Hi Markus,

> > Funny BTW, we both registered in Nov 2003 (just one day after another) and
> > we're both still newbies with a zero rep score.

The closeness in registration dates is not a coincidence, I realize now. I noticed that Helen registered one day before me. This was probably the first time that Firebird was in the Database of the Year poll - or at least the first time that someone drew our attention to it.

> I have since moved to Berlin but was once at the observatory taking a tour
> -- quite cool. I didn't know you could watch it on TV.

Leschs Kosmos (every week on ZDF and ZDFneo, occasionally also on other channels) always opens and closes with a nice outside shot of the observatory (more precisely: of the Refraktorgebäude).


Paul Vinkenoog