Environmentally savvy female entrepreneurs have respectively crowd-funded two new stores in Leipzig that seek to eliminate packaging, and one more is in the works, for a total of four in the city. The post Reudnitz and Leipzig West gain package-free stores appeared first on The Leipzig Glocal.

via Reudnitz and Leipzig West gain package-free stores — The Leipzig Glocal

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It’s time for Americans to stop wasting time complaining and bashing and tackle the issues at hand- Unplugged Version

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Author’s Note: If a person wants another example of how freedom of speech is being altered to the benefit of the select few, here’s one worth chewing- when you write a letter to the editor to a local newspaper, only for the editor to leave out certain (but also very important points) because of the concept of limiting the amount of words per article. Granted limitations are necessary to prevent guest writers from writing novels of work. However, such limitations can result in the meaning of the work being either destroyed or altered, thus putting the author in a position of humiliation, being asked what the point was or what garbage was he writing. An example of this came from a recent letter to the editor from a local newspaper in Minnesota, where the writer went into detail, only for the editor to not only gut it but also alter it, causing confusion, while at the same time, angering the author. The shortened version is here, whereas the uncut version is below. 

 

Having lived away from the US for almost 20 years and settled down in Germany, I usually try and stay out of politics as much as I can. I usually follow the events from my hometown newspaper in Minnesota and for some reason, I happen to reach the letters to the editor section of the newspaper, where people write and bash other people, especially when it comes to politics. Sometimes the letters to the editor I read in my hometown newspaper are absurd and mind-scratching. How we waste our time complaining about people and bashing political parties instead of being a united community is beyond me.
Yet after over a decade absence from writing a letter to the editor, I feel it is time to speak out, asking everyone if they have either looked at themselves in the mirror or have read their writing before having the editor of the Pilot post it online and in print. Because what I have seen in American media is nothing but World Championship Writing (I elect to use Writing instead of Wrestling) where instead of body-slamming, choke-slamming and suplex slamming people, we are seeing people slamming each other in the media. And while our illustrious „President“ indulges in this type of mayhem- after all, he does it everyday with Twitter- this type of turmoil is turning us off every day by the thousands, both in America as well as abroad.
As I write this, I’m reminded of the ice shelves in Greenland and Antarctica breaking up in large chunks, causing sea levels to rise and storms of biblical proportions to ravage even our own backyards. Not a single farmer will be able to plant their crops this year because the fields are either under water or too wet. We’ve set the record for the warmest temperatures for 18 out of the last 20 years, with tens of thousands of unnecessary deaths attributed to heat stroke, cancer and other dangerous ailments. Our oceans are covered in plastic, and marine life is fading faster than what scientists have even expected. Depression and drug use are on the exponential rise. I don’t think I’ll remind you about a friend, classmate or family member you know who died of opiod overdose. I‘ve lost two in five years. And yes, lest we not forget that the US has become a gun republic, where instead of constructive face-to-face conversations about issues we have, we have either social media, the gun or both. Sadly, most of us elect both.
And what do we have in response? The NRA? Hillary’s e-mail scandal? Trump’s collusion with Russia? Elizabeth Warren’s claim of being Pocahontas? Stormy Daniels? Facebook and Privacy? All of this in the newspapers or social media or even both. Again, we unfortunately elect to choose both weapons instead of seeing what’s going on outside our homes and jobs.
My intention is to bash neither the liberal nor the conservative, no matter how extreme we are. I have as many friends and family on the left as they are on the right, both in the States as well as abroad. And I’ve respected the opinions and stances of both, even though I have my own political views (which I will keep private- my choice). What I really ask of you is to just simply knock it off. Quit this garbage! What’s done is done! Water under the bridge! Finito! We should be more concerned with what’s going on around us and what we can do to right the ship and move forward.

The United States has been a leader in advanced science and technology, international
relations and even environmental policies that have been in place since Obama and are still working even as Trump tries to dismantle it and deny what is going on in our world. And while Trump continues to play golf at Mara Lago, twittering and slamming other people regardless of color, gender, religion and even sexual preferences, let’s just simply do our part and show the rest of the country and the world that we are better than this.

It all starts with two of the most important dates that will dictate our future: November 3, 2020 but more importantly, right now. What will you do to make a difference? I hope it’s the right thing that everyone will be happy with.

Thank you.

 

 

As agreed beforehand, the name of the newspaper was left out and some parts altered to protect its identity and prevent any problems on the part of the writer. However, the difference shows really well. 

