"Fusion 08 - Dub Station, Civilization"

Dub StationFusion Festival - mostly electronic music, some reggae, few acoustic guitars, one single violin playing punk rock. Among others, goa fans, hippies, techno-people, rastafarians, and - poi players. I took the chance to learn moves and continue practicing with the others.
In between everything, just sitting down to ease my mind, meandering over the old airport area, hanging in some wicked XXL-spidercobs in the woods and laughing because of the funny tree houses and plate sculptures was very appealing. Two days away from the desk of doom again feel like two weeks of holidays. Even with little sleep.

Honestly, I didn't really feel like worrying this weekend, worrying about whether the political purpose of many active participants from the anti nuclear power, anti wrong way of globalization and anti fascism front continues to be fruitful or not, whether it is just about performance these days, or not, whether certain thoughts still arrive in some young open yet noise penetrated ears, or not. Talking to a few good people left me behind with a feeling of warm ambivalence. All I can say for now is: there is still some reasonable human energy walking around these days. Some, however, are less careful in their adrenaline appreciation of a weekend's freedom. But still, there is more hope than dope.

Civilization

"Summer In The City (3) - Media/Democracy"

OSI club is running a lecture on politics and journalism in Berlin again this summer. I am attending, whenever I find some time on a Monday evening. Christian Walther managed to invite some of the key players in political communication, people who work for television, radio, political parties, the local and federal government, newspapers and universities. The background noise which is wafting through Berlin's air is getting a single voice each week. Most important, it is getting responsible again, as every speaker is giving responses to our questions in the end. The mass communication machine consists of eleven faces this term, some of them already crossed my path before. Apart from seeing former teachers again, I also just saw the chief editor of my early morning newspaper yesterday. It is the one and only serious counter-public sphere paper that managed to enter the boxing ring of Berlin's established press and stay there for about thirty years now. The woman at the top of the flat hierarchy the others learned to accept in time told her audience why and how this has to be the way it is. To sum it up, taz is still necessary because it is still more provocative than every other middle of the road rightist or leftist mainstream paper and counterweight to the far right. Thus it is one important different perspective in the German public sphere, one that still values core journalistic ideals a little more than some others do - be they fulfilled or not. However, it was a good listen last night.

"Summer In The City (2) - Mauerpark"

Sunny Sundays are for flea market, ice cream and relaxing inside this park (there are usually more people there, this is an old photo). It is the "Mauerpark" (translation "Wall Park") in the North-East of the City, a part named Prenzlauer Berg and I just happened to spend my last Sunday there. First as a flaneur and loving visitor of the market, later on dozing off on my blanket with a friend. Coming home, I felt just like arriving from about three weeks of holidays.

The park used to be the borderline between East and West, French and Sovjet part of Berlin - the "death strip" between the two Germanys. Nowadays we don't have any soldiers on patrol there anymore, well - except for those who want their spot at Walpurgis Night's bonfires that is.
But still, sometimes you can smell history there. The atmosphere in the old East is still somehow different from the West, and this leaves room for the assumption that some things will probably never change. Then again, maybe they don't have to ... .

"Summer In The City (1) - Poi, Tiergarten"

When I am not attending a weekend seminar on Online Journalism and therefore have no time, no time, no time at all (like the white rabbit), I spend my spare-time practicing. And this is what it looks like these days. Still level one, but it's already great fun!

It's Been A While ... And I've Been On Tour Again: WGT 08 Marginalities"

I know, I know, if you run a blog it is necessary to write a little something on a regular base. Well, as of now I probably have the options to delete my blog or say "Sorry, Void" and pretend nothing has happened. I opt for the second one. Got a lot of work to do these days, and also I've been to Leipzig and Witten again to get away from that work - which was extraordinarily nice. As usual, I brought a little visual with me. Enjoy!

Battle Of The Nations Memorial.


Agra Park.


Last Resort.

"In Case Of Emergency, ..."

... it is of great importance for a woman to have long hair.



(Depending on the situation, this might also be helpful for a man.)