Camping with Berlusconi

The controversial statements of the head of the Italian governement Silvio Berlusconi resound throughout the land over and over.

First he compared the victims of an earthquake in the ‘Abruzzen’ with vacationers on a camping trip and one month ago he made a huge gaffe again: talking about the refugees coming from Lybien to Italy he said that he didn’t want to be malicious, but the camps in which they wait for the handling of their asylum requests are similar to Konzentrationslager.

Anyway. Most Italians still admire him. He must partake of something that cast a spell over people. What could that be? He emanates his power and might, maybe that’s already enough.

What do you think of this guy? Would you like to go on a camping trip with him?

Soyalization

A few days ago I read an interesting article about tofu. You know, the food which taste nobody is able to describe – Because it has none. “It is being made by coagulating soy milk, and then pressing the resulting curds into blocks. The production of tofu from soy milk is similar to the production of cheese from milk.”

But I don’t really want to talk about wether or not tofu is great.

There’s another part in that article which I think is a pretty good observation:

“Fleischlose Ersatznahrung auf Sojabasis ist ein Trend [...]. Doch können die Probleme, die unsere Ernährung schafft, durch Verzicht und Vegetarismus gelöst werden? Bekanntlich zerstört der Sojaanbau etwa in Südamerika die Umwelt und forciert die Armut.”

That might probably be true and a good statement, but that’s not the point.  “Ersatznahrung” (compensation food) is the term that catched my attention. Why do we produce, for example, tofu sausages? It looks like a real one out of meat, it’s flavoured similar to the meat version, but it is not the very same. Equally “Bratlinge, Schnitzel, Burger”. Makes no sense when you think about it – I don’t want to eat meat, so give me something that looks and tastes the same? I’ve thought about this before – also non-alcoholic beer or decaffeinated coffee - and actually the answer to the “why” is quite simple:

socialization,

a word which (german – clearer in this case) description emphasizes my point:

“Die Sozialisation ist die Anpassung an gesellschaftliche Denk- und Gefühlsmuster durch Internalisation (Verinnerlichung) von Normen.”

Regarding Tofu this means:

“Wer sich beim Grillabend mit Freunden eine Tofuwurst grillt, kann weiter am sozialen Leben der fleischessenden Mehrheit teilhaben.”

Pro

I don’t want to say that it’s a bad thing. It’s just plain stupid. If you don’t want to eat meat – cool, but don’t be ashamed and don’t try to hide it. For your next barbecue, bring a huge block of tofu, so everyone can see that you’re serious about it.

Contra

I don’t think that this a problem – myself, I don’t eat meat but of course tofu-sausages, and that’s just because it’s tasty! If you vote for “Trash” this time, write a comment about your opinion! I’d really like to launch a diskussion about that subject.

ILY, tofu!

Wir sind stolze Tokio-Hotel Fans!

On the platform youtube, there are a lot of people who talk about their personal issues and needs. Maybe they aspire recognition or admiration by their self-display but mostly it’s just simply embarrassing when people cry, dispute or strip for the general public. Watch this video by a German Tokio-Hotel fan, and tell me if you think this kind of expressing oneself is awkward trash or just up to date.

hih

Mein Dorf

You all know the song “Mein Block” by the controversial musician Sido “super-intelligentes Drogenopfer“.(if you can’t remember, check it out here: Sido-Mein Block), in which he raps about his block, the Märkische Viertel, where he grew up. Its a district of Berlin where there is a great deal of crime and exclusively high-rise buildings. In this song he shows off as ”the coolest guy ever”. He describes his dangerous neighbouhood, the crime, the prostituion and the drug dependence that, according to Sido, regards to everybody living there. Dark beats and words like “Nutte”, “Ficken”, “Schwanz” etc. intensify the impression he gives the listener: people who grew up in that quarter must be dangerous and cool as hell!

Three years ago some guys who come from a little village made fun at this song. They took the beats of “Mein Block” and sang in the same bouncing way about their village, the animals and people who live there and the fields around. Watching it really pays off!!

Pro

It’s impressive that these guys critizise Sido’s song in such a discreet and funny way. Even Sido himself must love “Mein Dorf”.

Contra

It’s disrespectful to make fun of an earnest musician who sings about hard times in his life and tries to find a positive perception of it. They should tease someone else!

Grey Britain

Pro

I’ve discovered this band called GALLOWS. It’s an English hardcore punk band, good stuff. Check out their myspace to make your call on this one; especially the first song on the player called “I Dread The Night”. Very intense, energetic and in a way it even got a pretty positive message.

Just listen to it, you won’t regret it.

