text:
Driving A Stake Through the DDR
You would think such a question would be particularly easy for the Germans. They should even be the world's experts in this sort of thing.
SED-Regime: Warum wir die Symbole der DDR verbieten sollten http://t.co/riAVcFhIGv
May 24, 2013 3:10 am via SocialFlowReplyRetweetFavorite
@welt
What do you do with the legacy of a monstrous political regime? Particularly when you represent the successor regime, which in reaction rather understandably becomes hesitant to tell people what to think? Inevitably, there are going to be some partisan holdovers, even some misguided fans from new generations that never had to live with it. (See Russia: Papa Stalin.)
Do you refrain from banning the former dictatorial party and its symbols, confident that the voting public at large will have too much sense to ever let it get close to power again? That has been the Czech Republic's approach to its Communist Party, which after the Velvet Revolution was allowed to survive and simply renamed (rebranded?) itself the Communist Party of the Czech Lands and Moravia (KSČM – that link is to their English page). This decision has not quite redounded in an unfortunate way on the Czech political scene – by which I mean, the Communists have never been back in government – but occasionally they have come close, even though all major political parties claim that they will never work with them. (I actually treated this question of the KSČM on this site back in 2003, in a somewhat over-long post.)
Or do you say "Yes, we believe in free speech, but sometime there have to be exceptions and this is one of them"? In particular, this is what Germany – or the Germanies, both of them – did with the Nazi Party once they were allowed to regain some measure of sovereignty after World War II: no swastikas allowed, no Mein Kampf, no organization calling itself National Socialist, all under threat of real legal sanction.
Now the question has arisen with respect to the DDR, that is, the Communist and Soviet-dominated "German Democratic Republic" that was the ruling regime of East Germany from 1949 until almost a year after the Wall fell – until Reunification on 3 October, 1990. That's what this tweet, and the Die Welt article it links to, by Richard Herzinger, is about, namely a growing consensus (at least among Germany's ruling coalition parties, the CDU/CSU and FDP) to try to get a law passed that would similarly forbid the display of DDR symbols. (more…)
Posted in Germany | No Comments »
Old Green Fogies
Things Just Ain't What They Used To Be: The syndrome is a classic one, afflicting us all, as youthful enthusiasm gradually gives way to middle-aged conservatism and stuffiness. In German politics, who once best represented that callow exuberance better than the Green Party*? Theirs was a genuine grass-roots movement, pioneering the concept within Europe – and beyond – of an ecology-oriented political organization, while the member from their ranks who ultimately gained the most national power – Joschka Fischer, Vice-Chancellor for seven years under Gerhard Schröder – had once been a Frankfurt street-fightin' man.
That's all different now, as Stephan-Andreas Casdorff writes in the Berlin paper Der Tagesspiegel (Resistance to the well-adjusted grows). For him, the Party is "no longer recognizable" in the maneuvering that is now underway to select its new leadership. Both its internal debates and those it conducts with fellow legislators in the German Lower House (Bundestag) are now as bland as any other politicians'.
Part of this can be ascribed to the fact that the Party has been so successful in actually capturing power. As mentioned, with Joschka Fischer and a team of other cabinet members it actually was a governing party for a while at the federal level. That's not true right now – it may become true again – but there is a Green in charge of one of the country's richest and most dynamic states, Baden-Württemberg (that's mainly where you'll find the big auto-producing companies, for example; the Landeschef or Governor there is Winfried Kretschmann) as well as in numerous lower-level state and municipal offices throughout the land. With power comes responsibility, so they say, and thus a sort of maturing.
In Casdorff's eyes the embodiment of what the Green Party has become, and why, is Jürgen Trittin. Once leader of the Party's radical wing, he accompanied Fischer into Gerhard Schröder's cabinet, went on to other important posts, and so became a confirmed pragmatist along the way. Back in his radical days, such as when he had just become Federal Minister for the Environment, he was known in particular for his demand that . . . er, all German nuclear power plants be closed down. Anyway, he is now a leading candidate to take up Party leadership once again.
Even if he succeeds, though, he won't sole Party leader – the Greens don't do that. They still always have two co-equal leaders, unlike any of the other German political parties. That includes the Piratenpartei, the German Pirate Party, which itself is now inspiring politics of a new kind throughout Europe (and beyond) the way The Greens once did. The torch has been passed.
* Formally known since 1993 as "Alliance '90/The Greens."
Crash Pilot Dummies
Wednesday, May 9th, 2012
Yesterday I reported on the @EuroSavant Twitter-feed about the rather unfortunate-sounding instance of Berlin's new airport (BER: Berlin Brandenburg Airport) not opening in time for the summer tourist season:
BM Misses peak season! Outrage in #Germany as opening new #Berlin airport delayed beyond planndd 3JUN date into autumn http://t.co/zbKidRg7
May 8, 2012 2:05 pm via HootSuiteReplyRetweetFavorite
@EuroSavant
EuroSavant
Apparently that was not even the half of it, as we learn today from one of the German capital city's leading newspapers, Der Tagesspiegel:
Der Willy-Brandt-Flughafen ist ein politischer Bruchpilot: http://t.co/sZdqXtNP
May 9, 2012 12:09 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite
@tagesspiegel_de
Tagesspiegel.de
Bruchpilot: Peter Tiede proclaims BER to be a "political crash pilot." And Peter Tiede is no mere Tagesspiegel journalist, but rather editor-in-chief of the Potsdamer Neueste Nachrichten, another Berlin-area paper.
I'm not really aware of that aviation term ("crash pilot"?), but clearly it's not meant to be good, as we see in the piece's first paragraph after the lead:
An airport arises in the wrong place under scandalous conditions. There is too little planning, too little building, and it is not ready. And the routes by which airplanes come and go no one wants to make known beforehand . . . How all that was sold, who in the airport company's management made which errors, who misled the Public – that's something the airport company, its Board and owners, the states of Brandenburg and Berlin, and even the federal government will have have to clarify.
Or else an investigative commitee – at some point.
So somebody certainly believes that the authorities in charge messed this airport up, and bad. But Germans? And at their very own capital city? These are not the Germans we all know (and love)! Even worse, if this lament does happen to be anywhere close to true, is that the airport is supposed to be named after everyone's favorite Cold Warrior, Willy Brandt.
It does look bad, though. Among other things, Tiede claims that an additional runway (the airport's third) is just a question of time, and short time at that: it's going to be needed within at least two years, if BER is to serve any serious use. And yes, they have now called off the airport's scheduled opening ceremony for 3 June, but nobody really knows when it actually will be able to open.
The article to which the Tagesspiegel tweet links is basically Peter Tiede's polemic about how disastrously everything has gone wrong, and his platform for calling for political consequences to ensue for those he holds most responsible, namely Brandenburg Minister-President Matthias Platzeck and Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit. An earlier, much longer Tagesspiegel article (Errors in the system: The BER problem is back), to which Tiede provides a link at the beginning of his piece, provides more of the actual details.
Merkel Disowned?
As turmoil continues to grip European financial markets at the prospect of a sovereign default by Spain or even Italy, the emergency Euro-summit scheduled for Thursday this week is looming large in importance. This is all the more true in view of the fact that European Council President had tried to get everyone together for a summit last Friday – but no one was interested then, even as market rates on Italian debt skyrocketed.
The key figure at the summit, as always, will be German Chancellor Angela Merkel, fresh and possibly even slightly sun-tanned off an official visit to various African countries. Just as she is preparing for Thursday's meeting, however, scattered press speculation has arisen to the effect that Helmut Kohl – the German Reunification Chancellor, and probably the mentor who did most to make Merkel what she is today – now cannot hold himself back from criticizing her Eurodebt policy. Die macht mir mein Europa kaputt! is the catchy quote from Kohl – "She's destroying my Europe!" – and it comes from a fairly reputable source, namely the German news-magazine Der Spiegel. Ed Harrison over at Credit Writedowns identifies this Spiegel article and provides his own translation. (more…)
Champion Korean Horse-Traders
Pyeongchang! Congratulations!
