People of the world – look at Berlin!
And so I did.
Actually I was on vacation in Germany before the Messiah arrived in Berlin for his speech. If you think the media here are infatuated with Obama you can not imagine the nauseating, fawning coverage he received over there.
I was in Berlin up until a few days before the Celebrity Himself arrived and had to suffer through the breathless anticipation of his arrival. How the media can fill so many pages and so many hours of coverage when they have nothing of substance to actually report is indeed remarkable.
Fortunately, I had already planned to move on to a beach on the Baltic coast by the time Obama arrived and so I was able to enjoy my vacation anyway.
But even out in the boonies enjoying a morning coffee and skimming the local regional paper I had to put up with daily dose of headlines like Obama Superstar and Berlin in Obama-fever. And this in a local paper that more typically carries local interest stories like describing how the recent weather has been affecting the population of wasps and rats. (It’s been too good for them, apparently.)
I just got back from Germany and since Kate’s away anyway I’ll post of few thoughts and pics from the trip. I spent about three weeks in Germany and drove about 3000kms – and most of it happened to be in the formerly Communist east. I don’t intend to bore you with an exhaustive travelogue – I’ll just post some thoughts and observations that touch on some of the themes frequently covered here.
First observation – a steady diet of schnitzels, wurst and strudels washed down with copious quantities of beer is not at all an effective weight control program.
Did you try the Franziskaner hefe weisse dunkel beer? I really enjoyed that product.
I missed that one. I tried many varieties of Pils, Alts, Dunkels, Weisse, Weizens with Hefe and without, but I missed that one. Next time.
So how did you find East Germany?
Is the commie mindset in the populace still as potent as when they were separate?
Your prayers have been answered.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mopkn0lPzM8
/inflate.your.tires
Blasphempher(sic),tell us the words of Obama NOW,we want it, we need it. Those who deny the words of the Messiah,those who doubt the second name of the messiah,those who may in their shame of intelligence,go forth and spread the lies of truth,you shall suffer the burns of Agent orange kool-aid forever. Obama Hussien Barat,peace be upon him.O,never mention that second name again,Barat,peace be upon him. OHB,if I hab a rocket launcher ,the jews would be on the list right after you.l
Nice picture of the gate but it should be from the other side. My wife and I stayed at the Marriott on Potsdamer Platz last year and we just loved Berlin. We will be going back one of these days.
So how did you find East Germany?
Quite an interesting mix, I’d say. Superficially the country has had an amazing makeover. I was last there in 1991 when it was still very much a dull, grey eyesore not at all geared to serving western tourists. Lots has changed, and almost entirely for the better – but they aren’t completely a western country yet.
Now, now, Obama is not the Messiah..it just seems that way in contrast.
Let me get this straight. Two hundred thousand people show up to listen to Obama, and he’s “nauseating.” How many “followers” would have showed up if George Bush would have delivered the speech?? Great observation there Jaeger!! So what do you do when you’re not kniting white robes, setting crosses on fire or painting swastikas???? Hope you got to visit the gallows at Nuremberg before you left Germany!!
When I was over there we used to say: “That’s the problem with German food — you eat your meal and three days later you’re hungry again”.
Jean Chretien was popular, too, Lone Ranger. But that didn’t stop him from costing the taxpayers millions of dollars right off the bat. Chretien’s first order of business in 1993 was cancelling the helicopters we still don’t have to this day, and putting the taxpayer on the hook for the $500 Million cancellation fee. Oh, but he was so popular!
Similarly, if Obama is so popular, he must therefore be as straight as an arrow and purer than the driven snow, right? Great observation there. Let’s put it in the form of an equation : popular = good
Yup, I can’t see anything wrong with that one, ever. Let me put it in terms you can understand, Lone Ranger. Hitler was popular with the Germans, so what happened there?
Obama has promised “hope” and “change” and nothing else. It actually is nauseating to anyone who is looking for something specific in Obama’s empty but officious sounding oratories.
Ah, so if anyone dislikes Obama, they must be Nazis.
Yeah, you’ve got it straight all right. Liberal Kool-Aid straight from the jug.
So, Lone Ranger, can I assume that you believe that if large crowds of Germans show up to sycophantically cheer for an aspiring leader and put on mass demonstrations of support for him, he would receive your ringing endorsement? They do have a bit of a dodgy track record you know.
What else can be expected from the Euros who are hungering for a hero to worship? Obama represents that Messianic figure they’ve been waiting for.
When a politico gets a following because of well orated platitudinous rhetoric and a good physical presence, we know he/she will attract the brain free voters. They go for the Snake Oil over the mundane substantive policies necessary to running a Nation.
Kevin: I spent a number of days two weeks ago in Zwickau on some business. I agree with you, the ‘former’ East Germany is a strange mixture of old and new. It was a bit depressing for me to see the lack of tourists, abandoned or boarded buildings and the number of drunkards walking the streets. People smoke more (there are enormous open bins of cigarettes right at the supermarket checkouts) in the former east and are not as openly engaging. It was a relief to head back to Niedersachsen and the transformation to western society.
WISE UP GUYS!! So you don’t like Obama’s policies, I can understand that. I’m not always in love with his ideas either–especialy his attitude towards our (W. Canada) tarsands.
But to use the terms term “Nauseating and fawning coverage” he recived over there is stepping out of the bounds of international courtesy!
We lost three family members during WW11. My Dad’s best friend was killed by a German sniper, a Nazi fanatic who didn’t realize he was the “last man standing.” An American GI got him ten seconds later.
There was too much blood spilled over racism, and very close to where that photo was taken, for Germans to refer to Obama as “Nausaeating.” I’m sorry if I get pisssed off over that kind of behaviour, but I just don’t want my kids ot have to go back to Germany for the second half of the war!! May I suggest that you view the movie “Saving Private Ryan.” It says it all!!
I can spot a LIEberal liar a mile away. Take your self-righteousness and shove it where the sun doesn’t shine.
Doug! I was a Liberal, many years ago. I must say however that since 1981, I,ve always supported Conservative polices. There’s only one real drawback about being Conservative, and that’s having associate with people who’s IQ is lower than their shoe size, such as Doug. As for Obama, he did attract 200,000 people.