Tuesday, February 23, 2021
Peter Hayes – Why Did the Holocaust Happen?
Labels:
Holocaust
Brexit Is a Machine to Generate Perpetual Grievance. It's Doing Its Job Perfectly
THE GUARDIAN: The story of plucky Britain standing up to bullying Brussels spares leavers the discomfort of admitting they voted for a con
Brexit has changed everything about Britain’s relationship with the European Union, and also nothing. For anyone trying to do business across borders newly gummed with bureaucracy, the comparison is stark and painful. But in politics, an old pattern is playing out – a cycle of suspicion and self-sabotage that began long before the 2016 referendum.
It starts with the belief that Britain does not depend on its neighbours for trade or anything else. That leads to neglect of the diplomacy required to make the partnership work. Going against the grain of economics and geography escalates every negotiation into a test of national self-esteem. Each adjustment for reality is resented as a surrender of sovereignty.
Euroscepticism is a machine for generating perpetual grievance. It works by making Brussels the enemy, spoiling relations and serving up the soured mood to a domestic audience as proof that the other side does not want to be friends. » | Rafael Behr | Tuesday, February 23, 2021
Brexit Britain is a country going to the dogs being run by the dogs! – ©Mark Alexander
Brexit has changed everything about Britain’s relationship with the European Union, and also nothing. For anyone trying to do business across borders newly gummed with bureaucracy, the comparison is stark and painful. But in politics, an old pattern is playing out – a cycle of suspicion and self-sabotage that began long before the 2016 referendum.
It starts with the belief that Britain does not depend on its neighbours for trade or anything else. That leads to neglect of the diplomacy required to make the partnership work. Going against the grain of economics and geography escalates every negotiation into a test of national self-esteem. Each adjustment for reality is resented as a surrender of sovereignty.
Euroscepticism is a machine for generating perpetual grievance. It works by making Brussels the enemy, spoiling relations and serving up the soured mood to a domestic audience as proof that the other side does not want to be friends. » | Rafael Behr | Tuesday, February 23, 2021
Brexit Britain is a country going to the dogs being run by the dogs! – ©Mark Alexander
Labels:
Brexit
Elon Musk No Longer World’s Richest Person as Tesla Shares Fall
THE GUARDIAN: Electric carmaker’s CEO falls behind Amazon founder Jeff Bezos after tweet saying bitcoin price ‘seems high’
Elon Musk, the maverick boss of Tesla, is no longer the world’s richest person after shares in the electric car company dropped 8.6% on Monday, wiping $15.2bn (£10.8bn) off his fortune.
Musk, who last month leapfrogged Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to take the title of the world’s wealthiest person, dropped back into second place with a $183bn estimated fortune behind Bezos’ $186.3bn.
The 8.5% drop in Tesla’s share price on Monday – the sharpest one-day fall since September – was partly fuelled by Musk tweeting that the prices of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies “do seem high”. Tesla’s shares were down a further 6% in pre-market trading on Tuesday. » | Rupert Neate, Wealth correspondent | Tuesday, February 23, 2021
Elon Musk, the maverick boss of Tesla, is no longer the world’s richest person after shares in the electric car company dropped 8.6% on Monday, wiping $15.2bn (£10.8bn) off his fortune.
Musk, who last month leapfrogged Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to take the title of the world’s wealthiest person, dropped back into second place with a $183bn estimated fortune behind Bezos’ $186.3bn.