Er – Gesundheit! What's that you say? Why that's Pyeongchang, not a city at all strictly-speaking, but a county, located in the east part of South Korea, and the locale which was chosen yesterday to be the host of the 2018 Winter Olympics. Maybe/probably you don't know it now; you'll know the name enough by, say, March of 2018.
With their victory, the South Koreans left behind in their dust their other two main competitors for this designation, namely Munich/Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany, of course) and Annecy (in the French Alps, right by the Swiss border). But don't labor under any mistaken impression that Pyeongchang ran away with the competition based on any super-spectacular presentation they made earlier this week before the International Olympic Committee's conclave in Durban, South Africa. No no no – as a quite informative article by Friedhard Teuffel in Der Tagesspiegel points out (Fiddling your way to Olympic victory, reprinted in Die Zeit as Race of the string-pullers), every one of those 110 IOC members charged with voting on the matter had certainly made up his/her mind before the presentations even started. (more…)
EuroDemocracy Failing?
Talk about ending the year on a sour note! Der Tagesspiegel journalist Caroline Fetscher starts her post-Christmas opinion column (Project Europe is only beginning) with Belarus, which is certainly depressing enough. Through the vicious wave of police-repression following his recent presidential election "victory," Aleksandr Lukashenko has cemented his title as "Europe's last remaining dictator." That much is clear, but Fetscher has a rather different point to make: Europeans should not assume that Belarus is the only problem when it comes to democracy, i.e. that there are no other stains elsewhere.
That would be a complacent thing to do; and after all, Die Zeit republished Fetscher's piece under the new title Complacency is the enemy of Democracy. So where are there problems elsewhere in Europe? Well, there's the Vatican, with its pedophilia scandals; Italy itself where "there rules an operetta-premier, who systematically subjugates the media, laws, and several submissive girls"; the Netherlands, where eurosceptic and anti-Islam ideologies thrive (and where Jews live uncomfortably – allegedly); and then Hungary, where antisemitism and anti-Gypsy feelings prevail.
This is mostly incoherent. First of all, Fetscher's subject is supposed to be threats to democracy; the Roman Catholic scandals have little to do with that, while one would think that at least some of the opinions she condemns (at least euroscepticism) are precisely what free, democratic peoples are supposed to be allowed to hold if that suits them. She also strangely misses one recent phenomenon that would seem to have constituted a datapoint strongly supporting her thesis, namely the new media-supervision law in Hungary (which I recently covered here) that some see as paving the way for the return of something resembling a dictatorship.
But does the new law really make up such a threat? Why not go ask someone actually on the ground there, which is what Hanno Mussler of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung does in an interview with Jan Mainka, publisher in Budapest of a German-language weekly.
This is a remarkable piece, mainly because of the calm lack of concern Mainka displays for the new media law:
The Budapester Zeitung [his paper] reports in a fair and balanced manner. In our editorials we support no party. At most you could describe our line as pro-Hungary. I don't see that we will get in conflict with the new law. I'm not so sure about other Hungarian media outlets. Many are anything but fair and balanced. The interregional dailies stand on the side of either the opposition or the government.
To him, concern elsewhere in Europe over the media law (even as expressed by German Chancellor Merkel, or by the EU Commission) is "hysteria." The new Hungarian premier, Viktor Orbán, was after all one of the leaders of the opposition that brought Communism down in Hungary twenty years ago. Of much more concern for the country's media business are its economic troubles, for which the Orbán administration is just the set of personnel you would want to look to for solutions. Yes, recent taxation measures (bank tax, tax on foreign companies) have been drastic, but drastic solutions are what is needed; only their somewhat unpredictable nature is to be regretted.
So there you have it. If we are to believe Herr Mainka – again, responsible for putting out and making money with a publication in Hungary's capital – neither the new media law nor Orbán's ruthless revenue-raising measures are anything to worry about. But I don't know: in particular, his dismissal of the Hungarian dailies – implying that it's no problem if the government comes down hard on them, after all, they're partisan – for me strikes the wrong note: newspapers are supposed to be allowed to be partisan! I'm getting too much here of the syndrome "OK, they're going after the Jews; but I'm an upstanding and decent citizen, and they'll never come after me!"
Still, this is a "don't worry" viewpoint from an expert who is right there where the things are happening. Maybe all of us who were viewing developments in Hungary with alarm should stop and reconsider. Mainka also makes the point that few if any have likely taken the trouble to read the new media-law act to see what it actually says – maybe that would be a good first step for everyone!
Obama After His (Predicted) Setback
Monday, November 1st, 2010
Tomorrow's the Big Day! It's mid-term election-day in the US, the occasion (as usually is the case) for the party-in-power in the White House to lose its dominance in Congress to some degree, in this case probably to the extent of seeing a new Republican majority in the House of Representatives, and possibly even in the Senate as well.
All that Congress stuff is not so often the focus of foreign coverage of American politics, however. Generally, it's the President foreigners are interested in – the American executive in charge of the country's relations with other governments, after all – and especially this one who broke once and for all the 200-year-plus color barrier to the office.
So we have, for example, a piece from France's left-wing Libération (Midterm: Obama launches the final assault). There is a disappointed tone here even as journalist Fabrice Rousselot goes into detail about how Barack Obama (together with Michelle) has stepped up his campaigning in the last weeks before the election, using his electoral support organization Organizing for America to go after young voters especially aggressively and get them to the polls tomorrow. After all, Rousselot also notes how, this time, the President's campaign is not about "Yes we can"; this time it's more like "It's hard, and we have to persevere." That's not quite so inspiring as a slogan, and so he doubts Obama will be able to do much to ward off a serious electoral defeat for his party.
Then again, that might be a good thing. Such, at least, is the speculation of Chritoph von Marschall writing in the (also left-wing) Berlin paper Der Tagesspiegel (Liberating defeat for Obama). The President's lack of progress on the foreign affairs front, the author admits, is even more noticeable than his domestic performance (despite the Nobel Prize): Iran, the MidEast, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo still operating. Is he fated to do even worse in the second half of his term after these elections?
Actually, probably the opposite. Here Von Marschall either draws on his own rather sophisticated study of American presidential affairs or else has access to good academic advisors, as he brings forward the insight that, after all, presidents have much more freedom of action in foreign affairs, and so it has repeatedly been the case that they have devoted themselves to these whenever they have felt stifled on the home front. After all, every president must build his own "legacy" for the history books one way or the other; the presidency is not just a matter of warming some historic seat for four or eight years.
Furthering this line of argument, Van Marschall also points out how there is also greater scope to ignore the demands of his own party in the area of foreign affairs, because of that greater freedom there to do what he sees fit. Supposedly his positions on Afghanistan and Iraq in particular are even closer to what Republicans prefer. Then again, this does not guarantee any sort of cosier cooperation between the Executive and Legislative branches coming in with the new Congress; keep in mind the almost pathological determination by Republicans to oppose anything Obama might want to do, seemingly even if at some fundamental level they agree with it. And Obama will still need a 2/3 vote of the Senate to ratify treaties, including the update to the START nuclear weapons treaty he recently signed with Russia. It's easy to imagine that that, too (and, with it, American-Russian relations generally), could fall victim to the new congressional intransigence likely to be elected tomorrow and installed at the beginning of next January.
UPDATE: Renowned MidEast expert Prof. Juan Cole of the University of Michigan weighs in with this closer examination (in English) of how a Republican-dominated Congress (even if it's just the House of Representatives) could still hamper the President's conduct of foreign policy, e.g. by calling hearings on the planned withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan (and even from Iraq) as a means to pressure him to slow them down.
Posted in France, Germany | No Comments »
€8 Trouble in Paradise
Friday, April 2nd, 2010
Back to Health Care Reform. I know: the battle's over, the President is now out doing his victory-lap, and even some Republicans think that, now that it passed, it's here to stay.
