28 September 2005
WOOHOO!
I said I'd cease commenting on US domestic politics, but TOM DELAY GOT INDICTED! As Kos said, "Holy fucking shit." Getting a beer to celebrate.
ranking the beers
So I went to the store and bought a bunch a different kinds of beer in hopes of trying them out. Here's what I came up with:
1) Augustiner Hell: My favorite light beer. Not too hoppy, not too malty. Just about right.
2) Paulaner Hell: See above. Just not quite as good.
3) Hofbräu Hell: Not close to Paulaner. Waaayyyy too wheaty.
4) Spaten Munchner Hell: Just not all that tasty.
5) Hacker Pschorr Hell: Far too hoppy. Not very good at all.
This is just the light beers. I actually like dark beers better, but I haven't given those as thorough a test. So if you're in Munich for a day or two, stick to Augustiner and Paulaner (at least that's my advice).
1) Augustiner Hell: My favorite light beer. Not too hoppy, not too malty. Just about right.
2) Paulaner Hell: See above. Just not quite as good.
3) Hofbräu Hell: Not close to Paulaner. Waaayyyy too wheaty.
4) Spaten Munchner Hell: Just not all that tasty.
5) Hacker Pschorr Hell: Far too hoppy. Not very good at all.
This is just the light beers. I actually like dark beers better, but I haven't given those as thorough a test. So if you're in Munich for a day or two, stick to Augustiner and Paulaner (at least that's my advice).
19 September 2005
Oktoberfest pictures
OK, well all two readers of this site get to enjoy some more pictures.
When you want to leave at 9:15, you have to pregame kinda early. Yes we, documented this momentous occasion (and you wish you looked this good at 8:30).
The Augustiner tent has plenty of space at 9:40 in the morning. So that's why we got up so damn early!
The first momentous Mass, and a big Wiesn Pretzel to boot!
Bavarian breakfast of champions.
When you want to leave at 9:15, you have to pregame kinda early. Yes we, documented this momentous occasion (and you wish you looked this good at 8:30).
The Augustiner tent has plenty of space at 9:40 in the morning. So that's why we got up so damn early!
The first momentous Mass, and a big Wiesn Pretzel to boot!
Bavarian breakfast of champions.
17 September 2005
No benders please, I want to live
I was supposed to get up early today to go to Oktoberfest, but I went to take a shower and realized that Friday night had largely carried into Saturday morning. Drinking while still drunk from the night before would have been unhealthy and unfun. I'm going tomorrow, and I'll update more extensively afterward (w/German election results and commentary!).
11 September 2005
i love coalition politics
I went downtown and saw Chancellor Schroeder speak. He's an outstanding speaker, and his defeat is looking much less like a foregone conclusion. This is owed primarily to his charisma personal popularity as compared to the milquetoast Merkel. If Merkel wins it will be based entirely on dissatisfaction with unemployment. I'm going to take this entry to spell out a few of the complexities and possible consequences of the upcoming election.
1) A Christian Dem (CDU)/Merkel victory would be best for Germany economically
Schroeder and Merkel agree that Germany's taxes need to be cut and some of the social welfare programs reduced. The problem has been that Schroeder has been unable to get his reform agenda through because the CDU controls the upper house. Schroeder basically called the election because he can't do much of anything. Merkel would have a much stronger position. I don't see any reason why reelecting Schroeder would make any real changes all that likely.
2) Here's the nightmare scenario
Coalition politics, however, are never simple. Normally the SPD (Schroeder's Party) allies with the Green Party while the CDU coalitions with the Free Democrats (FDP). A rising force, especially in the East, has been the Left. Their agenda is so extreme that neither of the major parties will coalition with them. So if they get enough votes to make the traditional coalitions impossible, the only possibility is a CDU/SPD grand coalition. This looks like a nasty possibility that results in little more than a bunch of blame and little effective governance.
3) Fo/Po Ramifications
Merkel is implying that a stronger relationship with the US will help the German economy. While she has been clear to state that she does not want Germany to support the Iraq Adventure, Schroeder has been able to play to anti-Americanism by implying that a vote for Merkel might be supporting US neoconservativism. This seems like a fat sack of crap. Why would Merkel compromise her chances of economic reforms to follow Bush into another adventure?
4) Most American commentators have no idea what they are talking about
Could Germany's economy be in better shape? Sure. Are India and China rapidly gaining and taking jobs away from Old Europe? This is true as well. But all these statistics absolutely miss the point. Quality of life over here is so much better than for people in India and China. There are about 1.8 billion people in those countries who would do just about anything to enjoy their Saturday nights in discotheques and Sundays in idyllic beer gardens. Sometimes, Mr. Friedman, international geopolitics is not the most important thing for everybody. It's quality of life, stupid.
1) A Christian Dem (CDU)/Merkel victory would be best for Germany economically
Schroeder and Merkel agree that Germany's taxes need to be cut and some of the social welfare programs reduced. The problem has been that Schroeder has been unable to get his reform agenda through because the CDU controls the upper house. Schroeder basically called the election because he can't do much of anything. Merkel would have a much stronger position. I don't see any reason why reelecting Schroeder would make any real changes all that likely.
2) Here's the nightmare scenario
Coalition politics, however, are never simple. Normally the SPD (Schroeder's Party) allies with the Green Party while the CDU coalitions with the Free Democrats (FDP). A rising force, especially in the East, has been the Left. Their agenda is so extreme that neither of the major parties will coalition with them. So if they get enough votes to make the traditional coalitions impossible, the only possibility is a CDU/SPD grand coalition. This looks like a nasty possibility that results in little more than a bunch of blame and little effective governance.
