Focus: Destination Germany - The Statesman
Friday, April 13, 2018Westphalia and the noodle-based cuisine of the southwest.Some of the specialities are Bratwurst, Eisbein mit sauerkraut, Schwäbische maultaschen,Butterbrez’n , Käsespätzle, Eintopf, Eierpfannkuchen, Schwarzwälder kirschtorte, Lebkuchen, Ebbelwoi, Schnapps, Kirschwasser. There are literally thousands of varieties of German beer.Secular celebrationsGerman holidays are those of the Roman calendar and the Christian liturgical year. Especially popular are Sylvester (New Year’s), Karneval or Fastnacht (Mardi Gras), Ostern (Easter), Himmelfahrt (Ascension Day), Pfingsten (Pentecost), Advent and Weihnachten (Christmas). The new national holiday is 3 October, the Tag der Deutschen Einheit (Day of German Unity).Weather and climateAs with most European countries, Germany is a year-round destination but not especially dependable weather-wise. In general terms though, it’s a temperate country with warm summers and cold (more and more often mild), winters prolonged periods of frost or snow are rare.Rain falls throughout the year, with much of Germany experiencing its maximum rainfall over the high summer months. The average January daytime temperature is 3°C and in July it’s 22°C. Extremes commonly reach -10°C (5°F) in winter and 35°C (95°F) in the summer months.Commercial relationsGermany is India’s largest trading partner in Europe. India was ranked 24th in Germany’s global trade during 2016. Bilateral trade in 2016 was valued at 17.42 billion Euros. Apart from traditional sectors, knowledge-driven sectors hold good potential for collaboration.Major Indian exports to Germany includes Textiles, Metal and Metal Products, Electro-Technology, Leather and Leather Goods, Food and Beverages, Machinery, Pharmaceuticals, Auto Components, Chemicals, Gems and Jewellery and Rubber Products.Major Indian imports from Germany include Machinery, Electro-Technology, Metal and Metal Products, Chemicals, Auto Components, Measurement and Control Equipment, Plastics, Medical Technology, Pharmaceuticals, Paper and Printing Materials. Germany is the 7th largest foreign direct investor in India since January 2000.German FDI in India in 2016 was to the tune of US$ 1.1 billion. There are more than 1,600 Indo-German collaborations and over 600 Indo-German joint ventures in operation. German investments in India are mainly in the sectors of transportation, electrical equipment, metallurgical industries, services sector (particularly insurance), chemicals, construction activity, trading and automobiles.Major German companies that have significant operations in India include Siemens, Daimler, Volkswagen, BMW ThyssenKrupp, Bosch, Bayer, BASF, SAP, Deutsche Bank, Metro, Lufthansa, Merck and Munich Re. Indian investments in Germany have also shown a remarkable increase in the last few years.Indian corpo...
Flower-Power aus Bio-Gärtnerei - svz.de
Friday, October 13, 2017Kräuter sowie alte Gemüsesorten vom Rübenblatt bis zum Mangold, kommen ganz, zerschnippelt oder zerstampft auf den Tisch im Hofcafé: als Tee, Salat, Suppe, Smoothie, Pesto, in Wraps, Süßspeisen, Kuchen.Der Renner: Rohkosttorte, darin gemuste Beeren, Äpfel, Nüsse und oben auf essbare Blüten. „Ich spiele mit den vielfältigen Aromen.“ Bei der Verarbeitung der Rohstoffe und der Bewirtung der Gäste in Brandts Hofcafé hilft Hagen Voigt mit.Der Clou auf der Speisekarte: Saft aus Gras. Kristin Brandt bereitet das Power-Getränk aus frischem Wiesengras oder Roggenstängeln in einem speziellen Entsafter zu, wie sie erklärt. Das Geheimnis sei das viele Chlorophyll, das Blattgrün. Es mache Grassaft zu einem Superfood, das nach wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnissen beim Aufbau neuer Blutzellen hilft, die Entgiftung und Wundheilung unterstützt. „Das beste Mittel zum Fitwerden.“ Es solle sogar für einen angenehmen Körpergeruch sorgen.Als „Kräuterfee“ arbeitet Kristin Brandt, die in Stells-hagen bei Boltenhagen geboren wurde, seit mehr als 20 Jahren. 1998 übernahm sie das jahrzehntelang ungenutzte, völlig zugewucherte rund drei Hektar große Pfarrgrundstück in Börzow. „Eine gewisse Struktur war ja noch da“, erinnert sie sich. Hier sammelt sie das ganze Jahr über Wildpflanzen. Auf rund 2000 Quadratmetern baut sie Unkräuter, Gräser und wilde Blumen an. Gewirtschaftet wird streng ökologisch. Kleine Hühner vertilgen Schnecken und Käfer.„Mittlerweile säen sich die Wildkräuter von alleine aus, gepflegt wird nur ganz vorsichtig, es ist und bleibt eben ein gewollt unordentlicher Garten“, erklärt Brandt. Das Konzept überzeuge inzwischen junge Leute aus aller Welt. Regelmäßig kämen Interessierte zum Mitarbeiten in die versteckt liegende Gartenidylle.Und die Unkräuter aus Börzow nehmen ihrerseits den Weg in alle Himmelsrichtungen: Per Paketversand schickt Brandt ihre gesunde Wild-Kost bundesweit an Restaurants, Gourmet- und Hobbyköche. KräuterforschnungDas Forum „Symposium on medicinal plants 2017“ der Hochschule Wismar führte Mitte September Kräuter-Experten auf der Insel Poel zusammen. Die Tagung beschäftigte sich mit der Kultivierung und Verarbeitung von Heilpflanzen wie Moringa, Brahmi, Weihrauch, , Brennnessel oder Karde. Rund 50 Wissenschaftler, Unternehmer und ...
