The Never-Ending Syrian Civil
The SixtyTwenty News Student Newspaper at the Department of Translation Studies University of Innsbruck, March-June 2015
Damaged houses in Syria The never-ending Syrian civil war
by Philipp Scomparin
At the beginning of the Syrian started. Since then, according to and the fight between rebels and ded his father, Hafez-al-Assad, civil war only two groups were in - the BBC, more than 200,000 the Islamic State. The NATO and as President of Syria in 2000. volved in the conflict: the opposi - people are estimated to have the UN have not intervened yet The beginning tion and the troops of President lost their lives in the conflict. A lot because their member states al-Assad. As the war went on, of people had to flee in the have not been able to reach an On 18 March 2011 the demons - more and more groups and or - neighbor countries Lebanon, agreement. This article reveals trations became bloody. The Sy - ganizations have joined the war. Jordan, Iraq and Turkey. A big the story of the civil war. rian government used violence Why does this war arouse such topic of this war is the use of che - in order to stop protesters. At first a big interest among these or - mical weapons. As already men - It all began as a protest against the demand of protester were ganizations and how did they be - tioned before, this war is not only the government of President democratic reforms, release of come part of this conflict? about government against oppo - Bashar al-Assad in spring 2011. political prisoners, more free - sition. It also involves fights bet - Assad is the General Secretary dom, abolition of emergency law In spring 2011 the civil war ween rebel groups themselves of the Ba’ath Party. He succee - and an end to corruption.
Page 1 Current Affairs
that chemical weapons were in - State with air strikes. In the me - Later the main goal of the de - A lot of people with religious mo - volved in the conflict. After the antime the Kurds were provided monstrators became the over - tivations joined these organizati - UN found evidence Assad’s re - from Western states with we - throwing of Assad. After foreign ons. Many rebel units became gime blamed the rebels for the apons and so the IS had to leave countries and UN’s Secretary- part of these Islamic organizati - use of poison gas. The NATO did Kobane. 1,600 people are esti - General Ban Ki Moon showed ons because they offered them a not intervene because the mem - mated to have lost their lives in their concerns about Assad, the monthly salary. The measures of ber states did not want to. Also the conflict of Kobane. This fight President abolished the emer - these groups were brutal and the US had no military reaction has been one of the latest big gency law. Despite that, the pro - violent. They hurt journalists, da - to the poison gas attack since event of the civil war. 2015 has tests continued. The government maged facilities of other religions Russia convinced the Syrian go - not started so well for the go - used tanks and violence to com - and used suicide bombers to vernment to stop their chemical vernment troops. They have lost bat the demonstrators. The 22 combat the government and aid weapons program and allow in - some territories, particularly in April of that year has since been organizations. In fact, instead of ternational agencies to control the south of the country. one of the most tragic days of the weakening the Assad regime their arsenal of chemical we - country. Snipers shot at protes - they helped the President indi - apons. The organizations Human Rights ters and killed between 30 and rectly because the rest of the Watch and Amnesty International 70 people. As a response the US world does not want to support 2014 – until today accuse both, government forces government imposed sanctions such an opposition. and rebels, of violating human on Syria. As the war went on, rebel groups rights. Since the IS joined the At the beginning of 2013 the Sy - started to fight each other more war, Syria has become the big - Rebel groups rian government could stabilize and more. Al-Qaida groups gest displacement crisis of the itself again. The government had started to fight against the or - world. According to the BBC, In July 2011 former army mem - lesser territory to defend and the ganizations of the Sunnis and around 7.6 million people were bers and civilians founded the use of artillery and bombs was a against the FSA. In the mean - forced to leave their homes but Free Syrian Army (FSA). The big help. The Security Council of time Assad’s troops could gain were not able to leave the coun - FSA put a lot of pressure on the the UN could not intervene be - some areas of the country. Since try. The UN estimates that 12.2 military army and expelled them cause Russia and China were the appearance of the Islamic million people are in need of hu - from always more territories. As against an intervention. State in mid-2014, the fights bet - manitarian help inside Syria. In time goes by, the number of ween Kurds and the Islamic mili - the meanwhile nearly 4 million people who withdrew from the In May 2013 militias of the Leba - tia began. The fights were very people fled to the neighbor coun - regular army increased. It see - nese Hezbollah entered Syria brutal and so a lot of people fled. tries. Lebanon and Turkey have med like that the Assad regime and began to support Assad’s The Islamic State was able to each more than one million Sy - would not last long. However, the troops. With their help the troops gain some important areas such rian refugees, while Jordan, Iraq FSA was not able to provide for were able to beat rebels in many as a big part of the city of Ko - and Egypt have taken each hun - the population of their territories. areas, including important stra - bane. Some Western States, dreds of thousands of Syrians. This issue was solved by various tegy points like Al-Qusayr. particularly the US, wanted to in - About 200,000 people are esti - organization of Sunnis’, which tervene at this point. mated to have died in the war are considered to be the largest The use of chemical weapons and as it seems the number of branch of the Islam. As the war In August 2013 a poison gas at - Since then, a coalition consisting victims is going to increase more continued, members of organiza - tack took place in Ghouta and of the US and some Arabic and more. tions armed themselves and par - caused numerous victims. At first states, like Saudi Arabia and ticipated in the war. the Syrian government denied Qatar, has attacked the Islamic The Orphans in Belarus The tragic life fate of the orphaned children by Sara Ennine
Belarus is a country full of con - cuated only 9 days after the inci - tradictions, blessed with a mar - dent. vellous countryside but at the same time it is an extremely im - The radiation which was re - poverished country. A decisive leased when the reactor explo - event of Belarus’ history was the ded is still a serious problem. Chernobyl nuclear disaster in The high level of radiation had 1986. caused tremendous health pro - blems and many residents are On 26th April 1986 a serious tra - still living in the contaminated gedy occurred. Due to a failed area because they do not want experiment a nuclear reactor of to leave their home or rather give Power station Pripyat in Cherno - up their whole existence. Besi - byl exploded. With the explosion des, the number of cancer con - numerous radioactive elements ditions has increased and is still and compounds had been re - increasing. leased into the air. The residents of the affected area were eva - After the reactor accident a mul - Page 2 Current Affairs
titude of aid organisations and per cent of the population abuse kids do not have the same pos - they become addicted to alcohol, associations were established. alcohol, in the majority of cases sibilities as other graduates. neglect or prostitute themselves. The main objective was to help they consume vodka. In this children who have to live in con - case the government comes into Children with a disability are not Another big problem is to find a taminated areas. To take the chil - play and removes parental rights accepted in Belarus, they are re - job and a flat. Most of them not dren out of the contaminated from the parents. As a conse - jected by society. That is the rea - even have relatives, family area even for a short time can quence, they loose the child cus - son why they are placed in friends or acquaintances that have a positive effect on their he - tody. orphanages where they have to could help them in any way. The alth. The aid organisations pay grow up without love and af - harsh reality is that they are particular attention to orphans Nevertheless, there are many fection, without a family. The completely left alone. who live in orphanages and other reasons besides alcohol conditions are said to be terrible. other institutions of various abuse why children are sent to Although there are caregivers The non-profit aid agency “Cana - types. The initiative particularly orphanages or similar instituti - the children do not get the af - dian Aid for Chernobyl - Provi - came from foreign organisations. ons. The kids living in the orpha - fection they need because there ding Hope to… a Nation…a nages come from several is not enough staff. In conse - Village…a Child!” has new initia - In Belarus there are 600 orpha - milieus. In almost all cases the quence of this issue violent at - tives for 2015. Their projects nages which host about 50,000 parents are not able to raise their tacks are the order of the day focus on Belarus and the children. Most orphanages had children on their own and this because from their point of view Chausy region, a town in the been built after World War II. often leads to high physical vio - this is the only way to sedate the east of Belarus. Some children’s homes have the lence. Many mothers prostitute children. In addition to that, pills function of a sanatorium; this themselves to get money for and other medications are used. The most recent initiative is cal - means that they allow children to vodka and often drugs; they see This is doubtless not the right led “Rescue Home for Children”. stay until they are completely their children as a cumbersome way to handle this situation. It The agency plans to erect a res - cured. So they provide at least burden and send them away. should be mentioned that this cue home in the Town of Chausy the shelter and protection that The adults are not even able to cannot be blamed on the staff where children can live and do those children need and deserve handle their own life and that is only; it is not possible for them to not have to leave at a specific for some time. the reason why they do not ma - look after so many children or age. Hence, they can live without nage to look after a child. rather to be a substitute family, the fear to be left alone. Further - Other institutions host children The Russian pedagogue Maka - as this alternative family form is more, they want to hire a so-cal - who have stayed behind in their renko described the fate of the not the real one. led long-term house Mom. The development or orphans, but “[o]rphans with living parents” as main duty would be to raise the only until a specific age. particularly tragic. Unfortunately, the children have children with love and affection. to leave the orphanage they live They even could go to state The sad part is that there are al - The school system in the orpha - in when they are 18 or 19 years schools and have the right for most no true orphans, most of nages is not the same as in the old. From there on they are left extra activities. In this way they the children living in orphanages state schools. The school enrol - to their own devices. Conse - would have the same possibili - are so-called social orphans. ment is different because the quently, children often get into a ties as other children, because The Belarusian government children are at different stan - bad state and waste away. It is every human being has the right uses this term to describe chil - dards of development. The kin - hard to put into words the terrible to education and a normal life full dren who have at least one pa - dergarten and the preparation things they had to go through. of love, shelter, affection and re - rent who is alive, but they do not course in the orphanages are These human beings right from spect. look after their offspring. The obligatory. They have an ave - the outset have little hope for the most common cause for this is rage of 20 pupils in a classroom. future or a chance of a normal the high alcohol consumption of The school curriculum is not the life, usually they expect the same the whole population. Over 10 same as in other schools so the fate like this of their parents – PEGIDA – Demons - trations for the Christian Western ci - vilization
by Magdalena Tusch
In the last few weeks a new poli - German history, there have al - tical group founded in Dresden ways been conflicts about racism has been causing sensation in and - like in no other country - Germany. This group called PE - the difference between patrio - GIDA organizes demonstrations tism and xenophobia is still a to spread out its believes. tightrope walk. That is the reason why so many people pay atten - As The Second World War and tion to organisations like PE - the National Socialism emboss GIDA. With controversial ideals Page 3 Current Affairs that mainly focus on people’s racist and xenophobic. GIDA also demands zero tole - is that some of the people joining fears they split society. rance for delinquent immigrants the community are just scared But not only Dresden is affected and the protection of our Chris - about topics like their retirement The history of PEGIDA by the political demonstrations, tian Western civilisation. pension or a save working place. even in other parts of Germany They do not notice that the initia - On October 10th 2014 Lutz people have founded similar Who attends PEGIDA demons - tors use the community to Bachmann created the first page groups. A lot of them are unsatis - trations and why? spread their racist content and to for PEGIDA on Facebook. A bit fied with the political situation or attract attention for their belie - later, Siegfried Däbritz, a former want to protest against immigra - In recent studies Dr. Hans Vor - ves. candidate for the councillor of tion. länder and his team of the Tech - FDP and Thomas Tallacker joi - nical University of Dresden have PEGIDA’s plans for the future ned him. They were both already The main points of PEGIDA listed the main characteristics of known for their racist statements a typical PEGIDA protestor: He In the last few weeks the situa - about Muslims, Turks, Kurds and PEGIDA stands for “Patriotische is male, is part of the German tion has calmed down a bit and asylum seekers. Däbritz even Europäer gegen die Islamisie - middle class, is about 48 years the number of attendants has had to vacate his position in the rung des Abendlandes” which old, is employed, well-trained declined. However, the organisa - FDP because of his attitude to - means in English “Patriotic Euro - and lives in Dresden or Sachsen. tion has made waves again by wards immigrants. On January peans against the Spread of Is - Only a third of the Protestants at - appointing Tatjana Festerling as 21st 2015 Lutz Bachmann resig - lamism in the Christian Western tend the demonstrations be - their candidate for the mayoral ned from his functions in PE - civilization”. Its name already re - cause of the fear of Islamism, the election in Dresden. The NPD GIDA because of the pressure veals the main points of the com - rest joins because of certain dis - called her a “patriotic candidate” exerted by the press after he had munity, but it is a bit more difficult satisfaction about the political si - and appealed for voting for her in published an inappropriate pho - to understand the actual purpose tuation in their country. They are the elections. The NPD itself was tograph on Facebook. The of this group. If you take a look at mostly concerned about immi - a member of the Parliament of picture showed Lutz Bachmann the main points of the organisa - grants and asylum seekers and Sachsen for 10 years and ex - with Adolf Hitler’s typical beard tion you notice that democratic do not differentiate between perts say that they see PEGIDA and hairstyle. Later he apologi - political groups also use most of these two groups of people. as a chance to get into the Par - zed for his Facebook post, but them. The problem is the formu - liament again. The fact that the also announced his resignation lation of these points that give But apart from the results of NPD did not offer a candidate by from PEGIDA. Kathrin Oertel, the impression of racist content. these studies, there are a lot themselves is evidence for the who has been Lutz Bachmann’s Besides, there are many repre - more individual reasons for the cooperation of PEGIDA and the friend since childhood, is his suc - sentatives of the German NPD supporters of PEGIDA. In seve - NPD. The decision is up to the cessor. joining the demonstrations in ral interviews you can see that voters of Dresden, whether they Dresden and playing an active ignorance is one of the major want to support groups like the Starting with about 350 atten - role in these events. Even on the problems. Especially elderly right-winged NPD when electing dants at the first demonstration community’s Facebook page people often fear what they do the new mayor. on October 20th 2014 the num - there are a lot of comments not know and what seems ber of participants since then has about xenophobia and racism. strange to them, like other religi - Groups like PEGIDA have al - risen up to 25,000 until January Lutz Bachmann, the initiator of ons. Because of organisations ways existed, but the question is 2015. As there are a lot of the demonstrations is also well like PEGIDA these fears are sto - whether they establish themsel - people in Dresden that do not known for his xenophobic state - ked as they use for example ves or not. In this particular case, support the values of PEGIDA ments. Islam as a concept of the enemy. the elections of Dresden will they organize demonstrations Altogether, there are 19 main In some of the demonstrations show how successful PEGIDA against it on a regular basis. points that are listed on this the initiators even read parts of can be in the future. They want to show the world that page. A major part of them is the Koran to misinterpret it on they distance themselves from about better conditions for asy - purpose. this organisation that they find lum seekers in Germany, but PE - The major problem with PEGIDA The future of manu - facturing Will 3-D Printing change the world?
