confabulation, conflagration

The unprecedented scope of the wild-fires ravaging central Texas is a frightening thing, already in superlative year for natural and man-assisted disasters, though recent record-holders are quickly outdone and not allowed to bask in their glory or infamy for very long. The latest in the series of governors from that state have invited scorn and courted wrath and maybe there is a parallel, close relationship--the ability to peer into his soul, between the current sitting governor and presidential aspirant and the Russian leadership.

About a year ago, unquenchable wildfires were also threatening the Russian countryside, and the administration was criticized for its crisis-management and possibly handicapping the whole process of response and prevention by cutting back on support for firefighters. To what degree that criticism was warranted remains unclear, though the Russians who suffered lost because of the fires were cared for and the fire crews are fully-funded. It is however less of a question and more substantiated fact that the Texan leadership has shut down firehouses and curtailed support for voluntary (Freiwillig) firefighters, and so many Americans resist evacuation in the States because they have very little faith that their losses will be restored. It is a bit ironic that the aspirations of the Texas governor are built on the shaky principles that federalism is the cause of all woes and is loath to ask for its aid during the crisis. To some extent, this purging by fire sweeping through the forests and grasslands is a natural cycle, unavoidable and necessary, but poor stewardship and response fuels its destructive power. I hope that those affected survive this disaster and re-emerge with refreshed strength to guide policy and priorities in a sensible and not superficial direction.

meritocrazia

Threatened with municipal redundancy, an ambitious local government council from the village of Filettino are drawing up articles of cession from Italy and declaring themselves an independent principality. Part of the austerity measures of the Italian government propose that small villages be annexed by their larger parent commune, in order to save on administrative expenses. Outraged at facing the end of their village as a separate political entity, Filettino has anointed its mayor, are seeking a prince, and has even issued its own currency. Villagers are very enthralled with how this will go, citing Italy's long, divided history of enclaves and city-states and the fact that San Marino has survived for centuries in its own right. The most serene republic, as opposed to a principality, is however not quite the same animal as a toy kingdom with shifting alliances, having endured as a democracy since the third century. I for one wish Filettino well, in whatever form it takes, and think that it would be pretty neat to be king or even subject there and it is a very creative tact to take in protest to what may be misdirected hardships.

sprachraum or datenwolke

I've utilized the clever web application Linguee for helping with German-English (the service works in several languages) translations for quite some time. Although my bi-lingual posts may not always be the greatest endorsement, Linguee is not a traditional translator, rather scours the internet for existing translations to find elements and phrases, and it is really a great tool for cross-checking grammar and idiomatic expressions. Recently too they've refined their website with more aesthetic and functional features.

guise

The abundantly marvelous Neat-o-Rama is raising some very legimate concerns from a retired member of the Australian federal police force: facial recognition and automated image-tagging features of popular social media services could eventually render it impossible to conduct an undercover operation. Advanced software can already guess how people's looks might age, and even if someone's profile is from his or her infancy, having such schematics out there in the ether permanently could pose a severe detriment to any aspiring secret agent. I suppose that it would not just apply to sting operations, but to everything deft and clock-and-dagger, like espionage, witness protection, et cetera. It is frightening how anonymity is imploding, and that privacy and repercussions are only saved by the herd and hive that are getting exponentially easier to manage.

rettungsschirm or golden parachute

As the banking principalities and condominiums across Europe scramble to prevent a broad loss of faith and strengthen a united front when it comes to the membership or rich and poor participants, the Swiss have quietly made a significant change to their monetary policy and a concession of a measure of their independence.

Because of the relative weakness of the US dollar and uncertainty surrounding the euro, the Franc has become very attractive to investors, who are hording Franc and as a result pricing out of range for their competitors. For Switzerland, however, the Franc has become a victim of its own success and reputation, since this over-valuation is hurting exports, tourism and the day-to-day activities of residents. With the exchange rate obscenely favourable, the Swiss are crossing borders to do their grocery shopping and are reluctant to forego its worth at home. In order to dampen the rush to collect Francs, the Swiss have decided to peg the Franc to the euro, setting an upwards threshold for its price. This move might put the breaks on the stockpiling, and might also preserve some of its reputation as a safe and protected harbour amid all this turmoil. On the other front, complying with the demands of foreign tax authorities, though I suspect that this will be just temporary, has already besmirched Switzerland somewhat. Yoking one's success to the euro seems like a pretty smart and subtle move, with the recognition that no market is insular, but I do think it is significant that the Swiss would be willing to sacrifice a small part of their national aloofness--for the right cause.  To stop exclusively playing the host and become a player, a partisan in order to make economic conditions better for ordinary people shows that priorities are not muddled.

Meanwhile, both H and I, have been continuing to save our pennies, although I have ritualized the long-standing process with a monthly trip to the bank with my Sparschwein and savings' book. Piggy banks are dogged and always solvent, and I like to think that these small contributions of money-at-rest can help shore up the union. As for Switzerland and the EU, I am sure that there are enough talent and resources and treasure discovered and undiscovered to withstand a crisis of confidence.

9/11^10

This is morning in America. Ten years on as the anniversary of the attacks approaches, and I have to wonder if all the devotion to security theatre, terrorism has become a rather specious subject, methods and efforts vilified by a marked absence.

Marshalling armies for such a pageant has not left an abundance of resources for calling together militias for other causes that have been eroding during the past decade. What happens in the within the American sphere of influence is far from all gloom and grime and there are still much charity and vision coming from there, but from the periscope of living abroad and what pushes the news, it seems like a national will has been lost and edited away like it was never there to begin with. Potential for earning a livelihood is anemic, the disparity of wealth has spread, citizens in terms of values and priorities have never been more polarized and desperate for demagoguery, communities are at odds with one another, infrastructure is crumbling and little has been invested for the future. Maybe the legacy of 11. September is not in heightened security, mistrust, loss of privacy but rather in the demotivation of reactionaries, always struggling to respond--irrespective of scope or scale, instead of building that is enduring and comprehensive. Very serious people in very serious forums, not lampoons or satires, are spouting off all sorts of causes to rally around that really defy belief: security theatre has expanded to all sorts of absurdities that Americans can be bothered to heed. That's another morning in America.