Die Monumente von Paterson, NJ - regensburg-digital.de
Thursday, December 22, 2016Bildschirm existiert. Jarmusch zeigt uns, dass dieses langsame Leben Stabilität ist, nicht Stillstand. Zwar freut sich der Busfahrer Abends über seinen avantgardistisch gefüllten Kuchen, inspiriert vom Food-Blog, aber er sieht eben nur gut aus. Im Inneren Rosenkohl und Cheddar. Nein.
Patersons Welt wird umso wichtiger und persönlicher, desto abgeschnittener sie von der großen, weiten Welt ist. In ihrer Isolation lässt sie Platz für die Gefühle und Probleme der Unwichtigen: den Kneipenwirt, den Hund, den herzgebrochenen Kumpel, den jammernden Kollegen und seine Freundin.
Kein Filmemacher hat das bisher so subtil und poetisch eingefangen, kein Film mehr Raum zur Reflexion über den Status Quo der Starbucks-Welt gelassen. Vielleicht eben darum, weil genau Jarmuschs Werk die falschverstandene Blaupause der postmodernen Puppenstube war, die sich jetzt an Kuchen und Kleinbürgerlichkeit erfreut.
Ein bisschen durchschnittliche Poesie und Leere
Paterson ist ein Selbstkommentar des Regisseurs und genauso intelligent wie prophetisch. Denn: Was soll eigentlich werden mit den Figuren im Film, was mit unserer Welt? Was vereint, ist gefährlich, denn man lebt in einer Dauerschleife von Bruce Springsteens „Born To Run“, als America und die Welt noch great waren und das schon vor 40 Jahren. Die Schallplatte nostalgisch in 4k-HD auf dem Retina-Display.
Lernen wir also die digitale Hydra sanft in den Griff zu bekommen und selbstbewusst mit ihr zu leben, so wie der Busfahrer, oder gleiten wir ab in die tagtägliche Verwirrung von großartigen Träumen, die wir irgendwann nur noch mit einem Kahlschlag lösen können? Und dann: Great again, oder ist es doch unwiederholbar – mit dem Mädchen am Ice Cream Parlour und dabei alles Glück dieser Erde?
Paterson bietet darauf zum Glück keine Antworten oder derart penetrante Überlegungen. Nur ein bisschen durchschnittliche Poesie und Leere und ein paar Menschen, die suchen, aber genug Antwort sind: Liebe.
5 von 5 Flaming Ingos.
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Christmas markets a deeply rooted tradition in Germany - Deutsche Welle
Thursday, December 22, 2016Every two years, the city chooses an adolescent to play the angel and open the market by reading a Christ Child poem in the Church of Our Lady.
Since Nuremberg was a center of the spice trade, "Lebkuchen" (gingerbread cookies) became particularly popular there. The Christkindlesmarkt has also become known for its "Zwetschgenmännla," souvenirs that are edible figures intricately decorated with dried fruit.
While the market lost its significance in the 19th century, it was rejuvenated by the Nazis during the 1930s when Nuremberg was the site of the Nazis' large propaganda rallies. While the Christkindlesmarkt was canceled during World War II, it reopened in 1948 and now hosts at least two million visitors a year. Faas told DW that Nuremberg saw a record number of visitors last year - 2.2 million - shortly after the terror attacks on November 13, 2015 in Paris.
"I will be going with my children to the Christmas market over the next few days and won't worry," he said.
