Mittwoch, 5. Oktober 2011
CE: Undocumented
Should "illegal immigrants" acquire citizenship? That's a difficult topic, but it is clear that something has to change. It can't last like it is at the moment, that's not good for anybody. I'm not well versed in this, but as far as I know some people in the US want to leave the immegrants, who are mostly Mexicans, for various reasons. Firstly because they think that there are already too many unemployed persons in the United States and that the immigrants take away the work from them. Other Americans say that the immigrants should stay because they do the work they don't want to do. And framers want the immigrants to stay, because they work harder for less money. That's particularly because of the different life circumstances: when you work for 5 dollars a day, you're rich in their eyes, but in the US that's worth nothing. And that's it! You can not live on five dollars a day! So the situation now (as far as I know, maybe I'm wrong) is that the immigrants work hard, apparently do the work others don't want to do, and get nothing but a more than unfair fee for it. So as long as they are needed here they can stay and work, but are not allowed to live and then suddenly they have to go back to the country they came from. And that's of course not okay.
And it is right that "we are all immigrants" like protastans said, because the people who actually lived in America are less than 1% of the current population. But, however the situation looks really like at the moment, the youth must not have to pay for it!
Dienstag, 4. Oktober 2011
FREE: Augsburg
There are lots of places I love in my hometown. In summer everybody's sitting on the "Rathausplatz", it's a square in front of the city hall. You just chill with your friends and cold drinks from Pow Wow and sometimes there's a stage with local bands or dancegroups or other special events. In winter there is the "Augsburger Christkindls Markt". My favourite café is Henrys. It's usually crowded and especially in autum it's difficult to get a table, because it is too cold or rainy to sit outside then. It is also a bit expensive, but the coffee & food is excellent and it has a nice flair. Another coffeehouse and also a good place to eat breakfast is "aran". Aran means bread in a different language and the name is up to the range. They offer slices with various spreads, sweet and savory. The location is special, because the café is placed in an huge, historic hall with high walls and a big, wooden table in the middle. But because of the dimension it is often noisy there. Who looks for a calmer place should go to the Baguette Company on "Moritzplatz". Upstairs they have some nice seats. If you want to go to a typical cafe of Augsburg "Dichtl" is the best. They have a offer of a variety of cakes. My favourite restaurants are Vapiano (an Italian chain with various noodles and delicious desserts), Anna (it is conveniently located in the main shopping street but in a quiet and usually sunny backyard) and the "Milchbar" on the marketplace (they have soo delicious milkproducts like rice pudding, yeast dumpling and "Kaiserschmarrn"). For brunching "Thalia" is the best place. It's an old, beautiful theater and every sunday they have a great buffet in a large, bright room next to it where you can eat everything from sweet pancakes to eggs with bacon. Thereafter you can watch a movie for little money.
The best places for shopping are downtown or for rainy days, the City Gallery where you have all popular chains side by side. Famous buildings are the "Perlachturm", it's a tower next to the city hall from which you have a great view over Augsburg, the Golden Hall in the city hall and, of course, the "Augsburger Puppenkiste" the only place in the world where you can watch a show of the puppets on strings. I was there often as a child with my grandma, but not anymore since then. That's it so far about my hometown.
Panoramic view from the Perlachturm on the Rathausplatz
Augsburger Christmast Market
The Golden Hall in the city hall
Augsburger Puppenkiste
The best places for shopping are downtown or for rainy days, the City Gallery where you have all popular chains side by side. Famous buildings are the "Perlachturm", it's a tower next to the city hall from which you have a great view over Augsburg, the Golden Hall in the city hall and, of course, the "Augsburger Puppenkiste" the only place in the world where you can watch a show of the puppets on strings. I was there often as a child with my grandma, but not anymore since then. That's it so far about my hometown.
Panoramic view from the Perlachturm on the Rathausplatz
Augsburger Christmast Market
The Golden Hall in the city hall
Augsburger Puppenkiste
Freitag, 30. September 2011
ME: The Definitive Characteristic Of Humanity
What differs us from other creatures? That's a good question, but not easy to answer.
I would say that the definitive characteristic of humanity is that we are led by our emotions.
Everything we do is because of a feeling.
Of course also other creatures like animals have feelings. They feel pain if they are injured and feel hungry when they have nothing to eat. But they aren't led by their feelings, they are led by their instincts.
We make decisions by our feelings. For example has someone planned to study in his hometown, but now he suddenly realizes that he would like to see the world and concludes thereupon to work and travel one year in Australia first.
