Random Thoughts (24)

Good news: the days are getting longer.

Unless you live in the Southern hemisphere, then you are doomed to darkness.

And unless you live on the equator, in which case you are missing out on something fabulous.
My sister asked me why I am on TV all the time. I had no idea, so she sent me this photo. It seems there is a guy trying to copy my style, my demeanor and my looks. Careful, only I am the real one!
You remember the article about my birthday walk from Vienna to Bratislava? I am delighted to read, and thankful to Tim Burford for bringing it to my attention, that my steps followed those of Patrick Leigh Fermor, role model in terms of wandering and writing, if only for one day.
Rereading the passage about Carnuntum in my article, I notice that I didn’t know that he had stopped there, but that, by some eerie coincidence, I have referred to him in exactly that part of my article.
If you don’t know Mr Fermor, I suggest that you order A Time of Gifts right away. I know of no better travel book.
For International Women’s Day, let me remind you of its purpose.
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the financial crisis, I am completely broke this year.
One of my jobs as a non-native English speaker is to correct the US President’s English.
Having a cold heart reduces the risk of being killed by a heat-seeking missile.
I had a Google alert for “Andreas Moser”, hoping I would receive news about myself.
All I learned, though, is that there are many people with the same name.
A while ago, Saudi Arabia was lauded for opening cinemas in 2018. (Which, by the way, is kind of pointless when people have internet at home.)
But nobody expected them to use their embassies to film gruesome splatter movies.
I find it inspiring to set up an aspiring spy ring.
Thanks to the anonymous benefactor who sent The Know-It-All by A.J. Jacobs. I am wondering if this is a fitting homage or an allusion to my smartassness.
I feel sorry for the people who want to become scientists and accidentally become scientologists.
My sleep pattern has no problem with jetlag. But my stomach is confused.
Maybe Saudi Arabia is very modern, offering assisted suicide for its citizens.

You want to end your life? Just write a critical blog, and the Kingdom will take care of everything.
Facebook says I respond to 10% of your messages. I say, just give me some time. Until the next winter, at least.
This Lent, I will forgo work for 40 days.
When people ask me what part of Germany I am from, do they think that we are still divided into East and West?
This film about communist Romania is now playing on Netflix.
One of the neighbors estimated my age at 26.
But I don’t know if it was my looks or my irresponsible lifestyle.
Quality of life could be measured by the time between the decision to go to sleep and when one actually falls asleep.
a. A drone brings Gatwick Airport to a standstill.
b. No Zeppelin flight has ever been impeded by a drone.
=> Zeppelins are superior to fixed-wing aircraft and should be reintroduced on a large scale.
Why I don’t run in winter.
The tobacco tax rates in Alberta (129% on cigars) are good for my health.
Thanks mainly to Christian voters, Brazil is now going to try out a fascist president. And the German Brazilians were reliable in their support, too, it seems. Because in the state of Santa Catarina, where most emigrants from Germany settled, Bolsonaro got almost 76% of the vote.
Similarly, Wisconsin was the US state with the highest influx of German immigrants. Might that be the reason why high school students there show the Nazi salute when posing for a class picture?
The London Riots in August 2011 were better organised than Brexit.
With everyone self-radicalizing, I want to become a radical atheist.
Donald Trump actually corrected his tweet a few hour later. But he never said “thanks”, of course.
When people thank those working over the holidays, they mention police officers, nurses, soldiers and bus drivers.
They always forget about spies.
Speaking of spies, Tony Mendez has passed away. That’s a good opportunity to watch Argo again.
When I came to Calgary, my postcards from Vienna and from Andalusia were already waiting for me.
Another postcard from Velez Blanco made it to Romania.
And in Peru, someone is happy about a postcard from Bavaria.
Often, I find arguments too filiopietistic, but I can’t think of the word when I need it.
Hawaii is considering to raise the legal minimum age for smoking at 100 years. That’s tough, I thought, until I read that cigars will be exempt.
Thanks a lot to Angie Kordic for the books The Confidential Agent by Graham Greene and It can’t happen here by Sinclair Lewis! It’s nice when former flatmates stay in touch over the years.
“Romania has the power to fascinate and enchant.”
(Donald Tusk, and I agree 100%)
Setting the record about German efficiency straight, there is a podcast about the disaster of the new airport in Berlin.
Thanks to Jeramy Flora for Yuval Noah Harari’s 21 Lessons for the 21st Century!
Does anybody have experience with Patreon? I am curious to try it, so I can remove the annoying ads from the blog. And with enough revenue, it would allow me to devote more time to better and more in-depth articles.
Some people didn’t believe me that llamas are regular pets in South America. Here is the cute evidence: