Nowadays, it is so often that we receive emails or messages on the answer phone, informing that at the moment an increasing number of mails and phone calls has to be looked after – so they ask for understanding that things take a little bit longer. In particular since the outbreak of corona pandemic’s outbreak such announcements are common, though we should not overlook that this is the continuation of a trend that lasts already for decades, only accelerating now. But why is so little said about the true character of it: the fact that additional work is put on the shoulders of the employees, additional staff is often underpaid (and/or/due to lacking qualification) and employers aim on avoiding new permanent jobs … and due to this kind of “overheating exploitation” actually more things go wrong, giving cause for more complains.
Categoria: contemporary socio-economic situation
Deutsche Bahn, progressing and progressive?
fake news or pipe dream?
Fake News or Pipe Dream – October 4th, 2022
Dear Professor …,
I am sure that you have also been aware of the current discussions about climate change, for example due to exorbitant ‘private transport’/’use of private cars’.
Deutsche Bahn is also not unaffected by this development – and we are well aware of the role we can play to counter this development by making public transport available, easy accessible for everybody.
That is why we are adjusting the prices of the BahnCards as of 11 December 2022 to needs of environmentally friendly policy needs: and introduce the BahnCard 100, free for everybody. There will be no difference between 1st and 2nd class as we upgrade all trains to 1st class standards. The network will also be extended, joining it closely with the needs of people travelling for leisure or business purposes …
Well, the original mail is a bit different …
Dear Professor …,
I am sure that you have also been aware of the current discussions about rising prices, for example in the energy sector. Deutsche Bahn is also not unaffected by this development.
That is why we are adjusting the prices of the BahnCards as of 11 December 2022.
Too small?
Lack of protection of the environment – and mind: we are “part of the environment”. There are the major incidences, misbehaviours …. And there is progress although one is wondering about the direction.
Indeed, information is crucial – and in particular when it comes to environmental issues. Consequently, we receive all the infos: printed on the packing and wrapping … and in some cases the wrapping is called apple skin. The one tiny label looks meaningless, but adding all these labels, putting them just on one heap … – and now the new generation is even bio-degradable – just as we humans are. Good that we always find new answers … though it remains worrying that we never look for another question …
One can say it this way …
But there may be a better way …
Now, after we move – slowly but surely – towards winter, we are worrying about the price for energy.
A friend recently said so. Sure, really worrisome – not least as there is only little progress in the area of regulating the price for accommodation, thus increasing the cost of basic needs further, making other things even less affordable. But there is another take on it, something else top worry about. And indeed, I am worrying more about society and the politicians: the over the years increasing – self-inflicted – inability to act, a democracy at the core of which we see a parliament that lives up to its name: parlare – to talk. And as important as it is to talk through things, to work towards answers that are standing on a sound basis, it should not result in things remaining there, on the pedestal of worries and laments: standing instead of moving, talking instead of acting. The incoherence of policy making today may be the core of the matter, sympathising with the difficulties to make a living and allowing TNCs to lower incomes, increase prices and throwing permanently new apples and other rotting fruits on the ground.
deals
I receive a mail, a friend sending me the latest news: a deal, hammered out to counter the energy problems, failed in the last minute. A problematic deal then?
The basic problem might be that it is not about deals, but about strategies, as global as possible. This also includes considering how to prevent a wildfire in Berlin’s Grunewald, which is caused by a local ammunition depot in addition to the long-lasting heat/drought. A ‘deal’ with regard to the ammunition depot may show what I mean: For years it has been controversial, the danger known and always ‘hushed up’ because a ‘good solution’ was sought. — No consolation: there are probably several such depots in Berlin’s forests, which were ‘set up’ there not so long ago (long after the end of WWII).
Did I use here at some time the term ‘Neroism’? I’ll have to work on that …. The perverted joy of watching the fall …
a new generation of rights violation
If we are serious about environmental issues being a concern of human rights, we should not forget the seemingly small violations: development of commodity production that is going beyond acceptable levels
– can we really not grind pepper and salt manually anymore ?
or completely misleading advertisements, actually deceiving customers by lying:
– or did they find an alternative way of generating electricity and producing batteries?
One should be brave enough and bring them to court ….
what did I say?
calling a helpline ….
– actually I asked via internet the company to call me: a special offer to make service easier for me. Somebody called back, immediately after I logged my request. A broad American accent guiding me through my questions concerning migration. Well, that is how the transfer of data from one computer to another is called.
And if you have any further question I will be happy to help. Just call again.
As it is a bit tricky to find the site from which one can request this service, I asked if I could get a direct number.
That isn’t really possible as I am calling from America. But I can give you a number from your region. Just a sec. I will check that out for you. ….
Soon afterward he gave me a number and this call could be ended. I checked the number on the display … +353 21 …. Obviously Cork in Ireland. Less obvious is the fact that Ireland seems to be now one of the states, like Texas, Delaware and the others … usually it is said that there are 50 states united. But apparently that is a wrong number and Ireland should be added. There is a but as I recently posted something to the same company, in fact I had been asked to send it to an address in The Netherlands. May be, there is another state to be added? And how many others may be hidden this way?
Perhaps that is another reason that company claims for not paying taxes … they already established their own state?
Fruit is in the name then …
from: https://grossmaggul.de/fauler-apfel/
Reminding me of United Fruits, for which I found something inoffiziell but telling
from: https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/books/review/Kurtz-Phelan-t.html
Isn’t there also some United Colours company?
