tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64145084805299384812024-03-14T10:31:20.406+01:00Claus MikoschReflections on changing timesClaus Mikoschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934895210127975617noreply@blogger.comBlogger130125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414508480529938481.post-17305503413435387202021-01-06T12:22:00.001+01:002021-01-06T12:23:20.665+01:00Beautifying spaces<p><span color="var(--ricos-custom-p-color,unset)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span color="var(--ricos-custom-p-color,unset)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">NOTE: This monthy blog will be published on <a href="https://www.clausmikosch.com/blog" target="_blank">www.clausmikosch.com/blog</a> from now on. Please subscribe there. Thank you!</span></p><p><span color="var(--ricos-custom-p-color,unset)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span color="var(--ricos-custom-p-color,unset)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">-----------------------------------------------------------</span></p><p><span color="var(--ricos-custom-p-color,unset)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span color="var(--ricos-custom-p-color,unset)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">Last summer I visited my friend David in the semi-desert of Almería in Southern Spain. We made a nice film about </span><a class="_2qJYG blog-link-hashtag-color _2xVcV" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD9dTiy8JT8&feature=emb_logo" rel="noopener" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #bbb070; cursor: pointer; font-family: var(--ricos-custom-link-font-family); font-size: var(--ricos-custom-link-font-size,unset); font-stretch: inherit; font-style: var(--ricos-custom-link-font-style,unset); font-variant: inherit; font-weight: var(--ricos-custom-link-font-weight,unset); line-height: var(--ricos-custom-link-line-height,unset); margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-link-min-height,unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #e10d18; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Life in the desert</span></a><span color="var(--ricos-custom-p-color,unset)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"> and then David gave me a little gift. Here it is:</span></p><div class="XzvDs _208Ie ljrnk blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color _2QAo- _25MYV _1Fao9 ljrnk public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-4igrp" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: var(--ricos-custom-p-color,unset); direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="var(--ricos-custom-p-color,unset)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">One morning we drove to the nearest fresh water spring with a boot full of empty bottles. As we filled them with water, I noticed how dirty the area around the spring was. People come to get free water and in turn leave broken plastic containers, coke cans and half-smoked cigarettes – an utterly depressing sight! When we finished our refill mission, I watched David getting a bag from the car, and then he started collecting rubbish off the ground. For a few moments I just stood there, frozen, before I joined him. Five minutes later we were driving back to his house, with several gallons of fresh water and a bag full of ugly garbage. 'Left it more beautiful than we found it,' David summarized contentedly.</span></span><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="var(--ricos-custom-p-color,unset)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><p class="XzvDs _208Ie ljrnk blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color _2QAo- _25MYV _1Fao9 ljrnk public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-ctkjk" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: var(--ricos-custom-p-color,unset); direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
The concept is called 'beautifying spaces', as my sister explained to me recently. It's about the magic that happens when you give love to random places. Nature does it all the time.</span></p><div class="XzvDs _208Ie ljrnk blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color _2QAo- _25MYV _1Fao9 ljrnk public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-eo1np" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: var(--ricos-custom-p-color,unset); direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); box-sizing: inherit;" /></span></div><div class="q2uC4 _3kAGd" id="viewer-4o12d" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 15px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="c-Mgr _2Mq66 _2Mq66 _7gPc2" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="_1Lhwj image-container _2mwxs" data-hook="imageViewer" role="button" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; cursor: pointer; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ3NlNhLvjYXSuJQhvHmxs2Fh5T2hkaabi7G9UqF9ayioNjgzyLLl8ui5e_zMA2Lp69MItjtG4KPhtib6Q6aidFqPftbivlidOq24H9UOMz9XEY076qFyWdUBSiIsRE31F7Mdg2PS3V2yO/s971/Beautifying+spaces.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="971" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ3NlNhLvjYXSuJQhvHmxs2Fh5T2hkaabi7G9UqF9ayioNjgzyLLl8ui5e_zMA2Lp69MItjtG4KPhtib6Q6aidFqPftbivlidOq24H9UOMz9XEY076qFyWdUBSiIsRE31F7Mdg2PS3V2yO/w400-h224/Beautifying+spaces.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="xdJBZ" role="img" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div></div></div></div><div class="XzvDs _208Ie ljrnk blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color _2QAo- _25MYV _1Fao9 ljrnk public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-ieu" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: var(--ricos-custom-p-color,unset); direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="var(--ricos-custom-p-color,unset)" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">“But why should you clean up a public space?”</span></span></div><p class="XzvDs _208Ie ljrnk blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color _2QAo- _25MYV _1Fao9 ljrnk public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-3hr7" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: var(--ricos-custom-p-color,unset); direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Well, I am part of the public, aren't I?</span></p><p class="XzvDs _208Ie ljrnk blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color _2QAo- _25MYV _1Fao9 ljrnk public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-cg2do" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: var(--ricos-custom-p-color,unset); direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Yes, but it wasn't you who left the rubbish there.”</span></p><p class="XzvDs _208Ie ljrnk blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color _2QAo- _25MYV _1Fao9 ljrnk public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-6qs11" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: var(--ricos-custom-p-color,unset); direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">True. But my choice is this: When I see rubbish lying around, I can either ignore it and go away complaining, feeling at war with the world and its people, or I pick it up and go away smiling, knowing I've left a place more beautiful. Sometimes I do the former, but the latter always feels better.</span><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p><p class="XzvDs _208Ie ljrnk blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color _2QAo- _25MYV _1Fao9 ljrnk public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-8ci48" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: var(--ricos-custom-p-color,unset); direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
It's not only about public places. Making anything more beautiful will generate a corresponding feeling inside of you. Beautifying spaces. It could be your home. A room, a kitchen, a garden. Food can be made more beautiful, and friendship too. </span></p><div class="XzvDs _208Ie ljrnk blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color _2QAo- _25MYV _1Fao9 ljrnk public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-8jkjd" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: var(--ricos-custom-p-color,unset); direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); box-sizing: inherit;" /></span></div><p class="XzvDs _208Ie ljrnk blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color _2QAo- _25MYV _1Fao9 ljrnk public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-523c4" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: var(--ricos-custom-p-color,unset); direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">And blogs and websites, so here's my freshly painted homepage. You're already on it. Have a look around, maybe choose a nice mixtape to listen to and then beautify something yourself. It's great fun and might even get you extra karma points. </span></p><div class="XzvDs _208Ie ljrnk blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color _2QAo- _25MYV _1Fao9 ljrnk public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-5ujcb" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: var(--ricos-custom-p-color,unset); direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); box-sizing: inherit;" /></span></div><p class="XzvDs _208Ie ljrnk blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color _2QAo- _25MYV _1Fao9 ljrnk public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-6ega0" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: var(--ricos-custom-p-color,unset); direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Happy 2021!</span></p><div class="q2uC4 _3kAGd" id="viewer-2kevk" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 15px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="c-Mgr _2Mq66 _2Mq66" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 215px;"><div class="_1Lhwj image-container _2mwxs" data-hook="imageViewer" role="button" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; cursor: pointer; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0"><div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div></div></div></div><div class="XzvDs _208Ie ljrnk blog-post-text-font blog-post-text-color _2QAo- _25MYV _1Fao9 ljrnk public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" id="viewer-1kvr7" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: var(--ricos-custom-p-color,unset); direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 8px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="vkIF2 public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; direction: ltr; display: block; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #392411; font-family: enriqueta, serif; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span></div>Claus Mikoschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934895210127975617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414508480529938481.post-34313367204222270942020-12-08T10:45:00.000+01:002020-12-08T10:45:24.315+01:00Thank you<p>Imagine this year's lockdown without
music, without books, without films. Many would have died of boredom
and almost everyone would have suffered a lot more. Hence the obvious
conclusion is that artists are indeed essential workers. We'd be
living in an empty hell without them.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">With or without a pandemic, I really
love being creative. And I think it's the same for most other
artists. There doesn't need to be a good reason or a financial
motivation for a musician to write a song or a painter to paint a
picture. On a few occasions I wondered what I'd do if I knew that I had only one day left to live. As strange as it might sound to
some, I'd probably write one last piece for this blog.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">You know why so many artists are
relatively poor? Because they're so happy doing what they love that
they forget about money. Seriously. When you connect to the source of
the universe and write, paint, sing or dance, there's simply no space
to think about money and marketing. Why would you care about such
soulless stuff when you're floating in happiness?</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">But of course artists aren't always
happy. Like everybody else we also go through times of sadness and
doubt. This year it's been far worse than other years – not only
because many of us couldn't work due to corona restrictions, but
because we witnessed how governments gave more importance to airlines
than to art. Is that healthy? Does it make sense? Do we, as society,
want to continue like that? Do we really want to exchange music
festivals for cheap flights?</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">So here's a big shout out to everyone
who has been supporting independant artists this year. Thank you! We
need you, and we love you. And on a very deep level, we <i>are</i>
you.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I'd also like to thank everyone who
has been following this blog for the last 10 years. You're like an
invisible crowd for my monthly rants and I hope that most of the time
you get something positive out of them. Because despite all
complaining and criticising, my intention is always to make things
better.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">If you feel like ending 2020 with some
good music – there are 58 mix tapes I've done, available for free @
<a href="https://www.mixcloud.com/MrMikosch/" target="_blank">mixcloud.com/MrMikosch</a>. If you want some inspiration from the dry hills (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD9dTiy8JT8&t" target="_blank">LIFE IN THE DESERT</a>) or the woods (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoXf0JiET64&t" target="_blank">THE WISE TREES</a>), help with quitting smoking (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7F5Ga48XBU&t" target="_blank">BREATHLESS</a>) or a reminder
of the impermanence of everything (<a href="http://aniccathefilm.com/en/" target="_blank">ANICCA</a>), watch one of my
films on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzL1YpW26QanGMUzP6W992Q" target="_blank">Youtube</a>.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">If reading is your thing – one of my
books is already available for free (<a href="https://experiencingayahuasca.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">A CALL FROM THE UNKNOWN</a>) and next year there will be another one (<a href="https://www.thalia.de/shop/home/artikeldetails/ID149902788.html" target="_blank">FRIDAYS FOR FRIDA</a>). All other books, from <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Buddha-Finding-Happiness/dp/1781453799/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=the+little+buddha+happiness&qid=1567016663&s=books&sr=1-7" target="_blank">THE LITTLE BUDDHA</a> to <a href="https://www.ammonitepress.com/miss-god/" target="_blank">MISS GOD</a>, are
available <a href="https://www.clausmikosch.com/books" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/books?keywords=claus+mikosch" target="_blank">here</a>, and <a href="https://www.thalia.de/shop/home/mehr-von-suche/ANY/sp/claus_mikosch.html?mehrVon=Claus%20Mikosch" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijVJ4esPjyYZ_jMfUneASxrSWYZdWExGZjykUzpWhtHkPmabSGPBWZWIZYDPKXmbMt81tETMbcLreeCydgapswIhyCIcZljt1hhf72BJyONABr4j-kXa2ZIV2cvB-BpeJvmg_H4lgBrFcX/s1181/Thank+you.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1181" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijVJ4esPjyYZ_jMfUneASxrSWYZdWExGZjykUzpWhtHkPmabSGPBWZWIZYDPKXmbMt81tETMbcLreeCydgapswIhyCIcZljt1hhf72BJyONABr4j-kXa2ZIV2cvB-BpeJvmg_H4lgBrFcX/w400-h220/Thank+you.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">And hey, maybe you've just stumbled
across this page and acutally hate music, films and books. Fair
enough. But you're still welcome to make a donation to my Paypal
account: info@clausmikosch.com</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">Happy Christmas 2020!</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.clausmikosch.com" target="_blank">www.clausmikosch.com</a></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br /></p>Claus Mikoschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934895210127975617noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414508480529938481.post-57922316793414093162020-11-08T17:32:00.003+01:002020-11-08T17:34:42.796+01:00I'm right<p>I say we need to take this pandemic
seriously if we don't want to see more unnecessary suffering. We need
to wear masks, close bars and theatres and keep a distance wherever
we go, whatever we do. Over a million have already died of Covid, the
hospitals are filling up again. I've seen it on Facebook, someone
mentioned it, a doctor talked about it. There will be dark times
ahead unless we do as we're told. I'm right, I know I am.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">And you're wrong!</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">You say we need to wake up and realize
that this is no accident but a plandemic. We should refuse to wear
masks, keep bars and theatres open and hug as much as we can, because
there's no place for fear in the presence of love. Millions have
died? You say you don't know a single one. Hospitals are filling up
because it's winter, they always fill up in winter, and the numbers
are made up anyway. You've seen it, on Facebook, someone mentioned
it, a doctor talked about it. There will be dark times ahead unless
we stop doing as we're told. You're right, you know you are.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">And that means I'm wrong!</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">We could do the same exercise with many
other subjects. At some point, however, we have to ask ourselves if
we really want to continue arguing and fighting, desperately trying
to convince those on the other side that we are right and they are
wrong. An endless struggle, causing more division and leading to the
same grim place all these stubborn struggles have led to in the past:
war.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Perhaps we're both right? And both
wrong. In the battle between A and B, is there an option C?</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Admittedly, it isn't easy considering
we might be wrong, even it's only half wrong. I've just published a
new book, a story about an old woman facing the escalating climate
crisis. I'm totally convinced that we're headed towards a terrible
future if we don‘t change our unsustainable habits as soon as
possible. And with 'as soon as possible' I mean within the next 5 to
10 years – massive changes, much bigger than those we were forced
to endure during the lockdowns of 2020. I know I'm right. But – and
this is stated in the book as well – there is the theoretical
chance that I'm wrong. Would it change the message of the book? No.
