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Something’s rotten in the State of Greece and almost all Governments in Europe

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Greece was never known for it efficiency nor stringent government. Like Italy it was always a bit chaotic country of the EU.

But the Greek political class (left and right) has seriously fucked up the countries financial situation – and now threatens the stability of the EURO zone. They even manipulated their financial data back to join the Euro in the first place.

But Greece is not alone with it monetary dilemma: Spain, Portugal and Ireland have blown their finances as well.

The Maastricht Treaty was supposed to protect the Euro against such blunders, but many countries didn’t follow it’s guidelines – including Germany.

It once again shows that politicians love to spend money and they don’t care about the consequences. All the budget deficits were mostly a result of overspending and stupid national budgets.

We need better and different checks and balances to make run the national budgets.

Politicians can’t control politicians.

Even when civil servants from the Treasury, the media and experts ring the alarm bells they are constantly ignored by the politicians …

orangeguru (03-01 18:08) | 2 Comments | Permalink
Vancouver 2010 – thanks Canada!

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Oh Canada, do you have enough Gold now?

What a nice contrast to the sterile games in China. Although the audience was a bit too patriotic for my taste, they at least showed some passion …

My personal favourites were Snowboard and Freestyle Ski Cross, Short Track and Freestyle Ski Aerials.

I also admired those Lugers and Ski Jumpers – crazy and brave people.

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That’s gotta hurt …

In the overall medal count the USA won (37), followed by Germany (30)and Canada (26).

I am looking forward to London 2012.

orangeguru (03-01 17:22) | 2 Comments | Permalink
And the real Winner of the Financial Meltdown is …

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The global meltdown was basically an financial Coup d’état by the Bankers for the Bankers.

Former and current Goldman-Sachs bigheads made the US Government to give billions of Dollars to those “poor” banks to keep the system running.

It’s amazing that still to this day only a few journalists and politicians “followed the money” and tried to find the real culprits behind the meltdown.

So far all forms of Banking Regulation in the US is pretty weak – and the Banker’s Lobbyists will make sure it stays that way.

By the way, most serious Banking Regulations have been abolished under Ronald Reagan (and later Clinton as well) – so you can thank him for that late gift.

Next bubble please …

orangeguru (02-23 8:00) | No Comments | Permalink
Would you jump?

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Click image for more bravery … or madness …

Every time I watch Ski Jumpers I get goose bumps. I have seen some of their ramps in real life and they are HUGE.

It takes a brave men to do this sport …

orangeguru (02-22 19:06) | No Comments | Permalink
China’s Apparatchik wants us to win Gold

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Last chance for us to win shiny medal …

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This skating wife …

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This skating husband …

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We tell big romance …

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Me watch both to win Gold!

orangeguru (02-15 19:25) | No Comments | Permalink
Are you really Taxed Enough Already?

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Nobody likes paying taxes. Almost all advanced countries charge relatively high corporate and personal income taxes.

Sure, Governments waste money – but taxes are necessary for building our complex modern infrastructures – and also fulfil the many demands of modern citizens as well.

Most countries use dynamic income taxes: lower rates for low income and higher ones for the rich.

According to this site American pay between 15-35% Income Tax – which is hardly the highest rate. Those evil Socialist Swedes pay up to 57% and even the more capitalistic minded Brits pay up to 40%.

Most important: the Americans DON’T have VAT – something almost all other countries have.

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Click image for a closer look.

Even more important: most of the American Taxes are used to pay for so called "Defence" (the biggest and gigantic Pentagon budget). Americans could save a lot of money by shrinking that budget …

Have a look at the graphic above taken from Der Spiegel. It shows you in simple terms that the US has the biggest military budget, even compared to Giants like China and ALL the European Nations combined.

If you want to have a big ass military than don’t complain about high taxes – Stealth Bombers, gazillion of foreign military basis, two wars and the largest nuke arsenal in the world simply cost A LOT OF TAX MONEY.

orangeguru (02-15 17:56) | 7 Comments | Permalink
The Pain of drinking Tea

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Click image for more America!

America’s new grassroots movement – the Tea Party – shows the nations best and worst characteristics at the same time.

It is a good sign of a healthy democracy that "normal" people rally around an issue and start their own political movement. That is a good thing.

