I have asked several people I think suitable to herd the cats here if they want to take over and none have leapt forward with alacrity. At the same time we get a lot of page views from all over the world and the commentary is superb. So, I guess I will stick around for a while. pl
Thanks for that Pat!
I really would have missed your thoughts and comments. Even when you lament about German toilets that haven’t been sold since maybe forty years ago ;-).
b
No more ledge toilets? What a shame! How can you be sure now that everything is passing well? pl
I thought I didn’t like cats, interestingly enough I didn’t really know them. At least none had left traces on my mind at one point in time: I only recall that I asked my mother then, full discovery: my favorite draughtsman in early art classes had a cat somewhere in his drawings at the time. 😉
It feels I did not notice whatever it was that triggered your recent “Comment policy” post. …
I wouldn’t want to herd cats myself, but I have to admit that ages after the above event, I fell in love with Fritz, and Fritz instinctively disliked me …
Colonel Lang, a good Monday morning start, thank you from this reader
Keeping his memory alive?
” And, finally, in all things belonging to your said office, during your continuance therein you shall faithfully, justly and truly, according to the best of your skill and judgment, do equal and impartial justice, without fraud, favor or affection, or partiality.”
< Wythe also designed the Chancery Court seal to illustrate the punishment of the Persian judge Sisamnes, killed and skinned after taking a bribe.>
…
b) at one point in time, maybe since I researched it later due to an odd incidence, I found out I was entitled to use any accessible private restroom over here in Germany in times or urgency of e.g. the bathroom of a coffee house, bar, or restaurant, even without consuming anything there. Besides; I also worked as a waitress and I hardly ever had time to check who went to the toilet without first consuming. …
Tell me, what is wrong about this mentally stored data. …
And concerning the US as representative of some image of a purely economical order, would you be so kind to let me know where in Germany my waitress colleagues now or ever before would fill my cup of coffee when it was empty for free? Something that surprised me at the time.
Not sure if I should, but here goes. I prefer them.
Maybe my mother trained me to early to consider shitting as some type of achievement, freeing her hands for other tasks at hand. … Or interests like reading. 😉
My father recently made a comment about them being something of times gone by, I had to correct him. 😉
This is good news! I have enjoyed the varied perspective of SST and have also heard that “retirement” can lead to boredom and crankiness. Wouldn’t want that.
Hooray!
I am delighted to hear it. A goodly part of what makes this community what it is consists of those who contribute in comments and guest articles, but the tone and personality of the place is set by you. It is what it is because you make it so, and your presence would be sorely missed.
As long as you keep doing it a little while at a time me and Mack and the boys will be happy and all will be well at SST.
Your blog is unique and provides a perspective that is tremendously useful to those who are interested. The fact that the comments are both screened and criticized (in all senses) is another tremendous asset. I doubt very much it could be run by someone else and remain anything like it is today.
Thanks you Sir.
I’ve been lurking here since I’ve come across “Drinking The Kool Aid” back in 2003 or 2004. This place needs your contributions and commenters need your curt rebuke, myself included.
Btw, ledge toilets are still very much a thing in Germany and Holland. At least at the places I’ve stayed at recently. However squat toilets have all but disappeared from French cafes, not that I look for them.
Col Lang,
That is good news. Thank you!
May it and you long continue.
Many many thanks P.L. for your continuing, past, and future, contributions of and to this blog and its posts and threads in enhancing the world Of “fact”, opinion, and rationale thought.
F5F5F5
Ah … Turkish toilets! Yes, yet another nostalgic feature of old world plumbing that I had forgotten. I was at Petra in Jordan long ago with a group of cadets from USMA. There was a woman cadet. She answered the call of nature in a toilet in the old guest house inside the valley. She had never seen a Turkish toilet and this one was pretty evil. She decided to hang on to the door knob while squatting. the knob came off the door and she literally fell in the s–t. Sad but funny. pl
“draughtsman”, I wrote that? Seriously? Cannot really believe it.
Ok, I like the draftsmen using nothing but a simple pencil in the arts. Never mind the divide between artistic and technical post Leonardo.
Wonderful news!
Your work is clearly and greatly appreciated by some remarkable people. I am in awe of the both deep and broad knowledge of many guest posters and commenters – the recent post “Hilaritas” being one example.
Good news. It is only at SST, for example, that one can find facts and opinions pointing to the ongoing “fascization” of the zionist state.
Good news and Thanks Colonel,
I must admit never really considering you stopping this blog: I don’t see you as a quiter. The struggle against the System aka the Borgs is reaching a climax and it is just at the turn of the corner.
An exhausted civilization, destructured culture, orwellian desinformation is soon to meet its day of reckonning.
Sanity will prevail.
Great news!
