Not a happy post.

So it happened again. Another desperately angry (lonely? disturbed?) teenager took out his rage on his fellow students, teachers, and three passersby. Sixteen people have died. Again. Young lives were ended before they had properly begun. Again. And again, people are shell-shocked, astonished at how this could have happened so close to home, in such a quaint little town as Winnenden near Stuttgart. As with the equally terrible 2002 incident in eastern Erfurt, my heart goes out to the pupils, teachers, friends, family and Winnenden citizens- they have my sincere sympathy. As with Erfurt, the search for answers is beginning- how could a 17-year old be filled with such hate as to go on such a bloody rampage? How will life in Winnenden go on? And, most importantly, how can these crimes be prevented? How can we make sure we'll never see these images of crying children, of roses being laid down outside a school, ever again?

The media are always a popular choice when it comes to casting the blame. All those terribly violent movies and computer games, and heavy metal music of course, leave our youth terribly depraved. Don't they? As I'm writing this, I'm reading the first article claiming 17-year old Tim enjoyed playing Counterstrike. Well done, WELT Online. Gotta ban'em all, those evil games. Don't we love those easy explanations.

Another popular related issue is the guns law. Now, in this regard, Germany certainly isn't anything like the US or somewhere like that. In order to legally own a weapon, one has to obtain a license by demonstrating sufficient knowledge on weapons, mental capability, and by buying a special insurance. This license is limited to a three-year term.

Most civilian weapon owners would have to be members of shooting clubs, hobby shooters who have obtained a license in order to be able to keep a firearm at home. In the Winnenden case, the boy's father was a member of a shooting club and owner of 16 (!) weapons. (How that is legal - or normal- I don't know, but that appears to be part of the investigation.) In Erfurt, 19-year old Robert Steinhäuser was a member of a club himself. After Erfurt, the minimum age for gun ownership was raised from 18 to 21. Now one could say, luckily there's not that many people in shooting clubs. One could even say it's a coincidence that those clubs played a role in both cases, and that either kid could have just gotten a gun off the street if he'd wanted. But, as a reverse conclusion, what if more people had a Waffenschein and legally had guns in their homes? Would we possibly have considerably more cases where their offspring finds the key to the secret cupboard and goes on a rampage? How many Tims and Roberts are really out there, so lonely and so frustrated that their dearest wish is to blow the heads off all those who bully them every day? How many schoolkids would simply love to show them all?

For the real problem if you ask me (and not just me, but rest assured most politicians won't be asking) lies within our rotten old school system. In a system where it's laughably easy to become a teacher, where becoming one is all about academic expertise and pedagogic aptitude is worth next to nothing, where teachers are un-fireable civil servants with a very comfortable payment structure and where "teacher" is a lazy job choice for many simply out of lack of a better option, are our children taught and looked after by capable, motivated and caring individuals? Do their teachers provide them with real-life advice, sufficient support and motivation? Do the teachers still care after a few years of doing the same thing, with no incentives to improve or change at all? Of course not! Being a pupil in Germany means intimidation instead of encouragement, constant judgement instead of fair evaluation and opportunities, and resignation where there should be extra effort. On a day-to-day basis. And I'm solely talking about teachers' treatment of students here- I haven't even mentioned the bullying. As long as there's a three-track system where children are put into categories of smart, not so smart and dumb as early as age 9, as long as any imbecile can become a teacher, and as long as going to school means fear and competition instead of community and perspectives, I'm giving us a few years before the next incident of this sort.

But shedding established systems and reforming dusty old structures hasn't been a strongpoint of any German government in ages. In the election year of 2009, this tragedy will surely be in the focus of many an eager politician. Unfortunately, I have a suspicion that any change we'll see will be limited to banning a few games, and perhaps a couple movies.

Real change? Nein danke.

Bis dann

Nadine

Deutschland - Türkei - 2. Halbzeit (3:2)

3 Uhr 50 - Und weiter geht's in Basel. Ob die wohl wieder Baldrian bereit gestellt haben? Ich bin ja immer noch davon überzeugt, dass die Schweizer das Zeugs als Aufputschmittel verwenden.
3:56 - grad nicht aufgepasst, scheint aber eh keinen Unterschied gemacht zu haben. Was too busy posing. What can I say!

Move over, Jackie O.!

3:59 - Thomas "Ze Hammer" Hitzelsperger with a nice attempt. Druck machen!
4:00 - Schwester hat die ganze Zeit Visionen von Merkel. Ich zumindest hab sie erst einmal gesehen. Hm.
4:01 - Schwester fängt an zu reimen. Wo soll das bloss hinführen?
4:02 - Ha! Bildstörung! In Deutschland und China! In Deutschland wird ein Testbild bereitgestellt, während die Kollegen in Peking heiter weiter diskutieren. Technische Störung während des EM-Halbfinales? Ich wittere eine Verschwörung.
ü