I suppose there are more answers given already, sometimes we just do not dare to ask the question.
multiplication tables – or: it’s enough to be able to count to three
1
The German (and increasingly international) discounter Aldi runs a campaign, announcing that they will in the future sell only milk from farmers that guarantee “living standard” 3 (e.g. freedom to move, fresh air, more space as standard 2, food without gene tech) or 4 (e.g., ref to bio: open space to roam, more space as standard 3, food without gene tech) of the life stock. Good news one could say …
+ 1
A short message in DER SPIEGEL, issue 3, page 61, explores the difficulties of farmers: being left without subsidies, the higher requirements will make it near to impossible to stay in business as the cost for necessary changes are too high for the individual farmer. “Ilchmann [head of the Working Group of Rural Agriculture in Lower Saxony/Bremen, arguing against the quasi-dictate by Aldi and subsequently others – Edeka, already announced similar steps] is placing more hope in the planned state animal welfare label … . For this purpose, the calculation of the surcharges for individual husbandry levels could be made binding.”
+ 1
The inflation rate make it for many households increasingly difficult to cope with the cost of living.
= 3
Being part of the entire green growth strategy, the policy by Aldi (and subsequently others) shows that the mainstream of this thinking is not feasible. A “correct 3” requires an integrated strategy, involving a strong intervention by the state and an overall approach, bringing producers, distributors and consumers strategically together. There is not much sense in taking ‘corporate social responsibility’ (Bowen) and/or a ‘sensible mode of life’ (Brand/Wissen) in isolation.
New year … why so sad?
The German broadcaster ARD – the 1st of January 2022; it is seven o’clock my time, 24 hrs/midnight GEZ + 1 . Some sentences like these are taken out of the New Years Address of the new German Chancler ( YouTube-transscript in German language followed bueieiòlAQW own translation )
liebe mitbürgerinnen und mitbürger heute geht ein jahr zu ende dass einige veränderungen mit sich gebracht hat. Eine kleine veränderung heute abend richte ich als ihr bundeskanzler die neujahrsansprache an sie. Der reibungslose mitunter fast freundschaftliche übergang von der alten bundesregierung zur neuen hat überall in der welt viel anklang gefunden. … manche beklagen in diesen tagen unsere gesellschaft sei gespalten. ich möchte hier mit aller deutlichkeit sagen: das gegenteil ist richtig. unser land steht zusammen. was ich überall wahrnehme, dass ist eine riesige solidarität das ist überwältigende hilfsbereitschaft das ist ein neues zusammenrücken und unterhaken ausdrücklich möchte ich heute allen danken, die sich tagtäglich für unser wohl einsetzen, für unsere gesundheit und für unsere sicherheit …
… es macht einen unterschied, dass wir unser schicksal entschlossen selbst in die hand nehmen. für das neue jahr wünsche ich ihnen alles gute, vor allem gesundheit. ein großer wunsch für 2022: bleiben wir zusammen
Here the translation:
Dear citizens, today marks the end of a year that has brought some changes. One small change tonight, as your chancellor, I address you in my new year’s address. the smooth and sometimes almost friendly transition from the old federal government to the new one has been well received all over the world. some people complain that our society is divided these days. i would like to make it quite clear that the opposite is true. our country is standing together. what i perceive everywhere is a huge solidarity that is overwhelming willingness to help that is a new moving together and underhooks today i would like to expressly thank all those who work every day for our well-being, for our health and for our safety.
it makes a difference that we resolutely take our fate into our own hands. i wish you all the best for the new year, especially good health. a big wish for 2022: let’s stay together.
Scholz, throughout the presentation looks somewhat sad, definitely not engaging, not really committed. Perhaps the new chancellor knows what the problem is, actually expressed it in the first sentence: the new person as leader does not mean a new leadership, does not mean a new political move. Perhaps he even knows that what he sees – solidarity, working together does exist, but it is under severe threat.
7.04, the same broadcast channel – Traffic radio:
Caution, a wrong-way driver is coming towards you on the B …
中心研究员Peter Herrmann受邀参加“全球经济政策反思：政治经济学的考量—世界政治经济学学会第15届论坛”
From https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/yS7gTuJnBpwjVJPUuF5BwQ
2021年12月18至19日，由世界政治经济学学会与上海外国语大学联合举办的“全球经济政策反思：政治经济学的考量—世界政治经济学学会第15届论坛”在上海召开，来自40多个国家近300名学者通过线上或线下方式对诸多议题进行了充分研讨。
欧洲科学与艺术学院院士、中南大学人权研究中心研究员Peter Herrmann受邀参加会议。
在本届论坛第一次全体会议上，Peter Herrmann询问政治经济学如何失去其重点，而将其能力赋予到作为肯定性学科的微观经济学和宏观经济学之中。他强调为了人类发展全球视野所必须解决的五个领域：
政府的复杂性和有限的治理范围；
问题的个性化及其作为社会威胁的出现；
丰富的知识及其对技能的误导；
社会富裕与获取不平等；
商品生产过剩和商品变成“坏品”
更重要的是，Peter Herrmann强调 “经济 “只是对规范的反映和实施，也就是说，它只是一套规则。这也意味着，争取人权的斗争必须被看作是为经济活动制定框架的问题。
COMMEDIA DELLA VITA OR PÁNTA RÊI'S FIRM GROUND 