my toes... I sing as though my life depends on it, and if I ever stop doing that then I'll stop living”
Mario Lanza (January 31, 1921 - October 7, 1959) was an American tenor and Hollywood movie star of the late 1940s and the 1950s.The son of Italian immigrants, he began studying to be a professional singer at the age of 15.
January 31, 2011
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ElBaradei Under House Arrest as Demonstrations Rock Cairo
Mass protests in Egypt continued to spread on Friday, with police breaking up demonstrations with tear gas and force. Egyptian opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei has also been detained and President Hosni Mubarak has said he will address his people on Friday night.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,742310,00.html
January 28, 2011
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BERND EICHINGER (April 11, 1949 - January 24, 2011) was a German film producer and director.
Eichinger was born in Neuburg an der Donau. He attended the University of Television and Film Munich in the 1970s, and bought a stake in the fledgling studio company Neue Constantin Film in 1979, becoming its executive director. Under his leadership, Constantin Film evolved into one of the most successful German film businesses. As of 2005, he is chairman of the supervisory board and still owns a substantial stake in the company. Eichinger also produced some movies independently (for example Downfall). Eichinger's latest film is about the left-wing terrorist group Red Army Faction (RAF) based on the book Der Baader Meinhof Komplex ("The Baader-Meinhof Complex") by Stefan Aust.
Eichinger (61) died of a heart attack in Los Angeles on 24 January 2011. (taken from WIKIPEDIA)
January 24, 2011
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70. Birthday
"But I won't deprive myself of singing opera as long as my voice follows."
José Plácido Domingo Embil KBE (born 21 January 1941, Madrid), better known as Plácido Domingo, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range. In March 2008, he debuted in his 128th opera role,giving Domingo more roles than any other tenor. One of The Three Tenors, he has also taken on conducting opera and concert performances, as well as serving as the General Director of the Washington National Opera in Washington, D.C. and the Los Angeles Opera in California. His contract in Los Angeles has been extended through the 2012-13 season, but the Washington, D.C. will end with the 2010–2011 season. (taken from WIKIPEDIA)
January 21, 2011
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