Lilli Marleen |
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Lillis place for rants and musing about life, universe and the whole rest. Mostly left, mostly sarcastic, sometimes in german, sometimes in Lilli-english.
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You look for the Song Lilli Marleen?My email: LilliMarleen_Weblog AT yahoo DOT co DOT uk If the 400 characters in my comments are not enough, just mail me! As you might see soon, english is not my mothertongue. And since english speaking people are used to others stumble around in their language, I hope I don't make too much of an idiot of myself here. So - my deepest apologies adressed to the English Language for not worshipping her better. My about page is here My Atom Feed Blogs I like: Arons Israel Peace Weblog Daddy, Papa & Me ectophensis The Lefty Directory view from the back window of my pickup truck Hi, I'm black! Eschaton Papa Scott A Fistful Of Euros The Russian Dilettante Little Yellow Different German Blogs I read: ap-project Lyssas Lounge London Leben industrial-technology and witchcraft Anke Groener Almost a Diary Denkmetho.de l.o.g lawblog Beruf Terrorist blog.nrwspd.de Other links: Social Democrats in Germany Die Zeit (a german newspaper) Spiegel (the german magazine) Underground Internet Ancient History Sourcebook Roots of English Dictionary Rautavistische Universitaet Disclaimer Webrings < ? blogs by women # >  
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Sonntag, August 31, 2003
Are the Republicans full of US-haters? I mean, what else could explain results like the ones, the CBS Poll shows? I've read in weird-comment-ville (lgf) that everyone who wants UN into business again must be an US hater. So, what would this weirdos say, when they now read about 50+% of even the Republicans want UN back? Would they get their guns, jumo into their SUV's and shot everybody down who is not wearing a patriotic shirt? Anyway, I don't think so, because what's up in reality can't have any influence on some of these comment-idiots over there, so they won't even notice it. But I do. Of course. So - let's take a look at the Poll: U.S. Losing Grip In Iraq from CBSnews. While 45% of people seem to think the US is still in charge in Iraq, 43% think they are not. This makes a small majority, but 43% not thinking it is a huge number of people and any politician who is worth his money would do something for these people. The job approval rate for George W. Bush is with 55% not bad, but compared to some 70+ numbers he once had, this let's hope that he'll follow his father and won't grace the world and the US with a second term (hey - one can hope!). But anyway, I don't know if the UN should allow to be dragged into this Iraq thing for more than humanitarian stuff. I'd rather not see any more young folks dying there. Eschaton lead me to the link, and while I'm so angry about some sites commenters, like on lgf, I'd recommend the comments on Eschaton this time special. Really good thoughts to find and a discussion culture which mostly deserves this name. Samstag, August 30, 2003
The majority has the intelligence? Eat shit - gazillions of flies can't be wrong, comes in my mind, whenever I hear someone quoting the bullshit saying of the headline. It's it stupid. Evene, or especially in a Democracy, like we live in here in western Europe. I come to believe, especially when I see the german inner politics at this very moment, that there might be some time, where each compromising will be wasted, because it needs some hard-line re-doing. Of course I'd prefer a hard-line of my taste, meaning, a leftish one, but also a conservative one would be better than this compromises we have to live with right now. But enough with this - what leaves me to this rantings? Compromise Kills is an interesting entry about the use and the damage of compromises to be found at The Truth Laid Bear. They use the example of gun ownerships. Some murderer wouldn't have killed some people if a) they would have owned and carried weapens, too b) he wouldn't have had the possibility to get a gun. Yeah - great idea, and I buy the thought behind it, but the eyample is a weak one. In case a) who can tell, if the victims would have used their guns or would have been able to use them or even would have been successfull having used them? What if they would have shot innocent bystanders while trying to defend themselves? In case b) either he'd want to kill some people than he wouldn't mind if he has to use a gun, or a knife or a wire or his hands. Or he'd want to kill them with a gun, then he would go and get a gun from somewhere else if it weren't produced in the USA. As I see it here in germany, you can buy almost every gun, as long you know where to go and have plenty of money, you can buy finest american or russian guns. That would be the same if the US would stop their gun production. So, also this alternative wouldn't have safed their lives with a high percentage. That makes the example pretty weak. Even when I think there is some truth at the core-thought about this. A compromise is not always the best to gain. Maybe therefore is in case of a crisis not democracy the model being used. Major Tom Peter Schillings Major Tom was a big hit in the 80ies. At least to kids like me (born 68). I loved the song and still like it really much whenever I hear it nowadays (thanks goddes for the 80ies comeing back right now). What I didn't know was that it seems to have made its way across the ocean (not to Lionel, but to the US and UK market) into the playlists. Now, following a link from le sofa blogger I found the 365 Days Project, where you can download a song for each day of the year. It's uncommon stuff which makes it even nicer and this version of Major Tom is really worth the time. I've never heard a version, where one could feel the space so clear. Great stuff. Political correctness sucks I don't like PC so much as some people think. I think there is two types of discrimination. Positive and negative one. PC is, IMO, used very oftenf rom people to positively discriminate others, like women or ather minorities ;-). I'm with Dean in this case he calls Save it, please! and links to an entry called Save the Grand Park Cross. Okay, let's think about it, because it bothers me for some time, now. Of course, I, too, think there are places where a cross is inappropriate. For example in a classroom, I don't need a cross. I'd not join a group wanting to forbid crosses in classrooms, but i'd join a group against a law that forces schools to have crosses in their classrooms, you see the difference? When I choose a school for a child or myself, I can see if their classrom interieur includes crosses or not and that can influence my decision. Or not. So will we have to delete all things with christian context? Will we have to go through Europe and burn down all cathedrals, because some people could feel offended by them because of the crusades or whatever? Let's face it - in the western world, history of mankind from the last 2000 years is history of christianity. One doesn't have to like it, but that's how it is. So, I don't see any reason why we should destroy our history because anyone could feel offended. To change it now would mean to falsify our history and that would do way more damage to mankind that some dumb minded idiots feeling offended by a croos, standing there for some hundred years, even before they peed the first drop in their pants. Yes, sometimes PC is really stupid rubbish. The Bigot is at it again Some weeks ago we had a cardinal (one of these old men in women's clothes from Rome trying to tell people how to behave) telling the german politicians that you can't be a christ and not working against homosexual relationships. Every intelligent and thinking human being should be done with that nowadays, but no - some old men still aren't. Now it's this Bush guy again, with his policy of spending money on special organizations. He won't give money to any organization doing abortions, because abortions are oh so bad things to do. Actually, I'm sure, he doesn't care a shit about who aborts for what reasons. It's because he has to give some fodder to his fundamental christian fans, who should bring him votes at the next election again. Yeah. So - who cares if there are more children dying from hungr, AIDS or whatever, as long as they aren't aborted? Eschaton links to an article of The Kansas City Star from Darlene Superville, called Bush Broadens Global Abortion Gag Rule. Atrios calls it Kill the Babies, Save the Fetus and hits the point with that. I know that abortion is a topic full of emotional stuff and I myself feel with two hearts about it. When I look at my wondergirl I cannot imagine me not wanting to have the gift of a human being growing inside me. But well, it is my own and freee decision! It's my body and I'm with the german campaign "My belly belongs to myself". Each and every woman should have the possibility to choose free what she wants, and no person, neither any fundamental christ - folks nor any government (as especially not a man) can judge for any woman what this means. They should shut up about the topic, I don't tell them how to prey and live their lifes, so they should do on mine. Freitag, August 29, 2003
