17 February 2012

Giordano Bruno Day

.
17 February: On this date in 1600 C.E. the great philosopher and cosmologist Giordano Bruno was burned at the stake for having theologically incorrect theories on god, the universe and everything. Among the many ideas that got him into trouble, he taught that the Earth rotates on its axis and revolves around the Sun, the Sun itself being just one of many other stars in the universe. Imagine that. His sarcasm did not help his cause, and he never suffered fools. But the fools burned him.
.
-Zenwind.
.

15 February 2012

Valentine’s Day

.
14 February: It is my 62nd birthday, and I still feel like an 18-year-old – except for the aches and pains. I went for a march in the midday sun and returned drenched in sweat and a bit sore. I must remember to stretch more carefully before going out.
.
Listened to the radio play Richard Strauss’s Also Spake Zarathustra, which he wrote in homage to the philosophical genius of Friedrich Nietzsche. This music is known by many as the opening music in the Stanley Kubrick film 2001: A Space Odyssey. That sure stirred up the heart of this old romantic!
.
15 February: There has been yet another travel warning for Bangkok after a few explosions in town yesterday. As always, we are cautious and keep a low profile. This latest episode seemed to involve amateurs, as one of them blew his own legs off.
.
Late afternoon: It just rained briefly, but not enough to bring coolness. It rained just enough to dampen everything so that, as the sun comes back out, steam rises. H-U-M-I-D-I-T-Y-!-!-!
.
-Zenwind.
.