But it would mean I'd have to admit I wasn't completely right.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Now, there are certain things that are
excluded from the 'who's right, who's wrong' game. Racism for
example. If you're a racist, you're an arsehole, period. There's
absolutely no justification for discriminating other human beings
just because they look different. Same goes for praying to a
different god or loving in a different way.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">But what about everything else? Isn't
there an option C we can all agree on, some common ground? Here are a
few suggestions:</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span> * </span>we all want functioning hospitals<br /><span> * </span>nobody wants to die alone<br /><span> * </span>fear – of a virus or of losing
freedom – isn't a pleasant emotion</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span> * </span>we produce far too much pollution</p><span> * </span>sustainable living is totally
possible<br /><span> * </span>this planet is our home, and we
only have one home<div><br />
<span> * </span>no president will solve all
problems<br /><span> * </span>billionaires could solve lots of
problems<br /><span> * </span>poverty is causing too many
problems</div><div><br />
<span> * </span>having no food sucks<br /><span> * </span>wasting food sucks<br /><span> * </span>toxic food sucks</div><div><br />
<span> * </span>we love trees<br /><span> * </span>we love sunsets<br /><span> * </span>we love the feeling of helping
others<br />
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">If we agreed on some common ground, the
chances of having constructive and respectful discussions rather than
destructive and hateful disputes would be much higher. Let's face it:
We're in desperate need of peace and health and a little bit of
sanity. We need to stop being selfish and start seeing the beauty of
life, embrace the chances we are given, become happy as one global
community, with all the different flags and lots of love for another.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I know, it probably ain't gonna happen.
But it's a good idea, right?</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6PHnOdtNHCGxyi13gM_NuLkuhpzIsbwcaUTPZI8DjI4M6kT8WBY6CiROD93lO2fBq1Lyc9ZOIeqbUAxJyKjfRtLJm4-9n8wxzED5HbEJfoGy15eixOeYZ5f-ib59DJM6u82uNnv2x4hn/s1181/I%2527m+right+B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1181" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6PHnOdtNHCGxyi13gM_NuLkuhpzIsbwcaUTPZI8DjI4M6kT8WBY6CiROD93lO2fBq1Lyc9ZOIeqbUAxJyKjfRtLJm4-9n8wxzED5HbEJfoGy15eixOeYZ5f-ib59DJM6u82uNnv2x4hn/w400-h220/I%2527m+right+B.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://www.clausmikosch.com" target="_blank">www.clausmikosch.com</a></p><p align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i style="text-align: left;">New book: <a href="https://www.thalia.de/shop/home/artikeldetails/ID149902788.html" target="_blank">FRIDAYS FOR FRIDA</a> (in German; out in English in spring 2021)</i></p>
<br /><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p></div>Claus Mikoschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934895210127975617noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414508480529938481.post-67307241100002272902020-10-19T09:58:00.000+02:002020-10-19T09:58:33.081+02:00The end of self-centredness<p>Have you watched the
French series <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11248266/" target="_blank">THE COLLAPSE</a>? It's an end of the world
scenario – panic buying in supermarkets, riots at petrol
stations, European refugees, and nuclear power stations without
cooling systems. The other day I talked to my daughter about it.</p>
<p lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">In the series, there are
some rich people who've acquired a rare and very expensive space on
an island where they escape to once the chaos starts. I told my
daughter that this is really happening – people are buying land in <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2018-rich-new-zealand-doomsday-preppers/" target="_blank">New Zealand</a> and even whole <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/40e54149-7483-41b5-85cf-36ff200aafc6" target="_blank">Pacific Islands</a> in case things are
getting very bad. She wondered, 'what could happen?', to which I
replied, 'anything can happen.' Nuclear war. Crash of the economic
system. Ecological Armageddon. A lethal virus.</p>
<p lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">We kept talking and I said
it's difficult to imagine that things could go seriously wrong, but
just because we haven't experienced any major crisis in the “Western
civilization” in the last decades, it doesn't mean it can't happen.
'Who knows', I said, 'maybe at some point Europe will become
uninhabitable and we'll need to flee to Africa. And maybe the people there would do
the same we are doing now: close borders and look away.'
Silence. Then my daughter turned her head to me and said, 'or maybe
they will let us in.' Me: 'Why should they do that?' She: 'Because
they know what it feels like to not get help.'</p>
<p lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">It was a beautiful thought
my daughter had. Some might criticise it was innocent and naïve, but if
we're honest, she actually pointed out one of humanity's biggest
problems: our lack of empathy. Because unless we improve our ability
to put ourselves in the situation of others, I don't think there's
much hope of anything getting better. And so to make things better,
we need to train our empathetic muscle. A little bit every day.
Fortunately, there are plenty of opportunities:</p>
<p lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Feel the fear of an old
person who's scared of getting Covid.<br />Feel the fear of a bar
owner when new Corona restrictions are announced.<br />Feel the fear of those who
fear losing their freedom.<br />Feel the fear of Millions
having no food to eat.</p>
<p lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Feel the worry of climate
activists looking at melting ice shields.<br />Feel the worry of
Islanders confronted with rising sea level.<br />Feel the worry of
Indigenous tribes seeing their rivers being polluted.<br />Feel the worry of a child
who might not have a future.</p>
<p lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Feel the pain of a man
losing his home to bombs.<br />Feel the pain of a woman
being raped by soldiers.<br />Feel the pain of a girl
who suffers from sickness on a refugee boat.<br />Feel the pain of a boy who
sees his best friend drown.</p>
<p lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Feel the despair of 20,000
people who are ignored in a refugee camp on a Greek Island while many
Europeans start panic-buying toilet paper again.<br />Feel the despair of
farmers who lose their land and livelihood because consumers don't
want to pay a fair price for their products.<br />Feel the despair of a
mother who can't feed her child when one third of all food in the
world is being wasted.<br />Feel the despair of those
dying alone. Of the trees that are cut down and the animals kept in
tiny cages.</p>
<p lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Feel all of it, the fear,
the worry, the pain, the despair. Because only if we feel it, we
might change what we think and how we act. Only if we feel the other,
our self-centred obsession might end.</p><p lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeWUWT_K4c5Rouvu89lZUOZCp2479cSSOM1Pcvzn_55lCh7ns3MV5yKoEqMkm_pPKmVngLy9HNT8721U-FlbQp5gIkQWzi6lhyphenhyphenz5p6mt_iP2YALT0nfrgOpRD_KPF_AXpdskWJL2DXZbn4/s1181/The+end+of+self-centredness+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1181" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeWUWT_K4c5Rouvu89lZUOZCp2479cSSOM1Pcvzn_55lCh7ns3MV5yKoEqMkm_pPKmVngLy9HNT8721U-FlbQp5gIkQWzi6lhyphenhyphenz5p6mt_iP2YALT0nfrgOpRD_KPF_AXpdskWJL2DXZbn4/w400-h220/The+end+of+self-centredness+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.clausmikosch.com">www.clausmikosch.com</a></i></p><p lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><p lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><p lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p>Claus Mikoschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934895210127975617noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414508480529938481.post-19792293021666796232020-09-22T11:16:00.002+02:002020-09-22T19:29:54.089+02:00New World Order<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">On a Monday morning in September, 19
years ago, I received a package from a friend. I opened it and took
out a big pile of copied pages. It was a book, but no ordinary one –
it was an illegal book, supposedly talking about what's really going
on in the world. About the Rothschild family and other elites,
freemasons, invented diseases and wars and hidden symbols. Intrigued,
I started reading that same afternoon and didn't stop until I
finished the last page the following morning. It was a fascinating
and also unsettling read, leaving me wondering how much of it might
actually be true. At 9am, Tuesday morning, I went to my neighbour‘s
for a grounding tea and conversation. His TV was running and as soon
as I sat down, the news came on. My eyes widened at once – the
second plane was just crashing into the South Tower of the WTC in New
York City. It was 9/11 and I had just spent the whole night reading a
summary of all the conspiracies in the world. My heart raced – was
this really a terrorist attack?</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Since then, I've read many more books
on conspiracies, I watched films like Zeitgeist and had countless
conversations about 9/11, chemtrails, media manipulation and evil
Bilderberg meetings. At some point, however, I stopped. I got really
tired of all the wild theories, mainly because they don't inspire positive action. But this doesn't mean that I think it's all
made up – there are very powerful people out there who get hooked
on power and want more and more of it. Human nature I guess. I
totally believe they misuse their power to create false stories,
seeing the world as a big board game and are willing to do barbaric
things just to control most of the game. You don't even need to read
illegal books to come to this conclusion, it's enough to look at the
work of lobbyists. Why do we still use coal to generate electricity,
and petrol cars to move around, when clean and sustainable
alternatives have long been available? Makes no sense whatsoever.
