Nostalgia grips city, no vaccination in sight
Swine flu was gestern (yesterday). With the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall rapidly approaching, residents of Berlin are now being faced with a much more formidable viral infection: Cold War Nostalgia.
It’s infected hundreds of thousands here already, quite some time ago actually, and although it tends to strike harder at those living in the so-called “East”, it can hit anyone at anytime, even non-German types like you, whoever you are.
And it’s gotten much worse these days too. Or at least I have to assume as much, having read that article up there.
“It’s hard to believe that on one side of the wall there were Mercedes, and on the other side this.”
Please make him go away
In his latest Black Like Me gig, “Schwarz auf Weiß” (black on white, get it?), investigative reporter type Günter Wallraff is highlighting rampant racism in Germany, again. And again and again and again. And again.
Only this time even anti-racist groups seem to have grown tired of his not all so shocking and certainly not so originally provoked instances of discrimination here. Some are even daring to call his techniques treacherous.
Wer hat Angst vorm schwarzen Mann – in blackface?
Waiting for Godot
Obama in Berlin? That was then, this is now.
“Nobody should get too hung up over President Obama’s decision, reported by Der Spiegel over the weekend, to cancel plans to attend next month’s 20th anniversary celebration of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Germany’s reunited capital has already served his purposes; why should he serve its?”
“Barack is Too Busy”
No class system medicine here
German politicians are rushing to deny that they are receiving a better, safer swine flu vaccine than ordinary Germans are (the first of 50 million doses arrived in Germany yesterday).
It’s actually way better and tons safer.
“The fact that politicians and top civil servants in ministries will be vaccinated with a vaccine other than the people is a terrible sign. Today politicians must take what they recommend.”
“The weekend scandal has drowned out a second debate which has been raging in recent weeks in the US and which has also found resonance here in Germany: whether such a massive vaccination program is necessary in the first place.”
More talent than you can take
Well it’s more than I can. And you thought America had talent, and of course it does. But can you do this?
This guy calls himself Methane Man and he was brought to you by RTL’s Supertalent Show on German TV over the weekend. And yes, he did make it to the next round. Although, of all people, judge Sylvie Vandervaart voted against him (van der vaart, get it?).
“Supertalent farts its way into the nation’s heart”
PS: This guy was British.
PPS: Isn’t methane supposed to cause global warming or something Germany, huh?
Öko-Romantik pur
It’s time for more environmental romanticism again or something. Damn. This is turning into a new Volkssport over here. When not climbing the Reichsstag or other tall buildings in single bounds, Greenpeace activists in Berlin feel compelled to climb victory columns (there aren’t that many here either), the very place where another great Romantic once held a very romantic speech, back then, a few months ago, when everybody was still, uh, romantic. Before the election, I mean.
It’s an unhealthy mix between alpine climbing and messiah complex. Or a healthy one depending upon who you ask. A typical German one (see the Gnome post below)? Unfortunately not.
„In Kopenhagen 2009 Geschichte schreiben, Frau Merkel: Klima retten!“
Elisabeth von T. und T.
How green is Berlin?
Why Berlin is so green that the brothels here offer eco-discounts to customers who can prove that they came, I mean arrived, on a bike.
Or on public transportation (yuk). Now that’s green.
“The environment is on everyone’s lips around here.”
Gnome man’s land
What’s all the excitement about? This is art that even I get.
A pose by any other gnome would smell as sweet.
“For humans, the gesture can bring a three-year jail term.”
Observing Hermann 