But remember, this is above all a weblog with a European bent, so – if it makes you feel better – I can let you know (from an article in Berlin's Der Tagesspiegel) that a certain turbulence is also currently afflicting that model of social(ist) health care provision, the German Krankenkassen. Those are the non-profit, government-supervised insurance companies that cover the vast majority of Germany's population and are restricted to basing their premiums solely on the insured's income. (You're required to have medical insurance coverage there, of course, with very few exceptions, although if you prefer you can buy it from purely-private, for-profit insurers instead.) As the article reports, the public Krankenkassen are now experiencing extraordinary customer-turnover, often in the hundreds-of-thousands. Why? Because the government authorized them in February to charge those they insure up to €8 (= $10.85) more per month in order to shore up their balance-sheets, and some of them took advantage of that.
That's right: eight euros per month more! Apparently that's a deal-breaker for many Germans, who in remarkable numbers have proceeded to resign from the Krankenkassen which implemented the measure (known as the Zusatzbeitrag, or "supplementary contribution") to go join those which did not. It didn't help that someone made an elementary mistake about how to implement it, in that they made any interested Krankenkasse have to bill customers directly for the extra amount, rather than just letting it be charged as medical insurance premiums normally are as a wage-deduction collected by employers.
Just a word here, then, to let all interested know that it is not always sweetness & light over where citizens need not worry about medical coverage. (Not that there's any indication that the firms losing customers are in any danger of going bust – like I say, they are state-supported.)
CCTV: "You Value Health Most When You Have Been Sick"
Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010
Mark Espiner is a writer for the Guardian as well as a playwrite/director. He has had a new gig since last autumn, though, writing for the Berlin newspaper Der Tagesspiegel. Obviously, comparison between the two great European capitals which that new position causes him to move between (by which I mean Berlin and London, where the Guardian is headquartered) is what his columns are expected to be about and, as a writer on the dramatic arts, it's only natural that he has devoted most of his attention to cultural issues.
But not exclusively so. One difference between the two cities that leaps out him he describes in his latest piece, The eyes lying in ambush of the CCTV. He remembers back to his first visit to Berlin, a little over a year ago: what accounted for that strange feeling of freedom, of exaltation even, that he felt then while walking through the streets of the city center? Well, you already know the answer from his piece's title. It was actually the absence of something that inspired such enthusiasm, the absence there of the closed-circuit TV cameras that, as he puts it, "bristle on every corner" in London.
To be sure, Espiner had previously rather perversely made use of his special journalist's access to aggravate this hang-up of his: he managed to visit a monitoring center in London (a "dingy room, deep below the streets"), where he witnessed officials there using the cameras to zoom in – to a "scary" level of detail – on anyone who seemed "suspicious," or else interesting to take a close look at for any other reason. Therefore, although coming back to Berlin he does observe a few more Video Überwachung signs than he noticed before, the apparent forebearance on the part of the Berlin authorities to spy on their own citizens is still quite refreshing.
The reason for all that is not hard to grasp: after all, as he does point out, some of those Berlin city authorities not so long ago lived under a Stasi regime, which itself followed a Nazi regime. Still, Espiner warns against any complacency – not necessarily in the face of officialdom suddenly changing its mind and deciding to bring in the cameras, but rather in the form of new private shopping centers and "gated communities" being built, which inevitably bring with them an associated bunch of such cameras, to provide "protection" and "security."
Anyway, it turns out that you can check out his argument for yourself, as Der Tagesspiegel has taken to posting parallel versions of his columns in English. (No doubt the original English that Espiner wrote them in, of course; this one is called CCTV: Invasion of privacy.) I reveal that to you as a public service, even as it is an unwelcome development since you'll no longer need the assistance of your neighborhood EuroSavant to read these particular columns from Der Tagesspiegel.
UPDATE: Please also be sure to see this: Spy Cameras Won't Make Us Safer, from a renowned security expert, and including up-to-the-minute insights on the topic from the recent very professional assassination of that Hamas official in Dubai.
Knut: The Unkindest Cut of All
Although the fascinating story of the celebrity polar bear named Knut, resident in the Berlin Zoo, got its start together with the animal himself back during the period that this weblog was taking a multi-year break, we've tried to cover subsequent developments of interest concerning this media star who has been visited more than 9 million times, been the object of affectionate comments from high German government officials ranging up to the Bundeskanzlerin herself, and has even featured on a postage-stamp.
The latest Knut developments have unfortunately taken a somewhat bizarre turn, verging on the gothic. As might be expected, there's a woman involved. Her name is Giovanna, Gianna for short, and she was introduced into Knut's cage-complex a while back to provide him with a little companionship – and, in particular, to further the fond hope that the two might do some great things together tending towards an enlargement of the stock of polar bears held in captivity. Giovanna, though, revealed a nasty streak in an incident reported by the Berlin newspaper Der Tagesspiegel a month ago, when a cormorant (a seabird) found its way into Berlin's polar bear compound and Giovanna gave it a hit with her paw that left it wounded. Then again, perhaps she was merely defending her man: that same report states that the bird first had "pinched" (gezwickt) Knut's nose.
Anyway, by that point it was clear that Giovanna was no shrinking violet. Now the German news-magazine Focus is reporting that she is also Knut's cousin – the two share the same grandfather! Suddenly the thought of those two bearing some polar-bear cubs is no longer so desirable. This from PETA Deutschland spokesman Frank Albrecht: "Knut fans should be aware that only Knut's castration will allow a lengthy life together with Gianna. All other hopes and desires bring the population of polar bears in captivity even faster to the end that is pre-programmed for them anyway." This from an organization that is supposed to have Knut's happiness at heart! (As you may gather, PETA Deutschland advocates simply not holding any polar bears in captivity, at all.)
She was set to be his lover – but she is also his cousin! And now he risks castration! I remarked before on these pages how interest in Knut (and the money resulting from it) understandably started to wane once he stopped being a cute baby polar bear and became a somewhat slovenly-looking teenage one – did Berlin Zoo officials go off in search of a publicist to tell them how to resuscitate interest in Knut and wind up with Tennessee Williams?
Earthquake in Indonesia Also
I don't mean at all to denigrate that devastating quake that hit Haiti on Tuesday. As you might imagine, I've found nothing interesting (i.e. "different") about that in any foreign press to pass on here. Then again, it's hard to think of any aspect of a quake that can be out-of-the-ordinary interesting: it's usually just a monochrome tragedy, as hordes of people either die or lose the majority of whatever they own.
Unless, perhaps, a quake hits somewhere else while the world remains preoccupied with an earlier one. Berlin's Der Tagesspiegel reminds us that just yesterday a 6.2 Richter-scale earthquake hit just off the coast near the Indonesian town of Manokwari. We don't know anything about damage or deaths yet, but that's mainly because we're talking about the western part of that huge island of New Guinea – it hit just above the big piece of land that looks like some animal's head, you know the one I mean, the Vogelkop Peninsula.
We do know, however, that no tsunami-warning was given, even though the quake's epicenter was in the ocean. Is that because there truly was no tsunami, or because the judgment was made that there are not enough genuine population centers in the area to make any such warning worthwhile?
Snowball Battle by Appointment
Could this be the opening sparks of a new incarnation of German militarism? The local newspaper Der Tagesspiegel has the report: Kreuzberg vs. Neukölln – with snowballs. Yesterday, in the newest variation on the flash mob phenomenon, 200 to 300 people showed up at 2:00 PM in Berlin's Görlitzer Park, summoned by the Internet, to fight. To fight for fun, that is, taking advantage of the many inches of snow available everywhere.
It was a contest between residents of those two Berlin neighborhoods, Kreuzberg and Neukölln, waged across the ditch in the park's middle (with combat photographers in attendance, of course; the on-line article has an amusing YouTube video.) In the end Kreuzberg was declared the winner, controversially, but most by that time were too tired to care and settled down instead to drinking Glühwein (wine mixed with spices, a Christmas drink) and letting a DJ entertain them.
Knut Court Exercise
EuroSavant belatedly caught up with the Knut-the-polar-bear story last December here. I observed then that Knut's life seemed to be careening along the path usually only followed by Hollywood child film stars (e.g. family tragedies; cover shoots; problems with excessive weight).
