This week in Germany.....over in Trier....there was a opening of an exhibit of a rather different variety.
Entitled: 100,000 Years of Sex.
Yep....those silly Germans went out and found Roman sexual artifacts (we aren't sure of what variety) and put them up on display. Then those silly Germans went out and found erotic stone drawings....probably from 100,000 years ago....when Slug met Mandy over near the tar pit, and felt he needed to express her personal features on a cave wall.
The exhibit also features some fine Greek vases....with erotic figures on the front, in various poses which we won't go into detail about here (to protect the innocent of Ripley and Red Bay).
One of the professors in charge of the exhibit wanted to let everyone know that some things that go on today, which we regard as taboo and pretty disgusting....was pretty accepted back in the Greek days. Those Greek guys must have been the pre-Hustler types....with lots of free time on their hands.
These Trier folks also went out and found a medieval chastity belt and a condom which dates back to 1813. Pretty serious stuff.
The curious thing about exhibits like this.....its not usually the regular local folks who attend. Its mostly teachers, university students, and the "elite". Most regular folks would be asking why the heck you'd waste time building an exhibit like this?
For me....its mighty impressive that we sit here now....100,000 years later....admiring Slug's pictorial drawing of Mandy....and wondering if he scored.
Sunday, 2 March 2008
A Turkish Wind in Germany
When you go and live in a country....voluntary of course.....you have this thing about integration....either you integrate to stay or you are there strictly to make money and leave eventually. Me? I'm the latter.....I really don't intend to stay....so in my book....to hell with Germany. For the other folks....they'd best get in line to integrate.Well....this week....the Turks in Germany got together and basically said that things are screwed up and they have a five-part plan to fix them. Its rare that you....the guy who is supposed to integrate...dictates things.
So lets examine these five ideas. First....they want the right to vote, while staying Turkish. This kinda means that they vote here and in Turkey. For some reason, this just isn't selling well.
Second....dual-citizenship. Of all the countries in Europe....this is the last place you'd see accept dual-citizenship. The recent bank episode in Liechtenstein....would be enough to convince them of that.
Third....they'd like to have mandatory "inter-cultural life" classes in every school. Basically....this is to teach a German society how to cooperate and accept foreigners. Again...this might be the last country in Europe....willing to accept something of this sort. Remember...this was Nazi Germany less than 70 years ago.
Fourth....the Turks want ten percent of all public jobs (the government jobs) to go to foreigners who are coming into Germany. Its bad enough right now to have incompetent old Germans working at the local county office or the license office....but to place a Turk in there whose German isn't that great....its just begging for trouble.
Five....Turkish lessons in German schools. It'll be a hard sell....and I really doubt this goes far.
Across Germany today....there is growing debate about the Turks and just how this will work. The original necessity to have them in the country has come to pass. The mighty industrial era of the 1950s and 1960s is finished. There aren't alot of jobs sitting free for the taking. What you see is a German society having problems in accepting foreigners of a fairly different nature. We aren't talking about the Dutch or the French....this folks are Islamic and not proactive on integration. They've got a uphill battle and I'm betting none of the five ideas carry too far.
Miami vesus St Petersburg
When you sit and rate places...sometimes its not as hard as you think to plus something up or minus it down. Two cities that have alot in common....are Miami and St Petersburg. Both have serious drug problems. Both cities have a rich elite who use the streets as a playground. Both have mafia and crime elements. Both have daily murders. Both have homeless folks and lots of booze.
But when you come up to the topic of beaches....a woeful difference is apparent. Folks in St Petersburg don't exactly come out to the beach to do much. You have to remember that this was a pretty fair swamp if you go back 400 years ago. Russians don't exactly have a priority in keep beach front property up and fancy. So take care...if you are ever up in this neck of the woods...and maybe avoid the beach.
Cold Wars Dies Softly
Down in the Ukraine.....along the coast....there is a old Soviet sub base which is now totally abandoned. Once upon a time....there was a cold war....and it was bed of activity. Today.....it just sits. The locals have taken over the abandoned post and run tourists out there....the few who do come. My guess is that half of them are former sub folks....who just remember the good old days.
The US has these....France has them....Germany...the UK...etc. This week in Bonn....the government guys opened up the Chancellor's old nuke war bunker, which is now a museum. In some ways....its kind of funny...all that money spent....for the big war....and nothing happened. Personally....I'm waiting for the grand tours at Cheyenne Mountain...outside of Colorado Springs.
So if you are ever along the coast of the Ukraine....with a afternoon of nothing much to do....ask the local dude if there is any sub bases around....and maybe he will smile and take you for a tour.
