Catherine Conner
Culture Shocks
World Cup Fever in Germany Reaches New Lows
Jul 8th
Okay, so I saw this World Cup themed toilet paper in the stores two days ago, before Germany’s 1-0 loss to Spain last night. But since then my curiosity about this product has started to get the better of me, and after our team’s performance last night, bottom-wiping seemed an appropriate World Cup theme. So by popular demand, I here document my experience with my freshly purchased World Cup Toilet Paper (“Soccer-field Scented!”).
"World Cup Edition 3-Layer Toiletpaper with Colorful Soccer Motifs. With Soccer-Field Scent!"
Political Ash Wednesday
Feb 18th
All over the world, Ash Wednesday is a day of Christian self-reflection and repentance. Except in Germany, where it doubles as a political festival. With beer, of course. More >
Biggest Lies of 2009
Jan 1st
This article is a nice reality check on all the guff being talked this year on both sides of the partisan divide. Presented by the Annenberg Public Policy Center – a non-partisan fact-checking organization whose site I wholeheartedly recommend. From birther nonsense, to false health care claims, to misleading swine flu data, FactCheck.org tries to get closer to the truth than any politician can offer.
Beer-Proof Lederhosen
Sep 19th
In honor of today’s Oktoberfest start (which of course has nothing to do with us in Northern Germany, but since everyone outside Germany assumes it’s a German-wide phenomenon, I’ll play along with the stereotype):
Oktoberfest is a great tourist mecca, but who wants to shell out big bucks for traditional Tracht that will be worn once a year somewhere that they will be subject to the rigors of organized drunkenness?
One Austrian has the answer: swimming trunks designed to look like traditional Lederhosen.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,649490,00.html
I can hear the Bavarians crying into their beer. Oh, and don’t miss the accompanying Dirndl Bikini.
Capital of Food Innovation
Sep 10th
Never have I been so proud to be Texan. I thought that deep-fried Coke was the limit. But no. Deep-fried butter. Just one of the many goodies premiered at the Texas state fair.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2009/09/fair_explores_new_frontier_in.html
Can’t help noticing the creator has a sense of irony as thick as his arteries:
“I mean, butter by itself does not taste good,” Gonzales said. “Nobody just grabs a stick of butter and eats it. That would be gross.”