Contra

On the other hand a friend of mine says you will. She says it sucks, because you can’t call “this tuneless bullshit” music and shouldn’t waste your time listening to that “aggressive crap”. It’s full of hate and anger, she says, and in no way positve. “Music like that is what leads people to hit other people in the face. Just look at that dreadful video.”

Mh. The music video. I don’t know. I give her that – it is a bit trashy, especially the second half:

Other opinions

Here’s what the music press has to say about it:

<<Even at its most straightforward, Grey Britain [the title of the record] shakes and rattles with a rage unheard in most hardcore – it’s not posturing, playing up to a crowd, but a genuine desire to be heard as a force for good, for change and progression, within a scene so subject to stagnation that it spits out a dozen bands for every one it keeps close to its heart.>> Drowned In Sound

<<Nicht nur der rotzige Gesang des jungen Mannes ist eine Wucht – aus seinen Texten trieft die reinste Verachtung fürs Establishment.
Der über und über tätowierte Sänger hat auf den langen Touren zum letzten Album gerade sein Heimatland genau beobachtet. Und was er gesehen hat, kotzt ihn an, also brüllt er es heraus: Junge Menschen vegetieren in staatlich finanzierter Arbeitslosigkeit zufrieden vor sich hin und zeugen Kinder, die sie besser nicht zeugen sollten. Frühkriminelle Jugendliche stechen sich wöchentlich auf den Straßen Londons aus Rivalität ab. Dieben, Vergewaltigern und Mördern wird von der Kirche als moralischer Instanz für alle Sünden die Absolution erteilt. Es riecht nach (oder: wie im) Mittelalter. Was zuerst klingt wie eine sozialkritische Dystopie à la „1984“, ist Frank Carters Sicht auf das Großbritannien der Gegenwart. Natürlich fällt sie überspitzt und übertrieben aus, aber darum geht es schlussendlich auch: um die Provokation.>> Visions

<<Grey Britain has important things to say, but due to the lack of any direction or mission, it allows itself to be eaten up by the anger that fuels it.>> NME

Oh, did I tell you, that they did get a one-million-pounds record deal to produce this album?

Heidi Nazionale

Freedom of speech? The publicist, author and tv host Roger Willemsen obviously loathes Topmodel Heidi Klum. He is probably not the only one, but he found pretty explicit words to express his feelings:

<<Der Exzess der Nichtigkeit aber erreicht seinen Höhepunkt, wo Heidi Nazionale mit Knallchargen-Pathos und einer Pause, in der man die Leere ihres Kopfes wabern hört, ihre gestrenge Entscheidung mitteilt und wertes von unwertem Leben scheidet. Da möchte man sechs Sorten Scheiße aus ihr herausprügeln – wenn es nur nicht so frauenfeindlich wäre>>

<<Eine unschöne Frau mit laubgesägtem Gouvernanten-Profil bringt kleine Mädchen zum Weinen, indem sie ihre orthodoxe, hochgerüstete Belanglosigkeit zum Maßstab humaner Seinserfüllung hochschwindelt …>>

The question is – Do you think that this is all right and Heidi Klum deserves it; that she maybe needed some bold person to say that out loud, or do you think Roger Willemsen is mean and unfair and at least should have said that eye to eye?

Pro

Interesting. That might trigger a new discussion about wether or not the TV-Show “Germany’s Next Topmodel” is misogynistic, or even misanthropic. Are the candidates “Opfer eines archaischen Rollenbildes, das sie selbst helfen, weiter zu verbreiten?”, asks the taz. I’m sure that Heidi Klum does not really care about that. After all she is a part of the machine.

And there is one remark: she said, that she just can’t understand (referring to “sechs Sorten Scheiße aus ihr herausprügeln”):

<<Nämlich die [Bermerkung], eine schwangere Frau zu verprügeln.>>

?

Contra

Those are pretty harsh words, written publicly. Not very subtile and not at all professional. Quite the contrary: polemic and angry.

Ich kann Kanzler!

Maybe you know the new talent contest on ZDF “Ich kann Kanzler!” where ex-politico Henning Scharf, quiz show master Günter Jauch and comedian Anke Engelke form the judge and choose six young people which they regard to be adequate future-Kanzler. The sense of this show explaines Henning Scharf like this:

“Unsere Gesellschaft braucht Menschen, die Verantwortung übernehmen – keine Zyniker. Leute wie Bohlen sind Anti-Typen. Wir wollen junge Menschen motivieren.”

Whereas Anke Engelke tries to offend the young adults:

“Wieviel Prozent Ihrer 190 Mitschüler würden mit Ihnen in den Urlaub fahren?” she asked an eighteen year-old eloquent pupil, polotically lettered and dedicated.