Tobias is back He really had a hard time with his provider, but now Tobias from Almost a Diary is back again. Go and leave him a hello so he can see he has been missed! Getting an education For all people who don't have the possibility to go to a university but want some knowledge in some areas, it is pretty hard to get to learn. Now the MIT offers an Open Course Program where you can study things, completely with tests and all. You won't get a degree, but well, for what do you need one? I really liked this offer much and I'll register there and read some stuff just out of interest. Link via IT&W. The Big Blackout in London After the Blackout in the US, European countries hasted to claim who never ever this could happen here - wherever "here" was. Well, in the UK it happened just a few days later. South-East of London was dark last night, about 250.000 people were affected from the blackout and tubes needed to be evacuated. The Guardian reports, the fallout is to blame on the privatizing of the tubes, which is always a good reason for something bad in the UK. As The Guardian states, this privatizing has done what even the Wehrmacht with the Blitz was unable to do - the trains had to stop and people had to be let out. Ken Livingstone, the pretty popular major of London now demands an inquiry of the ioncident, which might show what reasons there were. Sure, the power went back, soon after the failure. but people got frightened because they feared to be in a similar desaster the US had to face some days ago. As the Financial Times reports, about 250.000 people were affected, also mobile phone networks. The Sun, very much to my amusement, is not just talking of Half a Million affected people instead of 250.000, but also not hesitating to use the situation for a hilarious word-play when they title: We can't get ohm Harharhar, I can't hold it any longer. (Yes, this was irony). As also the BBC reports, after 30something minutes the power was back, so there is no parallel to the US happenings. Well, I'd seriously doubt, the London commutants would have had BBQ's on the streets. But well, one is left to wonder. If there will be a power outage in any western country the next week, I'll switch off my paranoia detector. Publish the calls from 9/11 or not? Yes, I, too, was thinking what should be done with the recored calls of 9/11. While zogby is pro - for the reason of not forgetting - Lionel Mandrake is contra for respect for the families reasons. I think I'm with Lionel on that here. I've seen the people jumping out of the windows, hand ind hand, alone crying, whatever. I've read the reports about the firefighters who thought there were thick stones coming down at the roof when it were bodies, I've read and seen tons of eyewitness reports about what happened how and with whom. I still feel sorry for all individuals killed and their families. But I don't need to hear their voices confirm what I always know because their voices don't mean anything to me. I didn't know the people in the twin towers, so their voices have not the meaning to me as it has to their families. So what would I get from hearing the voices? Nothing. All the informations in them are long published, there won't be anyone telling something really new to me or anyone else. No, I'd say the voices belong to the families and they should deciede what to do with them. Some claim there are private, really private messages, I'd rather not have a message like that from or to me published, but that's up to the families to deciede. Many journalists paid the 500$ for the calls, so what do you think? Of course they will publish it. They'll start reports and "We feel oh so bad for all" reports, so of course we'll all see more of it than we ever wanted. I don't think that's right. Mittwoch, August 27, 2003
Lillis Rice Pan At the moment, I'm really very much into Rice with yoghurt (not self knitted, of course) and something. So, what do we need? It's really simple, so we'll need: Much of rice. Not the original asian rice, not the nature-rice, just plain parboiled rice. Don't let others blabber about natural rice or Basmati Rice - this time it will tatste best with parboiled rice. Avoid boiling-bags! Olive Oil Garlic Onions Basil Pollock Ham from parma (Italy) Salt Pepper Oregano For the yoghurt: yoghurt (what a surprise!) more garlic more Basil more pepper and salt Okay, first you take the Pollock and have it cut in about 7x5 cm sized pieces. Then you grab you a hamslice and wrap it around the Pollock while you heat the olive oil in a gig pan. When the oil's hot, you put the Pollock with ham in it and have it fried until it's nicely brown on all sides. Don't worry, when the pan is way too huge for the fish, you'll need all the space later. This will take some time, but you don'T have to stay bored there and stare at the oven, you will prepare the rice. Put some rice in a pot, then put some water in and have it boiled, but don't forget the salt. Okay, now you have the rice being done, the Pollock will need some time and you can prepare the yoghurt. Get it out of the pack you bought it in in a bowl. Now take your pepermill and put some pepper in the yoghurt. A bit of salt, if you'd like it. Some garlic. Just peel it and have it cut in as small as possible pieces. I don't like these smashing things, I prefer to cut it. Now stir it a bit and ready is the sauce. The Pollock will be close to be ready. When your timing is ready, also the rice will be ready, soon. No al dente rubbish, but also not too much cooked. Just that it is in the right shape. Now get two onions, peel them and have them cut in little pieces. Grab garlic, peel it and cut it in as small pieces as possible. Put Garlic and Onion in the pan and add some olive oil. Don't panic, Olive oil is pretty healthy, at least when you buy some quality oil and not that rubbish stuff. Okay, let the onions and the garlic have a minute or two with the fish in the pan, then add the rice. Yes, put it in the pan. Stir it all a bit, so that the oinions and the garlic will be mashed with the rice. Let the rice cover the fish and add some drops of olive oil again for the rice. Have it in the pan for another two minutes or so, then take the pan and put it on the table. You place the rice in the middle of a huge pasta-plate and add the yoghurt sauce above. The whole lilli-family loves it, especially this summer, when it's warm this rice is somehow refreshing. Have fun, trying to cook at this recipe!  Congratulations, you're New Orleans, the wild city. What US city are you? Take the quiz by Girlwithagun. Dienstag, August 26, 2003
Could Wesley Clark win the primaries? Hmm.. here in germany the only candidate who is at least reported about a bit is Howard Dean. Amy Sullivan thinks Clark could still have a chance when she writes Insiders say it's too late for Wesley Clark to win the primaries. They're wrong. To me, this all is pretty interesting for several reasons. First - I'd love to see George W. Bush kicked off the White House Second - I like to see how the US do campaigning, because here we can learn so much from them. Third - I like to learn new things and the whole process of how one becomes a candidate and president, is really interesting for me. Now, when Pop Idol is out folks are looking for Sex Idol, like Ananova reports. Yeah - sure. Great idea. It was time for something really new *lol* Formularservice der Polizei An den/die Fahrer/in des ................., amtl. Kennzeichen:..................... Wie Sie vielleicht bemerkt haben, befindet sich an Ihrem Fahrzeug außer diesem Schreiben noch ein/e ( ) Zahlkarte ( ) Mängelkarte ( ) OWI-Anzeige. Eventuell ist der Polizeibeamte, der Sie beanstandet hat, noch in der Nähe. Bevor Sie nun versuchen, diesen in endlosen Diskussionen zu verwickeln, um ihn dazu zu bewegen, die Maßnahme rückgängig zu machen, sollten Sie erst die nachstehenden Punkte aufmerksam durchlesen. Auf diese Weise können Sie sich und dem Beamten eine Menge Zeit sparen. 1. Sowohl STVO als auch STVZO gelten jeden Tag des Jahres 24 Stunden lang. Sie werden weder durch Nachtzeit, Wochenende, Feiertag oder ähnliches außer Kraft gesetzt. 2. Weder ich noch mein Streifenpartner hegen Ängste gegenüber Rechtsanwälten. Wir glauben auch nicht, dass unsere schillernde Karriere bei der Polizei durch die Einschaltung Ihres Anwaltes beendet wird. 3. Andererseits sind die Beförderungsmöglichkeiten bei der Polizei nicht so groß, wie Sie vielleicht denken mögen. Sie brauchen also keine Angst zu haben, daß wir nun ein Sternchen mehr bekommen, nur weil wir einen Verwarnungszettel an Ihrem Fahrzeug angebracht haben. 4. Auch wir haben selbstverständlich Ehrfurcht vor dem Alter. Aber bitte verstehen Sie, dass wir nicht alles durchgehen lassen können. Wenn Sie beispielweise Ihre kranke Oma nach Hause bringen oder diese mit Essen versorgen, ist das durchaus lobenswert. Es berechtigt allerdings nicht zu zweistündigem Parken in der Fussgängerzone. (Ferner wird die kranke Oma dermassen oft als Ausrede benutzt, dass wir das langsam nicht mehr glauben könen. So müssten - rein rechnerisch - z.B. in der Gegend um den Erlenweg (100m lang) ca. 8500 bettlägerige Senioren wohnen. Das erscheint uns ein bisschen viel.) 5. Es ist uns auch völlig egal, ob Sie ein hohes Tier im Polizeipräsidium kennen oder ob Ihr Onkel 1x in der Woche mit dem Hausmeister der Stadtverwaltung kegeln geht. Beziehungen nützen Ihnen überhaupt nichts, eher im Gegenteil: Je höher das Tier, desto kleiner Ihre Chance. 6. Ihre Automarke spielt bei der Vergabe von Verwarnungen keine Rolle. Wir suchen uns nicht nur Fahrzeuge der Marken Mercedes, BMW oder Porsche aus, sondern nehmen alles, was kommt. 7. Auch Ihre Staatsangehörigkeit hat weder Vor- noch Nachteile in der Bemessung der Höhe der Verwarnung. 8. Sie könne sicher sein, dass wir auch lieber die grossen Gangster fangen würden . Leider sind die Kapitalverbrecher in diesem Ort zeitweise recht dünn gesät, so dass wir leider gezwungen sind, die Zwischenräume mit Sachbehandlungen wie der Ihrer zu überbrücken. 9. Falls Sie anführen, dass Sie das Schild nicht gesehen haben, so ist das Ihre eigene Schuld. Die Dinger sind schliesslich groß genung. Und bunt sind sie auch. 10. Die Tatsache, dass Sie eventuell fremd in diesem Ort sind, stellt ebenfalls keinen Freibrief für Falschparken, zu schnelles Fahren o.ä. aus. Die STVO gilt woanders genauso. 11. Die Ausrede "Arztbesuch" zieht ebenfalls nicht.Wenn Sie schon zu krank sind, ein paar Meter zu Fuß zu gehen, wie wollen Sie es dann verantworten, ein Kfz sicher durch den Strassenverkehr zu steuern 12. Jetzt folgt ein Hinweis für den weiblichen Verkehrsteilnehmer: Der Einsatz von Tränen nützt überhaupt nichts. Der Anblick eines Menschen, der wegen ein paar Euro Bußgeld weinend auf der Strasse steht, wirkt ebenso würdelos wie albern. 13. Sollten Sie eine Tätigkeit als Briefträger, Bundesbahnbeamter, Verkehrsmeister, Hausmeister o.ä. ausführen und während der Arbeit eine Mütze tragen, so sind Sie deswegen noch lange nicht berechtigt, den Polizeibeamten als Kollegen zu betrachten und ihn entsprechend anzureden. Wer in unseren Augen Kollege ist, bestimmen wir selbst. Die gilt auch für Taxifahrer. 14. Vermeiden Sie es bitte, zum Polizeibeamten Körperkontakt zu suchen, indem Sie ihm auf die Schulter klopfen oder ihn am Ärmel ziehen. Einer Verwarnung oder Anzeige wird hierdurch nicht entgangen. Allerdings könnte sich der Beamte angegriffen fühlen, was wiederum böse Spuren in Ihrem Gesicht hinterlassen kann. 15. Auch die kumpelhafte Anrede wie z.B. "Chef", Meister", "Herr Inspektor" u.ä. hilft Ihnen in der Regel nicht. Wenn Sie den Dienstgrad des Beamten nicht kennen, lesen Sie ihn bitte von dem Dokument an Ihrer Windschutzscheibe ab. Besser noch ist, den Beamten überhaupt nicht anzusprechen. 16. Die Frage, ob der Polizist kein Herz hat, können Sie sich sparen. Selbstverständlich hat er es. Das Herz ist ein Muskel, der dazu dient, das Blut durch den Körper zu pumpen. Sonst nichts. Sollten Sie immer noch der Meinung sein, dem Beamten die Massnahme auszureden, versuchen Sie es ruhig - nützen wird es nichts. Habe ich nicht von Udo und seinem Lawblog, sondern im Büro per Mail bekommen. Montag, August 25, 2003
