The alarm cries of leading CDU/CSU politicians on the subject of budget restructuring could be part of a shift in discourse

The rough coalition in Berlin is taking shape. The personnel ies are settled, at least in principle. Now it is a matter of content. Superlatives have not been spared since the beginning of the week. The "Roughest budget restructuring in German history" predicts Edmund Stoiber, the designated Minister of Economics. The rough "Howling and teeth rattling", Stoiber refers to the Maastricht criteria, according to which the debt of an EU member state may not exceed three percent of the gross domestic product. If Germany is to achieve this goal by 2007, 35 billion euros will have to be saved.

The strong words are not surprising at first. After all, appeals to tighten the belt have been part of the standard repertoire of all leading politicians for more than a decade. But most of the time they are ared that it is not so bad after all. The strong words of the Union politicians are also astonishing because the concrete budget cuts are not yet known. Instead, the proposals are piling up. The homeowner’s allowance is to be abolished, the commuter allowance is to be severely curtailed, the federal subsidy for pension insurance is to be lowered, and the health insurance contribution for senior citizens is to be raised. Even an increase in the value-added tax is not explicitly ruled out. The impression is that all sectors of society will be affected by shortcuts. That is why Stoiber and Koch have been accused of alarmism and scaremongering.

Blair leans surprisingly the public prere of the critics; Documents show that the British government in terms "Frankenstein Food" was put under prere from the US government

In the run-up to an OECD conference on the safety of genuine food (a global organization for the control of biotechnology required), the British Prime Minister Tony Blair has a surprising turnaround in terms "Frankenstein Food" completed. Last year, he turned against the popular criticism of genetic engineering and acquainted in the United Kingdom, that he was happy and without concern to eating foods (Blair loves Genfood). But the mood in the country seems to speak against the attempt Blairs to let GeNbitahn in the future industries not to be influenced.

In an independent article, Blair on Sunday, that genuarescent foods could harm human health and the environment and that the concerns were entitled to the possibility of the potential risks. Although the potential benefits of genetic engineering as in medicine be considerable, his government was not unconditionally demanded: "The crucial word in terms of risks and opportunities is potentially. The potential for opportunities highlights why we were right, not the ture before gentleman foods or cereals without prior research. The potential for risks shows why we are right in fact very careful. And that’s exactly what we do."

Tom Wolfe in the White House (2004). Image: White House / Susan Sterner

Notes on Tom Wolfe’s latest book: "The kingdom of language"

To begin with the Weiben suit. It was originally the trademark of the American literary phenom Mark Twain. Twain, hard on the verge of financial bankruptcy, had toured the world for years, making audiences laugh in sold-out sals. The man in the white suit standing on the stage was Mark Twain. Easy to identify. When he was photographed, he put on the weiben suit. A fresh. It is said that he owned more than one, namely 14 pieces, and every day he put on a new one.

The Japanese company Hitachi wants to continuously optimize work processes with a system that permanently monitors them

In Japan, robots are treasured. Their development has also been called for in the rapidly aging country to keep immigration to a minimum. In Japan, only about 2 percent of the population are foreigners, no more than 50.000 immigrants admitted. In 2013, the government decided to invest $20 million a year in the development of robots to cater for the growing proportion of the aging population, including toilet robots, robots to help people move around or locate dementia patients. According to a survey, elderly Japanese were more likely to be cared for by robots than by an expatriate caregiver.

But it may be one thing to have robot dogs, to have robots bury guests or communicate with them, to be cared for by robots or to work alongside them, as long as the master-servant relationship is – or at least appears to be – in favor of humans. But this could also change soon.

In Amsterdam and nationwide, the tails are tightened again. Photo:djedj on Pixabay (Public Domain)

New infections increase eightfold within a week. This is not yet evident in the country’s intensive care units. The government, however, has tightened the measures again

Only two weeks lasted the rough corona freeze in the Netherlands, now the government is massively tightening the levers again. The reason: The infection figures are rising massively less than three weeks after the widespread openings in June. On Sunday, the National Institute for Health and the Environment (RIVM) paid 9.398 new infections – eight times as many as a week earlier.