Hence, I don't feel like a conspiracy theorist when I say that, yes,
we are being mislead and fooled.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">This year, 2020, conspiracy theories
have been taken to another level though. Bill Gates is blamed for a
virus and at the same time most who blame him think the virus doesn't
even exist; Polititians are blamed for killing children and drinking
their blood, and only Trump, Q and very high walls can save us from
the worst people of all, the refugees. Climate change is a hoax
invented by green parties who want to turn the world into an
eco-dictatorship and the images of overcrowded hospitals were all
shot in a Hollywood studio – it's a plandemic, of course!</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Everyone is free to believe whatever
they want. But here's a question: What good has blaming ever done? It
seems so easy – if it's THEIR fault, THEY need to be eliminated and
then the whole world will be a peaceful paradise. But in reality it's
not easy at all.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Over the last months there has been a
lot of talk about freedom, that our freedom is threatened. So let's
talk about freedom:</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>You are free to you choose
whichever bank you want – why do most of you still have your money
in banks that invest in wars and pharmaceutical companies? Are you
aware that you're actually financing the vaccines you're so scared
of?</li><li>You are free to choose where you
do your shopping – why do most of us still buy on Amazon, giving
the richest man in the world even more money?</li><li>You are free to choose what you
want to eat – why don't we all buy local and organic food? And no,
price is no excuse, because the same people who use this excuse
usually have a huge TV at home and spend fortunes on drinks and
clothes and stuff from Ikea they never needed in the first place.</li><li>You are free to be loving and kind
– why do you keep calling people stupid sheep?</li><li>You are free to talk about
whatever you want – why do you choose to spread fear of evil
elites when you could spread hope and compassion?</li></ul><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">It's so easy to blame others – and so
difficult to accept responsibilty and change yourself. Yet the latter
is the only sane option we have. We need radical political change, no
doubt about it, but first we need to acknowledge that each one of us
plays an important role in this game. After all, Polititians and the
Rich aren't aliens – they are people like you and me. If we keep
being selfish and aggressive and corrupt, they will do the same. For
THEY are US.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I dread to think what will happen when
we are faced with a more serious problem than a little virus. When
the climate goes crazy – iceage or heatwaves, take your pick –
and there will be millions, not thousands, of people trying to
survive by heading North. Are we going to let them drown and starve
(as we do already), or perhaps shoot them right away?</p><p>
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Possibly the favourite three letters of
the conspiracy community are NWO – New World Order. It's said that
there's a big globalist agenda going on with the aim of establishing
a totalitarian world government. Personally I actually think we need
some kind of global authority, given that individual states aren't
capable of tackling challenges such as the climate crisis and the
ethics around artificial intelligence. But before we get lost in an
endless discussion, here's a simple suggestion for a new world order:
change the way you look at the map! Because as long as we continue to
regard US at the top and THEM at the bottom, global peace and
happiness ain't gonna happen. For this is the real elite terrorist
attack, our perspective!</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99PV5YjlXSb_KKQ6fj_laqLsk2xSmprbA8D19XxwpOEX0He4I30xqAYGzU5lP5HO93s4KCcLzADRwvZ9AC6RcBopWNfHqrTw9DuvorRhELfBTtjW4Ywr82L0NjB5kF8sFw5Zmq48amQ5O/s1181/New+world+order+-+map.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1181" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99PV5YjlXSb_KKQ6fj_laqLsk2xSmprbA8D19XxwpOEX0He4I30xqAYGzU5lP5HO93s4KCcLzADRwvZ9AC6RcBopWNfHqrTw9DuvorRhELfBTtjW4Ywr82L0NjB5kF8sFw5Zmq48amQ5O/w400-h220/New+world+order+-+map.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.clausmikosch.com">www.clausmikosch.com</a></i></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p>Claus Mikoschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934895210127975617noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414508480529938481.post-22125480176124066812020-08-20T10:39:00.004+02:002020-08-20T10:56:49.845+02:00Life in the desert<p>At the beginning of August I went to the desert. I met up with a friend who lives there, he took me walking in the wildness he calls home. We talked about change, lack of water, love and survival. I made a little film of it. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD9dTiy8JT8" target="_blank">Here it is.</a></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD9dTiy8JT8" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1181" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieqUR8J5zvBQUqbvDBKb2LqeSO2wUC6lZCzu8AxnYuL0X-wVriUVNbrtBhAT6cILKNvi0qcmPNxGxcO7jkBJxWs3pY-xtNKwHitW2I2xOVCZmDsNjjco3itVUBUFGcS2gWAnPv5X5-Z_qO/w512-h282/Life+in+the+desert+-+blog.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.clausmikosch.com" target="_blank">www.clausmikosch.com</a></i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Claus Mikoschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934895210127975617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414508480529938481.post-87206080942449568002020-07-08T10:11:00.001+02:002020-07-08T10:18:01.606+02:00Missing the silence<p lang="" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The road was empty. No
cars, no tourists, no noise. Just me and the silent concrete.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="">I had just arrived
at Málaga airport. I had been stranded in Germany for four months,
far from my daughter, my girlfriend and the sea. It was June 21</span><sup><span lang="">st</span></sup><span lang="">,
the beginning of summer, and I had come on one of the first flights
after the Corona lockdown. I was greeted by a poster of a crucified
Jesus with a colourful phrase asking me whether I was ready to have
fun, then my temperature was taken and finally I exited the airport
where I was interviewed by a local newspaper. Then a 10-minute walk
to my car. On normal days, you can hardly cross the road, it's so
busy – and always! That day, however, I walked right in the middle
of the three lanes. It felt like I had landed in a post-apocalyptic
world, the last survivor on planet Earth. All alone. The end.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang=""><br /></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8kNtZ7emd45v-udsrbwWUHKcbl0n2sWQw9amBJvf43bV4RcL10rzFoUUP0G8GieIMuC310N3cyZO9AlvQEowU5nD-t2IabpUUUdzz4zRvjrceV7tcB3wJLkwaq5t2NjJ-QeodckRhiPmv/s1181/Missing+the+silence.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1181" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8kNtZ7emd45v-udsrbwWUHKcbl0n2sWQw9amBJvf43bV4RcL10rzFoUUP0G8GieIMuC310N3cyZO9AlvQEowU5nD-t2IabpUUUdzz4zRvjrceV7tcB3wJLkwaq5t2NjJ-QeodckRhiPmv/w400-h220/Missing+the+silence.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p align="CENTER" lang="" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p>
<p lang="" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Humankind has gone through
far worse times than 2020. If you were to tell the people who lived
through the black plague of the Middle Ages about Covid-19 they'd
laugh at you! But considering that most of Europe has enjoyed several
decades of peace and prosperity, the Corona crisis has been the
biggest crisis most of us have experienced so far. Many voices were
heard saying that nothing will be the same anymore. <i>'Life is now
changed. Forever. What was is not coming back.' (Chris Martenson).</i> A
potential glimpse of hope for a world that has been getting sicker
and sicker over the years. But is there really any reason to be
hopeful?</p>
<p lang="" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Since I first came to the
South of Spain, back in 2002, the whole area has become more and more
dependent on tourism. When I returned after four months of lockdown,
just a couple of weeks ago, I was met with two extremes: The airport
was literally deserted, and the beaches were more packed than ever.
No tourists from abroad meant there was no work and so most hotel and
restaurant staff seized the opportunity and got comfortable in the
sun. A deserved rest from the pandemic, why not. But you'd think
people in charge would realize that it's not a good idea to remain so
dependent on only one industry, in this case tourism. Having only one
leg to stand on doesn't provide much resilience. And yet, since I got
back, I’ve read about plans to convert more natural land into
artificial resorts, to build more holiday homes for rich foreigners
and to attract even more tourists than before Corona. Life is now
changed? Doesn't look like it.</p>
<p lang="" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">And then there are the
masks. And gloves. And individual portions of olive oil in plastic
packaging. And plastic cups and forks and knifes and plates and a
zillion empty bottles of disinfectant. Forget 5G and Bill Gates, it
seems the new Coronavirus was created by Mr and Mrs Plastic!</p>
<p lang="" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I'm not against masks. I
think some people are going slightly over the top, like that guy my
daughter told me about who was swimming with a mask on, fearing he
might catch Covid-19 in the sea. But in general, wearing a mask in
situations where you can't maintain a distance, like in shops, to me
that makes sense. However, why can't we all get reusable masks? And
possibly the most important question of all: why do so many people
throw their single-use masks and gloves onto the street, onto the
beach and into the woods? It makes me wonder whether we, as a human
species, are actually still worthy of salvation. Most bacteria seem
to have more consciousness and ethics than us lot.</p>
<p lang="" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I could continue by
mentioning the woman I met the other day, who said she's a great
Trump lover and thinks it's a crime that statues of cruel racist
colonialists are being torn down. If I erected a three-metre monument
of Adolf H. on my terrace in 2020, would I receive angry screams or
applause?</p>
<p lang="" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">So many reasons to get
depressed. So many reasons to hide in a hole and forget about
salvation.</p>
<p lang="" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">There's a line in a song
by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSX63onJn-E" target="_blank">STAY HOMAS</a>, a group that was born during the recent
confinement in Barcelona, that really stuck in my head. <i>'What will happen with the silence once the bells of freedom ring?'</i>
Whether you are Pro-Covid or Contra-Covid, perhaps the world would be
a better place if we all stayed in lockdown.</p>
<p lang="" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I miss the silence.</p>
<p lang="" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p>
<p align="CENTER" lang="" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><font size="2"><i><a href="http://www.clausmikosch.com" target="_blank">www.clausmikosch.com</a></i></font></p>
<p lang="" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p lang="" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p><br />Claus Mikoschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934895210127975617noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414508480529938481.post-67566992332791776782020-06-04T12:04:00.000+02:002020-06-04T12:05:33.418+02:00BreathlessCorona crisis. Lockdown. Stranded with my parents, unable to return home. Possibly the worst
moment EVER to quit smoking! But that's exactly what I did. And I
made a video of it!<br />
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
When I considered
different title options, BREATHLESS was the one I liked best. For a
little while I was wondering whether it might be disrespectful to all
those people suffering in the ICUs at the moment. But I figured there are far
more people who lose their breath through smoking than through a coronavirus, so in the end I stuck with it. Then, two days before I
published the video, George Floyd said his last words: I can't
breathe.
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The year 2020 –
BREATHLESS indeed!</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
And in case that a pandemic and
full blown racism don't convince you yet, check out the news (<a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/2237048-amazon-deforestation-looks-set-to-hit-a-record-high-in-2020/" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/amazon-deforestation-surges-as-brazil-fights-coronavirus/a-53378823" target="_blank">here</a>)
from the Amazon where record amounts of rainforest are torn down,
destroying the lungs of the planet. You might survive Covid-19, you
might survive racist violence and you might even survive smoking. But
will you survive a world without trees?</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
What a mess! Let's just hope that our wisdom will grow faster than our destructive madness. In the meantime, here's my little documentary: <a href="https://youtu.be/R7F5Ga48XBU" target="_blank">BREATHLESS - quitting smoking in lockdown</a></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://youtu.be/R7F5Ga48XBU" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1181" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSJWDyuoqlutoa5SPF9fhyphenhyphen5aeKO8K3wAO4GtHFcdcpzU89l2TuC6QNy6ptFaDmhHVoxQPREJh4QrfWFMgE8mRAPDfJdgPYwpHj-76x6Adk1YQ4HpRthL2yA8zEbJrAhF0zFgLQ0uBEHdU/s400/Breathless+-+blog+A.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><a href="http://www.clausmikosch.com/">www.clausmikosch.com</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Claus Mikoschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934895210127975617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414508480529938481.post-90258864564818629262020-05-12T10:06:00.000+02:002020-05-12T10:06:05.865+02:00The answerSo many theories and
opinions. So much confusion, conflict and doubt. Who's right, who's
wrong? Who can we trust? Where can we find relief and help and
perhaps even a little bit of truth?<br />
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The answer is simple. It's
the most obvious and most logical advice for any type of crisis, be
it a relationship crisis or a work crisis, the climate crisis or, in
this case, the corona crisis. The words were sent to me by a friend and they're by far the best thing I've read during the last
months:</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<i>written by Katie LaMonte</i></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i>If you believe this
virus is spread human to human, the antidote is building the immune
system with eating plants & natural medicines and sitting in
nature alone or with your immediate family, soaking up vitamin D &
sunshine.</i></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i>If you believe that
this virus is symptoms of 5G exposure, then the antidote is sitting
in nature, connecting to Mother Earth, building your immunity with
eating plants and natural medicines - submerge yourself in water &
dirt.</i></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i>If you believe that
this is all a hoax and you just need to sit back while Q saves us
all, then the answer is sitting in nature, build a garden for the new
earth, commune with God, eat plants & natural medicines that
strengthen your connection and open your channel to the new earth
frequency ~ ascend with her.</i></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i>If you believe the
economy is collapsing, and authoritarian dictatorship is imminent,
the most radical thing you can do in protest is build a garden,
releasing dependency on the system.</i></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i>If you believe that
Mother Earth is mad at us and purging the human race, the answer is
go outside and listen, build a garden, align with her.</i></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i>The answer is always
nature. Always.</i></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i>We do not have to argue
about the why. The antidote is obvious. Alignment with the mother,
with our source of nurturance. Remembering everything we use and need
comes from her. Give thanks. Humble. Slow down. Observe. Listen.</i></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ENTo_jlHqHYo52LFOVNxKzYqKBQp1TjPBMpQu08-9cgsOvLP8MD3QrHyJgbrRc5UUDU3TsayJrRsjzPlMjV6Z2bgpop_1X6LSDrUx_HQS4ZYx5h-TJmbxYyQ3ZjVtCiDXOAMSvt7B8qc/s1600/The+answer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1181" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ENTo_jlHqHYo52LFOVNxKzYqKBQp1TjPBMpQu08-9cgsOvLP8MD3QrHyJgbrRc5UUDU3TsayJrRsjzPlMjV6Z2bgpop_1X6LSDrUx_HQS4ZYx5h-TJmbxYyQ3ZjVtCiDXOAMSvt7B8qc/s400/The+answer.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The answer is always nature.</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Nothing more
to add.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="http://www.clausmikosch.com/">www.clausmikosch.com</a></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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<br />Claus Mikoschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934895210127975617noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414508480529938481.post-86287675677048044312020-04-08T12:14:00.001+02:002020-04-14T00:04:13.065+02:00The story of Miss GodMany people around the
globe are struggling with the current lockdown situation. For a
writer, however, lots of time spent in quarantine is part of normal
life. I hardly go to bars and restaurants anyway; I'm used to being
at home for days on end, it kind of comes with the job. But this
doesn't mean I can or want to live without having contact to others.
Quite contrary, even though it's usually one person who writes a
book, most books depend on the input of many others.<br />
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Four years ago</b> I
stumbled across the ten commandments and wondered why they've never
been updated. At the core, they are actually quite useful, but
they're hopelessly trapped under a thick layer of dust. 'Thou shalt
not...', who speaks in such a weird way today? And besides, why so
negative? A bunch of well-meant guidelines that have become rotten
rules, totally inappropriate for the modern world. So I thought of a
story where God and a young girl meet on a beach and rewrite those
old wisdoms.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSaUuVl7HbDOYHnBAJZWG0qg_gVti0Q_R-l354mr84bJ1ILkZO89HBREnc_6So3H8ZCFRUsHQsIcK_h-zQrLJmoTxngNF31IABj9KEDpIWIPDFU7qlKESi6c5OQup5NR5Z_Z5HPFq4nvkO/s1600/MISS+GOD+-+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1181" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSaUuVl7HbDOYHnBAJZWG0qg_gVti0Q_R-l354mr84bJ1ILkZO89HBREnc_6So3H8ZCFRUsHQsIcK_h-zQrLJmoTxngNF31IABj9KEDpIWIPDFU7qlKESi6c5OQup5NR5Z_Z5HPFq4nvkO/s400/MISS+GOD+-+blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Three years ago</b> I
told my girlfriend Rocío about this idea. She loved it, we talked
about it for a while and then life went on and the idea disappeared
in my folder of buried possibilities.
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Two years ago</b> I
contemplated options for a new writing project when my girlfriend
brought up the new ten commandments again. 'Why don't you do
something with that? I really think it has potential.' I gave it some
thought and agreed with her. Yes, it was an idea worth digging out and
working on. And so that's what I did.