by Elias Arce It sounds futuristic, but the main parts for one off cars in the auto - idea of 3-D Printing is solid and motive industry or artificial limbs could lead the world into a new in the medical area. Even food era of economic prosperity. The like chocolate can be done by first printer was built by Charles simply using a 3-D printer. So, Hull in the 1980s as a tool for can we imagine the possibilities making basic polymer objects and potential of this technology if and has set the cornerstone for introduced to mass manufactu - this innovative technology. Cur - ring? rently, 3-D Printing is used to create specific items like unique Considering that 3-D Printing Page 4 Current Affairs
saves costs, wastage and redu - ted, requiring expensive invest - per than manufacturing. The cost ces environmental impact is Now, as the cost of 3-D Printing ment. It is also worth mentioning is based on material used, mea - another of its strong points. The steadily decreases in terms of that not only the aspect of tradi - ning big things are expensive materials used for 3-D Printing materials, traditional manufactu - tional manufacturing will change, and small things are cheap. Ba - are mostly heat processed recy - ring will be eventually degraded but also other steps in the supply sically, even though the material clable plastics, which means that to only producing highly techni - chain will be different such as costs for the printers are decrea - goods that are used, damaged cal and specific goods and distribution and retail. As for the sing they are still far more ex - or unwanted can be melted back items. The remaining, less spe - future, these steps may also very pensive than raw materials. Also, down and made into something cific products, will be manufactu - well disappear seen as new pro - 3-D Printing is not that fast; it new. Another aspect that has red by 3-D shops or even by the ducts can directly be picked up takes hours to print, even days. been emerging in the world of consumers themselves, seen as by the consumer himself. Also Speeding up the process will re - manufacturing over the past a good 3-D printer for domestic the market will collaborate more sult in poor quality. Another issue years is personalisation. Finally, use costs about 2000$. Gene - directly with the customer to would be licensing deals. If 3-D even the most custom ideas of rally, that means that the classic create products, likewise for cus - Printing makes it into people’s customers will be able to be - manufacturing model as we tomisation. Something like that houses, a new black market will come solid realities. know it will be slightly disrupted has not been possible to even arise and companies that own li - by this new technology. Howe - think about in traditional manu - censes for toys or likewise may So how is 3-D Printing going to ver, it will still take time for 3-D facturing. Naturally, some form of result in making profit losses. In change the future in terms of ma - Printing to fully evolve to the customisation was provided but addition, even though it is old nufacturing? point where factories are barely at a high cost, while in the world news, it is wise to mention that it needed. Nonetheless, it’s a of 3-D Printing you only pay for is also possible to print out we - Over the past 30 years manu - factory without a factory floor and the materials, not the complexity. apons if someone possesses the facturing’s share of global value it has created a platform for inno - blueprints. This issue has al - has declined steadily with the in - vation, enabling manufacturing But how does a 3-D printer ready been addressed by go - crease of demand for services to expand to uncommon and un - work? vernments and as a and the decrease of consump - known areas. consequence the selling of blue - tion goods prices. Since the Se - 3-D Printing, also known as ad - prints and printing of weapons cond Industrial Revolution, 3-D Printing is on its way to do - ditive manufacturing, is an addi - was in fact prohibited but still, manufacturing has always been minate traditional manufacturing tive technology in which objects that can hardly be the whole synonymous with factories, ma - if we take into account that this are built up in a many very thin story. Furthermore, you can only chine tools, and production lines. technology provides superior layers. The first commercial prin - print in one material, which in ge - Over the last decades it has con - way of creating goods. In addi - ter based itself on a technique neral would be plastic. As a re - tributed to wealth and prosperity tion, one printer can create a called stereolithography. After sult, the items are not as sturdy of many nations, companies and vast range of products, whereas the printer is given the blueprints as the ones made in factories people. The globalization of ma - traditional manufacturing has to for the object, the process be - because of the many thin layers nufacturing raised living stan - struggle with assembly and pro - gins. The printer positions a per - from the printing process. dards for the middle classes and duction lines, which have to be forated platform just below the created jobs. changed and adequately adap - surface of a vat of liquid photo - Now, how is the future of manu - polymer. Photopolymer is a liquid facturing? that hardens at the impact of a ultraviolet laser. The laser beam 3-D Printing is definitely one of traces the first slice of the object the keys to a new era of econo - on the surface of the photopoly - mic prosperity. The future of 3-D mer, causing a very thin layer to Printing lies in the potential for harden. The platform is then lo - people to create, invent and wered very slightly and the pro - share ideas. It will certainly be of cess repeats itself until the immense help in many scientific complete object has been prin - areas like the medical sector or ted and removed from the vat. the prototyping market. Howe - So, is 3-D Printing worthy of ver, it is not very convincing in being called “The Third Industrial the domestic area, given the Revolution” as stated by The high material costs. So, is this Economist? new technology really going to replace factories? Frankly, it is The whole 3-D Printing concept not going to happen. Not yet. It may sound fantastic and flaw - may sound futuristic and innova - less, but people tend to get ea - tive but when you just look at the sily blinded by the hype and to finished product and not the way overlook some negative aspects. it was produced, then printed For example, it isn’t exactly true parts are a long way behind in to say that 3-D Printing is chea - terms of quality. But first let me take a selfie
by Anna Lena Wallnöfer During the past few years, the can do. You can take it alone in It is just one click and your selfie the selfie dates back to the 19th selfie has become more and your bathroom or with friends in is ready to be uploaded to Face - century and back then a great more popular. Today taking a sel - the club. book, Instagram or other social deal of effort had to be expended fie is the most natural thing one networks. However, the origin of in order to “make” a selfie. Page 5 Current Affairs they got into position, DeGene - The first known self-portrait pho - res decided to include stars like tograph was taken in 1839 by an Julia Roberts and Bradley Coo - American pioneer in photogra - per in the picture. In the end, phy, Robert Cornelius. He desig - nine celebrities made it on the nated the picture "The first light selfie. The selfie was forwarded Picture ever taken. 1839." The on Twitter more than two million procedure of taking this photo times by the time the 86th Aca - was rather complicated because demy Awards were over. of the technology of the photo camera back then . First he had Over the years, various trends of to uncover the lens, quickly run selfie styles have developed and into the shot, and then replace along with them a selfie dictio - the lens cap. Besides, experts nary was published. Here are debate on whether or not this some of the most used expres - picture can be considered a true sions: selfie. "It's likely he may have had a friend or assistant to make • The belfie: the bottom sel - the actual exposure," argues Dr. fie, which was invented by no Michael Pritchard, a historian other than Kim Kardashian. and director general of the Royal • The drelfie: a drunk selfie. Photographic Society. • The felfie: a farmer selfie. was one of the first teenagers to picture but it can also be used as Its original purpose was to put a take a selfie back in 1914. She a tool of communication and is Taking a selfie became easier in face to modern farming. took the picture standing in front often utilised like a diary. Andy the late 1880s, when the first • The helfie/ beardie: a hair of a mirror and sent it to a friend Davidhazy a 47-year-old man photo cameras with self-timers focused selfie/ a beard focused of hers. In the letter she wrote, "I from Texas hiked from Mexico to were introduced on the market. selfie. took this picture of myself looking Canada in 2013. The purpose of That way the person taking the • The welfie: a workout sel - at the mirror. It was very hard as this hike was to lose weight and selfie had a few seconds to get fie my hands were trembling .“ to see his improvement David - himself in position. Around the • The selfeye: a selfie sho - hazy decided to take a selfie on same time cameras with long wing off one’s eye makeup, The word 'selfie' was born back every mile. Summing up the cable releases appeared, so the which was introduced by the in 2002, when a young Austra - voyage he said: “It was the har - subject could press the shutter company Max Factor. lian was drunk and fell on a set dest simple thing I could think even from a distance in order to of steps and injured his bottom of”. get him or herself on the picture. The latest trend is the selfie stick, lip. After this incident he went on - In 1900 the brilliant invention of which is an extendable stick, line and asked for help in an on - During his journey he lost 50 lbs, the portable Kodak Brownie box usually made out of plastic or line forum, where he posted a spotted one wolf, five black camera revolutionised the photo - steel, with a camera or phone on photograph of himself to show bears and dozens of rattlesna - graphic self-portraiture. With this the end. The selfie stick´s pur - the stitches in his lower lip. His kes. In the end he compiled all of new line, Kodak intended to pose is to help the subject to comment on the picture was his selfies together and publis - bring a camera on the market make a selfie with a wider view. "And sorry about the focus, it hed a four-minute long video. that anyone could afford and What the future of the modern- was a selfie." This was the first Currently the selfie is the most use. The slogan for the Kodak day self-portraits holds to us can - ever written use of the “selfie”. popular way for celebrities to Brownie box camera was "You not be said. However, experts Today the word “selfie” is inclu - reach out to their fans. The pro - push the button, we do the rest." are sure that the selfie is a trend ded in the Oxford Dictionary On - bably most famous selfie was Because of the new Kodak ca - which will stay with us for a long line. taken in the Oscar night of 2014. mera, the selfie and photography time. The host, Ellen DeGeneres, itself found a new target group. The selfie is not like the classic wanted to create the most popu - Grand Duchess Anastasia Niko - photograph; the aim of the selfie lar selfie of all time by taking the laevna of Russia, for example, is not only to create a memory photo with Meryl Streep. When FINANCIAL PROBLEMS OF TODAY’S FOOTBALL
by Nemanja Sever
Football is the most popular the game.... and that is it for cial aspects, as they are far most important question seems sport on earth. Almost every little them. It is the game, the out - worse than anybody thinks or to be who has got most of the kid dreams of becoming a big come and the players that mat - would like to acknowledge. money and which player will cost star and playing for clubs like ter. Most of the fans don’t think more, the action on the pitch is Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, outside the box and don’t ask The abovementioned clubs and secondary if it matters at all. The Chelsea FC... People all around themselves what’s really going also others like PSG or Man - worst part is that it doesn’t only the world watch the games and on besides the things on the chester City are slowly ruining affect the football itself, but also get emotional about the outco - pitch. Or, they just ignore it, be - what was once important. About the inhabitants of some particu - mes of their favourite or disliked cause it’s football and it doesn’t 10 to 15 years ago, everybody lar countries, for example Spain. teams. They turn on the TV a few matter as long as their favourite was just talking about how good Even if it is only in some cases, minutes before the game and club is on top. But we should be a player was and how great the it is still very disturbing how it also turn it off a short while after taking a closer look at the finan - team played. Nowadays the could have gotten this far. Clubs Page 6 International spend money without having to behind it seems just like: “Let’s money to see how their club will spend that much money, even worry about the consequences, have a bigger stadium, doesn’t develop, but after 2-3 years they though they have less debt. And while people have to pay for it. care if we are in the red, we’ll pay already leave, because they get the future isn’t getting brighter for What happened to this once so it back eventually. The important bored with their new “little toy”. them, because they can’t make great sport? The ignorance of thing is to have a big stadium!” And they leave it with a whole lot the same amount of money, as many people would indicate that Since nobody is stopping the of debts, which they don’t care they have no TV rights, not much nothing happened, but the cruel football clubs from thinking that about, because it seems to be a merchandise-selling, not much reality is another. way, why wouldn’t they act like little project for every sheik. The income at all, since the top clubs that? Especially in Spain, the question here is why so many take all of that away from them. Where do the problems come clubs borrow money from the clubs allow a sheik to control the Of course the inhabitants also from and why do they occur? banks and the state, and they club and the answer is always play a part in these thoughts. don‘t have to think about paying the same: the money! Selling a The more attractive players a The high spending on players is back the credit. Who does have whole club and the tradition that club has, the more expensive the simple answer to these ques - to pay for it? Right, since the comes with it and not caring their tickets will get. The club has tions. About £86m for Bale, state is involved, the inhabitants what happens after the takeover to get back the money they £80m for Ronaldo, £75m for are soaked. is something nobody could ima - spend somehow, right? So why Suárez, according to The Tele - gine days back. But the mix of not fleece the stupid people that graph, and the list goes on and are willing to pay to see their fa - on with this immense sums. And vourite sport! yet, the limit for these exaggera - ted sums doesn’t seem to be What is the Financial Fair Play reached. Sure the players are going to change? helping the club a lot, but almost 90 million pounds for one human The Financial Fair Play was in - being? That is just insane, even troduced to protect the smaller more when you think about the clubs and close the gap to the reason why. big ones. The rule says that a club is only allowed to spend as The clubs don’t only buy the much money as it earns (with players because they are so some exceptions for the top good. A lot also has to do with teams... of course!). If the clubs marketing. A new and popular don’t follow this rule they will be player means more attention, suspended from the tourna - more merchandise selling; ments, also the top clubs FIFA maybe even more tickets can be says. But is there really anybody sold. You show the world that that believes that? Suspending you have the power and possibi - Real Madrid or Manchester Uni - lities to buy whomever or whate - The popular teams are the worst these careless sheiks and the ted? FIFA wouldn’t dare to do ver you want. Records are ones at the same time: Barce - purchasable owners only puts off that, because less people would broken, the clubs are talked lona and Real Madrid. a small percentage of people, watch the Champions League, about in media and that’s exactly “Goal.com” published a list of which can also be seen as a which means less income. The what they want, the attention of these two of the biggest clubs in frightening development. rule won’t change a thing about the people who are later willing the world with each having debts the current situation and the gap to buy stuff from the club. This around 500 million euro. And still, What are some negative effects? between the clubs will stay the leads to the enrichment of the they are the clubs which spend same. members of this particular team. the most money every year. The whole money talk destroys Players, coaches, stadium, don’t football. With the mentioned Football has become a money Why do the clubs have debts? matter as long as the club mem - sheiks or high-sum transfers machinery that has lost a lot of bers can show who’s the leader football is losing its importance. attraction over the last few years. One reason is the abovementio - in world football today. Every year the same clubs are There is no improvement in ned aspect of the enormous on top, the same teams win all sight, far from it, it will be led amounts paid for players, but Another trend in the last few the tournaments, you see the even more by money and corrupt there are a lot more that can be years is the sheiks who are buy - same old boring games on TV management, demolishing what listed. Nowadays more and more ing whole clubs or at least big day in and day out... The smaller was once a simple emotional clubs start upgrading their stadi - percentages of them to influence clubs don’t have a chance to sport. ums, regardless of whether they the events. The only problem is stand against the big ones, be - have the money or not. The idea that they put in a large amount of cause they are not allowed to FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar Behind the scenes of a World Cup by Jasmin Lichtmannegger