And they're talking about Arnold and his Nazi-ancestors? So, if you're looking for someone with beliefs and sayings really fresh out of the Nazi-Textbook, all you have to look at is California's Democratic Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamente, as Dennis points out. He also links to MEChA where some of the disturbing "facts" can be read. It seems, as Michelle Malkin reports, that the liberal press has more interest in Arnolds families past than in this guys past, which isn't fair in my book. I'll keep an eye on it and look if the german media will report anything about it and when and what. Last week The last week was one of the most wonderful weeks in my whole life. If Mr. Lilli would have been here it would have been really perfect. Mr. Lilli wasn't at home, what added the bitter part to the week, but was also kind of reason for the rest. Since usually, I work fulltime and Mr. Lilli takes care for wondergirl, I was on holiday last week and spent all day and night with wondergirl alone. We had a really, really wonderful time! Yesterday she started walking on her own at the Ice-Cafe. We had Popcorn and Ice in my bed, we had giggling talks (she giggled and I talked, or so), we had a spaghetti-party and we cuddled and were together whenever possible. She started saying "I love you" in her Wondergirl-language to me, we read all her favourite books together, and played with the cats. Oh my, tomorrow I'll have to go back to work, somehow I wish I could stay at home like this all time, but I know, sooner or later I'd miss the contacts, I'd miss the different world and all that. So I'll go back to work tomorrow and try to solve the conflicts that will come the next two or three weeks somehow, but I'm relaxed as if I was on holiday at a beauty farm or a lonely island or whatever relaxing place one can imagine for weeks. Oh - and did I mention that I really adore my wondergirl? ;-) Sonntag, August 24, 2003
Some time ago I read a story in the newspapers about parents who were on court because they should have tortured and hit and neglected their child. They came away on the court because none of them said who it was and both didn't say a word at all. If your german is fit, you can go here and read the details of what was done to the two months old child. There were bones broken, injuries at the vagina and the anus, hematomes and about everything a fucked off mind could imagine. Now the highest german court has said that it can't be they come away with just not saying a word and they should get a new judge who should try to find out what was done, and what wasn't done (but should have been done), which might be a good idea in this case. Yes, I admit it openly - when it comes to children I forget everything about my political beliefs and I don't care for courts and all that. I can't imagine bigger perverted and really really fucking bad pictures of what once was a human being than people like these parents. I don'T care for their childhood, neither for what kind of their relationship is. There was a baby, an eight weeks old Baby harmed and it wasn't done once or twice in an emotional situation, it was done again and again and again. Come on! Show me the woman who could live together with a man who does that to her child or show me the father who would watch his wife doing this to his Baby and I know what sick perverts look like! Oh my, I hope they'll get a court that lets them really pay for everything they dod to the poor child. Thx to Udos lawblog for the link, even when it made me cry to read all the details. Samstag, August 23, 2003
Great Piece for Potter fans Are you a Harry Potter fan? I think 'd qualify for one, after I've bought the english version via Amazon and read it in about three days (and nights). I'm not an Extremist, I won't call wondergirl Hermione neither our cats Weasley or Prof. McGonagall or so, but I really enjoyed reading Potter this time. Don't ask me, how I got there, it must have been a link in a site I came through a link, but somehow I came to this place where I was stuck reading some thing what I'd call a fan Novel about Malfoy and Ginny not dating him. Really a great thing, I had to rip myself off it and post about it so you all could go and read it if you like. And now I'll head back and continue reading it. Only in America is what Martin calls his post on Wise Words his place which is not a Blog, but looks like one. Yeah, only in America... I'm not sure, if that's accurate, but it fits the stereotype so damned well. Link via Eschaton. Egyptians sue "All Jews on the World" over Exodus? Sorry, but this is even for me way too silly, stupid and dumb. Via Lionel Mandrake I got this link to The Washington Post piece: Egyptians may sue Jews over the Exodus. Okay, so let's spin that a bit further. If the Egypt sue the Jews, how about the Jews sueing Egypt for slave labour, like shell already asked in Lionels comments? Will then all European countries sue the Italians for what happened in the Roman Empire? The germans sue France because of reparations for Napoleon-times? Ireland, Scotland and India will sue the English, but they won't have time, because they're already at court because sued by The US. The whole African continent could choose whom to sue in Euope and the Netherlands sue the Brits because they've stolen New Amsterdam from them and renamed it after having given it to some settlers. Well, we might think about either paying more taxes for all the judges or setting a timeline how long one can sue. But in one thing all could be re-united. Nearly ever country in Europe could sue the catholic church in Rome, because whatever it is, you'll find a reason for them to pay reparations. Real videos from the country of IRAQ !! is one of the most disgusting Spam Mails I've got until now. Vera with the Mailadress hornygirl@yahoo.com there sends me an email with the text: DO YOU WANT TO SEE SOME HOT SHOCKING XXX SCENES FROM IRAQ ? A MILITARY OPERATION TURNED INTO HARDCORE GANGBANGS ! UNCOVERED TRUTH ABOUT SEX IN IRAQ - THOUSANDS OF PICTURES AND MOVIES ! IF YOU WANT TO SEE THESE SHOCKING XXX SCENES - ALL FOR FREE - JUST CLICK HERE ! I wonder how sick a creature must be to either sell or buy such crap. Freitag, August 22, 2003
Should hostages pay? The Sahara-hostages, who they're called here, are free and came home this week. Hurray! So, while they were still waiting for their flight home, in germany there was a discussion coming up which was pretty interesting: Should the hostages pay for the efforts of being freed? I'd say - well, it depends. I'd say there must the differences be seen between people who get captured in areas where it's a known crisis and people who couldn't know this. If you're going on a holiday journey to a place where you know, it's dangerous, then you should pay much money for being freed - or have an insurance beforehand. I can't see the thrill for people having their holidy in areas where it's shootings or some kind of war or so. I'd rather not go to places in the world where I know I - and even more my beloved ones - could be in danger of being shot, harmed or taken as hostages. Note - there are fine differences between tourists or people who have to work there or go there for humanitarian reasons. Of course these people should be helped in any possible way! There are of course many other points to be seen in this question, but I just hate catastrophe-tourists. I don't know if the ones in this case are such ones. Our media report that a individual solution will be found. I trust on that. Most hostages have suffered traumata enough from being captured and held somewhere without knowing if they'll come home ever again. Conspiracy about 9/11 Sure, 9/11 was made up by the CIA. Or the Mossad. Or alltogether. And the pictures that made their way around the world were all made up, from CNN. Or the Mossad. Or alltogether. The proof? Well... you know... everybody knows, there were just about five Jews in the Twin Towers who dies, all other Jews were mysteriously away that day. They must have been warned. And all the witnesses? Yeah, they keep silent, the hundreds of firefighters, the thousands of people who saw with their own eyes what happened, each of them keeps silent and won't tell the truth. Just some of the conspiracy authors, they know the truths. LOL! I was close to pee my pants, when I saw a report in german TV about some of the folks who now wrote books about their theories what really happened on 9/11. Luckily, the authors of the report seem to have been in the same mood than I was and also sometimes had a hard time to not laugh too loud, when these "scientists" and "authors" told how they "researched". Come on guys - each kindergarden-group could do better. You know, I'm always in, when it comes to critizise some media for biased reporting, I'm always in when it comes to that CIA and all do things they don'T want us to know, but this, sorry, this goes too far, even for me. All these "authors" didn't care for facts, even in the interviews they offered the reliability of their sources when they used phrases like:" there is this guy on the net who said he knows people who found out somewhow...." and stuff like that. Hard to believe, people buy those books and pay real money for it. I've had expected nothing else from this Neo-Nazi guy Horst Mahler (sp?), than to spread shit and rubbish about involved jews, but I'm really sad about some other guys, who classify themselves as first class shitheads for everyone who sees the interviews. But yeah, the report confrontizes the platitudes of these guys with really researched facts, which leaves hope. But how come, many average middle Europeans tend to believe that there has been "something wrong" with the reporting? Well, I'd say it comes from the saying "who lies once isn't believed any further". Bush and his whole administration lied about Iraq, so some people here tend to react with disbelief to everything else they say. Sure, it is strange that no camera was able to gat pictures of the plane crushing in the Pentagon, I, too, ask myself if there aren't any cameras all around the buliding who could have taken some shots, but the rest? The rest is, IMO pure rubbish! Here is the link of the report, but it's in german. Donnerstag, August 21, 2003