It is a bad sign when a political agenda is mostly driven by racism, hate and ignorance – and the money of companies.

Almost all Tea Party members are white, over 40 and Republicans. Not much diversity there. And they also lack answers: so far the Tea Party hasn’t formulated what they stand for – only what they are against. The usual patriotic rubbish like "Freedom" and "lower Taxes" are not political programs – you have to formulate in detail how you want to achieve these things, not just scream and shout against your political opponents!

Political rallies of the Tea Party have been supported by Pharma Companies to oppose the Health Care Reform. And they were also hugely supported by Fox News. That is a bad thing.

It is so ironic that Tea Party Members rally against the Washington Elite and their Lobbyist Masters while they themselves are slaves to the very same system.

orangeguru (02-10 8:42) | 6 Comments | Permalink
Did I mention it’s still fucking Winter outside?

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Click image for a closer look.

I only leave home with a portable heater these days!

orangeguru (02-01 23:02) | No Comments | Permalink
Obama versus Republicans

Political Debate – about 90 minutes

Finally Obama takes the fight to the enemy. It’s amazing how easily Obama deflated the GOP spin machine. But it was also impressive to see such a great Intellect at work.

Could Sarah Palin do the same?

But I wonder if normal Americans even noticed the event or watched it?

And one more thing: it shows that Presidents or Prime Ministers SHOULD DEBATE in Parliament and explain their policies to the opposition. That is real political discourse.

orangeguru (02-01 22:55) | No Comments | Permalink
Catastrophic Reporters, Poverty-Porn and the Feel-Good-Loop

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Sorry Keith I had to abuse you …

The first thing the West always sends in an Emergency to help are reporters. They will mobilize the Public at home. The Public then will pressure the Politicians “to do something” to help these poor people.

The Politicians only really care what happened in some shitty place somewhere because their voters do. The Politicians then pledge to send some help now and loads of money later (which usually never arrives).

Then the Reporters will report back and show nice images about the help coming from the Country they are representing. This makes the Public at home feel good and generous about themselves for being such nice people.

The West loves Poverty Porn: we love watching starving children while having Dinner. We also love the Pop Concerts triggered by Poverty Porn.

orangeguru (01-17 10:25) | No Comments | Permalink
The Noughties: The Decade of Islam and the Middle East

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While the West celebrated in the late 1990’s the End of History and all old evils like religion – the Middle East wasn’t there yet.

Compared to 1999 we know much more about Arabs and Islam … the West has spent almost a decade trying to understand and formulate an answer to bloody terrorism, the emergence of Islam and the growing influence of Arab countries …

Not only 9/11 and terrorism have changed the West’s view on Islam and the Middle East  -  Islam is simply the fastest growing religion world wide and Arab countries are demanding more power in the world as well.

Iran and Saudi Arabia are the winners of this decade in terms of political power and money. Both made huge sums of money from the explosion of oil prices. And both countries used the money to further their influences all over the world.

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Yeah, yeah we get it: Death to all! Bla bla bla …

Saudi Arabia was much quieter, but also funded dubious religious and political groups all over the world. Iran was hard to overlook – all the tantrums and threats were not always unjustified (look here and here). But overall Iran tries way to hard to flex it’s muscles and provoke a confrontation with almost anyone …

In Europe Islam and the so called clash of cultures is causing many problems: the Assassination of Theo van Gogh in 2004, home grown terrorists in Spain (Madrid in 2004) and Britain (London Bombings in 2005). Muslim extremism was not just limited to the Middle East. But there is also a backlash in Europe: the Mohammad Cartoons in Denmark (2005) and the most recent Minaret Ban in Switzerland (2009).

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Europe grants Freedom for Religions as well as Freedom from Religious Oppressions! Got it?

Europe still has a hard time to cope with madness of (any) religion – something it thought it had left behind in the last millennium …

  1. The Middle East is still backwards – but it needs to evolve fast. The detailed UN report about the region from 2002 still is valid and only little has changed: Governance is still bad – most countries are still ruled by tyrants and not popular vote (and even when they vote it’s a sham like in Iran or Afghanistan).
  2. No alternative to Oil: most Arab countries don’t have any serious industries or export articles apart from Oil (and sometimes tourism). Unemployment rates are astronomical and causes unrest in the overall very young population.
  3. Poverty and Inequality: Although the Middle East seems awash with money there is also still terrible poverty in the region. Minorities and women are still treated badly.

