Though I am not sure I agree with the entire premise and ultimate (end-state) projections of the article, I do find myself passing judgment on the inarticulate feeling of unease that one takes a way from the continuing German Wirtschaftswunder. The feeling is not quite menacing but more than just smug and competent, and like Alternet writer Marshall Auerback suggests, I do wonder if the Germans, sometimes criticized for championing austerity elsewhere have not already been institutionalized at home, instigating a race-to-the-bottom (Abwรคrts-Wettlauf) in terms of treatment for workers.
This is a thoughtful article and raises many valid points, like a lot of Alternet's coverage. Just like Greece, as a member of the eurozone, Germany cannot devalue its currency in order to wedge a competitive advantage but it can tweak the wages and benefits of its workforce. The series of labour reforms from the Hartz Commission (DE/EN), the working-poor currently protected by Hartz IV, I don't think are meant to squeeze the poorest of society and I think only give tacit allowance to business-models that might led to underemployment or a generational schism between older workers steady on to retirement and younger workers not shoring up a pension. One could envision such portents, however, following the lead of labour conditions in the States, with receding prospects for retirement and clinging to jobs barring many younger applicants. The manufacturing component, however, I think is elided in order to draw these analogies, though the potential for inculcating a certain culture and attitude should certainly be guarded against.
Thursday 23 February 2012
♥s fear
catagories: ๐ฉ๐ช, economic policy, foreign policy, labour
it was a teenage wedding and the old folks wished them well
Wednesday 22 February 2012
one potato, two potato
According to reporting by New Scientist (via the resplendent BLDG Blog), electrical engineers in the Netherlands are field testing the potential of various grasses and marshy plants for suitability as a passive electrical grid.
catagories: environment, technology and innovation, transportation
Tuesday 21 February 2012
cult armoury
Browsing through the fantastic archives at Gallery 1988, who not only act as curators and collectors but also sell such brilliant prints, I came across this poster design by Tim Doyle that features the choice weaponry of mostly 1980s cult classic films. I recognized Bobo the mechanical owl from Clash of the Titians, the Information Disc from TRON, the throwing star from Krull, the Thunder Cats' sword, but there's a lot more esoteric details embedded here, like the head of Johnny Number Five from Short-Circuit or the Holy Hand-Grenade of Antioch from Monty Python and the Holy Grail or the Grail notebook of Doctor Jones (Senior) from the Indiana Jones’ saga. How many can you name? The original posting has a legend identifying all these artifacts.
Wรคhrend ich die fantastische Achive von Gallery 1988, Konservatoren, Sammler und Verkรคufer, durchsuchen, entdeckte ich dieses Plakat vom Tim Doyle. Es ist ein Rรผstkammer des Kultklassiers von 1980s. Auf den ersten Blick zu erkennen sind Bobo der uhrwerk Eule von Kampf der Titanen, TRONs Profil-Discus, das Shuriken von Krull und das Schwert von ThunderCats. Doch es gibt auch abseitige Waffen, wie der Kopf von Nummer Funf lebt! oder die Handgranate von die Ritter der Kokosnuร oder Doktor Jones (der รltere) Gral-Heftchen. Wieviel konnen Sie benennen? Eine Zeichenerklรคrung ist unter dem Link ober erhรคltlich.