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Back then I was living in
a shared house with one of my best friends, Charlotte. One day I was
sitting at my desk, pondering on God and Moses, when she came in for
a cup of tea. I told her about the basic idea of the book: God is
tired of seeing humans screwing up the planet and each other, and so
he asks 11-year old Olivia to help him rewrite the ten commandments.
'Why <i>he</i>?' Charlotte asked. 'Why can't God be a woman?'</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>One year ago</b> I was
disillusioned because I couldn't find a publisher for MISS GOD. In
Germany, where most of my works are published, I only got rejections.
Many publishers liked it, but either it was too religious for them,
or too critical of the church. I've never fully understood these
reasons, because MISS GOD is neither about religion nor about blame.
It's an invitation to believe. In something.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>One day ago</b> MISS
GOD was released by my English publisher, <a href="https://www.ammonitepress.com/little-buddha-the-finding-happiness/" target="_blank">Ammonite Press</a>. Like
me, they felt it's a perfect story for our times. A story about
changing old habits and exploring new perceptions. And like me, they
just loved the title. Who on Earth wouldn't publish a book called
MISS GOD? I'd buy it at first sight!</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqXNuP3z0AWy0_PPwF48MJ9pb2TAsrn9xhBc9v0bm37IPVYO0kReIDzvk3OLtfP5umeGl3Cw6DlANqEcUvpv7f3k-PQsAJlzBqqeyoU4WobZLXSLMsvedvxlFMNK8OKSaluxEoWWfSotp9/s1600/Miss+God+-+cover+FINAL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqXNuP3z0AWy0_PPwF48MJ9pb2TAsrn9xhBc9v0bm37IPVYO0kReIDzvk3OLtfP5umeGl3Cw6DlANqEcUvpv7f3k-PQsAJlzBqqeyoU4WobZLXSLMsvedvxlFMNK8OKSaluxEoWWfSotp9/s400/Miss+God+-+cover+FINAL.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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On page seven, the book is
dedicated to Charlotte and Rocío. Without them, MISS GOD wouldn't
exist. But there are many others who helped as well: My daughter
Paloma, who played the role of real-life Olivia; Roxanne, who did a
brilliant job at proofreading my English translation; Jason, who
convinced his boss at the publishing house that this could be
something special; Kate, whose illustrations have transformed the book
beyond special. Plus all the team at Ammonite Press and of course
Jane, who, some years ago, had met the owner of the UK publishing house
on a plane trip, chatting away and mentioning casually, 'hey, I know
a writer...'</div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I wrote MISS GOD in a
self-imposed, solitary lockdown. But underneath the lockdown,
invisible to most people's eyes, there was a tight web of meaningful
connections. It happens with each writing experience: From the
outside, I might seem like an antisocial nerd at times, but on the
inside, vital exchanges are happening all the time.
</div>
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<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Now you're in lockdown
too. A challenging situation, no doubt about it, but also a chance to
reflect. A chance to pause, listen and wonder. Why do we fight and
destroy so much? Why do we suffer? And why are we here in the first
place?
</div>
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<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Maybe it's the perfect
moment to question your beliefs, while at the same time finding a way
to connect to the divine. Maybe it's the perfect moment for an
inspiring story. Maybe it's the perfect moment to meet MISS GOD...</div>
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<i>Out now as
a beautiful <a href="https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/miss-god/claus-mikosch/hardback/9781781453902.html" target="_blank">hardback</a> and Corona-proof <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Miss-God-Claus-Mikosch-ebook/dp/B0868ZCTYJ/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1585216124&sr=1-1" target="_blank">ebook</a>.</i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i><a href="https://www.ammonitepress.com/miss-god/" target="_blank">ammonitepress.com/miss-god</a></i></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i><a href="https://www.clausmikosch.com/books" target="_blank">clausmikosch.com/books</a></i></div>
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<br />Claus Mikoschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934895210127975617noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414508480529938481.post-26151699532025445422020-03-20T08:56:00.000+01:002020-03-20T08:57:42.017+01:00Love explosionMy grandmother once told
me that she saw Adolf Hitler giving a speech in a big stadium.
Sometime in the 1930's, a few years before the war. She had been
totally fascinated by him, how he had managed to unite the huge crowd
and made everyone cheer. She said she just couldn't have imagined
that it all might go horribly wrong. And then it did.<br />
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
My mother has always lived
in a healthy way. Good food, exercise, very few drugs and lots of
compassion. Life hasn't always been easy and she hasn't done
everything perfectly right, but things seemed to be going well. She
never imagined that something could go seriously wrong. And then, two
months ago, she was diagnosed with a severe cancer.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
In January of this year,
around the time my mother heard the bad diagnosis, I read about a
virus spreading in China. It seemed far away and I felt it had
nothing to do with me. In February I went with my girlfriend to
Madrid when the first case of the new coronavirus was detected in the
Spanish capital. Still, it seemed pretty irrelevant to my life. I
didn't think that it could affect me. A few weeks later, Madrid
and the rest of Europe are in lockdown, my Mom is in the high risk
group and the world has turned upside down.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Can it get any worse? Oh
yes! Just like with the Covid19 situation, the climate crisis is seen
by many as unnecessary panic-making too. It's far away, climate
activists are called hysterical alarmists and many think it won't
really cause them any problems. But just as the virus is growing
exponentially right now, the climate problems are growing
exponentially as well. And their possible consequences are far worse
than what we are experiencing at present with Covid19. That's right,
far worse!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I think the real crisis we
are facing is a crisis of imagination. It's really difficult to understand
exponential growth, what it means when suddenly everything
accelerates and spins out of control. Perhaps this current virus
crisis can provide some learning. If not, here's a great video by
Chris Martenson explaining it: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijf7UxI7EFE" target="_blank">Compounding is the problem</a> </div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
But the crisis of
imagination isn't only about our failure of reading early alarm signs
and acting accordingly in order to prevent an apocalypse. There's
also a lack of being able to imagine something better. How can we
create a healthier world if we don't have any vision of a bright
future?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Watching TV and Netflix,
warming up precooked food and consuming the art of others are all
pleasant pastimes, but none of them really help to develop our
imagination. They make us ever more passive and don't lead to
creative action. So how can we train our imagination? The answer is
simple: by using it.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Read a book. Cook a meal. Paint a picture. Play a song. Invent a game. Write a story. Sit in silence.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
All of these things allow
your mind to expand, instead of keeping it imprisoned. Opening up to new
possibilities, instead of holding on to something that is old and
broken and won't last anyway. You don't even need to leave the house
to do all this, so maybe right now is a good time to start.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
And yes, it's a difficult
situation. When you're locked up at home, unable to hug or even see
your loved ones, watching the collapse of the economy and feeling the
threat of uncertainty, what hope is there? Even worse, you see that
we continue talking about money the whole time, and as we're sitting
in safe houses with enough food and good internet, we let 20,000
refugees rot on a Greek island. No, not because of Covid19 – we've
been already doing this all those years when everything seemed fine.
We deserve this crisis. We actually deserve much worse.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
In the end, the only hope
that is left is the very thing that got us into this mess:
exponential growth. Racism, cancer, the virus; greed, selfishness and
stupidity – they all exploded. But perhaps love can explode too.
Perhaps wisdom and solidarity can also grow exponentially. A utopian
dream, but a dream nevertheless.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
If not now, when?</div>
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If not us, who?</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.clausmikosch.com/" target="_blank">www.clausmikosch.com</a></div>
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<br />Claus Mikoschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934895210127975617noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414508480529938481.post-62786653849683275972020-02-20T10:52:00.000+01:002020-02-20T10:52:10.798+01:00The relationship between frog eggs and happinessMy 17 year-old daughter
showed me her maths homework the other day. It was an A4 sheet with
lots of derivations. When I was her age, I did my A-levels in maths
and understood all this quite well. Now I look at it and I might as
well try and read a Chinese shopping list.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrGFoLxCNvfS5Hr2667U0nIFolsHNdGyl2x8D5dNsY5NFK8hGMvDBaBqu4b2CYBRYpUUnFNS5pwjG6al0xUqyl6fyrs5BOc5E0ywPKVGvq5GLzg6CzF0NDrymsIPs9p3GqORs0YMwP54nx/s1600/Frog+eggs+and+happiness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1181" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrGFoLxCNvfS5Hr2667U0nIFolsHNdGyl2x8D5dNsY5NFK8hGMvDBaBqu4b2CYBRYpUUnFNS5pwjG6al0xUqyl6fyrs5BOc5E0ywPKVGvq5GLzg6CzF0NDrymsIPs9p3GqORs0YMwP54nx/s400/Frog+eggs+and+happiness.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
My daughter spends vast
amounts of time learning these strange calculations, just as I have
done many years ago. Here's the sad thing about it: Seeing her
efforts on paper, I told her that I have never ever used any of it
since I left school. Not once in 25 years! If I had become an
engineer or astrophysicist, it would have been different of course,
but how many end up becoming engineers and astrophysicists? In other
words: A class of 20 students has to suffer, only because one or two
of them might need that stuff for their future careers. Maybe we'd be
better off learning things that are actually useful to us, because
isn't school supposed to prepare us for life?</div>
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<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Over Christmas I went with
my girlfriend to the mountains. When we checked in to our little
apartment, the woman of the local holiday flat agency showed us
around before asking us to pay. 180 Euros. They had kindly organized
some firewood for the chimney, so that was another 7 Euros. She took
her phone, opened the calculator app and typed in 180+7. I glanced at
my girlfriend, wondering whether it was a joke. “187 please”, the
woman said. As we had forgotten the money in the car, the three of us
went back to the place where we had left it. We got the money out and
were about to pay, when she said that they could also rent us a parking
place in a garage. Another 15 Euros. “Fine”, we said
and gave her 202 Euros. She started to panic and searched for her
phone. Only after checking with her calculator, we were free to go.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Maybe it would be an idea
that all students learn to properly calculate 180+7 before they fill
their brains with derivations. You know, stuff that everyone needs in
life.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Maybe another idea would
be to reduce the time spent studying the anatomy of tiny frog eggs and instead
start teaching young people about happiness. Because I don't know
about you, but to me it seems that the one thing every single person
tries to find in life is happiness. Interestingly, at school nobody
learns how to do that. Is it surprising then that only few people
lead truly happy lives?
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Kids study derivations =
adults can't count.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Kids study frog eggs =
adults are depressed.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
In summary: Life is pretty
simple. We are the ones who make it complicated.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.clausmikosch.com/"><i>www.clausmikosch.com</i></a></div>
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<br />Claus Mikoschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934895210127975617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414508480529938481.post-36611155158558905562020-01-28T09:21:00.000+01:002020-01-28T09:21:08.469+01:00Learning to dance againEarlier this month we
hosted a 20's Swing party to welcome and celebrate the new decade.
Everyone came dressed up in suits and feathers, there were old
newspaper articles on the wall and uplifting swing tunes made
everybody move. Fun times!<br />
<br />
In preparation of
the party I had watched some videos of people dancing the Lindy Hop
and the Charleston. People from 100 years ago and the people of
today. And what struck me most was that they all looked so incredibly
happy!<br />
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<span lang="en-GB"><br /></span></div>
</div>
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<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
Change of subject
(but don't worry, we'll get back to the dancing). One year ago, I
wrote a <a href="http://clausmikosch.blogspot.com/2019/01/change-of-direction.html" target="_blank">blog post</a> about how evil Amazon is and how I wanted to
change my shopping habits. Back then, I promised to reflect on this
process one year later, so...</div>
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<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I failed. Not completely
and utterly, but there's no point in denying that I bought far too
much stuff on Amazon in 2019. Some purchases I can kind of justify
(music – so far, I haven't found a good alternative for buying
MP3s), others are simply wrong (books!). I used Amazon less often
than in 2018, but I haven't reduced it anywhere near as much as I
would have liked to. Hence, I still contributed far too much money to
a world I don't agree with. My actions have helped to close more
independent shops and give more power to an already scary giant. Why
didn't I do more?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The main reason is
comfort. Yes, it's ridiculously comfortable to shop on Amazon. The
same is true for other things – flying is less of a hassle than
organizing a long train ride; ready-made-meals are less
time-consuming than a home-cooked diet that is healthy for us and our
planet. Maybe comfort is what's going to kill us in the end?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I could easily get
depressed over my lacking action. I could give up and surrender to
the darkness unfolding in front of us – a world with chaotic
weather, no fish and artificial trees, and no shops except Amazon.
Depressing indeed! What can I do to stop myself from entering this
futuristic void?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The answer is 'something'.
