In Berlin’s first-ever referendum an initiative to save historic Tempelhof airport failed to reach the required level of support needed to pass. The world’s first airport to offer regularly scheduled civilian flights will be closed in October. Read more »

It apparently took some time to verify the votes, but Kayleen Hannaway, who attends the Salem, Oregon UCG congregation, has been declared the winner of the Zinch "Sweet Diggity Dawg" scholarship competition, netting her a $20,000 scholarship for her studies at Vanderbilt University. (more…)

At the age of 13 months, granddaughter Maia already seems to know what a camera is. (more…)

"It is an honor to be nominated by your peers for the Council of Elders," was the first part of an email I received last month. (more…)

Today I was visiting our members Rainer and Margit in Dresden. They have had a photocopy shop for over 25 years, dating back to German Democratic Republic (East Germany) days. (more…)

On a cool sunny day spring was evident today as I rode public transportation from Prague’s airport to the nearest subway station. The trees are turning green, blossoms are sprouting and people are wearing lighter coats as the temperatures are in the low 50s. 40 years ago the outdoor temperature wasn’t the only one raised by a Prague spring. (more…)

This week Germany’s former foreign minister Joschka Fischer turns 60. Like other prominent people who had problems completing school (among them Albert Einstein, Bill Gates and Adolf Hitler), Fischer never finished school. Not bad for a fellow who has lectured at Princeton. (more…)

The day before my flight back to Germany I received an unusual letter from my grandson Sean. He sent me "Flat Stanley" who was to accompany me on my trip. (more…)

Turkey’s constitutional court has decided to accept the request by the country’s attorney general to open proceedings on whether to ban Turkish prime minister Erdogan’s party from politics. A stalemate possibly lasting months will be the result. (more…)