If we think about the FIFA World negative impacts such a World and rest of the state is surroun - Cup, we think about having fun Cup could have: The waste of The state of Qatar is a sovereign ded by the Persian Gulf. Qatar is watching football and drinking money and time for the building Arab country located in the nort - one of the driest regions in the beer in an international atmo - of stadiums, the exploitation of heast of the Arabian Peninsula. world with an annual rainfall sphere. I guess, nearly no one workers, the cruelty of people The sole land frontier is borde - below 100 millimetres, a humi - has ever been wondering what and so on. ring on Saudi Arabia in the south dity of 85 % and a temperature Page 7 International up to 50°C in summer. I guess in winter, from the end of Novem - in the building trade, but also unbearably heat up to 50°C, a we all agree on the fact that ber until the 18th December on there are women in the service poor diet, a lack of drinking water there could not be a better place which day the finals are due. sector and as housekeepers. An and safety standards, not for holding a FIFA World Cup! Never since 1930 has there incredible number of 1.6 Million enough medical care and acts of been a World Cup not held in workers are exploited in Qatar. violence against workers. If As it had been decided at the summer. As you can imagine, Law regulates no sector and these inhuman working conditi - FIFA Conference 2008 in Tokyo, there were a lot of complaints there exists neither a minimum ons remain like that, another the allocation of the two World and protests against that, but wage nor a health insurance. 2,800 people will die until 2022. Cups in 2018 and 2022 was at there was no other possibility for Moreover, the workers are not In September 2013, it was writ - the same time. So the host of the the FIFA committee. As the able to pay the medical insu - ten in the Guardian that the 27- World Cup 2022 was made pu - change in date causes inconve - rance by themselves. year-old worker Ram Kumar blic on 2nd September 2010 in niences for a lot of leagues and Mahara said: “We were working Zurich. Surprisingly, Qatar came teams, they are going to receive In addition to that, the so-called on an empty stomach for 24 out on top against the USA, compensation from the FIFA and kafala system allows employers hours; 12 hours’ work and then South Korea, Japan and Austra - this compensation is higher than to forbid their employees to no food all night. When I com - lia. it has ever been before. change work or to leave the land. plained, my manager assaulted Sometimes the workers have to me, kicked me out of the labour Preparations are already in pro - Rumour has it that Qatar only hand in their passports and they camp I lived in and refused to gress: Six stadiums will be loca - won the bid to host the World receive them back when their pay me anything. I had to beg for ted in the capital Doha, the other Cup because of corruption. Ho - working contracts run out. Entre - food from other workers.” six will be in the near surroun - wever, the ethic commission of preneurs are dealing with the fo - dings, so that there are just small the FIFA cleared Qatar of all se - reign workers without asking Everybody is talking about “poor” distances between each sport rious accusations of corruption. them for permission. If a com - footballers who have to play a complex. Only four of the twelve It is true that there were some pany does not need a worker match when it is unbearably hot, stadiums are going to be expan - infringements of moral and legal anymore, another company gets but what about the effect of heat ded, the remaining eight are built regulations of the World associa - him. Additionally, loads of on thousands of migrant workers from scratch. Not only is there no tion, for example a lack of trans - people do not receive their pay - who build the stadiums for the infrastructure present, but also parency, but they were not ment for months but they still tournament. They work themsel - there is no use for the stadiums serious enough as to influence have to work, because the em - ves to death with shifts that can afterwards. Although the Albert the election. As far as I am able ployers are threatening a total last 8 times the length of a foot - Speer & Partner GmbH (AS&P), to judge, it would not be possible cancellation of payment or de - ball match. Of course, it is not the German company responsi - in any way that Qatar is the host portation. By the way, as you cer - easy to run 90 minutes when it is ble for the construction of the country without corruption be - tainly can imagine, the living hot, but for that the World Cup is sport complexes, is going to cause every person who has just situation is horrible too: One held in winter. Please do not build the stadiums in a way so a little knowledge of football room for 14 people and hygienic ignore the hardships, the labou - that they can be easily removed voted against the Arab state. conditions that could not be rers have to endure; the blood, after the competition, the buil - worse in any way! the labour shed and the sweat, ding of the stadiums is money Nevertheless, you cannot do the labour is drenched with. spent for inadequate return. Ho - anything against the decision If you think the things mentioned “One man’s meat is another wever, Qatar is definitely no foot - anymore but you can do some - above are already enough cru - man’s poison” – that is how it al - ball-nation and will not be after thing against the terrible exploi - elty, you are wrong! The employ - ways is, but is it really necessary the World Cup. tation of workers in Qatar. The ers often beat or kick their that some people have to slave cheap labour mostly comes from workers and since the allocation several years for their family just Another waste of money combi - Nepal, Pakistan and India, as in 2010, about 1,200 workers so that others can enjoy a World ned with the World Cup is the from North- and East Africa. Not have died. Causes of death are Cup? fact that the tournament is held only are there just men who work working without any breaks, an How South Tyrol be - came part of Italy
by Valeria Steck
As its name already discloses ween Great Britain, France and South Tyrol was part of Austria, Russia. to be precise of Tyrol. In 1879 a pact between Austria-Hungary When World War I started, Italy and the German Empire was did not go to war because Aus - made in which the two powers tria did not accept to give them promised each other support in the land they wanted (Trentino case of attack by Russia and and the city of Trieste) if they hel - neutrality in case of aggression ped them fighting. by any other power. The addition of Italy in 1882 made it the Triple The Allies made a counter-offer Alliance. in which Italy would receive Southern Tyrol, Austrian Littoral On the other side there was The and territory on the Dalmatian Triple Entente, an alliance bet - coast after the defeat of Austria-
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Hungary. This was formalized by were given a home there. Powers of Europe decided that people from all over the world on the Treaty of London. So Italy joi - the borderlines stay where they their grievance. An organization ned the Triple Entente and de - In 1939 Hitler and Mussolini are and South Tyrol remains part was founded and several com - clared war on Austria-Hungary made an agreement. In Musso - of Italy. But the responsible poli - batants in the mid-1950s which on 23 May 1915. lini`s opinion South Tyrol should ticians were aware that this Ger - wanted the right for self-determi - be completely Italian, Hitler in man minority in Italy needs to be nation for South Tyrol with bomb On 10 September 1919 The contrast wanted it to be a Ger - protected to save its culture and attacks. Treaty of Saint-Germain was sig - man region. So the two of them language. ned by the victorious Allies of developed a strategy: The inha - From 1956 until 1961, the acti - World War I on the one hand and bitants of South Tyrol had to de - In 1946 Austrian Foreign Minister vists focused on relics of the fas - by the Republic of German-Aus - cide to either leave their Karl Gruber and the Italian Prime cist regime, trying to avoid tria on the other. This Treaty de - homeland and moving to the Minister Alcide De Gasperi sig - injuries of human beings. On 12 clared South Tyrol a part of Italy German Reich or to stay at home ned the Paris Agreement (“the June 1961, this organization pre - which according to the census of and be completely Italianized. Gruber-De Gasperi Agreement” pared the bombing of 37 electri - 1910, was inhabited almost enti - or “Paris Treaty”, as it is called city pylons supplying power to rely by German speakers Even though about 86% (no pre - today). This agreement between the industrial zone of Bolzano, (92.2%). The Italian army quickly cise numbers known) of all inha - Austria and Italy guarantees the later known as the Night of Fire occupied the southern part of bitants at the end of 1939 opted protection of the region´s charac - (Feuernacht). Italy reacted to this Tyrol in order to provisionally to move to the German Reich the ter and its economic and cultural by sending nearly 40,000 sol - take over its administration. outbreak of the Second World development. diers to occupy South Tyrol. From this day on the inhabitants War put a stop to a mass exo - Everyone who seemed suspi - of South Tyrol went through cruel dus. In addition to the Gruber-De cious was tortured or even killed. years. Benito Mussolini, prime Gasperi Agreement on 31 Ja - minister of Italy at that time, crea - In the end circa 75,000 people nuary 1948 the “first statute of In 1960 the South Tyrolean ted a systematic plan how to “Ita - actually left their homeland. This autonomy” of the region Trentino question (“Südtirolfrage“) was lianize” their new province. As “Option” was one of the greatest – South Tyrol was created and discussed by the UN and in 1972 his first step he nominated Ettore traumas in the history of the enclosed to the Italian constitu - the first autonomous status was Tolomei as person in power for South Tyrolean people. Society tion. Although the South Tyro - adopted. It allows South Tyrol a this mission. First of all German was divided, families split up and lean population was not entirely considerable level of self-govern - was forbidden in schools and those who opted to stay behind happy with this solution of their ment and to keep almost 90% of German place names were re - were branded as traitors. Italy problem, they saw it as a first their taxes. Even though since placed by Italian equivalents. As was defeated in 1943 and Mus - step back to Austria. A few years then some improvements were a reaction to all this, the inhabi - solini and the fascism were over - later the South Tyrolean commu - made according to the autonomy tants built “catacomb schools”- thrown. In this time South Tyrol nity got angry, they still did not of South Tyrol some people are where pupils where secretly was ruled by the German Reich want to be a part of Italy and their still not happy to be part of Italy. taught in German. Tolomei´s and the hope grew that the pro - only hope, the Gruber-De Gas - Some still try to find a solution next step was to create a large vince could finally get away from peri Agreement, was not obeyed how to get away from Italy but a industrial area in Bolzano where Italy. Two years later after the de - and they still were treated badly. separation is rather unreal. he only hired Italian workers who feat of Germany the Great The only opportunity was to alert What PETA stands for
An organization that fights for animal rights
by Valentina Steck
Almost all of us grew up eating from suffering and exploitation. meat, wearing leather, and going Jeremy Bentham, the founder of to circuses and zoos. Many of us the reforming utilitarian school of bought pets at pet shops, had moral philosophy, stated that guinea pigs, and kept birds in when deciding on a being’s cages. We wore wool and silk, rights, “The question is not ‘Can ate McDonald’s burgers, and fis - they reason?’ nor ‘Can they hed. We never considered the talk?’ but ‘Can they suffer?’” All impact of these actions on the animals have the ability to suffer animals involved. For whatever in the same way and to the same reason, someone is now asking degree that humans do. They the question: Why should ani - feel pain, pleasure, fear, frustra - mals have rights? Animals surely tion, loneliness, and motherly deserve to live their lives free love. Whenever we consider
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doing something that would in - make them perform for humans’ U.S. The investigator’s job was the farm’s owners with violations terfere with their needs, we are “entertainment”; they are mutila - to feed, water, and clean up. He of the federal Animal Welfare morally obligated to take them ted and confined to tiny cages so noticed that the animals had no Act. When film star Charlize The - into account. that we can kill them and eat comforts—no bedding on the ron heard about PETA’s investi - them; they are burned, blinded, hard wire, little to no protection gation, she quickly agreed to Supporters of animal rights be - poisoned, and cut up alive in the from the hot summers or the cold help tell the pet shop puppies’ lieve that animals have an inhe - name of “science”; they are winters, and no regular veteri - story and narrate the investiga - rent worth—a value completely electrocuted, strangled, and nary care, even when they were tion footage video. Charlize then separate from their usefulness to skinned alive so that people can ill. Crusty, oozing eyes, raging sent a copy of the video to mall humans. They believe that every parade around in their coats; and ear infections, mange that turned managers across the country, creature with a will to live has a worse. The abuse that animals their skin into a mass of red along with a letter urging them to right to live free from pain and suffer at human hands is heart- scabs, abscessed feet from the dump pet shops. Puppy mills suffering. Animal rights are not breaking, sickening, and infuria - unforgiving wire floors—all were such as Nielsen will continue to just a philosophy—it is a social ting. ignored or inadequately treated. operate and profit as long as movement that challenges socie - The tragic conditions at Nielsen people buy puppies from pet sto - ty’s traditional view that all non - People for the Ethical Treatment Farms are typical of the hun - res. human animals exist solely for of Animals, short PETA, is the dreds of puppy mills that exist in human use. As PETA founder largest animal rights organization the U.S. Laws offer little pro - All beings share the desire to Ingrid Newkirk, who has led the in the world, with more than 3 tection and are poorly enforced live. We all feel pain, joy, grief, organisation for more than 25 million members and supporters. by the U.S. Department of Agri - and pleasure. All beings desire years, has said, “When it comes PETA focuses its attention on culture (USDA), whose visits are freedom to live a natural life, ac - to pain, love, joy, loneliness, and areas where animals suffer the infrequent and usually announ - cording to their inherent desires fear, a rat is a pig is a dog is a most intensely for the longest pe - ced ahead of time. The investi - and instincts. Regardless of their boy. Each one values his or her riods of time: on factory farms, in gator witnessed one USDA capabilities, no living being de - life and fights the knife.” Only the clothing trade, in laborato - inspection. The inspector glan - serves to be abused. PETA be - prejudice allows us to deny ot - ries, and in the entertainment in - ced at the cages but did not exa - lieves that it’s wrong to torture hers the rights that we expect to dustry. They also work on a mine the dogs. Later, the infant and disabled human have for ourselves. Whether it’s variety of other issues, including inspector asked for an em - beings who don’t have the same based on race, gender, sexual the cruel killing of beavers, birds, ployee’s home phone number, abilities as adults. In the same orientation, or species, prejudice and cruelty to domesticated ani - then called and asked him for a way, all beings deserve liberty is morally unacceptable. If you mals. PETA works through public date. and respect not because they wouldn’t eat a dog, why eat a education, cruelty investigations, share the characteristics we ad - pig? Dogs and pigs have the research, animal rescue, legisla - Just weeks after PETA’s investi - mire in ourselves but because same capacity to feel pain, but it tion, special events, celebrity in - gation of Nielsen Farms revealed they are living beings. They say is prejudice based on species volvement, and protest tiny, filth-encrusted cages and that we share the same evolutio - that allows us to think of one ani - campaigns. PETA has achieved sick dogs with raging ear infecti - nary origins, we inhabit the same mal as a companion and the many goals and changes in ani - ons, disfiguring mange, and earth, and we are ruled by the other as dinner. mal rights where this is just one open, untreated wounds, the same laws of nature. We are all example of many others: Kansas puppy mill closed its animals and most importantly, Every day in countries around doors, leaving one fewer bree - we are all the same. the world, animals are fighting for A PETA investigator worked for a ding farm to supply the pet store their lives. They are enslaved, couple of months at Nielsen puppy trade. The U.S. Depart - beaten, and kept in chains to Farms, a puppy mill in Kansas, ment of Agriculture also charged A rifle - the number one accessory of the average Ameri - can
by Julia Maaß
Every few years the US govern - rampage in a school or such, anymore. Outside the USA this is ding sales, permits, licensing, ment drops hints about streng - which is of course dynamite for often dismissed with the words self-defense and carry laws. thening gun control measures another discussion about whet - ‘What else… crazy Americans’. That again makes it extremely but as we can see, there have her US gun laws make sense or Nevertheless, obviously it’s not difficult to have an overview of not been any major changes. are simply a sign of brutality. that easy to improve security re - what is allowed where, which The USA and their more or less garding gun possession or use. also has to be kept in mind when respected gun laws are a well- News about a two-year-old killing The problem is that the majority travelling through the USA – not known topic. It often appears in his own mother with her very of gun legislation is enacted at everywhere are you allowed to the media worldwide, especially own gun (by accident!) unfortu - state level, meaning that there shoot at unpleasant people. if there is a given incident like a nately are not even surprising are countless variations regar -
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Talking about the differences permit to purchase, or a license lent crimes per 100,000 people between the single states leads to possess some types of guns. As bad as this whole gun system in the USA. This may tell us to the question of what exactly is These work best in combination seems, somehow US citizens something. Or else it is just the legal in any given confederation. with gun registration, which are repeatedly defending the constant bad weather in the UK, First of all, you distinguish bet - makes it easier to trace crime possession of a firearm so they which makes people depressive. ween hand guns (which are rat - guns and illegal firearms. In Ca - must have their reasons. On the her small and meant to be held lifornia, you need registration as World Wide Web you can find As we can see, living in the USA in one hand or maybe two) and well as a license for handguns; hundreds of statistics which por - isn’t as adventurous as in films. long guns or rifles (which have for long guns or rifles however, tray the ever so great advan - You probably won’t find shoo - longer barrels and are designed there are no regulations or the tages of having a gun in your tings on a daily basis in an inno - to be fired braced against the law is unclear. Kansas is one of daily handbag. According to cent small town, as there are shoulder). Furthermore, there the several states where theore - americangunfacts.com there are some more or less strict regula - are differences between open tically everyone can buy and several reasons to be in favor of tions. It may make sense that cri - carry and concealed carry. This own their personal little arsenal. gun possession. Three out of five minals do not dare to offend an is quite self-explanatory: Open felons say that they would not armed victim or at least not as carry means that everyone is But when are you actually allo - mess with an armed victim. Fur - fast, but can that make up for a able to see the weapon whereas wed to use this deadly toy? 27 thermore, the USA being on the little boy who accidentally shoots concealed carry means others states have so called ‘shoot first first position regarding the gun his mother because it is normal are not able to see the firearm laws’ also known as ‘stand your ownership rate, only occur on to take guns with you? Maybe you are taking with you, hiding it ground laws’ which protect position 103 in the ranking of na - President Obama should think in your handbag for example. people who use deadly force to tions with the highest intentional about introducing some extra Surprisingly enough, the open injure or even kill somebody in homicide rate. To top that off, classes at American High carry of handguns in New York, terms of self-defense. Of course, they say it’s a given fact that the Schools: ‘How to solve conflicts for example, is prohibited. Ha - you should somehow be able to United Kingdom is the most vio - with words’. ving a walk with your new rifle convince the judge that you had lent country in the EU. There however will not cause you any reasonable fear of being killed or happen more than 2,000 violent problems. extremely physically harmed. crimes per 100,000 people in the But other than that, you do not UK in comparison to the astonis - Other restrictions are a required have to fear much. hingly small amount of 460 vio -
Social Work - A Job With a Social Matter
by Sophie Brandstätter
In order to understand what a job various disciplines. People often with a social matter actually is, it have the picture of a street wor - takes the knowledge of what so - ker or a child welfare social wor - cial work is. Social work is consi - ker in their mind if they hear the dered as a professional and term social worker. But the field academic discipline that tries to contains and offers much more. improve the quality of life of indi - The profession of a social worker viduals, families, groups and is one of the most important communities and helps them to ones and yet there are not many a better adaption to society. This who want to do this job. It is chal - text gives an overview of social lenging and requires a huge work, including history, job fields, amount of compassion, patience possibilities for internships and and understanding and cannot famous social workers. be done half-heartedly because the people you work with rely Social work goes back to the an - and depend on you. cient times and has its roots in society to deal with poverty. The There are lots of areas where a first poorhouses, homes for the social worker is needed. Child, aged, hospitals and orphanages family and school social workers were funded by the Christian assist to improve the social and and teachers and try to make Social workers may also deal Church shortly after it was lega - psychological well-being of chil - sure that students can cope with with people with mental health ill - lised. In the 19th century social dren and their families. They school work. School social wor - ness or substance abuse pro - work was acknowledged as a help single parents, arrange kers do not only help the student blems, such as abuse of alcohol, profession. The movement pri - adoptions or help to find homes but the teachers as well. They tobacco and other drugs. Possi - mary began in the United States for neglected and abused chil - advise them how to handle pro - bilities for helping the people and England. dren. In schools social workers blems like misbehaviour, truancy, concerned are individual and are the connection between stu - teenage pregnancy and difficult group therapy, crisis intervention, The field of social work has dents and their family and the students in general. social rehabilitation and teaching grown immensely and include school. They work with parents skills needed for everyday living.
