Category Archives: Politics
Bolivia misses the Sea
Zur deutschen Fassung dieses Artikels. In every country in South America, there is one specific topic with which you can interrupt the logorrhea of even the most verbose person. In Brazil, mentioning the numbers 7-1 is enough to make people … Continue reading
Whither NATO?
When I photographed this mural in Kutaisi in Georgia (the real Georgia) in 2017, it seemed to symbolize the Georgian aspirations and hopes to join NATO. After all, somebody has to bring the wine for all the military exercises. Nowadays, … Continue reading
If Donald Trump had been President in 1941
“Winston, you have to stop with this warmongering, do you hear me? The Nazis just want your little island. And all of Europe. And to enslave millions. And to murder, rape and loot. And you come here, make a fuss … Continue reading
Easily Confused (67) Peace Conference
Munich, 1938: A so-called peace conference at which the aggressor receives all the concessions he demands, the victim of the aggression is not represented, and the participants and observers act on the unbelievably naive assumption that world peace can be … Continue reading
Holiday in the Danger Zone
Zur deutschen Fassung. All day, I had been wondering about the police presence at train stations in the east of Poland. And then, while on the train, the cell phone chirped, providing the explanation. Not the welcome I would have … Continue reading
How to speed up your application for German citizenship
With the new German citizenship law entering into effect in June 2024, the number of people applying for naturalization will increase substantially. For one, you no longer need to give up your primary citizenship. This requirement, though already riddled with … Continue reading
Germany on Drugs: The Legalization of Cannabis
Living in Germany, but you can’t get high on castles and chocolate cake alone?
Here is everything you need to know about the legalization of weed in Germany. Continue reading
Mobilization in Russia
After the Russian government’s call for mobilization, many Russians, especially young men, spontaneously discovered their patriotic urge to become very mobile indeed. Considering that mobilization kicked off World War I, this is a bit disconcerting, though.
Naughty Towns and Sin Cities
Have you also been wondering why some towns in Germany have to put a “Bad” before their name? Well, this happens when a town misbehaves. If they are found to have done so, they need to put the “Bad” before … Continue reading
King and Peasants discuss the British Monarchy
The following clip from Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) is still one of the best contributions in the debate about (not only British) monarchy: I found the following transcript of the dialogue: [ARTHUR and PATSY riding. They stop and … Continue reading
The Happy Hermit 