Memorial Day is a difficult concept to translate to German. There is no precise equivalent but traditions span the divide each with cultural nuances that make the comparison moot, also notwithstanding the existence of Americans’ repackaging of Armistice Day. With reunification, East Germany was bequeathed many West German religious holidays that seem equally inscrutable yet servicable. It is also approximately my father’s birthday (Happy Birthday, Dad!), who, before the States migrated most holidays to the nearest Monday, grew up with somber birthdays spent at the cemetery.
Monday 30 May 2011
civil service or let’s go dancing at the VFW
catagories: ๐ฉ๐ช, ๐บ๐ธ, holidays and observances
eschatology or a peck of pickled peppers
catagories: environment, Europe, food and drink, health and medicine
Saturday 28 May 2011
offworld
World economies do not need to be a closed-system, profiting rudely on the gullibilities and vanities of others, selling faded dreams, outstanding debt and financial hocus-pocus. Such things are not upwardly infinite. As an instrument to raise people’s standards of living sustainably, promote peace and cooperation, and to keep the engines of progress and development running smoothly, economies and investment opportunities can expand indefinitely and beyond this mundane sphere.
catagories: ⚛️, ๐ก, ๐ญ, transportation
Thursday 26 May 2011
magic beans
French leadership had been criticized during the past week for courting important Internet entrepreneurs in a summit, ostensibly, to draft the rules for the Internet. One could only speculate what happens behind the scenes, but maybe this injunction, ingratiation was a sly move on the part of the French government, especially ahead of the G8 summit beginning soon.
catagories: ๐ซ๐ท, ๐ฅธ, economic policy, networking and blogging