kleine wiedervereinigung

The Local (Germany’s daily in English) nicely marked the six decades that have transpired since the “little reunification” when the Protectorate of the Saar voted in a public referendum to reject economic annexation by neighbouring and occupying France as a dependency six decades ago in order to join the reconstituted West Germany, fully implemented some two years later. This decision, couched in the complex history and politics of the small territory, is often forgotten and overshadowed by the reunion of West and East in 1990, represents an important previsioning of sorts of the integration and cooperation that anticipates the spirit of the European Union

not too big to jail

In what’s just an opening salvo to demonstrate (and actually far from the first prosecution of this kind)that no behaviour, no matter how consequential and unconscionable, is above the law, Iceland is sentencing two dozen bankers and financial managers whose greed and collusion resulted in the devastating 2008 economic meltdown of the country. This meting out of punishment is a necessary but bold step, especially compared to the inaction and forgiveness on the part of the US government who allowed its bankers, Masters of the Universe, to precipitate the global Recession in the first place—and of many other countries where immunity has been extended rather magnanimously. Managing other people’s money is just the same as overseeing any other utility, and probably less skilled, and such plumbers and locksmiths (not to insult those professions by comparison, who are much better champions in our hour of need) should not be compensated nor protected differently.

i find your lack of faith disturbing

In response to a law passed by the Ukrainian parliament, Quartz magazine reports, back in April that prohibits the public display of Communist propaganda, a statue of Vladimir Lenin outside of a factory complex in Odessa slated to be destroyed has instead been redesigned as a homage to Darth Vader. The figure even emits free WiFi for the residents.

5x5

brightest london is best reached by underground: glorious, vintage gallery of Tube posters

einstein-bose condensate: new, preliminary research suggests quantum-entanglement can be harnessed

not your typical disney princess: Leia Organa is a force to be reckoned with

she doesn’t even realise she’s a replicant: Liartown, USA variations on the Voight-Kampff test for humanity, more sophisticated than CAPTCHA

frogmorton: JRR Tolkien’s annotated map of Middle-Earth

sentimental journey

Once Protestantism took hold in large swathes of northern Europe, particularly in England, the pilgrimage undertaken to exotic lands fell out of fashion, people of means needed to articulate another rite of passage that would fulfil this lost outlet. Almost immediately, the notion of the Grand Tour was invented as an authoritative substitute, since one could claim instant superiority in matters of taste and worldliness over one’s neighbours for having seen the masterpieces of the continent first-hand and having even brought back some art as souvenirs.

Though such deportment would have been non- permissible beforehand on the Camino de Santiago, such gap year trips were also seen as not only edifying but also the chance to discretely work whatever hot-blooded passions (associated already with Mediterranean climes) that might need to be exorcised to avoid any scenes at home. The odd and singular aspect of these sojourns was that the itinerary was squarely planted in Catholic lands, which were considered the subversive enemy for the reformed countries of the north—almost as if the most popular tourist-destination for Americans during the Cold War was Stalingrad, immersed in the culture of an ideological nemesis. Many Britons and others felt it was unpatriotic to indulge the sights of the south, but a domestic tourism industry was not developed until the French Revolution made travel impossible, and the Low Countries as well as Scotland and the fjords of Norway were discovered by people who had not previous ventured outside the capitals. After matters had settled down a bit and travel to Southern Europe was again possible, people complained of the changed character of tourism—there were just too many of them and one could hardly be enraptured by art and architecture in a pulsing, pushing crowd of sight-seers. The elite among the holiday-makers began turning away from these cultural enlightening itineraries in response and began to focus on natural destinations, like the beaches and mountains, leaving the cities and museums for the masses.