Did Martin Luther boost the Christmas markets?
The Christ Child is not restricted to the Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg. In many parts of Germany the Christ Child is said to bring the presents on Christmas Eve - a tradition that is attributed to Martin Luther. Some have even speculated that the church reformer contributed to the success of the Christmas markets by encouraging people to give gifts on Christmas Eve, rather than on St. Nicholas Day (December 6).
The Christ Child, depicted as an angel, opens the market in Nuremberg
In her study on "Martin Luther and the festive customs," Erika Kohler writes that, since 1531, Luther gave gifts to his family in the name of the "Holy Christ," according to luther2017.de, the organizers behind the year-long celebrations set to begin next month that mark the 500th anniversary of the reformer's 95 theses. "With his rejection of the veneration of saints he is said to have supplanted Saint Nicholas as the giver of gifts. The more the Reformation spread, the more Saint Nicholas was replaced by the Christ Child."
While many people in Germany still observe St. Nicholas Day by putting chocolate in children's shoes, Christmas has indeed become the primary day of gift-giving. Whether or not Martin Luther boosted gift sales at holiday markets, they have solidly established themselves as an Advent tradition.
Markets bring together old and new
It was in the 20th century, however, that the markets became entertaining events, according to German tradition expert Manfred Becker-Huberti. "These days, the music and the offerings are there to create an atmosphere that makes people happy," he told DW.
Many Christmas markets in Germany do that by drawing on the centuries-old tradition, such as those in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a largely preserved medieval town in Bavaria, and in Quedlinburg, a UNESCO-listed city known for its some 2,000 timber-framed houses.
Nearly every town and village hosts a market each year, and in larger cities, markets can be found in every district. Some take a more modern twist, catering to the LGBTQ crowd or offering vegan specialties, for example.
As the capital, Berlin is home to some 80 Christmas market each year. Every tourist is likely to pass through the Alexanderplatz square in downtown Berlin, where the "Winter Dream" market takes place.
Those hoping to escape the big city hustle and bustle make their way to the Lucia Christmas market in the courtyards of the Kulturbrauerei in Berlin's Prenzlauer Berg district. Named after Lucia, the Nordic goddess of light, the market is dedicated to Scandinavian countries.
Meanwhile, the Gendarmenmarkt typically features places to wine and dine as well as enjoy the stage show.
On Tuesday, out of respects for the victims of Monday's attack and their families, all of Berlin's Christmas markets were encour...http://www.dw.com/en/christmas-markets-a-deeply-rooted-tradition-in-germany/a-36844766
Germany's second-highest traffic bridge opens - DW (English)
Sunday, January 26, 2020Mosel River in western Germany. Within Germany, the new bridge in the Rhineland-Palatinate is second only to the 185-meter-high Kochertal bridge in the southern state of Baden-Württemberg. Read more: World's longest pedestrian suspension bridge opens in Germany's Harz region Authorities expect about 25,000 vehicles a day to cross the bridge that now provides a direct link between the regions of Eifel and Hunsrück. Several hundred people gathered for the bridge's opening on Thursday. Over the weekend, thousands of pedestrians crossed the bridge by foot as part of the opening festivities. "Today is a good day for the Rhineland-Palatinate," said State Premier Malu Dreyer. She added that she was convinced "that the bridge will help advance our economically strong state even further and will strengthen ties between the people in Eifel and Hunsrück." Europe's largest construction project The controversial building project kicked off eight years ago. Some critics argued that the massive bridge would destroy the area's idyllic vineyard landscape, while environmentalists argued it would pollute the ground water. Others spoke out against the cost. The building of the bridge was part of a greater road project that included the construction of an additional 25 kilometers (16 miles) of federal highway. The total project is estimated to havecost €483 million ($535 million), with €175 million dedicated to the bridge alone. Read more: Everything you need to know about the German ...https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-second-highest-traffic-bridge-opens/a-51355455
The Pesticide Industry's Playbook for Poisoning the Earth - The Intercept
Sunday, January 26, 2020The study produced results that echoed what the Americans had found.
Drifting clouds of neonicotinoid dust from planting operations caused a series of massive bee die-offs in northern Italy and the Baden-Württemberg region of Germany. Studies have shown neonicotinoids impaired bees’ ability to navigate and forage for food, weakened bee colonies, and made them prone to infestation by parasitic mites.
In 2013, the European Union called for a temporary suspension of the most commonly used neonicotinoid-based products on flowering plants, citing the danger posed to bees — an effort that resulted in a permanent ban in 2018.