The Troubles with Hillary
This week in Kenya....the village elders got a bit upset with Hillary and politics in America. Apparently the picture that Obama once had....of him in a traditional farmer's garb....got into the campaign. The picture showed Obama in a local outfit....shaking hand....and nothing more. The Hillary campaign thought it might hurt his chances in Texas.
Instead....the elders want Hillary to pay a fine....preferably by the Kenyan standards.....in cattle or goats. Being from Bama and knowing a thing or two about goats....I'd like to offer up some advice to Hillary. Forget the cattle and settle for 12 good goats. Don't let the elders try to push for 40 goats....the picture shown wasn't worth that much.
Its pretty sad when a US politician has to drag up some bad Kenyan photos....to use in a campaign. If this is the best that Hillary can do....she'd best just pack up and go back to upstate New York.
Just Your FBI at Work
So this week....the FBI was put onto a new tasker.
You'd like to think its the El Salvadoran drug gangs in the US....but no, its not them.
You'd like to think its white collar crime in the insurance industry.....but no, its not them.
You'd like to believe its murderer on the rampage in Minnesota....but no, its not that.
You'd like to think its political corruption with some senator taking bribes...but no, its not that.
You'd like to believe that its a gang in LA who has been shooting up cars at Dodger stadium.....but no, its not that.
You'd like to think it was a cult-group who was planning a massive killing spree.....but no, its not that.
You'd like to believe its a Jihad group out of Texas who want to destroy America....but no, its not that.
Its Roger Clemons of baseball. The senate and house has decided that Roger is a first-class criminal and deserves to have our best detectives hunting him and his alleged use of illegal or legal steroids. Yep, with all the threats going on in America....we now have at least two FBI guys doing the Roger episode.
I'm thinking its time we bring some senators and represetatives in.....and question them.....and hopefully set the entire FBI onto the dimwits. We could have 2000 FBI characters running around.....and basically helping to prevent these idiots from showing up on the Sunday talk shows. The country might actually get fixed this way.....it certainly won't get fixed with the FBI hunting Roger.
You'd like to think its the El Salvadoran drug gangs in the US....but no, its not them.
You'd like to think its white collar crime in the insurance industry.....but no, its not them.
You'd like to believe its murderer on the rampage in Minnesota....but no, its not that.
You'd like to think its political corruption with some senator taking bribes...but no, its not that.
You'd like to believe that its a gang in LA who has been shooting up cars at Dodger stadium.....but no, its not that.
You'd like to think it was a cult-group who was planning a massive killing spree.....but no, its not that.
You'd like to believe its a Jihad group out of Texas who want to destroy America....but no, its not that.
Its Roger Clemons of baseball. The senate and house has decided that Roger is a first-class criminal and deserves to have our best detectives hunting him and his alleged use of illegal or legal steroids. Yep, with all the threats going on in America....we now have at least two FBI guys doing the Roger episode.
I'm thinking its time we bring some senators and represetatives in.....and question them.....and hopefully set the entire FBI onto the dimwits. We could have 2000 FBI characters running around.....and basically helping to prevent these idiots from showing up on the Sunday talk shows. The country might actually get fixed this way.....it certainly won't get fixed with the FBI hunting Roger.
Dollar Dump
The dollar continued its slide last week. The Euro continued its climb.
There is currently some talk...especially in the Middle East....of taking oil and pegging it against the Euro instead of the dollar. This chatter has been going on for at least two years. The Europeans have a mixed bag on this deal and won't readily comment on the chances.
As the dollar does its dump....the Europeans are buying oil for a cheaper price. The rate at the pump is easily $8.00 a gallon with tax and oil included. But if the dollar were greatly improved....the gas cost would be $9 or $10 a gallon. So they don't really want this to happen but privately will admit that it would force the US to finally react on the condition of the dollar.
The US....George Bush and the team....taken a philosophy of creating a market for US goods....if you can cheapen the cost of the goods....then you sell more. PT Cruisers are on the market in Germany as a very affordable car. Five years ago....that would not have been true. Europeans are taking US vacations.....and not complaining. The Europeans are buying US property....with cash.
The Saudis? Upset to no end over the value of their massive dollar collection. When they turn to buy anything European....it cost twice as much as they would like to spend.....so GW has them in a bind....forcing them to buy American whenever possible. Its a great policy....but its a bubble as well. It will burst eventually. The question is....when?
So for Americans planning a trip to Europe this summer....bring a bucket of money....you're need it. And if you are staying in America this summer....prepare to see hoards of Germans and French. They are spending their money left and right.
There is currently some talk...especially in the Middle East....of taking oil and pegging it against the Euro instead of the dollar. This chatter has been going on for at least two years. The Europeans have a mixed bag on this deal and won't readily comment on the chances.