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Social workers may also support dence. My sister noticed that el - hard work because she did not social workers. Maybe he does and try to ease client`s return to derly people often do not want only have to take care about the not seem to be a social worker in the community. active help but just someone inhabitants but had to clean the the traditional view, but social who shows understanding for house and do the cooking as work comes in various ways. He In Austria there are a lot of op - their problems. She recom - well. Like working with elderly, was arrested for standing up for portunities to gain some experi - mends it to everyone who wants people with learning disabilities the rights for the black population ence in jobs with a social matter, to spend a gap year with a dee - require great patience and con - in South Africa. After 27 years in especially for young people. One per meaning since it is a challen - stant care. She had to remind jail, he became president and of them is the voluntary social ging but rewarding job. people several times to do daily used his power to fight inequality year, called “FSJ“. It is a pro - tasks like brushing their teeth and discrimination. gramme that gives teenagers Another organisation is L`Arche, and give them support with phy - and young adults the chance to which offers an internship as an sical as well as emotional pro - Mother Teresa maybe fits the do an internship in a social orga - assistant to work with people blems. For her it was a personal image of a social worker better. nisation. The trainee, for exam - with learning disabilities. It is gain as she understands her She was an Albanian nun, who ple, works with people with possible to spend a year abroad younger sister better, who has founded the Missionaries of Cha - learning disabilities, elderly, chil - in one of their communities and Down`s Syndrome too. Anyone rity in Calcutta. Her activism was dren and homeless. My sister did so to combine the social experi - who wants to spend a gap year mostly dedicated to the orpha - not know what she should do ence with language learning and with a social matter should apply ned, sick and poor. after she had finished school so a new culture. Assistants of all as an assistant at L`Arche. she took the chance and does over the world spend time in this In conclusion social work like we now a voluntary social year. She organisation and everybody Social work is something know it today took a long time to works as an assistant in a home brings something of his cultural everyone can do. It does not develop. Today it is a highly re - for elderly people. Her duties in - background in. The idea of matter what your background is, spected work. It is something clude supporting the elderly in L`Arche is that diverse people it is not even necessary to have everybody can do either as pro - their everyday life, do the shop - live together and share each a specific education as there are fession or voluntary. Of course it ping, go for a walk and just being other`s needs and gifts. A friend many possibilities of voluntee - is a hard job, challenging and there for them. Her job requests of mine spent her gap year in a ring. Even some of the most fa - energy sapping, but the more is much patience and understan - L`Arche community in Ipswich mous people, who did social given the more rewarding it is. ding as sometimes the elderly and thinks it was the best thing work, came from a different work are depressed and ungrateful she could have done after finis - field. Nelson Mandela is conside - due to their situation of depen - hing school. She says it was red as one of the most famous The persistence of stereotypes
by Kateryna Drahomeretska
How are stereotypes and preju - has its own individuality. Howe - dices related? Which are the ver, there is a general tendency most common stereotypes no - of homogenizing certain perso - wadays? Is the counterevidence nal traits and aspects of a coun - enough to break a stereotype? try. Nowadays the most common Stereotypes have traditionally stereotypes regard physical ap - been defined as specific beliefs pearance, genders, attitudes and about a group. We may decide nationalities: blonde-haired that “French people are roman - women must be stupid, skinny tic,” or that “old people are in - people must be anorexic, youth competent,” and we may let must be naïve, girls must wear those beliefs influence our beha - pink, and Germans are Nazis vior toward people from those (see the picture above). groups. In addition to stereoty - pes, we may also develop preju - Although the idea of stereotype dices that refer to the attitudes was introduced into English only and feelings that people have in the 20th century, it is now wi - about members of other groups dely used because they are al - and take the form of disliking, ways perceived more easily than anger, fear, disgust, and even real facts. Due to stereotypes, hate. Stereotypes and prejudices most complex phenomena can are generally used to simplify an be summed up in two or three otherwise complex world. sentences. Schematic represen - tation of the stereotypes can be All the people, nations and cultu - seen as an "economy of res are unique. Each nation has thought". In society, the subcons - its own culture, faith, customs, cious mind of the individual is and traditions, and every person often subject of prejudices and Page 12 Culture
stereotypes that have an influ - stupid and so forth. at all. In some cases, he might groups are of low status because ence on actions, behavior and recognize some individual ex - of their unpleasant characteris - opinions. All these stereotypes and preju - ceptions, but this does not mean tics and degenerate nature; they dices offer a simplified and fixed that the stereotype will be bro - deserve to be treated badly. The «Heaven is where the cooks are image of members of a culture or ken. It might weaken the gene - prejudiced group is viewed as French, the police are British, the group; the group is typically ralization from “all” Jews to “most unpleasant and aggressive be - mechanics are German, the based on race, religion, ethnicity, Jews”, but finally he can accept cause it is in their nature and so, lovers are Italian and everything age, gender or national origins. the counterevidence in the mo - to the authoritarian person, the is organized by the Swiss. Stereotypes do not account for ment yet and carry on with the prejudice is justified (Theodor W. Hell is where the cooks are Bri - the fact that human beings are same stereotype once the en - Adorno).” This is why people with tish, the police are German, the individually complex, each per - counter has passed. (From “Ste - an authoritarian personality tend mechanics are French, the son possessing a unique charac - reotypes, Cognition and Culture” to maintain rigidly their view, lovers are Swiss, and everything ter and personality. Instead, they by Perry R. Hinton). even if there is a counter evi - is organized by the Italians.» (Hi - suggest that everyone within a dence. dekaz Himaruya, Hetalia: Axis group is the same. These gene - The manifestation of the fixity Powers, Vol. 2). ralizations about people are and rigidity is burning issue of The maximum that a stereotyper based on limited, sometimes stereotyping. If stereotypes are can do is to acknowledge a par - This is an old popular joke that is inaccurate, and are characteri - false or only partially true, why ticular member of a group as well known even today when the zed by no or minimal contact do we hold them? being an exception to a stereo - international community promo - with members of the stereotyped type. In this case, that member tes diversity and encourages to - group. (According to “Stereoty - The reason is purely motivational will be seen as an individual. Ho - lerance; certain people are still pes And Stereotyping: A Moral because stereotypes are a fea - wever, the general stereotype of tagged according to their natio - Analysis” by Lawrence Blum). ture of prejudice. Many people the group will remain! nalities. The existence of the ste - Another feature regarding ste - may not wish to alter they stereo - reotype in a culture shapes the reotypes is the evidence – resis - typed way of thinking because it In conclusion, it is very difficult to perception of the group, so that tance. In fact, when presented confirms their prejudiced opini - break the stereotypes because the alleged characteristics (e.g. an evidence contrary to the ge - ons of the others. People with an we learn them from the begin - aggression, dishonesty, emotio - neralization, people often fail to authoritarian personality tend to ning of our life: from parents our nality) are seen in a group and its revise the generalization appro - think in more stereotyped way. first and most influential te - members, even if it is not always priately. Theodor W. Adorno, a German achers), friends and also the present. For the most part, we do sociologist, philosopher and mu - media. It is true that stereotypes not first see, and then define; we For example, if someone holds sicologist known for his critical and prejudices can be a simpli - define first and then see. Nowa - the stereotype that Jews are theory of society argued in his fied view on an otherwise com - days Jews are seen as greedy, stingy, and gets to know gene - book The authoritarian persona - plex world. However, we should wealthy; Blacks as violent, musi - rous or at least non-stingy Jews, lity that people with a dictatorial not forget about the respect for cal, lazy, athletic, unintelligent; the stereotyper will resist such temper are very concerned with other people, their humanity and women as emotional; irrational counterevidence in different power and status of their own so - individuality. Let's just accept that and submissive; Asian-Ameri - ways. He might fail to perceive cial group, showing their supe - nobody is perfect. cans and Asians as good at math the non-stinginess of Jews. He riority among other groups and and science, hardworking; Irish either interprets non- stinginess prejudging a group as inferior. as drinking too much; Poles as as stinginess; or fails to notice it “Other low-status minority Should religion be taught in school?
by Doris Gerhold
This is a highly controversial religions and not indoctrinate an ethics class instead. Howe - students aren’t even allowed to topic which many different coun - students to believe whichever re - ver, the introduction of ethics wear a sign of their religion, for tries handle differently. The core ligion the government thinks class was fairly recent and the example a pendant with a cross issue seems to be that people most suitable. Sadly, such a implementation of ethics class in on it. But even though the state are afraid that if religion is taught change is not easy and some primary school is still a conten - doesn’t fund religious education, in school, then it will influence countries decide that they would tious issue. Parents have the private teaching establishments the children to favor one religion rather do away with religion alto - opportunity to sign their children are still allowed to have religion over another. This stems from gether than to make the effort to out of religion class during the classes, under strict conditions the traditional religion class, change the curriculum to teach first five days of school. Stu - of not forcing the religion on the where the state-approved reli - in an impartial way. In the follo - dents are allowed to sign them - students or discriminating gion was taught and all others wing paragraphs, I will elucidate selves out of religion as soon as against other students. were, if not completely disregar - on how some of the countries they turn fourteen. It is also inte - ded, then at least painted in an handle the question of whether resting that religion is traditio - In China, formal religious educa - unfavorable light. This was the religion should be taught in nally right at the top of the school tion is banned completely except past where kings and queens school. report. for licensed schools of theology, decided what people should be - which are usually college level lieve. But today, as a part of the In Austria, the answer is yes and In France, the answer is an em - and above. In Finland the oppo - human rights, everyone has the has been for generations. Reli - phatic NO! The French have a site is true, religious education is right to choose their own religion gious education is compulsory law called la laïcité which is the a mandatory subject. Students freely. And so the purpose of re - for all students, whose denomi - separation of the state from reli - whose denomination does not ligion class has to change. It nation is state-approved. Athe - gion. This means that no religion conform to the Finnish norm can should promote awareness of all ists have the option of going to is to be practiced in school and receive religious education ac - Page 13 Culture cording to their own religion as long as their denomination is re - In my opinion the British handle gistered in Finland. Since reli - this touchy subject best. Reli - gion is a compulsory subject, gion should be taught, because non-believers are taught ethics. religion is an important part of In the UK, religion is state-sup - our culture. Religion was, for ported and a mandatory subject, example, a reason why many but it is non-proselytizing mea - wars were fought. It is a motiva - ning it covers a variety of faiths, tion and an inspiration that although the syllabus still requi - should be understood even by res more Christian content than those who don’t believe. Just other faiths. because one person doesn’t have faith, doesn’t mean that this In the USA, religion is often one person isn’t still affected by taught through Sunday School, all those other people who do Hebrew School and Catechism believe. Classes. Some believe that this supplementary education is ina - However, it is important not to di - dequate and send their children scriminate against other religions to private religious schools. The in school. Religious awareness U.S. law forbids religious educa - is of paramount importance but tion in public school, except from discrimination is unacceptable. an impartial, academic stand - We should be taught to respect point. If teachers or school ad - religion in school, not to revere ministration advocate one one religion and to hold all others religion over another, it is consi - in contempt. If I had to choose vation of people who do have then they cannot ever argue dered a violation of the “estab - between teaching just one reli - faith. One must understand the against those who use religion lishment clause” of the First gion or none at all, I would rather difference between teaching re - as an excuse to do what they Amendment. The boundaries of choose the latter. ligion and teaching about reli - want, to justify their wars and ter - this regulation are frequently tes - gion. The French have decided rorism. If they do not understand ted: People challenge the exis - I can understand the standpoint that religion is a taboo subject; that all religions are equal and tence of traditional religious of France, even though I cannot they are just ignoring the pro - promote peace, they are easy holidays, exhibitions of religious agree with it. Religion can cause blem instead of dealing with it. prey to those who would brain - articles and documents such as a lot of conflict and the state What the French do not realize is wash them into believing that the Ten Commandments, the should never support just one re - that teaching about religion is not they can find salvation in religion Pledge of Allegiance, which is ligion. Religious freedom is a indoctrinating and brainwashing and that they must eradicate all traditionally said every morning part of the human rights and so students into believing that one other religions. before school starts and pro - it is a private matter and not to be religion is the only right religion, claims America “one nation determined by the state. Still, I but to understand what religion under God”, and how prayer maintain my position that aware - is, its weaknesses as well as its should be handled in the class - ness of religion should be taught strengths. If students are never room. in order to understand the moti - taught about religion and not even allowed to speak about it, When Incubus attacks... Looking back on the history of a band's success by Isabel Golser
For those of you who don't know listened yet, I am really angry. and Mike were still high school because it sounded silly. Bran - (shame on you!), Incubus is a Just kidding, but really - turn on students, so all in all the band don holds that it was chosen be - five-man alternative rock band some Incubus while reading my has existed for 24 years now. cause they were teenagers and formed in 1991, based in Cala - text, you won't regret it! the definition had the word “sex” basas, California. Since the guys The band’s name may seem like in it. “We really didn’t want to are about to release two new Just some quick information some randomly composed rape women in their sleep. But, EPs this summer (and I am so about the band members so that phrase, but in fact 'an incubus' is we were fifteen and it seemed looking forward to it), I thought you know who I am talking of. a type of demon that, in mytho - harmless to us then, and we that maybe I could convince Members of the band include logical lore, comes in the night never changed it,” says the those of you who are not aware Brandon Boyd (vocals and per - and has sex with women while band. So yes, they may have of how great this band is to listen cussion), Mike Einziger (guitar), they are sleeping - it seduces named themselves after an evil to not only to their new stuff, but Ben Kenney (bass), Jose Pasil - them in their dreams. The story spirit that has sex with women also to the old. I assume that I las (drums) and DJ Chris Kill - behind the name is that the band while they sleep, but Incubus is was so convincing that you just more (turntables). Former needed to think of a name hours definitely not part (and has never opened Youtube and searched members of the band include before their first show and, after been part of) of some kind of rap- for Incubus. If yes, the sound Gavin Koppel (a.k.a. DJ Lyfe) a few failed choices, Mike looked metal hybrid thing that was to - and the lyrics of every single (turntables) and Alex Katunich in a dictionary and chose “Incu - tally cool and fashionable in the song will definitely speak for (a.k.a. Dirk Lance) (bass). The bus” almost at random. Mike 90ies. They just seem like a cou - themselves. If you still haven't band was formed when Brandon says that the name was chosen ple of nice and laid-back Califor - Page 14 Culture nia boys who unexpectedly floa - board Modern Rock Charts, cubus that I missed on the pre - looks either, ha!). ted on top of the US Billboard where it stayed for six weeks. vious album If Not Now, When?. charts with their first hit single Many interpretations assumed This makes me hope that there Thinking back, I really have to Drive and managed to do so with that the song is about former will be some more straightfor - say it was a happy coincidence other songs as well ever since. U.S. President Bush, but lead ward singles like that on their that I became aware of Incubus. singer Boyd explained it was „not new mini-album. When I was about ten, my Let's quickly summarise their dis - specifically targeting anybody“. brother could not stand to listen cography and the success that Their sixth studio album, Light One thing that has not changed to my Britney Spears sound any has established since their first Grenades, debuted at No. 1 in over all the years and all the dif - longer (Baby One More Time on album release. Incubus has re - 2006 and has received gold cer - ferent albums is that their lyrics repeat, 24/7 – I really can't blame ceived both critical acclaim and tification in the U.S. Incubus re - are simply outstanding. I do not him), so he gave me some of his commercial success, reaching leased their first greatest hits know any other band that mana - 'much cooler' music. Turned out multi-platinum sales, as well as album Monuments and Melodies ges to touch me so deeply with I really liked some of his stuff, in - releasing several successful sin - in June 2009, followed by a big their words. Okay, maybe the ly - cluding Incubus – so thank you gles. The band earned main - promotion tour. After a six year rics of songs like Magic Medicine bro! stream recognition with the break with no new albums, Incu - are not that deeply moving ('On release of their album Make bus asked their fans If Not Now, this page you see a little girl If you ask me, the band changed Yourself in 1999. Their previous When? In 2011. The album was giggling at a hippopotamus, I and developed with every single album S.C.I.E.N.C.E. got a posi - different to anything they had wonder why? Don't say things album they made but also stayed tive critique as well because it done before. It was not what that hurt others, said pussycat') true to themselves and their combined various forms of music most of the fans (me included) but well – who's perfect?! But music. This is something that styles with each other, including expected, but definitely worth lis - songs like Dig or Warning are does not happen very often funk, hip hop and techno. Fun - tening to and also a sort of rein - definitely a masterpiece of these days because most of the gus Amongus on the other hand, vention. Looking back on their songwriting if you ask me. And bands reinvent themselves wit - their debut album, has strong old albums which had a lot of also their faster and vibrant hout thinking about their authen - funk-metal and partially also rap noisy and powerful songs, it see - songs like Circles or Make Your - ticity. So if you really never influences. The reviews on this med like they grew up. self have a profound meaning. listened to a song from Incubus album were rather restrained, Furthermore, Boyd's voice is before, do yourself a favour and among other things saying that Now 4 years is a long time for an such a pleasure to listen to (and do so as fast as you can! „there's much to dislike“. engrained Incubus fan like me to I am not complaining about his wait for some more new music After these rather noncommer - from the guys. But finally, on May cial albums, Incubus became re - 12th 2015 they will release their ally successful with the single new EP (which stands for exten - Drive and their 2001 album Mor - ded play – this means it contains ning View featuring the popular more than just one single but is singles Wish You Were Here, too short to be qualified as a full Nice To Know You and Circles. album). It is called Trust Fall – The certified platinum record A the identically named single has Crow Left Of The Murder marked already been released as well as the beginning of bassist Ben another single from the album Kenney. The most famous single called Absolution Calling. And of this album is Megalomaniac, here they are again! Both singles which reached the top of the Bill - sound a bit more like the old In - Is Bilingualism really a blessing? A short history, myths and advantages of Bilingualism by Nicole Gutensohn
More than half of the world is bi - changed remarkably in the last the other. This interference was lingual today. Bilingualism is century. For the first half of the The bilingual advantage seen as a handicap for many found in all parts of the world, at twentieth century, researchers years, but researchers recently all levels of society, in all age actually thought that bilingualism Children have an excellent ability found out that this phenomenon groups. Although one should put children at a disadvantage, to learn a foreign language. Up is a blessing in disguise. It forces think that speaking two langua - confused them, hurt their IQ and to the age of six, brains work dif - the brain to resolve the internal ges or more is a benefit in an in - their verbal development. Never - ferently than the brain of adults. conflict, giving the mind a work - creasingly globalized world, theless, in recent years, the im - What children learn at this very out that strengthens its cognitive there are several myths about portance of speaking several early age stays with them the muscles. why raising a child bilingual hin - languages has increased im - rest of their life. ders a kid’s academic and intel - mense and also researches Studies by several Psychologists lectual development. Is showed distinct advantages. Fi - In a bilingual’s brain both also showed that bilinguals are bilingualism really an advan - nally, they also found out that language systems are active better at solving problems. They tage? speaking two languages actively even when he is using only one seem, for instance, more adept does not hinder the development language, this creates situations at solving certain kinds of mental The view on bilingualism has of your child. in which one system obstructs puzzles. Bilingual experience im -
Page 15 Culture
proves performing various men - ture through its native tongue or ther tongue, even if the country become multilingual at an advan - tally demanding tasks. They are talk to someone with whom you they are living in has a different ced age. It’s wrong. In fact, also more likely to stay focused might otherwise never be able to official language. people do it all the time when and do not get distracted so fast. communicate. they move from one country to Switching attention willfully from “Otherwise you will inhibit the for - another. With time, they can be - one thing to another is no pro - In addition bilingualism can also mation of a strong relationship come just as bilingual as children blem for bilinguals. protect against illnesses that when your child cannot handle to who acquire their language skills come with aging, such as Alzhei - speak in your own language flu - in their early years. In general, Bilingualism is associated with mer’s disease. In a study of more ently.” people become bilingual be - improved metalinguistic aware - than 200 bilingual and monolin - cause life requires the use of two ness, the ability to recognize gual patients with Alzheimer’s As long as children get good, or more different languages. language as a system that can disease, bilingual patients repor - rich input on language they are be manipulated and explored, as ted showing initial symptoms of not confused, also if they have to Nowadays we know that there is well as with better memory, vi - the disease about 5 years later speak English in school and Ger - no indication on how smart a sual-spatial skills, and even than the average. man at home for example. They child is owing to his or her creativity. Furthermore, beyond learn about the codes of different language skills. Nevertheless these cognitive and neurological Celina Lee, a Korean who grew languages, what to talk about in most people automatically as - advantages, there are also valu - up in America, therefore being which situation. sume you have some super- able social benefits that come raised bilingual, wrote a book in power brain that is finely tuned to from being bilingual, among which she encourages parents to Moreover speaking two different picking up the nuances of every them the ability to explore a cul - raise their children in their mo - languages and knowing different language in the world. They be - cultures motivates you to learn a come immediately impressed third language. It teaches you and automatically suppose that how to adopt yourself into a new the person they are speaking to environment. Knowing how to is incredibly intelligent. Usually think in two different ways, lear - monolinguals have no clue how ning to appreciate different language works, how it’s develo - points of view widens your hori - ped, or what it takes to learn one. zon immense and you are able Anyone listening to a language to achieve your dreams in diffe - they don’t understand, thinks rent industries. They also benefit that there is no way somebody from the ability to learn a third, can understand that, they cannot fourth or fifth language later on in even differentiate the sounds the life more easily. person is making. It all sounds the same. Bilinguals are able to Fact is that intercultural boun - figure out the meaning of a con - ding comes more easily to kids versation quiet easily. Today al - who are multilingual, because most everybody, would love to through their openness and their speak another language. Unfor - contact with other cultures and tunately, the reality is that it do - people they are more informed esn’t have a whole lot to do with and more empathetic than ot - how smart you are. hers.