Let’s hope the Middle East will transform itself – and let’s also hope that Islam will have a “modern” reformation like Christianity or hopefully looses it’s bloody influence …

orangeguru (12-28 15:14) | No Comments | Permalink
China races ahead with a new high-speed Train

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Click images for more speed.

China recently opened a new speed train connection between Wuhan to Guangzhou – cutting travel time from 10 to 3 hours.

The new trains reach an average speed of 350 km/h – top speed is 397 km/h. Wow!

This is faster than the Japanese Shinkansen (average 243 km/h)  or the French TGV (average 277 km/h).

It is easier for China to built such high-speed-lines – any opposition is swept away and many areas are not as densely populated like Europe.

But Europe as well as the US has foolishly ignored trains as a serious alternative to fuel guzzling air and car travel. There is no wide ranging master plan in Europe to create a high-speed-train-network.

What a shame!

By the way: many European companies helped China to built this high speed train line …

orangeguru (12-28 13:48) | No Comments | Permalink
Merry Christmas everyone – be charitable and happy you lucky bastards!

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No I don’t celebrate "Weihnachten" nor do I care about the religion or consumerism behind it. But I like the Winter Solstice – good to know that the sun is reborn (and not the Son is Born).

But it is a great time to be charitable and reflect on your own fortunes. If you can read this you …

  1. have an education
  2. have a roof over your head
  3. some spare time (you are not working right now)
  4. money to afford electricity
  5. a computer
  6. and broadband

So you are pretty rich compared to billions of other less fortunate fellow humans.

No need to fake humility or consternation – enjoy and celebrate that you are so lucky and that you can indulge so many luxuries of life!

orangeguru (12-24 11:57) | 2 Comments | Permalink
Copenhagen – the Madness and false Hope of the Green Movement

wa_climate_change_Lars Loekke Rasmussen

So it’s over – we are all doomed!

At least when you believe the international outcry over the failure of the Climate Conference in Copenhagen. Especially the Green Movement cried foul especially loud.

Gimme a break!

Anyone who seriously follow international politics knows that it is VERY hard to many countries to agree to a BINDING new international law. It is almost IMPOSSIBLE to get ALL countries to agree to a solution for such a complex problem.

So instead of a lot of public pressure and hysteria some smart diplomacy and solutions should have been produced – especially by the Green Movement.

Instead of one binding law / goal for all there should have been different levels of commitment: stricter ones for rich countries, who can afford to do more – and maybe more generic "gentler" ones for developing and poor nations.

Climate Change won’t be solved by one master plan – as exciting and mind pleasing that idea is. Instead we need to have many solutions and approaches to the problem.

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One more thing: the bashing of the politicians was especially surreal and stupid.

They only acted based on the interested of their countries and economies. So they only reflected the greed and laziness of their people.

Neither Obama nor Wen Jiabao are responsible for the pollution and waste their countries create – it’s the millions of citizens that want to drive cars, eat loads of food and consume the newest goods. Just because the Chinese are not as rich as Americans doesn’t mean they wouldn’t be just as wasteful and greedy.

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We are genetically programmed to want MORE of everything, because only the abundance and security of good supplies guarantees our offspring’s future and perpetuation of our DNA. We are built to deal with "modest" times – but we prefer plentifulness.

Unless consumers are truly willing to consume less or/and smarter, than climate change can be reversed. At the moment we need to reduce consume and invent new  sustainable ways of living. We are not there yet – so only a smarter handling of resources will work.

So Climate Change protest groups should create local groups and "harass" … I mean visit local people and "help" them to live greener.

Don’t ask politicians to "regulate" a greener lifestyle, because any limits set by them will create only sentiments against doing anything to prevent climate change. And politicians won’t pass the chance to "abuse" climate change laws to sneak in their own dirty deals.

orangeguru (12-23 18:36) | No Comments | Permalink
What great feature do the EuroStar and German ICE Trains share?

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They are completely useless in a proper winter. Both highly engineered top products of European Engineering fail in temperatures under –15° Celsius – which is not very rare around here.

Train services in the EuroTunnel as well on German Rail have been disrupted, because these highly expensive trains failed.

