Frank Beck

Here's one of my favourite early poems by Rilke:
translations.diehoren.com/2015/04/you-...

As the world searches for peace, I am turning to the radiant songs of Valentino Silvestrov, performed by baritone Konstantin Krimmel and pianist Hélène Grimaud.

You can watch and listen to excerpts here:
www.prestomusic.com/classical/pr...

Why Attack Iran? Our Authoritarianism and Our Corruption

Is the US attacking Iran primarily on behalf of Israel -- or of the Gulf states that have close business ties with the Trump family?

A view from Timothy Synder.

Iran latest: US and Israel target leadership sites as Tehran retaliates with strikes across region US President Donald Trump says

Continual updates on the war in Iran, Israel, and across the region from the BBC.

Continual updates on the war in Iran, Israel, and across the region from The New York Times. I have gifted the link; there is no paywall:

www.nytimes.com/live/2026/02...

Israel strikes two schools in Iran, killing more than 50 people State media says Israeli attack on girls' school in the city of Minab in the south of the country kills dozens.

Israel and the US says they are hitting military targets in Iran. As in Gaza, this is not the case. As in Gaza, attacks like this one in Iran this morning are war crimes.

Iran targets US bases amid joint US‑Israel attacks Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran after Israel launched "preemptive" strikes. In response, Tehran lobbed missiles at Israel and several US bases in the region. Follow DW for the l...

Continual updates on the war in Iran and Israel from German public broadcasting.

This page is in English; for reports in more than two dozen other languages, use the three-line prompt at the upper right at the link and then the pull-down menu at the bottom of the new page.

YouTube video by Trailer HQ YELLOW LETTERS Official Trailer (Gelbe Briefe) German | Turkey movie Official Trailer

Looking forward to seeing 'Yellow Letters' (Gelbe Briefe), which won the Golden Bear award at this year's Berlinale:

Neil Sedaka, “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” and “Laughter in the Rain” Singer-Songwriter, Dies at 86 The Brooklynite's esteemed body of work also includes "Calendar Girl," "Oh! Carol," "Love Will Keep Us Together," "Where the Boys Are," "Bad Blood" and "Solitaire."

Neil Sedaka was so talented, and he inspired me to follow my dream of being a songwriter.

With love and gratitude and condolences to his family.

www.hollywoodreporter.com/music/music-...

And here's another:
www.amazon.de/Das-Stundenb...

Here's one:
www.amazon.de/-/en/dp/B002...

In Trump’s Case for War, a Series of False or Unproven Claims

Why is the US threatening Iran? The reasons cited thus far don't add up, according to the NY Times. (Gifted article.)

Netflix says it won't raise bid for Warner Bros. Paramount appears to have won the fight for WBD if it obtains all the necessary approvals.

This would seem to ensure that CNN will come under the control of the pro-Trump oligarch Ellison family. www.axios.com/2026/02/26/p...

Trump, seeking executive power over elections, is urged to declare emergency Activists who say they are in coordination with the White House are circulating a draft executive order that would unlock extraordinary presidential power over voting.

Could this be the "State of Emergency" that so many believed would never happen?

I believe Cuba. The current US government has established a pattern of circulating lies and falsehoods about everything from climate change to bitcoin.

Merci beaucoup d'avoir rendu accessible cette importante collection d'essais via Open Edition Journals. (Veuillez consulter le lien au bas de l'interview.)

Lou Andreas-Salomé, philosophe moderne antimoderne Coordinateurs du nouveau numéro des « Cahiers philosophiques de Strasbourg », les philosophes à l’Université de Strasbourg, Ondine Arnould et Emmanuel Salanskis, présentent Lou Andreas-Salomé et sa pensée originale du féminin.

Coordinateurs du nouveau numéro des « Cahiers philosophiques de Strasbourg », les philosophes à l’Université de Strasbourg, Ondine Arnould et Emmanuel Salanskis, présentent Lou Andreas-Salomé et sa pensée originale du féminin

The first US Cabinet happened in 1789.

Thinking how birthdays link our generations: my two great-grandparents who looked down at me in my cradle; my grandparents; parents; wives; daughters; grandson; and great-grandson. With gratitude for them all, here's Yevgeny and Bella Sudbin playing Tchaikovsky.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAsr...

Two students in St. Petersburg, c. 1910. Color by Klimbim.
Yes, that's a portrait of Nietzsche hanging in the upper left.

Was there a recording you heard for the first time in 2025 that stayed with you enough for you to go back to it since then? For me, it's been the recording of the songs of Gabriel Fauré, performed by Cyrille Dubois and Tristan Raës.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zBH...

‘Don’t go to the US – not with Trump in charge’: the UK tourist with a valid visa detained by ICE for six weeks Karen Newton was in America on the trip of a lifetime when she was shackled, transported and held for weeks on end. With tourism to the US under increasing strain, she says, ‘If it can happen to me, i...

Travel to the US at your own risk.

Canada to send $8-million in food aid for Cuba as fuel crisis continues Island lost its main source of fuel in January when the U.S. took control of Venezuela’s oil reserves

Canada sending $8-million in food aid to Cuba, where a U.S. oil blockade has triggered a humanitarian crisis
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...

Hundreds of American nurses choose Canada over the U.S. under Trump More than 1,000 American nurses have successfully applied for licensure in British Columbia since April, a massive increase over prior years.

In British Columbia alone "1,000 U.S.-trained nurses have been approved to work since April."

Who can blame them for leaving?

The Trump administration claims there is no issue, and cases of nurses leaving are "anecdotes of individuals with severe cases of Trump derangement syndrome." 🙄

#Pinks

Jacaranda trees in bloom lining Fairfax in South Hollywood, CA I consider this a very mediocre picture but I’m posting it today in contrast to yesterday’s amazing pic as a test. I paired yesterday’s with Malcolm X and those pics never do numbers. Methinks the folks on this platform need a lot more Malcolm in their lives. Ninnys.

The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any. - Alice Walker

Pic of the day
#photography

An interactive map of 4 years of war in Ukraine This interactive timeline of the war in Ukraine shows major attacks, key moments and how the battle lines have shifted in the four years since Russia's all-out invasion.

This interactive timeline of the war in Ukraine shows major attacks, key moments and how the battle lines have shifted in the four years since Russia's all-out invasion.

Thinking how birthdays link our generations: my two great-grandparents who looked down at me in my cradle; my grandparents; parents; wives; daughters; grandson; and great-grandson. With gratitude for them all, here's Yevgeny and Bella Sudbin playing Tchaikovsky.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAsr...

"Snow in the Suburbs" Every branch big with it,         Bent every twig with it;     Every fork like a white web-foot;     Every street ...

Every branch big with it,
Bent every twig with it;
Every fork like a white web-foot;
Every street and pavement mute . . .

from 'Snow in the Suburbs' Thomas Hardy, 1925

Para mis amigos hispanohablantes: la historia de Lou Andreas-Salomé, mentora de Rilke y colega de Freud:

www.rtve.es/play/videos/...

Kastner says 'clever', actually. They were both that, I think.