Yearly Archives: 2007

Medienecho zur Demonstration

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Am Tag danach: Hier die Artikel zur [gestrigen Demonstration](/2007/11/06/demonstration-gegen-vorratsdatenspeicherung).

* ZDF: [Heftige Proteste gegen Überwachungspläne](http://www.zdf.de/ZDFheute/inhalt/1/0,3672,7122145,00.html)
* Spiegel: [Tausende protestieren gegen Datenspeicherung](http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/tech/0,1518,515806,00.html)
* Tagesschau: [Tausende protestieren gegen Überwachungspläne](http://www.tagesschau.de/inland/datenschutzdemonstration2.html)
* Yahoo (via AFP): [10.000 Menschen demonstrieren gegen Vorratsdatenspeicherung](http://de.wrs.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0WTTkqEcTFHPLYA7gk4CQx.;_ylu=X3oDMTBjdmNoOTVjBHBvcwMyBHNlYwNzcg–/SIG=13fkljpi2/EXP=1194509060/**http%3a//de.news.yahoo.com/afp/20071106/twl-d-inneres-sicherheit-datenschutz-jus-4bdc673.html) und [Tausende protestieren bundesweit gegen Vorratsdatenspeicherung](http://de.wrs.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0WTTkqEcTFHPLYA8Qk4CQx.;_ylu=X3oDMTBjcXBoZjEwBHBvcwMzBHNlYwNzcg–/SIG=13fr185mm/EXP=1194509060/**http%3a//de.news.yahoo.com/afp/20071106/tts-d-inneres-sicherheit-datenschutz-jus-c1b2fc3.html)
* Yahoo (via AP): [Tausende protestieren gegen schärfere Kommunikationsüberwachung](http://de.wrs.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0WTTkqEcTFHPLYABgo4CQx.;_ylu=X3oDMTBkYTNuNGk0BHBvcwMxMARzZWMDc3I-/SIG=13e3dsmvm/EXP=1194509060/**http%3a//de.news.yahoo.com/ap/20071106/tde-tausende-protestieren-gegen-schrfere-61556ad.html)

Mehr habe ich nicht gefunden. Recht schwach.

Demonstration gegen Vorratsdatenspeicherung

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Ich war heute auf der [Demonstration](http://www.vorratsdatenspeicherung.de/content/view/150/55/lang,de/) gegen die [Vorratsdatenspeicherung](http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vorratsdatenspeicherung) in Frankfurt. Was soll ich sagen – strömender Regen. Ca 650 Teilnehmer (laut Veranstalter, ist sicher aufgerundet kommt aber ungefähr hin). Mäßige Sprecher – Insbesondere der Kerl von der Piratenpartei muss das Sprechen in der Öffentlichkeit noch üben.

Die Teilnehmer schienen meist sehr jung. Das sah ich mit gemischten Gefühlen – zum einen ist es schön, dass es auch noch jugendliche gibt die sich für Politik interessieren. Auf der anderen Seite befürchte ich dass es bei diesen Leuten einfach die jugendliche Rebellenphase ist. Klar, es waren auch einige in meinem Alter oder älter da – aber einfach nicht genug. Ich hätte mir eine insgesamt bessere Teilnahme gewünscht. Aber angesichts des sehr schlechten Termins und des sehr schlechten Wetters ist bei einem für den Normalbürger so unzugängliches Thema wohl nicht mehr zu machen.

Letzlich war auch die Botschaft der Demo leider nicht eindeutig. Es wurde zu sehr das Thema “Krieg” mit hineingemischt; vor allem auch durch einen Neokommunisten am Ende der Veranstaltung. Das ist auch ein wichtiges Thema, passte aber nicht in die Veranstaltung.

Zusammenfassend bin ich froh dass es die Demo gab (Danke an die Orga) und ich bin erst recht froh dass ich hingegangen bin. Ich wäre auch bei der nächsten wieder dabei. Und dass es weitergehen muss dürfte klar sein: Wenn unsere Regierung aufgrund von 30 Kleinst-Demos ihre Meinung ändert fresse ich den metaphorischen Besen.

Halloween Music

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I checked my Music collection for all the Halloween-related music I could find. Here’s the result:

* “The Mummy”, Bob McFaddin
* “Monster Mash”, Dr. Demento
* “Werewolves of London”, Warren Zevon
* “Monster”, The Automatics
* “Witchy Woman”, Eagles
* “Halloween (Live at Luther College)”, Dave Matthews Band
* “Haunted”, Type O Negative
* “Season of the Witch”, Blues Brothers
* “The Witch”, The Rattles
* “Queen of Witches”, Kano
* “The Witch Queen of New Orleans”, Leon Redbone
* “Thriller”, Michael Jackson
* “The Tell-tale Heart”, Alan Parsons Project
* “The Raven”, Alan Parsons Project
* “A Dream Within A Dream (Instrumental)”, Alan Parsons Project
* “The Cask of Amontillado”, Alan Parsons Project
* “Halloween (Live)”, Dave Matthews Band
* “The Ghost Song”, White Ghost Shivers
* “Sympathy for the Devil”, The Rolling Stones
* “Ghostriders in the Sky”, The Blues Brothers
* “Ghostbusters”, Ray Parker Jr.
* “Theme to Ghostbusters 2″, Run DMC

That’s all I have, and I don’t really have any additional ideas. Do you know any other music appropriate for Halloween? Please post in a comment.