Uwe Knop on the various health hype about food

Whether fat-free, cholesterol-free, vegan, paleo or low-carb: Consumers are constantly being informed about new eating trends that are supposed to make life longer. The promulgators of the new food culture are supported by research results that consistently fail to live up to their promises. At least that’s what nutritionist Uwe Knop says in his book Ernahrungswahn (Food Craze). In the end, the current food hysteria is more a sociological than a biological phenomenon? Telepolis asked.

Mr. Knop, you epistemologically subsume the currently rampant food mania under the category of "Belief instead of knowledge". Is the current phobia of pleasure in eating the religion of today??

Uwe Knop: For some among the people with certainty. This is supported by the fact that the churches have already joined the discussion. They have noticed how this hype about healthy eating is stealing their sheep away from the confessional. So the clerics warn openly "Self-annihilation through nutrition" and that healthy food is a "Substitute religion" can become, in extreme cases "religious fundamentalism" resembles.

Bernie Sanders has been offering unatisested Americans an alternative to Tea Party since Friday

Bernie Sanders was born in Brooklyn – what is still clear today. In 2006 he became Vermont as a party candidate for the state of Vermont, in which America is most sacred in the Senat.

In the beginning, Sanders outside Vermont was well known by providing himself as the only senator, the tabuization of the term enforced by the Republicans "socialism" to follow. Instead, he occupied him positive. But since last Friday, one knows the vehement advocate of a uniform health insurance throughout America. On this day, the Senator held a speech that many observers at the Filibustern of James Stewart in Frank Capras Film MR. Smith Goes to Washington reminded.

An educational takeaway from 2003

Talking the talk is an art that can be learned, fortunately. For example, in the Bildungsverein Hannover, which was founded in 1981 as part of the alternative green movement "with the aim of developing an independent alternative adult education institution". In the meantime, this continuing education institution has established itself in the Hanover region, offers more than 48,000 hours of instruction per year, and has long since been able to hold its own against the classic adult education center.

So far, so good. And the motto of the association also sounds really good: "Social learning and communication". This is naturally also on the title of the new summer program, with which the education association now obviously wanted to reach a new clientele; namely people are addressed, who have the power to kundigen other people. Since to each good Entlang usually also a Kundigungsgesprach belongs, one can now there thus under "Vocational education" you can book a weekend seminar with the title: "Fair severance interviews with employees."

In addition to plans for countering industrial espionage, terrorism and cyberwar, the Ministry of Defense is also working on plans for combating the flu pandemic

When you enter the Hôpital Foch in Suresnes near Paris (Hauts-de-Seine), the first thing you notice are the coarse orange posters with which the Ministry of Health wants to inoculate the population with behavioral measures to prevent the new A/H1N1 flu. Those who want to escape the disease should wash their hands regularly, use a handkerchief to sneeze, and call the doctor when they notice the first signs of infection.

At the hospital, two members of the medical staff had been infected with the H1N1 virus at the end of July. Twenty patients at risk of infection were placed in quarantines and treated with the antiviral drug Tamiflu. In addition, a crisis team was established, which called the senior staff together every day at 3 p.m. for a situation briefing. All employees of the affected pulmonary department had to wear masks. Those who showed flu symptoms were immediately examined and isolated at home. After 11 days, the safety inspections were lifted again.

Genetically engineered soybeans invade Germany’s ecological stronghold. Finally there are oranges that save you the mooing of scarfing. Suber taste, without getting fat, or potatoes with more starch and less water, so that the fries are not soaked with oil. The future of the Novel Food stands before the Tur. The brave new world is waiting for us. Paradise is near. Florian Rotzer mumbles a little to himself.

Germany, it is said, is a poor location for genetic engineering, an area of biotechnology with high expectations for the future. The country, which was a major driver of technology and science until the middle of this century, is falling behind globally. The restrictions and requirements are too restrictive, the population is against the technology. In short: with all the green romantics, forest lovers, animal rights activists and bio-enthusiasts, we are on the decline. The promising and profitable gene laboratories, including those of the German chemical industry, are moving elsewhere, where they can conduct research and market their products without hindrance. But things may be changing. We don’t want to repeat the same mistake we once made with computer technology. Some even see Germany as the future world leader in biotechnology.

"Because we no longer know what we eat", writes Michael Frank on the site of Greenpeace. "Our daily bread is so full of artificial flavors, colors, full- and additives that we can hardly see that the real ‘producer’ is nature. Now the food companies promise us further allegedly better products through genetic engineering."