What a joke!

orangeguru (12-23 16:28) | 2 Comments | Permalink
Climate Conference in Copenhagen – hand over more money you rich polluting bastards!

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BBC News: Bangladesh seeks 15% of any UN climate fund

It’s not just Bangladesh – many Developing Nations  want some huge amounts of money to "get into climate change".

It is obviously easy to point the finger at the rich polluters like the US and Europe – and ask them to cough up money for change.

But Developing Nations have often been blatantly ignorant about the "Green Message" banging at their doors and growing their own economies in a smart and sustainable way.

Many of these Nations have also received Million and Billions of Dollars and Euros of Foreign Aid – and have squandered them …

And there is the old ugly Elephant of Overpopulation still in the room: especially countries like Bangladesh have failed to curb population growth to a sustainable level.

It might be a cynical thing to point out – but every new mouth to feed makes the problem worse – and this is hardly a problem created by pollution from rich nations.

Sure we "rich people" in the West are too blame for much – but not for everything. And Developing Nations should get smarter and more independent in their own development.

orangeguru (12-09 21:02) | No Comments | Permalink
The Noughties are almost over – a look back at a distressing Decade

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I was born in the 1960’s. My first memories are from the 1970’s: childhood, school, friends and family.

I consider myself a creature from the 1980’s: went into this great decade age 12 and came out as a young whipper snapper. The 1990’s brought us globalization and the so called End of History.

The Millenium started with a global boring and much anticipation – and the first year was a big anticlimax: the future wasn’t so futuristic at all.

2001 was a big wakeup call and reintroduced us to many "old school" problems like religious wars and environmental problems …

In the coming days I want to share my thoughts on what I think was special about the last ten years …

orangeguru (12-09 20:45) | No Comments | Permalink
Let’s get greener and get rid of Christmas

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Christmas is the annual apex of Consumerism all over the world. Countries like China celebrate it like mad just as so called Christian nations.

For many Companies this shopping festival is the most important date – they make 50 or more percent of their sales during these days.

We certainly could cut down on consumerism (and many stupid presents we buy and travels we make during the silly season).

But consumers won’t like a new austerity and so the waste will rage on …

orangeguru (12-07 17:17) | No Comments | Permalink
Going Rogue by being Fake

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Click image for a bigger bus.

Her book – fake – she had a Ghost Writer.

Her Rogue Bus – fake – she uses a private Jet.

Her concern for Alaska – fake – she quit her job.

Her connection to her fans – fake – she leaves them standing in the rain.

orangeguru (12-03 12:55) | No Comments | Permalink
Digestible Saints

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Who do we like to eat saints? Is that a weird leftover from the holy communion or simply greedy consumerism?

orangeguru (11-30 18:45) | No Comments | Permalink
20 Years after the Wall came down in Germany

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I totally ignored the big German Unification party. For me the united Germany is already normality.

I can remember the day we “united” – I was on a plane to London and happy to have left Teutonia and all the hysteria.

I consider the reunification process a great failure – thanks to one man: Helmut Kohl. He suffered like our modern Kaiser Wilhelm the II. from delusions of grandeur.

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Many smart people warned us about the many dangers and difficulties of uniting these totally different countries. Especially the economic stumbling blocks were easy to spot.

But Herr Kohl couldn’t make history fast enough and wasted a lot of money and opportunities to “get it done”. I blame him for many social and economical problems we have now on him.

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Taking the piss out of East-Germans: My first Banana

Today we still pump billions of Euros into the East, while millons of Ossis have fled their side of the fence. Many towns and rural areas in the east are deserted – so deserted that wild animals making a comeback from Hungary.

Those left behind have no jobs and are often badly educated and motivated. So it’s no surprise that east Germans more often vote from Neo-Nazis and Communists than their western brethren.

And I don’t blame these people: they are the toxic leftover of a rushed unification.

Today the west is in need of renovation and additional funding. Many eastern cities have brilliant infrastructure, but hardly any citizens, while western cities are rotting.

This has to change: the west is no longer the “golden west” and the east no longer the “wild east”.

All of Germany has to be treated equally.

