My Life on this planet.

Oscar Pistorius, a South African without legs who became a sports hero after winning gold as a 17 year old boy at the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, then winning golds and setting new Paralympics records in the 100m and 200m as well as a world record in the 400m during the Paralympic Games in Beijing while reaching in London the semi-finals of the 400m of the Olympic Games and winning a few weeks later two more gold medals at the Paralympics. He also won at many other sport events and is known all around the world under the nickname "Blade Runner" while earning millions as a consequence. That is until last week when he was again in the news although this time for having killed his girlfriend. He admits he shot his girlfriend dead but says it was an accident because he thought there was a burglar in the house. I read he was very sad during the hearings at the court and sobbed often and although he has been released on bail, it seems he was one of few people who was not cel...

Today, unless the auction in Miami by Fine Arts Auctions Miami gallery will be halted at the last moment, a Banksy mural will be auctioned. It is believed the work can be sold for up to $700,000 (£450,000). The work, known as Slave Labour , was removed from a wall in Wood Green, north London, and later turned up in Miami to be sold. It is a beautiful work and it is ironic that a piece that depicts a barefooted boy making union flag bunting in a sewing machine, hence the name of the work, may make a thief rich. Because let us be clear, when something is removed from a wall without anyone knowing it until after it has been removed, then it is taken illegally and thus stolen. Of course, homeowners can remove something they bought and placed against their wall unless society decides it no longer can be removed. In the UK there is much commotion about this removal because the painting appeared on the wall only just before the Diamond Jubilee last year, celebrating 60 years of Queen Elis...

Warren Buffett, one of the richest man in the world because he is one of the most successful investors ever, just bought via his Berkshire Hathaway company and together with private equity firm 3G Heinz , the well-known food company famous for its ketchup and baked beans. The price they are spending to buy the company is $28 billion (£18bn) and this means $72.5 per share, about 20% higher than the share price on Wednesday and thus a good deal for the current shareholders. The price is about twice the turnover and thus high. Nevertheless, Mr Buffett is nicknamed the "sage of Omaha" because many of his investments are very successful and thus he believes the company is worth paying the price. One of the reasons his investments are successful is because he doesn't buy things he doesn't understand.  (That is why today I no longer buy shares because large companies seem to lie so much I can't be sure they are healthy or may go bankrupt after I buy the shares. Also...

Pope Benedict XVI decided to abdicate (for ordinary people: retire) at the age of 85, after almost eight years in office. I wish him all the best during his retirement. He will analyse his life and I hope he will understand the sadness he caused amongst so many people worldwide for refusing them as they are although he also showed sadness about what happened to certain people. Here a short history of certain aspects of his career and some comments. Early life Joseph Ratzinger was born in Germany who during WWII as a 14 year old boy had to join by law the Hitler Youth. Later he had to serve in the German anti-aircraft corps as Luftwaffenhelfer (air force child soldier). Near the end of the war he deserted and was shortly taken as a prisoner of war. After decades, people still condemn him for this (although it happened to him when he was a child), bu t maybe they should consider it took courage to desert (even at the end of the war) as there was the possibility of being shot by his ...

28 January 2013 and the Dutch Queen announced in a television and radio speech it is time for her to abdicate (for ordinary people: retire) so her oldest son, Crown-Prince Willem-Alexander can become king on April 30th 2013. He will be the first Dutch king in 123 years, after King William III died in 1890 and his daughter Wilhelmina I became Queen, followed by two more queens. Queen Beatrix I Queen Beatrix I gave a number of reasons why she thinks it is time to let her son become the next Head of State. She will be 75 this year, and the royal house exists 200 year, time to celebrate the departure of a Queen after 33 years in office while celebrating a prince becoming king. Further, last year was also a very difficult year as her second son had a ski accident and is still in a coma. But she also thinks as a mother who doesn't want her child has to wait until she dies before he can do the job he was born to do, showing the love of a mother for her child. She believes he is read...

Today I prepared myself something lovely: a vegetarian rice dish. I will share the ingredients and some pictures. Ingredients The ingredients were green asparagus (much more taste than the white ones that never saw the sun), oyster mushrooms (of course others can also be used but these I like very much as they have a great taste), peanuts , goat cheese , red hot pepper , garlic and rice . The asparagus and mushrooms were cut in pieces, as were the pepper and garlic. Nuts, asparagus and pepper. Addition of mushrooms. First I heated oil before adding the peanuts as they need some time to become crisp. Then I added the asparagus as they were quite big pieces and thus needed time to soften. I also added the pepper so their taste would be absorbed by the asparagus. I flavoured by adding mixed herbs and some black and white pepper and salt. After some minutes I added the mushrooms and this I let for many more minutes (the time depends on how thick the piec...