Again and again Opel

So again something to Opel: Because I am a diligent online reader, I stumbled across another thing that was really embarrassing: Here is an article about a new car of Opel, where to want to start a new era: An Opel Insignia "Ecoflex". They sell it as a great step in the field of sustainable driving, as the wagon needs only 5,2 litres. Really a nice car.

Not bad I thought, but the scandalous thing is another: The responsible says that the driving fun should not suffer under the energy saving. What does that mean? This car has 160 PS (!) and they could have chosen a smaller motor with 110 PS for the eco-version of the car, but they didnt(?). Then I have to read that the gasoline-saving advantage of the eco-model is only 0,6 litres per 100 km. WHAT??? Are you kidding me? 

Dont know but perhaps my view is just wrong, but this so called "ecology" car is just a joke and a marketing gag to give the people the feeling that they have done something to save the world. But obviously they did not everything to turn down the consumption and to sell this as the eco-leader in its segment is just schizophrenic green-washing. 

The other schizophrenic thing is that If I would have to pay taxes in Germany I would pay also with my money for the salvation of this bullshit-company, if I want or not. What a shame.

Weise Weisen

Nach all dem Bohei um Opel und deren nicht gerade professionelle Rettung durch den Staat haben sich unsere Wirtschaftsweisen zu Wort gemeldet. Sie haben eine offizielle Erklärung zu den Vorgängen abgegeben - Quintessenz: Die Sache mit Opel war Scheisse und soll nicht mit anderen Unternehmen wiederholt werden. Danke dass es mal jemand sagt! Und die Erklärungen warum dass so ist hätte man nicht nachvollziehbarer schreiben können. 

Dankedankedanke!!! Sehr lesenswert für jeden der sich ein bisschen in die Richtung interessiert. 

Der Berg ruft

Today I was almost the whole day in the mountains, with some very good friends climbing/hiking on the Laugenspitze(2.434m) near Merano. We started at 10 and came back at 17:30... The Laugenspitze is known for the wonderful turn-around panoramic view over all mountains around. Unfortunately, the weather was nice but the higher we came the more fog and wind there was. So nothing with the panorama(See the photos, lol!). Going back, it started also to rain slightly. 

Writing down our names in the book at the cross at the summit, I catched a good idea: Climbing on this mountain by night and then watch the sun rise in all the colours... Must be great. This is something I really have to do in summer. Who wants to come with me?

This is the panorama from the summit hehe. You can not see the wind which was almost blowing us away. Nevertheless a really cool day!

Fountain or not a fountain... thats the question

During the last event in the inner courtyard of our University("Wasserhof" -> "water courtyard") to be seen in the last posts, something catched my attention. There was something like a fountain which I have never seen before: 

There was always this strange rock with a metal stick standing next to it, but I really had to look twice. There was now all of a sudden during this event water coming out of the metal stick which was falling on the rock. Looks quite cool, only with one snag to it: there is no real circulation of water, this means that all the water that comes out of this "fountain" is forever lost. Really really strange. Who had the idea to construct this "thing"? Who is responsible for the installation of this example of usefulness? Who signed the cheque for it? How big was the cheque? No surprise that they turned it off directly after the event. What a shame. 

Prominent Alumno

Some of you might know that some days ago, Chrsitian Nerlinger was appointed as the new sports director of the FC Bayern Munich. He was an ex-player of Bayern and was also playing for Dortmund and Glasgow. Many of the so-called experts were surprised to see him already in this position, as he is quite young (end of thirty).

Ok, nothing new you might say, but the stunning thing is that this guy was last year student at the Free University of Bolzano. He was studying at a private business school in Munich and was doing an Erasmus semester here in Alto Adige. Although I was not yet inscribed at that time, I met him once in the university: I was taking a look at the university because I was interested in applying, and then he came out of the library when I was going in.

First, I didnt know who he was, and while I was strolling around in the library, I was thinking... Fuck! You know this guy! But from where? And of course, as an old Bayern-fan I remembered him. Probably many students at that time didnt know who he was, as he was not really a star, but at least he was playing also for the german national team. 

I also heard that there was an interview with him in the student magazine flyer, but unfortunately it was not possible for me to take a look at it. Nevertheless I wrote an email to the responsible of the press office of the university that an ex-student is now one of the most important persons in the biggest club in Germany, and I am curious if they will do something out of it or not... ;-)

Church an extremist organization?

Hehe, now it is getting analytic... If you read the Sueddeutsche Magazin, you might know the section "Die Gewissensfrage" where people can ask a philosophy professor difficult morale questions.  This time someone candidates himself for a position at a University and has to fill in in the application form if he is member of an extremist organization. Now the catholic qestioner asks himself if he should now mention the church or not... Read here the outcome.

And dont forget to also take a look at the comments... it was clear that people react like this. Lol!

Provocation over provocation

Some of might know this signboard: 

This sign states "South Tyrol is not Italy" and it can be seen when you drive the Brennero-highway from Austria to Italy, it is still on the austrian side. So it was for a long time and is still visible to every car driver who passes by, especially the german students and tourists know it already. It was stationed by south-tyrolean activists supported by a local party here which wants the separation of the Province Alto Adige from Italy. As it is seen as a provocation towards the italian-speaking people in the region, italian activists destroyed or smeared it several times. 

Two weeks ago, the provocation of the sign was answered by another provocation as I got to know scarcely: some guys took this board, transported it to Bolzano and threw it in front of the Siegestor, which is known as the symbol for italian suppression towards the german-speaking minority. I dont want to comment this, I think as a foreigner I am not qualified for this. But I notice that these processes mirror also the intensification of the dispute on the political level. 

How the italians felt embarrassed, shows this story: they were asking over the foreign ministry the austrians if they could remove it. And they are ok with it, so now the board (or the new board) must be removed till the end of may, so it must be gone already today. For sure there will come up some new ideas for the south-tyrolean activists to get their message in the right place.