PS: I hope that in 20 years time we can celebrate with the good people of Korea their reunification – which will be even more difficult to manage …

PPS: Great thanks for Michael Gorbachev – he really is the man behind the reunification, because he allowed it to happen. No thanks to Ronald Reagan or David Hasselhof!

orangeguru (11-23 21:42) | No Comments | Permalink
Floods in Britain

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Click image for more water.

This years autumn storms are causing once again a lot of devastation and misery. My heart goes out to the wet people in Britain …

orangeguru (11-22 0:10) | No Comments | Permalink
Dear European Politicians is that the best you have to offer?

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We Europeans prefer our politicians weak and not as dashing as the Americans. Oke, Berlusconi is an exception …

But Herman Van Rompuy is a terrible and also fitting manifestation of Europe’s state: old, stiff and without a vision. Just a petty compromise, not a bold direction or force to drive us forward.

He will be a mediator and traffic warden for Brussels.

I don’t like Tony Blair – but at least he stands for something (you can oppose).

Plus our new President is against Turkey joining the EU, which I consider not very visionary.

From Wikipedia:

In 2004, he stated "An enlargement [of the EU] with Turkey is not in any way comparable with previous enlargement waves. Turkey is not Europe and will never be Europe." He continued "But it’s a matter of fact that the universal values which are in force in Europe, and which are also the fundamental values of Christianity, will lose vigour with the entry of a large Islamic country such as Turkey."

orangeguru (11-21 23:56) | No Comments | Permalink
Why are so many people refusing their flu shots?

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I get the flu almost each year and I get it badly. Usually when I get a flu shot I don’t get – or at least not as bad. When I forget the vaccination I am always close to getting hospitalized, because the flu really knocks me down.

Modern Medicine is not perfect, but preferable over NO medicine at all. Vaccinations do help – people should stop their often irrational resistance, because at the end of the day they will run to their doctors and get treatment when it’s already to late …

The flu is virus we will battle for a long time and vaccinations are helping you to fight it BETTER.

UPDATE (after I got some flak):

Let me rephrase my point. The flu – or any – vaccination is "risky" by it’s very definition – it’s an weakened or even live form of the bacteria or virus. This is meant as a training exercise for your bodies anti-immune system to build anti-bodies for that particular bug.

Basically the process is designed to make you "mini-sick", so you can form anti-bodies. (I know that vaccinations are bit more complex than that.)

This is of course "risky" – just as getting the flu is "risky" as well. but doing nothing is also "risky".

The question is: Is a calculated and controlled risk better than facing the chance of the full impact of the flu?

We all do not react the same to a "medicine" and our bodies often contain many chemical (either induced willingly like alcohol, drugs or certain) that can cause unexpected and bad reactions.

But I think that the small risk of a vaccination outweighs the negative risk of side effects or the full impact of the flu.

orangeguru (11-21 23:37) | No Comments | Permalink
Pat Condell on the Islamic declaration of "Human Rights" and he is spot on!

His words are once again painfully true –and complements my recent rant on Europe not defending it’s own values.

orangeguru (10-24 16:14) | No Comments | Permalink
Britain’s White-only-Party Nick Griffin on popular BBC Political Panel Question Time – everybody goes bonkers for the wrong reasons

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There was a big public outrage when the British BNP won two seats in the European Parliament in the last election.

The "good" British Public tried to ignore the "problem", but yesterday the BBC had invited the Parties Leader Nick Griffin on Question Time.

Question Time is a big institution in Britain – it’s a long running public forum, where voters and officials can debate and discuss issues.

Many people were angry at the BBC, because they think the Beep gives the BNP a big stage to spew it’s poison.

Obviously this edition of Question Time turned out to be a one sided bashing affair – Nick Griffin had to take a lot of criticism, mostly he had to eat his own words …

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It is easy to "beat up" that right wing nutter and his whites-only-party.

But the sad reality is that Britain had racial tensions brewing for a long time. The recent population explosion (the biggest in the UK’s history) is mostly down to mostly "brown" immigrants having way more babies than Brits.

There also another factor: since most European societies are also aging rapidly it is becoming more conservative and protective. Suddenly grey Europeans see only "brown" people having babies – and it’s true: the Muslims / Immigrants birth rate is much higher than the "native" European one.