Happy Birthday Colonel, and many more years of SST with you at helm!
The “german ledge” is for my wife the most dreadful memory of Germany.
btw. I prefer the German pronunciation Kolonel and not “Koernel”..:)
Squat lavatories are solely the province of Asiatics – in particular (southern coastal) Chinks.
You fellas from the Occident west would find ’em a handicap per 21st. c. ergonomics.
… Why are we talkin’ ’bout toilets all a sudden?
Thank you very much!
You are running a public service.
Thanks
Thank You times ten!!!! I woke up this morning after dreaming that all my favourite sites had disappeared, especially yours, and I felt awfully disoriented. If you weren’t here anymore I might have to watch TV, and when I do that, I have an urge to throw stuff at the screen. You really are appreciated by so many people, Col. Lang.
Further babbling, I’ll surely regret:
Very good news from a France-based reader – I regularly consult your blog to help orient myself in U.S. politics and world affairs. Glad to be able to continue – with sincere thanks for your efforts!
fanto
“Oberst” is another possibility. I also knew some GRU guys in NY City who insisted on addressing me as “Gospodin Polkovnik.” In re the German Ledge, it was part of this cultural feature to leave the gasthaus toilet window open in the dead of winter. Sometimes there was snow on the floor. pl
One only has to study the history of civil wars of the late Roman Republic and the emergence of that scoundrel, the self-styled Augustus – to realize that the “Sanity Will Prevails!” may only be considered as a Prayer uttered with true Piety but in absolute knowledge of what Moral Pessimism impresses one one’s intellect.
They are more hygienic; and you can still find them in Italy, in Turkey, in Iran.
In Beirut, Shia Muslim homes used to have Chinese-like Squat Toilets, Christian homes European-style toilets, and the Sunni Muslim homes had both – one leg in Tradition, the other in Modernity, one might surmise – shitting on the Present.
sorry, no harm meant, BH. I thought I had given up on further babbling.
I do now.
Anway: Pat is pretty unique for me too, considering I do not recall having staid anywhere on the internet that long including the earliest time of usenet versus the providers I use now. While obviously contented exploded since then.
Is it somewhat related to the fact that monitoring and occasionally criticizing is much more work then simply letting it flow?
Pat, this is good news that you are staying in here. Some recent discussions have been first rate, cogent, informed and insightful to give understanding to events. To lose this site would be a great misfortune.
One of my colleagues in a UK Public Service, that was recently undergoing “restructuring” once commented that working there was like being in a good thriller novel; you wanted to stay to see the next plot turned out and who came out top dog.
It feels just the same in world politics, just like in past times, but we are living in this time and hoping not to be a victim of it’s folly.
Keep healthy and happy your contribution, it is without value. Thank you.
Great news!
Great news! I hardly ever post here, but this place is always at the top of my daily reading list. Salutations from Québec.
Col. Lang,
Thank you much for your efforts. I visit this site on a frequent basis to get some good analysis of events and am glad I can continue to do so.
Very good decision.
At some point I almost addressed you as Comrade Colonel. It is still official in Russian Armed Forces and has nothing to do with communism.
our prayers have been answered! Thank you for staying in charge.
Hip hip hooray 🙂 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUA-Gb0pk2E
Happy Birthday Prof. Lang! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjF1bG5LUcs
“So, I guess I will stick around for a while.”
Much relieved. A unique site. English sites are generally light on facts and capricious in their interpretation of them. The Russian and American sites are considerably better as news sources but it gets so tedious attempting to disentangle the information from the agenda. Here it comes straight and the background knowledge is there. Heartfelt thanks for that. Please do keep it as it is.
Peter J A Wright
This is wonderful news. We will continue to fight — until hell freezes over — those who seek to destroy the traditions and history of this country and individual freedom, who seek to impoverish the citizens, who promote unnecessary wars of choice, and who push for world commonwealth government, and then we will fight on the ice!
Valissa,
Thanks for the reminder of Col. Lang’s birthday.
So, once again, here is a nice jazz arrangement of Happy Birthday, written by the great Bill Holman–
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coMAFClSENc
A development of he ledge was the French sprung platform… (!)
Where else would I vent my spleen?
Happy Birthday, as well. Here’s to many more.
This blog always interesting and fascinating, even if the topic is German toilet design (I once built the pyramid almost all the way to my behind).
I am grateful for being able to read it, and occasionally comment.
Mattias from Los Altos CA / Orrviken, Sweden
And now for something completely different that may interest the readers here
https://twilightbeasts.wordpress.com/2016/03/04/going-underground/
FkDahl
Be proud! Not many of us could build such a pyramid. One of my great accomplishments was to be the combined 5th US Corps/German beer deckel flipping champion at the “Kur Hessicher Hof” in the Frankfurt outskirts when I was fresh from my biggest war. The German vets and I taught each other to sing “She wore a yellow ribbon” and “Lily Marlene” together at our common long tables. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BQPwob6-fI
pl
Colonel, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! How’s your outdoor kitchen project coming along?