 

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“My mother comes from a vanished world, a place and a time that no longer exist. I have always thought of her as a visitor stranded here; an emissary from a distant star that burned out long ago.” Anderson Cooper Today, June 17, 2019, Gloria Vanderbilt left this world after 95 years. Extraordinary, determined and […]

via Remembering Gloria Vanderbilt — On The Road Book Club

Genre of the Week: Das Haus am See by Peter Fox

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There have been many books, films and other genres that carry the name Lake House, which is the English translation of the title of this week’s Genre special. One of the well-known ones was The Lake House, a film starring Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reaves that was released in 2006 and focuses on a love affair between two people, two years apart, using the mailbox as the primary means of communication. But even as the film focuses on the love affair and the house that was to be passed down like a torch, another genre bearing the same name has a different meaning.

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Das Haus am See is a song produced by German pop and reggae singer Peter Fox in 2008, two years after the release of the film. The song has no relation to the film nor does it have a similar meaning. It primarily focuses on life in the city and how the lead singer longs for life in the countryside, with a house on a lake, a family and an environment where no one knows his name and he has a sense of peace and serenity. The main idea behind this is a quiet life surrounded by green and water, where life can be more diverse and adventuresome than in a city where everyone knows you and you know the neighborhood you are living in.

The setting of the song, also seen in the youtube clip is Berlin, the same place where Mr. Fox was born and raised and still lives in the suburb of Kreuzberg to this day. The song features a diverse set of strings, brass and background choral music, mixing the two music types together that Mr. Fox has gotten accustomed to in his 20+ year career in the music business. And while the music presents a subdued environment which doesn’t require heavy metal or dance pop (the latter, together with techno, is one of Germany’s key signatures), it does take a person back to the house on the lake, enjoying the great times with friends and loved ones. This was one of the key items that this song takes me back to- my time growing up at a house on a lake in Minnesota, with a golf course across the street from there.

Many of you have these memories of your times growing up there, while others long for that life. In either case, this song is for you and should give you an incentive to find that peace you are longing for. Enjoy!

Video:

 

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By the way, the lyrics are below, all in German but one can make a good translation exercise out of it.  🙂

Hier bin ich gebor’n und laufe durch die Straßen
Kenn’ die Gesichter, jedes Haus und jeden Laden.
Ich muss mal weg, kenn jede Taube hier beim Namen.
Daumen raus, ich warte auf ‘ne schicke Frau mit schnellem Wagen.
Die Sonne blendet, alles fliegt vorbei.
Und die Welt hinter mir wird langsam klein.
Doch die Welt vor mir ist für mich gemacht!
Ich weiß, sie wartet und ich hol sie ab!
Ich hab den Tag auf meiner Seite, ich hab Rückenwind!
Ein Frauenchor am Straßenrand, der für mich singt!
Ich lehne mich zurück und guck ins tiefe Blau
schließ’ die Augen und lauf einfach geradeaus.
Und am Ende der Straße steht ein Haus am See.
Orangenbaumblätter liegen auf dem Weg.
Ich hab 20 Kinder, meine Frau ist schön.
Alle komm’n vorbei, ich brauch nie rauszugehen.
Ich suche neues Land mit unbekannten Straßen
Fremde Gesichter und keiner kennt mein’n Namen!
Alles gewinnen beim Spiel mit gezinkten Karten.
Alles verlieren, Gott hat einen harten linken Haken.

Ich grabe Schätze aus im Schnee und Sand
Und Frauen rauben mir jeden Verstand!
Doch irgendwann werd ich vom Glück verfolgt
Und komm zurück mit beiden Taschen voll Gold.
Ich lad’ die alten Vögel und Verwandten ein.
Und alle fang’n vor Freude an zu wein’n.
Wir grillen, die Mamas kochen und wir saufen Schnaps.
Und feiern eine Woche jede Nacht.
Und der Mond scheint hell auf mein Haus am See.
Orangenbaumblätter liegen auf dem Weg.
Ich hab 20 Kinder, meine Frau ist schön.
Alle komm’n vorbei, ich brauch nie rauszugehen.
Und am Ende der Straße steht ein Haus am See.
Orangen-braune Blätter liegen auf dem Weg.
Ich hab 20 Kinder, meine Frau ist schön.
Alle komm’n vorbei, ich brauch nie rauszugehen.
Hier bin ich gebor’n, hier werd ich begraben.
Hab taube Ohr’n, ‘nen weißen Bart und sitz im Garten.
Meine 100 Enkel spielen Cricket auf’m Rasen.
Wenn ich so daran denke, kann ich’s eigentlich kaum erwarten.

 

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Genre of the Week: ‘Reasons To Stay Alive’ by Matt Haig

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This excerpt alone should be the incentive to read the book on how to survive the World without going insane. There have been many issues facing us in the past decade. In the last two years alone, the number of problems affecting us has increased exponentially. Yet before considering radical measures that could potentially backfire, one should take a look around us from an objective point of view, even from others, like this author did. Once that is done, we can take the measures needed to change the things we need to change in our world. Every little thing we do will have a huge impact on how we live, both long and short term.

A little food for thought while you order this book via Amazon or even pick it up at the library. 🙂

 

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