The 8.5% drop in Tesla’s share price on Monday – the sharpest one-day fall since September – was partly fuelled by Musk tweeting that the prices of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies “do seem high”. Tesla’s shares were down a further 6% in pre-market trading on Tuesday. » | Rupert Neate, Wealth correspondent | Tuesday, February 23, 2021
Dr. Peter Hayes: "German Corporate Complicity in the Holocaust"
Inside Nazi Germany
Wie der harte Brexit die Reichen noch reicher machen soll | WDR Doku
Am 1. Januar 2021 ist Großbritannien den letzten, endgültigen Schritt seines Brexit-Prozesses gegangen und hat die Zollunion und den Binnenmarkt der EU verlassen. Auch wenn das komplette Chaos eines Austritts ohne Anschlussabkommen in letzter Minute verhindert wurde, so handelt es sich doch um einen harten Bruch zwischen Großbritannien und der EU. Einen Hard Brexit also – mit Auflagen für Handel und Dienstleistungen sowie Wirtschaftseinbußen in Milliardenhöhe, die Experten für beide Seiten vorhersagen. In wessen Interesse ist das? Die Dokumentation folgt der Frage, wer die Akteure sind, die den Hard Brexit um jeden Preis wollten, und zeigt, mit welchen Mitteln sie dieses Ziel verfolgt haben. Es ist eine investigative Reise, bei der diskrete Londoner Adressen, neoliberale Think Tanks und eine Partei, die eigentlich eine Firma ist, eine Rolle spielen.
Der britische Premier Boris Johnson bezeichnet das Referendum über den Brexit gerne als Sternstunde der direkten Demokratie, als Rebellion der „kleinen Leute“ gegen die gesichtslose EU-Bürokratie. Doch was, wenn es beim Brexit letztlich gar nicht um den „Willen des Volkes“ ging, sondern um die Interessen einer kleinen britischen Elite?
Dieser Film zeigt bislang unbekannte Hintergründe des Brexit- Prozesses. Er belegt, dass es innerhalb und außerhalb der Tory-Partei von Anfang an eine Kampagne für einen harten Brexit gab, die mit Geld aus den tiefen Taschen der britischen Finanzelite wurde. Hat diese kleine Gruppe gut vernetzter Geschäftsleute und Finanzinvestoren tatsächlich bestimmt, was „Brexit“ jetzt für Großbritannien und die EU bedeutet? Frances Coppola, eine Wirtschaftsexpertin, die den Brexit intensiv beobachtet hat, sagt, das Ziel der Verfechter eines vollständigen Austritts aus dem EU-Binnenmarkt und der Zollunion sei es von Anfang an gewesen, aus Großbritannien „eine Art Singapur des Westens“, eine komplett deregulierte Steueroase, zu machen. Das habe mit der tatsächlichen EU-Skepsis vieler Briten und den öffentlich propagierten Zielen des Brexit, „die Kontrolle über das eigene Land zurückzugewinnen“, nur wenig zu tun. Sonia Sodha, prominente Autorin des „Observer“, urteilt: „Es besteht eine massive Diskrepanz zwischen der politischen Elite, die für den Brexit ist, und den Menschen, die für den Brexit gestimmt haben.“
Die Story von Tom Costello schildert diese bislang verborgene Seite des Brexit mit den Einschätzungen von britischen und EU-Politikern, investigativen Journalisten und Ökonomen und wirft Licht auf ein Milieu aus geheimnisvollen Think-Tanks, scheinbaren Graswurzelbewegungen und geschickt agierenden Lobbyisten, die mit allen Mitteln versucht haben, ihre Vision für die Zukunft Großbritanniens durchzusetzen.
Der britische Premier Boris Johnson bezeichnet das Referendum über den Brexit gerne als Sternstunde der direkten Demokratie, als Rebellion der „kleinen Leute“ gegen die gesichtslose EU-Bürokratie. Doch was, wenn es beim Brexit letztlich gar nicht um den „Willen des Volkes“ ging, sondern um die Interessen einer kleinen britischen Elite?