As the dollar does its dump....the Europeans are buying oil for a cheaper price. The rate at the pump is easily $8.00 a gallon with tax and oil included. But if the dollar were greatly improved....the gas cost would be $9 or $10 a gallon. So they don't really want this to happen but privately will admit that it would force the US to finally react on the condition of the dollar.
The US....George Bush and the team....taken a philosophy of creating a market for US goods....if you can cheapen the cost of the goods....then you sell more. PT Cruisers are on the market in Germany as a very affordable car. Five years ago....that would not have been true. Europeans are taking US vacations.....and not complaining. The Europeans are buying US property....with cash.
The Saudis? Upset to no end over the value of their massive dollar collection. When they turn to buy anything European....it cost twice as much as they would like to spend.....so GW has them in a bind....forcing them to buy American whenever possible. Its a great policy....but its a bubble as well. It will burst eventually. The question is....when?
So for Americans planning a trip to Europe this summer....bring a bucket of money....you're need it. And if you are staying in America this summer....prepare to see hoards of Germans and French. They are spending their money left and right.
The Dead Zone
Up in King county, Washington...Ron Simms, who is the county Exec (the big board)....has dreamed up a fantastic idea. Since the county has to approve any changes or additions to developmental projects...why not invoke absolute control and forbid a project...if it were to trigger global warming? Yep....if you wanted to build a simple 60-apartment complex....the county council could look at the plan...and revoke it unless you had friendly environmental planning involved (hint: mandatory solar panels very likely).
It is believed to be the first attempt by any federal, state or regional authority to ever control developments....based on global warming.
In this case...we aren't just talking houses or apartments. We could include malls or gas stations as well. We could include a basketball arena....although that won't be necessary because the SuperSonics are leaving town (lack of support and lack of a new arena).
So what will happen? Let us ponder this. Ron and the board will get things going....and along about eighteen months into this....some development gurus and real estate people will grow disenchanted over additional man-hours. Some folks who spend money on such projects....will simply say it adds more cost to them which they have to pass onto the consumer.
Along about the fourth year....someone will notice a 10 percent drop in construction permits. There will be a comment in the local papers and some analysis blaming the current market. By the sixth year...permits will have dropped by 40 percent. A number of major firms will have decided to move toward towns outside of the King county control. Construction in the surrounding counties will boom by a minimum of 30 percent.
By the tenth year....a decline in the population of King county will be noted. Surrounding counties will go into a boom period, with general growth in the population. The NFL football franchise will find itself in a bind when the county demands major changes to the new stadium they will dream up in the years to come.
Eventually...around fifteen years into this campaign....someone will admit that King county is a "green and dead" zone. Several politicians will have conferences about this and discuss what can be done. But by this point....the remainder of the population won't see a reason to reverse. They will agree that jobs are very sparse and most kids will leave the county area upon graduating from school or college. But they won't see a good enough reason to change.
So sometime around 2030....King county will have lost about 100,000 of its current population and become a joke for development and capital funds. It'll rank with New Orleans and Detroit....as places you'd rather not move to. And the best part about this? All the counties around...will be in a period of boom and growth.
It is believed to be the first attempt by any federal, state or regional authority to ever control developments....based on global warming.
In this case...we aren't just talking houses or apartments. We could include malls or gas stations as well. We could include a basketball arena....although that won't be necessary because the SuperSonics are leaving town (lack of support and lack of a new arena).
So what will happen? Let us ponder this. Ron and the board will get things going....and along about eighteen months into this....some development gurus and real estate people will grow disenchanted over additional man-hours. Some folks who spend money on such projects....will simply say it adds more cost to them which they have to pass onto the consumer.
Along about the fourth year....someone will notice a 10 percent drop in construction permits. There will be a comment in the local papers and some analysis blaming the current market. By the sixth year...permits will have dropped by 40 percent. A number of major firms will have decided to move toward towns outside of the King county control. Construction in the surrounding counties will boom by a minimum of 30 percent.
By the tenth year....a decline in the population of King county will be noted. Surrounding counties will go into a boom period, with general growth in the population. The NFL football franchise will find itself in a bind when the county demands major changes to the new stadium they will dream up in the years to come.
Eventually...around fifteen years into this campaign....someone will admit that King county is a "green and dead" zone. Several politicians will have conferences about this and discuss what can be done. But by this point....the remainder of the population won't see a reason to reverse. They will agree that jobs are very sparse and most kids will leave the county area upon graduating from school or college. But they won't see a good enough reason to change.
So sometime around 2030....King county will have lost about 100,000 of its current population and become a joke for development and capital funds. It'll rank with New Orleans and Detroit....as places you'd rather not move to. And the best part about this? All the counties around...will be in a period of boom and growth.
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