My writing persona is male? Duh? At least that's what The Gender Genie said, after I quoted some of my text. Well, that means english speaking men don't know how to spell and use english grammar? Thx too Ernie for the link. Oh my God! was all I could say, after I followed a link from Little, Yellow, Different to The Presidential Prayer Team. I really have a hard time right now, since I do not want to hurt anyones feelings. Well, I might think about that for our next elections. Ebay goes TV? This sounds like a fun idea. I could imagine no better idea than to watch an ebay-show on TV while me and gazillions other people try to bid on several items. Yeah. That's it. I mean - the thing on ebay is to find something you like where noone else is bidding on, otherwise you'll get it too expensive, or? Well, maybe I got something wrong on that. But, as Mehrzweckbeutel states after linking to the article from sfgate "Ebay makes a bid for Television", it's an interesting thought for people who always said Internet will kill the TV. Now the Internet wants to go TV. We'll see, I fear. If nothing else it will be fun to get asleep at. 
Ha! That means 75% is Good! Is that a compliment or should I be seriously worried about my bad reputation now? Link found at Couchblog Why can't german journalists write like that about Blogs? The last months I've seen here and there some german boggers complain about how Blogs are written about in german newspapers. The germn journalists use to pin them down as "online diaries" and even when a huge amount of blogs seem to be so, there are many, many others. A link from Atrios brought me to this article at the Philadelphia Enquirer where Beth Gillin has done a IMO good work in describing the many shades of the Blogworld. I hope, some german journalists will read it and learn. ... and I've just seen Jabba the Hutt Actually this is what came in my mind, when I saw the Group Captain linking to Ed Driscoll who had a talk to R2D2. Really, when I came home with wondergirl at that street cafe here I saw a guy sitting who looked exactly like Jabba. The only things missing were the belly dancers chained to him and the tongue slipping out and catching a fly. Serious, I'm really envious for this talk, but somehow I'd end up with Jaja Binx with my bad luck, I think. Jail for Danish Pizza Man This Danish Pizza man, who doesn't serve germans or french for them not helping George Bush in Iraq has been fined by his authorities. That's a good thing. I'd change the reason, but that's just me. I'd not fine him for discrimination, but for increasing stupidity and shortsight. He has had his 15 minutes of fame, he was reported about in each and every news-venue possible, he has so many supporters in the US and somewhere I read he claimed for having been sent money from the US and the UK. So, what is it, he still wants? This "Hero" like zogby likes to call him, is for me acting like a stupid five year old. I could understand if he would refuse to serve his Pizza to Mr. Schroeder or Mr. Chirac or so, but is he realizing how much damage he is doing his whole country with this uproar? Denmark is in some areas pretty dependent on tourist-money, and, even if they're not liked there, many germans come year after year to denmark to spend their holiday and their money. Some of these germans won't come this year and won't also come the further years. Instead they will spend their time in other areas, where their money is better appreciated. This will hit primarly the neighbours of this "heroic" pizza guy and noone else. So, if I had a say in Denish authorities, I'd charge him, too. All these wonderful americans this guy adores so much, have never set a foot into Denmark and won't do so for the next decades, so he's not just stupid, but also doing harm to his countries reputation. Is that any help? I'd doubt so. If zogby and others want to collect money for him - why not help him immigrate to the US? Maybe he's be happier there? And if just there, he could apply for american citizenship and then join the Army and go and fight for this so beloved country, that would be a way to show his support, but with stupid statements like his, he's doing noone a favour at all. Besides some rightie-journalists. Mittwoch, August 20, 2003
Cologne-Beer in Manhatten Hey ho! In germany we have several kinds of beer, it depends where you live. Here in cologne, we drink Kölsch. The Brewery in my direct neighbourhood is now on its step to Manhatten. As the local press reports today, they will open a place where you can get Gaffel-Kolsch at Rivington Street an the name will be "Loreley Restaurant & Rheinkeller Lounge“. I hope some of my readers who are located near there will tell me in October how they liked the cologne-beer. Dienstag, August 19, 2003
 You must like to spank or be spanked, because your romance is remeniscent of Secretary. A truly modern love story, it shows that you don't need to be conventional to be normal. You're probably the type that owns a whole lot more leather than what's upholstering your car or sofa. Yeah, you know what I mean. What Romance Movie Best Represents Your Love Life? brought to you by Quizilla So? I'll have to have a talk with Mr. Lilli once he'll be back. ;-) Goodbye Midwives is what Kris is calling her entry about epidural contra natural birth. I have no idea about the system in the UK, but here you can choose either a midwife, or a doctor or both in a clinic. I chose the last for when I was due with wondergirl. If I had known how much this hurts I would have filled out the papers for epidural earlier, so I wanted it when I was in the middle of the whole thing and after my shaking had stopped enough for me to sign the papers, it was too late for epidural. Well, I still have no idea, what it was I signed there and I'd say I was in a state of mind where I should not have been given anything to sign at all, but well. If wondergirl will have a brother or a sister it will be an epidural baby, with midwife and doctor in a clinic. My health insurance pays for that the only thing I'll have to pay for will be the single room. But yes - all you women who don't shut up about praying for natural birth - get your children natural if you'd want to, then get up and work on a field or go and milk some cows or whatever real natural women do after birth. I'll go and have my epidural and be happy. It might not surprise anyone, but the description of this book is one I really like: "Here we are, living in the wealthiest country in history, a country of boundless possibilities, a country made up of a people deeply committed to democratic ideals, a country with the potential for spectacular human achievement – but we find ourselves ruled (politically, economically, culturally, and ethically) by a confederacy of kleptocrats. They have collected up our democratic powers piece by piece, hoarding them in the privacy of their own fiefdoms. These elites (fully abetted by the governmental elites they have bought), now effectively control the decisions that affect We the People – everything from public spending priorities to environmental degradation, wages to war, what's on the "news" to who gets elected." It's from Jum Hightowers new book Thieves in High Places. Chinese Tatoos Yeah, it always makes me feel strange when people show me their new chinese tatoo. They have tatooed some sign and are said what it means. But we all know that chinese language is hard to learn, don't we? And we all have heard that one sign can mean something completely different when it's put in another conetxt, don't we? So, what if the tattooer has a bad (or mean) day and doesn't tatoo the sign for, for example "spirit" but something totally different, that looks like spirit but means, for example "kick me, I'm an asshole" or so? Well, you're on the safe side, when you've got chinese friends, but not, when this friend is Ernie at Little, Yellow, Different. Go and read his hilarious story about "love" and "vegetable". Past Life Diagnosis Yeah - I have a thing for mystic and such stuff. I'm not sure, but somehow I believe in life before birth. So, here's my diagnosis: Your past life diagnosis: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I don't know how you feel about it, but you were female in your last earthly incarnation. You were born somewhere in the territory of modern South Australia around the year 600. Your profession was that of a shepherd, horseman or forester. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your brief psychological profile in your past life: Person with huge energy, good in planning and supervising. If you were just garbage-man, you were chief garbage-man. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation: Your lesson is to learn humility and faith in spiritual principles. You should believe in higher reasons. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Do you remember now? It's a link I found over at the sunblog. Alcohol for Teens? Jim discussed on his site a phenomenon I can't understand, either. In the US, children with 16 are allowed to drive a car, but they're not allowed alcohol until they're 21. To what this leads is to be found at Jims site. More drunken Teens, Teens drinking everything alcoholic just because it's hipp, because they can't store it and because they don't know when they'll have the next occasion, Not to talk about the thrill of something forbidden. Here in germany, I'd say we have some reasonable laws about that. With 16 you're allowed to drink beer and some wine. With 18 you're legally an adult and are allowed everything you want. If one neglects, that in reality children can buy alcohol even at supermarkets because the employees there don't care (another candidate for a place in my hell), this sounds to me pretty good. When I was 15 I started to try alcohol. My then boyfriend was 21 and bought me everything I wanted, since I looked older I never had problems to order a drink in a pub. And yes, I've had my share of drunkeness and hangover the other day, but it stayed an experiment. Here we have Shuttle-busses to drive the teens to the local disotheques and back and all that. Kids are here allowed to drive a car when they're 18 and of course there are each year teens dying on the street because of drunken driving, but the numbers are decreasing more and more since there are more programs and campaigns against it. There are more people dying from drunken adult drivers - a group I'd think should be shot immediately. People who drink and drive are one of the worst exemples of mankind, but well, in some areas it still seems to be chic (and I'm proud on myself for not linking to some special blog with that). Choco-Slut Some years ago, some friends gave me a certificate for being a certificated choco-slut, that was when I was making my choco-truffels on my own (btw a really easy recipe). Of course then, I have to link to a site like chocolatada! Me? well, according to this test, I must be a geek at least to 24,something %. LOL - I wish my math teacher could read this. But I doubt, she could read at all. Found at Ein Schoener Tag. Keine Macht dem Arschgeweih! Selten habe ich einen so schönen Ausdruck gesehen und auch ohne das Bildchen sofort gewusst, was damit gemeint ist. Ich fand ne Zeit lang Tatoos auch cool. Vor allem so keltischen Kram um den Arm rum und so. Super. Doch gerade, als ich mich durchgerungen hatte, auch so eins zu wollen, ich hab damals noch im Sozialamt gearbeitet, sind immer mehr von meinen Hilfeempfängern mit diesen Dingern aufgetaucht. Die Diskussion, wo die denn die Kohle dafür herhaben, spare ich mir, aber ich habe mir jedenfalls das Tatoo verkniffen. Auch wenn es mir an manchen Leuten echt gefällt, bei vielen, finde ich, sieht dieser Oberarmreifen einfach asi aus und das Arschgeweih... naja, halt so, wie's der Name schon sagt! Gefunden bei Jenny. Schill in Hamburg gewippt! Na, das wurde jetzt auch mal Zeit, das dieser /()=?&% Mensch Schill auch diese Öffentlichkeit enzogen bekommt. Ich weiss zwar nicht, wie die jetzt in Hamburg weiterregieren wollen, wenn Barnabas Schill und seine Rechtspopulisten der Schill Partei nicht mehr mitmachen (oder macht nur Herr Schill selber nicht mehr mit?), aber die können ja auch gern die Sozis dranlassen *g*. Jedenfalls wurde es dem lieben Ole von Beust wohl langsam zu blöde, sich von Schill immer wieder an die Wand polemisieren zu lassen. War es damals dieser peinliche Auftritt im Bundesrat (oder wars der Bundestag??) oder die Diskussion um die Farbe der Polzeiuniformen, jetzt ermittelt die Staatsanwaltschaft, ob Schill tatsächlich gedroht hat, von Beust zu outen. Aber wen interessiert es denn in Deutschland noch, ob ein Politiker schwul ist oder nicht? Ausser Guido Westerwelle doch eigentlich niemanden mehr, oder? Spätestens sein Wowereits "Und das ist auch gut so", kann doch auch diese Meldung keinen verlausten Hund mehr hinter dem Ofen hervorlocken (was macht der eigentlich da, der Hund meine ich?). Jetzt simmer mal gespannt, ob sich die Schill-Partei tatsächlich von ihrem Gründer trennt, oder ob sie zu ihm hält und die Koalition in Hamburg baden geht. Hier in Köln haben wir bei jedem Wahlkampf auch immer ein paar Versprengte, die Plakate für die Schill Partei kleben, aber seit nun auch die SPD das Law and Order Feld entdeckt hat, haben die hier eh keine Schnitte mehr. Na denn - Tschö Barnabas! Parents who bring squalling brats to R-rated movies Militant Vegans PETA Members Bill Gates Republicans River Styx The Pope River Phlegyas George Bush Scientologists General asshats Link via a small victory Letter to Howard Well, actually I'd doubt, Howard would ever read this letter or even know that I wrote it to him, but while I was on a phone with a friend today, I got the idea that one day I'll have to thank Howard for what he taught me. Let me explain: About 10 years or so ago I got my first own computer with a modem and somehow ended up in an online area where Howard had the say. In order to kinda work for him there he bombed me with mails about behaviour codes and what to do and what not to do online and especially in his online place. They contended some simple wisdoms, like: In online life you can attack the idea of someone but never ever attack the person. Go and attack their writing, their ideas their arguments, but don't attack a person at whole. One other was: keep online stuff online and don't take it out in the Real Life of the person because the online persona might differ from what the people really are at home. And one, for me very important was: Never ever forget you're dealing with people and not with automatic answering and posting machines or so. Nowadays, when I come to see the behaviour of some people in the wide blogworld, be it people who attack other bloggers for the style and content of their writing, or be it people who send Child Protecting Service to other people's home, it seems to me, they forget some of these commons truths. Whenever I find a shitty comment on my site where people disagree with me, I divide them in two groups. One group, who doesn't care for arguments and facts, just calling everybody who does not agree with the a shithead and the other group with people who are capable of really discussing a topic, be it so far away from their beliefs it might happen. Of course, I don't waste a second thought on the first group. They amuse me and fail even to make me angry. But well, let's try to see the other side for the sake of the discussion: You read a Blog and for several reasons (and maybe encouraged by a friend) you think there is a mother treatinger her child(ren) in a bad way. So what is the thing you can do, living some (hundreds, thousands) miles away? You call the CPS to check in. Okay. That's a possibility. Having worked for social welfare I had to call them more than I ever wanted, sometimes it was right and sometimes I was worried for wrong reasons and the families were okay. So no damage done, CPS checked in, found it all okay and went away. But then I learned that CPS is a state-thing in the US and while it's okay in some areas, in others the CPS seems to be a really problem for any parents involved. But wouldn't it have helped to try to get in contact with the person, first? Wouldn't that be the natural first step one would really make, when really worried? I would do so. So, let's assume this contact didn't happen, I have to assume further that it was not worry but only malicius aspects, some kind of power play going on. I actually like none of both Bloggers involved really much, but I don't belong to regular readers in one of the blogs, so I can't tell, if I would be worried or not. It's just sad, when people cross this line from online to Real Life for just Power Play and for just "Because I say so". I hope no harm is done and even when I can understand some friends want to see the caller hang, I hope the caller won't come up and say it, because that would even increase the damage for all involved. And yes, since I hate to have an entry without a link, just go have a look over at Glenn, he has written something about it, too. Okay, so what would I write to Howard then? Something like this: Dear Howard, I must admit, you've been a PITA for me and your "training" was IMO harder and more nutpicking than necessary, but by now I'm about ten years older and have seen many people loose contact with real world over online. I've seen people lose their job for what they wrote online, I've seen people find and lose friends for what they did online, I've seen people meet their soulmates online and I've seen people destroy their marriage for a quick online fun. I've been part of many discussions and I've go my share of flaming for my ideas and beliefs, as I gave my share of flaming others for their writings. But with some exceptions I always tried to stick on the rules I've learned when I was around at your place. That doesn't make me a better person, it just help me to deal with others, because I simply failed to take them real if they ignore some of the rules. So, let me thank you for teaching me some stuff and helping me remind, that all cmmunication is about is interaction between people. People with brains, feelings and personalities. Might they be so far away from me they want, they still deserve at least some respect. Thank you! Best regards - Lilli. I hope, this wasn't too pathetic, but I felt like it. I'm wading through lots of old email and posting stuff right now, so maybe this put me in this mood. Sonntag, August 17, 2003
Archaeoblog While I was googling for something completely different, I found a link to the Archaeoblog, the weblog for UK Archaeology. And since I'm really interested in all the "old stuff", I'd like to link them here for not loosing the link. I wonder if the Group Captain has already found it. Don't die at Spain, when you want to be brought home in one piece. The BBC reports at "Organs taken from dead tourists," that people who die in Spain come back with inner organs missing. Personally I don't mind, since I'm an organ donator (they should get out all they can use after I'll be death), but I can imagine for some family members it's really shocking to bury a loved child/ brother or whatever and have no heart or so. The question is - what do the Spain with it? Store them? Innocent until proven guilty is a concept we in germany, too, have. So the guys about the BBC reports at German trio face arms charges have to be seen as innocent as long no judge found them guilty. But well... actually their story is a tad thin, seems to me, so we might have here three guys who sell stuff to a country from which they know it might be used for nuclear stuff. If they'll be found guilty, I hope the trial will take them each cent they own and have them suffer in prison. Well, at least such people get caught and have to face a trial here, I hope other countries to the same. I just assume in each group of people you have some statistic amount of assholes and in each country there will be people who deal with these countries. So it'll be interesting to see what other countries do to get them and how they treat them. Mr. Lillis rant On Friday I wrote about some stuff I found over at zogbyblog. In there I included the reant of Mr. Lilli about the american dream and the people who think they'll be a part of it. Zogby did quote it on his site and got a comment from Jake, which I find interesting enough to quote here: When I travel to Europe, I like to walk the neighborhoods and see how the people are living. I came to the