Ideally, we'd change all of our bad habits right now, but for some
strange reason, that's not happening. However, there is a lot of
space between 'perfect change' and 'no change'. Doing something is
better than doing nothing.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-GB">There's this phrase
I've heard my Dad say many times, almost like a mantra: </span><span lang="en-GB"><i>“You
will never fail as long as you keep trying.” </i></span><span lang="en-GB">Falling
and getting up again. That goes for learning to walk as much as for
learning to change bad habits. One step at a time, on and on.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
So, I guess my Amazon
lesson continues. And in case you’re facing a similar challenge,
here's some more inspiration from Kurt Vonnegut:</div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i>I tell my wife I'm
going out to buy an envelope. “Oh,” she says, “you're not a
poor man. You know, why don't you go online and buy a hundred
envelopes and put them in the closet?” And so I pretend not to hear
her. And go out to get an envelope because I'm going to have a hell
of a good time in the process of buying one envelope. I meet a lot of
people. And see some great looking babes. And a fire-engine goes by.
And I give them the thumbs up. And I'll ask a woman what kind of dog
that is. And, and I don't know. The moral of the story is: We're here
on Earth to fart around. And, of course, computers will do us out of
that. And what the computer people don't realize, or they don't care,
is we're dancing animals. You know, we love to move around. And it's
like we're not supposed to dance at all anymore.</i></div>
<div align="RIGHT" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>(Kurt
Vonnegut – 'A Man Without a Country')</i></span></div>
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<div align="CENTER" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.clausmikosch.com/">www.clausmikosch.com</a></span></div>
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Claus Mikoschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934895210127975617noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414508480529938481.post-81214119238621648142019-12-16T11:00:00.000+01:002019-12-16T11:00:58.152+01:00See the beautyHave you noticed that most
climate change deniers are from the right political spectrum? And how
is it that musicians, writers and filmmakers, are usually from the
left? I have no idea about the artist’s conundrum, but I've found a
good explanation for the first observation.<br />
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-GB"><i>It isn't a
coincidence that scepticism about climate change tends to be the
preserve of the nationalist right. You rarely see left-wing
socialists tweet that climate change is a Chinese hoax. When there is
no national answer, but only a global answer to the problem of global
warming, some nationalist politicians prefer to believe the problem
doesn't exist. (<a href="https://www.ynharari.com/book/21-lessons/" target="_blank">Yuval Noah Harari</a></i></span><span lang="en-GB"><i>)</i></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I'm not really a patriotic
person myself, never have been, don't know why. I don't mind if
others are – as long as a little bit of patriotism doesn't turn
into full blown nationalism, with made-up countries becoming more
important than everybody's planet.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-GB">I also find it quite
annoying and sad when people become so obsessed with their national
identity they end up insulting everyone who threatens their view of
the world. Everything should stay as it is: borders, religion,
language, food and cheap flights. Ironically, those who stand behind
conservative values are the ones who keep attacking a sixteen-year
old girl from Sweden because she's fighting for the conservation of
the Earth.</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Greta Thunberg is one day
younger than my own daughter. When I read some of the comments about
her, the jokes about her illness, the mockery about her angry face,
the hateful rants – honestly, I'm lost for words. A teenager who
cares for the world and all living beings, who understands that we're
destroying our home – I mean, how fucked-up must you be to ridicule
her? Manipulated by the Elite? We are all manipulated by the Elite,
every day! What matters is that there's someone who loves life enough
to defend it.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-GB">I was recently at
the COP25, the climate summit in Madrid. There were over 500,000
people marching during the main demonstration – many of them were
there because, only one year ago, Greta decided to do something about
the climate emergency. One fifteen-year-old girl with a sign. If you
can't see the beauty and the power in this story, and the hope
within, then try harder. Because it's all there.</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I walked amongst friends
and those 500,000 people, and one day later we joined Extinction
Rebellion who had blocked the Gran Vía, one of the main shopping
streets in Madrid, in an act of disco disobedience. Combining climate
action with a celebration of life.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_X-IEoXCm2LvavgTh4800Wca-b5j6NOBtM8MgYaCXafW8i5yXRhMtGK_yecNn1a0n-OZEGvk_ofVrIdKDM7oMWrKOtKdR14iAwzxKKfrbaziW-811AbPNF86Hf0zB9IyQmJVc5fpN1gnx/s1600/See+the+beauty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1181" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_X-IEoXCm2LvavgTh4800Wca-b5j6NOBtM8MgYaCXafW8i5yXRhMtGK_yecNn1a0n-OZEGvk_ofVrIdKDM7oMWrKOtKdR14iAwzxKKfrbaziW-811AbPNF86Hf0zB9IyQmJVc5fpN1gnx/s400/See+the+beauty.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-GB">I always promote and
work on personal change – keeping money in an ethical bank, buying
more local and organic products, less meat, less flights, etc. And
while this is super important, political activism is needed too. If
we don't demand change, hardly anything will happen. Hence, it's
vital that more and more people join the different movements
campaigning for climate justice. If not now – when? If not you –
who?</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The recent experience in
Madrid has also shown me how much fun activism can be, how it
connects you to others, making you feel less alone in all this mess
we've created. Being surrounded by people who believe in solutions,
who complain less and act more, has a deeply healing effect. To me,
it felt like a big injection of hope!</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Here's a video of our
trip, including the demonstration and disco disobedience:</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwZAPJlNorU" target="_blank">CHANGE IS HAPPENING</a></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwZAPJlNorU" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg2o5BntQsFWXgKHNcWj2NplA-nvMV6vdRCQybpBwaHnv097ayqjU5dZNA9Gig5Bcf3_pZnbIxF2jWpdRwLsmnVu5aAMFFiI1xDFM-WOHbFLxd-pQzEaWqeUPGx3vnneWVDyNG4x-eSo75/s400/Change+is+happening+2+-+cover.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i><a href="http://www.clausmikosch.com/">www.clausmikosch.com</a></i></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />Claus Mikoschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934895210127975617noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414508480529938481.post-70004753973186920722019-11-11T12:14:00.000+01:002019-11-11T12:14:55.355+01:00Blessed be the climate crisisDo you ever get tired of
the human drama? I do. All the conflicts over resources, over money,
borders and power. A never-ending soap opera, sadistic and silly,
loud and utterly unnecessary. It can be frustrating and depressing to
watch, sometimes it makes me angry, other times sad and only very
rarely it makes me laugh. Probably the only thing I should do
more of. Laughing. A comedy, disguised as tragedy.<br />
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Here we are, floating in
space on a beautiful planet. We have enough land to feed everyone,
enough shelter to protect everyone, and enough talent to entertain
everyone. But do we have enough love to care for everyone?</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
According to historians,
we live in the most peaceful times ever. While this may be true, it's
kind of irrelevant. Just because we went from 'extremely violent' to
'very violent', does that justify the status quo? No. it doesn't. The
global ecosystem is sick. People, plants and the planet are
suffering, from illness and madness. And it seems to be getting
worse.
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Wherever you look, people
are divided. It's left against right, rich against poor, white
against black. Like in sports, an endless competition. Barcelona vs
Madrid, Tories vs Labour, Christianity vs Islam, Europe vs Africa.
We're all different, yes, and some want to compete, fine. That's why
there's football. Watch a game, raise your flag and enjoy the fight,
great! But if children are starving, it's not a game anymore. If
people don't feel safe because of their skin colour, their god or
their passport, it's not a competition anymore. It's an attack on
humanity!</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
So let's play God for a
moment. You look down on your creation and see the messy state of the
world, bursting with selfishness, ignorance and destruction. What
would you do? Perhaps something which forces all humans to
come together. They won't do it voluntarily, so there needs to be
certain pressure to get them into action. A threat. An emergency.
Something to shake them up.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Something like crazy
weather for example. Caused by their own reckless consumption. The
whole climate out of control, with floods and droughts, hurricanes
and heat waves, rising sea levels and hundreds of millions of
migrants. It will be all or nothing – genocide and extinction, or
peace and love.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Maybe it's our only chance
to become truly human. One species, friendly, kind and generous,
celebrating the gift we were given. Cooperation instead of
competition, helping hands and no division, a utopian paradise.
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I'm tired of dreaming. If
it's really our only chance, then blessed be the climate crisis.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSmIay82UXb3oGimkY7h_aGXgKP2KSC1GMxK3cA59mP0gkjw53FzQ5tA4DMu7jJfDvkJB1HfYPwoxkN91oici093og3pimcpviec6Ceeotf2c1eJxVNVsk0EGYp_z2fFKqbj2d7kxem9c7/s1600/Blessed+be+the+climate+crisis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1181" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSmIay82UXb3oGimkY7h_aGXgKP2KSC1GMxK3cA59mP0gkjw53FzQ5tA4DMu7jJfDvkJB1HfYPwoxkN91oici093og3pimcpviec6Ceeotf2c1eJxVNVsk0EGYp_z2fFKqbj2d7kxem9c7/s400/Blessed+be+the+climate+crisis.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<i><a href="http://www.clausmikosch.com/">www.clausmikosch.com</a></i></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Claus Mikoschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934895210127975617noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414508480529938481.post-91449981396736538672019-10-08T10:26:00.000+02:002019-10-08T10:27:08.483+02:00An old friend<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Netflix, Youtube,
Instagram – never before has there been so much competition for
books. Not surprisingly, the number of readers is constantly falling.
6 million less since 2012, just in Germany! So to be in the book
business in the year 2019, you have to be either very courageous or
very stupid.
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i>Courage is
knowing it might hurt, but doing it anyway.</i></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i>Stupidity
is the same.</i></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i>And that's
why life is hard.</i></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 8pt;">(Jeremy
Goldberg)</span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
In 2005, I decided to
write a book. For no other reason but wanting to write a book. Why
not? I finished it, and it was pretty crap. The following year I
wrote another one, didn't finish it. Then, in 2007, I wrote another
one. I liked it and decided to publish it, despite
being called a stupid time-waster. I don't know if it
was a courageous act, but at least to me, it didn't seem stupid. I
just did it anyway, why not?</div>
<br />
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Today, this book
(including its three sequels) has sold over 200,000 copies and has
been published in six countries. The book is called THE LITTLE
BUDDHA. Not about <i>the</i> Buddha, nor about Buddhism, it tells
stories about life, viewed through the eyes of a young traveller. In
Germany and Austria, it's been a bestseller for the last six years,
there are editions in India and Korea, and Russia is knocking on the
door too. Furthermore, the first two parts were just released in the UK
by Ammonite press, with amazing new illustrations by Kate Chesterton.<br />
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia6fOpvjYQCielRZ5qdZ4EYpNyF5QhsQGsJNB2LpWQnSE_O-v19gyYEDvRGeEBZwuQD48clXhBSEF8s3hU1d-8eyKSqlYfRfIYqmltJWwOxKFwddzXcP1ALDWjKpoAhxtJzK0kf9IS9cfV/s1600/An+old+friend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1181" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia6fOpvjYQCielRZ5qdZ4EYpNyF5QhsQGsJNB2LpWQnSE_O-v19gyYEDvRGeEBZwuQD48clXhBSEF8s3hU1d-8eyKSqlYfRfIYqmltJWwOxKFwddzXcP1ALDWjKpoAhxtJzK0kf9IS9cfV/s400/An+old+friend.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Looking at the current
success, two things are easily overlooked. 1) I didn't just jump from
'stupid-guy-trying-to-write-a-book' to 'global-bestselling-author'.
It was a difficult journey. And it still is. 2) Just because I wrote
a bestseller, doesn't mean I can relax and drink champagne all day.
With each new book, I still have to work hard and hope to find a
merciful publisher. And not only that. If you buy one of my books for
ten Euros, I get about fifty cents on average. Industry standard. I
feel very privileged and grateful that I can make a living as a
writer, but if you think I'm rich, well, do your own maths.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
'Money is not everything'
– a ridiculously simplified and totally overused phrase! And yet,
there's a lot of truth in it. But this truth is so simple that we
often fail to give it its deserved attention. Like many of those
simple truths. Living in the moment, accepting change, sharing love.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
One of my favourite
reviews of The Little Buddha came from a good friend of mine. His
summary: “It's basically spirituality for dummies.” It was a very
honest and authentic comment, and it is true. The only question is,
who isn't a dummy? Because really, we are all dumb sometimes.
Thinking stupid things, doing stupid things and making the same
stupid mistakes again and again. We often assume we know all life
wisdom, but we don't. Or least we don't apply it.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Over the years, I received
lots of messages from readers. Many told me that the books helped
them during hard times; depressions were lifted, families healed and
souls inspired. Some found new meaning in life, others were happy to
find old answers. All of these messages mean a lot to me, because
they are proof that the payment for my work doesn't only consist of
money. Apart from hard cash, I'm also being paid with gratitude, love
and the priceless feeling of making a difference.