First of all this is a statistic reality. In same city areas there are more brown, than white people. Especially in harsh economic times this aggravates many people. This kind of Xenophobia is pretty normal and happens not just in Britain. Plus the old argument of "why do we allow immigration, when we have such a huge unemployment rate" always adds fuel to the fire.

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Britain – as well as the rest of Europe – hasn’t really faced the reality of a strong and fast growing Muslim part of the population.

Especially Britain has allowed many extreme Muslim activist as well as radical preachers / Imans (often financed by Saudi Arabia) into the country. Often angry Muslims demonstrated violently against British politics. Plus many Muslims call for the introduction of Sharia Law in Britain. The terrorist attacks on London didn’t help either …

There is a Anti-Secular, Anti-Democracy and intolerant movement inside the British Muslim community, which can’t be ignored either. The racism is not strictly a white affair and some Muslims really do believe in conquering Europe via their wombs.

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So this shift in population and basically reintroduction of strong influences of religion into public life and politics. Many people react negative to these new influences, the reactions range from frustration to outright anger. "So many people feel shutout in their own country." (Quote from Nick Griffin)

Britain’s immigration politics has been a failure in many areas. It has allowed more immigrants than the British Public actually could stomach.

So the BNP simply reflects the fringe racists as well as people who are simply angry about the failed immigration policy. So some of their anger and concern are legit.

As much as many leftist often turn a blind eye to religious fundamentalism and Muslim racism – the right also sticks to their ignorant doctrines as well.

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Like I said before: Europe has not really faced it’s identity crises in face of a new religious pressure (which happens to be Islam). Based on the tragic events of racism and genocide during WWII plus the guilt from Colonialism has created a fake openness to other cultures.

It is not just Britain, but almost all European countries haven’t succeeded in integrating immigrants. The beloved idea of a multiethnic society proves harder to form than idealists hoped it would be. But also European politicians and citizens have forgotten to foster and evolve their own culture and historic values. So it’s no surprise that many people feel left alone and even abandoned in face of a new, strong and often aggressive "foreign" culture.

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As a final part of the story one has to mention to new lower class and poverty in Europe that adds to that problem. The economic development in the last twenty years – thanks to the Free Market ideas Margaret Thatcher and constant pandering to big business – has eroded the middle class Europe. Poverty is on the rise and a new lower class has been created when the working class disappeared – thanks to the shift of factories to the east and Asia.

Underprivileged people in poverty are rarely tolerant or willing to share. And their anger of being left behind finds an easy target in foreigners, especially when they have to share public purse for social support with big waves of immigrants – as it happened in Britain in recent years.

So booing Nick Griffin on Question Time is so politically correct, but doesn’t solve the problem of racism nor the real concerns of immigration and poverty.

orangeguru (10-23 7:04) | No Comments | Permalink
Happy 60th Birthday to the biggest Tyranny ever!

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BBC News: China’s 60 years of Communism

A billion fellow humans are under the thumb of totalitarian regime that is brutal and aggressive. The Communists love to parade "their" work for China and how they pushed the country ahead.

All a big lie! The Great Leap Forward killed millions of Chinese. Bad policies and suppression killed some more.

The progress came AFTER China allowed the old enemy Capitalism to take root. It was never Communism that caused progress … 

orangeguru (10-09 16:11) | No Comments | Permalink
The Nobel Peace Prize for Obama – is that a joke or what?

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I like President Obama, but giving him the Nobel Peace prize seems almost cynical. What has he achieved so far?

Giving him the prize will only fuel the American Right Wing Hate Machine (remember when Al Gore got it?).

It’s not Obama’s fault that he got it – the Nobel Prize Committee is to blame big time.

There have been many other great candidates for that prize.

orangeguru (10-09 16:01) | 2 Comments | Permalink
The World’s biggest Creditor and his Debtor

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"Can have a bigger Overdraft please?"

From Wikipedia:

In May 2009, the US owed China $772 billion. In total, lenders from Japan and China held 44% of the foreign-owned debt.

orangeguru (09-29 6:28) | No Comments | Permalink
So Merkel wins her second election, maybe she decides to lead the country this time?

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Oh, it’s meeeeee …

The last German General Election was a bore. Both candidates were as exciting as a medical bill. All parties avoided talking about the serious issues still waiting to be solved. Since the great Fatty (Helmut Kohl) left politics Germany had "Reform Stau" – Health Care, Taxes, Social Services and very important Education need a serious overhaul.