4:04 - The gentlemen are still talking away- no sight of the broadcast yet. Unbelievable.
4:05 - Was macht man in solchen Situationen? Stimmen wir doch mal ein fröhliches Lied an.
4:05 - Oooohne England, fahr'n wir zur EM, oooohne England fahr'n wir zur EM!
4:06 - Still nothing. Ich versuche, meinen Totoro und Mini-Goleo zu einer Vor-Sieg-Polonaise im Hausflur anzuheizen, aber die meinen, das wäre doof. Die Zyniker!
4:08 - Bild ist wieder da. In Deutschland. Hier sind die Herren noch am Erzählen. Kuai yidiar!
4:09 - My sister has become my lifeline for match coverage. It's come this far. One of the Turkish substitutes is finding more content in the depth of his nostrils than in the match. Mahlzeit.
4:10 Na endlich! Jetzt ham wir auch wieder Bild. Ob die UEFA dafuer die Nachspielzeit verlängert? Unverschämtheit.
4:12 - Now that we're back in the picture, I wouldn't mind seeing another Tor. Denn ohne eine deutsche Führung fürchte ich mich langsam aber sicher vor der vielbesagten Steh-auf-Mentalität des Gegners, der angeblich drei Spiele noch in den Schlussminuten herumgedreht hat. (Hey, ich glaube nichts, was ich nicht selbst im Fernsehen gesehen hab!)
4:15 - Hm. If I was the ZDF, I don't think I'd have added a picture of their commentator Bela Rethy to their "We'll be right back" message... http://www.bf-games.net/forum/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=82523

4:16 - Schwester sieht mehr Türken als Deutsche auf dem Feld. Entweder ein Fall für den Optiker, oder ein schlauer sportlich- soziologischer Kommentar.
4:18 - Naja, so wie das läuft, können wir ja froh sein, dass bei den ganzen türkischen Ecken der St.-Jakob-Park noch nicht voll mit Dönerbuden ist!

4:21 - another outage . Sister's boyfriend is getting plaque.
4:22 - Schon seltsam, dass die bei beiden Störungen jeweils Bilder von Fans gezeigt haben. Irgendwas ist da faul. Ein Rudel Flitzer? Feuerwerkskoerper in Jens Lehmanns Frisur? Hat der türkische Trainer jetzt endgueltig den Schiri umgerannt und zum Abendessen verspeist?
4:24 - In Europe the picture's back, and sister and boyfriend are frantically shouting TOOOOOOOOOR! SCHLAAAAAAAAAAAND! JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! I'm still seeing the three stooges. HALLO?! NIMEN HAO?!


4:26 - The picture's been back for more than 5 minutes now, and the three eejits here on TV are still going on! What is this?!
4:26 - Apparently our second goal was scored by Klose. Good to know.
4:27 - Klose, by the way, just like Podolski, even before he had a German passport, was always part of the German-speaking minority in Poland. Just FYI.
4:29 - My own boyfriend says via text message that the longer (much longer!) outage in China is due to the same bad weather that had me sitting in Shenyang all day today.
4:30 - 2:2. Ich seh immer noch nix.
4:31 - Flitzer! (Streaker!) Says sister. Wanna see! :(
4:32 - apparently CCTV5 has completely given up on trying to show this match. They're now showing highlights of the other matches. In the meantime, Turkey just equalised. Ich wechsel zu Tennis.
4:33 - Now we're getting panorama views of all the stadiums. Or is it stadia? As if I cared. Hmpf.
4:34 - LAHM! TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOR!
SCHLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND! WIE GEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEIL!
4:35 - Jogis Hemd zeigt ein wenig Enge beim Jubeln. Zuviele Mini-Toblerone nach dem Portugal-Spiel oder schweissbedingt?
4:35 - Here goes the picture again. Another 1.5 minutes says sister.
4:37 - 30 seconds, says sister! I've got the three stooges again.
4:37 - Freistoss Türkei. Wortlaut Schwester "22 Meter Abstand, und 22 Meter uebers Tor." Phew.
4:38 - Sister and her b/f are scouting "End it! End it! Whistle!"
4:39 - He whistles! FINAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALE OOH-OH! FINAAAALE OO-OO-OO-OH!

GEEEEEEIL!!!!


Check out my new facebook profile picture.

Good night und schönen Abend noch! See you Sunday...

Nadine




PS: My sister insists that I post this picture of myself jubilating...


Honestly, even though I missed most of the second half tonight, I'm as happy a camper as ever. Fare well, dear readers, may a bright light shine over your heads tonight. Hab euch alle lieb!

Nadine's Live-Ticker Deutschland - Türkei (1:1) - Da geht noch was!

