Rubénerd!

From The CBC, of all places:

The leaders of France and Germany said boosting economic growth across Europe is a priority in their efforts to stem the debt crisis that is showing signs of spreading across the 17 countries that use the euro.

Water also discovered to be wet, and The Bird is The Word!

Okay, I posted this story to get you to click through to the original article. Angela Merkel's expression is priceless!

So I was making my way to the espresso machine in the kitchen for a much needed break. I'd been whittling away at a spreadsheet for my father for several hours, and the increasingly complex equations were beginning to make my head spin. Right?

I donned my slippers, slid out of my computer chair, gave an almighty stretch, paused my relaxing music on iTunes (at least, I thought I did, more below) and made my way to the hallway. The late afternoon sun had begun to bathe the house in a warmer coloured light which seemed almost friendly, and reassuring.

I reached for the shelf below the espresso machine, and began pouring the beans from the current bag of Columbian Light Roast into the top of the DeLongi. I could already feel myself waking up and feeling happier just at the smell of the freshly roasted beans.

While the machine was turning itself on, I poured fresh water into the tank, then stared outside into the garden. As far as Australian houses go this half-lot doesn't have much, but still enough for some full bushes and a gigantic old tree on the far side. They were all swaying lazily in the afternoon breeze, themselves turning a warmer shade of green in the same light I saw streaming through the downstairs window before.

A loud, high pressure steam hisssssssss let me know the espresso machine was ready to make the coffee. I tapped the single shot button, motioned my chipped Starbucks mug that friendly barista had given me for my 16th birthday (or was it my 14th?) under the outlet, and watched the goodness stream down.

I wonder if she still worked at that Starbucks? Was that Starbucks even still there? We hadn't gone to it that often in Paragon since the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf opened. My friend Felix and I would often meet up there after school and dream of all the things we'd be doing after high school. The infocomm. The photography. These newfangled podcasts people were starting to get excited about. Where we'd be living. The accessible artists studio I was designing in my mind for my mum. Budgeting. People we liked. Books. Our IT consultancy plan where we'd dress in tailcoats, bowlers hats and walking canes.

I didn't know how long I was staring at that full cup for, but long enough for the timer on the espresso machine to shut itself off after a certain period of non-use. I shook my head gently, rubbed my eyes, then took the mug.

I was about to trudge back downstairs to the computer room again, but decided instead to walk outside and feel the sun on my back. I could hear the flute music I had been listening to on iTunes downstairs; I was surprised it could carry that far. Maybe I'd left the window open down their. In any case, it was lovely.

I'm a friggen lucky guy, more than I can ever appreciate.

From the CBC:

So while embassy officials can provide you with list of lawyers and information on local laws, they cannot arrange a helicopter to rescue your son from a German prison yard after he was arrested on drug charges, as one family requested.

A friend of mine who's father worked at the Australian High Commission in Singapore told me a common question was which stores carried Vegemite. People actually called the High Commission to find that out!

Al Lewis of Market Watch discussing the alleged stupidity of holiday presents:

But there are some economic inefficiencies to gift cards too. Among them: About 10% of gift-card value is never claimed, Waldfogel wrote, and retailers can’t book the unclaimed cards as revenues for years.

Yeah, people buying slivers of plastic for $50 and not redeeming them must be a real financial burden.

We swapped gifts, had a turkey roast and freshly made fruit cake, played Wii games, flew a RC helicopter to scare the dogs courtesy of the illustrious @omegatron, built Lego, then took a long family walk in the park. The first real home Yule we've had since my mum moved on, and it was absolutely wonderful :).

My old man and I decided to call it Yule given our German heritage, because the holiday was originally a winter festival before it was adapted, and because "solstice" isn't entirely accurate. We're precise scientific folk, you see!

To my beautiful, friendly, cheeky, brilliantly talented, witty, trolling, free spirited best friend and mum who suddenly lost the battle four years ago today. I still feel your glamourously fabulous cane with Christmas lights wound around it hitting me on the head when I say something particularly nerdy or stupid, or when I sing Dean Martin off key, or when I start to doubt myself.

I miss you so much it hurts, but you're still my rock and in all my thoughts. I love you <3

When I commented on the alleged death of Kim Jong Il, I lamented that Christopher Hitchens wouldn't be around to comment on it. Fortunately, we have video of him discussing North Korea at Politics and Prose in 2007, with his trademark wit and humility.

I can't begin to imagine what being a North Korean would be like. To have been born on the wrong side of the wall, even worse than my German relatives almost were. It depresses me no end.

In the space of 48 hours, we lost two figures so pivotal in the post-Soviet world, or as Mr Havel referred to as "Post-Totalitarianism". The two men could not have been more different.

One worked in the Czech underground forming a resistance to Soviet influence, and left behind a peaceful, democratic, developed country with the highest living standards in the former Communist Bloc. He was an author, a playwright, a poet, a visionary, a jazz man, and a humanitarian.

The other man, was Kim Jong Il. Sadly, the recently deceased Christopher Hitchens would no doubt have had a brilliant line to describe Kim's passing. He traveled to North Korea, and often spoke at length of Kim's cult of personality. Here's hoping Korean can one day regain her peace.

Farewell Mr Havel. I'm downloading your Charter 77 to read on my Kindle as we speak.

UPDADE: Here is a transcript of Mark Colvin interviewing Christopher Hitchens about North Korea in 2010.

The last convoy of U.S. soldiers pulled out of Iraq this morning, crossing into Kuwait and ending the American withdrawal nearly nine years after the invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.

The military intervention began in March 2003 with missiles striking Baghdad and closes with Iraq a fragile democracy still facing insurgents and sectarian tensions. ~ RTE News

I remember sitting having lunch in high school in Singapore when the invasion was announced. Little did we know.

US soldiers may be leaving, but in their place are investment bankers and a whopping 15,000 embassy staff. Make no mistake, the occupation isn't over.

In a world where it's taboo to criticise religious figures and dogma that claim to know and represent all while rendering women subservient, homosexuals evil, safe sex in AIDS-torn countries unattainable, repression of minority groups acceptable, and holding back of ethical, scientific and medical progress as a virtue with faith, Christopher Hitchens was one of the precious few throughout history to stand up and shout "that's enough".

"Exceptional claims demand exceptional evidence."

At times we didn't see eye to eye, but I harbored a deep respect for The Hitch, and unashamedly reveled in witnessing him deconstruct arguments leveled against him with honesty, passion, wit, and a memory for facts and quotes that rendered his logical arguments unassailable. Love him or hate him, but you could never ignore him.

"The only known cure for poverty is the empowerment of women"

Here's to you Mr Hitchens, you glorious bastard. Thank you for teaching us to think in the face of those who would deny us the privilege, that we need no celestial oversight to lead rich, meaningful lives, and to treasure this one shot we'll have on this planet. You'll be missed.

"Take the risk of thinking for yourself, much more happiness, truth, beauty, and wisdom will come to you that way."

The first photo is from Christopher's appearance on Australia's QandA programme in 2009, which I blogged about at the time. The second photo is my own personal stash of Hitch, complete with an interview from the Sydney Morning Herald last year about his declining health and views on the universe.