Dieser Foto-Blog soll die empfohlene Tagesration Pinguin liefern. Täglich frisch zubereitet (fotografiert). Oder durch einen Griff in den Arzneischrank (Fotoarchiv). Seit meiner Antarktis-Reise 2009/2010 lagern dort Schätze. Medizinische und fotografische. Für Generationen noch.

Penguins are said to populate only a very limited part of our planet. If you look out for penguins, however, you will start to discover them in the most common places. In the average European city. In your daily life. In your household. Everywhere.

Angeblich leben Pinguine nur in der Antarktis und an ein paar ganz wenigen anderen Plätzen auf unserem Planeten. Wenn man allerdings aufmerksam durch die Welt geht, stellt man plötzlich fest, dass sie an den ungewöhnlichsten Orten auftauchen. Oder an den gewöhnlichsten. Selbst Europas Hauptstädte sind voll von Pinguinen. Wien ist voll von ihnen.

Saturday, 23 July 2011

The beneficent influence of penguins| Wohltuende Wirkung

 


One of the points of convergence between Ruskin and the Ordinary Reader which has appealed to me with peculiar force occurs in a letter from London dated in 1860. 
"When I begin to think at all", Ruskin writes, "I get into states of disgust and fury at the way the mob is going on (meaning by the mob, chiefly Dukes, crown-princes, and such like persons) that I choke; and have to go to the British Museum and look at Penguins till I get cool. I find Penguins at present the only comfort in life. One feels everything in the world so sympathetically ridiculous; one can't be angry when one looks at a Penguin."

Why, of course one can't! It is absurdly true, when one comes to think of it, this beneficent influence of penguins, stuffed penguins, at that, which cannot even waddle. I dare say few readers ever thought of this peculiar bird (if it is a bird) in just that light before Mr. Ruskin's letter came to view; I'm sure I never did.  
"Penguin persons & peppermints" by Walter Prichard Eaton, 1878-1957

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