Ticket Prices in England 2010

The Guardian (29/06/2010) compared ticket prices and revealed a stunning number for football tickets...

Worldcup Chatter

I chatted with an English academic about football, the classic game England vs. Germany in particular.
He coolly said that the best team should win. However, upon leaving the room he mumbled: “But my money is on Germany” and grinned all over his face. Well, Germany won (4-1).

On Knowing Love

"She [Sara Nariega] would defend herself, saying that love, no matter whatelse it might be, was a natural talent. She would say: 'You are either born knowing how, or you never know!" (from Garcia Marquez' Love in the Time of Cholera, 1985).

Kerkeling ueber Rhythmus und Menschen

"Rhythmus und Tempo trennen die meisten Menschen auf dem Weg. Es ist schwer, jemanden zu finden, der in einem aehnlichen Takt ueber den Weg tanzt. [...] Erst muss man sich seines eigenen Tempos ganz sicher sein und kann sich dann vielleicht jemandem anschliessen. Die Pilger sind, fuehlen und denken, wie sie laufen." (From: Ich bin dann mal weg. Meine Reise auf dem Jakobsweg, 2006)  

Journey to Mecca - Watch the Trailer

The film Journey to Mecca  is about Ibn Battuta, a great explorer of the 14th century, whose journey started 1325 in Tangier and ended 1326 in Mecca. It was an adventure, dramatic and perilous, marking the first Hajj (annual pilgrimage to Mecca) as made by millions of Muslims today. Watch the trailer here.

Invasive Ants from the Alps Spread North in Germany

The German magazine FOCUS features an article about ants which seem to be exceptionally aggressive as they keep heading north. Nothing can really stop them. Coming from the Alps, where they are from, they have come as far as Munich. As soon as people sit down outdoors on benches, in parks or playgrounds, they ‘attack’ their invader by crawling all over. Experts say that not even poison does the job because the queen who is the only one producing eggs is fed with the best food. Hence, the ants workers may end up taking poison to their ‘quarters’ and eliminate part of the brood, but in several months, if not weeks, they have compensated the loss. The queen is not affected.
National Geographic issued findings of a study on ants living in the city as well. Scientists revealed that they have never before seen an ants species invading cities and building like this. As they move on, their colonies become larger and more complex than before, which makes them invasive. On the other hand, ants spreading in the city is not surprising since it is the ideal place to nest and eat for them. (Source Photo: National Geographic)

Graduates' Favourite Work Places

(German Focus No 24/2010) 

Adjustment to Rhythm

William Golding in Lord of the Flies (1954) writes: "[...] the northern European tradition of work, play and food right through the day, made it impossible for them to adjust themselves wholly to this new rhythm."

Read Heart Pill from Imperial College

Since May 2010, Imperial researchers have been recruiting 2,000 volunteers to participate in a study on a polypill. This polypill shall help people who have a heart condition and are at risk of stroke or heart attack. According the Reporter (Issue 220), Imperial's news magazine, the following aims are pursued:


-Reducing risk of cardiovascular problems by reducing blood pressure and lowering cholesterol,
-Combining medications in one,
-Enabling people in low-income countries to have access to cheap preventive medication,
-Allowing people easy preventive treatment.


The pill is to take once a day and contains aspirin in a low dose, a statin and blood pressure-lowering medication. Because of its all-in-one nature, it is expected to be much cheaper.


Seemingly, the cost effect is the main drive to this study. Generally, it is a noble intention, but hopefully people will not forget to live in such a way that heart medication is not needed in the first place.

SOFIA Science Center - What is it?

SOFIA stands for Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy and is a Boing 747 with a German telescope. Cruising 12km above Earth, it is able to capture photographically and study 80% of infrared light that is normally studied by telescopes orbiting in space. Even though the development of this project cost $1 billion dollars, it is thought to reduce maintenance cost in the long run since space telescopes are a lot more expensive to upgrade or repair. There we have another interesting achievement of science & technology, costing the tax payer hard-earned money. Hopefully it serves mankind well.

(Picture: www.sofia.usra.edu)

Kaminer on Cheaters

"Betrueger sind oftmals nett und sympathisch, das gehoert einfach zum Beruf. Kein Mensch wird einem unsympathischen Betrueger sein Geld aushaendigen. [...] Nicht umsonst speist er sich aus den besten menschlichen Eigenschaften in Vertrauen, Naechstenliebe, die Bereitschaft zu helfen oder auch die kindliche Faehigkeit, an Wunder glauben." (from Wladimir Kaminer's Es gab kein Sex im Sozialismus, 2009)

Kaminer on Relativity of......

Everybody knows about what Wladimir Kaminer captures in his book Es gab keinen Sex im Sozialismus (2009) once again: "Morality as well as the sense of taste, is relative." (Picture: Amazon.de)