September 2016 Chit Chat

So September is nearly 24 hours old (at least in some parts of the world), and we don't have a thread about that? No way!
So that's my post no. 1111   (I just can't believe that!)

Congrats carolhathaway! And now on your way to 2222!

Thanks Donna,
you just passed 3333!

carolhathaway wrote:Thanks Donna,
you just passed 3333!

Oh yea. How about that.

John Polito frequent Coen brothers film actor dies

http://www.ew.com/article/2016/09/02/jon-polito-dead

Thanks annemarie. Polito wasn't that old. Very sad. His face was so familiar. I remember him from a variety of movies and tv shows but never knew his name.

Yes
Not that old ...

Jon Polito was around for so long doing great work in so many things it will be hard not seeing him anymore. He will truly be missed. RIP.

Changing subjects, to anyone living along the coast: BE SAFE! We're being told to batten down the hatches because Hermine may sit offshore for a couple of days causing beach erosion and flooding. To anyone in her path, be careful and safe.

Lizzy, sounds like New York and surrounding areas might get hit hard in a few days. We're ok. The worst of it for us is about 3 hours away along the coasts of Maryland and Delaware. Yes everyone please be safe.

Surprised to hear this morning that there was a mild earthquake in some of the plains states, including Oklahoma. Wow. Did anyone here experience tremors this morning?

How's your weather?
Here in Germany it's sunnier and constantly warmer than in July and August. I just came back from town and enjoy that it's cooler inside the house!

I had a terrific week with a group from our British twin town. Tgey came for their annual visit, and we just had a great time. Had a wonderful medievel festival in our town last weekend, followed by trips to destinations we visited. On Tuesday we visited a factory for prosthesis, they are global market leader and do the service for athlets from all countries at the Paralympics in Rio at the moment. Just fascinating to see all the different aids handicapped people can get...

We had lots of talks and discussions about many different issues. One thing we were told at the very beginning of this visit was : "Don't mention the Brexit!" In the end they brought up this issue themselves, and we discussed it quite intense. The essence seemed to be that most of them didn't want to leave the EU but wanted to teach the politicians a lesson. This seems to be quite normal in many countries... But should be in 'The Serious Side' instead of 'Chit Chat'...

Anyway, I really, really enjoyed this visit, and now thiy forum will be my - nearly - only chance to speak English for quite a while...

carolhathaway, sounds like everyone had a good time. It also sounds like you weren't ready for them to leave ...
I remember when you visited Britain and your twin family last year. It was last year? A nice tradition for all of you.

Our east coast storm last week didn't do nearly the kind of damage predicted. We got lucky this time. But it continues to be hot. It feels more like the middle of July than September right now. Bring on the fall. I'm ready

Donna,
yes, it's an annual exchange. Last year we went to the UK, now they came to Germany, and next year we'll go to Oxfordshire again... either in late July or early October, during our school holidays because we try to bring some kids as well. My kids announced already when we left last year that they want to return next year, and so did my cousin's daughter who was with us. We used to have a youth exchange, sport exchanges and a school exchange as well. But after the secondary school there decided to cancel German as second foreign language and the government cancelled the financial support for the local youth club and to visits to twin towns, visits to Germany aren't attractive any more. So there are more soungsters in Germany interested in going to Britain than vice versa. And we try to support them in any way, because they are our future...

Just heard about the bomb explosion in New York !

I hope everyone in that area is safe and sound. xxxx

Joanna - Thanks for the good wishes. It seems like there was a lot of property damage but nobody was seriously hurt. At least as far as we know now. Another device was found a couple of blocks away, but it didn't detonate - and another bomb went off in New Jersey. It may sound like a war zone, but the truth is we're back to business as usual - except for some transit tie-ups due to the investigation - and those should be cleared up by rush hour tomorrow. Basically, except for the people who were injured, all this did was tick people off, which in this city is pretty much the norm.

Lizzy,
it's good to hear that this attack / these attacks didn't cause as much damage as it was planned...

carolhathaway - As of now, we don't know what was planned by these idiots. The authorities don't think it was linked to international terrorism - just our local, home-grown morons trying to get attention - and luckily for us, not being very good at it.

When they catch them - and I'm sure they will - I hope they give them as little public exposure as possible. They don't deserve to get famous and inspire copycats. Don't even mention their names. Just quietly try them, lock them up and throw away the key.

Lizzy,
there are always people who try to get as much attention as possible, to become famous by killing as many others as possible - how ill-minded that my be...
And there are always others who try to get an advantage from that. Either by committing it for their own issues, by calling for more security or more hate. And it does worry me when politicians talk about taking away weapons from bodyguards or 'Merkel has to resign', because there will always be some ill-minded who understands this as an order...

Lizzy.....pleased to hear your reports about NY. 

I do agree with your view of not giving the 
perpetrators publicty, but the media seem 
to love stirring !

Joanna - I think the media will do almost anything to stay in business. I usually check out both the NY Daily News and the NY Post online every day, but I generally skim rather than read in depth. I noticed they each had their own bias in their election coverage ( the News for Hillary and the Post for Trump) but today I picked up both papers at the newsstand and sat down to really read them. Their partisanship astounded me. It was so blatant and extreme - there isn't even a pretense of balance or objectivity.

What upsets me even more than the total lack of journalistic integrity is the idea that maybe this is deliberate - just a way for them to boost circulation for their papers. The irresponsibility of that kind of tactic makes me furious.

Lizzy,
it's the same here in Germany. Newspapers, the ones I really trust, are extreme and don't even try to objective about politics and politicians in general, about the refugees crisis, about Trump vs. Clinton, about Putin, Erdogan, TTIP, CETA... really about everything.

So you have to check various newspapers / news sites to really find out what's happening. And people in general are extreme as well. They are furious because they think that newspapers and TV news don't tell the truth. There are people who fear that we're living in the worst and most dangerous times ever. I absolutely disagree with that, but how do you describe poverty i.e.? Compared to the poorest countries we are all rich, compared to Bill Gates we're all very poor. It's just a question of perspective, I guess. I read just a few weeks ago that an indicator for our growing poverty in Germany is the fact, that about two million children weren't able to go on a vacation this summer. For me that's not poverty, to be able to go on a vacation is a privilege for me. And how do you describe 'vacation'? To jump on a plane and stay at a nice hotel near a beautiful beach for two weeks? Or is it also a vacation to go camping or stay at a hostel. Abd there can be many reasons for not going on a vacation, and not all of them are led by lack of money.

Just saw a Gossip Cop article online that Angelina Jolie filed for divorce. WOW!