Dieser Film zeigt bislang unbekannte Hintergründe des Brexit- Prozesses. Er belegt, dass es innerhalb und außerhalb der Tory-Partei von Anfang an eine Kampagne für einen harten Brexit gab, die mit Geld aus den tiefen Taschen der britischen Finanzelite wurde. Hat diese kleine Gruppe gut vernetzter Geschäftsleute und Finanzinvestoren tatsächlich bestimmt, was „Brexit“ jetzt für Großbritannien und die EU bedeutet? Frances Coppola, eine Wirtschaftsexpertin, die den Brexit intensiv beobachtet hat, sagt, das Ziel der Verfechter eines vollständigen Austritts aus dem EU-Binnenmarkt und der Zollunion sei es von Anfang an gewesen, aus Großbritannien „eine Art Singapur des Westens“, eine komplett deregulierte Steueroase, zu machen. Das habe mit der tatsächlichen EU-Skepsis vieler Briten und den öffentlich propagierten Zielen des Brexit, „die Kontrolle über das eigene Land zurückzugewinnen“, nur wenig zu tun. Sonia Sodha, prominente Autorin des „Observer“, urteilt: „Es besteht eine massive Diskrepanz zwischen der politischen Elite, die für den Brexit ist, und den Menschen, die für den Brexit gestimmt haben.“
Die Story von Tom Costello schildert diese bislang verborgene Seite des Brexit mit den Einschätzungen von britischen und EU-Politikern, investigativen Journalisten und Ökonomen und wirft Licht auf ein Milieu aus geheimnisvollen Think-Tanks, scheinbaren Graswurzelbewegungen und geschickt agierenden Lobbyisten, die mit allen Mitteln versucht haben, ihre Vision für die Zukunft Großbritanniens durchzusetzen.
Monday, February 22, 2021
‘“I Regret Voting Brexit” – Fish Industry in Ruins
Labels:
Brexit
The Truth about Boris Johnson
Labels:
Boris Johnson
Sunday, February 21, 2021
The Truth about Nigel Farage
Labels:
Nigel Farage
How to Get a Good Night's Sleep | DW Documentary
Sleep disorders are one of the most common reasons for visiting a doctor in Europe. Instead of sleeping pills, alternative methods are increasingly gaining attention. This sleep documentary looks at new therapeutic approaches such as sophrology and light therapy.
We spend around a third of our lives asleep. But more and more people suffer from exhaustion, insomnia, sleep apnea or even narcolepsy. The result is millions of sick days, and economic losses in the billions. In extreme cases, sleep problems can affect the metabolism, leading to obesity, diabetes or Alzheimer's disease.
Sleep is absolutely essential - yet the average sleep per night is barely seven hours. That figure is lower than ever before. The topic has been the subject of intensive research for several years, with studies showing that humans have an internal clock based on what are known as circadian rhythms. This discovery was considered so important in preserving sleep that it was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2017.
Numerous new studies are exploring alternatives to sleeping pills, which can often lead to serious side effects. Such drugs make sleep more like narcosis, without providing us true rest. Thanks to advances in medicine, we now know the decisive role sleep plays: During this time, the brain clears itself, making room for new thoughts.
Researchers have also been able to confirm that there are alternatives when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep. Among those considered effective are polyphasic sleep (consisting of short naps), light therapy (using blue daylight to synchronize the body’s internal clock) and lightly electrified helmets that stimulate the brain's hormonal activity. These inexpensive techniques, which are free of side effects, are becoming increasingly popular worldwide. Large companies like Google, Facebook and other firms with a modern outlook are experimenting with light and using innovative office designs, including nap pods or bunks, which allow employees to take short daytime naps. These are just some of the approaches covered in this look at the "gentle sleep revolution."
We spend around a third of our lives asleep. But more and more people suffer from exhaustion, insomnia, sleep apnea or even narcolepsy. The result is millions of sick days, and economic losses in the billions. In extreme cases, sleep problems can affect the metabolism, leading to obesity, diabetes or Alzheimer's disease.
Sleep is absolutely essential - yet the average sleep per night is barely seven hours. That figure is lower than ever before. The topic has been the subject of intensive research for several years, with studies showing that humans have an internal clock based on what are known as circadian rhythms. This discovery was considered so important in preserving sleep that it was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2017.
Numerous new studies are exploring alternatives to sleeping pills, which can often lead to serious side effects. Such drugs make sleep more like narcosis, without providing us true rest. Thanks to advances in medicine, we now know the decisive role sleep plays: During this time, the brain clears itself, making room for new thoughts.