Sure enough, as the Berlin newspaper Der Tagesspiegel reports today, the struggle over the Knut-millions is now occupying the courts. Those millions are of course the millions of euros that the (at one time) cute little abandoned polar bear earned for the Berlin Zoo, through the flood of visitors he inspired, souvenir sales, those above-mentioned photo-shoots, and the like. The point of the news-piece is that the Newmünster Zoo (up in northern Germany, which owns Knut's father and therefore claims an ownership interest in Knut) has now run out of patience with attempts to come up with some agreement with the Berlin Zoo to split up this Knut-money – they're heading off to the federal court (Landgericht) in Berlin to settle this, as of tomorrow. And step one is to demand that the Berlin Zoo make an accurate accounting of just how much they have earned off of the erstwhile polar bear baby. That amount is alleged to be around €6 million.
Planted Question at Wall's Fall
This year of 2009 marks a couple of anniversaries calling for celebration, like NATO's 60th birthday that President Obama traveled to Europe earlier this month in part to commemorate, or likewise the 60th birthday of the Federal Republic of Germany coming up next month. There will be the 220th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille, which set off the French Revolution, on July 14th – and then of course, a bit more fresh in the mind, the twentieth anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall, and the liberation of Eastern Europe from Soviet domination that that symbolized, coming up in November.
As we approach that latter celebration, a tiny but interesting detail has emerged concerning the exact sequence of events behind that "Fall of the Wall" on the evening (Central European Time) of 9 November, 1989. What that was basically all about was a massive swarm of citizens of East Berlin flooding to the Wall crossing-points – and then, indeed, over the border into West Berlin as they desired – motivated by the widespread belief that, in a drastic break from previous policy, the East German authorities would henceforth actually allow them to cross rather than shooting or at least arresting them, as would have previously been the case ever since the Wall's erection starting on 13 August 1961. That understanding stemmed from a statement at a news conference just earlier that evening by Günter Schabowski, a member of the East German Politburo, to the effect that the full Politburo had decided to introduce a new travel policy allowing free movement by East German citizens to the West – whose coming-into-effect was said to be "immediate." (more…)
Posted in Germany, Netherlands | No Comments »
Slovakia Re-Opens Forbidden Atomic Reactor
Sunday, January 11th, 2009
It now looks like an agreement is in place to let Russian natural gas shipments to the West resume with independent monitors from the European Union in place, but those have been blocked completely since Thursday (8 January) and it will take about a further three days to resume full service. In the meantime, unfortunately, the continent has suffered under a bitter cold spell, so that the political pressure from freezing constituents has already reached the breaking-point – I wouldn't really call it the "boiling-point" – in Slovakia. As a number of press outlets report, among which Berlin's Der Tagesspiegel, Slovak premier Robert Fico announced at a Saturday evening televised press conference that his country would bring back on-line the atomic reactor at Jaslovské Bohunice that it had just shut down before the end of 2008.
Gee, why did the Slovaks go and close that reactor in the first place a few weeks ago? Namely because doing so, and doing so permanently by the end of 2008, was a provision in the accession agreement by which the country became a EU member-state back in 2004 in the first place. With the Jaslovské Bohunice reactor we're talking in fact about the very first nuclear reactor in the former Czechoslovakia, whose construction began back in 1958 although it first went into operation only in 1972. Naturally, then, it's a reactor built in the Soviet style, which in the light of such incidents as Chernobyl raised safety concerns to such a degree that the EU insisted that Slovakia eventually shut it down. (more…)
Steinmeier in the German "No Worries" Camp
I wrote in this space almost a week ago about economic policy chaos in the German government, and a new piece in Berlin's Der Tagesspiegel confirms that that bunch has become little more familiar with actual economic reality in the interval. Steinmeier warns EU-partners about turning away from the Stability Pact is the headline; the lede: "Germany's Foreign Minister is worried about finances. Not in connection with the current crisis, but the stable euro. He takes the other EU-lands to task – they need to follow the euro-rules again soon."
Don't recall the Stability Pact (more properly, the EU Stability and Growth Pact)? That's too bad, since it was a favorite topic of this weblog back in the day, especially in 2003. It's the agreement that underpins the euro, and in fact preceded the formal establishment of the euro, by which all EU states (but especially those using the euro as their currency) pledge to keep their budget deficits to 3% of their GDP or less, and to either keep their national debt below 60% of GDP or – if it already is above that level – to make steady progress in getting it so that it's below. The idea is to prevent euro-using states from taking advantage of the euro's benefits (e.g. lower interest rates for their government debt) while at the same time undermining its stability through profligate government spending. All that commentary back in 2003 mostly had to do with the revelation of the ugly political reality that Germany and France – the Union's heavyweight countries – could violate the Pact whenever they wanted, without facing adverse consequences, all while lesser states (Portugal, the Netherlands) were still forced to take it seriously. Ironically enough, this was a German initiative in the first place, required in exchange for their willingness to give up the deutsche mark, to keep those profligate Latin countries (like the Italians) from ruining the common euro-project. (more…)
No More Milli Vanilli, Silly
The following post is meant as a public-service "heads-up" message to one Ms. B. Spears.
Britney darling: I know that China is high on your list of tour destinations – "exploding market," "millions of rabid fans," and all that. But it looks like you'll just have to cross it off. The authorities there seemed determined to seriously cramp your style. I mean it: forget about it.
This we learn today from an article in Berlin's Der Tagesspiegel, entitled Peking wants to punish "playback-singing." What is this are they talking about? Yep, you guessed it: lip-synching. That's could be a strict no-go soon, punishable by Chinese law as "fraud towards the public" (Betrug an der Öffentlichkeit, although I suspect the Chinese use yet another phrase for official purposes). In fact, the Chinese Culture Ministry is considering making not only lip-synching but also instrument-synching (or whatever you call pretending to play your instrument against the pre-recorded sound of it playing the required tune) against the law. (more…)
Asif Zardari and the American Anti-Taliban Raids
On this seventh anniversary-day of the attacks on New York and Washington on September 11, 2001, the top news-story is probably the joint appearance at Ground Zero by the two main US presidential candidates. In addition to whatever they may have to say, the occasion will be worth savoring for the all-too-temporary respite it should provide in the ugly partisanship that has prevailed as of late (e.g. the utterly-contrived "lipstick-on-a-pig" contretemps). I hope to be able to cover foreign observations of and reactions to that Ground Zero ceremony in this space sometime in the coming days.
For today, though, I think that it would be suitable to turn our attention to the supposed ultimate source of that al-Qaeda attack, and also the first target for retribution by US forces in its aftermath. That is of course Afghanistan, or specifically al-Qaeda as embedded within a Taliban host environment. Actually, putting it that way shifts the proper focus a slight bit from Afghani territory per se to the so-called Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan lying along the Afghani border. These are hardly "federally administered," they are in fact a region completely out of the control of the Pakistani government, where various varieties of "neo-Taliban" and Muslim fundamentalist forces are based (including, it is thought, what is left of al-Qaeda), and from which these forces sally forth to attack NATO forces in Afghanistan.
Posted in Belgium - Flanders (Dutch-speaking), France, Germany | No Comments »
Today is LHC (Large Hadron Collider) Day!
Yes, today is that much-anticipated day when the $9 billion machine switches on at the facilities of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), located in the neighborhood of Geneva and the Swiss-French border: much-anticipated because of the insight the LHC is supposed to provide into the universe's original "Big Bang," but also because of the possibility that some scientists have pointed out that its atom-smashing risks creating a black hole that could suck in the Earth and turn it inside-out.
