The Noses. This was one of a handful of going away dinners that I had before I left Berlin. It was nice to drag it out and have dinners with different friends. The guy in the middle of this picture, Heinz, was my German teacher for January and February and after that we met once a week to speak in German and English until the very last week I was there.

The Soviet memorial to WWII which Germany is obligated to maintain under the peace treaty. I'll have some more of this later. NB it's worth clicking on the picture to get a bigger version because then you can see the sun glinting off the hammer and sickle on the right side.

Sudan cannot be ignored away.

Sudan accused of sharing bases with militia-Guardian

"Human Rights Watch said the Sudanese government was not only permitting the bases to exist, but in some cases the Sudanese army was sharing the camps with the Janjaweed.

The Sudanese government promised the UN on July 3 that it would rein in the Janjaweed, which it has armed and supported. A UN security council resolution gave it until next Monday to do so.

...

Human Rights Watch, which drew up the map of the camps based on statements from refugees, said at least three new bases had been built since Sudan made its promise."

I will be posting some pictures I took in Germany. Today's three pictures were taken in the harbor of Stralsund on the Baltic Sea the last week of July.
If you had a boat what would you name it? One of the most popular boat-naming strategies is to honor one's wife. Whether you find this sweet or utterly devoid of original thought, I find it at least interesting, certainly photo worthy and here are a few for your viewing pleasure.

This one is a bit harder to make out, but Heidi is the beloved of this boat owner.

I see.

Not getting hired for a job you don't want is worse than not getting hired for a job that you do want. When you don't get the job you want you're disappointed, but angry when you didn't want the stinking job in the first place. Might be just as well because I had to turn down my one job offer because I couldn't get transportation and residence in line quickly.

Did you miss me?

I'm back after a nearly three-week hiatus. A lot of people have been visiting the site anyway. Sorry for the silence.

I've been looking for a job since I got home. One was offered to me, but it's only until the election and I would prefer something that I could have for the next year or so. Who knows? I may end up taking it if it's still open in a week.

It's fun getting to know my family again. My little brother and I wrestled yesterday. He's become stronger. I've become fatter. I ran two miles tonight. It's the Olympic spirit.

I'm back home. More on this to come.