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The Little Buddha has
become a really good friend. Every two years or so, I sit down with
him, decide on a trip and set off. We travel to mountains and
deserts, past rivers and through woods; we meet people on our way,
beautiful ones and strange ones, like the generous chef, the blind
witch or the crazy clairvoyant. We ask questions and sometimes we
find answers. The first journey was all about FINDING HAPPINESS, then
we were LOOKING FOR LOVE and learned about EMBRACING CHANGE. This
year we were EXPLORING TIME, and the next trip will take us
to...we'll see.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The first part of The
Little Buddha is dedicated to friendship. I wrote it for my friends,
not knowing at the time that the act of writing would create a new
friend. A very special friend who keeps reminding me of the little
life treasures that I keep forgetting. Someone who shows me with kind
and simple words how vast my stupidity is, each time I don't learn my
lesson, or each time I treat the beautiful gift of existence like an
annoying ordeal. Life ain't that difficult. We make it
difficult.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Long story short: Thank
you, dear old friend aka THE LITTLE BUDDHA.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="http://www.clausmikosch.com/books" target="_blank">www.clausmikosch.com/books</a></div>
<br />
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
Facebook @ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thelittlebuddha/" target="_blank">thelittlebuddha</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Instagram @ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/the.little.buddha/" target="_blank">the.little.buddha</a></div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />Claus Mikoschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934895210127975617noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414508480529938481.post-61283626824351310272019-09-24T09:27:00.000+02:002019-09-24T09:27:20.576+02:00Between hopelessness and hopeA few million activists
demonstrated for more climate action last week; the vast majority of
scientists agree that, while the climate is changing naturally, human
action accelerates this change, making it much more difficult,
perhaps even impossible for us to adapt to the new living conditions. And no, the Earth doesn't care about a few degrees more or less – it's all
about us (and thousands of other species, but hey, let's ignore these
for now, otherwise it will get too depressing).<br />
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Facts are clear,
consciousness is rising. But there are still far too many who think
this is all exaggerated, or that it's some kind of master plan of the
evil elite. The climate is fine, we are fine, let's just keep going
and burn everything to the ground. Worst of all, our governments seem
to think in similar ways. How else can you explain their complete
failure of adequate action? In England they are busy with Brexit, in
Spain they'll soon have the fourth general election in four years,
and in Germany the coalition government just announced a new climate
deal which is, quite frankly, a joke.
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
So what to do?
Surrendering? Trying to be happy as long as possible, choosing some
nice drugs and closing the eyes? It's definitely a possibility. But
as a friend pointed out recently, if you give up on hope, what's the
point in living?</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
But if we don't want to surrender,
then what? Is it enough to change the plastic bag for a cotton one?
To like a few posts on Facebook and get angry about the status quo?
Surely not. As George Monbiot said in a short but very appropriate
statement, we have to “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir-XjQhOyNQ" target="_blank">stop pissing around at the margins of the problem</a>”.<br />
<br />
At this point, everyone who doesn't want to change usually blames China and India. "If they don't do anything, why should I bother?" This is one of the most ridiculous arguments ever! I think it's fairly obvious that the 'West' was the first to benefit greatly from resource exploitation and the consumerist growth madness which has become the new religion. If we were the ones who set the bad example, we should be the ones who now set a good example.<br />
<br />
Who knows, we might be screwed already, but if you are not
ready to give up hope just yet, here are three things which are said
to really make a difference:</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<ol>
<li><div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Meat and dairy</b>
– changing to a plant based diet is a big one. Not only in terms
of slowing down climate change and stopping unnecessary torture and
killing, but also in terms of effort. It's hard to change your diet.
Like smoking, it's a habit. No more burgers? No more cheese, juicy
chicken and coffee with real milk? I'm not pointing the finger here,
I still consume all of these things myself. But it's just not good
enough to not do anything. So if you can't jump into the crystal
clear but very cold water of veganism, why not starting with a few
small steps? If everybody reduced their meat and dairy intake, the
joint effort would result in a huge reduction. Not enough, but much
better than nothing. If you eat meat every day, try a few meat-free days
each week; if you eat meat three times each week, change to once a
week. Try different milk (oat, almond, rice), buy less cheese and
learn to make good humus. And don't try to be perfect, just
better.<br />
<br /></div>
</li>
<li><div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Flights</b> –
there are about <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/flights-sky-map-worldwide-air-traffic-aviation-busiest-day-june-a8428451.html" target="_blank">200,000 flights</a> in the world, each day! That's pure poison for the atmosphere, period. Do we really need to
fly across the continent for a weekend trip? Do we need to have
monthly business meetings in London or New York, when video
conferences work brilliantly? Do we need to celebrate weddings in
Bali?</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Admittedly, sometimes
it's not easy to avoid flying in a hyper-connected world full of
possibilities. If my daughter wants to travel the world one day,
would I tell her she shouldn't do that? If you live in Europe and
have family in Australia, should you go by boat each time you want
to see your loved ones? What if you only have one week off work and
don't have time to travel by train? Or the occasional business
meeting which is really necessary, what to do?</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
As with meat and dairy,
the focus should be on reducing as much as possible. It's better to
fly less, than not changing at all. And for those times when it
can't be avoided, offsetting your CO<span style="font-size: xx-small;">2</span>
output is also better than not doing anything. If you don't know
about it, check out sites like <a href="https://www.atmosfair.de/en/" target="_blank">ATMOSFAIR</a> where you can
compensate for your air pollution by paying a bit extra and thus
contributing to reforestation and other ecological projects.
Basically, you pay trees to clean up your mess.<br />
<br /></div>
</li>
<li><div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Activism</b> –
every single action is important, but without political change on a
big scale, we won't save us. We're probably simply too selfish and
too stupid to do it all voluntarily as individuals. And in order for
big political change to happen, politicians need to be put under
pressure. They have to be guided by the
people. A critical mass has to be reached, enough people who say we
need a drastic change of direction if we don't want to crash into
the wall. One has to start, many have to join – Greta Thunberg and
the <a href="https://www.fridaysforfuture.org/" target="_blank">Fridays for future</a> movement is a great example.
<a href="https://rebellion.earth/" target="_blank">Extinction rebellion</a> is another, and there are many more. As
one banner on last week's demonstration read: 'The oceans are
rising, so are we!'</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDhSo7Wb9B1W5JazByWbTz4ILJ37issEta51fs3J2uDS58gPVBtC47QV7E1JOkgiMlryzoJ_JqYwYP2hUi8s7RQeI50ozzSc99ccgPkRUM94wdrB1KdMKCaBCkjufruBYyX-JfbXc_i1R/s1600/Between+hopelessness+and+hope.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1181" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDhSo7Wb9B1W5JazByWbTz4ILJ37issEta51fs3J2uDS58gPVBtC47QV7E1JOkgiMlryzoJ_JqYwYP2hUi8s7RQeI50ozzSc99ccgPkRUM94wdrB1KdMKCaBCkjufruBYyX-JfbXc_i1R/s400/Between+hopelessness+and+hope.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
And no, it's not all about
the climate. It's about nature, our home. Most actions which slow
down climate change also reduce the destruction and pollution of this
planet. In other words, even if you don't believe in human-induced
climate change – do you really want to live in a shithole?</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
I don't.
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<i><a href="http://www.clausmikosch.com/">www.clausmikosch.com</a></i></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Claus Mikoschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934895210127975617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414508480529938481.post-48984074719425206972019-08-19T10:23:00.000+02:002019-08-19T10:23:02.190+02:00Free waterSummer, over 30°C outside
and they cut off the water in our flat. The
previous tenants didn't pay their bills, there were letters from
lawyers and even the police came for a friendly visit. At some point
the water company had enough and that was it. Since the
responsibility lies with the owners of the flat – a company owning
the whole urbanisation – they connected us to the communal water
system until they solve the problem. Water is flowing, so all is
good.<br />
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
A few days ago I was
watering the plants on the terrace when it suddenly dawned on me:
this water is free! No matter how much I give to the plants, how long I
take showers and how thoroughly I wash the dishes – for the time
being, I won't pay a single cent. So my first thought was 'great, I
can use more water than I usually do!' My second thought, however,
was 'why would I want to waste water?'</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
We're living in wasteful
times. If there is an offer of 50% extra tomatoes for free, instinct
yells 'take it!' The 50% extra tomatoes will probably rot in the
fridge, because most people don't need 50% extra food. Same with
clothes: buy three shirts, get one free. I only need one, but hey,
I'd be stupid if I didn't grab the opportunity. We waste food and
packaging; we fly on weekend trips around the continent because it's
so damn cheap; we enjoy millions of songs on Spotify, accepting that
artists receive next to nothing for their work; we demand free
banking when there is no such thing as free banking without
investments in highly profitable (and ruthless!) war business.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Somewhere, someone is
paying for the stuff we think is free. The farmer, for example, who
gets less for his harvest from the supermarket wholesaler, or the
employee who is under pressure to sow more shirts. Countless souls
pay with their sweat and time and the planet suffers and cries.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Now, you could say it's no big
deal to waste a bit of water. It's not. The big deal is the
underlying mindset which leads us to believe that free stuff is
actually free. It's a delusion of separation – thinking that we
aren't connected to everyone and everything else. We assume it's okay
to waste some resources because our small actions don't make a
difference anyway. But far from it! It's one big hyper-connected
world in which all actions do make a difference. The only question
is: does my action make it a tiny bit better, or worse?</div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhroPyPqKzCl_RvbNg9fiUfFpg4BVVQtvr16QPdWfh3cmcHoFV9veleMmsY6s58D5FDId5AM2OAxC3k87P0C6r8Ib3n245KybHsZooiSI7SXdD4e9INrPGJIxCEGglp0lYeOOhQbdcg1DgI/s1600/Free+water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1181" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhroPyPqKzCl_RvbNg9fiUfFpg4BVVQtvr16QPdWfh3cmcHoFV9veleMmsY6s58D5FDId5AM2OAxC3k87P0C6r8Ib3n245KybHsZooiSI7SXdD4e9INrPGJIxCEGglp0lYeOOhQbdcg1DgI/s400/Free+water.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://www.clausmikosch.com/">www.clausmikosch.com</a></div>
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<br />Claus Mikoschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934895210127975617noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414508480529938481.post-75808172902916501802019-07-11T11:13:00.000+02:002019-07-11T11:13:22.004+02:00I love this worldIt's a bizarre place we're
living in, the world of humans. And it's seriously fucked up, too.
There are many examples, but recently I stumbled across something
which beautifully illustrates the level of madness we've reached.
It's rather comical, at least the beginning of it.<br />
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Have you heard of the MLE?
The first two letters stand for Major League – there's a Major
League Baseball (MLB), a Major League Soccer (MLS), a Major League
Wrestling (MLW). So what about the E in MLE? Equestrianism perhaps?
Elephant riding? No. It's Eating.
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i>Major League Eating
(MLE)<b> </b>is an organization that organizes professional competitive
eating events. (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_League_Eating" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</i></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Basically, a bunch of
weirdos come together once in a while, get served a certain type of
food and whoever eats most in a set time, wins. Thousands of dollars
of price money are handed out and millions watch the battle on TV.
Here are some of the records of recent years:</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Hot Dogs – 74 in 10
minutes</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Pasta – 4.5 kilos
(Spaghetti and sauce) in 8 minutes</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Eggs – 141 hard boiled
eggs in 8 minutes</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Onions – 3.8 kilos in 1
minute (picture yourself doing it)</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Cheesecake – 5 kilos in
9 minutes</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Frozen Yogurt – 4.7
kilos in 6 minutes</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Mars Bars – 38 in 5
minutes</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
If you want more examples,
just check out the <a href="https://majorleagueeating.com/records/" target="_blank">MLE records</a>. And if you haven't vomited already, here's a yummy video of
the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAS8GAm-TMg" target="_blank">74 hot dogs record</a>.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Does anyone still think
we've evolved since Roman times? The clothes are different and there
are cameras today, but otherwise it's the same sickening feast as two
thousand years ago. Probably even worse.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Now, in a fair and just
world, it wouldn't really be a problem. If everybody had enough food,
we could laugh at twenty people behaving like pigs. The thing is
though, the world is far from being fair and just. Yes, we've made
some impressive technological progress, but beyond that, the human
race is as stupid as ever. And as ignorant.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
People who died of hunger
in 2019 (first six months): <a href="https://www.theworldcounts.com/counters/global_hunger_statistics/how_many_people_die_from_hunger_each_year" target="_blank">18,820,789</a></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Just step out of your own
daily drama for a moment and look at that last number again. Over 18 million human beings have starved to death this year, while
in a different part on the same planet, in the so-called civilized
world, people are heroes because they eat 74 hot dogs in 10 minutes.
I mean, if you met a friendly alien and he or she asked you about it,
what would you say? Didn't know? Didn't care? Shit happens?