conclusion that what is considered middle class in Europe is considered poor over here. Prices of everything are so much cheaper in the US. Most poor (not those on welfare) live in houses, drive cars, take vacations, have cable TV and phones, can send their kids to college etc. The difference between the rich and the poor here is that the rich has bigger houses, newer cars and can take more exotic vacations. People don’t overthrow the government so they can have a nicer car. Plus the poor know it is possible to move up the economic ladder. That’s the two economic extremes in the US. The rich and the poor. The largest group in the US is the middle class and they would be considered wealthy in Europe. The middle class is generally happy with the way things are. Despite what you read here, most people pay no attention to the government. The reason is simple. Government has little effect on our daily lives no matter what party controls it. People know that they are in charge of their own destiny and the government will have little to do with it. Maybe that is the American dream, people in charge of their own destiny. I don't perceive it that way, but I'm no first hander, since I've never been at the US until now. SO all my "knowledge" about the society I have from books, newspapers, Internet and TV plus I met some people from the US and am in conctact with the one or the other via Mail or phone. I can't share Jakes opinion about rich and poor. For what I perceive, even the german poors are poor on a high level. Even in our "Slums" the heating in the houses works, the water is there and there is no area where the police is not present if necessary. I think the poor is harder in the US, but well, also the rich are richer over ther ;-). What really made me think was Jakes part about government and I guess, that's where a big difference is hidden. I guess we germans have a different attitude about government than US folk has. Even when the numbers are decreasing, too, a higher percentage in germany does vote at elections than in the US. In general I'd simplificate it that way: us germans, we think it's important to have a government and in the US mayhaps people tolerate it, because it's necessary? You see, what I mean? I don't know if this is true, it's just a theory so come and rip in in pieces! Samstag, August 16, 2003
Freitag, August 15, 2003
Power outage Here, our top news is the power outage in the USA. They report that some parts, like Manhattan and so, still don't have any power back and that George Bush now wants to repair the whole system. Well, the second then is that such a power outage can't happen in Europe because our power-net is organized in a totally different (means better?) way. I do hope so. That was something I always was unable to get on americans - how relaxed they can live with outages, be it water, power or whatever. I'm mid30 and I can't remember one single power outage for longer than ten minutes in my whole life, and also my mother can't remember one and she's 60 by now. Our life here is - in the private area - not so dependant on electricity than it seems to be in the US. Our buildings have less floors, we usually don't have airconditions, we have lots of kitchen stuff working without electricity and so on. The more I wonder how such an outage is taken by many US folks. I'd freak out if it would happen here - all my stuff in the freezer would go bad, my computer wouldn't work, but I'd still get out of my bed (don't need an alarm clock - I just wake up in time in the morning and if I don't wondergirl does), get dressed and would get out of the house in time (live on the second floor) and I'd even arrive work in time (I could be there in about 30 minutes or a bit more by bycicle). Okay - once there I'd have a problem, without my computer I woul be unable to work, because I'm in IT-project stuff. I'd have to write stuff down (ugh). In the evening I would even be able to listen to radio because I've batteries in the house and the candles would light the flat. No problem. So, I assume that my day would be easier than the day of people who need an aircondition, electrical household helpers, life at the 30th floor or so (I'd die on stairs like that). But why don't they freak out?  Fight Club! What movie Do you Belong in?(many different outcomes!) brought to you by Quizilla Well, they didn't have The Rocky Horror Picture Show! Thx to Anke! Pffffft! Is how one could call the sound of some air coming out of the rear end of a mammal. If this story is no hoax then there is the first documentation of a whale flatulence. Really a funny thought! Thx to IT&W. Recession or just stagnation? Do we live in a recession or is it stable, even if on a very low level? I don't know, I'm not an economist not do I play one on a TV show. There are forecasts for more than 500.000 new unemployed, but I think that's a bit much. Zogby pointed out in his entry Return of Recession dashes german hopes where he refers to the same named article of The Guardian from David Gow "Schroeder, what a jackass! Can you imagine ANY US politician saying "Hey, we're stagnating, we're not in a recession. And we're only going to loose another 500,000 jobs next year, that's not so bad." It might not surprise some of you that I can imagine and see day by day some american politicians doing even worse. At least Schroeder did start not a war to distract from inner politics and high unemployment numbers. As far as I get to read the US numbers are not what one could call decrease, here it seems they are - on the contrary increasing like never before or at least since a long time. Why don't I hear a word about this? The germans do suffer on a fucking high level, as I usually say. Okay, I do earn good money and I have a job I can't get fired as long I don't commit a crime, but we're far from being rich since Mr. Lilli spends most of his time in studies and caring for wondergirl while I'm at work, so my income the regular one and has to be enough for three. But when I hear people, also in my more leftish area of socializing, discuss where they spent their third holiday this year or at least the second one after the ski trip in winter, I can't really get panicked when I see numbers like in the Guardian. The unemployment numbers are way too high, no question, but whatever Schroeder wants to do against it is blocked by the CDU in our parliament. The huge tax reduce at the beginning of next year is such a step which might help. Our health-system reform is another one. The SPD had it done together with the CDU, and now this same CDU starts blabbering about what a bad work that is. Politics in germany are mostly ridiculous right now, but well, one could say the same about the US politics right now and the people who support it. Mr. Lilli had an interesting rant today, when he stated: "America would break into pieces in that moment all the poor or even just avergae people stop believeing in the american dream. Many americans get up every morning and believe that they in person can today start to participate on this dream and so they go and support a government they can't afford, a government that makes politics just for some special clique and their supporters, but they believe they will belong to this clique, tomorrow and if not tomorrow then at least next week." Sure, this is a tad exaggerated, but I would not hesitate to discuss if there isn't at least one true point deep inside it. Update: My browsing through my daily read leads me to an entry from eschaton, which might a bit help making my point about US economy. As I said - Schroeder is not really my personal hero, but to me it seems George W. Bush is srewing up way more stuff in the USA than Schroeder could ever do in germany. Mittwoch, August 13, 2003
How Oetzi really died is what some Australian scientists are said to have found out, like Lionel Mandrake reports. The poor guy (Oetzi, not Lionel) ended up in the Alpes and was found five thousand years later when some ice was melting. Yet there is no explanation found what he was doing so high up injured he was. Dienstag, August 12, 2003
Euroweenies?? Oh my! At Eschaton I found a link On Harleys which led me to Potatoe Potatoe - Harleys in Europe from Armed Liberal. It seems the not read from me Den Beste again proofs his name "USS Clueless" and writes about the emasculation of Harley Davidson as a metaphor for Europe's intendet emasculation of america (what a sentence!). I though - well, he really has no clue, and after all - we don't have this emasculating speed limit, these americans have. But then I thought - well, I'm fed up to discuss with americans their silly picture of Europe (and get this back vice versa), but when I saw, also Papa Scott stated European bikers are not wussies I thought it worth a comment. I don't know any biker who would not buy a Harley if he (or she) could afford one. Most of them have never tried one and so don't know about the problems Armed Liberal mentions. To drive a Harley is more a lifestyle in germany than a transportation - and it helps with the chicks! I don't know who the better drivers are and who is used to the "harder" machines. I'm not into that - are there any favourite american moto-cyclists? Do they give stipendia? Wasn't I thinking the last weeks about changing my career and doing something more international? I might have found a hint over a link at zogby-blog - the Masters Degree for Activism! That's what I need, and since they base more on the theories, I might not to have to climb on trees and let me get down by the police (been there, done that, worn the T-Shirt), or not have to hang out for hours in the middle of a street surrounded by policemen and demonstrating agains these fucking Nazis who also had a rally on the streets of *my* hometown. So, let me learn the theory and than being a MAsters Degree Activist. That would be fun - all I'd need would be a sponsor for the fees and all. Hmm... how about Greenpeace or so? Actually, if were were in chargere there I'd think about sending people to this college if it's worth the effort. Naah... serious, I'm a bit pissed about the left on the streets right now because it's always the same: When you get to know there are some Nazis who want to march on our streets, you organize some anti-march. Okay. Then about 100 Nazis come, shout their effing paroles and fuck everybody off. There also are about 2000 anti-Nazi marchers, and the police (poor guys!) is in the middle of it protecting each group from the other (sometimes I wish they would just go and let them have their fight). The Nazis usually behave. They shout and march and go home. But then these shitty lefty actionists start quarreling with the police who is doing nothing else than their job. That's the point where I go home - pissed off again. Afterwards I read in the news how many leftie-assholes have been cought or how much damage they made when lighting cars or whatever. But anyway - I want this degree!!!! I love my quizilla!  