Other creatures, I'm comparing with animals, because they are most similar to humans, would never do this. They act - like I already said- on their instincts. They eat when they are hungry, sleep when they are tired and they are looking for a shelter when it's getting cold and they make a hibernating or move to the south. Not because they're got the travel bug, but to survive.
For the human from my example would it be more convenient to stay in his hometown, he has enough to eat, his family and a roof over his head. And nevertheless he goes away, because he craves for something new.
We humans dream and plan. We let us guide by our feelings and do things against all rationality and without any pretended sense only because of a feeling.
A picture can bring us to tears and a sunbeam to sing.
We don't live, like animals, only in the present, even if we would like to do it like "Live the moment". We always think of what was and what will be.
When we live in a rainy, grey town just the thought of a sunset at Pacific can make us happy.
When the human can't have something he imagines it or draws it and can also be satisfied with it.
At one morning we stand up and feeld bad and then we have a bad day and nothing works out the way it should. At the next morning we wake up and we are in a good mood and at once everything everything works. Because we are dependent on our emotions, they are a part of us and they are this what distinguishes us from other creatures.
Through our emotions we are capable of incredible things. Of hate, jealousy or revenge one human is able to kill another and at the same time he can love a human so much that we give him (or her) everything.
Our feelings let us do wonderful but also cruel things. Often because of the feelings to another human, or else the pursuit of power and wealth. We know that we have enough to live in comfort and nevertheless says our feeling that we could have more. And some people want this and enforce it.
When animals have a hideout, that is big enough for them, they would never come to the idea to draw on a second or third one.
But unlike animals, that are addicted to their instincts, do we have rationality. We can, based on our knowledge and our experience, picture the effects of an action and decide against it.
But we can use this also in a negative way, if we for example, have hunger we can abort it, because we have the feeling that we are too thick. Or we have the need to sleep, but we can resist the fatigue, because we want to party. This can go so far that a human dies. But that are extreme situations, naturally our emotions lead us the right way, 'cause the human is a life form, he wants to live and have a nice life. What that means depends on each individual human.
A piece of chocolate can make us happy, the smile of a friend gives us courage and a song makes us dance.
Another wonderful character of the human is the feeling of hope. We can go way for miles and miles, because we believe in something/someone bigger ans because of that we feel better, because we're hoping.
Even in desperate situations we can keep alive 'cause the feeling of hope don't let us give in.
Even if there's nothing, precisely nothing, the human can carry on, because there's a light in us, hope, and it leads us.
Dreaming, planning, hoping. That are the wonderful characters of humans.
All our thoughts and actions are led by our emotions. That's what I think is the definitive character of humanity.
I would say that the definitive characteristic of humanity is that we are led by our emotions.
Everything we do is because of a feeling.
Of course also other creatures like animals have feelings. They feel pain if they are injured and feel hungry when they have nothing to eat. But they aren't led by their feelings, they are led by their instincts.
We make decisions by our feelings. For example has someone planned to study in his hometown, but now he suddenly realizes that he would like to see the world and concludes thereupon to work and travel one year in Australia first.
Other creatures, I'm comparing with animals, because they are most similar to humans, would never do this. They act - like I already said- on their instincts. They eat when they are hungry, sleep when they are tired and they are looking for a shelter when it's getting cold and they make a hibernating or move to the south. Not because they're got the travel bug, but to survive.
For the human from my example would it be more convenient to stay in his hometown, he has enough to eat, his family and a roof over his head. And nevertheless he goes away, because he craves for something new.
We humans dream and plan. We let us guide by our feelings and do things against all rationality and without any pretended sense only because of a feeling.
A picture can bring us to tears and a sunbeam to sing.
We don't live, like animals, only in the present, even if we would like to do it like "Live the moment". We always think of what was and what will be.
When we live in a rainy, grey town just the thought of a sunset at Pacific can make us happy.
When the human can't have something he imagines it or draws it and can also be satisfied with it.
At one morning we stand up and feeld bad and then we have a bad day and nothing works out the way it should. At the next morning we wake up and we are in a good mood and at once everything everything works. Because we are dependent on our emotions, they are a part of us and they are this what distinguishes us from other creatures.
Through our emotions we are capable of incredible things. Of hate, jealousy or revenge one human is able to kill another and at the same time he can love a human so much that we give him (or her) everything.
Our feelings let us do wonderful but also cruel things. Often because of the feelings to another human, or else the pursuit of power and wealth. We know that we have enough to live in comfort and nevertheless says our feeling that we could have more. And some people want this and enforce it.
