Word of the day
The word of the day is this:
It is in sign language, and here you see me demonstrating it -- I don't know sign language, so the 'pronunciation' might be a bit off. It is the term with which the sign language interpreter on my favourite documentary channel, Phoenix, started today's translation of the main evening news. Phoenix broadcasts the public channel news simultaneously, with added sign language.
It obviously means something like 'great, catastrophic defeat'. And yes, it is very good news that has me grinning like a gingerbread horse. And this is why:
In today's elections for the Bavarian state parliament, the Bavarian Conservatives (CSU) for the first time ever didn't get more then 50% and will now need a coalition, having lost their absolute majority.
Now, you must know that the Bavarian Conservatives aren't like your ordinary British, French, Italian, what have you conservatives, or even the German mainstream conservatives -- they are terribly right-wing hard-liners, arch-catholic, borderline xenophobes, and the sort of traditionalists associated with lederhosn, loud thumping brass band music, beer tent politics, and quaffing from one litre beer steins.
Their leader claimed only a few days ago that any red-blooded man can still drive with two of those two-pint beers inside, and thought that a valid commentary to the problem of drunk driving.
That's the sort of politics they make; and the Catholic priests tell their rural congregations that they should go and vote for them for several Sundays in advance, and of course they do what their priest said from the pulpit.
They are that sort of conservatives.
Today, their 50 years of undisputed stranglehold in this state has been broken.-
It is in sign language, and here you see me demonstrating it -- I don't know sign language, so the 'pronunciation' might be a bit off. It is the term with which the sign language interpreter on my favourite documentary channel, Phoenix, started today's translation of the main evening news. Phoenix broadcasts the public channel news simultaneously, with added sign language.
It obviously means something like 'great, catastrophic defeat'. And yes, it is very good news that has me grinning like a gingerbread horse. And this is why:
In today's elections for the Bavarian state parliament, the Bavarian Conservatives (CSU) for the first time ever didn't get more then 50% and will now need a coalition, having lost their absolute majority.
Now, you must know that the Bavarian Conservatives aren't like your ordinary British, French, Italian, what have you conservatives, or even the German mainstream conservatives -- they are terribly right-wing hard-liners, arch-catholic, borderline xenophobes, and the sort of traditionalists associated with lederhosn, loud thumping brass band music, beer tent politics, and quaffing from one litre beer steins.
Their leader claimed only a few days ago that any red-blooded man can still drive with two of those two-pint beers inside, and thought that a valid commentary to the problem of drunk driving.
That's the sort of politics they make; and the Catholic priests tell their rural congregations that they should go and vote for them for several Sundays in advance, and of course they do what their priest said from the pulpit.
They are that sort of conservatives.
Today, their 50 years of undisputed stranglehold in this state has been broken.-