The Swiss are Going Green

I’m glad to see that the Swiss are going green. This article is all about the Switzerland government looking over their environmental policies and rethinking their approach to environmental issues. It also talks a little bit about getting other countries, basically anyone and everyone, involved in the idea as well. It’s not that the Swiss government is just now going green. The last time environmental policies were reviewed in Switzerland was in 1991 so now they are doing a current review of ideas and policies and hoping to make a few changes.

I’m not a tree hugger by any means. I like trees; I used to climb them when I was a kid. I have learned to appreciate the beauty that the environment has to offer us and show us. I think that it’s important that we, as in all peoples collectively from every country, as a group save what is left of the environment  and try to make it better. If we don’t eventually it will all be gone, all of nature’s beauty gone and generations to come will not get to see and experience the beauty of nature.

In more recent years we have been seeing and hearing about “going green” probably more than ever. Green campaigns and advertisements seemed to be just about everywhere. Though campaigns seemed to have gone down the idea of going green is still there with things like Britta filters, electric cars and a lot of products being made out of recycled items. I hope the idea sticks and will continue, maybe even expand, and doesn’t suddenly disappear. Granted I know that there are more important things going on, but the environment still has its importance and it shouldn’t be forgotten.

It’s nice to know that the United States are not the only ones doing things to help the environment. It’s reassuring to hear that Switzerland is getting involved and trying to make changes and also trying to get other countries involved as well. Switzerland may have different habits and speak a different language but their making an effort towards the environment proves that they have something in common with the United States.

This article by Jessica Dacey can be read at: http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/specials/climate_change/news/Swiss_take_long,_hard_look_at_green_policies.html?cid=32004776

Airport drama isn't just in America

In March of 2011 a 21- year old Albanian shot and killed two US airmen and wounded two others. Even though the man confessed the Frankfurt state court, by law, still had to examine the evidence. The prosecutor is asking that the man, Arid Uka, be given a life sentence.

I don't know about you but there is a reason why I don't watch the news. Every time I turn it on I want to turn it off. Day after day it always seems to be the same thing; who got killed today? Where was there a shooting? Who got charged with murder? With rape? Child abuse? How many cars were involved in an accident and how many people were hurt and/or killed? The list of bad goes on and on. And that's just in the Cincinnati area alone. I'm not even going to go into the national issues, though I'm sure everyone can remember the "Underwear Bomber". Why don't I watch the news? Quite simply, because it's depressing. There never seems to be any good news it always seems to be bad. (Even though I hate to admit it but even our sports news isn't always good.)

When I read this article I was actually a little shocked. I guess I'm so used to hearing all the bad stuff happening here that I sort of put blinders on thinking such things could happen elsewhere. I'm not hating on America, we're a great country and we have a lot to offer, but sometimes I feel like we only hear/focus on the bad more than the good. After a while the bad gets old. I guess in a way (and I mean this in the nicest way possible and in no way am I trying to offend anyone) it's sort of refreshing to know that shootings and killings aren't just happening here but in other countries too. Obviously we don't always hear about it because we're focused on us and what happens in our country. I do find it a little ironic (and sad), however, that the two men that were killed happened to be from the US. Because I don't watch the news I wonder if this story made news on CNN or HLN or something.

After reading this article I've found out that the German and American court systems are kind of similar. Even though someone confesses to a crime the evidence still has to be examined and they are still given a trial. And also the fact that it takes a while for the trial to start. (The shooting happened in March of 2011 and the trial is recent news.

This article (by Stuart Tiffen, edited by Nancy Isenson) can be read at:
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15654704,00.html

What I know about Germans

I think that Germans are very different from Americans. Having been to England and different countries I find that the people over there are more friendly. It seemed easier to strike up a conversation with them than it is to strike up a conversation with an American. I feel like most Americans mainly keep to themselves and their own groups. I think Germans seem to be more open. They're more comfortable in their own skin.
Even though Cincinnati has it's own Oktoberfest it's nothing compared to the real deal. The Germans Oktoberfest is much, much larger and it's something that most likely every German probably goes to. Though Cincinnati has German influence it's just not the same. German beer tastes different, it's stronger and not as wattered down. If I remember correctly I think Germans have bread and potatoes in some form at every meal.
German fairy tales are A LOT differnt from American fairy tails. American fairy tales almost always, 99.9% of the time, end with a happy ending or a happily ever after. In Germany, not so much. I remember reading Max und Moritz in high school and some of their stories very pretty violent. There are not as many happy endings in German fairy tales. The stories kept my attention because they were so different from what I was used to.