tvc15

Excited

Weeks before Christmas Germany seems to peak on a rush of excitement. Not that the world cup was won in the end, but there seems to be so many good news to get very excited about. First economy is said to grow steady during 2007, even with the three point rise of VAT on the horizon. Second today less than four million people unemployed were announced for the first time since 2002. And third the Pope was not shot in Turkey. Wonder how long the rush will last!

Moderne

The entrance to the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich.

The Return Of The Minimal Macks

The Cologne party listings for December reveal that the legendary Total Confusion party will soon see a comeback at the new Bogen 2 venue. It will happen on Friday 15th. It´s a low key, back to basics location under the arches of a bridge across River Rhine, close to the central station. First time we went there with some friends we really enjoyed the place, it´s guests and the no compromise music. And they have got simply no problem with cranking it up there... Stay tuned!

Pack Your Bags

This page here must have been invented by Germans in a hyper-organisational mode. It says it helps you packing you bags or to be more precise coming up with a list for your luggage. You just enter your destination, the time you´re going over, answer some more questions and it generates this list of things to take with you and mind. Generally a good idea. But... and there is always a but! I played around with it and quizzed it for a beach holiday in Thailand.

First it tells me to take some fruits with me. Beg your pardon? The fruit range and quality is fantastic in Thailand, leave alone the things you get to eat travelling with Singapore or Thai airlines. Bloody EU fruits? Second it suggests to take some money with me. Ah yes, didn´t think of that before. As I wanted to rent a canoe in Thailand, it points out I should take the German legislation for rivers and lakes with me! Maybe I can use it as toilet paper when in the Thai jungle?

Packing in socks is another hint that fails to be really helpful. Maybe I´m too old (one has to enter the age of the travelling persons), but why should I take contact lenses and cleaning liquid with me, if I  don´t use any? Suggesting an SAS survival guide is ridiculous too. And bringing your surfboard along might cost more than renting one down there for 14 days. The hints to pay my bills, cancel all newspaper subscriptions and empty the fridge rounds it off rather nicely. Thank you list!

Hanging Garden

Last night in a Munich shopping arcade.

Alfred!?

Boomtown Rat Goes YouTube

A German pupil aged 18 wanted to kill other pupils and blow his school up today in a "I don´t like Mondays" fashion. In the end he killed himself. Beforehand he left videos, a letter and various traces on the Internet under the guise of "ResistantX". The videos have been taken off in the meantime. You could see him in a long black leather coat, blowing up trees in the forest, jumping around in a sort of Matrix style. But still one can google he had a passion for putting up Columbine videos, mixing explosive chemicals and coming up with horror fx like ripped out eyeballs. Very web 2.0...

Willi J.C. Free

During the last years I worked together with artist Willi J.C. Free from Belgium in several art performances. He was born in 1941 and lives in Bekkevoort. His action paintings usually develop in front of the audience, often painting a couple of pictures at the same time. The musical side of these performances in Cologne was done by me.

On display here are the paintings he came up with at Cunst 9 this summer. He did four at the time and row one shows the basic pictures he started off with. Row two are the results after the first turn, row three shows the final paintings. He usually places several layers onto the canvas. So whatever you will see during the performance, you can´t be sure what it will end with. Over the years he came up with similar themes, as the little house, the dogs of hell, the big fish/whale and the heads.

Bored Of Boards

Finally purchased a sideboard today! This was the longest hunt for a piece of furniture ever! It did beat the sofa or the kitchen by months... As the sideboards might surface in January, it could even be "a year later". But after looking for weeks and months, this is a real success! But wait, did I tell you about the table Planet Light by Bonaldo already?

Lisbon

After we wrecked Barcelona last March, we thought of a new victim for a birthday tour in 2007. Rumour has someone will turn 30 and Lisbon might see worse things than the great 1755 blaze. We´ll keep you updated.

Velvet

A detail of the ceiling at Velvet Underground, part of club Zouk in Singapore.

Luke

Twenty degrees on Thursday?! It´s November, isn´t it? When I grew up, November used to have loads of mist or clear days with freezing temperatures. The weather today was a bit like April,  but is May closing in so soon after? Blimey! Crikey! Pass the surfboard! There is a friend around that does hope for some climate changing taking place, but just because he wants to see Hawaiian surf conditions on the coast in Holland.

For those not sunbathing in November new books and records were added in the sections to the right.

Keep On Bubbling

Though many sources claim that the DAX and DOW race is over for this year, the stocks keep climbing. German Telekom fires top manager and DAX keeps going up. A magazine I read today already claims that a DOW of 13000 might be in reach by next year. To read other articles that see a Web 2.0 bubble closing in results in a raised eyebrow or two. Stop loss anyone?

Burning Bush

This picture is called "Burning Bush". We think that´s rather cool!

Monument

After the endless discussions about the topic, the ever changing plans and other difficulties I missed taking a look at the Holocaust Monument in Berlin ever since it was completed. Last week I had a chance to finally see it. From a distance it looks as unspectacular as one anticipated it after looking at the plans, the snippets on television and in newspapers. Once you enter the site and get lost in the monument things begin to change. It is a very impressive, scary and huge place of remembrance. Strange to see kids playing hide and seek in the grid. So the photos only present a fraction of the impression it has, but catch these bits here. And do yourself a favour and go there when in Berlin.

Cleaning

Links to blogs that hardly ever update etc. were removed. But we´re still waiting for miracolix.org to come up with something. "During the winter season" we heard...

Clarity

A trial from the new Casio Exilim Z1ooo, taken on Saturday in a local shop. The image was not treated but resized by 15 percent. Oh yes, that means the original is huge...

Radioactivity

This shop is causing quite a stir at the moment. Looking at the things on offer I think it has some interesting and original products. So better have a look soon, as certain powers in the nuclear game might be able to take the site down.

Black Moon

The Black Moon Party is the sister of the famous Full Moon Party in Thailand. Approaching November temperatures here in Germany fast now, being outside for an open air party all night does not seem to be a wise move. So to warm the readers a bit some abstract pictures from the Black Moon Party in Ko Samui are now being shown here. Focus is on the colours glowing in the night, the ultraviolet rainbows and not Thai girls dancing around their handbags.

New Toy

Summerset

Taken this summer after an Ibiza open air party at a nearby lake.