When animals have a hideout, that is big enough for them, they would never come to the idea to draw on a second or third one.
But unlike animals, that are addicted to their instincts, do we have rationality. We can, based on our knowledge and our experience, picture the effects of an action and decide against it.
But we can use this also in a negative way, if we for example, have hunger we can abort it, because we have the feeling that we are too thick. Or we have the need to sleep, but we can resist the fatigue, because we want to party. This can go so far that a human dies. But that are extreme situations, naturally our emotions lead us the right way, 'cause the human is a life form, he wants to live and have a nice life. What that means depends on each individual human.
A piece of chocolate can make us happy, the smile of a friend gives us courage and a song makes us dance.
Another wonderful character of the human is the feeling of hope. We can go way for miles and miles, because we believe in something/someone bigger ans because of that we feel better, because we're hoping.
Even in desperate situations we can keep alive 'cause the feeling of hope don't let us give in.
Even if there's nothing, precisely nothing, the human can carry on, because there's a light in us, hope, and it leads us.
Dreaming, planning, hoping. That are the wonderful characters of humans.
All our thoughts and actions are led by our emotions. That's what I think is the definitive character of humanity.
Donnerstag, 22. September 2011
RE: USA - Germany
"When people always ask me, what the biggest difference between the US and Luxembourg is, it's always hard to answer because there are so many differences. Food, laws, school, weather, attitude of the people and much more are different from the things in California."
Claire
I know I already wrote about this theme in my introduction but there are so many differences between Germany and the US, just like Claire said. Probably I should write California - Germany, because I haven't been anywhere else in the US yet... Anyway, in my last post I wrote about the schools so I'll continue with food. Firstly, in the US everything is bigger, like Claire wrote too, e.g. the smallest coffeecup here is "tall", in Germany however "tall" is the biggest one. Or scoops of ice cream, pizzas... (a whole pizza in Germany costs as much as one slice here , but it has a different consistency, it's thinner and not with so much fat.) Generally there's not so much fast food in Germany. What I really miss here is a bakery with fresh wholewheat bread, buns, pretzels, croissants... But instead we have not as many Starbucks as here. In Augsburg we haven't a single one. Free water in restaurants is also unusual, you sometimes get it for free with a cup of coffee, but only in noble cafes.
Like the food it's also with cars: the smallest one here is one of the biggest in Germany. A funny thing is that my dad said in Germany how wasteful the Americans are, because they drive with open windows and turned on air conditioning and now he's doing the same. :) That isn't good of course, but it's always getting pretty hot in the car...
The weather is very different too, it's not as hot and sunny as here and we have much more rain. Oh and we have snow!
Like Claire said, the attitude of the people here is very different than of Germans. Not all, of course, but in general. In California everyone is so relaxed and open-minded. Like, when I went to a cafe with my family and we spoke German to each other, they said "Where are you guys from?" and after we told them "Welcome to the United States". Also on my first day of school here, everyone was so friendly, helpful and interested. And first of all you notice it in sports: When somebody almost score a goal they say "Good job" here, but in Germany you often hear a "Boo". I hope I can change my attitude here and come back to Germany with a more positive thinking!
Claire
I know I already wrote about this theme in my introduction but there are so many differences between Germany and the US, just like Claire said. Probably I should write California - Germany, because I haven't been anywhere else in the US yet... Anyway, in my last post I wrote about the schools so I'll continue with food. Firstly, in the US everything is bigger, like Claire wrote too, e.g. the smallest coffeecup here is "tall", in Germany however "tall" is the biggest one. Or scoops of ice cream, pizzas... (a whole pizza in Germany costs as much as one slice here , but it has a different consistency, it's thinner and not with so much fat.) Generally there's not so much fast food in Germany. What I really miss here is a bakery with fresh wholewheat bread, buns, pretzels, croissants... But instead we have not as many Starbucks as here. In Augsburg we haven't a single one. Free water in restaurants is also unusual, you sometimes get it for free with a cup of coffee, but only in noble cafes.
Like the food it's also with cars: the smallest one here is one of the biggest in Germany. A funny thing is that my dad said in Germany how wasteful the Americans are, because they drive with open windows and turned on air conditioning and now he's doing the same. :) That isn't good of course, but it's always getting pretty hot in the car...
The weather is very different too, it's not as hot and sunny as here and we have much more rain. Oh and we have snow!