You belong in the Puppet Masters. Your world is filled with hidden foes. You trust no one, and you know that someday you'll find and destroy the bad guys hideout. Which Heinlein Book Should You Have Been A Character In? brought to you by Quizilla Thx to Dennis for the link! Hmm... I can see myself more in 666 number of the beast or in the cat who walked through walls or so, but well, I can be happy I did not end up in Starship Troopers. It's strange but Heinlein really is one of my favourite authors next to Asimov and Lem. Sure - there are others, like Rita Mae Brown or Terry Pratchett, but my relationship to Heinlein is a special one. I mean, what do I have in common with his books? Either the people are fighting, or men are behaving like assholes, fucking around everything with more than one leg, having no rules for sex, for nudity and even sex with parents. Women automatically to cheat as do men and all think it's okay. Heinlein surely had some sex-issues. But I still love his books, some more, some less, but I have about everything being published in germany and some more from the UK. Montag, August 11, 2003
Iconize me! You have a picture of you or someone you like and want to make an icon of this face? Here is the link to do it at Iconze Me! Yeah, that's fun, I can imagine at least one of my colleagues who would love this! Found the link over at IT&W. Back at work My holiday is over. I had a great time with Wondergirl and Mr. Lilli, but today was office on schedule. And it is sooo fucking hot! In whole germany you can't buy any fan or small childrens-swimming pool and even Mineralwater is getting low, because it's so hot now for weeks. Luckily we have summer holiday here in cologne and most people are away in countries with good weather, sunshine and better temperatures... haha... I'd bite myself in my ass if I had bought tickets to Mallorca or somehwre else in the sun and we have better wetter here at home. Tomorrow it should start to become cooler then - I do hope so, because we don't have air condition in our office-buildings (that's luxury in germay) and I've got a meeting to moderate on wednesday. But well - next week, I'll stay at home again and be alone with wondergirl while Mr. Lilli is out of town. That'll leave me with tons of time for blogging! Make your own NIGERIA letter! Schockwellenreiter found a site where you can make up your own NIGERIA-Connection letter. Hey - try it out and send it to people who are dumb and greedy enough. I'd bet there are many of those idiots out there! Sonntag, August 10, 2003
500$? For what? Well, actually I wouldn't pay 500 EUR for meeting other bloggers. Since I'm not a professional, for me it would be pure social contact and no blogger, including Stephen Green can be so cute to make me pay so much money to see him. Anyway, I liked the rant about his conference over at calpundit I found via a link from Papa Scott. Even the old times were better in the old times I have no idea who said that, so please enlighten me, because I'd not hesitate to give credit where it's due. But what was the point I was trying to make? The Headline on this entry was what was coming in my mind, when I was reading All over for blogs? from the BBC's Bill Thompson. He seems to be on holiday and is wondering why he isn't yet so hysterical about Blogs he was in the old times. He blames it on the quality of the blogs and compares it with old Usenet times, where the Net became worse and worse the more people came in. Hmm... sure - when you belong to some "elite" or even any inventive group, you feel sad, when you learn that your unique idea is now copied by Pete and Joe and even these guys from AOL. And of course - the more Blogs open their virtual doors the more rubbish appears, but also the quality is to rise, because there can't be just rubbish without any pearls. Yes, Lionel Mandrake is right (I hate to say that), when he wants to laugh at this guy. Freitag, August 08, 2003
To quote or how to quote is a german - we have summer and nothing else to do - discussion about how one should link to a source. One side says: it's so easy to go into the deep linking aou should not stop with "just" the general weblog page. The other side says: since it is so easy, folks can easily find their own way down the deeper links and a general link is okay. I say - if you have a .blogspot blog you often just have no choice than just link to the page in general since the archives are broken pretty often. Well, read what Papa Scott says and links to about it, I find myself with him at the same position. Arnold in California? Hummm... I must say, somehow I like the idea of him becoming a governor there. It's a pity he's feeling at home at the republican party, but from a very few and short reports I heard he's already doing really much stuff over there and his society-actvities are already really liked by the people. But well, will he be able to make it? Just is his call out, the postings increase where either Arnold Scharzenegger is shown with some naked boobies or where Arnie is completely naked. I don't mind, even when he has some too many muscles to me my kind of guy, but well, I don't have to go and elect him. And - I'd bet his naked-pictures look way better than any of the other candidates ones! Thx to Eschaton. Really? Japan started it? is what Glenn calls his post about the bombing of Japan 58 years ago. He states some interesting points in his writing, but IMHO even more interesting are his comments to this entry, who clarify much stuff about a topic I have very little knowledge of. Mittwoch, August 06, 2003
 You are Love. You love life, you love all those around you and the world that you live in. You are happiest when you are doing something for someone else or for the common good of mankind. What Emotion Are You? brought to you by Quizilla As if I hadn't said it all the time.... Worth a second thought is a declaration with following content: A Call for UN & World Leaders to Prosecute Organizers of Suicide/Homicide Bombings Against Civilians as War Criminals We, the undersigned, petition the United Nations, its Security Council and World Government Leaders to join Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch to declare that homicide/suicide bombings and acts of terror against civilians are "war crimes against humanity." Furthermore, we insist that the United Nations, its Security Council and World Government Leaders declare that raising infants and children to become suicidal/homicidal bombers is a violation of fundamental human rights, a breach of the Geneva Convention and a war crime. We ask that those political, governmental, military and religious organizations and their leaders and supporters be prosecuted by the International War Crimes Tribunal to the fullest extent of International Law. Those of you who want can sign this petition here. Thx to zogby! So let's think about it. Suicide bombers can't be excused, whatever reasons they have and whatever one thinks their "enemy" is wrong. So for example the palestines, I can understand that they feel supressed from Israel and I also can imagine that they see no other way to fight than suicide attacks, but however - it's a kind of war. Partisan fighting is, what I'd call that. I, too feel sorry for them when Israel is bombing a camp or a village, but I also feel sorry for all Israel people who have to die at a shopping centre or a discotheque or whereever by a suicide bomber. The most sorry I feel - who wonders? - for the children who grow up with the belief that suicide bombing is the only and the only right way to fight. What would this petition lead us to, if it would become approved? Nothing. Neither Arafat nor Sharon nor whatever his name is who organizes the suicide attacks in Russia will ever have to face a trial. So, I'd spontaneously sign it, but I don't believe it would change anything. Even in danger of being monothematic - the war on Iraq and some of the US attitude nowadays doesn'T make it easier to have a climate fro trials and international courts, so why this one is no so popular is a tad jumped too short. Dienstag, August 05, 2003
Saudi Arabia - a country full of Bin Laden haters well, after the eyes go back to normal size from widening in disbelief, let's have a look at the poll, zogby offers under the name Saudis reject Bin Laden and Terrorism : new zogby international poll. Have a peak at some of the results, so we can have a laugh: The survey of 600 Saudi citizens was commissioned by the Arab American Institute of Washington, DC, as part of an on-going study of Saudi attitudes. It was conducted during July, and has a margin of error of +/- 4.1%. Previous polling was done in February, March, and April of 2002. Saudis are nearly unanimous (95%) in their belief that Bin Laden's claimed actions are not consistent with their values, and 88% say the actions are not consistent with the values of Islam. More than nine in ten (94%) feel the actions have harmed both the Kingdom and the people of Saudi Arabia. Nearly all (99%) agree that the May 12, 2003 terrorist attacks on the expatriate compound in Riyadh are not consistent with the values of Saudis or with the values of Islam, and 93% agree that the attacks have harmed the Kingdom and the people of Saudi Arabia. More than eight in ten (83%) say Osama bin Laden does not speak for them or their family. They are unanimous (100%) in the belief of respect for human life, and more than nine in ten (93%) say innocent citizens did not deserve to die in the World Trade Center attack. More than nine in ten (91%) say the people of Saudi Arabia have no quarrel with the people of the United States, yet their overall impression of the American people is 70% unfavorable, 24% favorable. Last year, the sentiment was 51% unfavorable, 43% favorable. More than nine in ten (94%) say they have an unfavorable impression of American policy toward the Palestinians, up from the 2002 unfavorable rating of 87%. This year, 81% have an unfavorable impression of American policy toward their neighbor, Iraq. Other attributes of American life are not viewed as favorably by the Saudis. More than half (55%) have an unfavorable impression of American movies and television, compared to 41% who say it's favorable. That's a reversal of 2002's 54% favorable, 42% unfavorable impressions. A majority (51%) has an unfavorable impression of American-made products, compared to 28% who say their impression is favorable. Last year, 53% viewed American products favorably, with 44% saying 'unfavorable.' They are split on their impression of American freedom and democracy, with 44% saying they have an unfavorable impression and 40% saying 'favorable.' In 2002 polling, 52% had favorable impressions, and 44% said their impression was unfavorable. Yeah, sure, and earth is a disc, held by four elephants on the back of a huuuge turtle..... One can have different opinions about the USA and their actual government, but I'd say most of us agree, that the Saudis are way too ... well... different in all their values and dreams to be not mistrusted. Montag, August 04, 2003