Another myth is that one cannot Children’s lack of willingness to be physically active
by Isabella Hochfilzer
We often assume that the way your boredom with other people. leisure time nowadays and how First of all, there are children who children spend their time affects Others say that children nowa - this can affect their health. First, are members of a sports club their cognitive and social deve - days are pretty spoilt and have a I am going to state the different and who really enjoy participa - lopment. Many people even lack of education in comparison types of physical activity and ting in their favourite sport. While complain that children spend too with children in former years. Ac - how these influence children, boys tend to participate in more little time studying, reading or cording to an extract from the then I will point out the impact of aggressive and fast sports such simply helping around the house. book “Handbook of Obesity”, edi - technologies and in the end I will as football, girls prefer “aesthe - Instead, they prefer watching TV, ted by George A. Bray and discuss the reasons why children tic” sports like dancing. Both playing computer games and Claude Bouchard, I am going to have lost interest in physical acti - male and female children, who “hanging out” with friends, which discuss the way children in the vity. are members of such a club, are basically is nothing but sharing six to ten age group spend their convinced that they have fun and
Page 16 Society
are able to clear their heads, dren today would not be content trate for several hours with only children only watch television especially when they have a lot with these kinds of presents. short breaks. To be able to un - when they get home from on their minds when participating They prefer to spend their leisure derstand everything they are school. In the Austrian educatio - in such a sport. According to the time exploring new technologies taught and to clear their head, nal system, for instance, many book, this is called organized and watching television not mo - they need a little bit of variety in pupils are only supposed to go to physical activity. Even though ving any part of their body except their schedules. school in the mornings. Apart there are rules that have to be for their fingers. from the inconvenience to the obeyed, many children enjoy Unfortunately, the No Child Left children’s parents who have to spending their leisure time doing Generally speaking, the major Behind Act of 2001, an American find an appropriate nanny for the sports within a club. The majority contributing factors implicated in act of congress, put priorities on afternoons, this poses advan - of these types of sport are team- studies are the ever-increasing reading and mathematics. As a tages concerning their time for based which usually has an im - time spent on electronic and consequence, art, physical edu - physical activity. Usually Austrian pact on your team spirit. screen-based entertainment, re - cation and recess have suffered children return from school at Somebody playing in a hockey- duced assess of children to free cutbacks. In some schools re - about 2 o’clock and after finis - team, for example, is more likely play, and especially reduced out - cess now is the only time they hing their homework they meet to become an employee of a firm door play both at school and in are free of sedentary behaviour other children to play. Unfortuna - where you have to work closely the out-of-school contexts. Appa - where they can play and run tely, this is not the case in every with other people or in teams. rently, the time spent on screen- around without being given any country. Thus, it might also influence the based activity in their leisure time devices. Moreover, there were future employment of a child. ranges from 4.7 to 8 hours a day changes concerning the environ - In conclusion, I have to say that of which an average 3 hours are ment: Children now have limited these are pretty horrifying facts, In general, physical activity is an spent watching television. access to open space and play - particularly since physical activity essential part of children’s deve - Screen-based sedentary beha - grounds because of this. Conse - has positive effects on one’s lopment. According to the “Hand - viour thus takes up an alarming quently, the possibilities for physical health. Thus, PA beha - book of Obesity” there are two amount of time which the child children’s outdoor activity have viour is assumed to be one of the different types of physical acti - could better invest in physical decreased which affected their major behavioral determinants vity: the organized activity and activity. physical activity levels. affecting the dramatic increase in the unstructured one. Organized obesity over the past decades. play (as we have already mentio - Obviously, this is not only the Since pupils have to attend That is the reason why I suggest ned) refers to participation within children’s fault; it is rather the pa - school almost all day long in children should overcome their sports clubs or in certain games rents who are responsible for many countries, they have neit - weaker self and start spending such as hide and seek. These their children’s development. It is her the time nor the willingness their leisure time properly, for in - games have strict rules that have them who spend money on ex - to be physically active. They stance by doing sports in order to be obeyed. Whereas un - pensive technologies in order to would rather relax after an entire to remain in shape. structured physical activity inclu - make their children happy. The day of school. Therefore, most des games that children invent; way people spend their leisure they run around without having time is always a matter of educa - to obey any rules. This is the tion. There are some parents kind of play that is good for chil - who do not care at all about how dren’s creativity. In my opinion, their child spends its leisure time unstructured PA, the abbrevia - as long as it does not make any tion for physical activity accor - disturbing noise. Therefore, they ding to the book, is more give them technological devices important than organized play so that they are preoccupied with since it seems to be a way to ex - something. I also believe that press and develop their creati - many people are simply too nice vity. to be parents since they someti - mes give their child everything. However, to me, it seems like In my opinion parents should be children today become bored more strict when it comes to the very quickly of playing outside, education of their child because running around and inventing the way children behave and games. Instead, they seem to especially the way they are allo - prefer playing computer games wed to behave according to their and using their technological de - parents, defines how they will vices such as smartphones and behave in the future. tablets. In addition, I am under the impression that this is the re - Another thing I would like to sult of the unstoppable develop - stress is the educational system ment of technology. There in many countries. A shocking always seem to be new inventi - fact is that the hours spent on ons on the market and since sports lessons are gradually de - every child wants to keep up with creasing because people think others, who may or may not be that the most important reason to spoilt, they ask for a new mobile go to school is to expand stu - phone as a Christmas or birth - dents’ knowledge in order to day present. Comparing this with make them ready for employ - what I used to be given as a ment. But in my opinion physical child, I am actually shocked activities are as important as since I would always appreciate mental activity if not more so be - toys and nice clothes. Many chil - cause children cannot concen -
Page 17 Society The reasons why women de - cide to stay alone
by Barbara Hofer
In this modern world a single another direction: a woman in lady isn’t such a special thing. Germany decided at the age of The world’s view about the per - 65 to have a baby – or even four. fect housewife with three kids at She got pregnant in vitro-fertili - the age of 25 is outdated and the zation and in a TV show she modern and independent says that she is looking forward woman can choose if she wants to the challenges ahead. This to travel the world or have a ful - shows us that there aren’t prede - filling career. She isn’t depen - termined times to have a child dent on something and doesn’t and that every woman can want to date useless men any - choose her own ideal point in more. Marriage isn’t the first life time to give birth. goal anymore, and the feeling of freedom lets this woman stay Furthermore there are really so single – voluntarily. many useless men in the world: From one dysfunctional A statistic at statista.com says mummy’s boy to a man who is that in Germany 16,176 women incompetent to be faithful. Of live alone and that 61. 9 % of the course there are some women singles are very happy with their who found true love and the rare situation. Of course this statistic “the one” but it is sadly not the includes both male and female normality. The normality is that but in this following comment I’ll every second marriage gets di - show some of many reasons vorced (which shows a statistic gles are. They can’t go for a bought it why women stay alone and what on the internet site statista.com drink with their ladies spontane - The clothes I'm wearing, I've some famous convinced single shows) and there are more ously. They have such a full diary bought it ladies think about that topic. short-term relationships than: the whole day that there is no The rock I'm rockin', I've bought “they lived happily ever after”. space for extensive dance it The fact that so many women nights. There are so many du - 'Cause I depend on me can decide to stay single or just Another reason why so many ties; every day. All the women who are indepen - unmarried wasn’t always that na - women are single could be that dent tural. It was a slow process and they love their freedom. They There are also a lot of famous Throw your hands up at me changes the meanings and also don’t want to arrange every step and very successful women on All the honey's who makin' the opportunities of the modern they take. They can do what they earth who are convinced singles. money and independent woman. Well- want and go wherever they want. One of those is Diane Keaton. Throw your hands up at me […] paid jobs and fulfilling careers let When you have a husband or The Academy Award–winning women think about something just a boyfriend it is impossible to actress, mother, photographer, In conclusion you can say that more than having kids, cooking live your dreams absolutely. You writer, and confessing singleton there are various reasons for and cleaning at home. They have to make compromises and has a fixed opinion on that topic: women to live their life as a sin - have more life goals than marry - in this fast-moving world it is not “I don’t think that because I’m not gle. First there is the possibility ing and being the perfect house - the perfect option for everyone. married it’s made my life any to have a satisfying career, also wife for their men. They want to Thoughts, feelings, dreams and less. That old-maid myth is gar - the absolute freedom and the be successful and put the idea of possibilities are changing in such bage.” Another perfect example unwillingness to go on dates with the marriage aside. a rapid way that it isn’t possible for a successful single woman is unsuitable partners. In addition for everyone to exactly know Tyra Banks. The successful to this the view of society also For some women it is just the what they want for the rest of american television personality, has changed: a woman doesn’t best choice to stay single. In ear - their life. It starts with the job, the actress, and former model ma - have to be a housewife and mo - lier times it was inconceivable place of residence and ends with naged this all without a man by ther at the age of 25, she can that women aren’t married by the the question if there exists her side. In an Interview with di - also be 65. Some of the most fa - age of 25. At this age they had exactly one person with whom vinecaroline she said: “My mom mous and successful women no - already three children and for you want to spend the rest of never taught me to be waiting for wadays are single and they them it was normal. They have your life. Some women don’t be - some prince on a white horse to know that they don’t need a man no questions asked. In the last lieve that and stay rather alone. swipe me off my feet.” or a ring on their finger to ma - years this kind of thinking nage all that. The modern changed. Women climb up the Additionally, it has to be said that Also music groups, like Destiny’s woman can do what she wants. career ladder and recognize that single women can stay more ea - Child talk about this topic and For these and many other rea - they don’t really need a man in sily in touch with their friends. say in their song Independent sons women decide to stay their life to be happy. This possi - Married couples or those who women: alone. bility to decide can also go in have kids aren’t as free as sin - […] The shoe on my feet, I've Page 18 Society The price of beauty –The consequences of botched cosmetic surgery
by Nina Hosp
Every year thousands of women to talk about it. In addition to and men go under the knife to shame and embarrassment, enhance their appearance. In those people have to endure 2013, nearly 50,000 cosmetic months and possibly years of ex - procedures were performed in cruciating pain and suffering; the UK alone and the number they often lose their jobs be - keeps going up. It is pretty easy cause they can’t focus on their to explain why the demand for work due to the pain; marriages cosmetic surgery is so high at fail quite often because one the moment: Over the last cou - spouse doesn’t know how to ple of years, the media has crea - deal with the issue. Medication ted this abstruse image of what and therapy can last a lifetime, a man or a woman should look but even they don’t always ma - like and we try to live up to those nage to relieve the patient from ridiculous “standards”. We be - the pain. In many cases, the only come increasingly insecure way to correct botched cosmetic about our bodies and because surgery is through a series of we live in the “age of cosmetic new surgeries, which may not al - surgery”, we believe that all our ways completely fix the problem. unfortunately, that’s not always quences that might come along “flaws” can be fixed. We don’t the case. In addition to that, with it. Always think before you even take a second to think But how can we reduce the many Brits make the wrong call act: Maybe you don’t need a new about the fact that cosmetic sur - chances of us being the next by deciding to have their cosme - nose. If you have a bad feeling gery does not always go well. I victims of botched cosmetic sur - tic surgery done abroad; cosme - about the surgeon than go to want to address the issue of pa - gery. I don’t think that people in tic surgery in countries like another surgery; never let tients that are left with open general handle the topic of cos - Denmark and the Czech Repu - anyone operate on you whom wounds, necrotic tissue, or even metic surgery with as much re - blic is a lot cheaper than in Bri - you do not trust a hundred per - worse, with internal injuries after spect as it actually deserves; tain, but cheaper does not cent. Don’t choose a cheaper al - undergoing cosmetic surgery after all, we are talking about a necessarily mean better and de - ternative over a safer, but more and how that all affects their life “medical” procedure: You’re finitely not safer. In the end, pa - expensive procedure. Yes, there and what consequences they being cut open and under anaes - tients spend more money on are people that travel to Den - have to face on a daily basis. thesia for a few hours– that fixing the damage, than what a mark and come back with a per - alone could affect your health in surgery done by a qualified sur - fect bust, but the chances that We don’t really address the mat - the long run. geon in Britain would have cost they botch you up over there are ter of botched surgery, on the them. definitely higher than if you de - one hand because it is such a People also assume that cide to have a skilled local complex topic, and on the other everyone who calls himself (or I am not against cosmetic sur - doctor, whom you can contact at hand because the people con - herself) a cosmetic surgeon has gery at all, but I just want to any time, do the procedure. cerned are far too embarrassed the qualification to do the job, but make you aware of the conse - The world goes green About St- Patrick´s day in Vienna and its origin by Michaela Kuen
Every year in March the world – an Irish adage says. This sen - saint of Ireland has been cele - meals, a dance performance, an covers itself in a green blanket. tence is even written on a beam brated in Vienna for centuries, art exhibition and literature rea - Some nations colour their rivers in the Guinness factory in Dublin going back to the time of the Irish dings. green, others emblaze huge, fa - and it is the maxim for the annual monks who founded the “Schot - mous buildings with green light St. Patrick´s day celebration in tenstift”. Like every big city, Vienna had a and in some countries, Vienna. Between the 15th and St. Patrick´s day parade that it is even a public holiday: Saint the 17th March, Ireland fans This year, even the Vienna moved from the “Schottenkirche” Patrick´s day, with its celebration from all over Austria came to “Burgtheater” blazed to the “Burgtheater”. For that rea - on 17th March. Vienna to celebrate a great St. green.Vienna offered the visitors son many people, all of them Patrick´s day party in the capital a full programme of events, in - dressed in green, parade floats Everyone´s Irish on March 17th of Austria. The feast of the patron cluding Irish music, typical Irish and musicians walked through Page 19 Society the streets and had a good time body who wants to party, the join a pub-crawl, which started in to Christianity. He spent many together. chance to do it. the well-known Viennese Irish years evangelising the people in pub – The Four Bells. the northern part of Ireland. As Vienna has many Irish pubs Another special attraction during and far more enthusiastic revel - the St. Patrick´s day celebration If anybody had asked the people One of the most famous Irish lers, the capital provided many 2015 in Vienna was located in at Paddysfest or in the pubs, why items is the three-leaved sham - St. Patrick´s day parties. The the “Prater”. It was the Ferris they are celebrating a man cal - rock. According to legends, St. “Paddysfest” was the largest St. wheel. The wheel was lit up led St. Patrick, propbably only Patrick used it as a metaphor to Patrick´s day party in the capital green for about 5 days and few people would have known explain the Holy Trinity to Irish this year. It was the fifth anniver - people whose first names are the true story behind the Saint Pagans. sary and for that special event, Patrick or Patricia, or their family Patrick´s day. St. Patrick also explained the the organizers had chosen the names are Green or Grün, were holy trinity to the king of Munster, Ottakringer Brewery in the heart allowed to ride the wheel for free. In Gaelic this special day is cal - Oengus. of Vienna for the huge party. led “Lá Fhéile Pádraig”.It is the Oengus was the first king who For those who didn´t like to sit in feast day of the Irish Bishop Pa - was baptized in the Christian They decorated the whole arena jam-packed pubs or ride on the trick, who lived in the 5th century. faith in Ireland. green, coloured their beer green Ferris wheel, Vienna´s whiskey He was the first Christian missio - and prescribed a green dress specialty store offered a great nary in Ireland. What less people There are two widespread sto - code. People from 18 to 99 cele - supply of Irish whiskeys. There know is that the 17th March was ries about the Bishop. brated a great party there. was the possibility to be part of a made an official Christian feast whiskey tasting. day in the early 17th century and The first one is about the expul - Vienna is a large city with many is observed by several Christian sion of the snakes from Ireland. inhabitants, where most of them The motto was: Down the water Churches. According to legends, Patrick wanted to celebrate the national of life. should have effectuated this mi - saint of Ireland, but only approxi - The St. Patricks day remembers racle. mately 4000 people were allo - The world famous Irish whiskey Saint Patrick and the arrival of wed to go to the “Paddysfest”. distillery Jameson wrote a short Christianity in Ireland, and cele - The second one is about king Due to that, more than 15 pubs article about the best places to brates the heritage and culture of Oengus and his baptism. Patrick in town created a special St. Pa - celebrate the St. Patrick´s day in the Irish in general. came to Rock of Cashel as a trick´s day event to offer every - Vienna. They invited people to missionary and persuaded him Much of what is known about the to come into a new faith. The le - Bishop comes from notes, which gend says that they hold the ce - were taken by Patrick himself. It remony in the middle of Rock of is said that he was born in Cashel and during the Baptism, Roman Britain in the fourth cen - Patrick dropped his crosier and tury in a rich family. His father knocked a hole through the and his grandfather were both king´s foot. Oengus thought it Christians. One was deacon and was part of the ceremony and the other priest. acted like a brave king and did not complain about that. When he was sixteen, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and Nowadays a statue is placed taken to Gaelic Ireland as a where all this should have hap - slave. pened.