Is there even a difference between Dieter Bohlens “Deutschland sucht den Superstar” and this new (political) show?

Pro

This contest is a unprecedented way to awaken young peoples interest in politics. The jury has to be composed of different types of celebrities so that all kinds of viewers are represented.

Contra

This show is just for encreasing the ratings and has a hand in stultificate people just like other so-called “talent contests”.

 

Electrolore: Papaya

It was bound to happen:

Here’s something about “electrolore” – haven’t you already heard of it? Then sit down, lean back and enjoy!

Did you like that? This was the musician (??) Alexander Marcus with one of his songs that come under the new genre electrolore that he created himself.

Do you think that’s funny and highly creative, or the biggest crap you’ve ever seen?

Maybe you want to know why I chose that as URL for my blog and – slightly modified – as user name. When I heard of electrolore the first time, I dismissed it as annoying and was pissed because I had an earworm for weeks. But when I shared it with friends and so got to know it better and better I began to like it. For me these songs signify creativity and are the epitome of trashy treasure. So I considered it to be wonderful as the name of my blog.

The Sow Is Mine

“I’m the Devil.”

“Let Jesus fuck you, let Jesus fuck you. Let him fuck you.”

“Shove it up your ass, you faggot.”

“Lick me, lick me!”

“Keep away. The sow is mine.”

“Stick your cock up her ass, you motherfucking worthless cocksucker.”

Pro

If you are a real scummy one and think that’s funny you’ve got to watch this movie:

To be honest – “The Exorcist” is a thrilling movie with interesting characters and a suspense-packed plot. It’s a little spooky, a bit sad and sometimes funny; the latter depends on your kind of humour.

It didn’t scare me as much as I expected before finally watching it. That’s probably due to all the fuzz around it, declaring it as “the scariest movie ever” or “THE best horror movie”. It’s not. In case you haven’t seen it, you should get rid of all these preconceptions before watching it. Because even though it really is a bit crappy sometimes, I would say it’s very entertaining: a little treasure. Over all, it’s defintely a movie I won’t forget.

Contra

An interesting fact about this movie is, that it got a lot of bad reviews when it came out in 1973:

<<… a chunk of elegant occultist claptrap … A practically impossible film to sit through … it establishes a new low for grotesque special effects …>>

<<Friedkin’s [the director] biggest weakness is his inability to provide enough visual information about his characters…whole passages of the movie’s exposition were one long buzz of small talk and name droppings…The Exorcist succeeds on one level as an effectively excruciating entertainment, but on another, deeper level it is a thoroughly evil film.>>

<<Nothing more than a religious porn film, the gaudiest piece of shlock …>>

The film historian William K. Everson wrote in his book “Classics of the Horror Film” in 1982:

<<Man kann nicht bestreiten, dass ‚The Exorcist‘ ein Publikum wirklich mitreißt; und trotzdem ist es ein billiger und minderwertiger Film – häufig ungeheuer plump in seiner Unfähigkeit, auch nur glatte Szenenanschlüsse zustandezubringen -, der nichts von der Professionalität besitzt, die den älteren und sicher konventionelleren Film über Besessenheit, ‚The Lady and the Monster‘, auszeichnete. Trotz all seines Hokuspokus gelingt es ‚The Exorcist‘ nicht, den Teufel fürchterlicher erscheinen zu lassen als die Vampirin in Carl Dreyers ‚Vampyr‘. Es ist wohl ein Symptom für unsere wirre Zeit, daß die Leute in ‚The Exorcist‘ gerannt sind, um sich Angst machen zu lassen, weil sie schreien wollten, verschreckt und angeekelt wieder herauskommen, aber irgendwie doch stolz darauf, daß sie es ausgehalten haben.>>

Now, it’s being referred to as a classic horror movie and you will rarely find a bad review by common moviegoers on the imdb.

How come? It’s probably a Zeitgeist thing. Maybe in 30 – 40 years it’s gonna be reviewed as crap again.

Other opinions

Here’s a discussion about the movie between the (famous) American film critics Richard Roeper and Roger Ebert:

If you haven’t seen it yet, don’t you dare vote here!

Legalize it?

The Deutsche Bundestag applied for a partial legalization of cannabis. In the motion they ask for a decriminalization of the cultivation and the personal use of cannabis.

Pro

It should be permitted to people to decide what they want to consume on their own. Adolescents must of course be seen in contrast to mature adults.

Contra

Drug abuse is no ignorable subject. A legalization of cannabis - even if it’s only partial – facilitates drug consumption for teenagers and people who tend to addiction.

I don’t know what the achievement looks like. If you know, please leave a comment! Thanks.