[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_video src_webm=”https:\/\/blog.dafko.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250924_090541.mp4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_video][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Arial||||||||” text_text_color=”#0C71C3″ text_font_size=”20px” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
<\/em><\/p>\n And now, the end is near\u00a0 <\/em> I’ve lived a life that’s full I did it my way<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”876px” height=”1000px” max_height=”1000px” custom_margin=”|auto|-102px|auto||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Arial||||||||” text_font_size=”18px” text_letter_spacing=”1px” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n So croons Frank Sinatra. I think these wistful lyrics capture pretty well my mood as I approach my 75th birthday. Soon I will have lived for three quarters of a century, mostly well, occasionally not so well, but overall, I have little reason to complain. And if I did complain, who would listen,,,?<\/span><\/p>\n I have had the good fortune of experiencing life on four continents. I studied and worked in Europe, America and in Africa. Now I spend a good part of my time in South-East Asia. I experienced joys and disappointments in several languages. I had successes and failures, but always somehow got through it. <\/span><\/p>\n I was never broken; I did it My Way<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n The human mind is a funny thing. Memories come back, seemingly at random. Suddenly, I remember an experience I had many years ago in very vivid detail. Friends have encouraged me the write my memories down, others might enjoy reading them. But I am not disciplined enough to write a memoir. I therefore decided to write my thoughts down randomly, as they come into my head, not organized along a specific line of reasoning. I may put down what I think about current political events, Economics (not only my profession but also my passion), history, relationships, cooking, travel, music or whatever else comes to my mind. Sometimes I may be funny (I hope), sometimes very serious (I\u2019m afraid). It may not always be clear which is which, so reader, beware.<\/span><\/p>\n If you are willing to put up with this, have a few laughs, get a different perspective on things, be encouraged to let your own mind wander, please\u00a0subscribe to my blog. If you like what you read, there is a space for you to let me know, or better yet, let your friends know so that they will subscribe. If you think I am full if sh..t, you can also let me know. I promise there will not be any retaliation for criticism, whether justified or not. I am not Donald Trump after all.<\/span><\/p>\n I will strive to be honest and truthful. Of course I will be wrong at times, but I hope to live up to the standard of integrity that was encapsulated by the final phrase with which Walter Cronkite, the most trusted man in America in the nineteensixties and -sventies and, would always close his broadcast:<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnd that\u2019s the way it is<\/em>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Yes, I am old enough to remember him. <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_5,3_5″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/blog.dafko.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/walter-conkite-1.jpg” title_text=”walter-conkite” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Arial||||||||” text_font_size=”15px” text_letter_spacing=”1px” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Walter Cronkite was the only non-NASA recipient of an Ambassador of Exploration award. During his active life as a newscaster for CBS in the 1960s and 70s he was considered “The most trusted man in America”. Cronkite is known for his departing catchphrase, “<\/span>And that’s the way it is<\/b>“, followed by the date of the broadcast.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" And now, the end is near\u00a0 And so I face the final curtain\u00a0 My friend, I’ll make it clear\u00a0 I’ll state my case, of which I’m certain I’ve lived a life that’s fullI traveled each and every highwayAnd more, much more than this, I did it my waySo croons Frank Sinatra. I think these wistful […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_s2mail":"yes","footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-170","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-personal"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.dafko.ch\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/170","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.dafko.ch\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.dafko.ch\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.dafko.ch\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.dafko.ch\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=170"}],"version-history":[{"count":32,"href":"https:\/\/blog.dafko.ch\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/170\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":222,"href":"https:\/\/blog.dafko.ch\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/170\/revisions\/222"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.dafko.ch\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=170"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.dafko.ch\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=170"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.dafko.ch\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=170"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
And so I face the final curtain\u00a0 <\/span><\/em>
My friend, I’ll make it clear\u00a0 <\/span><\/em>
I’ll state my case, of which I’m certain<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n
I traveled each and every highway
And more, much more than this, <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n
Dan<\/span><\/p>\n