But all recent Governments dragged their feet and made small changes, but nothing that really worked.

Modern Germany has always been a consensus driven society. Our "Soziale Marktwirtschaft" was created as a working compromise between Capitalism and Socialism. This worked pretty well. Germany is one of the World’s leading Industrial Nations, although it’s a small country without serious resources …

Read the rest of this entry »

orangeguru (09-29 6:06) | No Comments | Permalink
The ugly backside if the Oktoberfest

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This is one of the back entrances of a big beer tents at the Oktoberfest. The tent is closed, because it’s overcrowded. No matter if you have travelled half the globe or a local, there is no way in.

In the evenings a lot of drunks will hang out here as well, half-conscious or sleeping – many lying in their own sick.

The Oktoberfest has been transformed into a hardcore costume drinking festival. The traditional "Gemütlichkeit" is all gone.

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Most foreigners are not used to the strong beer in a one litre Steiner – or  Masskrug. During a day in a beer tent people easily drink 3 to 7 litres of beer.

The beer tents are often closed, because they are overcrowded (so good luck finding a nice place for yourself and your friends). Binge drinking (or "Komasaufen" in German) has become a serious problem.

The traditional music in the tents has been supplanted by cheesy disco music and vulgar pop songs in English (to please the tourists). Just because the band wears Lederhosen doesn’t make it "original". By trying to be more international the traditional aspects have been replaced by pseudo culture and are therefore no longer special.

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At the beginning of the Oktoberfest there is a special parade for Trachtengruppen, who often come from all over Europe. Each Trachten / Costume is VERY specific.

The Oktoberfest has become a victim of it’s own propaganda, many people wear fake Dirndls and Lederhosen like they would go to a toga party with too much beer. These are costumes without any relationship to traditional "Trachten", which are very specific for various Bavarian regions and also very expensive.

The so called "Trachtengruppen" – which are often seen on TV and magazine pages as a synonym for the Oktoberfest – only come on the first weekend for a traditional march and opening ceremony. The other days of the Oktoberfest belongs to the fakes in cheap costumes.

oktoberfest_schleifen

Fake Trachten again – the wasteband loop (I don’t know the proper english word for it) indicates if the girl is taken / married or not. If it’s on the left side she is single and on the right means she is married / in a relationship.

I have been on many "Little Oktoberfests" in other countries and they were as "original" as what’s happening in Munich right now. It has become a hardcore beer Mecca for anglo-saxon combat drinkers, a alcohol tsunami which has to be experienced, endured and barfed through.

Not much "Gemütlichkeit" there …

orangeguru (09-23 18:53) | No Comments | Permalink
Colonel Muammar Gaddafi mad rant before the UN’s General Assembly

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BBC News: Gaddafi want a Security Council Reform

Now this is how you say some obvious truths and combine it with great theatrics.

I agree that the UN Security Council is crap: it basically is a relic from WWII, it is neither fair, nor does it reflect the current global power situation. It’s just a a political instrument for the US, Russia, China and the Brits to play their global games. Yes, I know that the French are also part of it, but they don’t really play on a global scale anymore.

But a tyrant asking to reform an international institution is a great act of hypocrisy. He hardly runs his country on a fair and balanced basis …

Update: short video of Gaddafi

orangeguru (09-23 18:24) | 1 Comment | Permalink
Paul Krugman: How Did Economists Get It So Wrong?

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New York Times: How Did Economists Get It So Wrong?

Another excellent essay by Mr Krugman on how his species got it so wrong. It is amazing how much Academics are as much sheep and follow accepted ideas without checking for themselves as "mere mortals”.

It also shows that the idea of "free and self-regulating markets" was too good to be true – and a wet dream for economists. The theory was too perfect NOT to use to explain everything. In that respect economists are like most people: they love simplicity.

I highly recommend reading his article, because he points out many interesting connections and "glitches".

orangeguru (09-18 18:39) | No Comments | Permalink
Overpopulation – another great Debate at the Economist

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Economist.com: Too many people?

The Economist has special debates on it’s websites, which are brilliant! Not the usual flame wars and hate speech you find in normal internet “discussions”.

Their debates run over several days and experts deliver great arguments for both sides.

