fahrsprung

H has become quite handy and bold with assaying our fair Lady, and making sure she is fully outfitted for our upcoming big trip. The word jalopy has, I think, too many negative connotations and can't aspire to be something refined and finely engineered. Our third generation Volkswagen Transporter--sometimes sold as Vanagons in the States (Lady is a "Sport R" and I always thought that was a very special and rare model... maybe we should have named her VGER like the Voyager space probe in the first Star Trek movie)--was the first model of bus water cooled (instead of air-cooled) and was the last VW of any type to have the engine in the rear. That's a bit like those dinosaurs that had two brains, one in the head and one in the tail to govern each. The word jalopy does suggest, however, dependability--or at least, flexibility, serviceableness and the ability to intuit. It is always comforting to know that one's trip won't have a contrary, single-minded computer as a roadblock and that with less, one can go further.

H- hat sehr kompetent bei der Ausrüstung der Ladys geworden, und sie ist fit für die Reise. Jalopy heißt Bleichkiste, aber hat das Wort einen negativen Beigeschmack und steht nichts für etwas ausgereift und verfeinert. Unserer dritte Generation Modell war das Erste mit Wasserkühlung die letzte mit einem Heckmotor. Statt Transporter ist die Lady als Sport R genannt--eine sehr exklusive Sonderauflage. Dennoch verspricht das Wort Bleichkiste Elastizität und Zugänglichkeit. Wir kommen mehr mit weniger aus.

odious debt

As the economic sleight of hand for the US became only a delaying tactic and the States are galloping towards the legal debt ceiling (Schuldenobergrenze), debate over how to interpret the sibylline leaves of their constitution (which is not a technicality given its well-trod appeals and reductio) and ideological anchors that cannot be finessed or maneuvered around is just making the situation appear more and more dire. On a sub-national level, governments have been shutdown and there does not seem much urgency to restore it, nor an institutional life-line to reach resolution.

Meanwhile, back at the Ranch, German and EU officials are holding emergency meetings to in part address the framework and mechanisms that do not cause debt and deficit but rather the language and esteem used to talk about it. German finance ministers, among others, do not want the European Union threatened with dissolution over the opinions of the three dominant and American-based credit-rating agencies (Ratingagenturen). This cartel has been ceded too much power, Germany, argues and although these firms failed to avert disasters in the past, like internet and housing bubbles, can spook the markets and scandalize countries with a cross word, like with Greece and Portugal.

I think further that this exclusive group of Stygian oracles, beholden to the will of banks, certainly nudges a controlled-crash, an emergency-landing of debtor nations right into receivership. German is entertaining either promoting more competition and diversity of opinion by splitting up the big agencies, or establishing separate, regional entities to cover European and Asian sovereigns separately. The debt and credit-worthiness of individuals and countries are not measured in the same way--though perhaps they should be, either both strictly by the numbers or both on hope and promise and being a good neighbor--and maybe muting down doom among the general din might yield a credit score that's more meaningful, limned with those same dimensions of long-term aspiration, inheritance and legacy. One can still manage, however, to make any pronouncement portentous or pessimistic, depending on what one wants to hear.

the perils of penelope pitstop or dutch-east-india company

The final stage of two eras is in the works: one, the de-commissioning of the US Space Shuttle programme, and the edict of the German government to end nuclear energy within its borders. The latter decision, in my opinion, was a bit rash, maybe too hysterical, but nonetheless a necessary one, since nuclear power and the waste it produces is not a tenable situation in the long run. The former choice is being met crestfallen, while on the other hand, Germany’s action was not made without debate and planning for contingencies. In fact, businesses, universities and scientists are recognizing that there’s a job to do to satisfy this mandate and fill the deficit left in the country’s power supply. Already, creative thinkers are working together to approach this problem from all angles, designing more aesthetic masts for high tension wires, wind-turbines and photovoltaic arrays with input from ecologists, engineers, architects and historic preservationists—as well as the daydreamers. The space shuttle is a shuttle, something for hauling cargo, but I think representative of ingenuity and at least the spirit of exploration. There’s little waiting in the wings, it seems, to replace it (thank goodness for the hale and hearty Soyuz that Russia is not stinting and continues to deliver). Proceeding without a framework to replace this flagship is a bit disheartening—especially for the rocket scientists at NASA, I’m sure—and is not conducive to invention. Hopefully some creative entrepreneurs will usher in greater strides, but space should not be solely a commercial enterprise for any partner in discovery.

poll tax

Ever pragmatic and with a healthy dose of skepticism, the German public is divided over pre-election promises to lower taxes. The survey does not delivery overwhelming verdicts either for or against cutting personal taxes over austerity, shoring up funds for a rainy-day, but a clear majority is doubtful that any reduction or reprieve would translate to any appreciable household savings. It reminds me of the excruciating and mean-spirited debate last year over increasing the monthly allowance for families on welfare (Hartz IV) that netted five euro in the end. Of course, allotted over all recipients, that's quite a monthly cumulative sum but it probably was more an insult than a help individually. With German employment at record highs and the export-mechanism churning strongly, the government is realizing some windfalls but it is still scheduled to take on more public debt. About half of the respondents were more in favour of sustaining their current tax situation and not undermine the economic recovery or handicap the ability to weather future turmoil. Most further view this tax-cut proposal as a myopic campaign-promise, which probably fails to factor in (I think) the loss of Zivildiener or Zivis with the end of mandatory conscription for young Germans. Without this labour pool to draw from, I think, social services will become more expensive to provide, and no one would want to see a cut in that area. If the government insists on paying back the people, maybe they'd do better to roll back the Value-Added Tax (Mehrwertsteuer, sort of like a national sales tax) by a percentage point. Everyone, regardless of their tax-situation, would see an immediate benefit and cost to the treasury, I think, would be minimal in the long-term.

green shoots

Watching this plant recover and slowly start to grow again once moved from the window sill to the balcony, it's new bunch of leaves ready to unfurl like something inchoate from a chrysalis, and the venerable, old cactus sprouting a new pseudo pod, has got me think about the different cues of light and temperature that plant-life has outside of seasonal fits and bursts. Perhaps there are things more subtle in the senses that yield good horticulture and horticulturists.

Our geraniums were looking a bit unremarkable, healthy but late-bloomers, and learned that if during transportation, the flowers are kept in the dark for more than forty hours, they hold off on further growth after the first spurt. Despite any amount good care and coaxing, they need to normalize their cycle on their own terms. That too made me think about the curious story of tropical poinsettias (Weihnachtsstern), which will only flower or develop those trademark red leaves when exposed to equal amounts of diurnal sunlight and dark night, like the conditions near the Equator.