Busy like a hummingbird

In the last ten days, I finished campaigning for Germany's national election in a hotly contested district, was subjected to a battery of medical tests and grilled by six people at a job interview in Luxembourg, helped my sister and her boyfriend move house, and debated for 48.25 hours straight to break the world record. I believe I've earned this.

Stinkefinger for President

Der Umgang mit Steinbrücks Stinkefinger ist symptomatisch für diesen Wahlkampf: Auf Cover gehoben, in den Zeitungen besprochen und im Fernsehen kommentiert werden Symbole statt Inhalte, Celebrity-Gossip statt Kompetenzen und Horse-Race-Journalismus statt Vergleiche von Plänen. Deutschland verschläft nötige Reformen, in der ganzen EU ächzt und knirscht es, und zu unserer ewigen Schande nehmen wir nur lächerliche 5000 Flüchtlinge aus dem sich desintegrierenden Syrien auf, aber Gesprächsthema Nummer Eins neun Tage vor der Wahl ist Peers Finger. Gut haben Mutti und die Medien unser Land entpolitisiert. Hier, was ich davon halte.

The Economist 2

Opinion 1 here.

The Economist is like that one friend you have who always tells you instructive things about countries and technologies you didn't even know existed and whom you value for his smarts and quiet humour. But despite his intelligence and perspicacity, sometimes he holds opinions - and sticks to them despite all evidence to the contrary which he must, must be aware of - that you can only describe as incongruous, bizarre, completely bananas. You let it slide because you really value the friendship, but sometimes you wonder whether there isn't something fundamentally wrong with your friend, and perhaps you should try to check his facts a bit more the next time he tells you something about Botswana or the coming revolution in 3-D printing.