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqiWfdXoZ1Srk571g9qsHkl71-6f9SkyiBLYp3NaaYKlEFHKeDU0dGA_0_PRRZufS0IAUphVh5novBCRS2HXjhl6AO8BinnVubKyfeu0MTonZQdqjEIhxCqpp9DAJT6PtiBXSFGC27z0r/s1600/I+love+this+world.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1181" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqiWfdXoZ1Srk571g9qsHkl71-6f9SkyiBLYp3NaaYKlEFHKeDU0dGA_0_PRRZufS0IAUphVh5novBCRS2HXjhl6AO8BinnVubKyfeu0MTonZQdqjEIhxCqpp9DAJT6PtiBXSFGC27z0r/s400/I+love+this+world.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Of course it's neither
your fault nor mine. Or is it? True, neither of us has eaten five
kilos of frozen yogurt. We'd probably be dead. And neither of us has
let a fellow human starve to death in front of our doorstep. But fact
is, in a world which has enough food for everyone, every second a
person dies of hunger. This is just sick. And in one way or another,
we help to keep this sick system going. Through ignorance, through
greed, through selfishness. It's really really sad and heartbreaking,
it makes me angry and disillusioned and I wonder whether we actually
deserve to live. So much unnecessary suffering and so many people who
don't give a shit. Hope? Almost gone.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
And yet, strange as it may
sound, despite all cruelty and stupidity, I still love this world.
It's beautiful and special and I'm happy to be here. Each and every
moment, somewhere on this globe, people help each other, care for
another and love each other. Someone is planting a tree right now,
believing in a fruitful future; some are sharing food, others are
changing their selfish attitude. It's not always easy to see, but
loving action, coming straight from the heart, is practised by
millions all the time. And as long as there's love, it ain't over
yet. For love can make it better.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<i><a href="http://www.clausmikosch.com/">www.clausmikosch.com</a></i></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br />Claus Mikoschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934895210127975617noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414508480529938481.post-55145259101141586252019-06-03T12:56:00.000+02:002019-06-03T12:56:07.694+02:00Green dictatorshipDo you care when a product
suddenly costs 5 or 10 cents more? Say a bar of chocolate, 5 cents
more; or some fresh pasta, 10 cents more. Would you stop buying
chocolate and pasta because of a few cents? Probably not.<br />
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The other day I was in a
supermarket, standing at checkout and watching what others bought.
Most customers, when asked if they want a plastic bag, nodded and
usually even ordered more than one. It was 10 cents per bag.
Students, pensioners, socialists and fascists – no one hesitated to
pay a little extra.
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
So, here's the question: What's the point of charging 10 cents for a plastic bag? Supposedly
it's a 'green' thing, trying to convince people to save the planet.
But no one cares about 10 cents, so it's not working, is it? If you
want to make a difference, dear politician and supermarket owner,
charge one Euro per bag. Or even better, two or three. If people had to pay that sort of money for a single bag, you'd bound to see a
miracle: within a few weeks, everyone would suddenly remember to bring
a reusable bag from home. Problem solved.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Another question: Is it
essential for a happy life to have cheap flights? Yes, it's nice if
relatively poor people can afford a weekend trip to Lisbon, too, but
is it necessary? No, it's not. And so why is kerosene not taxed? In
Europe, no airline pays tax for the fuel they use, but, even worse,
every train operator does. Perhaps not the best strategy to promote
environmentally friendly travelling...</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
People are stupid,
unfortunately we can't change that. We are selfish and short-sighted
beings, and very slow learners. That's just the way it is. However, can you really trust seven billion monkeys to
make the needed changes so they don't destroy the planet they live
on? I'm all for individual responsibility and grassroots action,
but...we are monkeys. Some are kind and some are clever, but even the
kindest and most intelligent ones are still facing the limitations of their stupid and selfish nature. Mind you, I wouldn't be surprised if
some real monkeys out there would feel offended by this comparison, because I don't think real monkeys would cut down the forest they
live in. So let's forget monkeys. We're actually much inferior.
More like brainless bacteria.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Now, how can you make sure
that the human bacteria doesn't eat up its home? You need a dictator!
A good, green dictator. Someone who decides that, from today, bags
are 3 Euros each. 5 cents go to the Supermarket, 2.95 Euros to
reforestation and ocean cleaning projects. Flights will be at least five times more expensive than the same journey by train. And like this
with everything else. Cheap meat? Nope. Cheap clothes? Nope. Cheap
plastic plates? You've guessed it.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Of course one could argue that rich people wouldn't be affected by this green dictatorship.
No matter the price, there'd be still many who'd be able to pay for
10 bags on each shopping tour, fly around the globe for weekend trips, eat
meat and fill their wardrobes until they burst. It's a problem –
lack of fairness always is. So maybe it would be better to simply ban
all of these things. I don't know. But any first step is better than
no step.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The real problem, however,
would be to find a perfect dictator. Remember, humans are brainless
bacteria who voluntarily vote people like Donald Trump and, soon to
come, Boris Johnson as their leaders. Sure, not all are that bad, but
if we look honestly at the situation, there simply might not be a
perfect dictator amongst us. So now what?</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Well, I'm afraid, we're
screwed. All we can do is shake our heads and hope that friendly aliens will come and rescue us.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /></div>
<br />Claus Mikoschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934895210127975617noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414508480529938481.post-70113244187433270622019-05-22T13:43:00.003+02:002019-05-22T13:43:56.783+02:00Make migration great againThe way things are going,
it's quite unlikely that the human species, or any species for that
matter, will survive. If you consider the continuous growth of
consumption and environmental destruction, I don't think anyone will
be here in one thousand years. And chances are good that we won't
even last another hundred.<br />
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
But if we do survive, what
is it going to look like? Will it be much fun to continue with all
the wars and abuse and the hateful existence? Living between dirty
rivers and hostile walls?</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Here's a little Utopia:</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Huge environmental
disasters will trigger the establishment of a global council of the
wise. Like the UN, just without corruption and with real power when
it comes to pollution of the land, the water and the air. And yes,
all those passionate conspiracy theorists out there, if you want you
can also call it a New World Order, I don't mind. Something NEW is
definitely needed. Actually, the choice we now face is between
something completely new or something completely dead. In this little
Utopia, we chose the new.
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
With environmental
protection being the number one priority, the selfish interests of
countries will lose importance. That doesn't mean that culture will
become unimportant too – culture is beautiful and hence it should
be treated accordingly. But most countries are too big to really
represent culture. Go to Andalusia and then to Galicia – same
country, but culturally they're worlds apart.
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
So in my little Utopia,
small regions are celebrated and respected, while at the same time a
global nature government protects the interests of planet Earth.
Also, culture will be seen as what it really is: A living organism
which is evolving like all other living organisms. People – all
people! – can roam the world freely and are welcomed with
curiosity, rather than rejected out of fear. No one will ask a
differently looking person for his or her migration background, but
for his or her migration foreground – because migration is nothing
to be ashamed of, nothing that should be hidden away; after all, it's
what makes life colourful!</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
There will be more
cooperation and less competition, plenty of Fusion festivals and no
fascist marches, clean rivers and friendly border patrols. And who knows,
perhaps, if people start to heal the hate within, there will be even
peace...</div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXp-FoRpPjETCfeOSedGn_bKQLf7WGOkEHWV0UXHc1QII4ArXAspn7CtB4uGNUSC5mm63yU_Cta8F9J1nFcuIXYri7ajLARZH0QVtihDoNn-JpDwgsQwMTLs_IPxk2zE4sfjVceg_3pdFa/s1600/Make+migration+great+again.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1181" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXp-FoRpPjETCfeOSedGn_bKQLf7WGOkEHWV0UXHc1QII4ArXAspn7CtB4uGNUSC5mm63yU_Cta8F9J1nFcuIXYri7ajLARZH0QVtihDoNn-JpDwgsQwMTLs_IPxk2zE4sfjVceg_3pdFa/s400/Make+migration+great+again.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I know, just a silly
Utopia by a guy who had a tiny moment of hope. But hey, what would we
do without Utopia? Surrender to misery?</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<i>Utopia is on the
horizon. I move two steps closer; it moves two steps further away. </i></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<i>I
walk another ten steps and then horizon runs ten steps away. </i></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<i>As much
as I may walk, I'll never reach it. So what's the point of Utopia? </i></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<i>The point is this: to keep walking. </i></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<i>(Eduardo Galeano)</i></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><a href="http://www.clausmikosch.com/">www.clausmikosch.com</a></i></div>
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />Claus Mikoschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934895210127975617noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414508480529938481.post-69725835843222833512019-04-19T11:31:00.000+02:002019-04-19T11:36:27.103+02:00Jesus was a BuddhistToday, almost 2000 years
ago, Jesus died on the cross. He was buried and two days later he
came back from the dead, sent by God. Known as the resurrection, it's
an event that is the foundation of the Christian faith. But was he
really sent by God? And did he actually die?<br />
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-GB">There is a period in
Jesus' life which is called </span><span lang="en-GB"><i>The lost
years</i></span><span lang="en-GB">, or, more poetically, </span><span lang="en-GB"><i>The
silent years</i></span><span lang="en-GB">. From the age of 12
to 29, there's a gap in his timeline, It's an accepted fact –
'modern mainstream Christian scholarship holds that nothing is known
about this time period in the life of Jesus' (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unknown_years_of_Jesus" target="_blank">source</a></span>)<span lang="en-GB">. There are all sorts of theories about these
missing years, the most common ones saying that he had worked as a
carpenter in Galilee or that he had studied in the desert. But
there's another one which sounds at least equally plausible </span>– including a fascinating twist of the known resurrection story! Here
it goes:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-GB">To '<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unknown_years_of_Jesus" target="_blank">improve and perfect himself in the divine understanding</a>'</span><span lang="en-GB">,
Jesus went to India. He studied with Brahmin priests in Odisha and
later travelled to the Himalayas where he spent many years in
monasteries, learning about Buddhism. There is an interesting
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xY0Ib3aPG6Y" target="_blank">documentary from the BBC</a> about this, where historians say that, in those times, it was a fairly simple
journey from the Middle East to India. I also read somewhere that
Jesus was seen as crazy in his teens, and well, if people think
you're crazy, what better place to go to than India? </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-GB">With 29 years, he
had learned enough and returned to his homeland in Galilee. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-GB">I've spent quite
some time in India in my early twenties – I know what it can do to
a young man. It certainly can make you even more crazy! But it can
also initiate a spiritual revolution within, it can take you to
beautiful deep places that basically change the way you look at life.
And yes, there's Buddhism too. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-GB">To me this theory makes
absolute sense. A young, curious guy goes to India, spends many years
learning and practising Buddhism, and then he comes back with a
bright smile and teaches what he's learned. People are first
intrigued, then fascinated and finally they follow him around,
because they want to be like him: happy.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-GB">Now, monks who are
very experienced with meditation are able to <a href="https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2002/04/meditation-changes-temperatures/" target="_blank">alter their body temperature</a> and also to <a href="https://skepticmeditations.com/2015/05/17/can-yogis-stop-their-heart/" target="_blank">lower their heart rate</a> significantly,
resulting in an almost absent pulse and no heart sounds. So what if
Jesus, the Buddhist hanging on the cross, had applied the breathing
and meditation techniques he had learned in the Himalayas? He would
have been declared dead (no one could have double-checked with an EEG back
then), put in a tomb and everyone would have thought he's dead. Two days later he climbs out and is the hero. Not that he cared to be the hero
(true Buddhists seldom do), but it was perhaps the only way to escape
death at the cross. Can't blame him for this little trick, can you?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-GB">If you strip the
teachings of Jesus of all the religious add-ons, at the core of it
all he talked about pretty much the same stuff as Buddha. Love,
compassion, peace. Therefore it's totally possible that Jesus was
actually a Buddhist, inspired by Buddha, sharing love and wisdom with
his fellow people. That he wasn't the son of God, but instead a
soul-searching Dude who got into meditation. Could have been you or
me...</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-GB">So why does this
matter? After all, it's just another story. Yet that's exactly why it
matters. They're all stories. Nobody can travel back in time and find
out for sure. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-GB">We need stories.
They inspire us, comfort us, give us hope and help us to connect with
each other. But the importance of a story isn't the historical
setting, it's not the details of events and characters and it doesn't even matter whether any of it has actually happened. All
these things are irrelevant. What's important is the message.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-GB"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyKOsCrR7YeeRtJuObh0j8415hJ2gSYEjfV20pQyqHFG1ndQzoLzGs1hI0QshVJUt7cucW8ZNyk4oW55y0poYc2N4Luv2noQ002jeRq5ZbQIA5w3EShpjpdls8-oThbkY0KFqnUq4meSbm/s1600/Jesus+was+a+Buddhist+-+love+compassion+peace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1181" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyKOsCrR7YeeRtJuObh0j8415hJ2gSYEjfV20pQyqHFG1ndQzoLzGs1hI0QshVJUt7cucW8ZNyk4oW55y0poYc2N4Luv2noQ002jeRq5ZbQIA5w3EShpjpdls8-oThbkY0KFqnUq4meSbm/s400/Jesus+was+a+Buddhist+-+love+compassion+peace.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><a href="http://www.clausmikosch.com/">www.clausmikosch.com</a></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
Claus Mikoschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934895210127975617noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414508480529938481.post-64298282976673840962019-03-11T18:28:00.000+01:002019-03-11T18:41:02.031+01:00The one trillion tax talkWould you like to pay less
tax? Less income tax on your earnings, less VAT on your purchases?