3) Fo/Po Ramifications
Merkel is implying that a stronger relationship with the US will help the German economy. While she has been clear to state that she does not want Germany to support the Iraq Adventure, Schroeder has been able to play to anti-Americanism by implying that a vote for Merkel might be supporting US neoconservativism. This seems like a fat sack of crap. Why would Merkel compromise her chances of economic reforms to follow Bush into another adventure?
4) Most American commentators have no idea what they are talking about
Could Germany's economy be in better shape? Sure. Are India and China rapidly gaining and taking jobs away from Old Europe? This is true as well. But all these statistics absolutely miss the point. Quality of life over here is so much better than for people in India and China. There are about 1.8 billion people in those countries who would do just about anything to enjoy their Saturday nights in discotheques and Sundays in idyllic beer gardens. Sometimes, Mr. Friedman, international geopolitics is not the most important thing for everybody. It's quality of life, stupid.
09 September 2005
settling in with pictures
I don't normally carry my camera around town for fear of looking too much like a gawking tourist, but I made an intrepid journey around town equipped with my photo-taking apparatus and returned with documentation for my loyal blog readers.
Here is the new Rathaus (city hall) downtown featuring the world famous glockenspiel. It's no shame to be a tourist in front of this thing, particularly when the little figures up there start dancing at 11, noon and 5 pm.
The view across Marienplatz, the center of downtown Munich. The Glockenspiel is off to the right. The shop in the corner is called Kaufhof, and is basically the most expensive department store on earth. We tried to get alarm clocks there, figuring nobody would ever charge more than $10-12 for alarm clocks. Wrong. The cheapest at Kaufhof were about $30. Found them for $8 at a cheaper store.
Another famous downtown Munich site: die Frauenkirche (women's church.)I admit that the camera angle is kinda shitty. You get the idea. I'm frickin' here. In Europe. If you want a good picture of die Frauenkirche, google image search is your friend.
One more from Marienplatz before moving on to more interesting things. That in the middle is a pretty sweet fountain with a cool golden statue on top. If I knew the name, it'd be even cooler.
Here's a campaign sign. It says: "Ban all Fascist Organization." The tagline is "The Socialist Alternative." These guys might get a sizeable percentage of the disgruntled eastern vote and make coalition politics a mess. More on this as the election roles around.
"Time for the change" proclaims a sign for the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Does Germany want to leave Schroeder and change to the friendly face of Merkel? A couple weeks will tell.
Here's a lake in the English Garden, my extended backyard. The English Garden is awesome, featuring miles of paths, a riverfront on the Isar and at least three beer gardens. The Park also contains the center of Munich's illegal drug dealing and some places where old men can tan naked (it's all about knowing where to go and where not to go).
I told you the Studentenstadt featured some commie-style architecture.
Hands down the most popular method of transit around here is the ill-maintained bike.
The Brotladen (Bread store) which has been upgraded from East Germany to Cuba through colorful paint.
Hey! That's the front door of my building.
Here's my room. It's bigger than it looks in the picture, and probably messier too.
This sink is a lifesaver, so I put a picture of it here.
Here is the new Rathaus (city hall) downtown featuring the world famous glockenspiel. It's no shame to be a tourist in front of this thing, particularly when the little figures up there start dancing at 11, noon and 5 pm.
The view across Marienplatz, the center of downtown Munich. The Glockenspiel is off to the right. The shop in the corner is called Kaufhof, and is basically the most expensive department store on earth. We tried to get alarm clocks there, figuring nobody would ever charge more than $10-12 for alarm clocks. Wrong. The cheapest at Kaufhof were about $30. Found them for $8 at a cheaper store.
Another famous downtown Munich site: die Frauenkirche (women's church.)I admit that the camera angle is kinda shitty. You get the idea. I'm frickin' here. In Europe. If you want a good picture of die Frauenkirche, google image search is your friend.
One more from Marienplatz before moving on to more interesting things. That in the middle is a pretty sweet fountain with a cool golden statue on top. If I knew the name, it'd be even cooler.
Here's a campaign sign. It says: "Ban all Fascist Organization." The tagline is "The Socialist Alternative." These guys might get a sizeable percentage of the disgruntled eastern vote and make coalition politics a mess. More on this as the election roles around.
"Time for the change" proclaims a sign for the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Does Germany want to leave Schroeder and change to the friendly face of Merkel? A couple weeks will tell.
Here's a lake in the English Garden, my extended backyard. The English Garden is awesome, featuring miles of paths, a riverfront on the Isar and at least three beer gardens. The Park also contains the center of Munich's illegal drug dealing and some places where old men can tan naked (it's all about knowing where to go and where not to go).
I told you the Studentenstadt featured some commie-style architecture.
Hands down the most popular method of transit around here is the ill-maintained bike.
The Brotladen (Bread store) which has been upgraded from East Germany to Cuba through colorful paint.
Hey! That's the front door of my building.
Here's my room. It's bigger than it looks in the picture, and probably messier too.
This sink is a lifesaver, so I put a picture of it here.
05 September 2005
Well
As indicated by the changed title, my life (and by extension this blog) will be substantially different from this point forward. So you can expect a lot less domestic policy analysis and more cultural observations. Also, there should be less updating, since I'll have less time than I did in the summer. Well, that's the hope anyhow. If I don't make any friends and sit online all day (like during the summer), then it will still be on US policy and frequently updated., but that's not going to happen.
So miss my prescient political analysis or welcome the loss of my dry ramblings. I report, you decide. By the way, I will make observations here, but right now it's getting to be past my bedtime. Gute Nacht, Alle.
So miss my prescient political analysis or welcome the loss of my dry ramblings. I report, you decide. By the way, I will make observations here, but right now it's getting to be past my bedtime. Gute Nacht, Alle.
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