Except that today is really not LHC Day at all, as Lewis Page writing at The Register (motto: "Biting the hand that feeds IT") steps in to point out, even making that message his piece's title. (more…)
Euro-Reactions to Joe Biden
It looks like the Obama presidential campaign finally sent out its promised and long-awaited SMS message announcing its choice of Joe Biden for vice-presidential nominee at that storied hour of 3:00 AM on Saturday. While that meant that all but the most obsessive American politics-junkies would have to wake up to learn of the news, over here in most of Europe (on Central European Time) it was already 9:00 in the morning and we were getting impatient over our coffee and breakfast for the Word. (Admittedly, a couple of hours previously outlets like the BBC World Service were already passing along the likelihood that it would be Biden, based upon key clues – such as the departure of an Obama campaign jet from Chicago's Midway Airport headed for Delaware – tracked down by the American press.)
Now that Word has come, together with a presentation to the public of the combined ticket at a gala event in Obama's political hometown, Springfield, Illinois. And while the McCain has already come forward with its response, so have commentators in the European press. (more…)
Give the Israelis the Dirty Work
Sorry, the Olympics get started today, but that doesn't mean that EuroSavant coverage will be dominated by them. You wouldn't want that anyway, no? . . .
One aspect of the ongoing crisis around the alleged attempts by the Iranian government to develop nuclear weapons that usually goes unexamined is the attitude of Arab states, especially those in Iran's immediate neighborhood. (Well, it's true that the vagaries of the Iraq-Iran relationship have certainly received their fair share of attention – but let's treat that as a special case.) Sami Al Faraj, President of the Kuwait Centre for Strategic Studies (all I could find on the Net was this), gives an enlightening interview to Der Tagesspiegel about the Gulf state perspective on Iran (specifically, that of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes Saudi Arabia) in the article "Against Iran Much Harder Economic Sanctions Are Necessary". (more…)
The Emperor-City's New Clothes
Monday, August 4th, 2008
As everyone is well aware, the Beijing Olympic Games are coming up this weekend, and so while everyone has to wait a few more days for the athletic spectaculars to begin, the focus of media attention is falling mainly on the host city that is setting the stage. Will the air be clean enough? (The jury is still out; we might not know until the actual dates when the particularly atmosphere-sensitive events – e.g. running, bicycling – are scheduled.) Will the authorities allow free access to information, mainly via the Internet, to enable visiting journalists to do their work? (That one is still touch-and-go as well.)
On-the-scene reports are now popping up in the media to give the outside world a sense of how the Chinese capital city has been improved and "cleaned up" in preparation for the Games, with the accent on the often extreme measures that the authorities have taken to do that. Jen Lin-Liu has a piece in today's NYT (Beijing Under Wraps) touching on many of these below-the-surface measures, invisible to foreigners just now flying in to take part in some way in the Games' staging. (Few foreigners, it turns out, will be flying in just to serve as spectators, if Lin-Liu's description of the newly-stringent visa regulations is any indication.) (more…)
Obama's Private Prayer, Made Public
Ben Smith, from Politico.com had the scoop first, about how the personal prayer-note that Barack Obama stuck into a crack in Jerusalem's Wailing Wall, according to long-standing tradition, was snatched up shortly afterwards by a "yeshiva student" and conveyed to the Israeli newspaper Maariv, which published it.
This led to the sort of furor you would expect, abroad but especially in Israel, since these sort of messages are supposed to be sacred and to be read by no one else than s/he who wrote them – and God. (more…)
For Any German Dying to Read the McCain Editorial . . .
Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008
You might have been aware that the New York Times recently raised the hackles of the John McCain presidential campaign by rejecting an editorial it had submitted to be published on that paper's Op-Ed page, when it had published one by Barack Obama the week before.
Matt Drudge of the Drudge Report promptly stepped in to publish on his site the spurned editorial. But now it seems Berlin's Der Tagesspiegel has stepped in to perform a similar service, translated into German of course: Obama Has Learned Nothing from History – perhaps a little counterpoint-reading to the speech from the Democratic Party candidate coming up on Thursday evening (CET).
Berlin Reactions to Obama's Pending Visit
Monday, July 21st, 2008
Some EuroSavant entries virtually write themselves. What's the hottest thing going on now on the American scene – or, put another way, where can you find all of America's top TV anchor-persons?
Super Star!
Traveling with Obama, of course! And while the itinerary to the first part of his overseas trip – to the Middle East and South Asia – is somewhat unclear, deliberately for security reasons, we can be more sure about where he is going to be in Europe during the second half, and when. Everyone knows already that the high point – the only public address he is scheduled to give – will occur in Berlin next Thursday evening, 24 July. There's already been somewhat of a controversy over where he is to be allowed to give that speech. That has now been resolved, but let's take a look at what further details are available from local Berlin sources. (more…)
Posted in Denmark, Germany | No Comments »
Capital Case of Calumny
Monday, April 21st, 2008
This story came to me via the trusty RSS reader from the German newspaper Der Tagesspiegel (also picked up by Die Zeit) – a handy reminder about life and culture (and death) "on the other side," in this case in Saudi Arabia. But the German article stated straight-off that it was just passing on reporting from the Arab News, which happens to be an English-language on-line publication so, without further ado, any reader interested in this case's down-and-dirty details is directed thereto.
Here's what it's all about: It seems that last year one Sabri Bogday, a Turkish barber working in the Saudi city of Jeddah, rather lost his head and started insulting publicly both God and the Prophet Mohammed in his barbershop. (more…)
Expunging the Simply Inexpungeable
It is "The Who" who sing it on the album The Who Sell Out (1967):
Welcome to my life, tattoo
I'm a man now, thanks to you
I expect I'll regret you
But the skin graft man won't get you
You'll be there when I die
(And they sing it so sweetly, too: just savor the descending harmony at the end of this chorus. If you don't already know it, you can get some of the melodious flavor of the song from Amazon with Windows Media Player and with Real Player, although unfortunately these extracts don't include that stretch of harmony of which I speak.)
Ah, but it doesn't have to be the "skin graft man" anymore – these days tattoos can be erased by a procedure involving a laser. As it happens, and as the lead to a recent article in Berlin's Tagesspiegel reports (Bleibende Schönheit, or "Beauty That Sticks Around"), "Many British want to be rid of their tattoos."
(Just before we go "under the fold," let me add that The Who Sell Out was quite a remarkable concept album, one of the first of that genre, with station-jingles and faux commercials interspersed between the individual songs. The schtick was to make the entire album sound like a pop music program from one of the "pirate" radio stations, broadcasting those days from ships out in adjoining international waters, outside (or so they thought) of UK regulatory jurisdiction. Consistent with all this, the front and back of the LP/CD cover features the boys of the band individually posing for mock product advertisements: Heinz Baked Beans, Odorono (some type of deodorant; probably fictitious), etc. Later on, in the late 1980s, the band would embark on "reunion tours" actually explicitly sponsored by companies such as Budweiser. But then they had also sung "I hope I die before I get old" back in 1965 – and three of the four original band members made it into the 21st century thirty-five years later. One's attitudes often tend to change as one grows older, I'm given to understand.) (more…)
The Reagan Legacy in German Eyes
Ronald Reagan died late last Saturday, just in time for reactions in all the big Sunday editions of American newspapers. But Sunday editions of European newspapers are rare (let alone – to temporarily borrow a term from McDonalds – "super-sized" editions; those appear on Saturdays, if at all). Rather, reactions and assessments of the meaning of Ronald Reagan's presidency appeared on Monday, meaning that today, Tuesday, it's time for EuroSavant to step in and give you a flavor of those.
From the other usual-suspect sources you can get briefed, scattered reaction from English, Arabic, French, and Spanish sources. (But really: only a brief mention from Libération for the French press? No Le Figaro, no Le Monde? We wouldn't stand for that here at this web-site!) So let's give the EuroSavant treatment to German coverage. That's very appropriate, as Reagan's relations with that country during his eight-year presidency were extremely interesting, with wild highs and lows. (more…)
Bush Speech Leaves Germans, Iraqis Unimpressed
President Bush kicked off on Monday night his five-speech offensive to demonstrate to American voters (primarily) and also to the rest of the world that he has a plan for effectively handing off "sovereignty" to some native Iraqi administration at the end of June. That same day Britain and the US had tabled a proposed UN Security Council resolution which, if adopted in the proposed form, would leave occupation troops able to remain in Iraq indefinitely even as that native administration would supposedly be granted the "responsibility and authority to lead a sovereign Iraq."