Having 30% more money at the beginning of the month and paying 20%
less on all things that can be bought? Sure you would – who
wouldn't?<br />
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Unless your tax consultant
is a genius though, or unless you're willing to fight a fierce David
vs Goliath battle with the tax office, you won't be enjoying the
benefits of less or no taxes. Or unless you are a powerful
corporation.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I don't know about you,
but I pay almost always the full tax. I don't mind doing it – I put
something into the big pot and then the government takes money from
this pot to finance hospitals, schools and roads, plus giving the
really poor a helping hand. A good and sensible invention, this tax
thing. Of course the government also does a lot of stupid things with
that money, like subsidizing already profitable or even harmful
businesses, fighting wars, building walls and so on. Enough material
for 50 years of blogging, but let's ignore it this time.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
A recent <a href="https://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2012/02/29/the-eu-tax-gap-new-evidence-shows-there-is-e1-trillion-of-lost-revenue-to-target-to-save-our-futures-from-despair/" target="_blank">study</a> estimates that 1,000,000,000,000 (one trillion) Euros are lost each year
in the EU from both tax avoidance and tax evasion. Even if the
estimate was bad and it came to only half of that, there'd be still
500 billion Euros lost each year. In other words, if everyone –
individual people and corporations – paid the tax that corresponds
to them, the EU would basically have no more financial problems. All
public debt would be paid off within nine years and absolutely
everyone would have their basic needs covered, such as education,
healthcare, food and a home. No higher taxes needed – just pay your
fair share. And yes, <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/amazon-taxes-zero-180337770.html?fbclid=IwAR3xQOfWwcpOYM2aOP_saog839KmJWrBOX9sCGFPYZHS2ZN9Mx9l9Oo7CFY" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, you too!</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;">“<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Tax
law should be enforced and all should be required to pay what is owed
by them. If that is not done actual inequality arises: those who pay
their taxes are worse off than those who do not. Resentment builds
amongst taxpayers and non-compliance increases. More worryingly
still, honest business is undermined by dishonest business. This
means that honest businesses are more likely to fail.” (<a href="https://ftalphaville.ft.com/2019/02/21/1550732404000/Europe-s--1-trillion-tax-gap/" target="_blank">source</a>)</i></span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
So why is there such a
huge tax gap? There are many reasons, but the underlying cause is
probably human greed. Greed for money and greed for power. Just as a
poor woman might <a href="http://clausmikosch.blogspot.com/2018/06/a-stolen-pen.html" target="_blank">steal a pen</a> when she gets the opportunity, a
middle class woman saves cash when paying a cleaner in black and a
rich woman steals two million from the tax pot. In the same way, a
corporation, guided by its shareholders, also grabs the opportunity
for extra profit when it arises.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I don't like greed, but I
can accept it. It's an ancient human weakness – wanting more,
always more. However, given that the facts are so clear, that it's
greed leading to tax theft leading to reduced public funds, there are
other things that I can't accept. Like blaming immigrants for
example.
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The whole tax gap disaster
needs to be solved, the sooner the better. That's where most
attention should go. Instead, people go crazy when we open the
borders to help those we've exploited in the first place; they say we
can't afford more immigrants, so why should we rescue those sinking
boats? Europe first – those black folks just want to steal our
money.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Greed is causing
inequality. Hence greed needs to be faced, addressed and, if not
eliminated, at least it has to be tamed and controlled. Racing
against immigrants is not only a sad human tragedy, but it's simply
the wrong strategy. It will only worsen the problem, it will divide
and breed hate and it definitely won't generate 1 trillion Euros...</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
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<div align="CENTER" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
And
just because it fits so beautifully, here's Donald Trump: </div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
“The
point is that you can't be too greedy.”</div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Any questions?<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><a href="http://www.clausmikosch.com/">www.clausmikosch.com</a></i></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />Claus Mikoschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934895210127975617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414508480529938481.post-90703970286510007742019-02-11T11:15:00.004+01:002019-02-11T11:15:38.094+01:00How to bake a new worldI've got a new passion:
bread making! My girlfriend even says it's already gone far beyond a
passion and has become an obsession. Bowls and bags of flour are
taking up all empty space in the kitchen and the oven is almost
constantly on. I feel like I'm doing a master degree, I read books
and articles and study videos on YouTube. Lots of videos! A couple of
weeks ago I had one of my occasional down days and when a good friend
heard about it she sent me a message, trying to cheer me up and
telling me not to watch any doomsday videos online. I laughed out
loud and sent her a message back: “You know the suggestions you get
on your YouTube feed? All I get these days are videos of people
making bread. There's no space left for doomsday stuff!”<br />
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHAKz18dZ7vK3YxNY5klF52NLjKCWXOwaBGKeK13pmoJvylcw1sgISuAUNscmgYsyHb4NyE0VO-mS6h7itciKjv_5mx7XV4TXK89EDmsbdbUvSWaLNg75Zi3Yysxfxa57LU4p3wRLpiPw2/s1600/How+to+bake+a+new+world.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1181" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHAKz18dZ7vK3YxNY5klF52NLjKCWXOwaBGKeK13pmoJvylcw1sgISuAUNscmgYsyHb4NyE0VO-mS6h7itciKjv_5mx7XV4TXK89EDmsbdbUvSWaLNg75Zi3Yysxfxa57LU4p3wRLpiPw2/s400/How+to+bake+a+new+world.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Every bread has four basic
ingredients: flour, water, salt and something that makes it rise, ie
yeast or sourdough. But a really good bread needs a fifth ingredient.
Something that most breads you find in shops nowadays lack. It's a
very simple yet also incredibly precious and important ingredient:
time.
</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Some of the breads I make
take over 24 hours. However, the amount of work needed for mixing the
ingredients, for kneading, forming and scoring is actually quite
small – most of the time the dough just sits there and slowly
develops and ferments. It made me think of writing: A book can be
written very quickly, but a good book needs time. And just like with
making bread, the time spent writing isn't that much – what takes
so long is the slow fermentation of ideas.
</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Looking at the world and
the changes that are so desperately needed, perhaps it's a similar
story as with bread making and writing. There are lots of ideas out
there to make everything better, for people and the planet, and some
of these ideas are already put into practice. Sometimes I get
impatient though when I observe the slow progress, I get frustrated
because I feel that everything should be changed today. It's hard to
accept, but maybe certain changes simply need time too. Because just
like you can't expect a good bread in one hour or a great book in one
month, neither can you expect a perfect world in one year.</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
With all the accelerating
environmental problems and social conflicts, the question is of
course whether we have enough time to patiently wait for a better
world. Perhaps it will be too late if we don't speed up our actions
very soon, if we don't start to live in a sustainable and peaceful
way latest by tomorrow. But even if we got our act together right
now, it would still take time until we see major positive results. No
matter how much we hurry, we still need to be patient and allow the
changes to grow organically. Like watching ideas unfold into stories
and a bit of flour and water turn into a beautiful, delicious bread.</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Thoughts alone don't write
any books though, just like time alone won't turn the bread
ingredients into a tasty loaf. Ideas need to be put on paper and the
dough needs to be kneaded and cared for. In other words: It requires
time AND action to write a beautiful future and bake a new world.
</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
___________</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i>You can find this blog also on my new website, together with books, films and
mix tapes – <a href="http://www.clausmikosch.com/" target="_blank">www.clausmikosch.com</a></i></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<br />Claus Mikoschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934895210127975617noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6414508480529938481.post-62477497583398748822019-01-14T15:10:00.001+01:002019-01-14T15:12:00.526+01:00Change of directionI love Amazon. No matter
what I want to buy – books, music, kitchen utensils, candles, toys,
pens, electronic gadgets – finally there is one single place that
has it all. Recently a friend of mine has even bought all the
furniture for her new flat with just a few clicks. There's no need to
waste time in countless different stores, it's not even necessary to
leave the comfortable sofa. Delivery is fast, prices are competitive
and thousands of reviews guide you to the best items. Furthermore,
every time I had a problem – wrong size, a malfunctioning product
or simply too much money spent – it was solved almost immediately
and without any hassle. Even in the offline world it's hard to find
equivalent customer service.<br />
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
For people like me, who
actually don't like going shopping, Amazon seems like paradise. A
couple of months ago I was in a big shopping centre because I needed
some things I couldn't get in any small local shops. At some point I
ended up trying on some shoes. I wasn't totally convinced though and
was about to leave when the shop assistant said in a persistent tone,
'just get them, you can always return them when you come back the
next time.' My reply: 'But I don't want to come back!' To me,
shopping malls are horrible and utterly depressing places, full of
greedy, stressed and unhappy faces. Why would I want to come back?
Amazon's website seems blissful in comparison.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
However, I also hate
Amazon. It's a perfect reflection of a world that puts consumerism
above anything else. Buying has become the new praying and money the
new God. And not surprisingly, without prayers and a loving God,
ethical behaviour isn't the top priority (not that it ever was, but
it seems to be getting worse). Amazon exploits producers, sellers and
even its own staff; buyers are trapped into a hypnotizing shopping
frenzy and so every day thousands of people end up buying more stuff
they don't need, which leads to more feelings of emptiness and less
happiness. Millions, if not billions of trees are cut down to produce
all the packaging, most of which is destined to land in the bin and
litter the land. A while ago I ordered seven items and received four
separate, unnecessarily huge packets – logistically it might make
sense, but environmentally it's an absolute nightmare.
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Many other online giants
do the same, but since Amazon is the mighty king of all giants, it's
also the most visible one. And I think in a world which continues to
be driven by profit and power, it's save to say that, in order to be
the biggest, usually you have to be the most ruthless too. Empires
are rarely built peacefully.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Amazon is cold. Digital.
Impersonal. Many years ago I used to work in a record shop – it
wasn't only a shop, but also a meeting point, a place to find both
art and friends. It was a happy place because everyone who worked
there was passionate about music and loved to be there. Customers
often came with a sunken face and left with a smile. A melting pot of
music and roaming souls, providing a meaningful and often joyous
shopping experience. Online on Amazon I get the music too, but the
vital second ingredient is missing: the human connection.
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Long story short: When I
saw the pile of Amazon packages that I had ordered just before
Christmas, I felt slightly ashamed. It just got out of hand and needs
to be changed. My first impulse was to stop buying online altogether.
But is this realistic if you don't live in a big city where small,
specialist shops still exist? And is it necessary to boycott Amazon
100%? Let's face it: Sometimes it's difficult to resist the
temptation of convenience.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I asked myself a question:
How much Amazon in the world would I be willing to tolerate? In the
US, almost half of all online sales are already done on this one
platform. That's 5% of all retail sales, on- and offline. Is that
acceptable for me? Would I accept more? 10%? 30? Even half of all
sales?
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Personally, I think it
should be less than it is now. Or at least it shouldn't grow more,
otherwise one day we won't have a choice any more. For now, there are
still plenty of other, more ethical and independent online shops out
there. Also, I don't really fancy a world without unique small shops,
where real people stand behind the counter. Shops with a shining
soul! So whenever possible, these should be my priority.
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Should...
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Maybe it's this word
SHOULD that will kill us. Because should equals lack of action. I
should eat less meat, I should buy only organic food, I should fly
less often, I should make it all better. I should slow down, I should
live in the Now.
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
How can I get rid of
SHOULD?</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Usually I use SHOULD when
I talk about something which, to me, at the present moment, seems out
of reach. A utopian fairy tale goal, unrealistic and too much hard
work. Others might be able to do it, but not me. I'm too weak, too
lazy and also too small. What difference can I make anyway?
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
A beautiful and
comfortable excuse. The problem is, excuses don't change anything.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
So why not breaking up the
utopian goal into smaller pieces? If I'm heading towards hell but
want to get to heaven, I can't simply beam myself there. I have to
turn around and start walking towards it. Once I've changed the
direction, each step will bring me closer to where I want to be.
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Regarding my Amazon
dilemma, it means to put the focus not on eliminating but on
reducing. First step: Whenever I don't get something in a local shop
and need to go online, I will check if there's a good alternative to
Amazon. If there is, I go there. If not, and only then, Amazon is
acceptable. In one year from now I will tell you how it went.</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
In the meantime, feel
inspired for your own changes by José, the sailor of ANICCA:</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://vimeo.com/190613991" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1181" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzjpRLDTE5M4cMMWp00w7OV_D4onsyEJu8nX6Ahfp8RmtL6IvdV05Ui4QrDA3Md7PgpUuNy0y26K_fWNGvilJ9ZJJUt4z6tJxlQkVzUSKppDpaa3K8D4zlA5JjrIhLAbNY_MGTEEpJGtac/s400/Change+of+direction.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.aniccathefilm.com/" target="_blank">www.aniccathefilm.com</a></div>
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<br />Claus Mikoschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11934895210127975617noreply@blogger.com1