5 years in an apartment with a squat toilet (in Japan). I love them, but they are not good to vomit in when you have had too much to drink: you wind up painting the walls with your stomach’s content.
Even though I have not contributed much recently, I still enjoy reading the articles and comments. Glad you will still be here.
Colonel
As expected now that Trump has became the Rep’ nominee, starting this morning the MSN, specially the Borg’s favorite venue, Clinton’ Network News have started non stop pounding of Trump on his Univercity issue. Just god knows, how much of this disgusting media we have to take, till the Borg becomes convinced that we believe Trump is a crook, a cheat and a no good so we are not going to vote for him. With this new heavy pounding, IMO as of today we officially have started the general election season. two movies come to mind a “long hot summer” with a “candidate on tin roof.”
Yes, that is an accurate description of my state of mind.
A “Gorbatchev” moment in USA ?
Col Lang
Happy Birthday yes !
We are a blessed ‘cat herd” indeed if you will still be tending to the SST Catio & Cafe .
Colonel,
Great!
I was listening to News Radio during my commute today to the VA Hospital for an appointment. All of the presenters were in a huge huff because Donald Trump taunted the media to its face over his donations to veterans groups. Once I accepted what the corporate media said with a grain of salt. But, after reading SST and the endless wars, I just don’t believe them anymore.
Huzza! Huzza! Huzza, mon Colonel
This is good news. pl cannot be replaced. He has a unique perspective. Neither left nor right but a realist view of the world that comes from his own experience. That combination of experience and insight cannot be replicated.
Watch the saké.
Strong stuff.
My old man had psoriasis in his later years due to [seriously] weak(ened) liver induced by strong drink…
Not to mention your Mrs. having to face your “coat of paint” in the morning & thereafter cleaning up.
In Hungary they are still used. And listed by one of the strange things you will encounter here in most similar lists. 😉
Second to that!
Thank you for deciding to stay the course as SST is not only my favorite blog but a national treasure. The discourse of the correspondents remains at an extremely high intellectual level without descending into too many personal attacks. This is difficult to achieve and requires that somebody be in control, a rare accomplishment on your part. Please keep it up as long as you can.
Sir:
1. Thank you for continuing to lead SST. We need the benefit of your leadership, experience and analysis.
2. WRT toilets; I also have the vague memory of being in a highland Yemeni village with you in 1980, and after a Yemeni in shackles explained that he was being punished for getting drunk and urinating in the public sistern, you and a fellow military attache proceeded to give me a detailed class on third world toilets and public sanitation. I had just visited Jordan on the USMA exchange that you established, and thanks to giardia felt that I was knowledgable on the subject of “Turkish” toilets, which I thought were rather barbaric, just like the punishment of the Yemeni villager we had just encountered. However, you and your camerade explained that au contraire, the “Turkish” toilet was a great development of civilization, put Yemeni tribal justice in context, and that I still had much to learn…
V/r,
Bob
Tyler,
I’ll have to post my video of the protest in France that marched by my hotel window. Breitbart got it half right. Only thing missing was tear gas and about half the crowd they were counting.
Col.,
Thanks for continuing on. And more thanks for the restaurant recommendation.
Late, no doubt, Happy Birthday, Pat. The very, very best to you.
Strictly it should be very, very easy for me to keep the date in mind, but then, I am not good in paying attention to birthdays including my own.
Was that called sprung platform? Or sguatting platform?
Sprung, in any case triggers memories that the footprint type of installations seemed to dictate where to put your feet for the process. Pretty hard to at the same time hang to the door knob though, it feels.
Happy Birthday a day late.
Those were my younger and single days – long gone.
Col, I wrote a lengthy outline of how you have made this site a instantiation of your all-too-rare and commendable personal traits. But then I thought of how that was already so obvious to your legion of correspondents that there was little point in belaboring the obvious. Plus, I found all the comparative toilet analysis a bit irregular. In conclusion, Happy B-day, & Many more happy days ahead – you richly deserve them.
ps: to all others, after our relief in his decision to press ahead, let’s think about how to lessen the burden of SST on Col Lang, so we can enjoy his presence longer.
Very, very good news.
Greatly relieved to read it.
Thank you. As much as I used to fume and fuss at many of your comments on my papers, I am happy to be enlightened by this column.
Linda Lau
You were on my A list of analysts. Imagine what the others got. pl
re: “my papers”
Mme Lau, you are a columnist?
YT
When I was at DIA Linda Lau was an analyst whose “papers” often came across my desk pl