Coverage of the President's speech in the German press generally found it less than fully convincing. (more…)
Did the Terrorists Win in Madrid? German Views
As you all well know, almost-simultaneous bombs set off in several Madrid commuter trains during the morning rush-hour last Thursday killed over 200 people, and wounded many, many more. Then Spanish general elections followed on Sunday; in a result that took many observers by surprise, the Spanish Socialist and Workers' Party, i.e. the opposition, emerged as the winner, with that party's leader, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, posed to take over as prime minister instead of the hand-picked successor (Mariano Rajoy) to José Maria Aznar of the ruling (right-wing) Partido Popular.
Aznar of course had been one of US President George W. Bush's stoutest allies when it came to the War in Iraq, and 1,300 Spanish troops are still stationed in the Polish sector there. Mounting evidence suggests that last Thursday's massacres on the rail-lines of Madrid were the work of some sort of Arab-linked terrorist organization; so that the thought has come to not-a-few that Spain was being punished for that support for the US with these attacks, and that the Spanish electorate reacted to them drastically by removing the regime that would bring this sort of punishment down on them.
So: Is Aznar's loss a victory for terrorists? That question is posed in an on-line article by Kathleen Knox from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. It is answered in the affirmative in today's New York Times by regular columnist David Brooks – he asks in his column Al Qaeda's Wish List "What is the Spanish word for appeasement?", although he also claims to be resisting the conclusion that "swing Spanish voters are shamefully trying to seek a separate peace in the war on terror." That's basically the same answer given by Edward Luttwak, on the very same NYT Op-Ed page, in Rewarding Terror in Spain, which starts out "It must be said: Spanish voters have allowed a small band of terrorists to dictate the outcome of their national elections." (But the NYT editorial board disagrees.)
But that's all English-language; you already know about all that. Let's check what the German press has to say. (more…)
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Dawes joins Century for a slice of SuperCup action
Henry Dawes, who operates a Domino's Pizza franchise in Scotland, has made a commitment to Century Motorsport for a full season of the Ginetta GT4 SuperCup this year. Dawes has been racing since 2011, mainly in the VW Fun Cup but he has also had some outings in Britcar, Legends and GT Cup. One of Dawes early highlights in his racing career was back in 2012 at the Spa 25 Hours VW Fun Cup – he and his teammates f
Ginetta SuperCup Vice Champ Burton steps up to British GT with Century and BMW
Gus Burton makes the step up to British GT after an incredible debut in the Ginetta GT4 SuperCup championship this year with Century Motorsport. Burton will be behind the wheel of Century's BMW M4 GT4 complete with a new upgrade for the 2021 season. The Essex racer made his mark in this year's Ginetta GT4 SuperCup championship. Despite racing against more experienced drivers, Burton finished the season with 16 podium
Century announce first 2021 Ginetta SuperCup signing
After another successful year competing in the Ginetta GT4 SuperCup, Century Motorsport are thrilled to announce their first driver signing for the one-make championship – 21-year-old Andy Spencer. Spencer, from Surrey, has had success in several karting championships, along with taking part in the Ginetta Junior Scholarship and most recently he competed in the MG Trophy 160 and the MG Trophy 190, finishing second an
Century sign first driver for brand new Ginetta GT Pro Class
Following on from their recent announcement, Century Motorsport are pleased to confirm that they have signed their first driver for the brand-new-for-2021 Ginetta GT Pro Class: 17-year-old Blake Angliss from Coventry. Angliss joins the Fenny Compton based team, after six successful years of karting, having been introduced to the sport on his 11th birthday. Angliss recently dipped his toes into the world of car racing
Century Motorsport to enter brand new for 2021 Ginetta GT Academy
Century Motorsport announced last week that they are fielding two cars in the brand new for 2021 GT Pro Class series, which is joining the Ginetta SuperCup grid. This week, Century Motorsport have even more exciting news for next year – they will also be running in another brand new Ginetta series – the Ginetta GT Academy. The Ginetta GT Academy [GTA Series] offers entry level racing for drivers of all experience lev
Century's Burton crowned 2020 Ginetta SuperCup Vice-Champion
Last weekend, Century Motorsport headed to Brands Hatch circuit for the final round of the 2020 Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 SuperCup. The Fenny Compton based team came away with even more trophies to add to their already enviable collection – they took a total of four podium finishes from two races, one of which was a whopping win. Century drivers Gus Burton [Pro Class] and Chris Salkeld [Pro-Am Class] both came a
Century Motorsport to enter brand new GT Pro Class in 2021
Have you heard the news? Ginetta has announced a brand new category for 2021 – the GT Pro Class – supporting the 2021 BTCC across nine race weekends, joining the very same grid as the SuperCup series and offering a very attractive prize package for the winner. Ginetta stalwarts Century Motorsport will be fielding two cars in this new category and are actively seeking drivers who are ready to grow and develop the
Jewel in the Crown Victory for Century Motorsport at British GT Finale
Century Motorsport's #42 BMW M4 GT4 took its first overall GT4 win of the season at British GT's jewel in the crown event – the Silverstone 500. The win was achieved by a perfect team strategy along with a faultless drive from both Andrew Gordon-Colebrooke and Rob Wheldon. Early on in the race, a safety car period saw several teams take an early pit stop for the first of three mandatory driver changes, including the&
Date: 28 Oct 2020
1-2-3 for Century at Snetterton SuperCup
It was a rollercoaster of a weekend for Century Motorsport at the penultimate round of the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 SuperCup Championship. Despite some spots of bad luck, there was plenty for the Fenny Compton based team to celebrate, bringing home a total of six trophies. Three of the trophies were claimed in the final race of the weekend where Gus Burton and Jamie Falvey crossed the finish line in first and second
Century drivers Kellett and Stevenson finish 2020 GT Cup on a high
Century Motorsport were delighted to hear from James Kellett a few months back – Kellett hoped that the successful Fenny Compton based team would run him and his teammate Alex Stevenson in the remainder of the 2020 GT Cup Championship in a Ginetta G55. Century had a spare G55 that was perfect for the job and knowing the incredible talent that Kellett has, Century Team Owner [Nathan Freke] was very welcoming of
Salkeld switches to Century for final 2 rounds of Ginetta SuperCup
29-year-old Chris Salkeld has switched teams and will now be competing in the final two rounds of the 2020 Ginetta GT4 SuperCup with Ginetta stalwarts Century Motorsport. Salkeld has achieved some great successes over the past three years. He was crowned 2019 G40 Cup Champion in only his second year of competitive motorsport, with five wins, five pole positions, seven fastest laps and 13 podiums. Salkeld is now curre
Tuck returns to British GT with 2018 GT4 Champions Century Motorsport
Ben Tuck returns to British GT with his 2018 championship winning team, Century Motorsport. Tuck helped the team to fight for the 2018 GT4 Teams' Championship title, whilst Tuck and co-driver Ben Green came perilously close to taking the GT4 Drivers' title – just one single point behind Century's sister car, which was piloted by Jack Mitchell. Tuck will be teaming up with Andrew Gordon-Colebrooke in the #42 BMW
Century's Falvey takes double win at Thruxton while Burton makes history
It was a bittersweet weekend for Century Motorsport at Thruxton for the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 SuperCup. Gus Burton made history in the Ginetta G55 – setting a new lap record, but then had bad luck thrown his way after contact in the first race forced him to retire. He went on to turn things around, with a podium finish in the second and third race but he now sits third in the drivers' championship table afte
Century secure British GT Podium at Brands GP
After the addition of a second BMW M4 GT4 and a rejig of their drivers, Century Motorsport claimed a sensational podium finish at the Brands Hatch GP round of the British GT Championship. Just a few days prior to the Brands GP round, Century announced that they would be running a second car. Full-season drivers Andrew Gordon-Colebrooke and Ben Hurst, who had partnered one another for the first two rounds, each had a
Century reach 100-podium milestone in Ginetta SuperCup
Coming away from Oulton Park leading the Ginetta GT4 SuperCup championship (drivers standings – Gus Burton) after claiming two more wins and a second place finish, Century Motorsport also hit a milestone to be proud of – they became the first team to reach 100 overall podium finishes in the Ginetta SuperCup. It was certainly a weekend for the Fenny Compton based team to remember. In Saturday's race, 17-ye

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
class CircleCheckScore < ApplicationRecord
  include ScoreboardPublisher

  belongs_to :participant

  validates :total_defects, :defects_found, presence: true
  validates :participant, uniqueness: true
  validates :defects_found, numericality: {
    less_than_or_equal_to: :total_defects,
    greater_than_or_equal_to: 0
  }

  TOTAL_DEFECTS_DEFAULT = 5

  def as_json(options = {})
    super(options).merge(score: score)
  end

  def score
    (50 / total_defects) * defects_found
  end
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


I went on a hike this morning and took some photos to post to Instagram. As I loaded up the app (v7.3.0), I noticed a new screen that seemed a bit different after choosing/taking a photo. You can see what I'm talking about in the image above (and video below), which appears to be a new quick edit/filter screen.
