Speaking in Tongues – NYTimes.com

via Speaking in Tongues – NYTimes.com.

Not the Child My Grandmother Wanted – NYTimes.com

via Not the Child My Grandmother Wanted – NYTimes.com.

Books of the Year

The best books of 2010 were about Barack Obama and the secret world of China’s communist rulers, as well as on the spread of surfing, how prosperity evolves, how the West rules (for now) and the travels of the hare with amber eyes

Dec 2nd 2010 | from PRINT EDITION

Politics and current affairs

via Books of the Year: Page turners | The Economist.

Stephen King might not be a theologian, nor a historian or philosopher either, but he’s a jolly good story teller. “The Drawing of the Three” [2. Book in the sequel “The dark tower] is fascinating. I haven’t had the guts to see one of his films yet, but reading these novels are spell-binding. Matzi read them before and I don’t know how good/bad that is, but I sure think, King knows how to tell a story and I know there’s enough for even a long holiday down the long and winding road all the way to the Cape of Good Hope.

Today saw two more reports [PPP] finished. Seeing the diocesan synod will have the two written reports well ahead of time, I guess a few pictures will add some spice. Got some on the Seminary and its decade in Tshwane [SDG!], but also some on the LCSA and especially on the North-West Diocese. Thanks to the hard-drive Markus Nietzke gave to me the last time I visited him in Bleckmar, I have quite a range of pictures to choose from. Looking at Roodepoort over the last 100 years is quite a trip down memory lane. Hope we can be realistic enough to take up the gracious offer of Ernst Henning and not try to keep this burdensome property for sentimental reasons only! Saturday we’ll know better. Thankfully Henning has updated us on the true state of affairs in Roodepoort and it seems that thieves are carrying off, what the elements have not yet destroyed. The pictures are too bad – so let’s leave it with the good old memories of better days long gone.

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Writing this and that at my desk is a soothing process. Today I started preparing the classes on African Church History for the next Semester, which God willing is going to be followed up by focussing on the South African part of this past. That should be interesting, just as the classes on “Church & Ministry” plus “Apology” plus “Luther’s Catechisms”.

Something that rattled me somewhat, was that our best student amongst the beginners has left – taken by her sponsors to do something they prefer. That happened without my knowledge and without any forewarning, which lets me suppose some sinister intent or at least some malicious conciousness, which doesn’t want to address the real options at hand. Reminds me a bit of slavery. Well, if I have any say in this, I will play my part as Huckleberry Fynn and try to let the slave run free. Let’s see, how this will go forward.

Tonight we ate a traditional Weber meal: “Spinach, potatoes and fried eggs”. The children are out and catching up with their friends. Angelika is finally on holiday and I am looking forward to a break myself, once the synods and services are over. Let’s see!

Tomorrow we still have some meetings ahead of us – purchasing property is always an opportunity, interviewing possible colleagues and co-workers too. Books need to be packed, speeches copied and bound, projectors and screens stowed into the car. Hopefully it will rain too – even if its not as dry as in Israel, the parched earth needs some relief. God knows best and he will surely do exactly that!

Der Verfall ist mit Haenden zu greifen: Wikileaks und die Krise der klassischen Diplomatie
von Christoph Seils

Die Wikileaks-Enthüllungen befördern nicht das Ende der klassischen Diplomatie. Schließlich gibt es diese schon längst nicht mehr. Doch viele Diplomaten tun sich schwer damit, ihre neuen Aufgaben zu akzeptieren und ein neues Selbstbild zu formulieren.

via Cicero – Magazin für politische Kultur.

jungle-world.com – Archiv – 48/2010 – Interview – Frederik Stjernfelt im Gespräch über Aufklärung, rechte Nationalkultur und linken Multikulturalismus

via jungle-world.com – Archiv – 48/2010 – Interview – Frederik Stjernfelt im Gespräch über Aufklärung, rechte Nationalkultur und linken Multikulturalismus.

2 December 2010 Last updated at 09:57 GMT

Africa ‘can feed itself in a generation’

By Neil BowdlerScience reporter, BBC News

The new study says Africa could become a major exporter if leaders show political will

A new book claims Africa could feed itself within a generation, and become a major agricultural exporter.

via BBC News – Africa \’can feed itself in a generation\’.

Kulinarisches

Die Eis-Universität

An der „Gelato University“ bei Bologna werden Eiskonditoren auf bessere Jahreszeiten vorbereitet. Der dreitägige Grundkurs für künftige Gelatieri hat den größten Zulauf und Besucher aus der ganzen Welt.

Von Ariane Wirth, Anzola

An der „Gelato-University” erlernen Teilnehmer aus der ganzen Welt die Kunst des Eisherstellens

via Kulinarisches: Die Eis-Universität – Hintergründe – Gesellschaft – FAZ.NET.

WEIN UND WAHRHEITAus dem Land und unbekannt

Deutscher Wein hat zwar einen besseren Ruf als früher. Doch die Mehrheit der Deutschen trinkt lieber Weine aus anderen Ländern. Das ist schade, findet Manfred Klimek.

via Wein und Wahrheit: Aus dem Land und unbekannt | Lebensart | ZEIT ONLINE.

GEWISSENSBISSEIst jeder Honig bio?

In der Serie “Gewissensbisse” erläutert Theresa Bäuerlein Grundfragen des Essens. In der neuen Folge: Worauf muss ich beim Honigkauf achten?

via Gewissensbisse: Ist jeder Honig bio? | Lebensart | ZEIT ONLINE.