Researchers have also been able to confirm that there are alternatives when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep. Among those considered effective are polyphasic sleep (consisting of short naps), light therapy (using blue daylight to synchronize the body’s internal clock) and lightly electrified helmets that stimulate the brain's hormonal activity. These inexpensive techniques, which are free of side effects, are becoming increasingly popular worldwide. Large companies like Google, Facebook and other firms with a modern outlook are experimenting with light and using innovative office designs, including nap pods or bunks, which allow employees to take short daytime naps. These are just some of the approaches covered in this look at the "gentle sleep revolution."
Saturday, February 20, 2021
Should the World Embrace Cryptocurrencies? | Inside Story
For the first time ever, America's oldest bank, BNY Mellon says it's planning to offer some cryptocurrency services.
That's good news for digital currencies like Bitocoin - which has been soaring to all time-highs.
While investing in it can be a rollercoaster ride that comes with many risks, that hasn't stopped the Chief Executive of Tesla, Elon Musk, from purchasing a $1.5 billion stake in it. Tesla is also now expected to accept the virtual money as a form of payment.
That and BNY Mellon's decision to allow cryptocurrencies in its services, has seen a boost for digital assets.
That's good news for digital currencies like Bitocoin - which has been soaring to all time-highs.
While investing in it can be a rollercoaster ride that comes with many risks, that hasn't stopped the Chief Executive of Tesla, Elon Musk, from purchasing a $1.5 billion stake in it. Tesla is also now expected to accept the virtual money as a form of payment.
That and BNY Mellon's decision to allow cryptocurrencies in its services, has seen a boost for digital assets.
Lina al-Hathloul: 'Most Saudis Know MbS Not a Reformer'
Friday, February 19, 2021
Welt Hintergrund: Es wird kälter - Warum die Erwärmung der Arktis bei uns einen Kälteschock auslöst
Labels:
Deutschland,
Globale-Erwärmung,
Klima,
USA,
Wetter
Moment of Truth for Trans-Atlantic Relations? | DW News
Thursday, February 18, 2021
Indonesia: Diversity under Threat | DW Documentary
Indonesia is considered a model state for diversity and tolerance, but there are increasing indications that Islamists are gaining more influence in the most populous Muslim country in the world.
Far more Muslims live in Indonesia than in the Middle East. The archipelago is made up of more than 17,000 islands and home to 270 million people.
Following the end of the brutal Suharto dictatorship in 1998, Indonesia became a model for a democratic Muslim majority state. But in recent years, Islamist groups have gained influence.
The report begins in Aceh. It is only here, in the northernmost province of the island of Sumatra, that a rigid interpretation of Islamic Sharia law applies - including public floggings. The reasons for the humiliating punishments are manifold: sex before or outside marriage, alcohol consumption or homosexuality.
A growing tendency towards a more conservative interpretation of Islam is also noticeable in other parts of secular Indonesia. More women are wearing headscarves in public places. The niqab, the face veil, is becoming increasingly popular. Members of minority groups feel marginalized.
"Unfortunately, Indonesia is not immune to the worldwide increase in intolerance”, says politician Yenny Wahid.
The daughter of the first elected president after the Suharto dictatorship stands for cosmopolitanism and represents a liberal view of Islam. She, too, has observed a slow Islamization of her homeland and the tendency of politicians to make concessions to radical and populist groups.
Student activists blame the corruption of the ruling class for growing radicalism and undermining diversity.
The documentary "Indonesia - Diversity Under Threat" asks whether the country can preserve its religious tolerance.
Far more Muslims live in Indonesia than in the Middle East. The archipelago is made up of more than 17,000 islands and home to 270 million people.
Following the end of the brutal Suharto dictatorship in 1998, Indonesia became a model for a democratic Muslim majority state. But in recent years, Islamist groups have gained influence.
The report begins in Aceh. It is only here, in the northernmost province of the island of Sumatra, that a rigid interpretation of Islamic Sharia law applies - including public floggings. The reasons for the humiliating punishments are manifold: sex before or outside marriage, alcohol consumption or homosexuality.
A growing tendency towards a more conservative interpretation of Islam is also noticeable in other parts of secular Indonesia. More women are wearing headscarves in public places. The niqab, the face veil, is becoming increasingly popular. Members of minority groups feel marginalized.