In the U.S., however, industry dug in, seeking not only to discredit the research but to cast pesticide companies as a solution to the problem. Lobbying documents and emails, many of which were obtained through open records requests, show a sophisticated effort over the last decade by the pesticide industry to obstruct any effort to restrict the use of neonicotinoids. Bayer and Syngenta, the largest manufacturers of neonics, and Monsanto, one of the leading producers of seeds pretreated with neonics, cultivated ties with prominent academics, including vanEngelsdorp, and other scientists who had once called for a greater focus on the threat posed by pesticides.
Syngenta AG’s headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, on Feb. 4, 2015.
Photo: Philipp Schmidli/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesThe companies also sought influence with beekeepers and regulators, and went to great lengths to shape public opinion. Pesticide firms launched new coalitions and seeded foundations with cash to focus on nonpesticide factors in pollinator decline.
“Position the industry as an active promoter of bee health, and advance best management practices which emphasize bee safety,” noted an internal planning memo from CropLife America, the lobby group for the largest pesticide companies in America, including Bayer and Syngenta. The ultimate goal of the bee health project, the document noted, was to ensure that member companies maintained market access for neonic products and other systemic pesticides.The planning memo, helmed in part by Syngenta regulatory official John Abbott, charts a variety of strategies for advancing the pesticide industry’s interests, such as, “Challenge EPA on the size and breadth of the pollinator testing program.” CropLife America officials were also tapped to “proactively shape the conversation in the new media realm with respect to pollinators” and “minimize negative association of crop protection products with effects on pollinators.” The document, dated June 2014, calls for “outreach to university researchers who could be independent validators.”
The pesticide companies have used a variety of strategies to shift the public discourse.
“America’s Heartland,” a PBS series shown on affiliates throughout the country and underwritten by CropLife America, portrayed the pollinator declines as a mystery. Onea href="https:/...https://theintercept.com/2020/01/18/bees-insecticides-pesticides-neonicotinoids-bayer-monsanto-syngenta/
The perfect destination foHere is why Germany is the perfect destination for your next holidayr your holiday! Discover nature in Germany - Emirates Woman
Sunday, January 26, 2020Black Forest National Park, Baden-Württemberg, South GermanyPerfect for cleansing your lungs. The remarkable feature of this national park is that some areas have been able to develop for more than 100 years without human intervention. This means that all the animals and plants that are found here live in authentic, natural surroundings.You can use Deutsche Bahn trains all over Germany, where it uses 100% green energy. In addition, you can take the InterCity Express for a unique experience, as it is a high-speed train that connects all major cities in Germany with speeds of up to 300 km / hour, and this is one of the fastest ways to reach between Berlin, Hamburg and Cologne!Check out their Instagram: GermanyTourismAr, and Facebook: Germany Tourism Arabia– For more about Dubai’s lifestyle, news and fashion scene straight to your newsfeed, follow us on Facebook Media: Supplied...https://emirateswoman.com/germany/
'Flower Power': Photovoltaic cells replicate rose petals: Scientists increase the efficiency of solar cells by replicating the structure of petals - Science Daily
Tuesday, August 20, 2019Scientists at the KIT and the ZSW (Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg) now suggest in their article published in the Advanced Optical Materials journal to replicate the outermost tissue of the petals of higher plants, the so-called epidermis, in a transparent layer and integrate that layer into the front of solar cells in order to increase their efficiency.
First, the researchers at the Light Technology Institute (LTI), the Institute of Microstructure Technology (IMT), the Institute of Applied Physics (APH), and the Zoological Institute (ZOO) of KIT as well as their colleagues from the ZSW investigated the optical properties, and above all, the antireflection effect of the epidermal cells of different plant species. These properties are particularly pronounced in rose petals where they provide stronger color contrasts and thus increase the chance of pollination. As the scientists found out under the electron microscope, the epidermis of rose petals consists of a disorganized arrangement of densely packed microstructures, with additional ribs formed by randomly positioned nanostructures.
In order to exactly replicate the structure of these epidermal cells over a larger area, the scientists transferred it to a mold made of polydimethylsiloxane, a silicon-based polymer, pressed the resulting negative structure into optical glue which was finally left to cure under UV light. "This easy and cost-effective method creates microstructures of a depth and density that are hardly achievable with artificial techniques," says Dr. Guillaume Gomard, Group Leader "Nanopothonics" at KIT's LTI.
The scientists then integrated the transparent replica of the rose petal epidermis into an organic solar cell. This resulted in power conversion efficiency gains of twelve percent for vertically incident light. At very shallow incidence angles, the efficiency gain was even higher. The scientists attribute this gain primarily to the excellent omnidirectional antireflection properties of the re...https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/06/160624110028.htm