Like Claire said, the attitude of the people here is very different than of Germans. Not all, of course, but in general. In California everyone is so relaxed and open-minded. Like, when I went to a cafe with my family and we spoke German to each other, they said "Where are you guys from?" and after we told them "Welcome to the United States". Also on my first day of school here, everyone was so friendly, helpful and interested. And first of all you notice it in sports: When somebody almost score a goal they say "Good job" here, but in Germany you often hear a "Boo". I hope I can change my attitude here and come back to Germany with a more positive thinking!
CE: Google+ vs Facebook
Goole+ contra facebook, the big fight in the cyber world. I don't really care about this, but I use google a lot and the last time I opened it, there was a link for Google+, the new social network offered by google. When I'm on the internet I have always an open side from google, mostly google translator, google reader & blogger and also my homepage is google.de. But I'm not a member of Google+ and I think I won't be. Actually I'm against social networks, because I think who you are there, that's not the real you and people sometimes seem so different when you just look at their pages. But now that I'm far away from all my friends in Germany I'm glad to be on facebook, because otherwise I wouldn't be able to stay in contact with them. I also use skype, of course, but cause of the time difference I'm able to skype with them only weekends. In the video it says that Google+ offers a video call for up to ten people for free, but I'm not sure if it really works that well... well I think I won't use Google+, but I said the same about facebook and now I have it, so... But I prefer writing letters and postcards even if it takes more time, because it's more personal.
Dienstag, 20. September 2011
BC: In The Dark
I am alone. Alone in the dark, in a closed room with no key to open the door. I am scared, I feel like someone's compressing my throat and I can hardly breath. I am on the verge of screaming, but I can't. The fear holds me off. What if there's someone in the room, hiding behind a shelf with a knife in his hand, only a few foot away from me? A cold shower's running over my back. No one's in the house, who could hear me. I am all alone in the cellar. Wasn't there a noise? I'm not able to move. Stop! Stop thinking such a crap, you're alone in this room and it's dark, but that's no problem. You just have to find the key that you've dropped when you wind up in the spider's web. The spider. What if it's right in front of me? I feel like running but I am petrified. Calm down.
It all started with an empty bag of chips. I was watching TV, when I noticed that the the bag of chips was empty and because I was hungry, I stood up to go to the pantry. I grabbed the key and went to the basement. While I was unlocking the door, I heard the voices on the TV. I turned on the light and went inside. The door slammed. Our pantry is pretty big with lots of shelves that are full of stuff, so it took me a while to find the right shelf. Exactly in this moment when I saw the chips at the top of the shelf the light went out. It was pitch-dark and silent. No more noise from the TV. After I had recognized that it was a blackout I ran scared and hurried up to get to the door. I felt my way from one shelf to the next when I suddenly grabbed into a spider's web. I screamed, dropped the key and jumped back into a shelf. All things fell out. I heard a glass bursting and something hit my foot. I jumped back again and slipped. Aww, my foot. I touched my ankle and felt something liquid, clammy... eek, what was that? It smelled like... tomatosoup. I made a step forward.
And that's where I am now. Okay, where's the key? I touch the shelf beside me. Is this the shelf with the chips? Damn, why did I jumped back? Stop. The shelf with the chips was the... third one by the door. So let's go to the door and from there back to the third shelf. But wait. The key felt when I grabbed into the spider's web and that was... Gosh, I'll never find the key! If I had at least a flashlight. Come on! I make another step forward. My foot knocks against something. I bend down and touch the object... it feels cold and metallic... but it's too big for a key. A can opener! I stuck it in my pocket, maybe I'll need it later. I make two steps forward and stumble over a round thing. I fall to the ground. Aww, my ankle, again! I sample the floor around me. Nothing except cold, hard stone. But wait. My fingers hit against something metallic, scraggly - the key! It takes a load off my mind. With new energy I stand up and make my way through the room. The end of the shelf, space, next shelf, space... wall! I sample the wall and come across another one. I'm in a corner. Behind me is the last shelf so I have to go to the right. One step, two steps, three.. I touch wood. The door! Now I need the keyhole. There's the door latch so the keyhole has to be under it. There it is! I breathe deeply. Yeah, I found it! I put the key into the lock and - suddenly the light comes on. For a short moment I am dazzled but then I realize what happened. The light's on! I look around. I've made a mess! Boxes, open bags, a broken glas and tomatosoup were scattered all over the floor. Let's get out of here! I turn the key and open the door. Surprise! In front of me stands my mother. That's too much. I fling my arms around my mother's neck and start to cry.