During six years of slavery, wor - Although nobody knows the king as a shepherd, it is said that exact date St. Patrick died, it is he found God. believed that it was the 17th March 461. He was buried at God told him to flee to the Irish Downpatrick, a small town in coast, where a ship would be Northern Ireland. Before he died, waiting to take him home. it is said that he had converted Back in Roman Britain he went thousands of Pagans to Christia - away to become a priest. nity. This is the reason why Ire - land and the world celebrate the According to his own declaration, St. Patrick´s day on 17th March. he returned after his apprentice - ship to convert the Irish Pagans The brainwash of Scientology
by Diana Chantal Moroder
Scientology is questionably cate - fiction author L. Ron Hubbard, tics”, where a set of ideas and of view, the body in which we live gorized as a religion. It doesn’t pursues to find the true nature of Christian practices are explai - is often not connected with our have an own god and a own human beings and reach a ned. Primarily his ideas are to soul and according to “Diane - bible as a religion supposes to “clear” state of mind. To present firstly pursue happiness, and se - tics”, it is furthermore connected have. The Church of Sciento - these credentials, L. Ron Hub - condly to find the balance bet - with our past lives and negative logy, created by the science bard wrote a book called “Diane - ween body and mind. In his point experiences, hidden in our un - Page 20 Society
conscious mind. pical source that this kind of reli - If you want to step out the Scien - The brainwash strategy is just to gion uses is to be promoted by tology cult they will ruin your en - Even if scientologists don’t be - manipulate as many people as celebrities. The assumption that tire life. Ordinary days will lieve in god or supernatural possible and get as much money these celebrities reach the peak become your worst nightmare. powers, they still have their own as possible. At the moment that of success with facilities granted The leaders of the church give theory. It consists of a fantasy a member enters in this ‘religion’ by the Church of Scientology is special commissioners the task story in which a dictator called he is giving up his freedom and provable, but except from that to spy on you and backfire on all Xenu iced different alien spirits his right to think with his own celebrities also give prominence your deepest secrets. The pur - 75 million ages ago. After years head. The parody of Scientology and huge propaganda to this re - suit can reach extreme levels of he stacked these alien spirits in is just to play with the creed of ligion. bullying and manipulation. It be - a volcano which later exploded members and to extract money comes a living hell for each ex and adhered to humans causing from them. Described as a fast- The most famous celebrities are member of this association. harm. Associating this history to growing religion, Scientology Tom Cruise and John Travolta people’s sadness and melan - manipulates people in their psy - that have joined the cult for many Scientology is finally not a reli - choly, Hubbard was able to chosis with the aim to drain the years and strongly believe in gion but a cult. A religion is not create a soap bubble in which bank account and ruining those scientology's ideology. Tom meant to dry people financially or scientologists come to nothing people's existence. Historically Cruise, for example, has appa - to attempt to keep them far away and believe they are nonexistent other religions might have also rently split up with all his three from anyone, even friends and beings which need help. exploited the creed of their belie - wives because of Tom’s obses - family. It is just a psychological vers but nowadays religion sion and fanaticism. The actor of cult to get easy money in a legal Scientology is based on a con - should be a way to give hope to many famous films like To Gun way by bringing every believer to troversial method that sets up a people, unlike Scientology. or Mission Impossible has rea - deadly limits. The Church of huge business of easy money. ched the 13th OT Level spen - Scientology is dangerous and The Church of Scientology offers The system is based on OT le - ding a fortune of his earned everyone should know what role a free first audition, the so called vels. This classification was in - money. The new face is David is being assigned to you if you ‘counseling technique’ in which vented to explain the real Miscavige who has taken the join the cult. You'll be giving up an ‘auditor’ assists a subject in meaning of Scientology and to place of L. Ron Hubbard after his all your personality, dignity and conscious recall of traumatic get money of the members of death. We think that such a huge also personal freedom just to be - events in the individual's past. In this kind of religion. The Opera - empire would not be able to work come one of the community. To order to that you need to pass a ting Thetan levels count 15 and without a big boss and David put it in a nutshell, one should test through a device defined as the way up has its price. Just to Miscavige is representing the undervalue the influence and Electropsychometer, or simply e- be able to reach the second level Church of Scientology in an im - danger of the brain wash asso - meter. Scientologists believe that costs around $8,000 and to pressive way. ciation called Scientology. the device can read thoughts achieve a good level and charac - and is able to gather the static terize your life on a perfect sta - field surrounding our body by tus, where for example you are simply holding two cans con - free any possible illnesses, may nected to the e-meter. Remorse - cost you a fortune. The ‘clear’ fully, scientologist simply have status in which a member rea - defined the machine as a lie de - ches the perfect balance bet - tector which works with slight ween spirit and body is defined electric shocks that only our in the ‘Dianetics’ as “knowing mind can feel and recognize. and willing cause over life, Today, Scientology counts milli - thought, matter, energy, space ons of members with billions of and time” and it is almost impos - income. By creating an environ - sible to archive if you are not a ment of huge buildings and wide billionaire. area of parks, Scientology expo - ses their money and reveals that The public faces of Scientology their power must be tremendous. have a fundamental rule in the Promising people to help and association of trying to reach as support them, Scientology beco - much members as they can mes a parody of itself. trough brain washing. Another ty - The rise of e-sports is real Did anyone ever tell you that making a living with playing computer games is impossible and playing them in general is just a waste of time anyways? Well, it is not and here is why. TEN, NINE, EIGHT, SEVEN, SIX, FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE: yeeeeeaaaaaah *wild crowd cheering*
by Robert Natter
About 12,000 people watching card from Turkey will battle it out 200,000$ prize pool. The very the 2010s, e-sports, electronic live, tens of thousands of people in the Donald L. Tucker Civic first League of Legends Mid sports or competitive gaming has watching online, the six best Center in Tallahassee Florida. Season Invitational is now live. gained a great deal of popularity teams from the EU, the US, The prize for the tournament is and has established itself as a South Korea, China, South East the title of the strongest team in With the beginning of the new still growing, massive industry in Asia and one international wild the world and a whopping millennium, and especially since terms of money as well as viewer
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base and overall success. One of Legends had 40 playable cha - prove and support the teams in download or to buy the re - of the greatest stories was, and racters, called champions, and finding strategies for future spective game (given you al - still is, being written by Riot two maps on which the action games. Sure, football players ready own a PC), start playing Games, a company which was took place. Today there are more have to practice too, but their ef - and you can connect to people founded by two gamers in 2006 than 140 champions which fort in hours is dwarfed by pro - all over the world. You can even in Los Angeles, California. They range from little furry people, the fessional gamers. Also, their find people who live around you released their debut title League so called “Yordles”, to mages sponsorship contracts with the and are into e-sports too, start of Legends (back then it was cal - and Mintauri as well as four dif - big names of computer hard - discussing with them and even led League of Legends Clash of ferent maps and five different ware, especially with producers attend tournaments like the Mid Fates) in October 2009. League game modes which all have the of keyboards, mice, mouse mats, Season Invitational mentioned of Legends or LoL in short was same goal: to destroy the enemy monitors and headsets are lucra - above which took place from the inspired by a fun map for the nexus, the heart of the enemy tive and another important factor 7th to the 10th of May 2015. Blizzard Game, Warcraft 3 which team’s base and source of magi - which is comparable to “ordi - is called Defense of the Ancients. cal energy. This game, which nary” sportsmen. As in “ordinary” So what are you waiting for? Get Since then, starting with 2011, earned them 624 million US - sports, it is also not possible to to your PC and start playing, net - four World Championships have dollars in 2013, has even forced become a professional gamer on working and making friends who been held and the game has the e-sports scene to create a a whim. You have to put in a also share your not so socially won dozens of awards. new genre for it, which is called great amount of training and ef - acknowledged interests. MOBA, the Massive Online fort to become better and you A community of several millions Battle Arena. If you want to know need to have the talent as well. of players developed and more more about the game, the genre But if you want to just play as a than 65 million people play every and everything else in detail hobby, all you have to do is to month, according to Riot Games please feel free to visit the Lea - website. Riot Games manifesto gue of Legends website at states that they want to be the euw.leagueoflegends.com and most player-focused company in dive into a magical world which the world and up until now they is going to fascinate you for are doing a really good job. With hours and hours to come. You 16 offices worldwide, three in the can also download the game US, three in Europe, and one in there. Russia, Japan, China, Turkey, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Taiwan, For all those who do not consider Korea and Australia, Riot is wor - League of Legends or e-sports in king in many different cultures general to be sports should first and a ginormous amount of try to grasp the sheer amount of people around the globe. The effort people put into the game. highlight of the year is the Lea - The Korean and Chinese profes - gue of Legends World Cham - sional teams which are conside - pionship, which changes venue red to be the best in the world every year. 2015 it is going to be spend around 15 hours per day held in Berlin, Germany with an practicing. estimated prize pool of around 2.3 million US - dollars. They even have coaches who look after them during their day Upon release the game, League and give them tips, where to im - Gayle Forman: If I Stay and Where She Went
by Lisa Oberladstätter
The world-famous novels If I main focus on music and how it the story actually happens right story is extremely gripping. Stay and Where She Went, can connect two people, even if now but then there are Mia’s or which is the sequel, were written they prefer a completely different Adam’s flashbacks; the main Mia, an excellent cellist, is totally by Gayle Forman. The first part genre. In addition, it is about ma - characters share their past me - hooked on classical music, was first published in the United king choices; in this case proba - mories with the readership. Ho - which is the opposite in Adam’s States on April 2, 2009 by Dutton bly the most difficult decision a wever, once you get used to this life. He is a rock musician, plays Juvenile and it is now a major human being ever has to make. structure, there are no more pro - the guitar and sings in a band film and was in the movies in Au - Either follow the beloved family blems with reading. Actually, I called Shooting Star (in the gust 2014. The second part was to heaven or stay - without them found this way of telling a story movie the band is called Willa - released on April 5, 2011 by but with the love of your life. very touching because you mette Stone). One day in High Random House. Each part has realize how strong memories, School, Adam watches Mia about 300 pages. I think at first the novels are diffi - even if they are not our own, can practice and it was love at first cult to read because Forman influence our feelings and our sight. He takes her to a Yo-Yo If I Stay and Where She Went switches between the present mood. Once started, I could not Ma concert, who is Mia’s favou - are very moving novels with the and the past, which means that put away the books since the rite cellist and composer. After Page 22 Society that date, they become insepa - the re-opening of her eyes and tionship and accompany each a freelance journalist. In 2007, rable. They are together more the survival of her life-threate - other on their tours as good as she released her first young than one and a half year when ning injuries the first part ends. possible. adult novel. Apart from If I Stay everything changes: Mia is on In the sequel, Mia and Adam are and Where She Went she wrote the road with her family when not together anymore. Adam Forman mentions all the time several novels, most notable the they have a dramatic accident. never got over the separation songs that are important for Mia trilogy Just One Day, Just One Her parents perish immediately, because Mia never explained and Adam in certain situations Year and Just One Night. It is, as her little brother Teddy passes why. He lives in Los Angeles and and these songs are, except for well, a love story. away in the hospital and Mia her - Mia attends Julliard in New York. the Shooting Star songs, real, so self sinks into a deep coma. As Adam has become a world- you can listen to them, which Apart from new, interesting While her body is unconscious, famous rock star he travels to makes the story even more music artists, I learnt form this her ghost is outside of it and can New York for some recording in lively. Additionally, this is one of story that love has not to be per - watch everything happen. When the studio. One evening, he the main reasons why I liked this fect but real. If it is real, there is Adam finally receives this unwel - walks along the sidewalk when story so much because I am mu - no distance that can break it and come news, he calls off his gig he suddenly sees a poster which sician myself. Regarding the there is always a way to find he has that night and heads to reads “Tonight: Mia Hall” and he movie, some songs have been back to each other if you have Mia. spontaneously decides to join. written for Adam’s band and they lost yourselves before. Further - After the recital, someone asks are available on the Official more, the story shows that even Mia’s ghost, who is aware of Adam to go backstage and see Soundtrack. if it seems hopeless, there is al - everything, decides to follow a Mia. They talk a few lines and fi - ways to reason to live and it can bright light but suddenly she can nally, they spend the whole night Concerning the author, Gayle be worth it. hear music that makes her stop. together. At the end, before leav - Forman was born in 1970 in Los She wants to discover where it ing each other again, they talk Angeles. Nowadays she lives in In conclusion, if you like music comes from, which is how Adam about the splitting-up and about New York. She started her ca - and cheesy love stories with a brings her back to life. He put her their innermost feelings. The reer as a writer for the Seven - happy end, I can only recom - headphones on to make her lis - consequence is that they re-build teen Magazine, later on she mend Mia’s and Adam’s story. ten to her favourite music. With up their difficult but intimate rela - worked for several magazines as The best way of generating money from innocent children Product placement on YouTube by Julia Pirchl
Recent scandals about embed - ded advertisements in videos of Y-Titty or Sami Slimani forced the government to enforce laws for the webvideo branch more strictly. But why are embedded advertisements or product place - ment even in need of stricter re - gulations? And what problems occur with the increasing popu - larity of product placement?