In previous builds of Instagram, after you chose or snapped a new photo, you were asked to crop before editing in a screen that listed out filters at the bottom, along with some other controls. In this new screen, you skip right past the edit screen and onto a page that lets you swipe across the screen to quickly adjust filters, before adding comments and tags. If you would like to get deeper into editing tools, an "Edit" button in the bottom left of your photo will get you there. There is also a button for tagging people in the opposite corner.
This new quick posting screen seems to show a handful of nearby locations that you can scroll through as well, along with a simpler caption box.
This update seems to be rolling out via server-side update. We were also able to get one device switched to this new UI after clearing data on the app. Feel free to test for yourself by updating your app or sideloading via the .apk below.


The Mapex Hoop Mount Cowbell Post is a specially designed percussion clamp which attaches to your bass drum via the integrated clamp. It is ideal for mounting your cowbell or other drum accessory so that you have easy access to it. Easy to setup and install in your desired position, the AC912 clamp offers maximum protection and stability to the attached gear, great for even the most intense drumming sessions.


This year, I attended my fifth RSA Conference. I have been to RSA events with grand themes such as 1920s-era gangsters, a cryptographer from ancient India, Edgar Allen Poe, and others. And, while the themes were always clever, impressive and essentially applicable to the industry, they seemed to create a sense of grandeur that masked the main reason that we should go to conferences - to learn. At these wildly themed conferences, the showroom floor and the after parties became the main attraction. And, though many of the sessions were still very good, the overall aura of the tracks was tainted with a bit of a technical gap that other shows filled. In general, people went to San Francisco to rub elbows and party, and the educational aspect of the conference began to get a bit lost in the lights. But things have changed. It is evident to me that the people planning the RSA Conference are fighting the good fight to bring education back to the forefront.
First, the RSA Conference organizers have toned down the splendor in the last couple of years. This seemed to start in 2011, where the theme was more understated. The colors and decorations in the event area itself were toned down and even calming. The 2012 event was much the same. The opulence, though still there and arguably necessary to some degree, took a back stage to an emphasis on learning.
Second, the conference itself seems to be accepting more technical presentations. I know that friends of mine and I have often given opinions on feedback forms and surveys that we would like to see more technical content. From what I heard, 2011 had much of that (I wasn't able to attend, so I can't speak to the sessions). But I definitely saw more technical-leaning tracks in 2012. Now don't get me wrong. The value of the RSA Conference is not going to be determined by a bunch of cool attacks that may or may not add value to your security program. Just like Robb Reck said in his post at Infosec Island, the RSA Conference "does not make the news like DEFCON or Black Hat with all the newly released hacks". But having a bit of focus on the technically deeper content is not a bad thing. It attracts a more diverse crowd, which crosses the divide that often exists between the technical folks and the managerial/administratively-focused crowd.
And then there is the expo hall. If you have not seen the expo hall, it can be awe-inspiring the first time you walk in. There are huge displays in the middle of the floor where large security product and service vendors have mini theaters, balconies, cars, all-terrain vehicles, lights, etc. As you walk from the center floor, you get into medium and then smaller booths of a lot of point-solution vendors. It is truly a sight to behold. But some people view this display negatively because it represents the monetization and productization of the security industry. I understand the push back against point solutions to solve point problems that don't take into account the larger security picture. Heck, I have as much fun as the next person playing buzzword bingo while talking to vendors on the floor. But, it is also true that the industry needs pioneering folks like small security startups and large security firms that offer diverse products and services. It is reality that security gaps need to be filled. Policies need controls. One of those controls might be a piece of technology that the security director/manager finds on the expo floor. Or maybe one control is a service that the CISO finds while talking to consulting firms on the expo floor. Either way, the large, medium, and small displays add value to the conference.
As far as the after parties and the elbow-rubbing, that will never go away – this is a reality of all events such as the RSA Conference. But it does not have to be seen as undesirable. Interaction presents great opportunities for valuable face time. As I said earlier, education should be the primary emphasis of any security conference. But that does not mean that the education only happens in sessions. Just like the '49ers of the California Gold Rush, you often have to work hard to get valuable bits of information. The RSA Conference brings many people from many places together to talk about information security, which can offer a lot of information concentrated in one place. People can go to the RSA conference and speak about their problems to peers (P2P sessions at the show are always exciting and engaging). Trends that may have escaped one person may get revealed in discussions with others. New technology tools that can fill gaps in a manager's security program abound on the expo floor. All one needs to do is be willing to converse, and those valuable nuggets will be found.
So all-in-all, I am very positive about the path the RSA Conference is taking. I see an event that is pushing for a constant evolution in order to meet the needs and wants of the community. The organizers are definitely listening to the community. Infosec professionals feel the enhancements, and I see it becoming a better and better show in the years to come. Don't take it off your conference travel plans folks. RSA is becoming more and more impactful to the community.
P.S. A point worth mentioning is that the San Francisco Security BSides conference was held during the first couple of days of RSA, within about 200 yards of the convention center. There was a fairly large group of security practitioners in attendance that some might not have thought they'd see at RSA (I can attest to the fact that I saw many more tattoos at the RSA Conference this year than I have in the past, which we all know is proof positive of "real" hackers, right?). For those of you not familiar with the BSides events, go check them out. The shows have an "un-conference" feel and offer a grass-roots view of the industry that is enlightening to say the least. And, while many people that attended BSides went to RSA, I thought it was really great that the opposite was also true. In fact, one of the BSides speakers told me that he was forced to talk at a higher and more strategic level in his BSides talk, which was usually very technically deep. This was because there were regular attendees of the RSA Conference at BSides, and they were asking questions about how the issues he brought up in his presentation could affect their security program and security posture as a whole. That intermingling of the different groups can only add to the discussion and greatly benefit the community.


Happy Pet Jumbo Grass House 5 out of 5 based on 8 ratings.
Cool pet names for dogs everywhere. You can be inspired by awesome people, characters, places and objects. You can get your ideas from baby names books, or even Googling your favourite shows.
Im confused. I was under the impression that Pastured raised or pastured finished was the best quality. It has the highest prices in stores, (if you can find it) and I though grass-fed meant YES its fed grass, but not exclusivly.
Nature's Miracle Jumbo Scoop We all love playing outside with our furry friends, but the dirty work that follows can be annoying. Nature's Miracle(R) brand works to provide you with all the tools you need to make pet parenting easy!
Alsip Home & Nursery is a complete pet store. Find the perfect animal to complete your family with the help of our knowledgeable staff. We also carry all of the supplies you need for a happy pet and offer many pet services.
The Vespah ($12), made with Żubrówka bison grass vodka, gin.
Bad Bishop's version of happy hour is called Shift Drinks: $6.
