I have a terrible confession to make, kiddies: I feel absolutely no pity or sorrow for Stephen Fucking Harper, now that his chickens are finally coming to roost after more than 20 years. Yeah, I know that the man has been our so-called prime minister only since 2006, and with
Continue readingTag: Confessions of a Bad German
Zut alors! Plus de “mademoiselle”!
Ah, oui. C’est fini, l’ennui: The term “mademoiselle” is about to disappear from French paperwork. Under pressure from campaigners, the government has decided that women will not have to choose how to describe themselves on official documents. Unlike men, women have been forced to choose between a married “madame” or
Continue readingEvo, the ladykiller?
It may be carnival time (and thus, the silly season) in Bolivia, but apparently some don’t find anything funny about it…or at least, not the way the president comported himself during Friday’s kick-off celebrations: Opposition legislators and feminists criticized the Bolivian president, Evo Morales, for participating in a carnival party
Continue readingMaggie’s melancholy marriage crusade, and me
Ahem. A little mood music, maestro: Ah, that sets the tone brilliantly for what I’m about to say… And here it is. This morning, this Salon link popped up in my Facebook feed. Maggie Gallagher is a frequent wanker on my weekly list, and it’s not hard to see why.
Continue readingNo more fucking Pink Things
I am the daughter of a breast cancer survivor. And I have just sworn never again to buy another “Pink for the Cure” (or whatever they call it) thing. Not that I don’t love my pink long-sleeved Columbia t-shirt, or my pink lipsticks (all 11 of ‘em), but this whole
Continue readingMerCHEdes? Of atrocities and apologies (still owing) from Mercedes-Benz
Yes, the above is an atrocity, and a gross violation of rights. But not for the reasons the gusanos of Miami claim. Cubadebate explains what’s really horrible about it: The luxury-vehicle company Mercedes-Benz apologized this week for having used the image of Che Guevara in a publicity campaign. Its apology,
Continue readingSpyware for Arab despots: Germany’s latest source of shame
Wikileaks just keeps exposing the imperialist underside of western “democracy”. And one of the latest to be embarrassed by revelations is Germany — an unlikely player in the imperial game, seeing as it’s been officially out of it since World War II ended. But what used to be done overtly
Continue readingHistory never repeats?
Germans could tell you differently: “To know the risks and side effects of Nazi uprisings, just read a history book or ask your grandparents.” (Translation mine.) According to my source on Facebook, this was taken in Bielefeld, at one of the many German “Occupy” rallies. It refers to a recently
Continue readingQ. Why are pirates so badass?
A. They just arrrrrr, matey!
Happy International Talk Like A Pirate Day! And in other buccaneering news, guess who the landlubbers in Berlin are voting for?
Piracy…it’s not just for the high seas or the Israeli navy anymore, me hearties.
Music for a Sunday: Hast du etwas Zeit für mich?
An only slightly fanciful version of how stupid the Cold War mentality could get. Germany was caught in the middle of it all, and Germans (including this Canadian one) were heartily sick of the posturing, brinksmanship, and general nonsense from both sides. Only now, much later, can we see why: Given that the NORAD jets […]
Continue readingShort ‘n’ Stubby: After Oslo, and before the next big fascist terror attack
Ms. Manx has a terrible confession to make: She’s worried! Yes, our eternally merry and sweetly skeptical cyberkitty is seriously bothered about Oslo…and not just because of all the carnage (although that, in itself, is terribly upsetting, too.) Beyond the immediate shock and grief, there are so many larger implications that she wants me to […]
Continue readingEconomics for Dummies: How the IMF ate Greece
An excellent, succinct interview with Michael Hudson, who explains how the European common market helped to tank the Greek economy, and then sold it out to the IMF. One jarring moment is when he says that all the historical assets of Greece, that used to require whole armies to steal, are now being taken by […]
Continue readingThe Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
A Canadian documentary that starts with the CIA’s failed, lame attempt to develop LSD as a truth serum/mind-control agent. Instead, it became the catalyst for thousands of old beatniks and young hippies, formerly staid scientists and political activists to all come together in a radical questioning of authority. Isn’t it funny how as soon as […]
Continue reading