It all started with an empty bag of chips. I was watching TV, when I noticed that the the bag of chips was empty and because I was hungry, I stood up to go to the pantry. I grabbed the key and went to the basement. While I was unlocking the door, I heard the voices on the TV. I turned on the light and went inside. The door slammed. Our pantry is pretty big with lots of shelves that are full of stuff, so it took me a while to find the right shelf. Exactly in this moment when I saw the chips at the top of the shelf the light went out. It was pitch-dark and silent. No more noise from the TV. After I had recognized that it was a blackout I ran scared and hurried up to get to the door. I felt my way from one shelf to the next when I suddenly grabbed into a spider's web. I screamed, dropped the key and jumped back into a shelf. All things fell out. I heard a glass bursting and something hit my foot. I jumped back again and slipped. Aww, my foot. I touched my ankle and felt something liquid, clammy... eek, what was that? It smelled like... tomatosoup. I made a step forward.
And that's where I am now. Okay, where's the key? I touch the shelf beside me. Is this the shelf with the chips? Damn, why did I jumped back? Stop. The shelf with the chips was the... third one by the door. So let's go to the door and from there back to the third shelf. But wait. The key felt when I grabbed into the spider's web and that was... Gosh, I'll never find the key! If I had at least a flashlight. Come on! I make another step forward. My foot knocks against something. I bend down and touch the object... it feels cold and metallic... but it's too big for a key. A can opener! I stuck it in my pocket, maybe I'll need it later. I make two steps forward and stumble over a round thing. I fall to the ground. Aww, my ankle, again! I sample the floor around me. Nothing except cold, hard stone. But wait. My fingers hit against something metallic, scraggly - the key! It takes a load off my mind. With new energy I stand up and make my way through the room. The end of the shelf, space, next shelf, space... wall! I sample the wall and come across another one. I'm in a corner. Behind me is the last shelf so I have to go to the right. One step, two steps, three.. I touch wood. The door! Now I need the keyhole. There's the door latch so the keyhole has to be under it. There it is! I breathe deeply. Yeah, I found it! I put the key into the lock and - suddenly the light comes on. For a short moment I am dazzled but then I realize what happened. The light's on! I look around. I've made a mess! Boxes, open bags, a broken glas and tomatosoup were scattered all over the floor. Let's get out of here! I turn the key and open the door. Surprise! In front of me stands my mother. That's too much. I fling my arms around my mother's neck and start to cry.
Samstag, 17. September 2011
FREE: Germany
I'll tell you something about my home country, because I think that most of you don't know so much about it.
The capital is Berlin, but honestly I've never been there. Going there is one of the first things I'll do when I'm back in Germany. Probably the most popular city is Munich and because I live in Augsburg (what's about half an hour away) I'm there almost every weekend. At the moment there's the "Oktoberfest", also known as the "Wiesn". All women wear a "Dirndl" and the men "Lederhosen", the typically Bavarian costume. The main activity is drinking original German beer. :) Beside the Oktoberfest, the "Nürnberger/ Augsburger Christkindlsmarkt" is also very popular. He takes place from the 21. november to the 24. december. It's a big Christmas market and it's known for its German "Bratwürste" and "Glühwein" and of course the "Nürnberger Lebkuchen". Another typical German dish is "Spätzle mit Soß". Hamburg and Cologne are also familiar cities. I love Hamburg, because it's the most beautiful port city in Germany and there's the only "Urban Outfitters" and many other great shops. :) Blankenese is a pretty residential area. I also like my hometown Augsburg of course. There is still much more to say about Germany, maybe in my next free post. :)
The capital is Berlin, but honestly I've never been there. Going there is one of the first things I'll do when I'm back in Germany. Probably the most popular city is Munich and because I live in Augsburg (what's about half an hour away) I'm there almost every weekend. At the moment there's the "Oktoberfest", also known as the "Wiesn". All women wear a "Dirndl" and the men "Lederhosen", the typically Bavarian costume. The main activity is drinking original German beer. :) Beside the Oktoberfest, the "Nürnberger/ Augsburger Christkindlsmarkt" is also very popular. He takes place from the 21. november to the 24. december. It's a big Christmas market and it's known for its German "Bratwürste" and "Glühwein" and of course the "Nürnberger Lebkuchen". Another typical German dish is "Spätzle mit Soß". Hamburg and Cologne are also familiar cities. I love Hamburg, because it's the most beautiful port city in Germany and there's the only "Urban Outfitters" and many other great shops. :) Blankenese is a pretty residential area. I also like my hometown Augsburg of course. There is still much more to say about Germany, maybe in my next free post. :)
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