almost a diary

Collateral Damage.

I’ve noticed that all those subscribing to the rss feed of almost a diary are probably unaware of the changes in the server configuration that took place over the last couple of weeks… well, at least my bloglines account told me that it’s still January in the old rss feed.

That’s because the old blog doesn’t exist anymore and all http queries are redirected to the new server. But redirecting doesn’t work well when looking for a specific file like index.rdf.

So I’ve now posted an rdf file with a last post in the old location, hoping it will help readers relying only on rss to find me again, but if you’re reading this, and you’re still interested in subscribing to my rss feed, please adjust your subscription manually to “http://www.tapsmusic.de/aad/index.rdf”.

Thanks!

oddly enough

Poped out.

Today, a fellow afoe blogger stated in an email that he was a little “poped out” – somehow I get the feeling most people are. So I will end the introductory pontifical coverage with a photo I saw on flickr, one apparently depicing a paragraph published in the German satire magazine “Titanic”.

For those among you who don’t read German, here’s the translation: “Hartz IV (the German labour market reforms) show first results: German takes over a Pole’s job.” Actually, “Polenjob” is a little derogatory, so it’s a little funnier in German than in English…

cinema

Immigrant Connection.

I’ve just come back from watching “Kebab Connection”, a new semi-independent movie following on the heels of last year’s surprise comedy success “Sï¿½perseks” and, – less obvious – Fatih Akin’s smash hit “Gegen die Wand” (Head On). The Kebab Connection is set in the Akin urban immigrant universe, is partly payed by Akin-Alumni like Sibel Kelkili, has been co-authored by him, and yet he did not direct the movie.
Weiterlesen →

Germany, oddly enough, traveling

The Need For Speed.

The German Embassy to the United States publishes a newsletter called TWIG (as in “This Week in Germany”), mainly aimed at the American public, that more often than not features little known gems, news that’s news only in the eyes of true connaisseurs – like you my gentle reades.

Last Friday, TWIG published a story about Germany becoming an important destination for nascent Chinese mass tourism – as Germany is the first Chinese-government-tourism-approved European country. A fact in itself somewhat contradicting the Financial Times’ Berlin correspondent who, according to another government sponsored article, can see Germany becoming

“‘the new France,’ a country where joie de vivre has not yet been unraveled by atrocious prices and the danger of airline strikes.

Claims like this always make me cite Elle Woods, the only person who can counter such statements on the appropriate level – “Whoever said that Orange is the new Pink was seriously disturbed”.

Now, Chinese masses tucking into Sauerkraut may not in itself be a sufficiently interesting subject for a mainly American audience. So no wonder, the article’s hook is something as famous in the US as it apparently is in China: the Geman Autobahn. I once had a vivid discussion with an American friend about the mythology of German motorways, while driving on an American one that is just as famous over here: Highway 66.

In the end, I wasn’t able to convince my friend that German highways are – for the most part – speed regulated. That most German cars aren’t Porsches, and that, while Michael Schuhmacher may be distorting the average, most Germans haven’t driven a car at 200+ km/h.

But then again, so much has been demystified about Germany that it might not be a bad thing to keep some legends alive… (whole story in the extended section).
Weiterlesen →

Allgemein

Du auch Papst?

Wanna see some poeple expressing their joy to have been named Pope by Bild (via Bildblog.de) – click here: We are Pope

songs, songwriting

Crying Out For Love.

Update

(27/01/2007) A first female version has been recorded, but the post-production hasn’t been finished…

Song written for/with a German Rock/Pop-Starlet in mind. Words and music by Tobias Schwarz, 2004. Demo in mp3-format, vocals by Tobias Schwarz. A version with female vocals will be available sooner or later.

Lyrics –

(1)
I’m a stand up girl
Wide eyes lashes curl
Blonde hair, smooth skin
Rred lips, big grin.
My smile is a killer

Tough times for soft girls
In this fucked up world
Games played in style
With too much guile
Don’t look in the mirror.