Is Halloween too scary?

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This is an article from last year, but I didn’t see it then: The BBC asked whether Halloween was too scary after some dim-witted British preacher suggested that the horror theme of Halloween was “too scary for children and adults”:

The Rt Rev David Gillett, the Bishop of Bolton, says the “more horrific” of masks prove too scary for many children. With the Mothers’ Union – a Christian parenting group – Bishop Gillett is backing a campaign called Halloween Choice to promote the lighter side of the festival.
“The emphasis has become so evil and scary, I’ve spoken to children and adults who find it too scary,” he says.

To be fair, the BBC provides opinions to counter the reverend as well. And if anybody objects the commercialization of Halloween – also criticized in the article – then why don’t they take on Valentine’s Day or Christmas first?

Maybe the good Mr. Gillett should get out of the home more and actually live a little. The scary atmosphere is exactly what’s fun about Halloween. I love Halloween: Especially on years when it is foggy. Nothing better to watch some scary old movies with a bowl of orange and brown M&Ms at hand.

What do you think? Is Halloween fun? Too scary? Too commercial? What’s your favorite Halloween activity, or do you never even take notice of it?

More Strikes

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The [last train strike](/2007/10/05/german-train-company-strike/) was completely ineffectual. I guess even the striking union members noticed this, and they’ve now announced to [strike for four whole days](http://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/0,1518,510342,00.html), probably Thursday, Friday, Monday, and Tuesday. I’m still thinking that their demand of 31% pay raise is the product of a deranged imagination; of course the union boss has now publicly stated that it was never their intention to actually get 31%. (Yes, sir, we all know how bargaining works, thank you.)

I do not like the train company, and I do not like train company employees. It’s very hard to chose sides. I just want [my trains](/2007/10/04/not-a-good-day/) to be on time. No matter what the compromise at the end of this strike, it won’t help achieve that desire.

German Train Company Strike

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The German train drivers are on strike today. The train drivers are asking for their own contract – separate from the rest of the train company employees – and for 31% more salary.

Yesterday, it was almost impossible to get any information, as service lines were busy and the train company’s website was down due to the heavy load. This morning, I checked and it said my subway would be on time. I decided to take a risk and go for it as usual. And lo and behold – it was exactly on time. In fact, it was much more punctual than on regular days.

Assuming that the people on strike are not the incompetent people who are causing delays, I guess this simply shows that the Frankfurt rail system is overloaded – take out some trains and suddenly everything runs smoothly. As far as I am concerned, they could really make this a normal condition.

As for the 31% pay rise demanded by the train drivers… I think those guys are completely nuts.

Not a Good Day

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Today is not starting off well. I hope it will improve.

* My subway had 40 (!) minutes delay because of a “technical defect”
* I bluescreened my windows-based work-notebook by plugging my iPod in
* Someone is drilling in the office next door
* The weather sucks
* And I didn’t get any breakfast

I guess it is just “one of those days”.

I am Mr. Jeppe

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Watashi wa Jeppe-san desu.

And, no, I cannot write that in (any of the) Japanese script yet. But I must admit that I am enjoying my [Japanese lessons](/2007/09/19/first-japanese-lesson/) quite a lot. Yesterday, during the second lesson, our teacher (Kreutzer-sensai, heh) taught us the first actual bits of grammar, using a few sentences. As you probably guessed the first topic is “introductions”. It already feels a little less daunting.

Of course, with next Wednesday being a national holiday and the two weeks afterwards being school holidays, the third lesson will only be in three weeks. I wonder if I will manage to actually learn all the vocabulary we had so far.

Funny tidbits: An “engineer” is “enjiniaa” in Japanese. And Kreutzer-sensai (as she likes to be called) is obviously married to a [Cyberpunk 2020 geek](http://www.arasaka.de/). But for some reason she doesn’t even have her own email address. I shan’t speculate about any of that; it’d be too easy.

First Japanese Lesson

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My first [Japanese](/2007/09/19/japanese/) lesson came and went. I actually like it a lot – it is something completely new, the teacher (Kreutzer-sensei, heh) seems nice enough, and the people who sit around me all are either very quiet, or rather likable. A far cry from the unpleasant folks who were in the Spanish class I took some years ago. A possible exception was the old, balding, guy who looked like he’s had a beer to many in his lifetime, who thought he had to try to pick up a girl twenty years his junior.

But anyway.

I have big problems with the pronunciations, I can’t really remember the words well, and don’t even get me started about [Hiragana](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiragana). I feel like I am in first grade again, knowing nothing at all. I am illiterate all over again. It’s an interesting phenomenon. I felt very much reminded of my trip to Japan way back in 2001.

I’ll be a good student, do my homework and make sure I get lots of practice until next lesson. I am quite motivated to learn Japanese. And if I am motivated and it’s fun, then what could possibly go wrong?