This debate is highly recommended (but already closed).

orangeguru (09-18 18:12) | No Comments | Permalink
Germany in Afghanistan: OMG we killed someone!

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There has been a big commotion here in Germany about the bombing of two road tanker hijacked by the Taliban and some civilian causalities (who might have helped the Taliban or were simply curious bystanders).

Germany is shitting it’s pants to admit that the beloved “peace mission” is actually a war and that innocent people will be killed.

Especially the great coalition Government of Frau Merkel would love to make everything appear happy and easy. But we have crossed the line a long time ago.

America, Britain, Canada and the Netherlands complained many times before that Germany, France and Italy try to not get their hands dirty. But there is no cozy way to get rid of the Taliban.

War is a terrible thing and rebuilding Afghanistan was obviously hard and bloody to rebuild. Germany needs to commit to that task and not be afraid to call a war religious fanatics a war. They have no problem killing innocent civilians and our soldiers …

orangeguru (09-15 17:11) | No Comments | Permalink
The new Food-Colonialism

BBC News: A storm brews over food, water & power

Europeans, Americans and China are in a new land grab for food security. They all buy huge patches of farmland in Africa and other places to produce for their own people.

Many poor nations sell their produce to rich nations to bolster their finances, while their own population goes hungry. The rich once again take away food from the poor big style.

orangeguru (09-09 9:36) | No Comments | Permalink
The End of the Kennedy Brothers

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The Saga of three great brothers finally ended with Ted Kennedy’s death.  Normally I am not a fan of political dynasties, but the Kennedys were a unique bunch. But I guess that era is now over …

orangeguru (09-09 9:16) | No Comments | Permalink
The Vote in Afghanistan illustrates the West’s old Problem of finding reliable democratic Dictators

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Afghanistan never had a great democratic establishment it was always a tribal country. Whatever political structure there was – was destroyed by the Soviets and than the Taliban.

How can you expect a totally wrecked country to develop all the necessary basics for a "nice" Democracy within a few years?

But Afghanistan also shows the old problem the West has to bring Democracy to fledgling countries. Usually they support a pro-Western establishment or strongman. In Egypt it was Saddat now it’s Mubarak, in Saudi Arabia it’s the Sauds and in Iran it was the Shah …

These figures are usually the "best" the country has to offer at that stage: some strong, willing and connected people to run everything, because there is no established party system or even a basic bureaucracy to run things.

Without basic government services and an enforcement of low there can be no Democracy. And Iraq and Afghanistan shows how hard it is to convince the power players to be nice and adopt Democracy when they can have almost unlimited power instead (like Saddam).

And the common people often share the tribal or religious mindset of their Sheiks or Mullahs. Why share, when we are Gods chosen people?

Democracy is a long process of establishing new ideas and behaviours. It won’t come overnight or in a few years …

orangeguru (09-03 19:03) | No Comments | Permalink
Obama Care and the American psyche

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It is amazing that the US spends the most on – but ranks only 34th in international in health care.

Even more amazing is that so called pro-live and Jesus followers so vehemently fight against universal health care. Sure it’s only a small group – and it has been whipped into madness by corporate interest: first Fox News who needs that crowd and a few sleazy health care firms who see their HUGE profits slipping.

But most of all I am disappointed by so called blue collar Americans – they stay mostly silent. They should protest, roam the streets, disrupt Republican town hall meetings and call their Members of Congress. Instead they silently suffer and don’t fight for their health care. The huge numbers of uninsured people don’t stand up for their own interest. Sad.

But Obama and the Democrats also failed to deliver a smart campaign and show some balls pushing it all through. They haven’t learned anything from the Bush years.

So I am afraid that much potential for "change" will be squandered and thousands will suffer from lack of health care.

orangeguru (09-03 18:47) | 4 Comments | Permalink
There is a small Policemen in every Chinese PC

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Wall Street Journal -  China Squeezes PC Makers

China requires PC makers to put firewalls on their machines to filter certain websites locally. It’s not enough that China constantly blocks many sites like Wikipedia etc. as it suits the tyrannical government – the control will be directly installed on people’s machines.

But I am pretty sure many other governments dreams of equal measures – even here in the so called free west.

orangeguru (07-14 22:47) | No Comments | Permalink



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