Why do YouTubers use product placement and what is it exactly? Initially YouTubers generated money from Google advertise - ments which are shown before a video. This allowed YouTube to become a lucrative full-time job. However, advertisements are often not enough to make a living sing is very lucrative. Philip YouTube channel and the from. That’s where product pla - Steuer, who worked at Google amount of time the product is There are plenty of possibilities cement comes in handy. Product and now works as a Network seen on screen. In his experi - of how to integrate products in vi - placement is a targeted integra - Manager in the online video field, ence a product which is seen on deos. YouTubers can simply hold tion of a product in a media for - gives interesting details of his screen once on a YouTube chan - the product into the camera and mat. In simple words: personal YouTube experience in nel with about 50,000 to 100,000 talk about it. Or they get an invi - Companies or brands offer You - a guest article on the website on - monthly views and an average tation to an event and their Tubers to pay them for revie - linemarektingrockstars.com. He 40,000 click range might pay off asked to film and give their opi - wing, mentioning or simply states that the payment of pro - with more than 2,000 euro. This nions. Or video games are given displaying a certain product in duct placement varies depen - figure is quite high compared to out to be tested before the official their videos. This kind of adverti - ding on the popularity of a advertisement revenues. release date. Or they place the Page 23 Society
product somewhere in the back - ment) is displayed at the begin - them anything that companies ard from where Ungespielt and ground of the video. ning and at the end of the video. told her to. And the little white P Dner had gotten one. Up to now, Moreover it is common to men - at the beginning of the video: It’s the boom around longboards This doesn’t sound very dange - tion the sponsor in the info box perfectly ignored. What does hasn’t stopped at all. This shows rous as long as you are able to beneath the video. Great Britain supported by product placement how easily children are influen - recognize product placement. even started to put words like even mean? Most of the young ced by their idols and why pro - But how does it have to be label - ‘ad’ or ‘sponsored’ into video tit - audience doesn’t even know that duct placement is popular led? Austria doesn’t have very les. as soon as the label pops up, among companies. successful YouTubers; that’s money is flowing as well. At this why I’ll concentrate on YouTube So when product placement is point, product placement beco - Another negative side effect of Germany. In Germany editorial labelled anyway, is there even a mes dangerous. embedded advertising or unmar - content which is the publisher’s problem? Yes there is. First and ked product placement is that opinion and not what a company foremost, not everybody labels For everyone who doesn’t think YouTubers who didn’t get paid has told the publisher has to be product placement. However, if that a bunch of twenty-year-olds for their opinion might suffer from distinguishable from non-edito - you do keep the regulations can be that influential, here’s an false accusations, which can rial content. This means that pro - there is still your target group. example: Last September four lead to damage to their image. duct placement has to be YouTubers appease mostly ten very popular German YouTubers labelled just as that. And there to seventeen year olds. And for (Ungespielt, Dner, Cheng Loew, How can this problem be sol - has occurred a major problem: companies, teenagers are the Julien Bam) started a tour ved? It most likely can’t. Compa - As YouTube is quite a new me - perfect target group. They are throughout Germany only travel - nies will keep on targeting a dium, there hasn’t been any strict very influencable and manipula - ling on their longboards. The four young audience with hidden ad - and standardised regulations of ble. If their biggest Idol Dagi Bee of them drove from Sylt to vertisements simply because it’s product placement. Until Y-Titty, (a twenty-year-old beauty guru Schloss Neuschwanstein docu - the most lucrative way of gene - one of Germany’s biggest You - who is really big in the scene) menting their journey with daily rating money. However, schools Tube trio, got accused of embed - thinks that the new blush of Ca - videos. Longboards back then should teach children and teen - ded advertisement of Coca Cola trice is the most important sum - were a fairly unknown larger kind agers to handle the internet and Samsung in their videos. By mer essential this year, the of skateboard. The mentioned consciously. And as always, now the claims were let down, chance that the kids are running YouTubers got their longboards eventually it’s the parent’s duty to but since then YouTube has to the drugstore just the minute from a shop called Concrete show their children a reasonable been looked at critically. Follo - after the video has finished is ex - Wave located in Cologne which way of consuming and to teach wing this scandal, most of Ger - tremely high. Because we all they stated regularly in the vi - them that they shouldn’t believe many’s YouTubers decided to know that Dagi loves her com - deos. Only a few weeks later, the everything people tell them. handle product placement in the munity and her little bees (their about 50 m² big shop was burs - same way TV does: a small P very creative nickname) so ting with teenagers, because (supported by product place - much, she would never ever tell they all wanted to get a longbo - Martin Luther King Jr. The human rights icon by Gabriela Schuler
A man who influenced billions of man had and still has on different Right Movement was born on Ja - In an interview from the year people by fighting for the ones nations from all over the world is nuary the 15th in the year 1929 1965 with Alex Haley, which was who were not listened to, the very impressive. in Atlanta, Georgia. Martin Luther actually published in the January ones who had no future prospect King Jr. was born as Michael issue of Playboy Magazine, Mar - and the ones who were treated The activist, humanitarian, Ame - King, but his father – Michael tin Luther King Jr. spoke about worst. He stood up for the racial rican Baptist minister and leader King Sr. – decided to change his his children, his early life and the equality. The effect this single in the African-American Civil and his sons name in honour to problems he had to face. When the German reformer Martin Lu - Haley asks Dr. King, father of ther. Martin Luther King Sr. had four, if his children understood always been a role model for his what his role in the Civil Rights son because of his job as a mi - Movement was, he said that they nister and his attitude towards did and that especially his oldest people who discriminated daughter Yolanda knew about against him because of his race. segregation and discrimination In the year 1955 he received his because of an incident, where Ph.D. in systematic theology at she was told that coloured chil - Boston University. Only one year dren were not allowed to enter a after he married his wife Coretta Fun Park when she was youn - Scott Martin Luther King became ger. “At that moment the first pastor in Alabama. In a letter he dark cloud of inferiority had floa - once wrote that all he did in Civil ted into her little mental sky that Rights he did because he consi - at that moment her personality dered it part of his Christian Mi - had begun to warp with that first nistry. unconscious bitterness toward white people.”, said Martin Lu - Page 24 Society
ther King Jr.. On December the 1st of the year Jr. disagreed with many of his if he, the acknowledged leader of 1955 Rosa Parks was arrested political and philosophical views. the American Civil Rights Move - When King was asked about the because she refused to give up He said “I have often wished that ment and chief spokesman for Montgomery Bus Boycott and if her seat. The reason for her re - he would talk less of violence, the nation’s 20,000,000 African- he were sure they would win he fusal was an injury. On that day because violence is not going to Americans, ever felt awed by this said “There was one dark mo - Martin Luther King and Nixon de - solve our problem”. Malcolm X burden of responsibility, or inade - ment when we doubted it. […] It cided to boycott the buses and was an American Muslim minis - quate to its demands. He answe - was a desolate moment. It was almost 100 percent of the black ter and a human rights activist. red: “I subject myself to about noontime, I remember, community participated. They Detractors accused him of prea - self-purification and to endless when Rex Thomas of the Asso - had in mind a one-day-boycott, ching racism and violence. He self-analysis; […] But whatever ciated Press rushed over to but as they noticed how suc - has been called one of the my doubts, however heavy the where I was sitting and told me cessful it was they decided to greatest and most influential Afri - burden, I feel that I must accept of the news flash that the U.S. continue and after 381 days of can Americans in history. He had the task of helping to make this Supreme Court had declared boycotting it finally came to an always been critical of the Civil nation and this world a better that bus segregation in Montgo - end. The Supreme Court confir - Rights Movement under Martin place to live in—for all men, mery was unconstitutional. It had med the order of the county Luther King Jr. because in his black and white alike.” Martin Lu - literally been the darkest hour which said that the segregation eyes King’s nonviolent racial in - ther King Jr. was a man with before the dawn.”. Until the in buses was to stop. tegration strategy was just anot - pride and self-respect, who Montgomery Bus Boycott suc - her attempt to be finally accepted spent his lifetime fighting for the ceeded, the black society of When Alex Haley asked for Dr. by the white society. According to Civil Rights of the African-Ameri - Montgomery had only been allo - King’s opinion about Malcolm X, Malcolm X, King tried to obtain can population. His reward was wed to sit in the last rows of the the former Black Muslim leader, justice by begging the white the respect and trust of thou - bus and they had to stand up if a he tells him that he only met him community. sands of people who were white citizen wanted to sit where once and only had the chance to fighting side by side with him. they sat. talk to him for a very short time. At the very end of the interview Nevertheless, Martin Luther King Martin Luther King Jr. was asked Happily or unhappily ever after? The changing trends in the Italian divorce law system by Nathalie Stuffer
"I promise to be true to you in and one year in contested ones, athe new life into the Italian di - good times and in bad, in sick - instead of five years as it used to vorce system. Unlike other European countries, ness and in health. I will love you be up to now. This brings great the dissolution of a marriage in and honour you all the days of change to the whole Italian law New statistics published by the Italy is the result of two procee - my life." Every married couple system, considered one of the National Institute of Statistics dings, which take place one after has exchanged vows like these, slowest in Europe. In Italy, di - (Istat) in relation to marriage and the other. First, you need to get but not everybody has taken vorce was first legalized only in divorce in Italy show that the an order from the local court for these promises seriously. It may 1970 and imposed a mandatory number of marriages is decrea - the separation. The second pro - feel like ages since you were in five-year separation period, as sing year by year, in contrast the ceeding, which is the real di - love with your partner and you demanded by the Catholic number of divorces is increasing. vorce, is often a photocopy of the might not even remember to Church, intended to make cou - During the year 2012, Italy coun - first though not as far as legal have promised those things. As ples reconsider their decision. ted 311 separations and 174 di - fees are concerned, which result not everyone is able to keep his According to Prime Minister Mat - vorces every 1,000 marriages. It doubled this way. This problem or her pledges forever, some teo Renzi, this is a great step for - is said that these alarming num - was now changed with the new marriages can result in divorce ward to tame the excessive and bers could be further increased divorce law, implicating that a and the so-called unforgettable unnecessary Italian bureaucracy. by the current legal ease of get - judge does not have to be con - and extraordinary wedding cere - But is it an advantage also for ting a divorce. The high divorce sulted any more. If there are no mony can be seen as a disap - the married couples themselves rate in Italy indicates that also in minor children involved, an un - pointing waste of money and or is it convenient only for the a country, where the Catholic contested divorce can be got by time. In many countries a divorce country’s red tape? Church has had a very strong the lawyer. As a result, a divorce is quite inexpensive and does impact during ages, the need to turns out to be not as expensive not even take long from a legal As it was possible to get a di - get divorced is very high. as it used to be, making it a lot point of view. Also the Italian Par - vorce only after five long years, easier to divorce with little liament has recently changed the some couples, unwilling to wait In fact, the only one to go against money. subsisting divorce law, approving that long before starting a new the new divorce law was the Ca - a significantly easier and faster life, set up false residences in tholic Church, defining it as "a From a legal and financial point divorce law with an overwhel - other EU countries in order to get devastating anti-family of view, the new law has cer - ming vote of 398 for and 28 quick divorces there. Afterwards, downward slide" in the Catholic tainly brought many advantages against. they had them recognized by newspaper Avvenire. The quick for couples that wish to divorce. Italy in line with EU regulations. and unanimous passage of the What kind of consequences it With the new law, Italians now This fact demonstrates that the law shows that the church is will have from a moral point of have to wait only six months for Italian divorce system did not slowly loosening its grip over the view is unknown. The legal ease a divorce in uncontested cases work well and it was time to bre - Italian society and morals. and inexpensiveness to get a di -
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vorce may have adverse effects for why marriages fail is lack of timated is the lack of common in - lity to solve conflicts. The inex - on the subsisting or future mar - communication. Inability to com - terests and passions. Of course pensiveness and the legal ease riages, as it is much easier to di - municate can easily lead to mi - every person needs time on their to divorce can make it seem ea - vorce than to keep trying to fix sunderstandings and negativity own, but if the married couples sier to split up than to keep stay - problems together. Every couple in every interaction with the part - does not have common interests ing together. On one hand, the has disagreements, but many ner. it is very easy to grow apart. With new Italian divorce law can be are not able to solve conflicts the time people change and inte - regarded as a great step for - and one partner feels not re - Not being able to communicate rests change. Only if a couple is ward, but on the other hand it spected and not heard. It may effectively can make you feel able to change together and to can be seen as a threatening de - seem strange, but betrayal is not frustrated and incompatible with look in the same direction, is it cision for people's morality. What the main reason why people di - your partner. If the communica - possible to keep the marriage kind of repercussions it will have vorce. Even if Italians are tion problem cannot be solved as going on well. on society can only be answered Europe's biggest cheaters, with soon as possible, little problems in a couple of years. 55 percent of the married cou - can seem insurmountable and Even if there are many more rea - ples admitting to have cheated the sense of emotional discon - sons for divorce, such as the dis - on their partners, there is a far nection can ruin a relationship fo - appearance of intimacy, financial more important reason for the rever. problems and the lack of physi - high divorce rate. According to cal contact, they all lead back to yourtango.com, the main reason Another point not to be underes - lack of communication and inabi - Vegetarianism – A new and healthy life - style or just nonsense?
by Flora Timpe
During the last years, the interest red meat this type is becoming Today people are or decide to growing. in healthy food has grown sub - increasingly popular, especially become vegetarians for many stantially just like the interest in among people who shouldn’t eat reasons like the wish to live he - Do live vegetarians healthier? vegetarianism has. There are se - meat because of health issues althier, concerns for the environ - Several statistics and re - veral types of vegetarian diets like heart diseases. ment, compassion for animals, searches have proven that vege - and many of those are quite con - Vegans don’t eat any kind of ani - belief in nonviolence, food prefe - tarian diets may have many troversial because not even ex - mal products, which means they rences, and in some cases also health benefits, but they can also perts are sure about the also don’t eat eggs, dairy pro - for spiritual reasons. Members of lead to severe health problems if healthiness of being a vegetarian ducts, or processed food which the Jainisms for example aren’t proper precautions are not and several studies even may contain animal-derived in - allowed to harm any living taken. Optimal health, however, showed different results. gredients like gelatin. beings and as a result the have can be reached through a care - But there are also many other to stick to vegetarianism. fully planned vegetarian diet. Ac - Usually, a vegetarian diet con - variations, for example people cording to the ADA, the tains nearly every sort of food, who eat eggs but no milk or the Another reason for vegetaria - American Dietetic Association, only except for meat, fish and other way round. nism are concerns for the envi - vegetarians are at a much lower seafood. Against many beliefs ronment what might sound a little risk to develop for example heart most vegetarians also eat eggs Why become a vegetarian? bit strange but a recent report diseases, diabetes, obesity and and dairy products. However, Vegetarianism has a pretty long from the UN concluded that the too high blood pressure. This is there are several variations of history with its roots in the an - great amount of cattle held for due to the fact that normally a vegetarianism. Some of them cient Greece and India. The rea - food is a significant contributor to vegetarian diet is rather low in fat are much stricter than only exclu - son for vegetarianism back then the production of greenhouse but high in fiber. ding meat but there are much was that some people didn’t gases and therefore a serious more lenient ones. want to eat dead animals. It was environmental problem. Another A study with more than 76,000 rather widespread among seve - problem is that raising cattle re - participants showed that people Flexitarians or semi-vegetarians ral religious groups but also phi - quires huge amounts of water, who stick to a vegetarian diet are are people who stick to a vege - losophers like for example which is needed elsewhere. 25 percent less likely to die of a tarian diet most of the time but Pythagoras. During the following heart disease than people who sometimes they also eat meat or centuries, vegetarianism nearly Some people become vegetari - eat meat more than three times fish. Among many dieticians this disappeared in Europe. Only ans because they want to save a week. There where also seve - form of vegetarianism is conside - some monastic orders were pro - money when buying food, and ral studies that wanted to prove red to be the healthiest one. hibited to eat meat – but not fish vegetables are usually much that vegetarians are less likely to – for ascetic reasons. Since the cheaper than meat. Also the get cancer but another study in Pescatarians are people who eat 20th century vegetarianism is on number of people who become Oxford showed that also eating fish and seafood but no other the upswing again because vegetarian because they don’t fish can reduce the probability to animal products. Due to the fact people started to think about a want to eat dead animals, which die of cancer. that fish is much healthier than way to eat and live healthier. only had to die to feed them, is
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plants. Eating a wide variety of vegetarian meals can easily fulfill your protein needs. Good sour - ces of protein include whole grains, lentils, tofu, dairy pro - ducts and nuts.