One more on Windows of the World It is amusing how predictable the reaction on my last rant was. According to my favourite "I am the most rightest girl in the US" Andrea Harris she was asked to train her lovely little hands on me and doing some fisking. What a poor job she did. But well, what's to expect from someone who is unable to discuss without insults, like she doesn't hesitate to proove 100% in my comments to the above rant? The only one who was able to make a point was Dean Esmay in Andreas comments, when he stated: There's also something about a respectful amount of time passing before joking about things. Hogan's Heroes was, what? 20 years after the end of World War II? Even then, there were people who were offended by the show and wouldn't watch it--nor do I blame them for feeling that way. Especially anyone who was actually in a prison camp, or knew someone who was. Two years after a massive earthquake killed tens of thousands of people in Mexico, I would be rather offended by a movie that desecrated those folks' memories. Maybe 20 years from now, if there was some comedy that was set during that earthquake, I might laugh--or not. Probably not. But really, honestly, the only thing that bothered me about Fraulein Marleen's rant was her presumption that I would not have thought of the things she said before, or that Michele wouldn't have. Has it occurred to her that, just perhaps, a rational person might have had those thoughts, and might still be offended? Let me make clear something here - in my post I didn't mean michele in person with everything. I think, this was pretty clear, because I used to use the phrase "people on the far right" instead of any names. Most of my anger and irritation comes from the people in her comments. Nononono... I don't declare her responsible for what others say, I just use her posts as a starter for my rants. But well, I dislike, what she says about this, either. Chuck answers in my comments and posts a link with pictures from concentration camps - Chuck, I've seen these pictures before and others more, because we're well educated about germans in the third reich and the role of the USA who did not just defend the Wehrmacht but also freed millions of germans from the Nazi regime. But that's not the point. You, as many others in comments and mails try to make this a France/ US thing, which it isn't. What do we have on facts? We have some translated bits from oh so objective merde in france. My french is simply nonexistent so I can't see if it's correct or not and I have yet to see the first german or english official translation of this book. When I try to cut the information down to its basics it comes to people having sex in the eye of death. Well, I might shock some of you, but that's pretty common in the world. And from what I further read on comments and entries, for example from michele, it seems to me, that the sex part is the real exciter for some of you. Have you ever considered to wait until the book is translated and then have a look at it and maybe see if the sex-theme is just a metapher for something else? No, of course not. On 9/11 all our programmes stopped their regulard schedules and were sending the coverage of the terrorist attack the whole day long. Some did worse and concentrated on sending the crashes all over again and some did better. As usual. When in India or somewhere else thousands of people die from a flood, a war or whatever reason, no one cares a shit about it, it's just a 2.30min in the evening news, if ever. I'm pissed about our news that they handle it that way but also about many US folks who think this is completely normal and has to be so, because the USA is the USA. Yes, I think michele is being monothematic about this but it' her blog - she can write what she wants and I can rant about it as I want, as long I don't insult people calling them names. For that I'd need friends like Andreas Harris. So, go on and fisk people or call them names as long as they don't agree with you, words don't break bones. I have my style and you have yours, of course I prefer mine, so you can imagine what I think of yours. Everything's for free! I wish we had that in germany! In Brooklyn there is an experiment running that leaves some hope in mankind. They have a shop where everything is for free. No money charged. You just go in, take out what you want to have and go out. But well, many people do different, actually, they to voluntarily work inthe shop and all. Really a nice story, Glenn is linking to. Less than half of US would vote to return Bush to White House: poll is what yahoo news is saying. That leads to the question how trustable are polls? I have no idea how it is in the US, here in germany you look, what institute has done the poll then you know who will win. We have some who always paint the CDU's results better than they are and have others who do so with the SPD's results. I'd guess it's the same in the US and all other places, or? Never trust a poll you didn't manipulate yourself. I'm not yet as bitter as Chad when he states: You all know that I'm not one of those "selected-not-elected" carping Democrats. But this headline made me laugh out loud. Less than half of US would vote to return Bush to White House: poll This is news because...? After all, less than half voted for him (or his primary challenger for that matter) last time. It'll really be extremely exciting to see who will win in the end. Sonntag, August 03, 2003
We are a tad self centred, right now was one of the nicer comments coming in my mind when I had my usual weekly look over what michele's writing at famous a small victory. Frederic Beigbeder has written a book about 9/11 Windows of the World which is not about the great nation being attacked by nasty dirty terrorist, but, as Merde in France reports, about some people who have wild and furious sex while the towers - where they are in - are burning and coming down. Okay, so let's take a deep breath and try to have the brain work and not just the patriotic-departement right from the brain, just right next to the ear. All of these so called patriots who scream up now and want to see him dead - have you ever spent a second and thought that other nations or ethnic groups have gone through far worse stuff and you - the US of A has not just made sex films but cheapest TV comedies of it? How about the silly comedies about Vietnam and Nazis? And even worse - the whole "Western" - John Wayne and Cowboy Comedy genre makes fun of so many killed native americans, and the USA has made and written uncountable stuff about it. What do you think, how have people in India or China felt when they saw one of those Hollywood thingies about big flood and how bad boy and good girl find each other? Do you know that in the last years just there were several thousands of people dying from floods and stuff like that? Have you been able to think even for a second about this? If so - please point me out where the difference is, if not that it's this time on your doorstep with your neighbours and friends and not with others. It won't work - you can moan and shout as much as you want, the world won't change in a place where it's just black or white. No sensible person in the western culture has been or is happy about what happened at 9/11. But either can no sensible person think to have an exclusive right on suffering and bemoaning victims. But that's what so many of this oh so "right" folks in the US do. You do remember that also french people dies there? If it weren't so boring and predictable, it would piss me off. And no, I don't think I'd buy this book, simply because I don't like stories made up on real catastrophes. That's why I can't stand those shitty comedies about Little Big Horn and so, too. I really wish I could at least get a hint of how those people tick. The quality of Democratic candidates for the US elections is always a topic in the news, even over here. So, it's no wonder when we hear stuff like this: The shortage of declared Democratic candidates is in marked contrast to the same stage four years ago when half a dozen Democrats were formally in the race. The difference is largely explained by President George Bush's continuing high approval ratings in the polls and the widespread assumption that he will be nearly impossible to beat next year. Yeah, that's it. But well, think when this was said from whom? Like Atrios pointed out, this statement was to find in the New York Times in August 1991. So, does that mean there is at least some hope? Glenn made a movie Well, Glenn, from Hi, I'm Black made a movie about himself. What else ;-) He also made Part II later on.. But you know what the best is? You can do better - or worse, just go here and make your own movie!. It's a really funny thing, I have played with it now for ages until I could let go for long enough and post about it. Flasher bitten on testicles Yeah! Good! This is fun! It would be interesting if this guy will ever do this again. The Group Captain found this nice story about the flasher over at Ananova and called it "Schadenfreude". I did not know, the Brits don't even have an own word for this. You can't tell me seriously, the concept is so strange to them... |
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