"Unfortunately, Indonesia is not immune to the worldwide increase in intolerance”, says politician Yenny Wahid.
The daughter of the first elected president after the Suharto dictatorship stands for cosmopolitanism and represents a liberal view of Islam. She, too, has observed a slow Islamization of her homeland and the tendency of politicians to make concessions to radical and populist groups.
Student activists blame the corruption of the ruling class for growing radicalism and undermining diversity.
The documentary "Indonesia - Diversity Under Threat" asks whether the country can preserve its religious tolerance.
Biden Seeks to Sideline Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
THE GUARDIAN: The new US administration has signalled it expects the desert kingdom to ‘change its approach’ in a break with Trump policy
The Biden administration has said it expects Saudi Arabia to “change its approach” to the US and signalled that it wants to minimise any direct contact between the president and the country’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The stance marks an abrupt change compared with the Trump administration, which showered the young heir with attention and praise. It comes as intelligence officials are preparing to release – possibly as early as next week – a declassified report to Congress that will describe its assessment of the crown prince’s alleged culpability in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, the US-based Washington Post journalist who was killed by Saudi officials in 2018.
The White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, this week said Joe Biden intended to “recalibrate” the US relationship with Saudi Arabia, and considered King Salman – not Prince Mohammed – to be his counterpart. While the designation might technically be true, the 35-year-old prince is widely seen as running Saudi Arabia and has direct relations with other foreign leaders. » | Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Washington | Wednesday, February 17, 2021
The Biden administration has said it expects Saudi Arabia to “change its approach” to the US and signalled that it wants to minimise any direct contact between the president and the country’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The stance marks an abrupt change compared with the Trump administration, which showered the young heir with attention and praise. It comes as intelligence officials are preparing to release – possibly as early as next week – a declassified report to Congress that will describe its assessment of the crown prince’s alleged culpability in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, the US-based Washington Post journalist who was killed by Saudi officials in 2018.
The White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, this week said Joe Biden intended to “recalibrate” the US relationship with Saudi Arabia, and considered King Salman – not Prince Mohammed – to be his counterpart. While the designation might technically be true, the 35-year-old prince is widely seen as running Saudi Arabia and has direct relations with other foreign leaders. » | Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Washington | Wednesday, February 17, 2021
Islamic 12th-Century Bathhouse Uncovered in Seville Tapas Bar
THE GUARDIAN: Dazzling geometric motifs dating from Almohad caliphate discovered during renovation of city’s bar
A magnificently decorated 12th-century Islamic bathhouse, replete with dazzling geometric motifs and skylights in the form of eight-pointed stars, has emerged, a little improbably, from the walls and vaulted ceilings of a popular tapas bar in the heart of the southern Spanish city of Seville.
Last summer, the owners of the Cervercería Giralda – which has been pouring cañas and copas near Seville’s cathedral since 1923 – decided to take advantage of local roadworks and the coronavirus pandemic to set about a long-delayed renovation.
Although local legend and the odd historical document had suggested the site may once have been an ancient hammam, most people had assumed the Giralda’s retro look was down to the neomudéjar, or Islamic revival style, in which the architect Vicente Traver built the bar and hotel above it in the early 1920s. » | Sam Jones in Madrid | Thursday, February 18, 2021
A magnificently decorated 12th-century Islamic bathhouse, replete with dazzling geometric motifs and skylights in the form of eight-pointed stars, has emerged, a little improbably, from the walls and vaulted ceilings of a popular tapas bar in the heart of the southern Spanish city of Seville.
Last summer, the owners of the Cervercería Giralda – which has been pouring cañas and copas near Seville’s cathedral since 1923 – decided to take advantage of local roadworks and the coronavirus pandemic to set about a long-delayed renovation.
Although local legend and the odd historical document had suggested the site may once have been an ancient hammam, most people had assumed the Giralda’s retro look was down to the neomudéjar, or Islamic revival style, in which the architect Vicente Traver built the bar and hotel above it in the early 1920s. » | Sam Jones in Madrid | Thursday, February 18, 2021
Labels:
Al-Andalus,
Islam,
Seville,
Spain
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