Hallo liebe Freunde von Osten bis Westen, von Norden bis Süden! Hier bin ich wieder, eure gute alte Nana! Live aus der Medienzentrale in Zhongguancun präentieren wir Ihnen das Halbfinale Deutschland - Türkei.
2 Uhr 59- 10 Minuten gespielt, und ich finde, so langsam könnten unsere mal angreifen. Hört mal mit dem Rumgeeirere auf da!
3:01 - und schon wieder die Türken! Das ganze Spiel über halten die das aber nicht aus, oder...?
3:02 - Ecke! Nur leider nicht für uns... jetzt macht mal was!
3:04 - So langsam geht's nach vorne. Freistoss nachdem Klose gefoult wurde. Aber Rüstü hält. Der Seaman-Verschnitt.
3:05 - Swoine-Steeger seems to have watched Ronaldo too closely there last week the way he just went down there looking for a corner. Tsk tsk.
3:08 - langsam immer schöneres Passspiel (drei s!) von unseren Jungs. So langsam baut sich der Angriff auf.
3:09 - My sister's boyfriend, courtesy of ICQ, just said that Schweini's working like a pig. Ah yes. The punning has begun.
3:10 Neeeeeeeeeeeeeein! Ham die Türken tatsächlich ein Tor gemacht! Hat der Yeti mit der 21 wieder gepennt, und sein Blondie gleich mit! Halloooo, aufwachen!
3:12 - bei Schwester und Freund ist sofort wieder Endzeitstimmung. Die wollen gleich schon ins Bett gehen. Keine Geduld. Aber getz macht doch mal wat!
3:13 - "Cafeteria" is my answer to sister's boyfriend's question of where the heck our defense is.
3:14 JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOR
Samba di Janeiro! Schweini!
3:16 - Schwester hat jetzt auch ihre VOIP-Funktion bei ICQ entdeckt. Es darf gesungen werden.
3:19 - Freistoss Türkei, m -al zwei. Lehmann mal eins, türkisches Können mal eins. Hehe.
3:21 - Meine Sippe in Deutschland hat genau 30 Sekunden Vorsprung mit ihrer Uebertragung. Wenn ich jetzt den Poldi laufen sehe, weiss ich schon, dass es nix wird. Sauerei.
3:23 - Lehmann - 5 Saves, it says at the bottom of the screen. There is a good and a bad side to all things in life.
3:24 Pfffffffffftsssssssssssssss. That's the sound of a can of Asahi cracking open. Hey, it's not solitary drinking when you're talking to your sister!
3:27 - Schwester meint, unsere Jungs haben wohl vergessen, in welcher Richtung ihr Tor liegt.
3:28 - Foul an Rolfes und Auftritt Herr Dr. Müller-Wohlfahrt. Mit jedem seiner Auftritte wollen er und sein Haar hartnaeckig jeden Eindruck widerlegen, dass sie tatsaechlich in der Region um 65 Jahre sein könnten.
3:29 - Schwester meint, sie waere erwaehlt. Keine Ahnung warum, aber singen tut sie's schön.
3:31 - Frings kommt bald! My sister's hysterical at the thought of the 30-year old rebel's hair floating in the Basle air in as little as a couple of moments.
3:32 - Schon wieder Freistoss Türkei, allerdings vonner Mitte aus. Technisch muss ich sagen, Deutschland ist besser, aber man merkt sehr gut diesen vielumschriebenen Kampfgeist der türkischen Mannschaft.
3:34 Halbzeit! Sis thinks Swoinesteeger is blond, blue-eyed and blöd (dumb). Prost!

Zwischenbilanz nach der ersten Halbzeit: Da geht noch was! I honestly can neither remember nor spell most of the Turkish players' names, but I do know that Yeti and Mertesacker need to up their game big time. Also we owe it to Jens L. that it's not 1:2 or 1:3.


Gedanken waehrend der Halbzeitpause: Waere ein Bild von mir mit meiner neuen 1.50x90-Deutschland-Flagge, als Kopftuch getragen, ein Bild von sportlich-kultureller Solidarität? Es darf diskutiert werden.

The three Chinese journalists are having an interesting dicsussion there. Shame I barely understand a word of it. Oh hang on. One of them just said Ballack. Defo.

Everyone knows Qing Dao beer, right?

Whether it's spelled Tsing Tao or Qing Dao, it's easily one of China's biggest brands and enjoys popularity at home and abroad. Its home, the eastern coastal city of the same name, has a reputation as a reasonably fabulous holiday resort and, naturally, a great place to have a beer. They even have an annual Oktoberfest-style beer festival.

Why this strong beer tradition never struck me as strange, I don't know. Why the fact that this is the only city in China to host a beer drinking event every year I had also never thought about. I was therefore in for the shock of a lifetime today (well, at least the shock of the week) when I found out about the historical reasons as to why things are the way they are in Qingdao.

Not only was I completely oblivious to the fact that the city is a former colony, I also would never in a lifetime have guessed who this colony would have belonged to. Any ideas yet? Yep, that's right. Qing Dao (at the time also known as Tsingtau) was a colony of Germany. Deutschland. L'Allemagne. Flabberghasted I was and still am. Not that I didn't know that my country, too, had a few colonies (and not that I am particularly proud of it)- I just never made that connection.

Apparently, it became a colony of the Kaiserreich in 1897, and soon after my forefathers became thirsty and started brewing some beer for themselves. They soon realised, however, that a German purity-law style hops, malt and water brew didn't exactly agree with the locals' tastebuds, and thus they ended breaking the century-old law to tweak the beer's taste to the local palate, using rice and giving the drink its very distinguishable taste.

Apparently there are still lots of well-preserved Kaiser Wilhelm-style villas there. In fact, I'd be quite curious to go there at some point.

If nothing else, it may just help my homesickness.

Bis dann,

Nadine

Ein echter deutscher Export