Kultur 3

Capping the Bottle- I was surprised to read that public drunkenness is becoming a problem in Deutschland. When I visited, I didn't notice too much of this. Maybe because I was a naive tourist or maybe because I wasn't in any areas where this has become a problem. I do agree that alcohol should be banned in public places, such as the train station, because it would be so easy for somebody to get hurt near train tracks. I also agree that finding ways to prevent public drunkenness would have a better outcome than putting a complete ban on alcohol in public. We in the US have found that putting bans on things only deter people to be sneaky and do the acts elsewhere.

Organic Food Obsessions- I find it very interesting that most Germans won't touch gene-manipulated food. In America this is such a common thing. I also find it interesting that their strive to be environmentally friendly extends into shopping habits. I think it shows a lot about how they really want to have very healthy lifestyles.

Forget the "Mett", Try a "Frikadelle" As soon as I saw the title, I wanted to read the article. When I was in Germany, I forget which city, my sister and I found a shop in one train station that sold these. They were so delicious; they were kind of like a cross between a meatball and something else that I can't remember. The Pommes Rot-Weiss seemed so disgusting to me. I sister was a huge fan, but I am not a big fan of ketchup to begin with. Throwing mayonnaise into the mixture is just gross to me. Mmmmm Weiner Schnitzel. This was one of my more favorite dishes. I tried to get a new dish every where I went, but this is one that I resorted to if I was too afraid to try something new.

The Dark Side- I think the subtitle in itself, "Optimists are Idiots," is funny. I often times feel this way and hate is when things are sugar-coated and people always try to "look on the bright side" of things. Sometimes it comes down to face it and move on. Just say what you're actually thinking, and don't always think about hurting someone's feelings.

Teutonic Humor- "...sarcasm, and sharp wit are to be found in abundance." This instantly made me laugh and think that my German background must be where I get this part of my personality from.