Observing German(s)...

The end of an era or something?

clarsonimus — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:28:23 +0000

Not really. But no sidebar or comment control and no trouble ticket response from human administrators here anymore (I get tired of talking to machines, don’t you?).

So please feel free to link up with me over at Observing Hermann. Maybe leave a comment there to let me know. The chances are in your favor that I will then link up to you.

Peace or something.

Berlin fans disappointed with Britney or something*

clarsonimus — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 08:34:43 +0000

In her only show to be held in Germany this year, Britney Spears fans in Berlin were less than impressed with her failure to ever actually get around to singing anything here last night (everything was lip-synced).

But one understanding fan defended her by noting that at least they got to see a whole lot more of her than usual. This was quickly followed up by another less understanding fan saying pretty much the same thing, only he ended up by calling her “Dickney” (dick means fat in German). You can’t please all of the people all of the time you know.

„TICKETS KOSTETEN 61 BIS 249 EURO – DAS HABEN DIE FANS NICHT VERDIENT!“

* This was written a week ago, can’t seem to post anything here at the moment. Oder doch?

PS: Stop by and see me at Observing Hermann sometime or something.

Kerstin K.

clarsonimus — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 07:52:00 +0000

Beautiful German of the week – or of the month this time?

Because somebody has to admire them.

PS: I’m taking my sabbatical year now, for a few weeks. It’s time for a Schaffenspause (creative break). And no, it has nothing at all to do with those last few posts of mine. Enfach so. See you soon or something.

Kommentare auf Deutsch? Logisch.

Don’t even joke about it

clarsonimus — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:36:39 +0000

Not about nuclear power, here in Germany I mean. Two kids playing “nuclear power plant” put one of those radioactive sign things on their stuff on the sidewalk and then went inside to have some lunch.

Alarmed passers-by (and they are very easy to alarm here) immediately called the cops and the fire department and who the hell knows else and everybody came hurrying by with sirens blasting ready to evacuate half the town and, well, the kids got in trouble.

„Die Sechsjährigen hatten sich nach Polizeiangaben einen “Atommeiler” aus einem Computergehäuse gebastelt und auf dessen Seitenteil ein Schild geklebt, das vor Radioaktivität warnt.“

Kommentare auf Deutsch? Logisch.

Strange thing happened on the autobahn the other day…

clarsonimus — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:00:30 +0000

Unglaubliches Video von der Autobahn!! from Kristoffe Kahn on Vimeo.

Entrepreneur?

clarsonimus — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 07:30:44 +0000

Sure. Not here in Germany. In comparison to the rest of the world, Germans are particularly shy when it comes to opening their own businesses.

One international analysis indicates that only 1.4 percent of Germans are currently considering founding their own company. Some 2.4 percent actually did so sometime during the past three years. Of the 18 countries analyzed, only Belgium did worse.

„Damit belegt Deutschland laut IAB innerhalb von 18 vergleichbar entwickelten Ländern den vorletzten Platz. Besonders viele Firmengründer gebe es demnach in den USA, Schlusslicht sei Belgien.“

Kommentare auf Deutsch? Selbstverständlich.

Pretty in pink?

clarsonimus — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:15:31 +0000

Borat was in Berlin yesterday, sort of.

“It’s hard to see what part of the German nationality Baron Cohen was attempting to illustrate, unless it was nudism.”

Kommentare auf Deutsch? Logisch.

Get your weapons here!

clarsonimus — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 08:21:53 +0000

Germans and their weapons issues. On the hand, it’s time to attempt a ban on evil American-style violent shoot em’ up computer games, yet again.

On the other hand, it’s perfectly alright to sell tens of thousands of police service revolvers that are no longer needed. Hey, money doesn’t stink you know. And it’s good for the cash-strapped government and all that.

Hmmm. White German man speak with forked tongue.

“Einerseits setzten sich Politiker für eine Verschärfung des Waffenrechts ein, andererseits überschwemmten sie den legalen Waffenmarkt.”

Kommentare auf Deutsch? Selbstverständlich.

Jana P.

clarsonimus — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:34:52 +0000

Beautiful German of the week.

Because somebody has to admire them.

Kommentare auf Deutsch? Logisch.

German language cool language

clarsonimus — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:54:59 +0000

Or at least that’s what most Germans think, if you ask them, in German.

The latest survey says that 87% feel good about the German language, 47% even love the awful thing (just kidding, that was Mark Twain). They’re not too crazy about all the English or Genglish creeping into it, however, nor do they care much for all this modern and far too short, text message-like speak everybody is twittering around with these days.

Nor do they care for the so-called Saxon (eastern German) dialect. Some 30% of Germans asked say they don’t care to hear it all, but this could be more political than anything else. Which is reason enough, I suppose.

“Wir hatten wirklich nicht mit so positiven Gefühlen gerechnet.”

Kommentare auf Deutsch? Klar doch.