Happy Friday, everyone. Biggest news of the day is that OL coach.
which could give the typically fast starting Tide a chan.
Landscaping is an investment that grows – In many cases, the existing landscape dates the house. If you are thinking of upgrading your landscape.


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Video Review: Kiiara "Feels"
November 3, 2016 February 26, 2018 / by
At a house party, two guys talk by the sink. A young woman walks past them while another stands in the hallway, his hands across his face. Another young woman stretches her arms and surveys the contents of the table in the living room. Two men sit on the couch.
In her bedroom, she sits on the bed, letting the tube television beside her run. As she gets up, thin cracks trace the wall and through the hallway. She pauses in the kitchen to watch a pot and a salt shaker along with some other kitchen utensils hover over the table. The percolator and saucepan move over the stove. The cracks cause the wall to deteriorate, as the people inside the house rise above. The roof crumbles into pieces.
She watches as the foundation of the house disappears to shreds of wood and dust. Bicycles and hub caps from a car float in the air as she walks past the next house. She looks toward the sun and the sky is full of debris.
As she walks, a tire goes up and a car stays above the driveway. An explosion of white happens behinds her. Particles dot the sky.
Bit by bit, the grass and mud begins to lift in small chunks. Smoke snakes through the grass and takes over the area. She stares into the haze, breathing in the air.
Back inside in her room, she inhales the smoke and the ceiling repairs itself. She sits on the edge of the bed, hands folded as the party continues.
Emotions can overtake someone gradually and then snap into a spiral with one sharp word.
For Kiiara, it she seems as though she contains her feelings inside her but when she can no longer, the emotions manifest into all out destruction. It's directed at whomever and whatever is in her path. When she is upset, there is nothing safe from her pain and anger.
Andrew Donoho treats Kiiara's emotions as physical and unavoidable. There is no diminishing or finding an excuse to delegitimize them. They exist and are meant to be taken seriously, not dismissed with the wave of a hand.
Director: Andrew Donoho Year: 2016
This post contains affiliate links, which means I will receive a small commission from items purchased through them
Video Review: Paulina Rubio "Casanova"
Video Review: Kim Carnes "Bette Davis Eyes"
7 thoughts on "Video Review: Kiiara "Feels""
Ayla Brewster says:
In the video, it turns out that Kiiara was just dreaming, because she was sitting on her bed and at the end of the video after she inhales the smoke, it fades to her sitting on her bed.
Don't you think Kiiara was having a dream in the video?
Pam Avoledo says:
I think she was imagining what she would like to do.
You made a mistake where it says In her bedroom, Kiiara sits on the couch instead of her bed. (Imagine a couch in a bedroom for sleeping.)
Thanks! I'll correct!
I think Kiiara's have a hallucination in the video. What do you think,
I think she's imagining what she would like to do. Her character is really withdrawn and I think she's going through a lot.


text:
Surrey approves construction contract for Cloverdale Sport & Ice Complex
The City of Surrey announced council has approved a contract for the supply and installation of piles for the Cloverdale Sport & Ice Complex
A $3.1 million contract was awarded to Graham Construction and Engineering LP for the next phase of construction. Once complete, the new arena will increase Surrey's overall ice capacity, while accommodating the need for an additional ice arena in Cloverdale.
"This next phase of construction of the Cloverdale Sport & Ice Complex is a milestone for this long-awaited project," said Mayor Brenda Locke. "With foundation work starting, this new destination sport complex is on its way to providing much-needed additional ice in Cloverdale. When completed, the Cloverdale Sport & Ice Complex will have two NHL-sized sheets available for team play and public use. This project has also been designed to grow as the community grows by having the option to add a third ice sheet."
Construction of the Cloverdale Sport & Ice Complex began in August 2022 and was included in the 2021 Five-Year (2021-2025) Capital Financial Plan. Along with two new ice sheets, the project includes seating for 200 spectators per sheet, multi-purpose and community rooms, change rooms and other supporting amenities. The Complex is also designed with the option to add another NHL-sized arena sheet.
When opened, the new ice sheets will offer various programs including ice hockey, figure skating, public lessons, skating sessions, and dry-floor summer use for sports such as a lacrosse and ball hockey. The new sports and recreation facility has been designed to be energy efficient and meet the highest standards for accessibility.
See also Contract awarded to improve roads on NL's Northern Peninsula
The Cloverdale Sport & Ice Complex will be located at 6336 177B Street and will open in the fall of 2024.
Featured image: (City of Surrey)
City of Surrey
recreational infrastructure
Graham Construction and Engineering LP
Cloverdale Sport & Ice Complex
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Cordalba General Store, Food Stores - General, listed under "Food Stores - General" category, is located at Queen St Cordalba QLD, 4660, Australia and can be reached by 0741266254 phone number. Cordalba General Store has currently 0 reviews.
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text:
Public participation: methods matter; a response to Boaz et al.
Paul Burton, Jennifer Whitty, Elizabeth Kendall, Julie Ratcliffe, Andrew Wilson, Peter Littlejohns, Paul Scuffham
International Journal of Health Policy and Management
https://doi.org/10.15171/ijhpm.2014.108
Burton, P., Whitty, J., Kendall, E., Ratcliffe, J., Wilson, A., Littlejohns, P., & Scuffham, P. (2014). Public participation: methods matter; a response to Boaz et al. International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 3(6), 355. https://doi.org/10.15171/ijhpm.2014.108
Burton, Paul ; Whitty, Jennifer ; Kendall, Elizabeth et al. / Public participation: methods matter; a response to Boaz et al. In: International Journal of Health Policy and Management. 2014 ; Vol. 3, No. 6. pp. 355.
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title = "Public participation: methods matter; a response to Boaz et al.",
author = "Paul Burton and Jennifer Whitty and Elizabeth Kendall and Julie Ratcliffe and Andrew Wilson and Peter Littlejohns and Paul Scuffham",
doi = "10.15171/ijhpm.2014.108",
journal = "International Journal of Health Policy and Management",
publisher = "Kerman University of Medical Sciences",
Burton, P, Whitty, J, Kendall, E, Ratcliffe, J, Wilson, A, Littlejohns, P & Scuffham, P 2014, 'Public participation: methods matter; a response to Boaz et al.', International Journal of Health Policy and Management, vol. 3, no. 6, pp. 355. https://doi.org/10.15171/ijhpm.2014.108
Public participation: methods matter; a response to Boaz et al. / Burton, Paul; Whitty, Jennifer; Kendall, Elizabeth et al.
In: International Journal of Health Policy and Management, Vol. 3, No. 6, 2014, p. 355.
T1 - Public participation: methods matter; a response to Boaz et al.
AU - Burton, Paul
AU - Whitty, Jennifer
AU - Kendall, Elizabeth
AU - Ratcliffe, Julie
AU - Wilson, Andrew
AU - Littlejohns, Peter
AU - Scuffham, Paul
U2 - 10.15171/ijhpm.2014.108
DO - 10.15171/ijhpm.2014.108
JO - International Journal of Health Policy and Management
JF - International Journal of Health Policy and Management
Burton P, Whitty J, Kendall E, Ratcliffe J, Wilson A, Littlejohns P et al. Public participation: methods matter; a response to Boaz et al. International Journal of Health Policy and Management. 2014;3(6):355. https://doi.org/10.15171/ijhpm.2014.108


Cracking the code to different world foods just became easier thanks to this nifty infographic highlighting six popular cuisines and their core ingredients.
Developed by Lakeshore Convention Center, this visual guide guides you through the basics of Thai, French, Italian, Spanish, Indian and Mexican cuisines. You'll learn which ingredients are responsible for the flavors you love and the cooking techniques involved in preparing famous dishes like butter chicken, paella and beef burgundy.
It's also interesting to note how different countries use the same ingredients to achieve incredibly distinct - and tasty - results. For instance, cilantro makes its way into Thai and Mexican cuisines yet their native dishes are a world apart.
Take a look below and if you get a craving for these world foods swing by our Recipes section for some inspiration.