Vitamin D is needed to use and absorb the calcium but the pro - blem is that only very few foods are naturally high in it. Due to this, dairy products as well as soy milk products are nowadays very often fortified with vitamin D. Vitamin D can also be produced by the body itself but only when the skin is exposed to a rather high amount of sunlight.
In July 2009 the ADA stated that an appropriately planned vegeta - rian diet can be nutritionally ade - quate and may also provide health benefits. The key term in there is appropriately planned because technically chips and However, vegetarians have to blem but nowadays there are most candy are usually made face the problem that meat and Calcium for example is mainly lots of soy milk products which without any animal products but other animal products have found in meat but normally vege - are fortified with calcium and it is not healthy at all. To provide he - many contents that are neces - tarians can meet their needs if also possible to add some cal - alth while sticking to a vegetarian sary to be healthy like some vita - they consume adequate cium supplement to your food. diet it is important to choose your mins or other micronutrients. In amounts of dairy products such food among a wide variety of dif - some cases it is possible to get as milk, yogurt and cheese. Cal - Proteins are found in both animal ferent fruits and vegetables and the right amount of those just by cium is also found in many plant products but also in plants. The also whole grain to make sure eating vegetables and fruits as foods like spinach, broccoli, ADA stated that it’s not neces - that all essential nutrients are well but in some cases it is ne - beans, figs and sunflower seeds. sary to eat any kind of meat to provided in an adequate amount. cessary to add some dietary For Vegans, getting the right get enough proteins in addition supplements. amount of calcium can be a pro - to the ones that are found in Transgender – the hard steps of finding his true self
by Min-Young Sul
I have a friend, Michael, who is assigned to them at birth. believe that transgender comes pression of transgender people. one of them, which inspired me from someone “wanting to be” They often confuse cross dres - to write about this subject. Being Let me explain the term “trans - the opposite sex. This is also in - sers with transgender people, or transgender is not an easy thing. gender” first. There are a few correct. A person who is trans - make a transgender person look Society struggles with the idea of very common misconceptions gender does not go through the like somebody in drag. Trans - anything that isn’t common or about transgender people. transition process because they gender people go through years “normal.” When a person comes Firstly, many people assume that want to be the opposite sex. of therapy, hormone replace - out as transgender, their world sexual orientation and gender They go through the transition ment therapy, and many go can crumble around them. They identity are related, which is not because they identify internally through intense physical surge - may lose their family, friends, the case at all. A person who is with a gender that does not ries to change their appearan - and sometimes even their job. female at birth, but actually iden - match their physical body. The ces. Often, a person’s physical health tifies with the male gender, can decision to make your body and well-being is put at risk and still like males. It would just make match your internal gender is not My friend, Michael, is transgen - sometimes, coming out can risk him a gay transgender male. If one to make lightly. However, it der. Michael began his transition a person’s life. All of this can be he instead likes females, it would is often necessary for a trans - seven years ago, when he was just the result of a person’s gen - make him a straight transgender gender person to make these 19 years old. His transition has der identity – that is, the gender male. Gender identity and sexual physical changes to live a happy been one of the hard ones, like a that a person identifies with inter - orientation are completely unre - and fulfilling life. Finally, the story you heard and think, “I nally, not the physical sex that is lated. Secondly, many people media gives a very wrong im - would never be that person,” or Page 27 Society
“I would never treat my child that church. They even took him to He spent a lot of time thinking identifying documents. He mar - way.” Unfortunately, some try to have demons cast out of about it, and he knew that he ried his wife after 5 years toget - people do. Michael tells his story, him. All they really did was make needed to transition. His depres - her, only 5 months after his hoping that people will think him feel like something was sion was easily linked to his un - surgery. His parents didn’t come twice if they find out their child is wrong with him at 16 years old. happiness with his body. It was to the wedding, didn’t respond to dealing with this unimaginable That’s when Michael started get - like the world finally made sense. the announcement, and to this struggle. ting depressed. His relationship Everything fell into place. Three day, refuse to acknowledge his with the girl in his school was for - months later, he started hormone marriage to his wife. They even Michael was assigned to the fe - cefully ended. He barely convin - therapy and the long road to refuse to acknowledge him as a male sex at birth. He had female ced his parents to let him transitioning his body to male, to male. body parts, so his birth certificate graduate from the high school. match his gender identity. said female but he was never To add to it, Michael couldn’t I will never understand why pa - girly. He never wanted to play stand to look at himself. He didn’t At 20, Michael told his parents rents would turn their back on a dress up. Actually, he despised feel like he fit in his body, and he was on male hormones. His child. Not only does Michael not being made to wear dresses. He when he finally found someone father was furious. His mother have any sort of relationship with never played with Barbies or that he liked, that liked him de - cried. Both told him that there his parents anymore, but they makeup a day in his life. He ab - spite his body, he wasn’t allowed was something wrong with him. chose to walk away from a rela - solutely refused to do anything to like her. Then, his dad said words that Mi - tionship with their youngest child. stereotyped as “girly.” He played chael never forgot. “I can never He is happily married, has with cars, reptiles, and dirt. Any - When Michael graduated at 17, love you the way that I used to.” friends that support him, a wife thing his brother did, he did also. he told his parents he wasn’t His parents refused to call him that loves him, and a job that ac - His parents just assumed he was going to their church anymore. by his male name. They refused cepts him for who he is. His own a “tomboy,” and brushed it off as He was an outcast there. to accept him as a male. At 24, parents chose to spend years a phase in his life but Michael Everyone looked at him like he Michael had gender altering sur - hurting their own child, telling never grew out of this “phase.” was from another planet. No - gery – he had his breasts remo - him that something was wrong Instead, he struggled to ever feel body wanted to talk to him. No - ved surgically, his nipples with him, and that it wasn’t okay happy in his body. body wanted to sit next to him. completely remade surgically to for him to be himself. Instead of All of his friends quit talking to look like male nipples, and his letting it hold him back, he made At 13, Michael realized he was him and treated him terribly. chest put back together to look the decision to be himself, de - attracted to girls. His first kiss People called him selfish. They like a male’s chest, with only spite losing his family in the pro - was with a girl that year. He told him that he was selfish be - scars to remind him of what used cess. knew his parents wouldn’t be cause he was choosing to hurt to be there. He legally changed okay with it. He was considered so many people. He didn’t want his name and gender on all of his female, and as a “Christian,” that to be forced to go there any - wasn’t okay. He grew up hearing more. His dad told him that as from his parents that being gay long as he lived at home, he had was against the Bible, so he hid to go. Michael packed a box of his feelings from his parents. He clothes, took his bed, and moved never dated boys or had any sort out of his parents’ house that of physical attraction to them. At day. 17, Michael was a senior in high school. His older brother found At 19, Michael met a transman out Michael was dating a girl for the first time. He hadn’t even from school. He told their pa - considered that such a thing rents. Michael’s parents were existed. He knew he wasn’t outraged. They tried sending him happy in his body, but he didn’t to therapists. They sent him to realize that could be why. He talk to different people in their went to see a gender therapist. Before Dada was there, there was Dada – Description of a revolting art movement
by Vera Düngler
“What is dada? Arts? A philoso - provoke rebellion against the the world and prove to be one of detestation of war. In 1916, the phy? Politics? A fire insurance? establishment, capitalist society the most influential movement in poet Hugo Ball and a few other Or: state religion? Is dada real and the horrors of the First World modern art. expatriates made a deal with a energy? Or is it nothing at all, in War. “Repelled by the slaughter - Zurich bar owner that he would other words everything?” (from houses of the world war we tur - Dada’ s birth increase the beer and sausage “Der Dada”, Nr.2, 1919) For so - ned to art. We searched for an sales if he let Ball transform his meone who is not that well read elementary art that would save During WWI, many artists, paci - establishment into a literary café in history of art movements, mankind from the furious mad - fists and revolutionaries had to called the Cabaret Voltaire. It be - Dada first and foremost repre - ness of these times,” Dada artist leave their homes and fled to came a gathering place for ar - sents confusion. And basically, Jean Arp aptly subsumed the neutral Switzerland. Their rea - tists and writers who used it as a this really is what Dadaists want Dadaist movement’s intention. sons for seeking refuge were gallery, a concert hall and a it to be – felt absurdity that shock Little did anyone suspect that their fear of being conscripted to stage for poetry readings. Not people out of complacency and Dada would soon spread around serve at the front as well as their only in Zurich, the city of Dada’ s Page 28 Society the Cabaret Voltaire, Hugo Ball To defend his work, Duchamp ar - wearing a costume made from gued, “An ordinary object [could cardboard and looking like a Cu - be] elevated to the dignity of a bist sculpture, would recite his work of art by the mere choice of famous “sound-poems”. He as an artist.” the inventor of sound-poems Another art scandal was his dis - was interested in freeing respectful treatment of Leonardo language from conventional syn - da Vinci’s painting Mona Lisa. tax and semantics to raw sound The readymade “L.H.O.O.Q.” without any meaning. While this was a cheap postcard repro - process robs language of its duction of da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, function, it is also a way to pro - to which Duchamp had added a duce “music-like sound-picture pencilled moustache and goatee verse-compositions”. Ball’s per - beard. He joked on the untou - formance, which began with the chable values of art history and first verse, “gadji beri bimba / at the same time played with glandridi lauli lonni cadori...”, was gender roles. Besides, the see - intended to shock anyone who mingly nonsensical title, if spel - regarded “all this civilized car - led out in French, reveals the nage as a triumph of European sentence: “Elle a chaud au cul”, intelligence”. which means “She has a hot birth, but also in Berlin, Hanover, Freud, “confused so many of the arse”. Cologne, Paris and many other clearest intelligences [and] tho - Excluded from a museum exhibi - After reading about the Dadaist cities did the movement enjoy roughly debased what is hig - tion, German artist Max Ernst provocations it does not come as broad support. The period during hest.” Therefore, the Dadaist’ s and other local members held a surprise that numerous of their which the Dada movement was aim was to parody that confu - their own exhibition in a pub in events ended in uproar and tu - active can be dated approxima - sion. “Dada wished to replace Cologne, in 1920. The show cal - mult, magazines were banned, tely to the years 1915 to 1922. the logical nonsense of the men led “Dada Early Spring” caused exhibitions closed and the artists The name Dada was coined by of today with an illogical non - a public outrage and was shut occasionally arrested. Richard Hülsenbeck and Hugo sense,” wrote Gabrielle Buffet- down by the police. Visitors of Ball, German artists living in Zu - Picabia, wife of the artist Francis the exhibitions had to enter Influential afterlife rich, when they stabbed a Picabia. through the men’s toilet where French-German dictionary with a they found a girl wearing a After the war, many of the Da - penknife which then happened Dadaist activities: Shocking the communion dress who recited daists who were exiles in Zurich to point at “Dada”. In French, prevailing order obscene poems, “thus assaulting began to drift back to their home “Dada” means “hobbyhorse” and both the sanctity of high art and countries and thus brought Dada it is assumed that they chose it Dadaists formulated their anti- of religion”, as art historian Krie - to an international reputation. for its childishness and naivety. war politics in anarchical, literally bel commented. Max Ernst also From Pop Art to Surrealism, Da - Another version was that “Da- “sense-less” actions, recitations attached a hatchet to his sculp - da’s influence is present in the Da” was taken from Rumanian and visual art-works. The move - ture encouraging the viewers to work of major 20th century artists and meant “Yes-Yes”, standing ment also encompassed art ma - smash up his exhibits; so they and art movements. Almost for an enthusiastic approach to nifestoes, theatre and graphic could participate in the “anti-art” anywhere you look in modern life. This act in itself to randomly design. Marcel Janco, co-inven - spirit of Dada. and contemporary art, Dada did find a name for the movement tor of Dadaism, recalled that they it first. The Dadaists were young displays the importance of “had lost confidence in [their] cul - Finally, Marcel Duchamp estab - and perhaps naïve to believe chance in Dada art. ture” and after “shocking the lished himself as a pioneer of that they could change the world whole prevailing order”, [they] Dada who questioned long-held by mocking it. However, they Parody of logical nonsense “would begin after the tabula ideas of what art should be and knew with certainty that some - rasa.” To get an impression of asked to explore the border regi - thing had to be done against the Dada rejected rationality and how Dada art pieces provoke, it ons of art. In the exhibition of his wrongs in society. For them, art logic prizing nonsense, irrationa - is best to look at some exam - “ready-mades”, he saw a way to had grown old and stale with its lity and intuition. In fact, one of ples. undermine conventions about rules and values and they wan - the important features of Dada is art. Duchamp began presenting ted to free art from commerciali - the idea of chance. Leah Dicker - Let us begin with literary and mu - mass-produced, utilitarian ob - zation and the industry that man, American curator of the sical experiments. In 1916, Tris - jects themselves as art pieces. In comes with it. Despite their anti- National Gallery, thinks that the tan Tzara came up with a 1917, he submitted a porcelain art pose (Dada is Anti-Dada) Great War greatly influenced the graphic instruction on how to urinal that he had bought at a their art was still art. But rather absurdist outlook of Dada art. In produce a Dadaist poem, which plumbing shop, titled as “Foun - than art intending to please the the National Gallery catalogue simply says one has to cut out tain” and signed with R. Mutt, to eye, it was art that wanted to pro - she writes that for many intel - single words from a newspaper, a Society of Independent Artists voke. lectuals World War I had collap - toss them in a paper bag and exhibition in New York. This rea - sed the rational principles of the then spill them out into a poem. dymade was to become one of Enlightenment and quoting The same year, on the stage of Dada’ s most notorious symbols.
Authors: Elias Arce, Sophie Brandstätter, Kateryna Drahomeretska, Vera Düngler, Sara Ennine, Doris Gerhold, Isabel Golser, Nicole Gutensohn, Isabella Hochfilzer, Barbara Hofer, Nina Hosp, Michaela Kuen, Jasmin Lichtman - negger, Julia Maaß, Diana Moroder, Robert Natter, Lisa Oberladstätter, Julia Pirchl, Gabriela Schuler, Philipp Scomparin, Nemanja Sever, Valentina Steck, Valeria Steck, Nathalie Stuffer, Min-Young Sul, Flora Timpe, Magdalena Tusch, Anna Wallnöfer
Layout & editing: Katharina Walter The editor is not responsible for the opinions of correspondents. Page 27