I thought that I would have to be much better
but you just wanted me forever

(Chorus)
I’m crying out for love
I don’t know how I
Could ever hide my fears
In front of you my love
I wish I had never
Done this to you
It took me far to long to see
The best things are free

The best thing I know is you

(2)
Etticette is my
Attitude for life
Should I feel lost
That’s just the cost
Of being the winner

It’s lonely on the top
And no one calls my bluff
I close my eyes
Shed my disguise
And just take a deep breath

I thought that I would have to be much better
but you just wanted me forever

(Chorus)

I’m just a girl on my way to love
And find the life I’m dreaming of
And that’s what I’m praying every night
When you’re not lying by my side
oh oh

(Chorus)

I wish I had never
I wish I had never
Done this to you

The best thing I know
The best thing I know
The best thing I know
The best thing I know
Is You

songs, songwriting

Crossroads.

A power ballad I wrote in February 2005 for the wedding of two close friends this March. Demo in mp3-format, 128kbit, vocals by Tobias Schwarz.

Lyrics (© 2005) –

So many questions to ask
So many answers blind and mask
So many secret lies to be told in the name of love
So many moments when to think this might end rough

So many crossroads to take
So many errors to be made
So many feelings to be hurt by the one we love
So many moments when we fear love won’t be enough

Here we are
Hand in hand today
We took our chances
We made our way
And suddenly we both knew
That it’s fundamentally true
I need you.

So many mountains seem too high
So many climbers who can’t fly
So many ghosts to haunt the future from the past
So many runners without a chance to last

So many years that pass too fast
So many that did not last
So many lovers who don’t deserve that name
So many who think that love is just a game

Here we are
Hand in hand today
We took our chances
We made our way
And suddenly we both knew
That it’s fundamentally true
I love you.

Oh I love you
Oh I love you
Love you so

And when we hear our two hearts long
To gladly sing their favorite song
It’s wonderful to sing along
When two hearts begin to beat as one

Here we are
Hand in hand today
We took our chances
We made our way
And suddenly we both knew
That it’s fundamentally true
I love you.

And suddenly we both knew
That it’s fundamentally true
I need you.

songs, songwriting

GW Blues

A song about a regular Texan guy’s blues in the White House, which I wrote in early 2003. Demo, vocals by Tobias Schwarz. ~~The mp3 is enclosed in the podcast, but you can also download a 64kbit WMA file by clicking here~~.

Lyrics –

– 1 –
I’m a regular guy from Texas
You know I can hardly read
Went to school to count my cattle
Hoping for oil out in the field.
But I can’t…

I’m a regular guy from Texas
They say I am born to lead
And they put me in the White House
Made me think I were a geek.

– Chorus –
But I can’t read.
I can’t write
I need Condi, and Colin,
To make the army fight
I can’t read
I can’t write
I wish Laura was here
to explain that shite

– 2 –
I’m a regular guy from Texas
Now I think I was born to lead.
I still can’t spell ne-po-tism
but it surely fits my needs
For I can’t

I’m a regular guy from Texas
I know I was born to lead.
That guy tried to kill my daddy
Made me wanna see him bleed

– Chorus –

– Bridge –
Yet I’m the leader of the free world
‘cos Florida can’t count.
And since the leather seats
on Air Force One are fine
I’m gonna run a second time.

– Chorus x2 –

German Politics

Give him his bike back…

It may be a plot to demonstrate the inefficieny of the increasing closed circuit surveillance and increased policing of public space – or just C/conservative terror against one of the remaining true leftists in German politics.

Last Tuesday, German MP Hans-Christian Ströbele’s bycicle was stolen from the east entry of the Bundestag, despite the presence of security cameras and police.

As Ströbele mentions on his website that he needs his bike to execute his mandate, there’s a chance Friedrich Merz, the former CDU/CSU economic policy spokesperson saw an opportunity to beef up his “street cred” by finally really stealing a bike, and not just making it up, like he did in 2002…

In any case, if you want to help Mr Ströebele get his bike back, he’s posted a very detailed description with photo here (via German MP Jakob Mierscheid’s blog).

Allgemein

Laggy.

Usually, when important things are changed, a system needs some time to adjust. The (west) German economy will benefit from the famed Hartz IV reforms, but alas, it will take a little. So, in the meantime, why not have a Hartz IV beer, for only two Euros a pint? Let’s just hope that the deflationary effect of such offers will remain rather limited… (ad seen on a pub window this week).